https://network.crcna.org/ The Network en Thu, 25 Apr 2024 08:49:37 +0000 Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/crcna-leaders-learn-about-ableism Recently, as part of their diversity goals, the Office of General Secretary staff at the Christian Reformed Church in North America joined together to read and discuss Amy Kenny’s book Ashley Medendorp https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/crcna-leaders-learn-about-ableism Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/finding-my-voice “Regret,” says author Brené Brown, “is a tough but fair teacher.” The idea, she writes, is that regret gives us the opportunity to grow, to make amends, to be better than we have been. Douglas Brouwer https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/finding-my-voice Wed, 29 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/lord-be-accountants-and-bookkeepers It was a small thing but also a really big thing. During worship yesterday, the pastor began the congregational prayer by lifting up the accountants and bookkeepers.  Thank you, Jesus, for the order they bring...their attention to detail...gift for numbers... Staci Devries https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/lord-be-accountants-and-bookkeepers Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:23:07 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/how-town-hall-meetings-can-help-you-lead-well-through This article was originally published at Church Juice. Church Juice is a production of ReFrame Ministries, the media missions agency of the Christian Reformed Church Ernesto Alaniz https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/how-town-hall-meetings-can-help-you-lead-well-through Wed, 01 Mar 2023 14:03:55 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/biblical-foundations/legalism-nirvana-and-well-placed When do good cultural norms become legalism? Can our efforts to avoid sin become sinful? The Story of Ellis, Legalism, and Nirvana Jeffery Guill https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/biblical-foundations/legalism-nirvana-and-well-placed Sun, 18 Dec 2022 17:04:57 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/failure-success I failed here. Jeff Munroe https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/failure-success Wed, 07 Dec 2022 17:43:43 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/why-does-your-church-need-code-conduct What is to be gained from having your congregation adopt the denomination's new Code of Conduct?  Dave Den Haan https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/why-does-your-church-need-code-conduct Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:50:56 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/weve-forgotten-how-read If you have ever muttered to yourself, “Kids these days! They have the attention spans of gnats!”, I am here to report that the kids themselves agree. At least the twelve students in my Senior Seminar course for English majors do. Debra Rienstra https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/weve-forgotten-how-read Wed, 07 Sep 2022 13:23:20 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/leadership-teams/discipleship-and-disasters “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rains fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock." (Matthew 7:24-25, NRSV) Reginald Smith https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/leadership-teams/discipleship-and-disasters Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:57:52 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/wartime-pack-kindness War is on all our minds, and my son came home from fifth grade art class last week and reported that there was, during one of the “big wars,” an artist who painted his barn to blend in with the surrounding landscape. Katy Sundararajan https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/wartime-pack-kindness Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:27:39 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/gentle-answers-defuse-arguments I remember visiting my grandparents to make applesauce together. What should have been a nice family time of four generations gathered together was overshadowed by the incessant bickering of my grandparents. Deb Koster https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/gentle-answers-defuse-arguments Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:00:58 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/zoom-breakouts-love-em-or-leave-em My involvement with the new Thriving Essentials church leadership training course has been very enlightening. Recently, as our team reviewed the assessments coming in after the pilot testing, two words stood out: breakout rooms. Elaine May https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/zoom-breakouts-love-em-or-leave-em Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:03:48 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/missionvision/inspire-2022-workshop-simple-sabotage During World War 2, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (predecessor to the CIA) published a "Simple Sabotage Field Manual." The manual was a guide for European spies to undermine the Axis powers from within. Larry Doornbos https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/missionvision/inspire-2022-workshop-simple-sabotage Thu, 10 Feb 2022 15:35:49 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/inspire-2022-workshop-conflict-opportunity This post is one of many conversations taking place in anticipation of Inspire 2022, set to happen in Tinley Park (a suburb of Chicago, Illinois) on August 4–6, 2022. The Colossian Forum https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/inspire-2022-workshop-conflict-opportunity Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:29:32 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/leaders-finish-well Leaders Finish Wellwritten by Reginald Smith, Director of Diversity Reginald Smith https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/leaders-finish-well Thu, 18 Nov 2021 01:18:56 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/leadership-teams/leaders-do-hard-things Leaders Do Hard Thingswritten by Reginald Smith, Director of Diversity Let’s admit that having conversations with people who disagree with you is really difficult and frustrating. Reginald Smith https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/leadership-teams/leaders-do-hard-things Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:11:36 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/volunteer-burnout I checked two boxes on a form to indicate that I was interested in serving in both hospitality and children's ministry. Minutes later, I panicked. I wanted to serve, but wondered: Do I really have the capacity?  Staci Devries https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/volunteer-burnout Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:40:56 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/power-likability-lesson-leadership-ted-lasso For the longest time, I considered my desire to “be liked” a liability. A weakness. A sort of kryptonite for so many of us pastors. Brian Keepers https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/power-likability-lesson-leadership-ted-lasso Tue, 10 Aug 2021 00:24:55 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/transforming-your-emotions What are your emotions telling you? Emotions can be tricky to understand, much less manage. Interwoven with our emotions are thoughts and physical sensations. It takes inner attentiveness to unwind them from one another and process what our feelings are communicating to us. Deb Koster https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/transforming-your-emotions Wed, 30 Jun 2021 11:13:08 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/4-steps-launching-new-ministry-initiative We at Faith Formation Ministries are in the midst of refreshing our Building Blocks of Faith toolkit for a relaunch this fall. We were a young ministry when the toolkit was released in 2016, and since then we've learned a lot about creating robust launching strategies. Lesli van Milligen https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/leadership-development/4-steps-launching-new-ministry-initiative Tue, 11 May 2021 16:20:42 +0000