By George Bullard Surely you have heard the expression throughout your life that something is “good enough for government work.” Or, you have heard its cousin, “close enough for government work.” When the typical person hears these phrases they think…
What are excellent vs. mediocre congregational visions?
By George Bullard Vision is not business as usual. It is not about average thinking. It does not involve doing a little better next year than you did last year. It is not about mediocrity. Vision is about excellence in…
A Star Wars outsider reflects on church
I have a confession to make. I have never seen any of the Star Wars movies. I know very little to nothing about them. I am officially an outsider when it comes to all things Star Wars. With all the…
Should congregations stay away from professionals when writing a vision statement?
By George Bullard Yes, and for very good reasons. There is nothing wrong with professionals. There’s no reason to criticize them. It is all about the dependency congregations develop with outside third-parties who help them craft their future vision. Because…
Just like the New Testament, congregational vision is experienced then written
By George Bullard Who knows for sure exactly how the Gospel according to Luke came to be written? I mean exactly. No one knows with absolute surety. But we can imagine. For me to imagine this, I read the first…
Is congregational vision written then experienced or experienced then written?
By George Bullard Is a vision best when written or best when experienced? Yes, and it depends. But, let’s go deeper. Think about your dreams during your sleep last night. Yes, you dreamed, but you may or may not remember…
Church community and ubiquitous doughnuts
By Kenneth Meyers This is the ninth article in a nine-part series on empowering a faith community to impact the world. Previous articles can be found here. Is your congregation missing the cherished familial fellowship and sweet spirit of church…
Church the way it used to be?
By Mark Wingfield On a recent visit back to my hometown in Oklahoma, I heard about a church that has adopted the motto, “Church the Way It Used to Be.” Later, I did an Internet search for this phrase and…
Business leaders should leave their ideas about congregational vision at the office
By George Bullard The vast majority of congregations have within their membership successful and insightful business leaders. They daily make a significant impact in the marketplace. Some are entrepreneurs who started their own businesses or assumed leadership of a family…
Vision casting is the responsibility of all congregational leaders
By George Bullard Matt Carswell, pastor of Mountain View Church, is a gifted preacher and a warm, caring pastor. Spiritual formation through worship and in-depth pastoral care are places where he excels. He is loved by his congregation. At the…
The downside of diversity
By Amy Butler For some time I’ve been of the conviction that cultivating diverse communities of faith is critical to living the gospel. Some tell me creating a diverse community is just not a reality for their church; the community…
A Philadelphia story, with a bright future
The offer seemed at first like manna from heaven. A developer walked into First Baptist Church of Philadelphia and offered $2 million to buy the historic 68,000 square foot building that was suffocating the tiny congregation with constant maintenance. He…