The commonly accepted criteria for pastors’ leadership is that they bring a great vision with them when they become leader of a congregation, they know how to get people to follow their vision, and the results are a numerically growing,…
Congregations should keep eye on the (golf) ball for survival clues, church coach says
It’s become pretty common for churches struggling with declining memberships and tithing to study congregations that are doing well. But maybe they should focus on the game of golf, which has seen massive course closure rates since the economy tanked…
Why churches and Christian nonprofits need entrepreneurs
Read any current text on leadership and you will encounter the urgency of entrepreneurial thinking. As we move into a progressively unpredictable atmosphere, traditional incremental approaches are not cutting it. Ian C. MacMillan, director of Wharton’s Sol. C. Snider Entrepreneurial…
A call for renewed servant leadership at Baylor
A 1996 song by Paula Cole states: Where is my John Wayne? Where is my prairie song? Where is my happy ending? Where have all the cowboys gone? Now that I’ve got that tune stuck in your head, as I…
Going to bat — the only way humans thrive
I can’t think of many times in my life when I have felt as if no one would go to bat for me. In fact, whenever I tell the story of how I came to faith and later discerned a…
Congregational management must be accountable to visionary leadership
“Who is in charge here?” is a demand question often heard from someone who wants to enter an organization and provide either leadership or management. When spoken loudly and with an anger edge it can mean that if no one…
Freeing people stuck in your church
By George Bullard How do you help people who are stuck in your congregation become unstuck? How do you free them to continue their life journey with joy? In a previous post entitled, “When sticky church becomes stuck church,” I…
You are not a pretend church!
Trinity Baptist Church in Lebanon, New Hampshire, had twelve people in worship yesterday. Ten adults and two children. We sang, we prayed, we greeted one another. They listened to my sermon. We all stayed for lunch, then gathered for another…
When sticky church becomes stuck church
By George Bullard A ministry acquaintance of mine, Larry Osborne of North Coast Church, an Evangelical Free Church in Vista, Calif., wrote a book several years ago called Sticky Church. The book makes the case that closing the back door…
Congregational vision is about expanding and deepening disciplemaking
By George Bullard Vision is not about promoting programs and using an attractional approach to engage in a spiritual and strategic journey. It is not about a focus on operational planning, and a primary focus on the management of the…
When it comes to congregational vision, good enough is never good enough
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…
Five keys to thriving in seminary
By Eileen R. Campbell-Reed What does it take to succeed in the Women’s Leadership Initiative – or most any other MDiv program? Recently I was talking over tea with a prospective seminary student when she asked, “What will it take…
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…
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…