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Posts Categorized: Church
August 22, 2019
Don’t Just Inform … Form Are we stuck in informational churches? by N. Graham Standish “Yes! This is what’s missing in the church. This is what I’ve been seeking.” It was my first year of doctoral studies in spirituality. I was immersed in the spiritual classics course, a three-semester deep dive into the writings of Christian… Read more »
June 5, 2019
Sabotaging with hope by N. Graham Standish “Tim, will you please stop sabotaging this meeting with hope?!” I couldn’t stifle my guffaw as a clergy client shared his recent finance committee experience. Incredibly, it’s what a committee member yelled at him before walking out of the meeting. Tim has been leading his church through revitalization… Read more »
March 22, 2019
Lenten ‘one mores’ Hope and love in the dark valley by Donna Frischknecht Jackson Even though I walk through the darkest valley … you are with me. — Psalm 23 It is Lent and I have found myself walking in one of the darkest valleys one can walk — the valley of death…. Read more »
February 22, 2019
The Needy and the Greedy What makes us afraid to give freely to the needy? by Rebecca Lister My son recently finished the requirements for the Boy Scout’s highest honor, Eagle Scout. As part of his final project, he designed and built a Little Free Pantry and a Little Free Library. He… Read more »
January 22, 2019
Does our leadership heal . . . or inflict pain? by N. Graham Standish I recently talked with a frustrated and disappointed pastor who was in tremendous pain over her struggling church. As I listened to her story, I suddenly had an insight: Perhaps everyone who comes to church is in pain. Perhaps everyone who… Read more »
December 20, 2018
Building on a Blessed Community Recognizing the Church’s True Center by Graham Standish Years ago I read a quote by the Quaker mystic, Thomas Kelly, that changed my ministry: “Yet ever within that Society, and ever within the Christian church, has existed the Holy Fellowship, the Blessed Community, an ekklesiola in ekklesia, a little church… Read more »
November 16, 2018
Church leadership bedrocks Are we leading out of expectations or principles? by N. Graham Standish I’ve been working with a pastor for a number of years, helping him invigorate a somewhat stagnant church. We’ve talked about a lot in the process, and the results of our conversations are showing signs of breathing new… Read more »
October 9, 2018
Is Our Leadership Stuck on Chapter 5? … or are we stuck writing the same church story? By Graham Standish How are you at writing gripping stories? Are you like me? Do you get author envy when you read great stories? While reading certain authors such as C.S. Lewis,J.R.R. Tolkien and J. K. Rowling I’ve… Read more »
September 6, 2018
Leading Like Water, not Like Lava: Is our church leadership fluid or frozen? by N. Graham Standish For a number of years I’ve been advising people to “lead more like water and less like lava.” Whenever I do people often look at me as dogs do when they hear a funny noise — ears… Read more »
August 9, 2018
Are we yelling too much? How to train church leaders effectively by Graham Standish I used to get yelled at a lot. Anyone who’s ever played sports has gotten yelled at, but I felt like coaches yelled at me more than most. Someone once told me that it’s when coaches stop yelling that you… Read more »