October 5, 2020
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Cynefin at Work in One Congregation
A story of how one congregation used a decision making framework to help them find a bit of clarity for their decisions in a ministry world turned upside down.
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October 5, 2020
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Planning In An Unplannable Season
We may not be able to provide much certainty for our congregations right now, but here’s a tool that could help provide a way to develop clarity in this time of high unpredictability.
September 22, 2020
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Why Your Church Needs to Be Part of a Cohort Team Now More Than Ever
Here are four upcoming cohort opportunities that might bless your congregation.
August 31, 2020
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Clarity, Not Certainty
Here are stories of how two churches prioritized the goal of including children in Sunday morning worship and got creative in this uncertain time.
August 31, 2020
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The Need for Creative Experimentation in All Congregations
How does the church flourish in the context of a creator economy? It engages in creative experimentation, listening to the Holy Spirit’s leading while launching trial and error initiatives.
August 17, 2020
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Coaching Corner: Bearing Our Burdens Together
We are not alone in our questions and struggles.
May 22, 2020
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When Change Is Thrust Upon Us: 3 Models for Navigating New Terrain
Ministry leaders are exploring their church’s desire and their capacity to change. The following resources can help you and your teams reflect on both as you begin to imagine the next ministry season.
May 7, 2020
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Make a Decision!
When a decision about the future must be made, but information about the future is scarce, what's a church council to do? Here is some advice for getting through this leadership challenge.
March 27, 2020
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Keeping Our Posts
What does Christian faithfulness look like in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic?
February 4, 2020
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Coaching Corner: Why I Love My Job
Do you ever have moments when you think, “Thank you, Lord, for reminding me why I love this job!” Here’s the backstory to my most recent “Thank you” moment.
January 16, 2020
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Coaching Corner: Turning Committee Work Into New Church Patterns
Here's how one church insured that new faith formation initiatives would live on past their committee work.
August 15, 2018
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5 Steps for Putting Good Ideas into Action
Ideas for new practices or programs may be plentiful, but the deeper challenge is in successful implementation and making the changes stick. In this article, five steps or stages are outlined for putting good ideas into action.
July 20, 2018
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4 Ways to Ward Off Ministry Myopia
When change is needed, evaluating our own ministries can be difficult. Here are four ways to ward off ministry myopia and set your congregation up for success.
August 25, 2016
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The Blessings of Collaborative Learning Cohorts
So, why all of this emphasis on collaborative learning? And, why should those of us who have been let down by “group” work try it now? Here are 6 compelling reasons for churches to consider peer learning groups.
May 12, 2015
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Discernment Process for the Future of a Church
Does your church leadership need help in the discerning process for the future of the church? If so, a Ministry Leaders Retreat guide is available.
May 11, 2015
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Ending Well
If your church decides it is time to close the church, a practical step-by-step process guide is available to assist you in ending well.
May 9, 2015
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What Causes Friction Between Combustibles?
I will state it directly: We do not have enough emotional or relational maturity in our congregations and in our leadership. Irritations rub and rub until there is smoke and eventually full heated conflict.
May 4, 2015
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Detecting "Smoke" as an Indicator of Potential Internal Combustion in a Church
Attitudes need monitoring, as does atmosphere. A detector for real smoke checks the atmosphere for clarity at regular intervals and if needed, sounds an alert. How is this done in churches?
April 24, 2015
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Should Your Church Close? How Do You Know?
“Do we have a future or have we come to the end of ministry as we know it now?” For many churches, this is a hard question to ask and to answer.
April 23, 2015
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Grating Expectations
What are some examples of unstated and hidden expectations present in churches? How to prevent them?
April 23, 2015
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Found in the Ashes
Fire alarms in homes detect indicators of a pending problem and sound a warning. Could we develop something equivalent for churches? What would such a detector sniff for?
April 10, 2015
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Difficult Pastor-Church Partings and Fire Alarms
"Hard" or "conflicted" partings of ways between pastors and congregations are steeply on the rise. So my question is, are there measurable pre-indicators of a potential "fire" in a congregation?
April 6, 2015
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A Church in Transition?
Your church is declining. You feel you might be close to closing your doors. What now?
May 2, 2014
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Classical Renewal Prairie Style
What can a coach bring to a classis and its congregations? This blog describes the role of a coach for congregational health and mission in Classis Central Plains.
November 13, 2013
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Navigating the Challenges of Church Renewal
The journey of congregational renewal is like the ancient journey of the Hebrews: there are river crossings and rebellions, mountains and wilderness. What does this all look like at the congregational level, and what should leaders, including pastors, expect?