Blog
At some point in time every large church asks the question, “Are we utilizing volunteers the way that we should?” The question usually emerges in the midst of a budgeting or financial planning meeting as leaders grapple with an ever expanding staff budget, or yet another request for an addition to staff. It seems that […]
Read MorePastors are symbols of their congregations. The person who occupies the office of pastor must, on some level, embody the culture and mission of the congregation. This phenomenon becomes more pronounced the larger a congregation becomes. In the very large church people who listen to the pastor teach on Sunday morning rarely encounter the pastor […]
Read MorePastors are symbols of their congregations. The person who occupies the office of pastor must, on some level, embody the culture and mission of the congregation. This phenomenon becomes more pronounced the larger a congregation becomes. In the very large church people who listen to the pastor teach on Sunday morning rarely encounter the pastor […]
Read MoreWhen I work with congregations in the midst of change I often speak about Rogers Innovation Adoption Curve . It’s important for leaders to think about where they are focusing their energies among follower groups as they seek to lead change, (innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, laggards). So often, leaders waste their energy […]
Read MoreI’ve just finished studying the Faith Communities Today 2008 research (released in late 2009). It has some interesting things to say about the large church that I hope to unpack on this blog in the days ahead. Here is the notable topic that first grabbed me. The survey identified and queried congregations on five different approaches to […]
Read MoreI admit to being jaded about books that claim something new in the field of leadership. I’ve been a student of leadership theory for many years and frankly, it seems that most “new” ideas in leadership are simply a rehash of something that’s been around for awhile. So, I’m generally cautious when someone recommends a […]
Read MoreI admit to being jaded about books that claim something new in the field of leadership. I’ve been a student of leadership theory for many years and frankly, it seems that most “new” ideas in leadership are simply a rehash of something that’s been around for awhile. So, I’m generally cautious when someone recommends a […]
Read MoreMost large congregations choose between small groups and Sunday school when it comes to selecting a vehicle for educating, assimilating, discipling and caring for members. I rarely encounter congregations that are strong in both small groups and Sunday school. Churches with a history of demonstrated strength in Sunday school attendance have difficulty creating sustained small group […]
Read MoreMost large congregations choose between small groups and Sunday school when it comes to selecting a vehicle for educating, assimilating, discipling and caring for members. I rarely encounter congregations that are strong in both small groups and Sunday school. Churches with a history of demonstrated strength in Sunday school attendance have difficulty creating sustained small group […]
Read MoreThe multi-site movement is growing. Several months ago USA Today featured an article on the growing phenomenon. The Leadership Network and Hartford Institute for Religion Research reported that among U.S. Protestant megachurches, 37% reported having two or more locations under the same leadership in 2008. Of the USA’s 100 largest churches, 67% now have two or more […]
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