 |
Why did you write Whole Church?
The term "Whole Church" refers to a local congregation that believes it is called to, and reflects, the whole purpose of God through engagement. After almost 30 years of pastoral ministry, the thing that is still most inspiring and motivating to me is that any local church can have "Whole Church" experiences.
This is what all of us church leaders dream about--those passageways where we sense the power in the cohesion of the body of Christ--and I had a passion to share practical ideas of how that is possible. Becoming a "Whole Church" authenticates the message of reconciliation and healing that we proclaim.
|
Where did your ideas come from?
Experience. Trial and error. Blood, sweat, and tears. Shepherding a church through their missionaries
|
being martyred, its leaders succeeding and failing, the "teachable moment," and the "cohesive moment." This book is my interpretation of the culture and values of Elmbrook Church which have made for a long history of innovation and global engagement.
What have you learned through your experiences?
That you can't just talk about unity--you need to lead people into experiences of it. Develop strategies of cohesion and momentum. And understand the importance of quality communication.
Who is the book for?
My heart is for church leaders--pastors, key lay leaders, church board members--who are tired and worn out from fragmentation and who long for power and momentum. They know their churches can be more, but they need some practical guidance and encouragement. If a church staff or board reads this book together, I think they will end up wanting to pull together. . . |
|
 |
|
| Out-of-wedlock Births Hit Record High |
Nearly 40 percent of babies born in the United States in 2007 were delivered by unwed mothers, according to data released by the National Center for Health Statistics. The 1.7 million out-of-wedlock births, of 4.3 million total births, marked a more than 25% jump from five years before.
Other data released shows the percentage of unwed mothers differs from race to race. While 28% of the white women who gave birth were unmarrried, nearly 72% of black women and more than 51% of Latinos who gave birth were out of wedlock.
ComScore found that the average age for Tweeters was in the 25- to 54-year-old range, with the over-45 set making up the majority of users. Based on these numbers, people aged 45-54 are 36 percent more likely to use Twitter than others, while those aged 25-34 are 30 percent more likely. Those age 35-44 come in third and are only 9 percent more likely to use Twitter than everyone else.
Join in the fun and start following Leadership Network's tweets at http://twitter.com/leadnet |
| Importance of Religion Varies Widely by State |
On average, the vast majority of Americans believe religion is "an important part of their daily lives"--true for more than half the population in 46 of the 50 states and 65% of the country as a whole, according to a 2008 Gallup poll.
Those national averages obscure a stunning variety by region where in highest-ranked Mississippi, 85% said religion was important; in lowest-ranked Vermont, only 42% did.
10 most religious states:
Mississippi
Alabama
South Carolina
Tennessee
Louisiana
Arkansas
Georgia
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Kentucky and
Texas (tie) |
10 most non-religious states:
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Massachusetts
Alaska
Washington
Oregon
Rhode Island
Nevada
Connecticut |
|
|
 |
 |
| Innovation Exchange Coming to a City Near You! |
What is Innovation Exchange?
Leadership Network feels strongly that connecting innovative leaders accelerates growth and creates rich synergy.
| Ideation Experience: The Place for Great Ideas |
Do you have an idea that could shape the church in the coming decade? Does that great idea ever keep you up at night? Do you love to think and talk about great ideas and how to make them work?
| Lead Pastors: Do you wonder about your peers? |
Our Large Church Senior Pastor survey, which closes on 5/26, helps you learn about your peer group on such topics as . . .
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
This illustrated report provides both fresh research released from Leadership Network and an overview of other studies that have been done. It describes how churches are facing the overall economic downturn and what they're doing to plan and move forward. It shows ways churches are making the most of these challenging times.
|
 |
 |
 |
You can peruse nearly 100 past issues of Leadership Network Advance and get valuable information on a variety of ministry topics in our Archives. Select VIEW FULL ARCHIVES LIST to see what's there.
Here are a few topics of interest we covered recently: |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
