by Mark Lau Branson A few years ago, I asked a group of pastors to list the obligations and roles specified in our legislated denominational materials. As I listed these duties on a screen, the murmuring began. As leader of…
Read MoreAsk Alban: Ministry To and With Older Adults
Q: I’ve heard the prediction that 25 percent of the North American population will be over 65 years old by the year 2040. If we add to this trend the fact that people are living longer and couples are having…
Read MoreThe Leading Edge: Seeing the Difference
Years of conversations with congregational leaders, both clergy and lay, have convinced me that attending church council, vestry, or other congregational governing board meetings is one of the least satisfying parts of congregational life for many of us. Singing in…
Read MoreWhat Matters in Ministry
Louisville Institute associate director William Brosend II discusses the five elements of ministry that are more important than anything else I quit my job. It’s a long story, and I did not stay unemployed for long. The point is that…
Read MoreOf Managers and Seers: An Instrument to Explore How We Lead
For several years I have invited groups of lay and clergy leaders to play with the chart shown on page 9. And “play” is the operative verb. “Don’t take it too seriously,” I advise, as I give everyone a copy….
Read MoreThe Truth Shall Make You…Odd: Seizing the Authentic Moment in Congregations
In my work as a consultant I have discovered that members of a congregation often are afraid to express their true thoughts and feelings at times and in places where truth is most needed. This lack of truth-telling can be…
Read MoreHearing Each Other’s Stories: Strengthening Relationships Across Cultures
The potluck luncheons at Delhaven Christian Church in La Puente, California, are legendary. After a worship service featuring hymns in English and Spanish, the “Delhaven family” and guests feast on a remarkable spread of foods representing African American, Latino, Asian,…
Read MoreSeeking Sacred Moments: Transforming Covert Processes into Compassionate Truth-Telling
All too often, honest communication goes underground in congregations, preventing positive change. What congregational leader cannot relate to the following scenarios? After spending two hours at an executive committee meeting at which the members rudely and loudly interrupt each other,…
Read MoreImplementing a Benedictine Program in Your Parish
The wonderful thing about Benedictine spirituality is that it encompasses many of the practices that are already familiar to your congregation—worship, study, prayer, work, shared meals, and so forth. Therefore, it is not necessary to treat Benedictine practices as a…
Read MoreResources on Benedictine Spirituality
Ampleforth Abbey Press. St. Benedict’s Prayer Book (for Beginners) (York, England: Ampleforth Abbey Trustees, 1993). Canham, Elizabeth J. Heart Whispers: Benedictine Wisdom for Today (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1999). de Caussade, Jean-Pierre. The Sacrament of the Present Moment (New York:…
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