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A Heart of War or A Heart of Peace?

Listen to the Travel Free Learning Dialogue of Ken talking about this article:

 TFL Dialogue, Ken Kessler on A Heart of War or A Heart of Peace

 Download Kessler, A Heart of War or A Heart of Peace, 3.29.11 Edition

A Travel Free Learning Article

by Ken Kessler, Ministry Partner with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 804.338.5058, E-mail: KKessler@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

I am an NFL football fan, and I am not happy. This dispute between the owners and the players has led to an enormous amount of bickering and bantering in the press and threatens to disrupt the start of the next professional football season. Radio and television commentators talk about the work stoppage being a dispute between billionaires and millionaires. What really distresses me is my perception of a major gulf between the owners and players. They really do not like each other and seem determined to hold their positions. They are operating with a heart of war rather than a heart of peace.

Chalice Pages are in Pilot Phase

Digital manuscripts from Chalice Press are now in their pilot phase! You can test the system along with us. 

 

The Columbia Partnership, through its affiliation with Chalice Press, is part of their effort to provide digital manuscripts that can be downloaded for use by individuals and groups. [Check out http://www.chalicepress.com/Ebooks-W2.aspx.] 

 

These digital manuscripts of 2,500 to 7,500 words will be available in read-only for $2.99. They will be available in printable format for $9.99.  

 

The digital format being used is ePDF using the free http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/software. Go ahead and download this Adobe Digital Editions software to your computer so you will be ready to download and read these manuscripts.

 

One test manuscript is available now for purchase and download. It is Leaving, Staying and Becoming Well Following a Lose/Leave Conflict in a Congregation by George Bullard.  

 

This is part of Sharing Knowledge which is one of the five emphases of The Columbia Partnership

Posted via email from The Columbia Partnership

Conversations on Closing the Congregation’s Back Door

 

Straub,_Closing_Your_Congregation's_Back_Door,_3.22.11_Edtion.pdf Download this file

A Travel Free Learning Article

Listen to the Travel Free Learning Dialogue with Gary Struab on this article:

TCP Dialogue, Gary Straub on Closing the Back Door

By Gary Straub, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 502.320.4336, E-mail: GStraub@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

First-Timers

Transformation may knock on the congregation’s front door, but exasperation knocks on the back door whenever new folks fade away. The complexity of closing the back door resists simple solution. One of the first places I look is examining the correlation between member loss and the way we say “hello”. Let’s pay attention to the process, to make sure we are not unintentionally setting up a path that slides too easily from front door to back.

So what’s it look like from first-time guest to first anniversary of discipleship? The Psalmist helps us picture this process as a path we walk from initially spectating in the back pew to gradual participation, to eventually a full partnership in mutual ministry as we pray: “make me to know your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths.” (Ps 25:4)

What are the key elements along this spiritual path? How are initial events sequenced to flow in a rhythm of grace that sincerely reflects the congregation’s core DNA, embodies its deepest values, touches into its Spirit life and elicits devotion to Christ?

Maybe this is good place to reflect on how a congregation’s institutional need to orient, educate and enroll new folks intersects with the spiritual curiosity, hunger for God, and a desire to serve a higher purpose. While these concerns are not mutually exclusive, it sometimes seems church shoppers bring a slightly different agenda than the new generations of unchurched folks; many of whom are particularly drawn to Jesus, desire to fill a heart-felt spiritual need in their life, and get some questions answered.

Do You Really Believe in Your Vision?

Only If It Does Not Ask Too Much of Me 

A Travel Free Learning Article

Download Bullard, How Much Do You Believe in Your Vision, 3.15.11 Edition

Listen to the Travel Free Dialogue recording with George:

TCP Dialogue, George Bullard on Do You Really Believe in Your Vision

By George Bullard, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 803.622.0923, E-mail: GBullard@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

I arrived at the church early for a meeting with the team working on financing the relocation of the congregation to a new, much larger site where they can handle the growth they have already experienced, and continue to grow in response to their expanding context. I sat down in a classroom to wait for the meeting to begin.

That provided a few minutes for me to ponder the desired outcome of the meeting, and the role I could play as an outside consultant in helping them see a way forward when they primarily see ways not to move forward. Caution reigns supreme. And to a certain extent it must be present. However, it cannot be the winner if this congregation is to reach its full kingdom potential.

There would be challenges. Not everyone in the room fully believes in the project. Some see the church as primarily a business organization and their faith goes only to the end of all known and verifiable facts. They do not know how to inject the God factor into the dialogue. They have no obvious spiritual component to their perspective.

There would be more challenges. This relocation had already been the focus for several years. Some progress had been made. Setbacks had also been experienced. The relocation initiative had already been around long enough that stories of the recent past at times dominated the conversation more than did hopeful imagination about the future potential through the relocation.

Very quickly it came to me that the answer is one I have been providing to them since the first time I came to meet with them. They have a great vision that is focused on evangelism, attracting new members, assimilating them into the congregation, developing them as believers, and engaging them in missional action.

Information on Doctor of Ministry Degree in Transforming Denominations

Here is a flyer on the Doctor of Ministry Degree in Transforming Denominations that The Columbia Partnership is now offering with Northern Seminary at www.Seminary.edu.

Download DMin in Transforming Denominations Flyer

To talk about this opportunity send an inquiry to Client.Care@TheColumbiaPartnership.org or call 803.622.0923.

Posted via email from The Columbia Partnership