Pastoral Excellence
Leading a congregation to be a thriving community that is a sign of God’s reign is a hopeful and challenging assignment that calls for excellence not measured by wealth and influence but that is a way of love patterned in Christ. Such excellence is formed in structured learning communities that embody the life of faith through Christian practices and cultivate imagination through border crossings.
Features
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Reflection
May 8, 2012 | Search committees are sometimes in awe of their responsibility to chart the future of a congregation and examine the qualifications of a prospective pastor. This strategic work isn’t just about identifying a skilled leader but about finding one with the right mix of skills and character. Read more »
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Article
April 10, 2012 | The age-old debate over the ideal sermon length is taking on new urgency in a time of technological changes appealing to shorter attention spans. Take our quiz to explore how congregational demographics and other factors relate to preaching. Read more »
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Reflection
August 30, 2011 | For one year following the 9/11 attacks, Courtney Cowart helped care for 15,000 recovery workers through St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City. What emerged was a powerful leadership paradigm that has shaped her approach to ministry: a focus on universal human thriving. Read more »
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Q&A
June 21, 2011 | The authors of the book “Resurrecting Excellence” talk about what has changed in the five years since its publication. Read more »
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Multimedia
June 14, 2011 | Pastoring a church you grew up in has its benefits and challenges, says a pastor and professor of Christian ethics at Howard University. Still, the focus must be on charting a course for the future. Watch video »
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Article
May 10, 2011 | By restructuring its organization around “excellence,” the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church has increased its effectiveness and transformed its culture. Read more »
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Reflection
April 12, 2011 | Pastors can feel incompetent when they are asked to take charge of everything from facilities to strategic planning. But Paul Feela offers three leadership practices that help him stay focused on the most indispensible part of his job: keeping the gospel’s call to communion before himself and the parish. Read more »
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Article
March 29, 2011 | Nine years after the creation of pastor peer groups, the support afforded to local clergy is also paying dividends for the regional staff who supervise them. Read more »
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Reflection
March 29, 2011 | Art is both a product of imagination and what sparks it. Pastors, students and others reflect on the illuminations in The Saint John’s Bible and make their own books as an act of spiritual and theological reflection. Read more »
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Article
March 29, 2011 | The Saint John’s Bible combines captivating, original art and hand-inked Scripture to create a Bible that engages readers in a deep way. Read more »
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