Author: guy.chmieleski@gmail.com

Leadership Development

The Advantage: Why Organization Health Trumps Everything

* A Catalyst nugget from Patrick Lencioni, Founder and President of The Table Group, and best-selling author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

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Organizational health is the single biggest advantage that any ministry can have — yet it rarely gets tapped in to.

Unlike many other elements that could create an advantage for an organization or ministry — this is available to EVERYONE!

It’s so simple that most people overlook it,or believe it’s beneath them.

Big Ideas & 'Best Of'

The Power of Introverts

* A Catalyst (and TED) nugget from Susan Cain

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So we only had a few minutes to hear from Susan Cain, fellow introvert, and author of the New York Times Best Seller QUIET: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking.

She spoke ever-so-briefly about some shifts in our culture away from things that allow us introverts to thrive.

She called those of us in leadership to reclaim space and practices — like solitude and silence — for our introverts, so that they might thrive.

Big Ideas & 'Best Of'

4 Ways to Build a Culture of Inclusivity Within Your Ministry

In a post last week I talked about students who are struggling this time of year because, as social scenes are beginning to solidify, they are finding themselves unexpectedly on the outside looking in.

I suggested that, as ministers and ministries, we have a unique and important opportunity here. We need to create a hospitable place where these students — ALL students, really — can belong and be known.

But this kind of culture doesn’t just magically happen within our ministry contexts. It takes intention. It takes work.

So here are four ways I think we can help to create a culture of inclusivity within our ministries:

Big Ideas & 'Best Of'

Top Posts for September 2012

It’s October!

Fall is in the air — and mid-terms are just around the corner.

I hope that the start to your new year has been a good one; and that your finding your way into a healthy and sustainable pace for the rest of your year.

Remember, ministry is a marathon — and not a sprint.

Now, on to this month’s Top 10 most viewed posts at FaithONCampus.com!

Leadership Development

Catalyst Conference and Bloggers Meetup

Next week I’ll be pushing my introverted self to my outer limits, as I once again brave the crowd for the 2012 Catalyst Conference.

I consider it a good exercise in putting aside my own desires (to only be in rooms containing a small number of people — ideally, people I know to some degree), in order to hear from some of the leading thinkers and practioners in Christian ministry, as well as to connect with friends — many of whom I’ve only ever connected with online.

So if you’re going, I’d love to find a time and place to connect.

And if you’re a blogger, or dabble in blogging, or are thinking about starting a blog some day, you may want to consider joining a much smaller crowd on Wednesday evening (Oct. 3rd) at the Atlanta Bloggers Meetup.

Big Ideas & 'Best Of'

The Cutting Edge of Some “Evagelism”

We had a visitor on campus last week — of the “street preacher” variety.

He stood at the edge of campus (where it’s legal for him to be), and shouted at students as the passed by, that they were going to hell — for a whole host of reasons.

Have you experienced this where you serve? I imagine some have.

It’s troubling on a number of levels.

Student Culture, Trends & Issues

Dying to Fit In

As the fall term progresses, new social scenes will solidify, leaving some students on the outside.

After starting the year with hope and optimism, some students will begin to question what’s wrong with them…

Why have they been left out?

Why can’t they belong?

It’s beyond frustrating. In fact, for many it quickly gets to the point of being debilitating.