Blogs

Characteristics of a Healthy Youth Ministry

By: Mike Selleck on 1/4/2012
Kenda Dean, a United Methodist pastor in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference and Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, shared this list of the Top 10 Characteristics of  a Healthy Youth Ministry on her blog at http://kendadean.com/. What would you add?

This is an Election Year. Do You Know What That Means?

By: Mike Selleck on 6/5/2011
Topics: Leadership
With annual conference just a week away, along with the elections that take place every four years (a quadrennium), it may be helpful to review a few approaches to the voting process. First timers may feel like many Americans when they see their first Cricket game--baffled about what is going on and perhaps wondering "why?"

How One Church Implemented "Five Practices"

By: Phil Schroeder on 4/25/2011
I asked Nanci Hicks to share how her church is implementing Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.

Do Endowments Help or Hurt?

By: Phil Schroeder on 4/5/2011
This Lewis Center for Church Leadership article takes a look at the good and bad of endowments.

Check Out This Video

By: Phil Schroeder on 3/24/2011
Northside Presbyterian had no trouble getting volunteers for leadership positions this year! Check out their video.

The Right Visuals with the Right Words

By: Phil Schroeder on 2/14/2011
The Wall Street Journal ran an excellent article by graphic designer Nancy Duarte on the importance of using the right pictures to make a connection to your audience when you're making a presentation.

Two Keys to Growth

By: Phil Schroeder on 1/27/2011
GBOD's Romans 12 Newsletter had an excellent article this week: "Over Sixty -- Under Forty -- All Welcome."

Google's Marketing Tools

By: Phil Schroeder on 1/24/2011
UMCOM (United Methodist Communications) just emailed an article on how to use Google's marketing tools. With clergy email moving to google mail, it's a really good time to look at this stuff.

Misconceptions about Church Vitatlity and Growth

By: Phil Schroeder on 11/15/2010
Topics: Leadership

Myth Ten: Let's just keep doing the same worship we've done since 1960, and people will surely come.
Myth Four: Where two or three are gathered together, there will be conflict and fights, so live with it.
Myth Two: The world is our parish, so we are going to save everyone for Jesus.

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership just put out this excellent article by Eugene Blair, "Ten Misconceptions about Church Vitality and Growth."

Rethinking Innovation

By: Phil Schroeder on 9/14/2010
Topics: Leadership
Pat Lencioni of The Table Group, an organization that helps companies function more effectively, wrote a blog on rethinking innovation recently. "Perhaps the most popular — and misunderstood — term of the first decade of the new millennium is ‘innovation,’" according to Pat. How do you think we can use his insights in the church? 

Time to register for the IN Conference

By: Phil Schroeder on 7/26/2010
Fantastic workshops and outstanding speakers - that's what you will find at the IN Conference. Take advantage of early bird pricing and sign up now for The IN Conference church leadership training event, hosted at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, September 14-16.

the IN Conference: A Church Leadership Conference

By: Phil Schroeder on 6/21/2010
Topics: Leadership
Hope to see you at Dunwoody for this conference. Dan Reeves will be one of the keynote speakers, along with Bishop Larry Goodpaster, Bishop Mike Watson, Dan Kimball, Tyrone Gordon, Dr. Jan Love, Dr. Wiley Stephens, Dr. Bob Pierson and me.

Welcoming Your New Pastor

By: Phil Schroeder on 5/6/2010

Is your church welcoming a new pastor this summer? Dr. Robert Crossman of the Arkansas Conference wrote a great article titled "Preparing to Receive a new Pastor" for the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. He also includes a link to "50 Ways to Welcome Your New Senior or Associate Pastor."

Master Greeter

By: Phil Schroeder on 4/23/2010
Bethlehem First has had excellent response to the Master Greeter program. In fact, they would like every person in the church to think of themselves as a Master Greeter. Check out the attached link or contact Parker Benson for more information. 

Can You Hear Me Out There? The Art of Making Announcements

By: Phil Schroeder on 4/6/2010
Making announcements? Kem Meyer of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership wrote a great article about how to get your message out. Whether it's at your service, meeting, or event, there are things you should know about people if you want them to hear what you're saying.  This list can definitely help make you more effective.

Marketing Your Church/Making Social Media Work

By: Phil Schroeder on 3/3/2010
We had a great event at Reinhardt yesterday focusing on how to leverage Public Relations and Facebook for your congregation.

Check Out BeADisciple.com

By: Phil Schroeder on 3/1/2010
Topics: Leadership
There are some great upcoming online workshops offered by BeADisciple.com. The website is a ministry of the Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship.


Calling All Younger Pastors

By: Phil Schroeder on 9/3/2009
Topics: Leadership
Calling all younger pastors
A few opportunities specifically geared with you in mind.  Learn More.

E-Mail, Phone, or Face-to-Face?

By: Mike Selleck on 4/13/2009
Topics: Leadership
Have you ever sent out a one paragraph informational e-mail, that literally took less than one minute to write, and then spent hours clarifying to recipients what you meant?  So much for time-saving digital communications!

Leaders, Oxygen and Hope

By: Mike Selleck on 4/1/2009
The Swiss theologian Emil Brunner is credited with having said, “What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.”  Hope is the message of the Church to a doubting and worried world.