Articles for tag: Open Communication

May 15, 2016

By Ken Idleman I call it “ecclesiastical matchmaking,” playing cupid to help a local church get together withÂ a minister or a minister together with a church. Part of the experience involves coaching leaders and churches through the courting/calling process. And I”ve done quite a bit of it. After decades of church consulting, including 30 years of helping churches and leaders as a Christian college president, I”ve logged some experiences and come to some conclusions about ministerial succession in local churches. Here are my observations. Defining Terms First let”s define some terms. Pastoral transition and pastoral succession are not the same

March 28, 2016

Michael C. Mack

Church & Ministry Leadership Development

How to Create a Collaborative Culture

By Michael C. Mack In his newest book, Collaboration Begins with You: Be a Silo Buster, Ken Blanchard, in collaboration with Jane Ripley and Eunice Parisi-Carew, shows leaders how to empower themselves and build collaboration by empowering a team. “Effective leaders learn early in their careers that they can”t manage whole projects singlehandedly,” says Blanchard on his blog, HowWeLead.org. “They need an empowered team working collaboratively to achieve goals.” In the book, the writers use the acronym UNITE to describe what it takes to build a collaborative culture: “¢ Utilize differences “¢ Nurture safety and trust “¢ Involve others in

January 16, 2012

Christian Standard

Church Leadership

What Makes a Culture Good?

By Steve Hayner Cultures that work, and that ultimately help people accomplish a community”s mission, are ones in which people flourish. In healthy cultures, people become more of what God intended for them to be. They grow in being more like Jesus in character. And their gifts and abilities are intentionally developed, mobilized, and honored. One of the best ways to discover what healthy cultures look and feel like is to ask people about their own experiences. Almost anyone who has thought about what helps him or her to flourish as one of God”s beloved is able to point to

November 16, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Eldership

What Ministers Don’t Understand About Elders

By Darrel Lowland 1. That elders have a full life outside of the church. 2. That elders have a totally different reference point for issues. 3. That on many matters elders have a lot to contribute. 4. That most elders are ignorant of the Word. 5. That elders don”t understand their job or their role. 6. That many elders are in over their heads. 7. That elders have outside pressures affecting their role as elders. 8. That being an elder is a leadership position often without opportunities to lead. 9. That elders want the minister to open up and tell

October 19, 2008

Christian Standard

Christian Living Work & Vocation

Hunting or Hunted?

By Don Wilson Climbing the corporate ladder is the American way. For most employees, no matter what their position, the ultimate goal is to get ahead in their career. The better an employee performs, the greater his chance of advancing, either in his current company or at another company. His advancement may come in the form of a job offer from within or without, or from his own inclination to seek another position. Whatever the case, there is potential for misunderstanding and hard feelings between the employee and his current employer. As in the corporate world, church employees who do