Most American congregations are already multigenerational, and those that are not are usually intentional about wanting to be. Congregations that hold only one generation are the exception to the rule. Such single generation congregations are more commonly new church starts…

Most congregations engage in social ministry to some degree, and most feel that their efforts could be better. But planning for ministries that seek to serve or influence the world beyond the sanctuary can be challenging. Because the world’s needs…

Before a church commits itself to a major program for change, it needs to know what it’s changing. History counts! Visioning the future, a popular exercise in many congregations, is important. There is a great deal of truth in the…

As pastor of a 150-member church that averages about 80 for Sunday worship, I am typical of many clergy: we work long hours for many years without relief. Like people in many other professions, we have difficulty drawing appropriate boundaries…

How can keeping a sabbath help avoid burnout? Is it really necessary to keep a sabbath for 24 hours in order to make a true difference? Lynne Baab spent the last few years in conversations with nearly 150 church-goers. Some…

How do you assess your spiritual development as a minister? In essence the issue is little different for clergy than for any other Christian. The only real difference is that we live out our spiritual lives publicly. In every other…

“How can more people be more engaged in the work of ministry?” This is a question often repeated in congregational life. Many congregations find themselves struggling with ways to reach a higher level of member commitment through the concept of…

It’s hardly newsworthy to point out that parish clergy must wear many leadership hats in the day-in, day-out life of the congregation: executive and administrator, manager of the physical plant, theologian, staff supervisor, budget analyst, scout troop leader, preacher, teacher,…

I recently participated in a small group at a local church. During one of our meetings, I asked fellow participants to say what attracted them to the church-and what didn’t. One young woman (I’ll call her “Angela”) remarked that she…