How To Have Healthy Conversations About Hard Topics in Your Church

by Steven Carrizal  Conversations are a cornerstone for social interaction and communication. In the context of a church family on a Sunday morning, conversations are how we learn about and share the events of our lives as we greet one another. We talk about the weather, the game, the weekend, and our children. We make […]

Leadership as Immune System

by Jon Mullican Peter Steinke has equated leadership to the body’s immune system. According to Steinke, leadership establishes the boundaries of what is of self, what belongs in the body, and what is foreign – what is not of the body. Leadership is responsible for identifying behavior that is allowed and behavior that is prohibited. […]

The Post-Conflict Show

By Amanda Box – It was Saturday, with Sunday fast approaching. Due to travel and family emergencies, I was the last minister standing. Having several things to accomplish, while getting dressed, I texted my husband, Chuck, who was in the kitchen. “Can you take Hazel for ice cream or something so I can finish running […]

Look Around: Who Needs Encouragement?

by Dana Welty   Who Needs Encouragement? The obvious answer to that question is, “All of us.” It’s a basic human need, and it’s especially true when it comes to ministerial staff. The reality is that the ministers and their families have a tough job and, because they are often overlooked, can be starving for […]

Tell Me a Story

by Amanda Box   Church leaders have no small task in finding a way forward for our church families. There will always be intense controversies and difficult challenges on every front. That’s part of what it means to lead people who care deeply and who aren’t shy about saying so. In these moments, when leaders […]

How to Affirm and Celebrate Our Volunteers

by Dana Welty   How do we talk about volunteering in a culture so completely different from the one the original writers of scripture addressed? Did the first-century church have teens needing community service hours? Was there an apostle who guilted them into teaching the children because there were not enough teachers for Sunday School […]

Accountability and Energy in Ministry

by Evertt Huffard   Accountability in Christian ministry begins in a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Messiah gave his disciples a mission in life, a community to thrive in, and a promise to be with them. He modeled accountability to the Father and called all disciples to imitate him. “If you keep my […]

Restoring Trust in a Divided Culture: Practical Ways to Rebuild Relational Credibility Inside and Outside the Church

by Kaley Ihfe   At this moment, trust between people feels fragile and sometimes impossible. We have information coming at us constantly that is meant to evoke outrage or fear – no matter what side of the political aisle we are on.  It doesn’t take much for disagreement to turn into suspicion or for differences […]

Creating a Culture of Listening and Respect

by Jon Anderson   Until we moved to another city a few years ago, my wife and I were part of a large church for over 25 years. For the last 14 of those years, I served as an elder. During that time, our church went through several critical seasons. Two of those seasons went […]

Teaching Truth with Grace in a Time of Tension

by Brad Cox   We are living in a politically charged season marked by sharp disagreements, quick judgments, and a constant pull to choose sides. Unfortunately, in many ways the church has found itself in a similar season. Topics that used to be cut and dry are suddenly up for discussion.   Members in the same […]

X