When I visit my in-laws, they usually greet me by asking, “Have you eaten?” Even when I call them, they usually greet me by asking, “Have you eaten?” When my parents were alive, that’s how my parents greeted me when I visited them or called...
Maybe there was a time, decades ago, when serving on a church board meant that you could pretty much guess what folks in your congregation needed and what you should try to provide for them. Maybe. But realistically, ministry today (as probably then) is practiced on a...
In the first of a three part conversation, Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with the Rev. Bianca Howard (Orange), Brittany Porch (Broad Street Presbyterian, Columbus), and Kyle Bender (Center for Relational Care, Austin) about the changes in youth ministry, the enduring importance of relationships finding a...
Talking with a colleague this week, I was asked, “What common denominators are vital, flourishing churches displaying today?” The following response is unscientific, more story-driven than data-driven, and by no means an exhaustive list. (In fact, we would love to hear from you about what you...
In part one of this round table conversation, the Ministry Collaborative program staff (Jennifer Watley Maxell, Mark Ramsey, Adam Mixon, Adam Borneman, and Beth Daniel) talk about what Easter really means, the difference between resurrection and resuscitation, and importance of how we live in the...
Our friend and colleague, Elizabeth Lynn, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, recently published an incredibly helpful article in Faith and Leadership that outlines the myriad challenges many congregations face when it comes to church buildings, property, and space. In addition to summarizing the challenges, Elizabeth...
Signs of post-Easter and summer’s promise seem to be everywhere in churches now – including, we imagine, in the changing rhythms of your church board. The planning, the work, the worry, the decisions that have consumed your board’s time and energy throughout the “program year” are...
Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with the Rev. Mina Nau-Mahe (Good Shepherd UMC, Colorado Springs) about growing up Tongan in Salt Lake City, her transformative experience in a Ministry Collaborative cohort, and the power of seeing God turn people's lives around....
My church folx have teased me for years with the prospect of a gift that never materializes: a t-shirt that says “I’m not the boss of that.” It’s something I say frequently to remind them and me both that I’m not the final arbiter on...