By Jimmy Adcox Initiate Congregational Assessment and Education While assessments are certainly not essential to helping churches become environments for spiritual formation, congregational assessments can help you be more aware and more intentional. They can also provide a benchmark for future progress. We have found the REVEAL Survey (developed by the Willow Creek […]
Authors : Jimmy Adcox
Tags : Church Assessment, Church Renewal
by Jimmy Adcox Spiritual formation has been a hot topic in many circles over the last several years. Ancient practices have gained popular attention again. When Richard Foster wrote his Celebration of Discipline in 1978, it was a rare book and a “voice in the wilderness.” Now, hundreds of books have been published on […]
Authors : Jimmy Adcox
Tags : Church Renewal, Healthy Church
by Lynn Anderson What steps begin to move elders from the boardroom to the pasture, from managers to shepherds, from control to empowerment? 1. Learn shepherding skills Before attempting to shift structures, the leaders must actually be shepherding people. As one friend put it, “I am not going to let anyone make an elder out […]
Authors : Lynn Anderson
Tags : Shepherds/Elders
by Lynn Anderson It was a Kodak moment. Bill’s silver hair and frail figure evidenced his nearly 80 years, but his face glowed with obvious affection for Mike. Mike, 20-something, tough, athletic—and months into a recovery program— stood beside Bill in the baptistery. As Bill spoke soft, clear words, Mike nod- ded slightly. The whole congregation […]
Authors : Lynn Anderson
Tags : Shepherds/Elders
by Chris Goldman A Story: A youth minister called. He was at the end of his rope! His church was falling apart. The preacher had been fired, the elders were fighting, members were fleeing and he felt a responsibility to “put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” The counselor inside me wanted to put him […]
Authors : Chris Goldman
Tags : Mentoring
by Doug Peters The New Testament uses a variety of terms to describe those that carry out roles and functions of leadership and ministry in the earliest church. Many read the various texts with an eye toward an “Organizational Chart” often found in business, government or the military, and emphasize authority and position. Viewed purely through […]
Authors : Doug Peters
by Doug Peters The premise of this series suggests that leadership groups of elders and ministers do well to proactively establish some Useful Understandings for their ministry together. The interim season is an excellent opportunity to ask some important questions in several categories and develop some “ground rules” for leadership teams. It should be noted that all […]
Authors : Doug Peters
by Doug Peters How will your church leadership lead? Will their ministry of leadership be Proactive or Reactive? Intentional or Indiscriminate? Consistent or Chaotic? And what can you do to increase the likelihood of preferred outcomes? Church leadership teams, such as elder/minister groups, greatly benefit from the discipline of asking good questions about how they will serve together. These Useful Understandings bring several practical, systemic and […]
Authors : Doug Peters
by Doug Peters “Leadership in a non-profit, largely volunteer, faith-based organization is the toughest kind of leadership!” That sentiment was clear as I was privileged to gather with several great Christ-following leaders. They are the captains of industry and directors of business. And they are also leaders in their churches. They are CEOs, CFOs, Presidents, Entrepreneurs, […]
Authors : Doug Peters
Tags : Church Governance, Leadership Coaching
by Grady King Debunking the Myths of growing the church, being successful, and the misconception that one size fits all. Church leaders, particularly in North America, have long depended on the right place and right time for being a growing church. Blame and shame conversations are powerless to give hope. Changing the conversation from blame […]
Authors : Grady King
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