Scott McClellan, writer/editor at Echohub and author of the forthcoming book Tell Me a Story (2013), recently challenged church leaders to live into their roles by doing more than simply providing the religious goods and services requested by the majority of their parishioners (consumers). His blog post was inspired by a story about Olive Garden that suggested the casual dining chain's leadership wants to but has been unable to improve their offerings because any Read More …
Leadership
The Bottom Line & Nonprofits (#0840)
Leadership expert John Maxwell has written over fifty books, including three that have sold more than a million copies: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Recently he blogged about the value of bottom line thinking in nonprofit organizations. For these organizations, including churches, the bottom line isn't financial. Instead, Maxwell suggests the bottom line is "the end, the Read More …
Christian Leadership (#0823)
Earlier this summer Will Willimon (read my review of The Best of Will Willimon: Acting Up in Jesus’ Name - 2012) shared some challenging words for those who seek to be Christian leaders: I’ve read dozens of books on leadership, have even written a few myself. Books on leadership tend to say, “Here are the personal qualities you must have, here are the skills you must acquire if you want to lead.” In the world, leaders must be omniscient and omnipotent, capable and courageous, Read More …
Organizational Clarity (#0821)
Last week Scott Williams wrote several blog posts summarizing the sessions he attended at the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit, including one on a session led by Patrick Lencioni on the importance of organizational health. Lencioni is the author of ten business books and president of The Table Group, where he focuses on writing and speaking about leadership and organizational life. Williams shares Lencioni's six questions every organization must Read More …
New Church Metrics (#0801)
Cameron Trimble is the Executive Director of the Center for Progressive Renewal, which seeks to “renew Progressive Christianity by training new entrepreneurial leaders, supporting the birth of new liberal/progressive congregations, and by renewing and strengthening existing progressive churches.” In her article on church metrics in the Spring 2012 edition of New Times she proposes a new scorecard for churches that is designed to more accurately reflect the Read More …
Saving Liberal Christianity (#0797)
Earlier this week, my post "Can Christianity Be Saved" considered Ross Douthat’s July 14, 2102, New York Times editorial “Can Liberal Christianity Be Saved?,” and Diana Butler Bass's reply later that same day on the Huffington Post. During the course of the week I returned to the topic in online and in person conversations. The most encouraging part of the dialogue was the shared understanding about three interelated matters: There is a real Read More …
Becoming a Rebel Leader (#0784)
Sister Joan Chittister is a progressive Benedictine nun, a prolific author, and sought after speaker. She recently gave the baccalaureate address at Stanford University. In this moving speech on leadership, she shared these words with the graduates and all who were gathered: No, the world does not really need the skills you learned here. Today's skills will all change in the next five years and change your life with them. The world does not need answers either. Read More …
Stop Doing That! (#0760)
Many ministries that are highly effective and growing during a given season of a congregation's life eventually wane significantly. LeeAnne Watkins, rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church (St. Paul, MN), considers how best to respond to these difficult situations in her article in the June 13, 2012 edition of the Christian Century (p.10-11). In her parish, the once popular adult education offerings and midweek services stopped drawing significant crowds. Along with a Read More …
A Simple Approach to Leadership (#0751)
Scott Williams has considerable leadership experience as a prison warden, lead pastor of a congregation that grew to an average weekly worship attendance of over 3,500 during his tenure, consultant, and social media guru. He is also the author of Church Diversity: Sunday the Most Segregated Day of the Week (2011 - read my review here). Recently, he shared his list of "10 Ways to Make Leadership Simple:" Believe In Yourself Believe In Others Point The Direction Read More …
Ministry Job Musts (#0745)
Adam McLane, a Partner at The Youth Cartel and Principal at McLane Creative, recently blogged about two things youth ministers needs to consider in order to retain their current employment: metrics/measurables and donor relations. Speaking bluntly he suggests that by managing these two areas well one can eliminate "90% of the reasons my friends have gotten fired." So What? Like any type of employment, ministry positions involve (or, at least should involve) periodic evaluation. Read More …