BullardJournal

Resources Offered for Congregations

22 Ways for Your Congregation to Never Experience Unhealthy Conflict Again: I have developed a collection of 22 articles on 22 Ways for Your Congregation to Never Experience Unhealthy Conflict Again. Beginning November 10th these articles will be available for distribution in digital form. They are available for purchase now. Here is a list of the 22 ways: Download 22 Ways For Your Congregation to Never Experience Unhealthy Conflict Again. Check out the seven intensities of conflict: Download Intensities of Conflict Chart

The collections available [and links to purchase them] are Personal Edition for $35, Presentation Edition for $100, Premium Edition for $250, and Coaching Edition for $500. See a chart comparing the four editions: Download Comparison of Editions

Will Your Congregation Still Exist Ten Years from Now?: 25 Articles in a collection entitled Will Your Congregation Still Exist Ten Years from Now? Here is a chart of the 25 factors on which the 25 articles are based: Download Chart of 25 Factors. Here is a free overview article on the concept: Download Will Your Congregation Still Exist Overview Article.

The editions are a Personal Edition for $35, Presentation Edition for $100, and a Premium Edition for $250. [Click on these links to see the details.] Here is a chart to download that compares the three editions: Download Comparison of Various Editions of Will Your Congregation Still Exist Collections. Life Cycle Chart: Download Life Cycle Model, 2009 Edition

If you have additional questions please contact me at GBullard@TheColumbiaPartnership.org.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if it is Obviously Christ-Centered

[This is 25th of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now with vitality and vibrancy if it is obviously Christ-centered in its character and nature. It is marginal or uncertain to exist if it is confused as to whether it is Christ-centered or focused on its internal culture. It is less likely to exist with vitality and vibrancy ten years from now if it is obviously culture-centered.

A Christ-centered congregation regularly makes choices that enhance their spiritual character and nature. They are on an obvious spiritual and strategic journey to live into God’s full kingdom potential for their congregation. They are not hesitant to ask the simple question of what is the Christ-like thing to do every time they are faced with a significant decision surrounding a great opportunity or challenge. Guests and new members feel the obvious spiritual atmosphere in the congregation. Authentic discipleship is a high value and people connected with the congregation are urged to be on an intentional Christ-centered discipleship journey. Worship is clearly a Christ-centered experience in these congregations.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if its Facilities are in Good Shape

[This is 24th of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if its facilities are in good shape and do not require constant attention other than scheduled and preventive maintenance. It is uncertain or marginal if its facilities need regular repairs that go beyond scheduled and preventive maintenance. It is less likely to exist with vitality and vibrancy ten years from now if its facilities are crumbling around it.

Congregations with facilities that are in good to great shape are able to focus on ministry movements rather than institutional issues. To achieve this status these congregations generally have several characteristics. First, they have adequate facilities but have not overbuilt. Second, they had the wisdom to think through the long-term cost of facilities and to prepare financially for them. Third, they have not had a crisis that has taken them away from this positive intentional plan. Fourth, their membership and attendance continually provides a healthy financial base. Great facilities are wonderful to possess when they are a tool for meaningful ministry.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if it Has No Dependence on Endowment

[This is 23rd of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if it has no dependence on endowment funds. It is uncertain or marginal if it has some dependence on endowment funds. It is less likely to exist with vitality and vibrancy ten years from now if it has a large amount of dependence on endowment funds.

Endowment funds may develop out of a proactive funding strategy of a congregation over a number of years. They can also develop from an unexpected source making a large one time financial contribution, one or more persons who leave significant funds to the congregation through their will or trust funds, or a combination of both of these.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if it Has No Significant Debt

[This is 22nd of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if has no significant debt for buildings and other areas of ministry. It is marginal or uncertain to exist with vitality and vibrancy if it has significant debt. Overwhelming and burdening debt will make it less like to exist with vitality and vibrancy ten years from now.

When a congregation has no significant debt for buildings and other areas of ministry they are often able to focus on the soft side of ministry where the real kingdom progress is located. Significant debt shifts the focus of the congregation from that which is seen by faith to that which is  by sight. In doing so it forces it to function more as an organization than a Christ-centered, faith-based community. No significant debt means that the total cost of debt, facilities use, and facilities maintenance is less than 25% of the general or undesignated budget of the congregation. It also means capital debt is at a level lower than the total annual general or undesignated budget and can be paid off within three years.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if it Has Empowering Management

[This is 21st of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if has empowering management patterns. It is marginal or uncertain to exist with vitality and vibrancy if it has controlling management patterns. It is less likely to exist ten years from now if it has dysfunctional management patterns.

In a previous post was the concept of empowering and shared leadership. Leadership revolves around the vision, future, and forward direction of a congregation. Management focuses more on providing support to leadership by helping the congregation do things efficiently whereas leadership empowers effectiveness. Both can be done with excellence.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if it Has Empowering and Shared Leadership

[This is 20th of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if has empowering and shared leadership patterns. If is marginal or uncertain to exist with vitality and vibrancy if it has controlling leadership. It is less likely to exist ten years from now if it has matriarchal and/or patriarchal leadership

Congregations are more likely to exist ten years from now if they have empowering and shared leadership. Empowering leadership seeks to affirm the signs of health and strength in the life and ministry of the congregation. It seeks to raise the capacity of a minimum of 21 percent of the average number of active attending adults—known as the enduring visionary leadership community—to lead with shared formal power and influence.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years From Now if it Has Sufficient Conflict Capacity

[This is the nineteenth of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if has utilized seasons when conflict was healthy within its fellowship to develop conflict ministry capacity to handle times of escalating conflict that could become unhealthy. Your congregation is marginal or uncertain to exist if it has had close calls with unhealthy conflict for which it was not prepared to deal. When a congregation has experienced repeated rounds of unhealthy conflict it is less likely to exist ten years from now.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years from Now if More Than 30 Percent of Budget is Focused on Programs and Missions

[This is the eighteenth of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if at least 30 percent of your budget supports the programs, ministries, activities of the congregation, and missional efforts outside the congregation. It is marginal and uncertain to exist ten years from now if 20 to 30 percent of your budget focuses on these areas. It is less likely to exist if less than 20 percent of the budget is focused on these areas.

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years from Now if At Least 20 Percent of Active Adults are Tithers

[This is the seventeenth of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]

Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now if at least 20 percent of the active adults tithe their income through your congregation. It is marginal or uncertain to exist ten years from now if less than 20 percent of your active adults are tithers. When only a remnant of active adults are tithers you congregation is less likely to exist with vitality and vibrancy ten years from now.