The Columbia Partnership

Creating a Church of Impact and Influence

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, Creating a Church of Impact, 5.15.11 Edition

TCP Dialogue, Eddie Hammett on Creating Church of Impact and Influence

Many people today say church is irrelevant, self-serving, and insulated from the real world. As a consultant who encounters many churches and various denominations, leaders, and church sizes, I have made some observations regarding churches who make an impact and have a powerful influence. I’ve also noted that many of these churches are created; they rarely just happen. What is involved in creating and what does a church of impact and influence look like?

Creating Churches of Impact and Influence

Whether small, large, rural, suburban, Anglo, African American, or multi-cultural there are several observable elements that seem to contribute to churches that have impact and influence for Christ in their communities, states, and nation. The impacts are that in which churches plan and engage that makes a difference. It matters and would be missed if churches were not present. Influence is the presence and intentionality of ministry that permeates and penetrates the culture in ways that represents the virtues of Christ. Such creates waves of influence of leaders, agencies, institutions, individuals, families because of the work of Christ in their lives and ministries.

How Much Is Your Time Worth?

A Question for Ministers

A Travel Free Learning Article 

By Dick Hamm, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 317.490.1968, E-mail: DHamm@TheColumiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Download Hamm, How Much Is Your Time Worth, 5.3.11 Edition

This is a question many ministers are loath to ask. Some resist asking it because we believe God has called us to a ministry that responds to whatever is placed in front of us each day. To value our time in dollars would seem to be decidedly secular and inappropriate. Some resist because we suspect our time is not very valuable by any measure. We do not want further evidence of this. Many have just never thought specifically in terms of the monetary value of our work and service in terms of per hour.

For those who have been resistant for any reason, or just never thought about it, I challenge you to reconsider. It is not that I think we should decide how to spend our time solely on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis. But, we, like all Christians, are called to be good stewards of our time and energy. “Going after every ball” leads to exhaustion, burnout, and ineffectiveness. I have seen lots of ministers—including myself—doing tasks that could easily and better be done by volunteers or by non-ordained staff, if only we had planned better. We often fail to plan because we fail to adequately value our own time.