Reflections & Research
Discover what we are learning about what helps pastors thrive
September 5, 2017
Dave Odom: Name your mission, develop strategies and then evaluate impact
Clarifying mission is just the first step. Leaders must then align strategies with the desired impact, writes the executive director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
read moreabout Dave Odom: Name your mission, develop strategies and then evaluate impactJuly 12, 2017
Research: The “stages” of ministry
Pastors need a “back stage,” a place where they can receive the support and care they need to be excellent in ministry and to flourish, according to the Flourishing in Ministry project at the University of Notre Dame.
read moreabout Research: The “stages” of ministryMay 30, 2017
Allen T. Stanton: What can the rural church offer a declining community? Hope
Many rural communities face decline. The church has a unique ability to stand in the hard realities and still preach hope, writes a rural pastor.
read moreabout Allen T. Stanton: What can the rural church offer a declining community? HopeMarch 21, 2017
A move to part-time clergy sparks innovation in congregations
Although church leaders often worry that switching from full-time to part-time clergy will lead to decline, congregations across the country are finding new vitality by reimagining the roles of clergy and laypeople.
read moreabout A move to part-time clergy sparks innovation in congregations