With so much going on in our churches and culture, pastors and other leaders face more stress and busyness than ever before, and statistics show that we’re less healthy than we used to be. Regular exercise can help, says this article from churchleaders.com. (Photo: Dr. Abdulla Nasar, Creative Commons)
When it comes to commitment program models, there are four basic ones that you can adapt for your congregation’s use. This handy article describes the models, as well as the pros and cons of each one. From the Anglican Church in Canada. (Photo: Chris Potter, Creative Commons)
Your congregation can develop a culture of stewardship and generosity — all it takes is time and effort (but doesn’t everything?). Here, from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, are Four Pillars of Stewardship. Solid, simple, straightforward advice. Now get to work.
How is your congregation doing on stewardship? More importantly, how can you improve? This simple self-assessment from the United Church of Canada can help you identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for future growth. (Photo by Alberto G.: Creative Commons)
Let’s face it: Our Western habits of consumption are a big cause of the environmental crisis facing our planet. What can we do? Here are five practices that, if everybody did them, would make a big difference. Start today! From Relevant Magazine.
A lot of things can happen when a church experiences a money crunch, most of them bad. Can anything good come from a financial crisis? It depends on how you handle it. Good advice from ChurchLeaders.com. (Photo: Kat, Creative Commons)
As congregations look to establish long-term financial stability in an era of decreasing Sunday offerings, a ministry of legacy giving makes sense. Here are one consultant’s top ten reasons why. From the Presbyterian Endowment. (Photo: Ken Mayers, Creative Commons)
As church attendance shrinks, wise congregations are reexamining how they welcome and integrate newcomers into community life. It’s not surprising that the congregations doing the best job are the ones growing. From Insights into Religion. (Photo: Dru Broomfield, Creative Commons)
It is important to say thank you. Everyone enjoys having a gift given or an effort made acknowledged and remembered. An attitude of gratitude matters. The truth is that we are not always intentional about expressing our appreciation to others and this is especially true at church. From the Center for Faith & Giving. (Photo […]
Lloyd Alter shares his story of downsizing during the renovation of a three-story house into two units. Instead of having a garage sale or selling on ebay, he and his wife gave their excess possessions to many different people. For the Alter family the experience was both liberating and joy-filled. (Photo: Stephan Dann, Creative Commons)
