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…organization.” — Barry Z. Posner, Accolti Endowed Professor of Leadership; chair, department of management and entrepreneurship, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University; and coauthor of The Leadership Challenge and…
…naturally. Every two weeks, we launched a “community group” — a short-term study (Bible or book), with a definite start and stop that spanned anywhere between four and six weeks….
…faith community, not within them, by inviting, serving, proclaiming justice, sharing faith, and transforming lives. Healthy churches have “permeable edges,” he reminds us, where new people enter and where members…
…— renovation is unlikely. Farr’s leading metaphor is “renovation,” which he describes as “… much more aggressive than redecorating. It is more in depth and has greater personal cost. It…
…this right away. And I’m showing you that I care about you.” Otherwise, I find I have people saying, “Hey, Tyler. Can we talk?” And then they lay in this…
…meet with two or three of you. We want to meet with Reverend so-and-so, blah, blah, blah.” I’ve had that incident happen. They’re like, “we’ve been here for two years…
…we’re all together.” If that’s working well for you, and you’re not frustrated with your meetings, then keep doing it. But you probably wouldn’t have read this far if that…
…permission. BakerPublishingGroup.com, available at ChurchesGrowingYoung.org. Related Resources: What Churches Do Young Adults Attend? by Lovett H. Weems, Jr. Lessons from Churches that Reach Young Adults by Lovett H. Weems, Jr….
…Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, GNT) “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due…
…your pastor’s leadership. All those places had effective, trusted pastoral leaders (young and old, lay and ordained, part-time and full-time), and most had been in place for several years. What…
…concise. This article is adapted from Charley Reeb’s blog about preaching at charleyreeb.com. He is author of That’ll Preach! 5 Simple Steps to Your Best Sermon Ever (Abingdon Press, 2017)….
…themselves. This will be much easier for you, and they will share your load. (Exod. 18:21 – 22) Wow! This advice is profoundly wise — guiding Moses to how he…
…a needed change. Getting people’s attention can be challenging. Using multiple mediums to communicate (print, digital, social, sermons, interpersonal interaction, groups) is important when we consider people’s patterns of participation…
…say, in essence, “You should give more,” or, “You should be less materialistic,” the more they resist. The more frustrated you are, the less effective your preaching will be. Instead,…
…2015), edited by J. Robert Moon. The book is available at Amazon.com. Related Resources: Tell Your Stewardship Story by Margaret J. Marcuson Yours for the Asking by J. Clif Christopher…
…programs should equip and empower youth as congregational participants, not isolate or “ghettoize” them. Be present for kids. Listen. Kids need and value stability, routines, and ritual, even if they…
…of the white population who are United Methodist and the percent of the people of color who are United Methodist include South Georgia, Oklahoma, Memphis, North Carolina, Alabama-West Florida, Western…
…guess at children’s needs. Listen to children. Solicit input and feedback from children themselves, not just parents and adults leaders. Give children real responsibilities. Showcase children’s artwork. Hang framed photos…
…benefit children for years to come. “But won’t the pastor and congregation of such a church be judged negatively for coming up short on the goal?” you may be asking….
…within her denominational context: “How many lay staff work in United Methodist congregations?” and “What do they do?” Although more research is needed to understand this trend fully, this research…
…UK | Fresh Expressions Canada To read more about the Church of England research, see the Fresh Expressions portion of the larger report “From Anecdote to Evidence” at churchgrowthresearch.org.uk. Download…
…many visitors are unfamiliar with worship practices. Simple things can help. If there is a part of the worship that most members know from memory (e.g., Apostles Creed or Lord’s…
…church better. Adapted from Fast Forwarding Your Church’s Community Engagement by Reggie McNeal. Copyright 2011 Leadership Network, used with permission. To download the original report in full, go to https://leadnet.org….
Many churches have a one-size-fits-all approach to their annual stewardship appeal. Everyone in the congregation receives the same “Dear Friend” letter inviting them to prayerfully offer up their tithe to…
…on your pyramid. Track pledges and giving by age “decades” (younger than 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s, etc.) so you can assess giving patterns across age groups. Determine what percentage of…
…on just one classroom, grade, or subject area, rather than a whole school. Build relationships and trust Show up at school activities and events — big games, performances, fundraisers, etc….
…and is accompanied by a PDF that may be downloaded and shared with others. It’s a common complaint among clergy types, “Sunday morning sports are taking people away from worship!”…
…in mind: Avoid talking about your previous congregation. Do not complain, criticize, or make excessive demands. And be patient. Download a PDF of this page to share with others. …
…one small group — Bible study, affinity group, or ministry team. Remember that choirs, service teams, and even administrative committees are also “small groups.” Train leaders to make these experiences…
…church before. This new perspective will shape signage, the bulletin, the work of greeters, and a host of other things. Signage Most visitors found directional signage inadequate. Try this exercise….
This article is reprinted by permission from Leading Ideas, a free e-newsletter from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary available at churchleadership.com.
