The Columbia Partnership

Contextualizing Resources

When is a Chevy Not a Ford?

Travel Free Learning Article

By Dick Hamm at DHamm@TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Download Hamm, Contextualizing Resources, November 2009

In recent decades denominations have become more open to the traditions of other denominations. While many individual Christians continue to have a preferred approach to Christian faith and being church, few denominations now claim to be the only true church. We realize each Christian tradition has part, but not all, of the picture of what it means to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

Let’s hear it for humility!

13 Emerging Trends That Will Impact Christian Education

Download 13 Emerging Trends in Christian Education

If you are:

· Searching for the next steps in your ministry and framework for next 5 years

· Seeking to learn to lead in lean times

· Wanting to learn about Christian Education trends

Then you may find one or more of these events helpful.

Author and Coach Eddie Hammett is offering three learning opportunities

(For Eddie’s biographical and books see www.transformingsolutions.org)

OPPORTUNITY ONE: TRAVEL FREE LEARNING WEBINAR

OPPORTUNITY TWO: TRAVEL FREE LEARNING LAB

OPPORTUNITY THREE: RETREAT

Church and Clergy Coach

Accomplishing More with Less

A Travel Free Learning Article

By Eddie Hammett at EHammett@TheColumbiaPartnership.org 

Download Hammett, Church Clergy Coach

In tough economic times, not to mention tough leadership times, effective leaders are essential to keeping the church, judicatory, or denomination moving forward. I have been exploring, and experimenting for some time with the role of a Coach in Residence. What I’m discovering is that the coach approach often allows tasks to be accomplished or projects to be moved forward through the short-term, focused services of a Christian leadership coach working with an on-site leadership team.

I’m currently working, as part of my ministry through The Columbia Partnership, as a Church and Clergy Coach for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of NC. We are discovering more can be accomplished with less full-time staff, revenue, time and energy. Permit me to share a framework we are currently working with for the next year.

Effective churches for a 21^st century world are those who pay attention to the context, streamline their organization to maximize their energy, budget and resources, and mobilize their membership inside and outside the walls of their church building. These are not unknown challenges for many churches. The unknown seems to be how to move from where or who we are without losing our identity and integrity. How do churches move into the challenges confronting them to reach a new generation?

Ministry Leadership is a Moving Target

Continually Changing the Focus of Your Journey

A Travel Free Learning Article

by George Bullard at GBullard@TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Download Bullard's Ministry Leadership is a Moving Target

Have you ever seen the confidence game on the streets of a city somewhere around the world that involves shells, plastic cups, or even match boxes with a small round ball about the size of a pea? The shells are moved around, the pea shuffled, you are asked to watch it and guess the location of the pea.

Ministry leadership often seems like a confidence game on the streets and alleys of church communities. Figuring out exactly where the pea is seems impossible because ministry leadership is always a moving target. About the time you have it figured out and want to lay down your bets on a certain style or approach, it shifts.

Follow the Sign to Open Church

 
A Travel Free Learning Article

By Norman Jameson at NJameson@TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Download Jameson's Follow the Signs to Open Church

Is your church a forbidding fortress? Does it dare a visitor to find his or her way into the building?

Or does good signage direct a visitor into and through your facility to make him feel comfortable and familiar from his first visit?

You’ve been to your building enough so you know three ways to everywhere. You know when you pull into the lot which entrance to park near that gives you easiest access to the room you want.

But what of the visitor?