by Joel Snider | Sep 18, 2018 | layperson, Uncategorized
I have known dozens of churches well. Some I served; some were served by colleagues. Others were neighboring congregations. A few of these churches handled difficulties well. They took the initiative to deal with problems in the earliest stages. They set...
by Barry Howard | Sep 11, 2018 | pastor search committee
When a congregation welcomes a new pastor, it is an exciting time, a new beginning for both the congregation and the new minister. To maximize this new beginning, it is important to prepare spiritually, cognitively, and emotionally for a new chapter. Once a call to a...
by Barry Howard | Sep 4, 2018 | Uncategorized
Here’s my confession: I enjoy piecing together jigsaw puzzles. I’m still not sure whether my affinity for puzzles parallels my work as a pastor, but I have discovered that bringing order to the chaos of this fragmentation is both relaxing and reflective. As an...
by Bill Wilson | Aug 28, 2018 | change, Uncategorized
As part of our work with congregations who are engaging in the process of imagining their future, we invite them to first look back and connect with their past. One effective tool for doing that is to create a timeline that includes significant events from the life of...
by Tracy Hartman | Aug 21, 2018 | conflict
Conflict. Just the word gives many of us a sinking feeling. And it seems to be everywhere these days: in our homes, our churches and other ministry settings, and in our national and global interactions. Two weeks ago I had the privilege of spending a week in Israel...
by Joel Snider | Aug 14, 2018 | communication
In part one of this two-part column, I wrote that healthy churches give considerable attention to a full process of communication that includes: quality of decisions, quantity of messages, accuracy of information, and consistency of practice. In part two, I will...
by Joel Snider | Aug 7, 2018 | communication
Pastors and other ministers want to know the best practices of a healthy church. Here’s one: healthy churches communicate well. They recognize it is almost impossible to communicate too much. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? If it’s so simple, why don’t more congregations...
by Sarah WIlson | Jul 25, 2018 | Uncategorized
The Center for Healthy Churches (CHC) is delighted to announce two important additions to the consulting arm of the ministry. Each of these new consultants brings vast ministry experience and exceptional expertise to their work. The Rev. Dr. Carol Tate is the Interim...
by Mike Queen | Jul 24, 2018 | success
As my interview with the Personnel Team of a church looking for an interim pastor came to an end, the chair turned to me and said, “We don’t want to waste the momentum we have right now.” When I asked for a broader explanation of what he meant by that, he said, “We...
by Doug Haney | Jul 17, 2018 | worship
On the book shelf in my office is a gift from a church member and former adult choir member, Frances. The ceramic plaque reads, “Singing is praying twice.” It’s an adaptation of a quotation usually attributed to St. Augustine, “One who sings prays twice.” What does...
