I have become convinced that there is a class of people, at least in Catholic culture, who truly believe their spiritual gift is complaint, and that their contribution to the body of Christ is criticism. Self-proclaimed liturgists, theologians, and canon lawers who take it upon themselves to police the rest of us who are actually […]
Category: Leadership
We spent some time this week reflecting on our staff culture. Culture, as we write in Rebuilt, is the potent brew of what an organization believes, what it does, and how it operates. It encompasses traditions, values, norms, behaviors. Author and management consultant, Peter Drucker, writes simply: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It affects everything. […]
All of us, in our different ways, have struggled, and continue to struggle with the alarming and terrible news, currently coming at us on a daily basis regarding the larger Church community. My own statement, posted below, sums up much of my initial reaction, but more needs to be said. The blockbuster denunciation of the […]
The terrible news out of Pennsylvania this week brought revelations that our own former Archbishop was found by a Grand Jury to be criminally negligent. This, following revelations earlier this summer of multiple, credible charges of child abuse by the former Archbishop of Washington. Nativity stands in unity with Archbishop Lori and his official statement. […]
Here at Nativity, we’re currently immersed in one of our sacred summer rituals: housecleaning and reorganization. Over the years, we have worked to reduce the amount of storage onsite and move seasonal and long term storage off site. Each summer, we unpack these areas, reassess their contents, and get rid of anything that is outdated, […]
Culture is the blend of beliefs, customs, values, and vision as demonstrated in behavior and direction. Culture is, quite literally, who your church is. Most every church leader I know wants to shape a compelling culture that is, among other things, welcoming, accessible, attractive, inviting, engaging. At least, that’s what they say. But, it isn’t […]
As Carey Nieuwhof has pointed out in his excellent blog post, one often overlooked factor in the steady decline of church attendance has been the Church’s resistance to follow the culture into the technological era. We are living in a time when technology is an ever present mainstay in people’s lives, yet churchworld seems hesitant […]
Painting a clear and compelling vision is key to any renewal. If you get your vision right, you will empower and equip your advocates, educate your bystanders and disarm your critics. Vision helps you start, maintain and continuously expand the growth of your parish. It helps you overcome supposedly insurmountable obstacles and will get you […]
In any field of leadership, people will second-guess and criticize you. Criticism is just part of leadership and according to Aristotle, the only way to avoid criticism is “say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” So, while you cannot avoid criticism, you can minimize it by leading thoughtfully and even use it to your own benefit. […]
It doesn’t matter what the circumstance or work environment – gossip is a challenge we all face at one time or another. As a Pastor or staff leader, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face is managing and mentoring your staff. You’ll often be involved in things that will take you out of your comfort […]
