Quotebook: When Change Efforts Fail

Have you tried more than once to introduce a new system or strategy to your ministry only to feel resistance?  In my pursuit of a better understanding of bringing change (which I end up doing a lot of) I’m reading The Change Monster by Jeannie Daniel Duck. “When a stagnating company attempts one change effort after…

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Small Group Ministry Myth #3: Leaders and Members Know Best What to Study

Note: This is part 3 of a 5 part series.  You can read part 1 right here. —————————————————————————– I love the Discovery Channel show MythBusters.  The show has a simple premise: The MythBusters team “proves and disproves urban legends and popular misconceptions using a signature style of explosive experimentation.”  The myths and misconceptions that get tested…

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5 Small Group Ministry Myths that Need Busting

I love the Discovery Channel show MythBusters. The show has a simple premise: The MythBusters team “proves and disproves urban legends and popular misconceptions using a signature style of explosive experimentation.” The myths and misconceptions that get tested range from the absurd (can you herd cats?) to the profound (could Luke Skywalker really swing himself…

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Add “Drucker and Me” to Your Reading List!

If you’ve benefitted as much from Peter Drucker as I have, you will love Bob Buford’s new book.  Drucker & Me: What a Texas Entrepreneur Learned from the Father of Modern Management is both a fascinating read and packed with insight.  I very nearly read it in one sitting, could not put it down, and immediately…

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Are You Aware of a Culture in Search of Belonging?

Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone (published in 1995) offered an eerie first glimpse at a changing America.  The title came from a trend noticed by the owner of one of the largest bowling alley chains in America who told Putnam about the declining participation in bowling leagues.  At the heart of Putnam’s study?  “How we have…

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