By Dwight Zscheile “Innovation” is a term not typically associated with religious institutions, which tend to be oriented toward conserving and maintaining tradition. Yet at its heart, the Christian church is about innovation—embodying God’s new life, hope, and...
From CTPastors By Chris Nye One thing you learn when you have a yard sale is that the people who regularly attend them are an eclectic bunch. They are scroungers, deal-getters, skeptics of anything “new”; they love a bargain, and they despise the negligently...
By Gil Rendle From Faith and Leadership Gil Rendle has spent four decades working with issues of change and leadership in the United Methodist Church as a pastor and consultant. As he prepares to retire from his current role, Rendle reflects on his career helping...
From Congregational Consulting Group By Lawrence Peers Many congregations have an intermittent fascination with “vision.” Particularly around stewardship time, congregations try to leverage vision to inspire better giving. Often, congregations look to their new clergy...
By Sarai Rice We live in anxious times, and one of the things that makes small congregations especially anxious is the fear that they might need to close. As members watch their Sunday morning worship attendance dwindle, someone usually starts “running the numbers,”...
