What is it about the culture of those churches that encourages a call to ministry among their members? How do they create a “culture of call” that invites parishioners to consider deeply the possibility that God may be leading them into vocational ministry?
Remembering a staff colleague prompts questions about healthy church staffs
I’m conducting a memorial service this week for a former staff colleague, and it has caused me to give thought to what makes for a healthy relationship between ministerial staff members. Ken Denton was, for 24 years, the gifted minister…
Identifying those pesky blind spots and headaches in the Church
Have you ever experienced a migraine headache? Across my life, I have struggled with occasional migraines. Thankfully, they have diminished in both frequency and intensity over the years. Mine are always preceded by significant distortion in my field of vision….
How to be a family of faith
Twenty years ago our congregation adopted five core values. The one which speaks to our internal relationships says, “In relationships…Family.” Our church covenant expands this core value: As a group of gathered believers, we understand ourselves to be a part…
Three signs of a healthy church
After thirty-seven years of working in and alongside churches, I believe church health may be the best lens available to assess the culture of today’s church. It doesn’t matter how sophisticated the strategy, how talented the staff, how plentiful the…