Taking stock

Posted on March 30, 2009 by igalindo

The new job has taken me out of the loop of what used to be a steady study of Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST). I’ve missed being regularly engaged in study and discussions about the theory and its application with others who are working on the theory. I continue to do coaching and consultations that keep me in those conversations, but the regular study has taken a hiatus. But that has not been a bad thing. Distance can bring perspective. Being away from the routine has allowed me to take stock of my views on BFST. Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory | 3 Comments

Book review: Learning the Way by Williams

Posted on March 23, 2009 by igalindo

I’ve just received in the mail a copy of Learning the Way, by Cassandra Williams (Alban Institute, 2009). I was asked to write the forward to this book. Here is an edited version: Continue reading →

Posted in books, Christian Education, congregational life, discipleship | 1 Comment

How to deal with a wall

Posted on March 17, 2009 by igalindo

One of the first dollars I made for a job was knocking through a wall in a New York City brownstone. I used a sledgehammer and it took me an entire day. I was paid a dollar, but in the form of a silver 1922 Peace Dollar and I was 12 years old. Not a bad deal for a 12-year-old, especially since I’ve still got that coin and given how its value has increased over the years. Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, leadership | Comments Off on How to deal with a wall

What I’d look for in a church

Posted on March 16, 2009 by igalindo

I recently attended a denominational meeting where my I.D. badge noted the name of the church of which I’m a member. That information triggered a conversation when someone reading the name of the church asked me how I liked my church (it was an odd question, but as it turns out, a good conversation starter). Continue reading →

Posted in congregational life, worship | Comments Off on What I’d look for in a church

Congregations during pastoral transitions

Posted on March 9, 2009 by igalindo

Pastoral transitions can be anxiety-ridden times for congregations. Congregations that go through an interim period without pastoral leadership need to navigate transition without an organization’s chief resource: its leader. That transition involves many challenges, including, disruption of homeostasis, a shift to inward-focused tasks, and a leadership vacuum. Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, congregational life, leadership, second chair | Comments Off on Congregations during pastoral transitions

What will they say about you?

Posted on March 4, 2009 by igalindo

On a few occasions I’ve engaged in the exercise of writing my own obituary or epitath. The exercise was prompted in seminars or workshops, and on one occasion as part of my orientation as a hospice chaplain. Kierkegaard said “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” That’s helpful to keep in mind. Which reminds me of the story about a priest, a rabbi, and a minister… Continue reading →

Posted in humor, personal growth, world view | Comments Off on What will they say about you?

When is a cutoff not a cutoff?

Posted on March 2, 2009 by igalindo

At a recent workshop with clergy on Bowen Family Systems Theory and congregational leadership one lingering question came up. When dealing with the concept of cutoffs among clergy, it has become inevitable that someone will bring up the matter of denominations that require their clergy to move every three to four years. Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, congregational life, leadership | 2 Comments

Nostradamus and his kin

Posted on February 24, 2009 by igalindo

It seems that times of anxiety and change bring out a fair share of clairvoyance in some folks. These like to declare with some confidence the future state of affairs, stating what will work and what will not. I confess I’ve not developed enough discernment to know how to sort through those predictions. I suppose one way to think about it is that any prediction about the future has about a 50% chance of being right (or, wrong, depending on how you want to look at it). Continue reading →

Posted in quotes | Comments Off on Nostradamus and his kin

Caught by surprise

Posted on February 23, 2009 by igalindo

Every once in a while I hear something in church that catches me by surprise. It’s usually not a good surprise, admittedly. More often than not the surprising comment reveals a disconnect between my perception or assumption of church and faith and people’s experience or interpretation of those. But they are helpful reminders that there often is a great divide between what clergy assume about church compared with where their members are in matters of faith, membership, beliefs, doctrine, or practice. As I say, “Things look different from the other side of the pew.” Continue reading →

Posted in congregational life, humor | 2 Comments

Traits of the well-defined leader

Posted on February 17, 2009 by igalindo

I came across some notes from a presentation by my friend Ken Hurto (who recently pleasantly surprised me by finding me on Facebook). Ken’s presentation on leadership was titled “Being a Lighthouse and Not a Bulldozer.” In it he used the bulldozer and the lighthouse as metaphors for different styles of leadership. Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, leadership | 2 Comments