Let’s talk about leadership. It’s one of those topics that seem to be all the rage. On today’s Whiteboard Wednesday, we have Dan Ackerman from Zeeland Classis answer a very important question on the topic of leadership: “How can we measure leadership?” Oftentimes, we use characteristics and skill sets to measure what makes a leader. But is there a another …
The Pressure Cooker
Peer pressure. It’s everywhere. Whether it’s at an in-person gathering or on social media, the pressure to compete (and conform) comes at us from every direction. Whether it’s someone highlighting their new tech gadget or posting a picture from their fabulous vacation, we experience the pressure to compete (and conform). We like to think that being a Christian is different, …
Healthy Churches: Kingdom Vision, Gospel Power
A Note from Luminex: This morning’s blog post is the tenth in an 11-week series on “Healthy Churches.” Each week, one of our stable of leaders/bloggers will share thoughts on a significant aspect of healthy churches. Enjoy! I recently enjoyed the privilege of sitting at the feet of Dr. George Bullard for two days in which we focused on how we …
Reaching The Next Generation Part 2: Podcast Episode 6
Show Notes In part one of this episode, we dug into the reasons why so many emerging adults are leaving the church, or never attended in the first place. This week Rick Zomer & Tanner Smith return to give us the next steps to practically integrate the generations within your church and authentically walk in step with young adults as …
Mission and Values: The Flesh and Bones of Who We Are
Two words that are used a lot in churches are mission and values. But sometimes those words aren’t used with clarity. On today’s Whiteboard Wednesday, Dan Ackerman, Executive Leader of Zeeland Classis, illustrates the true meaning of mission and values through the flesh and bones of how we live. The mission is like the skeleton of our body, whereas the …
What Makes for a Successful Ministry — Part One
Oftentimes, we tell stories of what success looks like and doesn’t look like, but most of those stories go unexamined. On today’s Whiteboard Wednesday, we have Eliza Cortez Bast from the Local Missional Engagement of the RCA and Andy Bossardet, who serves as Coordinator for Equipping Thriving Congregations of the RCA. Today is part one of two on the question, …
Healthy Churches = Missional Churches
A Note from Luminex: This morning’s blog post is the sixth in a 10-week series on “Healthy Churches.” Each week, one of our stable of leaders/bloggers will share thoughts on a significant aspect of healthy churches. Enjoy! Most people know that the book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. It is called the Acts of the Apostles, …
The Leadership Hub
We are excited to kick off season three of Whiteboard Wednesday with John Messer, who serves as Regional Executive and Leadership Development Catalyst for Luminex. Today John describes the “Leadership Hub.” One major component of our leadership process is the “hub,” and other parts of that cycle are comprised of freeing, visioning, implementing, and sustaining. If you are already using …
The Control Continuum
As we wrap up season two of Whiteboard Wednesday- We have Mike Gafa, who serves as Church Leadership Development Catalyst for Luminex, describes a concept called “The Control Continuum.” Mike’s initial exposure to this concept was while he was teaching Franklin-Covey Time Management. The Control Continuum represents the spectrum between things we have no control over and things we have total …
Podcast Episode 1: “I Hate This”
In our first episode, Rick Veenstra, former Regional Executive and Leadership Development Catalyst for the Great Lakes Region of the RCA, talks about a difficult yet important leadership responsibility: releasing a staff member from an organization. When Rick was a kid, his mother would say that he shouldn’t use the word “hate,” so he hesitated using the phrase, “I hate …