Category Archives: congregational life

How to Handle a Dysfunctional Staff Colleague

Posted on August 28, 2008 by igalindo

I’ve had a string of conversations recently with supervisors related to troubling staff. Few things seem as frustrating as working with underfunctioning or incompetent staff persons. Ironically, the overwhelming feeling by supervisors is one of powerlessness in the face of … Continue reading →

Posted in administration, bowen family systems theory, congregational life, leadership, personal growth, second chair | 5 Comments

Can you stop sabotage?

Posted on August 14, 2008 by igalindo

I received a cryptic e-mail from a friend recently. She’s less than a year into a new church staff position. In her e-mail she asked the question, “Can you stop sabotage?” She didn’t go into details, but obviously, something’s going … Continue reading →

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What your mother said

Posted on August 5, 2008 by igalindo

Most of us carry a little tape in our heads of things our mothers said repeatedly. And sometimes we repeat those things, often unintentionally mimicking mom’s voice. One of those things your mother probably said, especially if you had siblings, … Continue reading →

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Possibility and potentiality

Posted on August 4, 2008 by igalindo

I had an interesting conversation with a local church minister who expressed frustration about his congregation’s failure to live fully into its possibility. That’s not an uncommon frustration for pastors and local church leaders. But I’ve found it helpful to … Continue reading →

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Will or willfulness?

Posted on July 28, 2008 by igalindo

A reader on Margaret Marcuson’s blog, The Leadership Circle blog, asked a good question that comes up every now and again. He asked about the difference between having a will and willfulness. It’s a point of misunderstanding I hear now … Continue reading →

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Kudos to Meg Hess in CC

Posted on July 24, 2008 by igalindo

I was gratified to read a fine article by Margaret “Meg” Hess in the current issue of the Christian Century magazine. Meg is a participant in the Leadership in Ministry Workshops (LIM) and has written a couple of articles for … Continue reading →

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What’s in a name?

Posted on July 16, 2008 by igalindo

A colleague is making a change in his church staff position. He’s struggling with coming up with a new ministry job title. He says, “While I realize the main thing is how one functions, job titles are suggestive and important.” … Continue reading →

Posted in administration, Christian Education, congregational life, leadership | 2 Comments

Should I take the money?

Posted on June 3, 2008 by igalindo

Over the past several months I’ve talked with various church staff about some money issues. One interesting aspect of these conversations is how they parallel. All of them involved a variation on: (1) a church member wanting to give money … Continue reading →

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Imaginative Gridlock

Posted on May 28, 2008 by igalindo

I’ve been working with a couple of organizations that are “stuck” but motivated enough to get moving toward becoming “healthier.” As I witness the process of working with the leaders and employees of both organizations I’m reminded of some fundamental … Continue reading →

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Book review: Letting Go: Transforming Congregations for Ministry, by Phillips

Posted on May 12, 2008 by igalindo

Roy Phillip’s Letting Go (Herndon, Virginia: The Alban Institute, 1999) starts with the assertion that ministers need to “let go” of their need to control every aspect of their congregation, and to let the members take charge. Phillips talks about … Continue reading →

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