George Bullard's Journey

Charter for Compassion

Here is a link to an emerging effort: http://charterforcompassion.com/. Check it out and see what you think.

[Come back once your have viewed the introductory video.]

So, what do you think about this effort? I share it not as an affirmation, not as a criticism, but to inform and let you know this is an emerging movement that is out there. Is it helpful? Is it harmful? Is it relevant? Is it irrelevant? What are both the opportunities and challenges in this movement for pentecostal, evangelical, mainline, and liberal followers of Jesus Christ?

I suspect it is not something about which you are neutral. I am not either. But, I choose not to reveal my perspective now.

Posted by email from George Bullard's Posterous

Multiple Funding Streams for Denominational Organizations

Here is the Challenge

Many, if not most, denominational organizations are facing a long-term trend that is radically changing the way they finance their work.  Some denominational organizations have recognized this trend and are responding to it by multiplying their denominational funding streams.  Other denominational organizations are in denial about the funding transformation that is occurring, and are failing to intentionally multiply their funding streams.

A decreasing, yet myopic, number of denominational organizations are hanging on to the concept of one foundational funding stream composed of basic assessments to congregations by the denomination, or basic allocations to the denomination from congregations.  They are doing this in spite of the facts, and in spite of warnings from their accountants, researchers, strategists, and some leaders within their denomination.

Experiential Missional Planning, Post 001

During my adult life thematic approaches to planning has travel all the way around the block; or the brain as the case may be. It started with Incremental Operational Planning [also known as long-range planning], then moved to Strategic Planning, and is currently in a phase I would call Narrative Planning. My personal brand of narrative planning [and that promoted by The Columbia Partnership] is called Spiritual Strategic Journey.

What’s next?

I believe it will be Experiential Missional Planning—or some other better title. As I see it Experiential Missional Planning is an action then reflection approach to develop a missional, intergenerational journey for a congregation and other religious organizations.

Experiential Missional Planning will focus on the ability to soar or leap forward in terms of a congregation’s missional journey. It will create movement through intergenerational missional involvement in the congregational context, its nation, and the world. This will be followed on holistic reflection on how the missional journey of the congregation needs to leap forward in response to the need for radical Christian love proactively expressed.

Well, this is just a small window into my initial thinking on this. What do you think? What’s next? Or, are you still trying to figure out how to make long-range and strategic planning work for you?

Posted by email from George Bullard's Posterous

Typology of Denominations

Here is a typology of denominations I have been working on. What do you think? Where is your denomination? What is missing? What additional definition is needed?

Emerging Denomination: This is a denomination, or a region or judicatory within a denomination, which was organized during the last 15 years, or has experienced a radical restart in the past 10 years, and is significantly empowered by its current vision. It is probably focusing on one of several emerging models for denominational organizations.

Institutionalized Denomination: This is a denomination, or a region or judicatory within a denomination, which focuses on the institutions, programs, and management aspects of being a denomination. It seeks to build long-term loyalty to the denominational organizations, and uses this as a test of fellowship for ministers and congregations.

Missional Denomination: This is a denomination, or a region or judicatory within a denomination, which has figured out how to be on a continual transformational mission that takes the denomination and its affiliated congregations into new frontiers of mission and ministry with a mission adjusted to meet the context it serves.

It Could Take Up to Nine Months!

What? To have a baby? Yes, but that is not what I am talking about.

It could take up to nine months from now until your congregation is ready to engage in a capital campaign to raise funds to construct new buildings, or to do major renovation or retrofitting to current buildings.

Why?

Because it is necessary for your congregation to be extremely clear and certain about its vision for a new facility and how lives will be impacted and enhanced because you have the new building. Often this may require, [1] re-envisioning the future life and ministry of the congregation, [2] reassessing the strength and focus of various programs, ministries, and activities of your congregation, its community context, its finances, its staffing structure, and its facilities and their implication for the congregational vision, [3] designing the framework for the future programs, ministries, and activities of your congregation that projects 10 to 12 years into the future, and [5] determining the financial, staff, and facilities resources that will be needed to provide these programs, ministries, and activities.

Your congregation will need a virtual picture of its passion for future ministry, and a real picture/drawing of the building that will facilitate this future ministry.

Starting nine months before you need to raise funds is not too early. So, it is important to think ahead and start your actions now.

Particularly during a time of economic uncertainty like we are now experiencing, it is important that the picture of the future be crystal clear.

Posted by email from George Bullard's Posterous

Church Staff Termination

Typically the termination of ministers focuses on the termination of pastors. What if that analysis is expanded to include the termination of church staff? The likelihood is that many more—in fact multiples of—church staff are terminated as compared to pastors. But, typically such terminations do not make the same headlines. They do not get the same sympathy. It is often felt they were incompetent and desired it. Or, if they misbehave it is not forgiven as often as is the misbehavior of pastors. Church staff are just plain easier to terminate.

Trying to terminate a church member is sort of like attempts to sack a quarterback. Not all attempts result in a sack, but many impact significantly the life and ministry of staff members. Like a quarterback, at times church staff persons are pressured, rushed, driven out of the pocket, forced to run, or intercepted. This may happen as often as their ministry play is successful.

Have you ever been terminated from a church staff? If so, what is your story?

Posted by email from George Bullard's Posterous

Russian Baptists on Election of Barack Obama

Russian Baptists and Barack Obama

Baptist statement on the election victory

Commentary

We know that many of our friends in the USA are disappointed that John McCain did not win the presidential election. We Russian Baptists too are concerned that the struggle for Christian values--for the family and against abortion--may have suffered a setback through the Democratic victory.

At the same time, we are very hopeful that the victory of a Democratic president might lead to better relations between the USA and Russia. We hope that the war in Iraq can be ended soon, and that the USA might again become a part of the “concert” of European nations. May the USA see itself as a partner and not as a country apart and aloof from other nations. We do not want another Cold War.

Mega and Non-Mega Congregations

I am currently working on an article that looks at mega and non-mega congregations in relationship —even contrast—with one another. Since I am working on it on a presidential election day, voting analogies seem appropriate; or, I cannot get them out of my mind. I want to throw a concept out and allow you to chew on it and send your best reflections back in my direction. [Let me know if and when I need to duck.]

Mega congregations are like the popular vote. Non-mega congregations are like the Electoral College vote. Mega churches draw the large numbers. Non-mega churches saturate all the geographic areas and people groups as if they were states with Electoral College votes. It is the Electoral College vote that determines the winner.

Chance to Be Vice President Lost

I am not a candidate for vice president of the United States this week. As a result, and according to be my personal criteria for candidates for vice president, I will now never be a candidate for vice president—much less president. You may not agree with my criteria for who is qualified to serve as vice president. That is fine. I may not agree with your criteria, but I would fully respect your right to have your own criteria and to support candidates and vote accordingly.

Neither candidate of the two major political parties meet my criteria for vice president this year. Not Biden or Palin. In the past almost 30 years only two vice presidents have met my criteria. Bush the elder and Al Gore.

A Generation is Gone

Annie Vivian Kelly died on Thursday, October 30, 2008. I attended her graveside service in Wilmington, NC two days later. Aunt Annie V. was born on April 26, 1917, just 33 days before John F. Kennedy. She was preceded in death by her five brothers and two sisters. One of her brothers was my father, George Woodrow Bullard. Further, the husbands and wives of each of her siblings are also deceased, along with Annie V’s husband who died at age 55.

A generation of the Bullard family is now gone. No one is left. We are on to the next generation of Bullards. Seventeen of them are still alive. Three have already died. They range in age from 58 to their mid to late 70s. I am the youngest, but only by a few months.