Church and synagogue consulting in the Alban Institute tradition
DanH Our parents’ and grandparents’ memories of the Great Depression are not fond ones, but they came with a silver lining: when you’re making do with less, you learn what really matters. Having less is no fun, as many church executives are finding out. Unpaid pledges, unmet campaign goals, plummeting investment funds— the fiscal story over … Read more
During the Great Depression, my grandfather lost his job and started a new company. His friends enjoyed his Christmas gifts of homemade candied fruitcake fruit, and encouraged him to turn what had been a hobby into a business. Luckily for him, the fruitcake market turned out to be “countercyclical”: when people can’t afford expensive luxuries, … Read more
It is natural to imagine that the social patterns that prevailed when we or our parents were young must have been in place for centuries. But the mode of congregational life that feels “traditional” to most of us today is rather new, and so is the layout of the religious buildings that we take for … Read more
By law, board members are supposed to put the best interest of the church above all personal considerations — but how is that even possible? Board members in most churches play many other roles throughout the church, and many board decisions affect them and those they love. Potential conflicts of interest arise whenever a board … Read more
“This congregation should run more like a business.” How can anybody doubt that? Businesses are among our most-prized cultural creations; successful business leaders are our richest citizens. When a governing board member holds up “business” as a model for the church or synagogue, the point can seem self-evident. Except that others grumble that the congregation … Read more
“How many here believe a Christian ought to tithe?” Every small-town pastor’s hand went up but one, which was no surprise, because we were in Texas. I could see, too, that the lone dissenter was well-known to his colleagues; he was a sort of village atheist (adjusting for the context) who could be counted on … Read more
Lay leaders sometimes tell me, “We encourage freedom of the pulpit. We like our minister to speak on controversial issues.” When I ask for examples, they often cite a preacher’s “courage” in expressing views … that they agree with. It’s okay to tilt at windmills so long as they belong to someone else. Workplace freedom … Read more
Comparisons are useful but tricky. New Testament writers compare the church to a human body, a herd of sheep, a bride, and a vineyard. Synagogues are often likened to a house, a tent, or an extended family. None of these analogies is meant to be exact or literal—a church may act in some ways like … Read more
Faced with planning a worship service in support of the survivors of suicide or infant death, clergy usually muddle through, adapting words originally written for quite different circumstances. With some pastoral adjustment, standard ritual serves well in a wide range of circumstances. But who has not wished—while scanning on the fly to scratch the most … Read more
Q: Our minister has announced his retirement. During his long ministry, we have avoided most of the conflict about homosexuality raging in our national church. How can we look for a minister without dividing our congregation? A: Right now, several North American religious groups are sharply split about how and whether to accept gay clergy. … Read more