A short easy to read and digest, practical work that offers the basics of developing an intentional disciplemaking life of church – but don’t let this summary fool you. The insights are powerful and the examples can be quickly practiced in everyday life by anyone who is ready. And the best part, personal stories […]
Caldwell, Kallestad, Sorensen Drawing from both the example left by Jesus and their sixty years of experience as pastors, the authors paint a vivid picture of the life of a spiritual entrepreneur. The first part of the book is motivational while the second part becomes more practical. If you want your horizon enlarged or challenged, you […]
In my last two posts I have written about leadership within the government and the church which are both experiencing difficult challenges. I can’t remember a time in our nation’s history when there has been more talk about the failures of leadership within an administration or for that matter inside the church. As leaders […]
From Bill Easum on our Advanced Forum (to join click here)
One of the emerging problems for those doing permission-giving and allowing ministries to bubble up from a decentralized approach is that fact that every church has some core or basic ministries that must go on no matter whether someone comes forward to do them […]
From our Advanced Listserve (to join click here)
More churches are using consensus instead of voting. One example, Epiphany Lutheran, Rock Hill, SC, is using consensus voting. Since moving to the permission-giving structure, they have not voted once, in any arena. They agreed that this was the best way. They do no have “congregational meetings,” […]
By: Jeff Patton
As you begin to think about 2007, here are a few pointers, what I would call Basic Strategies for Successful Ministry or, in other words, “do the basics well”.
10) Make sure your ads on the web and in the paper are correct. Make sure the message on the phone tells what a person […]
When I went to seminary, we were taught that the best, most authentic, relevant way to preach was to create an expository sermon. For the uninitiated that’s a sermon that starts with a scripture passage, “expose” it by digging in to teach what the passage says, what the author meant, and then apply it […]
“You can’t judge me!” It was a church member who was saying that as the pastor gently explained that their unseemly behavior at the previous board meeting had been unacceptable.
“Judge not” has become the rallying cry for tolerating bullies and terrorists in the church because, well, it just doesn’t seem right to “judge” […]
A lot of pastors feel it’s inappropriate to use power, even if it might cause something good to happen. Great leaders aren’t afraid to use power for the corporate good. They know that in the absence of strong leadership, someone steps in to exercise power. They know what normally happens when leaders fail to […]
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