At our last district clergy meeting our District Superintendent was speaking about metrics and vital churches and wanted to make one thing clear: Numbers are not vitality. Numbers are contextual. This is so true. Numbers give us insight but they are not vitality. I found a similar thought expressed on Twitter recently Growth ≠ The […]
Tag: Religion & Spirituality
Several weeks ago, I wrote a series about Why Numbers Matter in the UMC and I wanted to follow that up with some thoughts that I have been percolating on since then. Statistically, for metrics to be any good they need to be measuring the same thing across time and among different locations. I don’t […]
There are many blessings of being in ministry serving as a pastor at a local church. One of these is the chance to teach classes about knowing, loving and serving God. This week I finished the second of a six week class in which we are looking at how we respond to God’s love and […]
Here are some posts from Thoughts of Resurrection one year ago, that I think you might find interesting. Take a look… Will.i.am makes me smile – and he still does! Nothing to Do but Save Souls in the UMC – What else is there? Groundbreaking at Resurrection West – I had no idea that I would be at […]
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One Day
“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” Psalm 84:10, NIV This verse reminds me of two things, which happen to be connected together. The first is an experience that I had in college at One […]
Yesterday, I led a workshop at Leadership Institute – Worship Online: What We’ve Learned in Three Years. Having transitioned my job responsibility to serve as Associate Pastor at Resurrection West on August 15, this was my final official role with Resurrection Online. You can see the presentation here: I felt great about the presentation. I […]
It is Leadership Institute time again at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. This year there are over 2,000 church leaders from 700 churches, 46 states, Brazil, Scotland and South Africa here for 2-3 days of teaching, inspiration, worship and community. I love these days. There is something that is powerful when there are hundreds […]
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Psalm 71:18 – Leaving a Legacy
Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come (Psalm 71:18, NIV) This verse clearly articulates the desire to leave a legacy of faithfulness and sharing good news to the generations that are coming ahead of […]
Vitality seems to be the talk of The United Methodist Church. From the invitation to be a Vital Congregation to tracking metrics through Vital Signs, there has been a wide variety of response to the movement to increasing the level of reporting of involvement across several areas of local churches. Let me be clear about where I stand – […]
Vitality seems to be the talk of The United Methodist Church. From the invitation to be a Vital Congregation to tracking metrics through Vital Signs, there has been a wide variety of response to the movement to increasing the level of reporting of involvement across several areas of local churches. Let me be clear about where I stand […]
Vitality seems to be the talk of The United Methodist Church. From the invitation to be a Vital Congregation to tracking metrics through Vital Signs, there has been a wide variety of response to the movement to increasing the level of reporting of involvement across several areas of local churches. I have heard a great deal […]
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1, NIV). I love the vivid description of seeking God. Thirst is powerful in a land where there is no water. I aspire to seek God in this way, […]
Rev. Andrew Conard 