Archive for Conflict – Page 3

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 […]

Every Church Has a Story: Walking on Sacred Ground

by Grady King – I went to high school with friends who were Creek Indian. Their burial grounds were sacred. They were no mere cemeteries—simply holes in the ground.  These sacred burial sites were a blend of Indian traditions, fused with Christianity and the spirits of the “old ones” were respected in this sacred ground.  […]

Essential Conversations for Church Leaders

 by Grady King Essential Conversations for Church Leaders (What Won’t We Talk About?) “Most churches are held together by what we won’t talk about.”  For to talk about certain subjects is risky—so we simply avoid them choosing the rhetoric of unity and peace, with shallow roots that wither in the heat of conflict. My friend […]

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership via Relationship (part 5 of 5)

by Jon Mullican This is the final post comparing leadership functioning in some churches with the game of Ouija:  questions are posed and decisions made based on hidden forces within and between the members that are not, or will not, be revealed.  Rather than allow mystery to remain the theme of leader interaction, it is […]

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership (part 4 of 5)

by Jon Mullican   Our recent posts compare leadership functioning in some churches with the game of Ouija: questions are posed and decisions made based on hidden forces within and between the members that are not, or will not, be revealed. Rather than allow mystery to remain the theme of leader interaction, it is possible to […]

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership (part 3 of 5)

by Jon Mullican Our recent posts compare leadership functioning in some churches with the game of Ouija: questions are posed and decisions made based on hidden forces within and between the members that are not, or will not, be revealed. It is possible to bring the forces out into the open and deal with them in […]

Listen, Someone Has to Go First

by Amanda Box Listening is one of the most validating things you can do for another person. When someone is sincerely listening to me, I feel significant, loved, and in context. M. Scott Peck says in The Road Less Traveled that the most valuable thing one can give another is to listen! Of course God […]

From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment (Part 4: Managing Assessment – continued)

by Evertt Huffard In the last article, we discussed four interacting factors that every healthy church needs: spirituality, mission, organization, and relationships. Figure 2 expands the model. The wisdom of the spirit gives the spiritual basis for mission while good works flow through organization and relationships. This system approach also illustrates the responsibility of elders […]

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