Scott Cochrane, Vice President- International of the Willow Creek Association, recently blogged about what he understands to be the most awkward question any church leader can be asked: do you like church? So What? I think every prospective member of a board, committee, or work group within a congregation should be asked this awkward yet important question. If the answer is "not really, but" would that disqualify someone from serving in a leadership role in your congregation? Read More …
Poverty: Appropriately Covered? (#1115)
A few days ago Margaret Sullivan, public editor at the New York Times, wrote an intriguing post about how well the Times and other newspapers cover poverty in the United States. Her questions include: But is it enough? Is it the right kind of coverage? Where are the gaps, and what is the big picture?" Sullivan provides a troubling statistic about the state of poverty coverage (at least on the front-pages of newspapers): The Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Read More …
Speaking Christian (#1114)
Tripp Crosby and Tyler Stanton created a two minute video, Shoot Christians Say, that offers a humorous look at just how out of hand and awkward Christian-speak can be. If you have been a part of any faith community that utilized contemporary Christian religious language you will catch on quickly. So What? When people of faith rely on insider language and contemporary religious buzzwords, it confuses newcomers and often adds unnecessary complexity. Take a few minutes and Read More …
Review of The Shambhala Principle (#1113)
Meet the Author Sakyong Mipham is the head of Shambhala, a a global community of meditation and retreat centers founded by his father, the Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He is the author of the numerous books, including one bestseller: Turning the Mind into an Ally (2004). Shambhala Shambhala is "a union of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism with the Shambhala teachings introduced by Chögyam Trungpa in the 1970s, based on the warrior Read More …
Child Sponsorship Works (#1112)
Bruce Wydick, professor of economics and international studies at the University of San Francisco, recently published study findings that show that child sponsorship works. The academic paper appears in the current edition of the Journal of Political Economy. Wydick provided an overview of the material for a lay audience in the June 2013 edition of Christianity Today (p.20-25). Based on research done using a grant from USAID to analyze the impact of child sponsorship Read More …
Future Church: Another Perspective (#1111)
Carey Nieuwhof, lead pastor of Connexus Community Church, recently shared his thoughts on how the church will evolve over the next decade. Nieuwhof identified 11 traits that he believes will be common among those congregations that have a significant impact over the next ten years: The ability to say no Outsider focus Quick decision making Flexibility A willingness to embrace smaller to become bigger A quicker, lighter footprint Valuing online relationships as real Read More …
Build Great Things (#1110)
Eric Dye, editor-in-chief for ChurchMag and Finding Justice, recently applied the words of Google's CEO to the church. In his keynote address at I/O earlier this month, Larry Page said: "We should be building great things that don’t exist.” Dye, in turn suggests that the church must embrace these prophetic words as it seeks to innovate for a new era. So What? Imagine a church that seeks to build great things that don't yet exist. Imagine your church embracing Read More …
Religion Is Losing Influence (#1109)
According to the latest Gallup survey, "Over three-quarters of Americans (77%) say religion is losing its influence on American life, while 20% say religion's influence is increasing." While the overall view tends toward pessimism, this year's results are the most pessimistic about the influence of religion since 1970. So What? At a time when the vast majority agree that religion is declining, an almost equal number (75%) believe that it would be positive for our nation if more Read More …
Greatest Leadership Challenge (#1108)
Scott Williams, author of Church Diversity: Sunday the Most Segregated Day of the Week (2011 – read my review here) and leadership guru, recently shared what he believes to be the greatest challenge facing leaders today: The Greatest Challenge Facing Leaders Today is a group of followers, team members and co-workers that are unwilling to speak up about what’s wrong, what’s ugly, what’s crazy, what’s ridiculous and what needs to be changed. So What? Part of leading Read More …
Don’t Assume (#1107)
A week ago CNN's Wolf Blitzer interviewed Rebecca Vitsmun, a survivor of the tornado in Moore, OK. While doing so he asked a question that assumed religious belief: "You've gotta thank the Lord, right? Do you thank the Lord for that split-second decision?" In a polite and unassuming way, Vistum told Blitzer that she is an atheist. So What? Blitzer's seemingly innocent question and Vitsmun's honest response generated significant attention. The American Humanist Read More …