From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment (part 1)

by Evertt Huffard – It happens to leaders all the time. When leaders in a church face a crisis, all attention and energy goes into “solving” the problem as quickly as possible–only to discover that the quick fix led to even greater problems. I was an elder long enough to understand why any church leader wants […]

The Indispensables of Courageous Leadership

by Grady King  –  Getting stuck as a church leader or as a leader group is frustrating and exhausting.  And no matter what we say to the church, they know we are stuck. They feel it, experience it and yearn for things to be different. Over time, a stuck leadership will drain the energy of a […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (Part 3): Being a Non-Anxious Presence

by Tim Woodroof –  “Showing up” may be the first step of effective congregational leadership. But exuding a calm, principled, hopeful demeanor is the “other shoe” that has to fall.[i] In times of crisis, members will be anxious enough for us all. If leaders allow themselves to be infected by such anxiety, if leaders become transmitters of such […]

Want to Strengthen Your Marriage?

by Grady King – The greatest gift husbands and wives can give each other is to grow in Christ.  No human being can fully meet the needs of another human being. On our best day, we still fall short.  This is why growing up in Christ—which is tantamount to doing what is in the best […]

Leaders as Weight Bearers

by Grady King –  A friend of mine recently reminded me that good leaders are weight bearers. The phrase, “weight bearers” conjures up carrying a load, bearing burdens, being responsible.  Inherent to all of this is anxiety.  No church rejected Paul more than the Corinthian church. Paul, however, yearned for them to be devoted to […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (part 2) – The Importance of Presence

by Tim Woodroof –  When it comes to congregational leadership, showing up is half the battle.[i] Leaders should never underestimate the power of simple presence. Most of the time, church members don’t need their leaders to be charismatic, eloquent, brilliant, and wise. They do need their leaders to be there, to be accessible and approachable, to be visible […]

What Makes a Minister: Calling and Gifts

by Grady King –  Calling . . . What is it that God has called you to do? Biblically, when God called someone it was often not what they wanted to do and certainly not what they planned to do.  The Latin word for calling is ‘vocatio’.  To ask, “What is your vocation?” is to […]

What Makes a Minister: Soul Care

by Grady King This week we continue our discussion about another element that makes a minister – your soul and spirit. Soul is about your essence as a person–your very being.  It is what connects you to God.  To care for your soul is to consider what energizes you and makes you feel alive as […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (part 1)

by Tim Woodroof Peter Steinke’s book—Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What—is a “must read” for church leaders in these difficult days. Every church constantly teeters on the brink of anxiety-inducing events that can tear it apart. A church leader is caught in an affair. A deacon embezzles funds. Theological […]

What Makes a Minister: Your Spouse

by Grady King Wiring?  Yes, it’s the best word to describe the complexities of personality, family of origin, needs, gifts and expectations. To ignore the question, “How is your spouse wired?” is to travel down a dangerous road  swerving around the potholes of frustration, chronic anxiety and feelings of hypocrisy. Imagine driving at night on […]

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