Over the past week, I have been involved in several conversations about the church of the future, or the “next” church. People usually approach this conversation from one of two perspectives—either, fear and concern for the future of the Church, especially the...
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Training opportunities
The conventional approach to problem-solving in business or church is to discover the root cause of a problem and to fix it. Appreciative Inquiry takes a radically different approach: Discover the root of cause of success and improve it. Problems are acknowledged in...
CCH E-News
We are working to bring you more relevant and up to date information in our newsletter each week. The most recent edition was sent on Tuesday, August 2. There is more than one way to subscribe: click on this link, read the latest edition, scroll to the bottom of the...
Healthy Church Blog
This week I read a wonderful blog by Elizabeth Mangham Lott, Ode to an Imperfect Church. It could be entitled "Ode to a healthy church." Elizabeth's writing is a gift to the reader and this blog, in particular, made me pause. When I work with a congregation, I want...
Last Year’s Nest
by Jill Crainshaw, Ph.D., Blackburn Professor of Worship and Liturgical Theology at Wake Forest University School of Divinity Note: This post is the first in an Eastertide series being offered by a joint task force composed of members from the Church Growth and...
Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry Webinar
The conventional approach to problem-solving in business or church is to discover the root cause of a problem and to fix it. Appreciative Inquiry takes a radically different approach: Discover the root of cause of success and improve it. Problems are acknowledged in...
Lenten Journey–Pray and Reflect
By Beth Kennett Over the past few weeks, I have been in settings that have been preparing me for my Lenten journey—teaching a class on Ministry Leadership and Coaching Skills, participating in a Coach Training Program, working alongside of a congregational renewal...
Vital Merger: A New Church Start Approach that Joins Church Families Together
By Dirk Elliott DownRiver Church celebrated its first worship service as a new church start on July 7, 2013, with 186 people in attendance. DownRiver is a Vital Merger of four churches in the Detroit area. In December, 2012, each of these four churches voted, with...
More Looking
by Les Robinson Recently, Chris Gambill, Director of the Center, wrote a blog (A new year, a new look at congregations) about the Faith Communities Today 2015 national survey of American congregations. He was referring to their most recent survey. Since 2000, this...
A new year, a new look at congregations
By Chris Gambill Faith Communities Today has just released its introductory report from the Faith Communities Today 2015 (FACT 2015) national survey of American congregations. This is their most recent survey that originally began in 2000. The entire FACT survey...