Resource Browser Page
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Average Rating | |
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| May 9, 2012 |
Our Confessional CrisisMission and Vision We needed to pay more attention to our confessional identity if we want to have a voice in our missional future. Is our tiny classical liturgy of binary subscription to our Forms of Unity sufficient? |
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| January 17, 2011 |
Six Principles for Leading Adaptive WorkClassis Resources Classis is not a problem to be solved but a structure to be used and developed. Innovative approaches to change are necessary in this type of environment. Adaptive work and leadership gives space for change to happen in a creative, healthy way. |
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| January 17, 2011 |
Classis: Past, Present, FutureClassis Health and Renewal, Mission and Vision A classis is a way of organizing the church so that the church can be governed effectively. Can we effectively describe what it means to be a group of churches together? A dictionary definition will never be able to adequately define being together as a classis. This may be in part because our being together as a classis changes as the culture changes ... |
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| January 17, 2011 |
Developing a Vision in ClassisClassis Resources A vision can unify and energize a group. But how do you get started in developing a vision for classis? This document outlines a process that can be used to develop a vision for a classis. |
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| January 17, 2011 |
Ideas for Praying at ClassisPrayer Someone once said: “Ministry without prayer becomes work in the power of the flesh. Prayer without ministry is complacent Christianity..." Praying at classis meetings does not have to be elaborate. We just need to start making prayer a part of the day rather than an afterthought... |
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| December 14, 2010 |
Synod: Our Family ReunionClassis Health and Renewal The winds of change continued to blow and the challenge to bring even greater diversity to every level of our church life took on new form in 1996. That was the first year synod allowed members of underrepresented minority groups a place and a voice at synod. Delegating ethnic advisers was a bold new step... |
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| December 13, 2010 |
Reinventing the Judicatory in an Unthinkable WorldClassis Health and Renewal You are probably someone involved in leadership at a national, regional or local level of your denomination and very much aware of the challenges that need to be addressed. Some people are going about talking about a post-denominational North America, a myth created by those... |
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| December 13, 2010 |
The Story of the CRC Classical Renewal Ministry TeamClassis Health and Renewal The story of CRMT begins in the late ‘80s when Home Missions invited leaders of each of the classes (6 to 8 per year over several years) to conferences on successful church leadership at Robert Schuller’s Garden Grove Community Church. In 1989, ‘90 and ‘91... |
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Average Rating | |
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| May 16, 2012 |
Has There Ever Been A Moment Like This?Classis Structure We need to talk! Talk as never before, talk as family, bound together across our differences by His blood and Spirit and love. We need to relearn to speak the truth in love, to engage each other with patience, with good listening, with thoughtful discernment, with humor, with... |
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| May 1, 2012 |
A Bold StepClassis Health and Renewal
Yes our classis has taken a bold step to actively engage and support church renewal … one church at a time. This decision was born out of dialog about who is helping congregations and how it’s going. There are some good resources, but much more to do. |
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| April 13, 2012 |
Classes that Won't Seat WomenIf the CRC is going to continue to allow both the egalitarian position and the complementarian positions on women in office, how should the complementarian position be expressed in classis? |
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| April 2, 2012 |
Change At ClassisClassis Health and Renewal, Classis Structure One of the best kept secrets about the CRC’s life as a denomination is that exciting changes are percolating at the classical level. We take it for granted that agencies are thriving and doing effective work. But exciting change at the classical level? Have you heard any recent buzz about that? |
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| March 22, 2012 |
Uniting Christ's Body Through ClassisMission and Vision It's not easy to take a picture of a classis. Both Rev. Devries and Rev. Boot spoke about how this project is helping both denominations move closer together, and this I celebrate. But I think it's also important to see how in many ways classis is a better initial level in which to pursue practical collaboration and unity. |
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| March 13, 2012 |
A Visit to Classis YellowstoneClassis Health and Renewal, Classis Structure When you step off the plane in Missoula, MT, you feel embraced by the surrounding hills. I felt that way at the meeting of Classis Yellowstone too. |
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| March 5, 2012 |
A Classis Embodies What the Belhar Points ToClassis Health and Renewal Dr. John Bolt confesses his lack of classical involvement and learns that classis can be a place to see the beauty of what God is doing in this diverse world. Oh yeah, and he talks about the Belhar. |
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| February 24, 2012 |
Classis and the Denominational QuestionClassis Health and Renewal Feeling like denominations are a waste of time? I'd argue that it's tough for a Christian to "think global, act local" without a glocal ecclesiastical space, and your classis or a cluster within it might be the perfect place to start. |
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| February 6, 2012 |
More Signs of a Classis Ripe for ChangeClassis Health and Renewal Have you ever thought of what 5 words you would use to describe your classis? Encouraging? Supportive? Enjoyable? Helpful? Stimulating? Or how about slow, frustrating, boring, irrelevant, sclerotic? |
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| January 24, 2012 |
Healthy Classis Part IIClassis Health and Renewal What starts a classis on the journey to renewal? What factors can contribute to getting a classis started on the journey? Happily, many of these factors we can learn from the experience of classes that are already on the journey! |
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| January 9, 2012 |
Bishops in the CRCClassis Structure We have no titles, hats or golden staffs in the CRC, but don't be fooled, the CRC has bishops and I praise God for them. I think we might benefit from chilling a bit on our egalitarian and libertarian culture and find ways to recognize how to employ this natural dynamic of leadership for the benefit of the church. |
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| January 4, 2012 |
Healthy Classis – How to Get There, Or at Least CloseWhat are the factors that can really help a classis experience positive change? I’ll be the first to say I’m no expert, but I’d like to put forth a few thoughts for discussion. OK, I know you’re going to ask, “Yes, but what IS a healthy classis?” What are its “essential” characteristics? How do you get there? |
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| December 13, 2011 |
Fat Bureaucracies vs Flat and Fluid NetworksClassis Health and Renewal, Mission and Vision We're not alone in focusing on congregational health. What's not so clear is how "middle judicatories" like the classis figure in. I can't help but wonder - is the classis a potential key as we try to balance all the organizational dynamics we're trying to address? |
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| December 6, 2011 |
Peer Group Spurs Classis RenewalClassis Health and Renewal Here's an amazing story of transformation in one powerful paragraph! Stan Workman of Classis SEUS (no relation to the Doctor) wrote a testimony about his peer group’s experience and its effect on his classis. What’s so great is how many different people connected and |
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| November 28, 2011 |
The Article 17 FlagClassis Health and Renewal In church order language Article 17 is a no-fault divorce between a pastor and their church. Churches and pastors avoid invoking Article 17 because they don't want the stigma of this flagging system? Ought we to keep the flags or lose them? |
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| November 22, 2011 |
Raising CANEClassis Health and Renewal I was never as upset after a classis meeting as I was after my first meeting of CANE. The meeting was toxic, petty, negative, and I could go on. Classis was all about blame and taking sides, partly relative to women in office but also showing a deep distrust on the part |
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| November 1, 2011 |
What's a Classis for Anyhow?Classis Health and Renewal The CRMT is committed to help foster fellowship, prayer, and spiritual growth at the classical level. To what end? So that classes can do a better job of creating and sustaining the health of their member congregations. To what end? |
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| October 25, 2011 |
Does Your Classis Collaborate or Compete?Classis Health and Renewal Are egos getting in the way of church collaboration? Do local CRC congregations see themselves competing with each other for a limited membership pool? |
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| October 10, 2011 |
The Classical Interim PastorClassis Health and Renewal What is the cost to your classis if one of your larger, key established congregation implodes? How can a classis do its best to promote healthy senior leadership transitions in important congregations? Consider hiring a Classical Interim Pastor. |
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| September 26, 2011 |
How to Change a ClassisClassis Health and Renewal In my brief time as guide for the Classis network I’ve encouraged its readers to give voice to the frustration and angst I often hear about Classis in the CRC. A comment that’s been repeated both on and off line seems to reflect the perception that Classis is often resistant to influence and leadership. I very much imagine that observation to be true. |
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Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| February 22, 2011 |
Classis Prayer Coordinator Job DescriptionClassis Resources, Prayer This document gives a suggested job description for a Classical Prayer Coordinator. |
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| February 21, 2011 |
Looking Back, Seeing ForwardClassis Health and Renewal Although many classes have worked to restructure their meetings (with the help of the Classis Renewal Ministry Team) to make them more fellowship oriented, there has not been a significant discussion about the identity and logic of the classis as an organizational entity of the CRC. What are the underlying reasons to keep classis going? In this paper, Craig Van Gelder examines the history and the current context of classes. He encourages the reader to take a look and begin to engage church polity as it interacts with classes. |
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| January 31, 2011 |
Changing the ConversationClassis Health and Renewal For congregations—particularly congregations of the mainline Protestant tradition—the way forward has everything to do with changing the conversation. Is a third way possible—a way beyond the polarized alternatives of either liberal or conservative, left or right, red or blue, traditional or contemporary, praise or classical? If it is possible, is a third way merely a compromise between extremes, a muddle in the middle, or is it a vital center and a new framing of the conversation? |
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| January 17, 2011 |
How to Select and Empower Your Local Church Prayer LeaderClassis Resources, Prayer The prayer leader should be called of God as one with a special gifting and desire to pray. He/she must exhibit a strong personal prayer life in order to lead with authority. This resource on the Prayer Network lists qualifications and responibilites of the Prayer Leader. |
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| December 21, 2010 |
Sample Ministry Coordinator Position DescriptionClassis Resources Example of a comprehensive Ministry Coordinator position description from Classis Niagara. |
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| December 21, 2010 |
10 Benchmarks of a Healthy ClassisClassis Health and Renewal, Classis Resources What does a healthy classis look like today? 10 Benchmarks of a Healthy Classis provides a way to answer this tough question. These benchmarks are a useful tool for assessing classis health and are also great discussion starters. |
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| December 21, 2010 |
Sample Ministry Developer Job DescriptionClassis Resources Example of a classical ministries staff job description. |
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| December 21, 2010 |
APA: Vision-Casting Exercise for GroupsClassis Resources, Mission and Vision The Achieve-Preserve-Avoid (APA) vision-casting exercise is a tool to assist you with envisioning your classis 5 years from now. The APA can also assist a classis in developing a strategic plan. |
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| December 21, 2010 |
Evaluating Your Vision StatementClassis Resources, Mission and Vision Once a vision has been produced how do you make sure it stays current and relevant to a classis? This document helps a classis ask the right questions to help keep a clear vision. |
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| December 21, 2010 |
Assessing Your Classis HealthClassis Health and Renewal, Classis Resources Based on the 10 Benchmarks of a healthy classis, here is an assessment tool you can use to the health of your classis. |
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| December 20, 2010 |
Who's Driving the Vehicle?Classis Resources This handout was presented by George Bullard at the CRMT's November 2000 conference. It applies Bullard's congregational leadership map to classis. This resource is a chart that helps visualize how a classis works effectively when a vision is in place. |
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| December 20, 2010 |
Strategy for Mobilizing Church Planting and DevelopmentClassis Resources, Mission and Vision In 2007, Home Missions updated its strategy for Classes to use when looking at mobilizing church planting and church development. Although time has passed, this document still is helpful for classes wanting to be strategic about growing their churches. |
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| December 20, 2010 |
Congregational Prayer Coordinator: Sample Job DescriptionClassis Resources This sample job description includes mission, management, scope and appointment information from Classis British Columbia NW. |
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| December 20, 2010 |
Empowering Your Classis Through PrayerPrayer This short document gives important background and ideas for empowering a classis through prayer. |
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| December 13, 2010 |
Purpose of Classis According to CRCNA Church OrderClassis Resources Classis Grandville's Mission Task Force prepared a useful summary of what the CRC Church Order and Manual of Church Government states about the purpose, authority, delegation, and business of classis. |
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| December 13, 2010 |
More Classis Resources from the CRCNAClassis Resources List of all the Classes with links to their websites, list of Stated Clerks, and resources for Stated Clerks and Synodical Deputies. |
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Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| December 14, 2010 |
Congregational Resource GuideClassis Health and Renewal The CRG strives to point leaders to those materials that can assist them in aiding their congregation's efforts to become healthy bodies of worship and agents of transformation in the communities they exist. |
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| December 14, 2010 |
Roxburgh Missional NetworkClassis Resources The Roxburgh Missional Network works alongside leaders, churches, classes and denominations to face the challenges that face churches today. The partners of the Roxburgh Missional Network have worked with classes and denominational leaders in many different contexts around the world. |
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| December 14, 2010 |
Church Prayer Leaders NetworkPrayer The Church Prayer Leaders Networks exists to help individuals (pastors and lay people) who are working to raise up more prayer in their churches. It seeks to encourage, challenge, inspire, and provide resources as you seek to motivate and mobilize your church toward deeper levels of prayer. |
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| December 14, 2010 |
The National Day of PrayerPrayer The National Day of Prayer website has resources to encourage prayer in individuals, churches and denominations. |
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| December 13, 2010 |
The Alban InstituteClassis Health and Renewal, Classis Resources The Alban Institute website contains a number of resources for classis and congregational health. |
