 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | | PRACTICAL WISDOM FOR LEADING CONGREGATIONS |
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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | When the Rev. Dr. Shelley Best was given her pastorate in Connecticut, those who gave it to her expected it to die. But under Best's leadership, it didn't die. It transformed, grew and flourished. "I had to do things differently in order for us to survive," she said. In the midst of a community ravaged by drug and alcohol addiction, Best decided that traditional models of funding were not going to help her church. Instead, she turned to what she calls "community economics." She developed a soul food dinner, which brought in $2,000 every weekend, and helped church members get cars and housing, enabling them to get back on their feet. And unbeknownst to her, the church leadership was surprised at her success. |
From one of the pandemic's epicenters, a minister describes his congregation's experience through death and new life over the last four months.
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| | HELP US KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW COVID-19 IS IMPACTING YOUR CONGREGATION |
Since 2002, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving has sought to foster a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between faith and giving, through research, education, and public conversation. In 2018, through funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., Lake Institute conducted the National Study of Congregations' Economic Practices (NSCEP), the most comprehensive, nationally representative study of congregational finances in several decades. We have shared these findings alongside clergy, laity, and denominational leaders in order to continue to understand the trends and best practices for congregations on questions of generosity, budgeting, and finances.
Now, we seek to better understand the unique ways that the COVID-19 crisis is impacting congregations. As congregational leaders, we know how much you care for these topics. We also know how much you have on your plates as leaders during these current difficult days. With those twin concerns, we invite you to participate in a short survey linked below that should take approximately 15 minutes to complete, asking for information about your congregation, its finances, and responses to the COVID-19 crisis.
Your participation is critical in order to help other congregations address these pressing financial questions. Of course, your congregation's information will be protected, and to ensure privacy, nothing will be shared that identifies specific characteristics of your congregation. This focus on faith and giving serves at the heart of our work in our teaching and training as a part of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. |
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| | FROM THE ARCHIVE: LEADING NOW |
| The pastor of Quest Church reflects on her journey into ministry and how pastors must make space for others to flourish. |
COVID-19 emphasizes the need for ethical, evidence-based and visionary leadership, writes the executive director of Sojourners.
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The changing dynamics of contemporary church life are well-known, but what's less well-known is how leaders can work most effectively in this new context. In Quietly Courageous, esteemed minister and congregational consultant Gil Rendle offers practical guidance to leaders --both lay and ordained -- on leading churches today. Rendle encourages leaders to stop focusing on the past and instead focus relentlessly on their mission and purpose-what is ultimately motivating their work. He also urges a shift in perspectives on resources, discusses models of change, and offers suggestions for avoiding common pitfalls and working creatively today.
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