The Art of Listening
Have you ever noticed that words come easy, but listening not-so-much? Anyone in a relationship knows this well. Listening is an art; something we need […]
reflection
Fear and Passion
I think we need to accept that what we do—if we’re going to do something new—might look very strange to other people. It might even look strange to people within our home tribe.
It’s Not About Survival
To a lot of elders, being on the edge means ensuring the survival of the congregations. It means keeping the church building open in the face of declining attendance, significantly aging congregations and financial pressures. It doesn’t directly mean, in their minds, finding new ways to engage God’s mission in the world. So I think first of all, that is the challenge.
Experiencing Renewal
When we talk about renewal we find ourselves talking about finding more people for our teams and more people for our pews and more money for our budget. And we start to become discouraged that that’s what renewal has become in our lives.
Called to the Edge
As congregations, are we praying? Are we being transparent with each other? Are we letting down the walls to make ourselves vulnerable, to allow us to really share our faith? As leaders of the church, are you challenging your congregations to grow in faith?