By Deborah Bruce
I’ve got several tabs open on my browser—each with something interesting I’d like to share. Here goes:
Exit Interviews for Churches. “Part of the being the Body of Christ means noticing and caring when a part goes missing,” Thom Shultz says. He gives practical, helpful hints for following up with people who no longer attend your church. Is your congregation brave enough to do that? What might your church do differently if you knew why people left your church?
Alternatives to Traditional Church. Innovative and exciting approaches to “church,” as we traditionally think of it, are popping up in many places. IWorship has space in a shopping mall. Fathom Theater Church helps congregations get started in movie theaters. Movie Theater Church in Indianapolis even offers a money back guarantee. One church even boasts being the “perfect” church.
Aging Clergy. Additional evidence of the increasing age of clergy comes from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. Describing the United Methodist Church, the conclusion is: “Older clergy constitute the largest share of clergy in history” (a quote that appears beneath a hopeful photo of young people).
Women in Ministry. The Girlfriends’ Clergy Companion: Surviving and Thriving in Ministry provides lots of helpful information for the increasing numbers of women in ministry. The authors share what they wish they had known when starting out. Read an excerpt.
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