http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/ Conversations for Building Church Leaders en Copyright 2009 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:25:27 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.31 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss interview with Doug Fagerstrom Come alongside them and appreciate them.

]]>One of our soon-to-come training tools is called Caring for Church Workers, which helps churches know how to support their staff and volunteers. As a sneak preview, here's a short excerpt from an interview we've included in the tool. Lee Dean spoke with Doug Fagerstrom, president of Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and author of Ministry Staff Member and The Volunteer. How important is delegating and releasing church workers? We need to know what we're releasing... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/caring_for_church_workers.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/caring_for_church_workers.html Leadership Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:25:27 -0600 Tim Avery Help the church learn from the church.

]]>Every church faces tough decisions. Perhaps one of the most highly publicized examples this year was the controversy at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church over its new pastor, Tullian Tchividjian. We want to compile stories about dilemmas like this from around the country. Then we'll turn those stories into case studies that can help church leaders learn how to work through their own ministry dilemmas. But to do this, we need the help of our readers.... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/a_call_for_case_studies.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/a_call_for_case_studies.html Church Business Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:48:09 -0600 Steven Mathewson A Thanksgiving activity to use with your group or team.

]]> http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/thankful_connections.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/thankful_connections.html Soul Care Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:42:47 -0600 by Kevin A. Miller In our frantic, busy lives, one of the most profound challenges for any leader is simply paying attention.

]]> At the TAG Consulting Leaders Forum in Scottsdale, Arizona, this week, noted Christian leader Leighton Ford spoke on how to move from crazed busyness to focused attentiveness. Leighton is president of Leighton Ford Ministries. For 30 years he served as associate evangelist and later vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His newest book is The Attentive Life: Discerning God's Presence in All Things (InterVarsity, 2008). In introducing Leighton, Jim Osterhaus pointed out... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/the_forgotten_art_of_attentive.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/11/the_forgotten_art_of_attentive.html Soul Care Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:41:17 -0600 Nelson Granade Ask the right questions: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?

]]> http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/the_three_ws.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/the_three_ws.html Leadership Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:30:58 -0600 Sign up to take part in this online event!

]]> Where does vision come from? That's the question that will be answered by Dave Ferguson, a pastor, speaker, writer, and BuildingChurchLeaders.com advisor. Ferguson is leading a webinar for us on Friday, December 4, at 11:00 AM CT, and sign-ups are now open! Ferguson will be speaking on the basics for casting vision in your church, including the three best ways to communicate vision. If you sit in on the webinar, not only will you... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/webinar_casting_vision_in_your.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/webinar_casting_vision_in_your.html Leadership Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:04:08 -0600 Kevin Miller What to be careful of and what to strive for.

]]> A delegation of Christianity Today International editors attended the Catalyst conference last week, including BCL editor Drew Dyck. In one of the conference sessions, Nancy Ortberg, founding partner of Teamworx2 and editorial advisor and contributor to Gifted for Leadership and Kyria.com, spoke on powerful themes inspired by her books, Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands and Looking for God. Here are some notes from CTI executive VP Kevin Miller: 1. The Seduction of Influence... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/nancy_ortberg_on_the_seduction.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/nancy_ortberg_on_the_seduction.html Leadership Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:55:53 -0600 Everett L. Wilson 4 criteria to know when someone is ready to lead.

]]> Our theme this week is Making Members Stick. One way you can make your members stick is to give them responsibility. And when you help a new leader step up in the church, both that person and your congregation can grow. Below are a few criteria to help you decide when someone is ready to lead. Readily accepts responsibility. Potential leaders don't lay low when their services are needed. Willingness to volunteer for small... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/from_visitor_to_leader.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/from_visitor_to_leader.html Leadership Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:49:45 -0600 interview with Margaret Feinberg A new book to unfold the Bible's agrarian context.

]]> http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/scouting_the_divine_with_marga.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/10/scouting_the_divine_with_marga.html Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:29:16 -0600 Jason Byassee And how does it reflect on us and God?

]]> How should a leader carry herself? I don't mean in terms of virtues. I would likely draw consent on this page that a leader should display humility, courage, and charity above all. I mean physically. What posture should a leader take when walking around doing whatever they do to lead? I got to thinking about this while reading about prison ministry. Chuck Colson, who has done so much in that area, described his admiration... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/how_should_a_leader_walk_aroun.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/how_should_a_leader_walk_aroun.html Leadership Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:20:10 -0600 Kevin Miller 9 questions to help you decide.

]]> http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/is_this_gossip.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/is_this_gossip.html Church Business Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:03:48 -0600 interview with Simon Fox What it means and how to live it.

]]> Simon Fox is executive director of Adventures in Caring, an organization that mobilizes volunteers to visit the sick and lonely in hospitals and nursing homes. He spoke with BuildingChurchLeaders.com about the practice of compassion. What is compassion, and how can it be taught? Let's start with what compassion is not. It's not just a feeling, a sentimental, touchy-feely thing. At its heart, compassion is the art and practice of being with someone who is... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/the_practice_of_compassion.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/the_practice_of_compassion.html Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:22:43 -0600 Gordon MacDonald Nine characteristics of effective discipleship.

]]> This week's download, Transforming Nominal Christians, is designed to help you assess how well your church challenges and disciples attenders. The piece below gives another model for the idea of discipleship: re-parenting. To seize upon one of our Lord's favorite metaphors, the "fish" business these days is not as simple as it once seemed. The human fish now come out of outrageously polluted cultural waters, and they bring all the effects of their pollutedness... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/reparenting_disciples.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/reparenting_disciples.html Leadership Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:04:07 -0600 Matthew Woodley What would you do in this case?

]]> The case study below highlights the challenge of guiding a church's prayer life. For help with planning prayer services for your congregation, see our newest download. The Case "This church hardly ever prays together," complained Joan, a 40-something church leader. "The only times for congregational prayer are during the services and 30 seconds before our committee meetings." An older man named Bill also chimed in, "Whatever happened to our midweek prayer service? The pastor... http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/jumpstarting_church_prayer.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/jumpstarting_church_prayer.html Church Business Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:29:57 -0600 David Livermore Things to remember when reaching out across cultural lines.

]]> http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/5_common_cultural_differences.html http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2009/09/5_common_cultural_differences.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:44:03 -0600