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Bob Jones Bob Jones

Together, Apart: An Online Communion Experience

Our faith is bigger than our facilities. One thing we’ve gleaned during the COVID-19 crisis is people will find a way to connect. Physical distancing doesn’t mean social isolation. And that includes sacramental celebrations like communion.

For many congregations, the last Sunday of the month is a time for Communion. Don’t let isolation prohibit your celebration.

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Al Downey Al Downey

Self Care in the Middle of Sheep Care

May I encourage you, Pastor, to understand and accept that self-care is not at all ‘selfish.’ Your effectiveness in caring for others will be in proportion to the degree you care for yourself.

During this harrying time, let me suggest a few important things to remember that are not at all selfish.

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Bob Jones Bob Jones

Leading And Succeeding In Crisis

Everyone is looking for guidance and direction to make the next best decision to protect themselves, their families, their staff and their communities. “What do I do next?” Practice realistic optimism.

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Jeff Kiers Jeff Kiers

5 Tips For Serving Your Community During the Crisis

As pastors, if we can mobilize our people and not allow them to be frozen by fear. We could come out the other side (and there is going to be another side) stronger and more effective than ever.

Here are 5 ways you can impact your community during the COVID-19 crisis.

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Jeff Kiers Jeff Kiers

Youth Isn't Cancelled

We are faced with a challenge at the moment with the COVID-19 virus for sure. You cannot meet and probably should not meet in person. But the fact is we are facing a real opportunity to leverage tools that maybe we have hardly considered to this point. So while you cannot plan a event as normal, your church continues on. We have always been more than a gathering. Here are 3 practical tools you can use to keep the ministry thriving as well as ever during this pandemic and social distancing.

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Jeremiah Raible Jeremiah Raible

The Mission Was Never To Gather

And just like that, your weekly gathering has been canceled by the government. People in your church and community are practicing “social distancing” and some are in self-isolation, no longer to connect with anyone. And no matter what your church size or if you’re located in a rural or urban setting, you’re weekly physical gathering is no more.

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Jeremiah Raible Jeremiah Raible

Five Things To Do When You Can’t Physically Gather Weekly

What is church going to look like now that you can’t gather weekly? Don’t worry, we've got you covered. Remember, your main mission as a church is to “make disciples who make disciples” so that can be done in many different ways. Let’s talk practical tips to do church when you can’t have your physical weekly gathering.

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Leadership Bob Jones Leadership Bob Jones

How To Bring Agenda Items To Your Board

Everything that happens in a church doesn’t need to be on a Board agenda. Reserve the Board agenda for policy, purpose, vision and long-term issues and address the preferential ones with the interested parties.

Here are five principles to use when you bring appropriate items to the Board.

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Evangelism, First Impressions, Leadership Jeremiah Raible Evangelism, First Impressions, Leadership Jeremiah Raible

Newcomer Orientation – Welcome To Our Church!  

Think about this …. it’s your first time ever in a meeting.  There are 30 people there and you know that they know you’re new.  What do I do now?  When do I sit?  When do I stand?  Do I kneel?  Am I allowed to be here?  What happens when they find out I’m not one of them?  All of these things are going through a newcomers mind when they come to your church.  Why not orient them to what is about to happen?  

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Leadership Jeremiah Raible Leadership Jeremiah Raible

Why Leading Yourself Is So Crucial But So Hard

John Maxwell teaches on “The Law of the Lid” in which he reminds leaders that every leader is the lid to their organization.  No matter how much we wish it, the team will never exceed the capabilities and qualities of the leader.  This means that when you see growth come to a stall, you as the leader, are probably part of the issue. However, this doesn’t mean its hopeless.  

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