The Columbia Partnership

Traditional Churches Responding to Busy Lives

Discipling Busy Adults

A Travel Free Learning Article

By Eddie Hammett, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 828 458-8954. E-mail: EHammett@TheColumbiapartnership.org, Website: www.thecolumbiapartnership.org

Download Hammett, Traditional Churches Responding to Busy Lives, 4.26.11 Edition

TFL Dialogue, Eddie Hammett on Traditional Churches Responding to Busy Lives

Our world is filled with microwave ovens, mobile phones, TIVOs, personal digital assistants, and smartphones. Younger generations communicate via texts, Tweets, and status updates to Facebook more than they speak face-to-face with friends or families. A walk through a college campus or high school brings the awareness that many have their attention on texting or responding to texts every few moments. Many business establishments have 24/7 schedules and show little if any regard to keeping the Sabbath day holy. We watch news, sitcoms or other TV shows or movies at our convenience of time and place thanks to TIVO, Netflix, Hulu, and mobile devices.

The world is more connected than ever and increasingly smaller. Yet amidst this loneliness, emptiness of soul and isolation are rampant across the world. What’s a church to do? How do we fulfill the command to the church in such a busy world filled with time-poor people of all ages?

20 Ways to Leave Your Love

Download Swint, 20 Ways to Leave Your Love, 4.19.11 Edition

Listen to the Travel Free Learning Dialogue about this article:

TCP Dialogue, Ruben Swint on 20 Ways to Leave Your Love

Marketing Endowment Funds in Your Congregation

A Travel Free Learning Article

By Ruben Swint, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 404.314.7273, E-mail: RSwint@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Two weeks ago the Travel Free Learning Article and Dialogue was around the topic of congregational endowment funds. I mostly wrote and talked about setting up the funds. The article this week assumes you have created the endowment funds. I suggest twenty ways to begin and continue a conversation with your congregation about helping to build the endowments with estate gifts.

Are Your Ready for Prime Time?

A Travel Free Learning Article

By Ann Updegraff Spleth, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 317.358.6601, E-mail: AUSpleth@TheColumbiaPartnership.org. Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Download Spleth, Are You Ready for Prime Time, 4.11.11 Edtion

Listen to the Travel Free Learning Dialogue on this article:

TCP Dialogue, Ann Updegraff Spleth on Are You Ready for Prime Time

‘Tis the season. Christmas?

No, I’m not losing my mind. I don’t mean the Christmas season. I mean the visiting season. There are two times of the year when congregations should be optimally prepared for visitors: Christmas Eve and Palm Sunday to Easter. It’s not just Easter Sunday that people visit your church. Some may come to a midweek Holy Week service because you are close to them or because the other church they have been visiting does not have a Maundy Thursday (or convenient Good Friday) service. You need to be prepared. You should always be prepared, of course, but this time of year is prime time for visitors.

In honor of the season, here are 12 tips to make sure you are ready for company. And just so you know, I’m going to ask you a zillion questions that will help you examine your invitational readiness.

Your Largest Contributor, Potentially

The Role of Endowments in Funding Ministry

A Travel Free Learning Article

By Ruben Swint, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Download Swint, Your Biggest Contributor, Potentially, April 6, 2011 Edition

Listen to Travel Free Learning Dialogue as Ruben talks about this article:

TFL Dialogue, Ruben Swint on Your Largest Contributor, Potentially

Voice: 404.314.7273, E-mail: RSwint@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Congregations depend on two main sources of income in order to fulfill their mission. Every year congregations emphasize the need for tithes and offerings to fund their annual ministry plan (the budget). When large capital needs (buildings, renovation) emerge, congregations will conduct a capital campaign for three years (typically) of over and above sacrificial giving. Many congregations today are pressing on using two legs of financial stewardship, and why not? Who runs a race with three legs?