by Natalie Aho | Apr 10, 2018 | communication
“Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell What are churches doing wrong when it comes to effective communication strategies? After almost 20 years as an administrative assistant, communications manager, educator, communications specialist or...
by Bill Owen | Apr 4, 2018 | change, Transitions
Over more than forty years as a pastor and now as an interim pastor and as a congregational and leadership coach, I have had a wide array of experiences in the local church. An emerging concern for me, and for many of my fellow pastors and congregations, has been the...
by Barry Howard | Apr 3, 2018 | call, Uncategorized
What did Jesus’ appointment calendar look like on the days following his resurrection? Following his earth-shaking exit from the tomb, Jesus appeared to 10 of the disciples who were meeting in Jerusalem, he walked with Cleopas and his friend on the Emmaus road, he...
by Doug Haney | Apr 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
What do you do when you are challenged or when you bump up against your own competencies and comfort zone? In January, I had an opportunity to participate in a workshop in New York City. The title of the workshop was “Orchestral Conducting for the Choral Conductor.”...
by Bill Wilson | Mar 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
All organizations, including churches, have a reason for being. Only a few actually know that reason and articulate it and live into it. Sometimes the reason is clear and crisp, other times it is fuzzy and nebulous. Some choose their “why” intentionally, others do so...
by Larry McSwain | Mar 15, 2018 | Adapting
Stability is the focus of most Christian congregations. Two thousand years of tradition in belief and practices are not easily altered. The world in which that tradition is sought is in constant flux. How we followers of Jesus maintain our commitments while...
by Larry McSwain | Mar 13, 2018 | Adapting
Looking backwards is occasionally necessary to understanding the present or future. My first experience in working as a congregational consultant was in 1971. I was a young seminary assistant professor teaching Church and Community invited to meet with a small...
by Joel Snider | Mar 6, 2018 | healthy congregation, Uncategorized
In I Samuel 24-28, we read about a major set of events in David’s relationship with King Saul. It was a rocky relationship at best. Saul’s roller-coaster personality did not lend itself to stable interactions, particularly with someone he found as...
by Bill Wilson | Feb 27, 2018 | call
Nearly all observers of the 21st century church in America agree that the next generation of leadership is a cause for concern. Many write, blog, tweet and generally lament the state of leadership cultivation and training, or lack thereof. Far too many congregations...
by David Hull | Feb 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
The story of my life was captured on slides. Some families used printed pictures, but my Dad captured all the important moments in the life of our family on slides. Periodically we would have a family slide show and look at the pictures of yesterday. Since my Dad was...
