The Columbia Partnership

The Columbia Partnership is Coming to TransformingTheChurch.org

by Bill Anderton

The Columbia Partnership (TCP), TransformingTheChurch.org and Christian College have entered into an agreement that brings new distance-learning courses and learning communities to the TransformingTheChurch.org platform and website. This agreement projects the addition of 18 new courses over the next 18 months. TCP’s current “Transformation Learning Community” and its webinar events will move from the www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org website to the TransformingTheChurch.org website immediately.

The first three courses feature TCP’s George Bullard and production is in progress. Early registration begins in June and classes begin in September. Additional course production with other TCP Ministry Colleagues takes place throughout the 2013-14 academic year.

The titles for the first three courses with George Bullard are:

• Transforming Congregations with a Spiritual Strategic Journey
• Every Congregation Needs a Little Conflict
• Congregational Ministry Choices for the 21st Century

The Columbia Partnership Finalizes Agreement with TransformingTheChurch.org

After extensive dialogue, and several weeks of intense and very positive conversation around an agreement, The Columbia Partnership has reached a formal agreement with TeleWorship'swww.TransformingTheChurch.org, and Christian College [in Georgia] to  to provide education experiences, learning communities, and other online resources for the transformation of congregations.

Click HERE to read the news release, and then look around the web site..

Click HERE to "Like" TransformingTheChurch.org on Facebook.

TCP's Transformation Learning Community will use TransformingTheChurch.org as their digital base of operations.

Attendance Down at Your Church? Get the Facts!

A Travel Free Learning Article

By George Bullard, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

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

During the past few weeks I have talked with several churches who are concerned about a minor decline in their attendance over the past five years. They want answers as to why attendance is down, and what they can do about it.

Many of their ideas are speculation without any facts to support them. They may be right, or they may be wrong. There is no way to know without consistent, reliable information. I suggest to these congregations they get the facts by seeking answers to several questions.

Briefly, here are some of the questions. Later I will add more details to this dialogue:

First, have you changed the way you count, or who does the counting? You may not be counting everyone you once counted. If you have multiple worship services you may have counted some people twice, and now you only count them once. Perhaps your attendance was never as high as your thought. Perhaps you are missing some people you once counted.

Second, has the average person decreased the number of Sundays each year they are present for worship and weekly discipleship programming? What method do you use to count people by name so you know the frequency or pattern of their attendance? You should count everyone in worship by name four Sundays in a row in the fall and the spring to establish your pattern.

Third, where is attendance down? Is it a certain age group? Is it a certain service? Is it a certain class or department in the discipleship or Christian education program? What changes in schedule, leadership, curriculum, or other dynamics may have contributed to this?

TCP Transformation Learning Community

An Offer to Connect with the

TCP Transformation Learning Community

 Register Here to Connect at TCP Learning Community Membership

View/Download PowerPoint Presentation: Download TCP PowerPoint TLCommunity, 4.8.13

View/Download Full Offer:   Download TCP Transformation Learning Community Offer, 4.8.13

View/Download Full Chart of Benefits:  Download TCP Transformation LC Chart of Benefits, 4.8.13

This learning community launched April 1, 2013!

Purpose of Learning Community

To create and cultivate a collaborative community of church leaders and church champions committed to connecting and accelerating their learning to add value to the continual transformation of congregations throughout North America.

TCP Transforming Congregations Ministry Goal

TCP’s goal for now through 2017 is to build the capacity to engage 2100 congregations throughout North America in transformation annually by the end of 2017.

Who is Already Part of the TCP Transformation Learning Community?

Persons formally connected with TCP in the categories of Ministry Colleagues and Ministry Network Members. Among these are Debbie McDowell, Debbie Rundlett, Dick Hamm, Eddie Hammett, George Bullard, Jim Powell, Ken Kessler, Larry Sykora, Suzanne Goebel, and Wes Granberg-Michaelson. A total of 35 people are already connected.

Qualifications for People to Connect

1. A commitment to the continual transformation of congregations, and a role that seeks to transform congregations either as a pastor, staff person, or lay leader within a congregation, or through a denomination, parachurch organization, or consulting/coaching practice.
2. A commitment to help the learning community reach its goal of empowering directly or indirectly the transformation of 2100 congregations throughout North America annually by the end of 2017.

12 Month Cost of Connection: $99.00 for all benefits. View/Download the chart of benefits: Download TCP Transformation LC Chart of Benefits, 4.8.13

Since It Is Not 1955, We Have to Do Church Different

A Travel Free Learning Article

 By George Bullard, Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership

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

One of my favorite expressions by a key mentor in my life, Lyle Schaller, relates to what time it is. During the 1990s Lyle often said, as an example, “Next year is 1995. The trouble is that too many congregations are operating like next year is 1955.”

The world has changed dramatically during the past 58 years from 1955 to 2013. Congregational ministry has morphed to a new dimension during the past six decades. Unfortunately, too many congregations are still functioning out of a 1950s framework with only a few mandatory updates they could not avoid.

A tremendous number of factors are different now than they were in the 1950s. Here’s one. What size congregation does it take to engage in first quality programs, ministries, and activities for all major life age/stage groups from birth to death?