All tagged church leadership
So how do you cultivate a healthy culture? In a few conversations I had this past week, the answer to the dilemma that each leadership team presented either found some significant connection to the healthy aspects of the culture or demonstrated a significant area of “cultural” work for the leadership team.
It can be ok that that other church or denomination is more successful in our town; we don’t have to find fault with them or let jealousy steal our hearts. It can be ok that, in the past, our groups have had significant conflict; not all inter-group conflict is resolvable, and sometimes we just have to lay down our weapons and move on, seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
I think what we’ve missed is that some matters of church life and spirituality aren’t a matter of right and wrong. To be certain, some matters are quite clear, but it’s not as common as we think. In some cases, we’re dealing with a continuum that might include a wide range of possible answers. In other cases, there’s ambiguity as to which position might be right.
Ever been disfellowshipped? If so, you know some of the pain that can be there. Despite its positive foundation, it is a way that Christian behavior mirrors some of the most damaging and painful tendencies of our modern world.
Authenticity is not only seen in big, dramatic moments. More often, authenticity is found in the small, daily decisions that have earned your credibility. It is not about being liked; it is about being trusted because of your consistency and clear values.
Two young students spent the semester reading and doing ethnographic research on the topics of worship and burnout in churches. Here’s a taste of their findings.
It is true that our movement has always valued Scripture as being “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” We know that “the world” can be an enemy to us, and so we will always need to recognize situations where we need to hold on, be faithful, and separate ourselves from the world. In other words, we can’t assume that relevance solves our problems – we might have to be willing to be “different.”
Contextualization is at the very center of the church’s mission. Christian congregations must know their context as they live out the gospel of Jesus. In other words, church leaders should understand why their church exists and what their God-given mission really is. This is not some fringe part of a church’s existence but is central to its very purpose.
Part of the responsibility we have as God’s co-creators is that we help our flock create the kinds of connection that God desires to have with them by modeling it for each other. If we truly believe that God’s best for us is to be fully in His presence in right relationship with Him, then we must take seriously the responsibility to unleash that presence on earth as it is in heaven through our roles as royal priests who make God known, especially to the neighbor you turn to greet.
The road to the fullest possible joy is a path of obedience containing opportunities to follow that are contrary to human nature and turns opposite of which people often imagine themselves taking.
While the intended audience of the book “Thriving as a Single Person in Ministry” is two-fold, I would like to offer this book as a necessary resource for church leaders of single staff members.
While there are lots of lessons to be learned from this research, for us as church leaders, the big take-away here is that what matters most is group interaction.
Throughout the holiday season I’ve been in the learner’s seat for a very practical lesson, but one that has large implications. It’s time I had some classmates.
As summer comes to a close, we reflect on the simplicity summer activities offer as we seek to facilitate connection and belonging within Christian community.
We all get our feelings hurt. You need thick skin to be a spiritual leader. It is hard. Most people never know how many hours you spend trying to help people.
Folk who study congregations speak of congregations having a “life cycle.” If you’re thinking that your church might be one of them, let’s take a deeper look.
We work for the maturation of God’s people, helping them to grow in their Christlikeness in every aspect of their lives.
Churches that live in the presence of the gospel are paying attention to spiritual vitality, passing and forming the Christian faith in people, and practicing hospitality to the world.
It’s time to stop being mad about what people aren’t doing and ask for what you need. I mean it. I’m like a broken record out here as I’m coaching people through conflict. “Just ask,” I say, over and over.
Have you sometimes been humbled by a pastoral situation, entering or exiting in a clumsy or awkward way, or struggling to get a sermon or initiative off the ground?
