Workshops

It’s hard to plan when you don’t have good information. This is especially true when you want to develop a new direction for your ministry or figure out how to connect with those in your neighborhood. Who lives in your targeted ministry area? What does your congregation look like compared to other congregations in your region? In America? Finding answers can be daunting. Thankfully, the ARDA (Association of Religious Data Archives) already has the answer to these questions and more.

You are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet to this lunch program so that you can experience first-hand how to dig up the wealth of high-quality data available at www.thearda.com. Access to The ARDA is free.

Religious sociologist Jennifer McClure will introduce you to the website of The… more

Like most ministry leaders, you’ve probably heard ominous reports of the demise of faith all around us. From the disillusionment of young people to the aging of the church to the rise of the “Nones,” the list is long and disheartening. But what if that’s only part of the story? What if there are bright spots breaking through the clouds revealing energized congregations brimming with young people?  What if there are congregations that are actually growing young?

The good news is that those bright spot churches exist. The Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) team spent the past three years studying congregations effectively capturing the imaginations and hearts of young people ages 15-29. Through this landmark investigation of more than 250 diverse congregations of all sizes, FYI… more

Every day we experience the reality that we are living in an era of change. But more importantly we are living in a change of eras. The models of faith formation and discipleship developed over the past decades cannot keep pace with the challenges of this new era. We need something new to address the lives of 21st century families, children, adolescents and adults.
    
In this live online workshop, you will envision a whole new way of forming faith—a new ecology of intergenerational relationships and faith experiences in congregations, lifelong faith formation from childhood through adulthood, family faith formation at home, and missional faith formation to the uninvolved and unaffiliated. LifelongFaith Associates President John Roberto explores these innovative approaches… more

This on-demand series focuses on learning gleaned from Indiana congregations by the Center for Congregations in 2015-2016. Tim Shapiro, president of the Center for Congregations, shares the six principles distilled from the Center's experiences with Indiana congregational youth ministries.

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You can help teenagers and young adults discover and embrace your congregation.

Through a landmark investigation of more than 250 diverse congregations welcoming and serving teenagers and young adults, the Fuller Youth Institute uncovered the core commitments that are key to reaching and retaining young people. Led by Fuller Executive Director Kara Powell, this live online workshop explores those findings, as well as stories of real-life congregations that are thriving. As a congregational leader, you’ll gain a host of possible ideas to help your organization change young people, and help young people change your organization.

In this live online workshop, you will:

Your congregational facility tells a story. Stories are all around us, in virtually every aspect of our daily experiences. In this live online workshop, facility management leader Tim Cool offers a unique perspective on the importance of congregational buildings.

These buildings are vastly more important than most understand. The congregational campus and the story of the people in the congregation go hand-in-hand and are interwoven into each other. You cannot neglect the power of story and how your congregational facility communicates a story.

Cool will answer several key questions about congregational facilities. How does congregational space support the story of the people? How does the congregational space prime the heart, minds and emotions of your guests? How does… more

Since the mid 90’s, there has been a shift in congregational charitable giving. Once upon a time, clergy could mount the pulpit, state a need, and people would give. Today, donor giving is more value-driven than need-driven, with fundraising increasingly donor-centered rather than institution-centered. People no longer give just because the congregational leadership asks. Giving decisions are made beyond the walls of a congregation. For many, that place is back home at the kitchen table. The kitchen table is a metaphor symbolizing those times and places where deep conversations occur that shape a person’s charitable giving decisions.

You need to ask yourself: How can my congregation become part of this tangle of giving conversations?

Workshop facilitator Bill Enright… more

This on-demand course explores Engaging Young Adults, a special report of the 2015 American Congregations study of Faith Communities Today (FACT).

Wendy McCormick of the Center for Congregations interviews the report’s author, Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, about the research and what congregations can learn and apply from the findings.

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In this fast-paced, upbeat workshop, you can learn about an innovative strategic planning process that congregations of all sizes can successfully complete and implement. This live-online workshop is a hands-on experience, which prepares you to take what you’ve learned back to your congregation to begin the process of planning.

Led by June Miller, regional director for Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network, this workshop provides fresh ideas and a better understanding of what it means to think and plan strategically. Miller explores the tools of strategic planning, helping you create a manageable and easy-to-implement plan.

You will leave with:

Imagine building and thriving within a community of people whose gifts, talents, and skills are valued; a community which is able to manage and lead through conflict and collectively takes risks to accomplish the mission and realize the vision of the congregation.

Team work is important. We’ve all heard the chant – T.E.A.M (Together Everyone Achieves More). While that is a true statement, ministry leaders are often tasked to their individual areas of responsibilities, left to operate in disconnected silos. Over time, these silos begin fostering miscommunication and causing the misalignment of the mission and vision.

Leadership development advisor Aleze Fulbright provides you with a practical framework and actionable tools to help you evaluate the effectiveness of your… more

This on-demand course focuses on the 2015-2016 Center for Congregations investigation of Indiana congregations engaging young adults. Center staff member Wendy McCormick coordinated the project, which included interviews with leaders of young adult ministries around the state and a gathering of leaders from about 20 congregations effectively engaging young adults.

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