Checking In

28 02 2012

A ritual I began at the last congregation I served included setting up ongoing monthly or quarterly check-ins with paid and volunteer team leaders. The purpose of the check-ins was to celebrate progress on goals, set new monthly or quarterly goals, and explore ways I could best support them in their efforts.  The check-ins frequently involved collective brainstorming, learning new things about each other, wondering what God was up to in our lives, and a time of prayer.  These sessions rarely lasted more than an hour but seemed to have an energizing influence on all participants. I believe they were a key to empowering others and developing great teams.

What do you do to bring out the best in others and build great teams?

What team members might benefit from regular check ins with you?





21 02 2012

Here’s a question for your ministry team as you gather around the water cooler. Vibrant Faith Ministries finds that congregations often fall into one or more of the following four types of congregations identified below (based on how closely connected they are to biblical Christianity):

1. The least connected is the country club congregation, a social unity that is all about its membership and contentment.
2. The next level of living out the mission of the church is the convenience store congregation. In this scenario, people come to be personally filled spiritually but then walk away from any real outreach to others.
3. The third is the foreign missions congregation that writes checks so that others can do the ministry for them, including the work of children, youth, and family ministry in the life of the congregation.
4. The last type of congregation, and the one most resembling the biblical church is the missional congregation. It sees its life as forming faith in all generations and equipping.
     How would you describe your congregation based on these four descriptions?
     What are the pros and cons of each description?
     What do you celebrate about your current setting?
     In what ways might you need to change?







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