by Nancy L. DeMott The church council president at First Church asked the pastor during a meeting, “When is the last time we did strategic planning?” “It has been awhile,” the pastor mused. There ensued a conversation about the value of…
Read MoreThe Leading Edge: From Experiments to Movements
by James P. Wind As many readers of Congregations will recall, in 2008, the Alban Institute published a Special Report called Becoming a Pastor: Reflections on the Transition into Ministry. It was the first public report on a decade long initiative, funded…
Read MoreLeading Through Personal Tragedy
by Jean Alexander What should we do as clergy when difficult or tragic things happen to us? This is a question I’ve grappled with through almost 40 years of ministry as a local church pastor and for seven of those years…
Read MoreSo, You Think You’re Friendly?
by Tim Dolan I teach a diploma course in lay pastoral ministry at Whitworth University. In one of the sessions, I made an off handed comment to my students that I have never come across a congregation that bills itself as…
Read MoreSpiritual Identity and Worship Planning
by P. Alice Rogers Most people who participate in congregational worship services can describe a service they experienced in which they connected with God in a profound way. When I have asked people to describe such a service, I have heard…
Read MoreLeading Toward Hope
by Bob Sitze Before We Start When Alban published my little “field guide to hope,” It’s NOT Too Late, I imagined an audience of clergy leaders who might appreciate some hints about how to find hope in these times. What motivated me…
Read MoreChoosing to Heal: Dealing with the Aftermath of Leadership Collapse
by Susan Nienaber He was by all accounts a rising star. Young, energetic, dashing, and engaging, the 26-year-old new associate pastor was a welcome contrast to the congregation’s introverted and shy senior pastor. A man so misfit with laity and local…
Read MoreCongregations Magazine, Issue 1 2011
Alban members receive a subscription to Congregations, our award-winning magazine. Our mission is to provide clergy and lay leaders with practical, research-based information and ideas for effective ministry as they grapple with an ever-changing environment. Congregations is sent quarterly to…
Read MoreThe Public Witness of Baptism
Baptism is first and foremost a public event that gives evidence of one’s commitment as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The congregation gathers to support, encourage, affirm, and renew a shared commitment to live in light of the gospel’s claims…
Read MoreA Resurrection Story
While looking at the stories of churches that have contemplated the possibility of closing their doors and ending life as they have known it, I am struck with how many of their stories fit into the season of Lent, Holy…
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