The Columbia Partnership

Unchurched Believers

 

Possibilities, Potential and Power

A Travel Free Learning Article

By Eddie Hammett, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

Voice: 828.458.8954, E-mail: EHammett@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, Web Site: www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org

Download Hammett, Unchurched Believers, 11.1.11 Edition

TFL Dialogue, Eddie Hammett on Unchurched Believers

Who are the unchurched believers in your community? How do you define unchurched believers? How do you locate unchurched believers? What are the possibilities, potential and power in this ministry?

As the author of Spiritual Leadership in a Secular Age: Building Bridges Instead of Barriers I was invited to facilitate a group of unchurched believers. They explained to me they are persons with a serious spiritual appetite, curiosity, and appreciation of supreme powers greater than themselves. They continued their self description by declaring a growing skepticism and disinterest in the institutional church, but searching for a community that nurtures their faith, hope and love in ways that impacts their world in ways that would be pleasing to God.

Extreme Congregational Makeover

Radical Transformation

A Travel Free Learning Manuscript

By George Bullard, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

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

Download Bullard, Extreme Congregational Makeover, 10.25.11 Edition

Introduction

Hazelwood Church needed radical transformation. In one sense, the radical transformation needed to start with upgrading their facilities. Most of their building space was more than 100 years old. As is typical of older buildings, their restrooms were the size of a postage stamp and had no hot water running to them. Handicapped access to gain entrance to the buildings was practically nonexistent. The inside of the buildings had multiple levels, steep stairs, and no elevator.

In another sense, the radical transformation of Hazelwood needed to begin with reinventing the congregation by starting with a clean sheet of paper and writing a new ministry plan involving vision, missional formation, missional engagement, and lean management systems that are empowering. Its programs, ministries, and activities were fine for the 1950s and perhaps as recently as the 1970s, but way out of date for the current decade.

Eddie Hammett Offers a Series of Webinars on Recovering Hope for the Church

In an upcoming webinar series, coach and author, Eddie Hammett shares new insights and solutions on how to increase your church's impact. The webinar topics represent ideas Eddie is working on as he frames a new book Recovering Hope for the Church.

COST: The webinars are $19.99 each.

SPECIAL OFFER: Purchase a package with all 7 webinars for $125. This offer is only valid through October 30, 2011.

To register, here are the two links you need. The first one allows you to register for all seven webinars or for the individual webinars being offered during November. The second link allows you to register for the individual webinars being offering during January.

• Register for All Seven Webinars or Individually for the November Webinars
• Register Individually for January Webinars

Webinar Overviews

9 Shifts Your Church (of 150 or less) Might Consider to Move You Forward - This webinar will overview realistic and practical shifts a church can make that will positively impact its future. WHEN: November 1, 2011 at 1 p.m. ET

10 Time Wasters and Time Savers for Your Church - This webinar focuses on how a church might respond in a time-poor world. We will discuss how to save your church members time and how to increase leadership involvement. WHEN: November 8, 2011 at 1 p.m. ET

Signs of and Solutions for an Overprogrammed Church - The webinar will discuss: What is an 'over-programmed' church? and How do you assess this? Practical tips on minimizing programming while increasing impact will be covered. WHEN: November 15, 2011 at 1 p.m. ET

Emerging Staffing Models for Today's and Tomorrow's Challenging Realties - What's a church or judicatory to do when economic realities hit staffing? This webinar will discuss topics such as new paradigms and financial arrangements. WHEN: November 29, 2011 at 1 p.m. ET

From Leader Fatigue to Leader Fulfillment - Leaders are busy people. This webinar shares ideas on how to move from leader fatigue that depletes leadership commitment to leader fulfillment that impacts your church. WHEN: January 10, 2012 at 1 p.m. ET

5 Experiences to Increase the Impact of Your Church in Your Community in 6 Months or Less - This webinar will discuss how creating partnerships, alliances, and 'go experiences' can increase the impact of your church. WHEN: January 17, 2012 at 1 p.m. ET

Recovering Hope for the Church: From Apathy to Engagement - This webinar explores: What if hope for the future of your church calls you to refocus the way you communicate your mission? What would it look like? What would be different? WHEN: January 24, 2012 at 1 p.m. ET

Building Exceptional Leaders One at a Time

Strategic Leadership Coaching is a service offered by The Columbia Partnership through its Coaching Leaders Team. Primary team members are Eddie Hammett, Ken Kessler, and Suzanne Goebel. Here is a brochure that explains their services. To connect with them contact Client.Care@TheColumbiaPartnership.org or call Eddie Hammett at 828.458.8954.

Strategic_Leadership_Coaching_Brochure,_October_2011.pdf Download this file

 

Preaching Backwards

Old Dogs Must Learn New Tricks

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, Preaching Backwards, 10.18.11 Edition

Listen to the Travel Free Learning Dialogue with Dick talking about this article:

TFL Dialogue, Dick Hamm on Preaching Backwards

1968 is a hinge point in American history and in the history of the American church. I think of the decades before 1968 as being modern, while the years after 1968 are better described as post-modern. It’s not that there is a total disconnect between pre- and post- 1968. Some things—well a few things—have gone on much the same after 1968, but there are so many things that have changed since 1968 that post-1968 can justifiably be thought of as a new and separate era.

Many churches in North America were either started or reshaped by and for the Silent and Builder generations (born between 1915 and 1945) during the 20 years or so before 1968. Thus they bear the marks of the modern era. Many of us doing ministry today were brought up in these same congregations and were taught how to do ministry by members of the Silent and Builder generations. This means that for ministry today, modern is our default approach rather than post-modern.

As one of these old dogs—I’m an early Boomer—I had to learn and must continually learn new tricks: new ways of looking at the world, new ways of responding to the world, new ways of doing ministry and church. Let me give a few examples.