When we do the things expected in Eph. 4:2—practicing humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love—we will be well on our way toward keeping the unity of the Spirit.
All in Church
Ministers in Short Supply
I believe that resilient congregations, pursuing God’s purposes in the world, will find healthy and constructive ways to prepare, support, nurture and partner with ministers in the days to come.
It’s Complex!
The reality for most of us in congregational or ministerial contexts is that things are not just complicated – they are complex.
Moral Injury and the Power of Reconciliation
Peter has not lived up to the person he claimed to be, and because of this incongruity, he has experienced a moral injury.
Young People, Big Impact
Imagine being that boy who offered up his five loaves of bread and two fish. His willingness and generosity to give up his meal instigated the miracle.
Fewer Church Splits, More Church Plants
Many churches are wrestling with new ways to interpret Scripture. Here are a few realities that will happen when leadership decides to go in a new direction.
Humbler Church, Bigger God
If there were one lesson most churches ought to learn right now, it would be this: we should become humbler so that God might seem bigger.
Walking While Grieving
My challenge that day was complicated: keep walking uphill while fighting the wind and trying to find the next trail marker amidst the fog.
Moral Injury and the Power of Forgiveness
I want to delve into moral and spiritual injury, looking at ways that we as Christians, ministers, pastors, counselors, and chaplains can respond when we encounter it.
Thoughts on Elders as Shepherds
Many elders are frustrated because all they do is act as a board of directors. Instead of being in the lives of their flock, they’re spending time in meeting after meeting.
Leadership in Complex Times
What sort of leadership is needed in this time of complexity and uncertainty? I want to explore some implications of Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT) for congregational life.
Event Spotlight: Cruciformity and ElderLink Houston
As we prepare for our first ElderLink of 2022, we wanted to whet your appetite for our time together. We recently sat down for virtual conversations with our speakers and host.
Is it Time to Quit My Church?
For me, perhaps the saddest aspect of the pandemic has been the polarization and consequent sorting of churchgoers.
8 Questions With Jennifer Schroeder, Summit Director
We recently announced that Jennifer Schroeder is joining our team in the Siburt Institute. For those of you who don’t already know her, allow me to introduce the new ACU Summit director.
On Levi’s Jeans and Wine
In many established churches, we continue to assume that our jeans and our wineskins that we have received from a previous generation are still capable of holding the dynamic, electrifying power of the gospel.
Twenty Years of Congregational Change: The 2020 Faith Communities Today Overview
Summarized responses from 15,278 congregations and 80 denominations or religious groups resulted in the largest national survey of congregations ever conducted in the U.S.
Thinking About Church Leadership in a Different Way
Many of us talk to churches about how to rethink our approach coming out of the pandemic. This is a chance to do things differently.
Too Many Prophets, Not Enough Pastors
The message of Jesus is prophetic enough as it is. Ministers must obviously retell that message in a faithful manner. That act of proclamation is prophetic enough on its own. Given the difficulty with hearing who Jesus was and was really about, the story doesn’t need much additional help beyond that.
Making Decisions About Decisions
The past 18 months have given ministers and leaders ample – if unwanted – experience in making difficult decisions.
Looking at You, Senior Ministers
Create a space where people are engaged in a conversation that undoubtedly needs to happen and likely is overdue.