George Bullard's Journey

Bring Back JAG

If you could bring back a canceled tv series, which would you choose? Submitted by The Good Girl Gone Blog.

If I could bring back a canceled television series, it would be JAG. I loved that. I would also provide variety to m constant watching of NCIS reruns.

Absoutely He Was the Greatest Dad!

Your father: great dad...or greatest dad? And why? Submitted by Michael Sippey

My father absolutely was the greatest Dad. He loved me. He cared for me. He provided a spiritual foundation for me. He challenged me to do my best. He played with me although I was his child of the second half of his adult life and it was harder to do so. He created wonderful memories for me.

He still every day makes me feel like I want to talk to him about the key challenges of life and ministry even though he departed this world 22 years ago!

I Did Marry a Celebrity!

If you could marry any celebrity, who would you marry?
Submitted by StyleMePretty.

I did marry a celebrity. I have always considered my wife a celebrity to me. After 37 years of marriage I have not changed my mind!

 

We Probably Would Serve Salmon

If your favorite celebrity were coming to your house for dinner, what would be the main course and why?
Submitted by Noshtopia

We would probably serve salmon cooked on the grill with orzo and asparagus. This is one of our favorite meals, is a healthy meal, and one we would love to share with our special guest.

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A Big Weekend for a Denominational Region

This was a big weekend for a denominational region and its spiritual strategic journey. The American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire have been engaged in the Spiritual Strategic Journey process I lead for about a year. This past Friday and Saturday was their annual meeting where they were presenting their future story and allowing people to affirm the story through a survey rather than voting. On a five point scale with 1 representing the highest affirmation, around 80% affirmed the story with a 1 or 2.

That is great for this region that struggled with vision, intentionality, and unity three years ago. They have come a long way and I am proud of their efforts. It has not been without some costs and even losses, but they have stayed focused, encouraged open dialogue, and creating a process for handling complex issues that should serve them well for years to come. Currently they are in an interim period between Executive Ministers, and their interim minister has been battling a serious illness and been periodically hospitalized. This speaks to the strength they have at the grassroots that they have been able to make this type of progress.

BTW, here is their final presentation edition that was presented to their annual meeting: Download ABC of VTNH Future Story Final Presentation Edition, May 2009

I pray their forward efforts will continue for many years to come. I commend their pastors, laity, and region leaders for their wisdom and followership of their discernment of the spiritual strategic direction God has for them. I look forward to traveling to New England again in July to work with them on their Future Story Fulfillment Map to give them a clear pathway along their journey.

Is Your Congregation Committed to Change?

In the newest book by Ken Blanchard and a team of colleagues—Who Killed Change—is the following quote concerning the commitment of a congregation to change. I love it! Perhaps you will too.

 

“The congregation—made up of leaders and mangers—comes every Sunday. They smile, nod, shake my hand and then go out and behave any way they want Monday through Saturday. Academically, they understand that people are much more likely to buy in to a Change when they are involved in the planning and have an opportunity to influence decisions. The leaders and managers are just not, may I say, committed to consistently applying the knowledge.” [18]

 

How is that like what goes on in your congregation?

Posted via email from George Bullard's Posterous

Materials for Midwest District of CMA [and other interested Canadians]

Here are materials and links relevant to George Bullard's presentation at the Midwest District Conference of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada on June 2, 2009. Anyone is free to download and use these materials with proper attribution to George and The Columbia Partnership.

Life Cycle Chart--Download Life Cycle Model, 2009 Edition

Congregational Issues Assessment--Download Congregational Issues for Generative Dialogue

PowerPoint Presentation--Download Bullard, PFKPYC Seminar, 6.2.09

Purchase book at www.Amazon.ca -- Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation

Purchase book at www.Amazon.ca -- Every Congregation Needs a Little Conflict

Purchase book at www.Amazon.ca -- Borderland Churches

Conflict is Necessary

In his book, Every Congregation Needs a Little Conflict, George Bullard says the following about the necessity of conflict:

“Conflict is necessary. We could not live in a world without it. A church staff member in a congregation in which no conflict exists is probably in a congregation without strong Kingdom commitments. The book of Acts details how conflict was a necessary ingredient in the spread of the gospel.

Conflict is a necessary part of the Christian experience, as the old self comes in conflict with the new self. Daily we are in conflict to become more Christlike.

Therefore, we should not be afraid of healthy conflict. Rather, we should welcome it as an opportunity to bring forth positive spiritual and social change. We should meet unhealthy conflict as a challenge to the love of Christ, and the fellowship of the congregation.” [12]

See and purchase this book at TCP Resources Store.

A Spiritual Strategic Journey Is . . .

In my book, Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation, I describe a spiritual strategic journey in the following way:

"A spiritual strategic journey is spiritual in that it assumes total reliance on God as individuals and as congregations. It assumes that unless the journey is of God, it is for nothing.

A spiritual strategic journey is strategic in that it focuses on those goals and actions that will make the most significant difference in a congregation’s ability to serve in the midst of God’s kingdom. It focuses on effective touch points.

A spiritual strategic journey is a journey in that it is ongoing. Philippians 3:12-16 talks about the journey of a Christian individual as being something that is never completed. Yet it is a journey into which we live at the level of maturity we have achieved today, knowing that we will achieve a higher or deeper level of maturity tomorrow. We never go back. We always press forward to God’s high calling.” [17]

See and purchase this book at TCP Resources Store.