The headlines are relentless. I wince every time I hear of a minister violating sexual or moral boundaries. I listen sadly as clergy describe unrealistic demands placed upon them by their congregation. Over the years I have seen the great…
VITAL SIGNS: Worth fighting over
As part of our work with congregations which are engaging in the process of imagining their future, we invite them to first look back and connect with their past. One effective tool for doing that is to create a timeline…
VITAL SIGNS: When the cavalry doesn’t come
The seasoned minister was addressing a group of young clergy and talking about some of the lessons learned on the job. You know, the ones you can’t learn in graduate school or from a book. These are the ones that…
VITAL SIGNS: A pivotal question
Tom Ehrich, one of my favorite thinkers about church in the 21st century, recently told me he is down to one pivotal question for the congregations he works with. That question is: “Is your primary orientation inward or outward?” His…
VITAL SIGNS: Search committee ethics
A recent column about some of the positive experiences of clergy who have recently moved motivated some responses around the theme of “things that have not gone well.” Here are some common ethical issues search committees must deal with. Bill…
VITAL SIGNS: What’s on your menu?
Let’s start with a disclaimer. I know that congregations and restaurants are not in the same business. I understand that thinking like a restaurant can lead to embracing the consumer culture of the day. I know all too well that…
VITAL SIGNS: Describe a healthy pastor search process, please
The search process for a new pastor is both an exhilarating and a risky time for a congregation. Healthy congregations go at this task from the framework of a spiritual discernment process that is unique to the free-call tradition of…
VITAL SIGNS: Jesus on strategic planning
Building a congregation’s life around a clear vision and purpose is an easy thing to believe in. Aligning that purpose with biblical teaching and witness is an agreeable notion. I seldom encounter a leader or leadership group who resists the…
VITAL SIGNS: So, you want to be a minister?
The landscape of hiring and managing staff is rapidly changing for congregations. What are the implications for the men and women who desire to serve in those congregations? What does this dawning of a new era in congregational life mean…