When I first started consulting on vision I had a very left-brained approach. This was natural for me, because I am a hopelessly left-brained person. This meant I focused more on the vision statement than on the characteristics or qualities…
Congregations without vision cannot see Jesus
Seeing Jesus is a powerful image in the New Testament. Matthew 25:37-40 as an example says, “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?…
Congregational vision is about seeing Jesus with your heart, soul, mind, and strength
My mother, Mozelle Bridgers Bullard, was a person of great Christian vision and insight. She could see Jesus with her heart, soul, mind, and strength even when she could not see him with her eyes. Among the many ministries she…
Your congregation needs to know what Lyle Schaller taught me about vision
The father of post World War II practical church consulting, Lyle Schaller, was my most significant consulting mentor and spoke prophetically into my life. He taught me amazing things about congregations, how to consult with them, and how to bring…
Thinking beyond stereotypes about bivocational ministry
Because of many unwarranted stereotypes about bivocational* ministry in some denominations, congregations, and Christian cultures or tribes, it is unfortunately seen as second-class ministry. This is overwhelmingly not true. Such a perspective limits the possibilities of innovative congregational staffing patterns…
Bivocational ministry is a thing of great beauty
You can call it bivocational ministry, two or dual career ministry, tentmaking, conjoint ministry, multi-focused ministry, or something else. Yet, when referring to the commitment of a majority of people in Christian ministry one or more of these titles fit….
In organized Christianity, some people are gone and others are done
Do we need another category to describe people who are either no longer related to organized Christianity or never were? Probably.
The Mother Emanuel Nine and the Parable of the Sower and the Soils
South Carolina became my adopted state 30 years ago. Understanding and appreciating its culture is a continual journey of social and religious understanding. The story of the Emanuel Nine provides a new dimension of learning. This tragic incident is personal…
Congregations on the edge of Christian faith
We need more congregations on the edge of Christianity who avoid becoming a churched culture congregation, but rather focus on the edge where the “gones”, dones, and nones dwell. In a previous post entitled Are You Really as Progressive a…