| | | | | | | | | | | | PRACTICAL WISDOM FOR LEADING CONGREGATIONS |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The question, "What is your mission?" sends waves of panic through many Christian congregations and other institutions. Why? Do we not know what to do? Are we so confused by the rapid pace of change that even our basic purpose feels unsettled?
Many congregations are caught between finding meaning in the worship, study, ministry and missions that have sustained faith through several generations and addressing the concern that young people are not coming to church. We read about the rising number of people with no religious affiliation (the "nones"), and many of us realize that our grandchildren and their friends are not in church.
This situation leaves many with doubts about what our congregations are doing. We wonder whether the church down the road has things figured out.
The vocabulary also trips us up, with people using "mission," "purpose," "vision" and "strategy" to mean different things. The simplest approach defines "mission" as the completion of the sentence, "We exist to ..." Mission is action-oriented; purpose is more about being. The two are closely connected.
Another challenge is that a clear mission does not always result in a specific strategy. The mission of a congregation might be to "make disciples," using the phrase from Mathew 28's Great Commission. The statement is short, memorable and rooted in the Christian tradition. Unfortunately, it does not indicate to a congregation how or whereto do that work.
Seminaries also have this challenge. At one level, the mission of a seminary could be simple: "We exist to train pastors." A denominationally owned and operated seminary trains pastors for that denomination's congregations. The denomination wants the education to be accredited so that students can get federal loans. The accrediting agency determines the objectives of the curriculum through its standards. The seminary hires a faculty that meets the standards of both the denomination and the accrediting agency.
But what happens if congregations don't need as many pastors? What happens if congregations decide to train their own leaders? What happens if the cost of education is beyond the ability of the students and denomination to pay? In light of changing conditions, seminaries are revisiting their missions and strategies. Everything is getting reshaped.
Read more from David L. Odom » |
| IDEAS THAT IMPACT: MAKING AN IMPACT
|
Congregations and institutions must name a vision and choose priorities that support it. Otherwise, they risk muddying their missions, weakening their impact, and confusing stakeholders, funders, and staff, writes the managing director of Alban.
Read more from Nathan E. Kirkpatrick » |
There is more than one type of visionary leader. C. Jeff Woods offers six different categories of visionaries, each capable of serving and leading a congregation in different ways.
Read more from C. Jeff Woods » |
Effective strategic planning requires leaders to ask big questions about the future, not about how to operationalize the work, writes the executive director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
Read more from David L. Odom » |
The Business of the Church: The Uncomfortable Truth that Faithful Ministry Requires Effective Management by John Wimberly, Jr.
Pastors are called to be not only leaders with vision, but also managers of congregational systems, says John Wimberly in The Business of the Church.
Drawing on his thirty-six years in ordained ministry, Wimberly weaves the realities of congregational dynamics and faith-centered purpose together with practical, proven approaches to business management. A student and friend of Rabbi Edwin Friedman, Wimberly builds on Friedman's systems theory as he helps readers avoid common pitfalls and put into practice effective techniques of congregational management.
The book begins with a foundational discussion of how a systems approach helps congregational managers identify areas of dysfunction and effective solutions. Managing the critical 'inputs' of people, facilities, and finances has a direct bearing on the desired 'outputs' of proclamation, pastoral care, and mission. A strategic plan, through which a congregation sets its goals and identifies and prioritizes resources, is an essential management tool for both pastors and lay leaders.
The author's conversational writing style and many real-life examples make a seemingly complicated, mysterious topic for some an engaging and easily applicable read.
Learn more and order the book » |
Follow us on social media:
|
| | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
