Peter Bowden

As we enter year two of the pandemic, uncertainty is a core aspect of our ministry context.  How can we lead when so much is unknown? 

Leaders and their congregations must have great clarity of mission and the vision they want to work toward.  To work toward a clear mission-driven vision,  facing the unknown as a community together is the path. 

We can't have productive conversations about models, approaches, and staffing if we don't have clarity on our mission in 2021 and a powerful vision specific to our present ministry context.

YouTube video chapters
(0:00) Welcome
(3:19) Covid19 Year One. 
(7:28) Covid19 Year Two?
(9:16) Leadership, Clarity, and Uncertainty

In this interview with the Rev. Christana Wille McKnight, minister of First Parish in Taunton, MA , we discuss the principles and strategies that helped this Unitarian Universalist congregation move from being at risk of closing to becoming a thriving small congregation playing a major role in Taunton’s revitalization efforts.  

Get the "Playbook"
Rev. Christana Wille McKnight has kindly shared a Google Doc on the 11 points we discussed in this interview.  To get the playbook, click here to open the Google Doc and then hit the add to drive icon to save a link to it in your drive.

WATCH

VIDEO  CHAPTERS
(0:00) Countdown
(0:43) Welcome
(2:00) Overview of Transformation
(6:00) Rev. Christana Wille McKnight's "playbook"'
(6:25) 1. Live Invitational Culture
(9:29) 2. Use Accessible Language
(12:05) 3. Put Your Words into Action
(17:15) 4. Create Intentionally Welcoming Community
(19:20) 5. Reflect Your Community and Context.
(20:48) 6. Understand that Every...

Friday Hot Topics Ministry Strategy Session
Many congregations are starting to look at hybrid ministry approaches seeking to integrate gathering online and offline. In this session, I share some considerations based on my MOST RECENT conversations with congregational leaders. This is an ongoing conversation.

About this week's sessions
This week, February 8 through February 12, I'm going live daily to discuss digital ministry, hybrid church models, and other HOT TOPICS based on your interest.

Thursday Hot Topics Ministry Strategy Session

In this session, how to keep small groups from turning inward and imploding! 

Have you had a bad experience with small groups turning into cliques? This happens like clockwork in the absence of ministry leadership! A congregational small group network or small group ministry requires vision casting, coaching, and skill training to thrive. It needs to be an integral part of the ministry of the congregation. Push groups off to the side or leave them on autopilot, relationships will naturally pull the group inward. It isn't that the relationships are bad. It is just the natural result of not having the corresponding outward pull of your vision!

About this week's sessions
This week, February 8 through February 12, I'm going live daily to discuss digital ministry, hybrid church models, and other HOT TOPICS based on your interest.

Wednesday Hot Topics Ministry Strategy Session

Some strategic thoughts for congregations on pre-recorded worship and other video content versus live content. 

Pre-recording worship gives you amazing control.  This can be seductive and pull you into a "perfection" trap.   Be mindful of prioritizing high-quality content (important) over a worship and ministry design that promotes interaction, relationship, conversation (critical in my opinion).

We need to be striving to build relationships and a connection to your local congregation and local community.

If the priority is on high quality "content" over relationship, you're going to be competing with the top spiritual and faith-based influencers online. Your worship design and use of technology should advance your ministry objectives.

About this week's sessions
This week, February 8 through February 12, I'm going live daily to discuss digital ministry, hybrid church models, and other HOT TOPICS based on your...

Tuesday Hot Topics Ministry Strategy Session
In this session, issues related to congregations and online membership development!  I discuss things I'm seeing congregations do that can inhibit membership development and share some alternate approaches.   

About this week's sessions
This week, February 8 through February 12, I'm going live daily to discuss digital ministry, hybrid church models, and other HOT TOPICS based on your interest.

Note that I removed the intro of this session because of an audio glitch. Thanks to everyone who helped me troubleshoot.

Monday Hot Topics Ministry Strategy Session
This strategy session focused on the theme of congregations "Going back to normal."   When COVID19 is under control,  we will not be able to roll back the changes in human behavior, preferences, and new norms established over the last year.    Digital trends and shifts in church attendance that were progressing pre-covid have been fast tracked.  

About this week's sessions
This week, February 8 through February 12, I'm going live daily to discuss digital ministry, hybrid church models, and other HOT TOPICS based on your interest.

Online church isn't working? Attendance down? People Zoomed out? Here are some thoughts on how to respond. This video is in response to an email I received this week from a minister I know. A minister who is doing GREAT work online. What would I do? These are some guiding principles and targets to aim for.

To have healthy conversations about ministry models and innovation, leadership teams need to be honest about the discrepancies between what they "signed up for" and what's required in this moment.  Start there to avoid conflict forcing you to go there. 

Question: Hi Peter! In the pre-social-media church world, the "membership funnel" was simple, or at least seemed simple. People entering our congregation's orbit started as visitors to Sunday worship and/or attendees of programs. The end goal, from the church's perspective, was to get those people to ... join the congregation. Is there a similar end-point in the new social media world? Is it the same endpoint?

Friends, before we can talk about specific endpoints, there are conversations that require our attention. 

We have to talk about ministry models.  And discussing new models and what's required to be of service and thrive today brings us face to face with discrepancies between what many of you "signed up...