Articles for Topic: Congregational Life

October, 2019 Mailing

Dear friends: What role does creativity play in the life of your congregation? What about the role of creativity in your personal ministry leadership? I am convinced that creativity is a key to helping congregations navigate the challenges of any transition....

August, 2019 Mailing

August 22, 2019 Dear AIIM members: This Summer the Center for Congregational Health, Chris Gambill and I have been focused on researching and writing a grant proposal for the Lilly Endowment on Thriving Congregations.  That proposal is due today! We are excited to...

June, 2019 Mailing

Dear friends: Is the congregation where you are serving thriving? Exactly what is “thriving” anyway? In the December, 2018 mailing, I offered links to help pastoral leaders think about what we measure in congregational life. Certainly, the things we measure imply that...

May, 2019 Mailing

Dear friends: How do you achieve order out of chaos? More pointedly, how to congregational leaders (clergy or laity) lead or facilitate meetings and decision-making processes so that the group is able to make a good decision and not hopelessly divide the group by...

Time, Volunteerism, and Congregational Life

Recently I heard the story of a congregational leader who asked a church member to serve as a greeter on Sunday morning. The person quickly responded saying, “I can’t do another thing!” If you ask any most any clergy member or lay leader in a congregation about the...