You never know when your congregation may receive a gift that raises moral, legal or ethical questions, but you can be better prepared if you think through the issues a bit and form a policy. This sample gift-acceptance policy from the United Methodist Church can guide you. (Photo: Asenat29, Creative Commons)
Whether you want to form better stewardship or leadership habits, here’s a quick read outlining 11 science-backed ways to form habits. After all, habits form almost 50% of our daily behaviors. Might as well make them good ones! (Photo: adriarichards, Creative Commons)
Pastors need another meeting to attend like a street needs another pothole, but they dare not overlook the finance committee. It’s where some of the key ministry takes place, as one pastor describes in this essay, posted on the website of the Center for Stewardship Leaders at Luther Seminary. (Photo by ThinkPanama, Creative Commons)
Hey pastor, does the congregation know what you give? It ought to, and you should be leading by example, according to author and stewardship consultant J. Clif Christopher. “When a pastor and staff are not tithing and being generous in every possible way, it is seldom that I will see a congregation that does.” (Photo: […]
Church leaders have lots of reasons for NOT using social media in their ministries — bad ones, says this article from Leadership Journal. It’s the 21st century, after all, and more and more people connect and learn through social media. Karl Vaters takes eight of the common reasons and explains why they are not valid.
In this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus hears everything his disciples have done and promptly invites them to “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile” (Mark 6:30-31a). This is good advice that’s tough to take; in fact, it’s critical to our leadership, health, and spiritual and emotional well-being. Author and pastor Carey Nieuwhof has a few ideas to help. (Photo: Leland Francisco, Creative Commons)
Jon Weese was challenged to turn a struggling church around and he did so by challenging people to look outside the doors rather than inward toward themselves. He practiced radical giving of self, time, and resources and expected the congregation to do the same. Read this article published in Relevant Magazine to learn more. (Photo: […]
Narrative Lectionary Reflection (Year One) for February 8, 2015
This week’s gospel lesson gives us stewardship models straight from our Lord. To serve others well and to appreciate and share God’s abundance, we must also take care of ourselves. This is, of course, easier said than done. (Photo: Jonathan Fox, Creative Commons)
Every congregational leader has had this experience: A well-presented great idea — bold, creative, innovative and missional — is met with a tsunami of resistance. This article from ChurchLeaders.com talks about the top pretexts for resistance and how to handle them.
Congregational leadership involves seeing the holy in the congregation’s members and the quotidian activities of the church and trying to bring that holiness out in partnership with God and others. But in the business of congregational life, it is easy to lose our way, focus on product rather than persons, become overwhelmed by the tasks of ministry, and forget that we are always on holy ground as we interact with God’s beloved children. What can we do? Here are some ideas. (Photo by Lel4nd, used by Creative Commons license)
