Yearly Archives: 2018

Pastor’s Column: Why Small Churches Get Stuck; The 3 Changes Leaders Avoid Making

Churches of all shapes, sizes and flavors have one thing in common: they want to grow. The bigger question is: how willing are you to lead change? Growth and change are synonymous. As a ministry consultant and coach, Chad Hunt has seen many pastors sacrifice growth to keep people happy and avoid discomfort. They want results without change. Here Hunt shares three changes leaders avoid making, which can prevent church growth.
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Four Common Mistakes in Leadership Succession Planning

in News. Posted December 10, 2018
On November 15, Natalie Ackerman, president of Cornerstone Consulting, presented at our Succession Roadmapping training. This Succession Roadmapping training shared the importance of making sure every person in your organization is prepared to transition to a place of greater leadership and responsibility when a leader is replaced. Learn the Four Common Mistakes in Leadership Succession Planning. The top questions to ask yourself about your organization’s succession plan and the top questions to ask others when looking at their leadership potential.
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Workshop: America’s Education Inequality

America’s Education Inequality-Addiction was presented by Don Samuels at the Do Justice Conference on November 8. How America's bias mentality harms the education of African Americans. The history of withholding education from African American children, and other exclusionary measures that lead to inequality in America's education system. Plus what can be done to bridge the education gap?
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Workshop: White Supremacy Distorted the Biblical Narrative

Dr. Karen McKinney, Biblical Studies professor at Bethel University taught the workshop “White Supremacy Distorted the Biblical Narrative” at the Do Justice Conference. She taught how the Anglo-Saxon Myth was born and how it impacted America's grand narrative. Dr. McKinney dug deep into four Biblical distortions used to propagate white supremacy ideology, and the construction of Whiteness. And offered actions steps for the oppressors and the oppressed.
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Workshop: Just Church, for All People

At the “Just Church” workshop, Pastor David Myles, of New Hope Church and Christopher Brooks, of MERGE Twin Cities spoke on the Biblical foundations for being a church for all peoples. How we can be committed to fulfilling the Great Commission while also leading change in places of need, where the Lord has called us. Myles opened with the Biblical Mandate of why we are doing this for all people and Brooks finished with specific strategies for realizing this mandate.
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Pastor’s Column: Geyser of Women’s Voices

Like a geyser of water finally breaking through the surface, suppressed for a variety of reasons, are the stories from brave women who have in some cases risked a lot to share their stories. Women need spaces where their voices are honored. We are all better and stronger when a variety of voices are invited to the table and honored. It helps us understand one another. To learn from one another. To step outside of ourselves and experience another’s story. To move forward in unity and love. To truly be the body of Christ.
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Do Justice Conference with Bryan Stevenson

Fifteen-hundred people from Minnesota’s faith communities attended the Do Justice Conference with Bryan Stevenson presented by Transform Minnesota on November 8, and An Evening with Bryan Stevenson later that evening. Stevenson is an acclaimed civil rights attorney, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, and author of Just Mercy. He gave two addresses to a packed sanctuary at Christ Presbyterian Church on the need for Americans to pursue racial justice and reconciliation in our country. Stevenson encouraged the Church to work to change the narratives of our society and to stay hopeful, while challenging people of faith to position themselves in inconvenient and uncomfortable places.
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