Doing the Math of Mission offers theory, models, and new tools for using metrics in ministry. This book also shows where metrics and accountability fit into the discernment, goal setting, and strategies of ministry.
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Joseph and the Development of the Visionary Leader
At prayer services each week synagogues around the world chant the same selection from scripture. Starting right after the Jewish New Year, we work our way through the Torah scroll to complete the five books of Moses in time for…
Read MoreAffective Competence and Missional Identity
One of the givens regarding healthy congregations is that they have a clear identity. Imagine a congregation that understood its missional identity to be an affectively competent community of people in order to more vibrantly reflect all that the Creator…
Read MoreGospel-Driven Communities: Being a Church with the Biblical Vision of Justice
by Jack Jezreel Is it possible to truly worship God and not care about our vulnerable sisters and brothers and the gift of the earth we all share? Is it possible to follow Jesus and not find ourselves linked and in the company of sisters…
Read MoreWhat Type of Visionary Are You?
Visionaries are in high demand. They have been for quite some time now, to the extent that supply and demand has impacted the visionary role of leadership. Organizations demand visionaries, and leaders in the marketplace have learned to supply organizations…
Read MoreWhen the Mission Changes
In theory, everything a congregation does should serve its mission. Traditional strategic planning starts with a mission statement and progresses through strategic vision, goals, objectives, timelines, budgets, and a tagline for the T-shirts—each expressing and reflecting the mission. If leaders…
Read MoreAvoiding Mission Drift
Visiting a relative who lives on the Great South Bay off the shores of Long Island, several of us joined him for a boat ride. We were on the bay in early afternoon, enjoying the breeze and fast ride. Some…
Read MoreThe Vision to Embrace Change
I had always thought I had perfect vision—or at least near-perfect vision. As an adolescent I sometimes “manipulated” my eyes a little during eye examinations to read the 20/20 line on the eye chart. Corrective lenses? I wanted nothing to…
Read MorePutting Your Money Where Your Mission Is
Some pundits see a silver lining in our recent economic troubles: Americans have finally kicked the habit of conspicuous consumption. I’ll believe it when I see it. Over the last couple of years, I have consulted with a number of…
Read MoreFootsteps Not To Be Followed: Ten Mistakes Churches Make When Applying for Grants
As Sunday offerings have gone down for many congregations, their interest in alternative revenue sources has gone up. Many churches are now considering grant funding as a way to support some ministry programs. In my twenty-plus years of writing grant…
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