To maintain competence, a parish pastor needs accurate feedback on how his or her ministry is perceived in the congregation. It matters little what I intend to do and be if members view the results of my ministry negatively—hence the…
Read MoreWhat Our Members Say About Evaluation
We sent an e-mail in early January to 4,122 Alban Institute members to ask about how frequently both they and their congregation’s program of ministry were evaluated and how helpful this was. 628 members currently employed as clergy or lay…
Read MoreThe Leading Edge: Beyond the Heroic
We love our heroes. In every age people have longed for them and, when they found one, lifted the heroic one up in celebration. Whether we think of Moses or King David, Hercules or Odysseus, Napoleon or George Washington, Michael…
Read MoreAsk Alban: Church Growth: Shifting Your Leadership Style
Q: I am pastor of a growing 200-member congregation—more than a full-time job! Our governing board is pressing for even more emphasis on “church growth.” As we outgrow our present “cozy” size, what changes should we anticipate? Will I have…
Read MoreA Pathway for Learning
Picture a group of clergy chatting in a church parking lot after a regional meeting. The conversation is laced with humor, pastoral “war stories,” and genuine accounts of spiritual vitality in the congregations they serve. Then one pastor mentions that…
Read MoreAsk Alban: Between Pastors: Do We Need an Interim Minister?
Q: Our minister has taken a new call, and we have been advised to enter an interim ministry period. Wouldn’t it be better to move immediately to the next “permanent” minister? A: For congregations the interim between settled pastors can…
Read MoreThe Leading Edge: A Special Kind of Knowing
Each summer I clear time to read novels about clergy. Such reading provides a diversion from the literature that dominates my in-box at work. It also allows me to step back and look at congregational life, ministry, and my own…
Read MoreChurch Public Relations 101: Spreading News About Your Congregation Beyond the Parish
I began this morning as I do every morning—at the local coffee shop, indulging myself in a decaf mocha and the day’s San Francisco Chronicle. It must have been religion-page day. I found two whole articles covering religion—usually I’m lucky…
Read MoreThe Failure to Form Basic Partnership: Resolving a Dilemma of New Pastorates
Pastors, church leaders, and members at large are failing to form a basic partnership in the early months of new pastorates. They are neglecting to establish the bonds of rapport, trust-based relationships, and a spirit of mutuality. This conviction stems…
Read MoreMoving Forward by Looking Back: The Story of Crooked Creek Baptist Church
Spiritual leadership is occurring wherever members of the faith community are weaving new strands of connection between the Source of meaning (as defined by their religious tradition) and their present situation—with all its perils, opportunities, and choices. The act of…
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