ALL ARTICLES
Being a Trauma Informed Church
At our Trauma Informed training on June 26, 2019 held at Sanctuary Covenant Church, we looked into how Christian communities can heal unseen wounds. The Church is uniquely positioned to be a healing presence for the growing number of trauma survivors we serve in our communities.
Pastor’s Column: Blessing the ‘Rest’ of Your Life
"Ministry is demanding. Serving the Lord and others can be like a roller coaster with its ups and downs. Therefore, prioritizing personal time weekly and extended time seasonally to unplug from the demands for some personal soul care is not only important, but a necessity," writes Bill Goodwin.
Pastor's Column: Who Benefits from a Pastoral Sabbatical?
In the overall life and ministry of a church, the gift of a pastoral sabbatical is a relatively small thing, and yet the benefits it reaps are abundant and lasting. Rev. Christian Ruch writes about who all benefits from a pastoral sabbatical.
Pastor's Column: Sabbath Reminds us that God is God (and we are not)
"Sabbath is the only one of the Ten Commandments that we brush off as not really that important. But it’s the longest and most descriptive commandment, the hinge words between how we relate to God and how we relate to each other. It’s not a throw-away comment. One day in seven, God says, you stop all work, because you are not to be defined by your output. You are all simply and completely human beings, alongside one another, all beloved children of God," writes Rev. Kara Root, Lead Pastor at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis.
Pastor’s Column: Holistic Care of the Soul
"Pastors, we need to recognize the importance of soul care in our own lives. If our souls are depleted and dry, chaotic and overwhelmed, this internal state will undoubtedly spill out upon all we encounter," writes Dr. Christine Osgood. In order for the soul to be well, Dr. Osgood suggests we need to care for and invest in six interrelated dimensions: your body (physical), your thoughts (cognitive), your feelings (emotional), the people (relational) you consistently engage, your calling, mission or purpose (meaning), and your spirit (spiritual).
Pastor’s Column: Retreating to Ponder Creation
Mark Rieland writes about one of the best ways he believes Christian faith leaders can rest and pursue refreshment in their lives and ministries.
Draft a Rock Solid Employee Handbook
The number one rule when drafting an employee handbook, is to tailor it specifically to your organization. If the handbook is not tailored to meet your organizations needs and specific legal requirements, it will become a legal liability. At Rock Solid Employee Handbooks training on June 13, 2019, Attorney Ginny Cronin taught the three starting steps to take when drafting an Employee Handbook.
Sankofa Reflection 2019: From Eeriness to Empowerment
“Several of the stops on our journey brought about an eerie, spiritual connection to my ancestors which was initially unsettling. As we continued, this sensation shifted from eeriness to empowerment as it gave me confidence that the strength of my people who endured these hardships still has the power to be a catalyst for true reflection,” wrote Elder Kyle Jeter, while reflecting on his 2019 Sankofa Journey.
Sankofa Reflection 2019: The Truth About Acting Counter Cultural
“To assume I would have done differently is the height of arrogance or ignorance. The fact is that most of us are simply products of our culture and society, not independent actors. Most people simply will not act counter to our cultural environment. People do not think alone,” wrote Pastor Kory Kleinsasser, while reflecting on his 2019 Sankofa Journey.
Sankofa Reflection 2019: Finding Myself In Birmingham
"I was eager to find my place in history. Would I have had the bravery to march with Dr. King? Could I have been counted among those who sat bravely at Woolworth’s to protest the immorality of segregation?... (Later) I found myself in Birmingham, standing on the wrong side of love–and history," writes Pastor Mike Tong, while reflecting on his 2019 Sankofa Journey.
Sankofa Reflection 2019: The True Tragedy of the Ku Klux Klan
"I have always known that Klansmen were terrorists. I could easily identify their distinctive dress (white robes) and their symbol of terror (the cross). But sometimes the things you know fail to really hit home. It was not until I was face to face with those symbols at a museum in Birmingham, AL that I saw the true tragedy and tasted the true terror," writes Pastor Jason Meyer, while reflecting on his 2019 Sankofa Journey.
In-Group Bias - It's In the Church Too
In-group bias in Christianity is all too normal. Dr. Ruben Rivera taught at the second Dismantling Racism training at Wooddale Church on March 21, 2018 on how Christians are often regularly, however subconsciously bias. Dr. Rivera taught about the dangers of making our view of Jesus captive to our in-group culture. Dr. Rivera showed how Jesus blew up in-group/out-group bias, and continues to empower His followers to take in-group love and give it to the out-group.
Pastor's Column: What Pastors Need to be Talking about Right Now
Sondra Samuels writes about how she believes pastors need to be sharing a more relevant message about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection that will resonate with teenagers. As teenagers in her life and work increasingly deal with anxiety and isolation, her hope is that pastors will teach how Jesus' life and message of love, power and hope can address all that is going on in their lives. Samuels is the President and CEO of the Northside Achievement Zone, working to end the achievement gap in North Minneapolis.
An 8-Point Checklist for Responding to Sexual Harassment Reports
On April 2, 2019 Transform Minnesota presented a ministry equip training for churches and Christian nonprofits called "Fostering Dignity in the Workplace" with Virginia Cronin, attorney at Henningson and Snoxell. When designing the policies and procedures a church or nonprofit will use to conduct intake reports of sexual harassment, this 8-point checklist is a good place to start.
Pastor's Column: What Pastors Need to Be Talking About Right Now
In this month’s pastor’s column, Dr. Akin Adeniyi writes about what pastors need to be talking about these days. He encourages pastors to balance messages that promote salvation of souls and edification of saved souls. Dr. Adeniyi shares eight truths he believes pastors need to be reminding their congregations. And above all, that pastors should seek to talk about what Jesus would be talking about if he was physically ministering on earth right now.
Maintaining Healthy Board Relationships
At our March 14, 2019 Effective Board Practices training, Pat Mazorol, the board chair at Transform Minnesota, and Carl Nelson, the President and CEO at Transform Minnesota discussed how to navigate all of the relationships and various roles of board members in their church or ministry setting.
3 Hats Worn by Church/Ministry Board Members
On March 14, 2019 at our Effective Board Practices training, Carl Nelson, president and CEO of Transform Minnesota taught about three hats church and ministry board members need to wear, and the appropriate times to wear those hats for effective board involvement.
Encountering Sexuality as the Church
Sy Rogers, world-renown Christian speaker and communicator brought a message of encouragement to Christian leaders on February 25, 2019 on how to tackle the subject of healthy sexuality and responsible stewardship of our sexual desires in the Church. Attendees left the God, Sex and the Church leadership conference inspired by Sy’s depiction of God, and His redemptive advocacy, especially in areas of sexuality.
Minnesota Evangelicals Condemn Attack on Muslim Worshipers
We raise our voice against all kinds of religious intolerance and hatred – regardless of the particular faith of the victims.
Inviting God into Sexual Struggles
On Sunday, February 24, 2019 over 450 people packed Substance Church’s downtown campus to hear world-renown Christian speaker Sy Rogers at the “God, Sex and Culture” evening forum. Sy Rogers spoke about the sexual brokenness and temptations of all humans. And offered an assuring message of the hope that God is our redemptive advocate when it comes to our struggles. The sanctuary was full of people from all ages and stages. Many youth leaders said they felt more equipped to tackle subjects of sexuality with their youth groups.