Category Archives: Leadership

Advice to a New Elder: Shepherds Protect the Flock, Part 1 (Sexual Predators)

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Jay F Guin

The scriptures refer to elders as shepherds and as overseers. The idea of a “shepherd” carries certain connotations that we often overlook. I think the foremost idea behind “shepherd” is not that the elder must take on pastoral duties (although … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice to a New Elder, Elders, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Advice to a New Elder: Shepherds Protect the Flock, Part 1 (Sexual Predators)

Advice to a New Elder: A Few Starting Points, Part 2

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Don’t overlook the ministers. Some elders (not at my church) look at the preacher and think, “I’m an elder and you’re not!” Bad idea. Yes, the church is supposed to be overseen by the elders and not the ministers, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice to a New Elder, Elders, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Advice to a New Elder: A Few Starting Points, Part 2

Advice to a New Elder: A Few Starting Points, Part 1

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Pray. We all sometimes get too busy to pray as we should, and this is always a mistake. Make the time. There’s always one elder who just loves to stop the conversation and insist that everyone stop to pray. He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice to a New Elder, Elders, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Advice to a New Elder: Introduction

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Jay F Guin

I’ve been on leave of absence from the elders at my church for about 2 years. For health reasons. I’m doing better, but I’m still a long way from being able to carry on a full shepherding role. A friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice to a New Elder, Elders, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Getting Rid of a Bad Elder (Revised)

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Jay F Guin

I get emails — Hi Jay, I’ve read some of your articles and recently read one about elders firing their minister. My husband was once fired from a position, and it was a mess. And as we have moved on … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Elders, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Elders: On How to Fire the Preacher

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Jay F Guin

I get emails — Having grown up in a different tribe, it seems common among churches of Christ for the elders to get rid of the preacher periodically. I would be interested in your observations. Also, this usually seems to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministers, Uncategorized | 25 Comments

Church Leadership: Recent Study on Megachurches

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Christianity Today recently published the results of a broadly based study on megachurches (churches with attendance over 2,000) by Leadership Network and Hartford Institute, including comparisons with smaller churches. Even though there are very few megachurches within the Churches of … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Megachurches, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Meandering thoughts on Nein Quarterly, hermeneutics, a little Kierkegaard, and leading change in a Church of Christ, Part 4

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Kierkegaard Jared Byas recently posted a Kierkegaard quotation at Peter Enns’ blog: My listener, allow me to make a confession about myself here. I still do not dare to be utterly alone with God’s Word. I don’t have the honesty … Continue reading →

Posted in Leading Change, Meandering thoughts on Nein Quarterly, hermeneutics, a little Kierkegaard, and leading change in a Church of Christ, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Meandering thoughts on Nein Quarterly, hermeneutics, a little Kierkegaard, and leading change in a Church of Christ, Part 3

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Our story I’ve written several times about the story in which we live — and yet I’m sure it remains a foreign concept to most. The idea is that, whether we realize it or not, we all have a certain … Continue reading →

Posted in Leading Change, Meandering thoughts on Nein Quarterly, hermeneutics, a little Kierkegaard, and leading change in a Church of Christ, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Meandering thoughts on Nein Quarterly, hermeneutics, a little Kierkegaard, and leading change in a Church of Christ, Part 2

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Solutions Family, our denominational identity, the story we live, and hermeneutics. It’s a tall order to expect any church leadership to successfully lead their congregation through so many barriers to change. The solution, I think, is to tackle these issues … Continue reading →

Posted in Leading Change, Meandering thoughts on Nein Quarterly, hermeneutics, a little Kierkegaard, and leading change in a Church of Christ, Uncategorized | 6 Comments