Exhaustion affects us all differently. For me, it is a building effect, usually displaying itself in an inability to fall asleep at night because my mind is racing with all the worst possible scenarios of how the incidents leading to my stress will play out. What about you? What about when everyone is experiencing a … Continue reading
In many churches, this is the time of year when annual reviews of staff take place. For some pastors, these conversations are the only times they hear what is and isn’t working from their congregants’ point of view. That makes reviews somewhat nerve-wracking for clergy. They wonder: What surprises await me when that conference room … Continue reading
Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Recently I published an article on the CBFblog about the biggest challenges for ministers right now. That data was pulled from a survey I distributed in late August. There was a lot of food for thought in the numbers. But the news is not all sobering! There were many aspects of ministry … Continue reading
By Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed In my coaching, I often hear themes across clergy about what is hard and what is delightful about their work. But in late August, I decided I wanted something more than anecdotal information about this season in ministry. I sent out a three-question, anonymous survey to my newsletter lists and posted … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed A few years ago, I was a regular guest preacher at a church in the city where I lived after the minister there had submitted his resignation and as the church awaited the arrival of an interim. On the first of those Sundays, a woman stood up during the announcement time and … Continue reading
By Aaron Weaver and Tracy HartmanDECATUR, Ga. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Thriving in Ministry Initiative is now accepting applications for cohort groups beginning in May, 2022. Thriving in Ministry provides pastors and associate pastors with mentoring support and skill building to help them navigate the challenges they face in their congregational settings. Over the … Continue reading
May 28, 2021 By Jeff Huett The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, in collaboration with CBF state and regional organizations across the Fellowship, are inviting pastors and staff ministers to gather for a time of rest and renewal with a community of their peers this summer. The spiritual retreats are scheduled from mid-June to early September and … Continue reading
By Aaron Weaver DECATUR, Ga. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Thriving in Ministry Initiative is now accepting applications for the second set of cohort groups This four-year initiative, which is funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, aims to address challenges that pastors face in their congregational settings. Participants will build their capacity to … Continue reading
By Mary Beth Foust The whole thing was birthed from one craving for relationship. After the San Bernardino shootings in 2015, Barrett Owen, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Waynesboro, Virginia, felt strongly that he needed a fellow faith leader in his community with whom he could process what had happened. This was the beginning … Continue reading
August 19, 2020By Aaron Weaver DECATUR, Ga. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship opens applications today for a new initiative to encourage and enhance the thriving of pastors in CBF congregations. This four-year initiative, which is funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., aims to address challenges that pastors face in their congregational settings … Continue reading
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