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The Congregational Consulting Group, organized in 2014 by former consultants of the Alban Institute, is a network of independent consultants. We publish PERSPECTIVES for Congregational Leaders—thoughts on topics of interest to leaders of congregations and other purpose-driven organizations. —  Dan Hotchkiss, editor

When is the Right Time to Close Our Doors?

We live in anxious times, and one of the things that makes small congregations especially anxious is the fear that they might need to close. As members watch their Sunday morning worship attendance dwindle, someone usually starts “running the numbers,” trying to determine how long they can continue before the money runs out and they’re forced to close.

Sunday May Be Sacred, But Church Is Not

“I only have my son every other weekend and he doesn’t like church, so I don’t come those Sundays.”

This is the voice of a church member attending a committee planning session I recently led. She was clearly an active member, committed enough to the life of her congregation to spend 4½ hours talking on a gorgeous late summer Sunday when she could have been outside playing. But, as you can see, she only attends church every other Sunday at best. For her and many others, Sunday morning church attendance no longer is a primary identifier of active membership. It is now just one way among many of being active, and for some it may even not be important at all.

Are We Half Full or Half Empty?

As I reflected on Mary’s death yesterday, I realized that Mary and I were good friends with very different perspectives. When it came to people, she always saw the glass as half full, which may explain her faith in my children but which got in her trouble sometimes when people she trusted turned out to be unworthy of trust. From my point of view, it took her too long to see the red flags that signaled emerging issues. I, on the other hand, see the glass as half empty. I spot red flags as soon as soon as they walk into the room, and it takes me too long to see the signs of blessing.

What, Besides Money, Do Churches Owe the IRS?

by Sarai Rice Today, I’m talking to the 95% of you who think IRS rules are not as interesting as biblical texts or pastoral visits. You may be right 🙂 ! However, not caring about IRS rules could cost your congregation time and money. Let’s start where I started this week—with a religious body that …

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How Do I Learn What Seminary Didn’t Teach Me?

Most ministers, me included, probably discovered early in our careers that we don’t have the full set of skills essential to congregational leadership, skills that include not only preaching and pastoral care but also congregational governance, employee supervision and evaluation, fundraising, change management, long-range planning, marketing/brand development, and budgeting. When this is true, where do we go? What can we do to gain the skills we need?

Stepping up our Congregational Fundraising Game

An entire philanthropic industry, complete with journals, associations, specialized vendors, academic research, and special reports, exists to support nonprofit fundraising. I know because in my day job as a nonprofit executive, I’m bombarded with articles, tools and reports designed to help me raise the $3.5 million that I need annually to feed 15,000 people a month. Ministers can learn a lot from this industry.

Is It Ever the Right Time to Fire Someone?

Many of us have had the experience of working with an employee who, no matter how understanding we are or what we try, continues to be a problem. Sometimes he never gets the work done or clearly isn’t the right fit. Sometimes she upsets others or continues to resist something new she’s been asked to do. Whatever the issue, there is a point, almost always on the other side of training and support, when it is appropriate to terminate someone.

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