Sabbatical Surprise

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As I was nearing my sabbatical, I wondered what it would be like. In all my years of ministry, I have never had one. As I planned out my time away from Indiana Ministries, I had three goals. The first goal was to get rested and re-energized. Secondly, I wanted to invest in my marriage.
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Church Multiplier Pathway by Tom Planck

Discerning a call to occupational ministry is a journey. It is a journey that is influenced by a variety of defining moments and formative experiences. Gaining clarity on a calling to be a church multiplier is much the same. It, too, takes time and requires exploration. When a church leader has answered the call to
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HGC – Exponential Conference in Orlando!

You deserve a break from this Indiana winter, so why not head to sunny and warm Orlando for the 2018 HGC – Exponential conference? The dates are February 26 – March 1. Tickets are still available, but you will want to register ASAP and make your travel plans. Healthy Growing Churches is sponsoring an Exponential
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Church Multiplication in Indiana

At the recent annual meeting of Indiana Ministries, I shared with you that we are stepping up our commitment to multiply churches and church campuses.  Four years ago we entered into a Midwest Multiplication Initiative with Ohio Ministries, Michigan Ministries and Healthy Growing Churches to more effectively multiply churches.  As part of this initiative, I’ve
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LCP/RP Multiplication Initiative

It’s exciting to see the momentum that is building around this grassroots church multiplication initiative involving large church pastors (LCP) and regional/state pastors (RP). We have about 30 LCPs and RPs who have either committed to give resources to the initiative or are considering doing so. Below are answers to some of the questions that
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10 Key Shifts From Churches

10 Key Shifts From Churches by Thom Rainer Overheard by ECFA’s Dan Busby at the 2017 XP-Seminar Thom Ranier, President and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently shared these 10 key shifts churches must consider as they minister in an ever-changing world. 1. Disappearance of easier growth. 20% to 30% of the growth most churches
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7 Tips To Avoid Burnout

Burnout Happens By Al Ells, M.C. You are looking at a desperate man. He is in over his head. Overwhelmed, anxious, and unable to sleep, he is easily distracted from his work, which he dreads. His wife and children walk on eggshells around him. He is a pastor. This situation is not uncommon. A 1998
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Governance Clarifications

Governance Clarifications (Download) No Ongoing Committees Are Used: • There are no ongoing committees of any kind. All of these functions are handled either by the board, the pastor, or the staff as outlined on this guide. • Someone needs to be responsible for member care. This is a staff position. The task is to
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Qualifications for Governing Board Members

A person qualifying to serve in this capacity . . . (Download) 1. is a committed Christian who has a growing relationship with God; 2. models biblical values and principles in his or her daily life; 3. demonstrates leadership ability and is respected by persons of faith in the church; 4. is ethical and moral
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Board Governance Summary

Governing Board Summary (Download) by Doug Talley Historically, churches and other not-for-profits have often used a business model (based on the concepts of leadership and management) for the primary board. However, that model tends to not work very well in the local church, partially because it distracts the local congregations from their mission and often
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