Make Visible Your Mission
Make Visible Your Mission By: Paul Nickerson Our congregations are often the best kept secrets in town. One congregation claimed several hours of local cable access. They taped interviews with every member of the church who was a leader in a mission that reached out to that community. They also interviewed various mission partners […]
Focus, Focus, Focus
For the week of November 21, 2005 Focus…Focus…Focus By: Bruce Cole, lead pastor of Joy! Lutheran Church, G One of my most important tasks as a lead pastor is to spend time learning from lead pastors who are three to five years ahead of me in terms of how God is molding and shaping the […]
Communication Hub
For the week of November 07, 2005 Communication “Hub” By: Tom Bandy Traditional church buildings were designed for curriculums rather than conversations. In other words, ecclesiastical architects assumed worshippers would go immediately to Sunday school rooms, or return for midweek Bible study sessions, or gather routinely in community centers. Christians did not really need to […]
Take Newcomers Down a Different Pathway
For the week of October 31, 2005 Take Newcomers Down a Different Pathway By: Paul Nickerson One effective way of changing the core discipleship pattern in a congregation is to begin with those who are new to your church. While long-term members often find it difficult to think of “doing church” in any way different […]
Overcoming Control: Help Your Leaders Lead
For the week of October 17, 2005 Overcoming Control – Help Your Leaders Lead By: Paul Nickerson While recently working with a congregation experiencing stress in transition, I was reminded again of an important principal: help leaders lead! This particular church had a younger pastor who was helping the congregation attract younger families. This led […]
Get People Involved in a New Church Start
For the week of October 10, 2005 Get People Involved in a New Church Start By: Paul Nickerson The old image of a new church start was a “parachute”. A new church start pastor was “parachuted” in, under the cover of darkness, without any neighboring congregations having any idea this was happening. Resentment often followed, […]