Leadership

Trusting God in Youth Ministry: Living Our Faith Together

Want to do youth ministry with more trust, less anxiety? A feature story with practical tips for developing sustainable youth ministry in which congregations experience themselves as one body growing together in love.

April 5, 2010 | 8 min read
A Worship Leadership Dilemma: Are consumers still able to worship?

How do I as a pastor or worship leader engage a congregation in deep, rich worship when their hearts have been shaped by consumeristic spirits that tell them to be shallow and self-serving? And how do I lead in such a way without being negative or preachy?

March 23, 2010 | 61 min listen
The Church for the Sake of the World: Urban Challenges Today

This workshop focused on discerning and acting on the call to integrate worship with ministry in order to be with those who are least and last through the example of LaSalle Street Church in downtown Chicago with a 40 year history in social engagement.

March 23, 2010 | 62 min listen

Tending the Heart: Soul Care for Worship Leaders

It is all too easy for worship leaders--preachers and musicians alike-to--slip into "mere professionalism." When that happens, we settle into dull habit, holy things no longer stir our soul, and God becomes distant and even abstract? This session examined that spiritual danger and suggested some practices to "guard our souls."

March 22, 2010 | 56 min listen
Teaching Worship Leadership: Content and Context

Leading worship requires attending to the specifics of a worshiping congregation, and yet many classrooms tend toward the general. This workshop looked at a new multi-media resource documenting the life of one Chicago congregation and designed to be a kind of “flight simulator” for worship leaders. It explored teaching worship leadership with a dual emphasis on theological content and congregational context.

January 1, 2010 | 64 min listen

Pastoral and Worship Excellence: Becoming more like Christ

A feature story exploring Pastoral and Worship excellence. David J. Wood and Paul Ryan offer a biblical framework for cultivating congregational conversations about pastoral excellence and standards for worship excellence.

September 11, 2009 | 12 min read
Symposium 2009 - Jesus: Our Worship Leader

This seminar explored the wonderful truth that when we gather, our living Lord is present and active in our midst?empowering, perfecting and leading our worship. Behind all true worship, regardless of its form or style, is the present mediating ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

January 1, 2009 | 56 min listen

Good Preaching Takes Good Elders

When preachers and churches talk about improving the quality of preaching, many approaches are considered, but one is frequently missing: the participation of elders. This workshop explores both the why and how questions of involving elders in supporting and encouraging preachers in their congregations.

January 1, 2009
When God Speaks Through You

Based on his book, When God Speaks Through You, Craig Satterlee explored how "holy and active listening"—listening for God's voice speaking in and through the faith community can occur when church members talk to one another and to their pastors about preaching—and especially the faith convictions they bring to the sermon, which influence both the preaching and what is heard.

January 1, 2009 | 58 min listen
Preaching to Expose the Principalities and Powers

Church leaders and other saints in our congregations frequently find themselves struggling with money, technology, politics, the institutional church, etc. - what the Bible calls "principalities and powers."

January 1, 2009 | 59 min listen