The Golden Opportunities of Conflict
Just a ballpark guess, but let’s say 95% of people hate conflict and will actively avoid it if they can. Of the remaining 5%, some
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Vibrant Faith Coaching - Articles
The Truth About Our Obstacles
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard an important truism more than once, so maybe that’s a nudge to sit up and pay attention…
Status Quo: Two Dirty Words
We already know, and have known for a long time, that “status quo” is never the goal of growing organizations or thriving faith communities. Stagnation
Finding Our Way Through the Smoke
I live in the upper Midwest, and like many parts of the nation, smoke from Canadian wildfires has infiltrated our sky. It can turn the
Focusing On Deep Work
Every year, I read Cal Newport’s book,Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. It’s a book that helps me reset my intentions
Our Secret Weapon: Empathy
Because ministry is centrally about relationships, we see the whole human spectrum of behavior—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Like other people-serving roles (police,
Faith Formation - Articles
Moments of Meaning Fuel an Infectious Faith
We know that parents are the “first witnesses of the faith” to their children. The way parents live out their faith as they interact with
A Primer for A Parched Soul
My summers have often brought me a short break from the busyness of ministry. Summer programming adapts to account for families taking time for vacations
A Swing and a Miss for Faith Formation
Ministry and mission were humming in the congregation. Average weekly worship attendance was booming, and we had just completed a capital campaign during the worst economy in
Thriving in the Middle of Your Trials
At the end of March, I traveled on a pilgrimage to El Salvador, walking in the footsteps of the martyrs. Along with my fellow pilgrims,
Practicing Everyday Pilgrimage
By Denise UtterVibrant Faith Coaching Team I get a little restless at the first signs of spring. I want to hike. I want to plan
Living Our Baptism, the Lenten Way
To thrive during the season of Lent, we remember our baptism and prepare for living it out. In baptism, we’re called into the three-fold ministry
Vibrant Faith Research - Articles
Obstacles of Forming Faith: What We’re Learning
It’s maybe the oldest “shop talk” topic in ministry—Why can’t or won’t parents take responsibility for forming faith in their children? And, always threaded into
The Truth About Our Obstacles
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard an important truism more than once, so maybe that’s a nudge to sit up and pay attention…
Connecting with Parents
As we begin the process of accompanying churches as they focus on and nurture the faith lives of parents through our 4th Soil Parenting Project funded
Surviving Isn’t Thriving
There’s no question that our post-pandemic church life is different… We have shifted yet again, and not toward consistent church attendance or support of faith-formation
Thriving Grows Out Of Our Uniqueness
We have just come to a new realization in our Thriving Congregations Project. Because of it, we moved our 27 Thriving Congregations churches from cohort
5 New-World Keys from Moses
To put an exclamation point on this series of posts related to our new 4th Soil Parenting Initiative, here’s a reflection that I wrote a
Vibrant Faith Leadership - Articles
5 ‘Ocean Buoys’ We Need – Voice Recognition
(EDITOR’S NOTE: A few months ago, on a team retreat, our Vibrant Faith Team read Australian pastor and culture expert Mark Sayers’ new book A Non-Anxious
The Golden Opportunities of Conflict
Just a ballpark guess, but let’s say 95% of people hate conflict and will actively avoid it if they can. Of the remaining 5%, some
5 ‘Ocean Buoys’ We Need – Adaptability
(EDITOR’S NOTE: A few months ago, on a team retreat, our Vibrant Faith Team read Australian pastor and culture expert Mark Sayers’ new book A Non-Anxious
5 ‘Ocean Buoys’ We Need – Activation Opportunities
(EDITOR’S NOTE: A few months ago, our Vibrant Faith Team retreated together at a lakeshore Air BnB in North Carolina. In advance, we all read
5 ‘Ocean Buoys’ We Need – When No Norm Is the New Norm
(EDITOR’S NOTE) A few months ago, our Vibrant Faith Team retreated together at a lakeshore Air BnB in North Carolina. In advance, we all read
To Know, Not Just See
We all know the phrase “seeing is believing”—it’s a truism that’s true, depending on the kind of “seeing” we’re talking about. In our relationships with
Vibrant Faith's writing team of certified coaches, ministry leaders, and researchers publishes three times a week on leadership development, coaching for ministry leaders, and applied ministry research.