August 20, 2009

Do Your Leaders Have Motion Sickness?

From Bill Donahue

The closest I ever got to a POW camp experience was three-a-day practices in 95-degree heat and 90% humidity at a New Jersey football camp in 1974.  Read more...

August 17, 2009

Sermon-Based Small Groups

From Greg Bowman

I still remember the day I realized for the first time what it felt like to be a member – not staff – in a church. I was in my twenties, in my first ministry, and was preparing a message for the weekend. In a moment mixed with clarity, surrender and frustration, I realized the futility of saying anything at all that Sunday. I could have given the message of a lifetime and it would have made no difference.Why? Read more...

July 30, 2009

Real Transformation for Real People

From Greg Bowman

When Mindy Caliguire first suggested him as a speaker, my immediate response was, “Who is David Johnson?” Seriously. I had never heard of him. 

Part of that is my fault for not walking in some circles I should have been. But another reason I have not heard of him is that unlike many churches of their size, Church of the Open Door has not screamed from the pinnacle of their steeple their strategies, successes, or their story.  Read more...

July 23, 2009

Unanswered Questions

From Greg Bowman

  Wow! We were blown away with your responses yesterday on our conference call with CCN. We were planning on 80 registrants – we had over 600! Originally intended to be a preview of the content of Mindy Caliguire's talk at the fall event, the conference call turned into a discussion on spiritual formation. Read more...

July 16, 2009

Leadership’s Challenges

From Greg Bowman

 Jim Clemmer, a management guru, sums up a challenge most leaders face. “In the midst of tumultuous change, many … are confusing ‘busywork’ activity with results. Missing what's really important to long-term growth and development, they allow themselves to be tyrannized by short-term urgencies.”

Can you relate? It’s a new way of phrasing an old challenge that’s always going to be with us.

For your small group ministry, this challenge presents itself in a few key areas. Read more...