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Q. Everyone knows that our governing board is too large for effective decision making, and yet every time we talk about reducing the size of our board people grow anxious. The conversation gets stuck when leaders assert that we must have a large board to insure good representation.  How can we engage a productive conversation about board […]

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Frank Ostaseski speak about Being a Compassionate Companion while accompanying the dying. Frank is a leader/teacher in the Zen Hospice Project. As I listened to Frank speak, I was struck by how well his five precepts for walking with the dying apply to congregational life, when a congregation is in the midst of […]

Recently, author Karen McClintock wrote The Challenge to Change  in which she made this claim, “I believe congregations are in decline because they have become shame-bound.” I haven’t been able to get this provocative statement out of my mind.  It certainly proves true in my consulting practice, particularly in any situation that involves imaging a […]

For many of us in ministry the use of persuasion and influence, outside of the pulpit, makes us uncomfortable. We don’t want to be seen as manipulative or unethical. So, when we need to convince someone to do something that they wouldn’t do of their own volition, we frame our invitation as a legitimate request (establishing our right as […]

I’ve heard this question recently from several of you. Q:  I’ve always heard that the governing board of a congregation should grow smaller as the church becomes larger. Why is that? Is there an ideal size?  A:  Effective boards in every size congregation must tend to three types of work: fiduciary (tending to the stewardship […]