Is Voting the Best Way to Make Collective Decisions in the Church?
Voting is part of the organizational culture of many congregations. But it can create winners and losers, leaving a bad taste in people’s mouths. While…
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Articles
Leading Voices: “Leaders Observe, Follow, and Equip”
“Leaders Observe, Follow, and Equip” is presented by Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor, Director of Adult Discipleship at Discipleship Ministries. In celebration of the 20th anniversary…
Does Your Church Really Need All Those Committees?
Are your church members kept busy doing committee work they are neither gifted for nor excited about? Andy Lunt and Ted Brown say congregations can…
3 Key Skills for Leading in Today’s Argumentative Climate
Joel Snider says church leaders need new skills to move people toward common goals in a time when conflict surrounds so many church decisions. Rather…
7 Tips for Making Your Next Retreat a Real Retreat
Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff offers tips for planning relaxing, spiritually renewing retreats. Use these seven tips to ensure your next retreat is…
Fruitful Meetings Are About the Right Questions
Blake Bradford describes how framing meeting agendas around critical questions promotes engagement, innovation, and discernment. Excellent questions focus the power of the group’s gathered wisdom,…
Keeping Your Meetings from Getting Stuck in the Weeds
Blake Bradford outlines strategies to make sure your meetings stay focused and productive. They include practicing mutual accountability, managing time carefully, and having a clear…
Managing Congregations in a Virtual Age
Are virtual meetings and work-from-home staff part of the new normal in your church? In this in-depth interview John Wimberly shares best practices for working…
Episode 89: “Managing Congregations in a Virtual Age” featuring John Wimberly Jr.
Are virtual meetings and work-from-home staff part of the new normal in your church? John Wimberly discusses best practices for working with staff and volunteers in a hybrid era.
The Art of Forging a Meaningful Consensus
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says that unanimity is not required for a group to move forward. Good leaders drive consensus by extracting…
Episode 77: “Coaching Leaders and Congregations to Reach their Full Potential” featuring Chris Holmes
How can you connect the dots between where your church needs to be headed and the steps needed to get there? Chris Holmes shares his expertise on using coaching as a strategy to help leaders draw on their own resourcefulness and creativity to move a congregation forward.
Meet with a Purpose
Leadership Consultant Mike Bonem suggests strategies for making meetings more productive. The first step is to be clear about the purpose for convening a meeting.…
3 Key Questions for Evaluating Ministry Possibilities
Aaron M. Bouwens says too many churches make decisions based on the popularity and charisma of a plan’s proponents. He says congregations can make better…
An Annual Meeting as a Celebration of Faithfulness
How can you turn a routine, boring business meeting into something more celebratory and faith-filled? Tom Tumblin describes how the awarding of an annual servant…
7 Strategies to Master Meetings
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says church meetings should be holy ground where the Spirit can act because the people of God are…
A Consensus Model for Conducting an Annual Meeting
Each year, my congregation holds an annual meeting to review the past year, give updates on issues, and share projections for the coming year. We…
Working with Committees and Boards
One of the least glamorous jobs of any church leader is attending board or committee meetings. Understanding the purpose, vision, and goals of each ministry…
Death by Meeting
John Winn finds useful advice for churches and synagogues in the book Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni. The title alone is…