Matt Burke

Contributor

Matt Burke is the director of the Northeast Center for Congregations in Fort Wayne and serves as the Center’s Education Director statewide. Matt has a background in classroom, digital and experiential education and most recently served as the associate director of Learning Science at Kaplan Test Prep. He is passionate about using education to develop deeper faith in congregational participants.

Matt earned a B.A. in Religion from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and a Masters of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Kelly, and his two sons, Silas and Levi. Matt also loves storytelling in films, books and music and finding the intersections of faith and popular culture.

Contributions From Matt Burke

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Congregational Communication Resources
Curator Matt Burke
6 resources
Collection
Navigating Polarizing Politics
Curator Matt Burke
8 resources
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Essential Tools for Ministry
Curator Matt Burke
5 resources
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Church Website Content
Curator Matt Burke
4 resources
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Small Church Administration
Curator Matt Burke
6 resources
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Comedy and the Congregation
Curator Matt Burke
3 resources
From the Staff From the Staff
Podcast: Productive Learning on the Run
As a consultant with the Center for Congregations, I travel a good bit. Sometimes I spend...
Podcast
S4 E4: Pandemic and Purpose
Matt and Shellie explore the changing nature of congregational life with Pastor Rob Dyer of Ministry Architects. Rob encourages congregations to explore the question...
Podcast
S4 E3: Is Race The Real Problem?
Racial division is a current topic in many arenas of life. However, Rev. Wallace Butts asks the question "Is race the real issue here?" Matt and Ben talk with Rev....
Podcast
S4 E2: Providing Touch in a Touchless Time
Dee Dee (Deidre) Gray and Adrian Warren join Ben and Matt to talk about how congregations can improve their digital presence.   Resources ...
Podcast
S4 E1: 3 Big Questions
Kara Powell from Fuller Youth Institute joins Ben and Matt to discuss the new book 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager. Resources ...
Podcast
S3 E11: Ghosts
Riffing off of Charles Dickens' classic novel, Ben and Matt and Tim Shapiro, reflect on trends in the life of congregational ministry.
Podcast
S3 E10: Gloriously Out Of Place
Joe Johns and So Min Oo join Ben and Matt to discuss the relationship their congregations have built while celebrating their differences.   Resources ...
Podcast
S3 E9: The Joys of Evaluation!
Kelly Minas, the Center for Congregations' Associate Director for Evaluation, joins Ben and Matt to discuss the importance of evaluation, metrics and analytics for...
Podcast
S3 E8: Forced Into The Water
Mike Palmer joins Ben and Matt to unpack emerging trends in education. They explore how these trends will affect religious education and congregational life moving forward....
Podcast
S4 E6: Navigating Grief and Lamentation
Matt and Ben talk with Chaplain Jon Swanson about what it means to explore the ways we manage loss and disappointment.   Resources CRG-Strategic...
Podcast
S3 E7: Memento Mori
Rev. Sabrina Gray joins Ben and Matt to discuss the importance of end of life planning, and talks through how leaders can initiate those conversations within their community....
Podcast
S3 E6: Don't Be A Clergy Killer
Rev. Callie Smith and Dr. Rob Saler join Matt and Ben to discuss the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program. They unpack the importance of rest and renewal for both clergy...
Podcast
S3 E5: Who Are You? Marketing and Branding for Congregations
Manuel Corazzari joins Matt and Ben to discuss marketing and branding for congregations including the importance of knowing your unique identity.   Resources...
Podcast
S3 E4: Make It Personal
Pastor Javier Mondragon joins Ben and Matt to discuss the challenges and benefits of leading a multicultural congregation. Resources: Access the resources mentioned...
Podcast
S3 E3: Worship as the Work of the People
David Gungor joins Ben and Matt to talk about how worship is more than just singing together. He also discusses how Good Shepherd New York is an integrated community where the...
Podcast
S2 E12: The Value of the Enneagram in Congregational Spaces
Enneargram writer, teacher and coach Leanette Pokuwaah joins Ben and Matt to talk about how the enneagram can be used well in congregational contexts. She also discusses the...
Podcast
S2 E11: The Marriage of Mental Health and Ministry
Dr. Christina Jones Davis, Clinical Professor of Pastoral Theology and Marriage and Family Therapy at Christian Theological Seminary (CTS), sits down with Ben and Matt to...
Podcast
S2 E10: Storytelling that Changes the World
Musician, speaker and activist Propaganda joins Ben and Matt to discuss how storytelling is foundational to being human and to fostering change. They also also talk about his...
Podcast
S2 E9 Rural Congregations: A Story of Pain and Promise
Allen Stanton joins Ben and Matt to discuss the importance of congregations in rural communities. He highlights their work as anchor institutions while also addressing the...
Podcast
S2 E8: Getting Schooled on Interim Ministry
Rev. Janae Pitts-Murdock, senior pastor of Light of the World Christian Church and former interim pastor, joins Ben and Matt to unpack what it takes to have a successful...
Podcast
S2 E7: A Primer on Racial Equity
McKenzie Scott Lewis, the northwest director of the Center for Congregations talks with Ben and Matt about the challenges and opportunities faced by congregations in seeking to...
Podcast
S2 E6: Fear and Anger: Christian Nationalism among Young Adults
PhD candidate Michael Rotolo joins Ben and Matt to unpack the research around Christian Nationalism as it relates to congregations and young adult engagement. Michael's...
Podcast
S2 E5: Courting Justice
Ben and Matt connect with Pastor Bere Gil Soto, lead pastor of Iglesia Hermandad Cristiana, to talk about what it's like to lead a multi-cultural and multi-lingual...
Podcast
S2 E4: Bring Your Whole Self
Dr. Alma Zaragoza-Petty, one of the co-founders of the Prickly Pear Collective, joins Matt and Ben to discuss creating authentic community where everyone is encouraged to bring...
Podcast
S2 E3: Tech: It's Not as Complicated as You Think
Pastor John Girton joins Ben and Matt to talk about excellence in online worship experiences using technology. They also discuss what's next for congregations and the...
Podcast
S2 E2 Waving the Banner for Youth Ministry
In this episode Ben and Matt are joined by Center for Congregations director Shellie Riggs Jordan as they interview Mark Oestreicher (a.k.a. Marko) of The Youth Cartel. Marko...
Podcast
S2 E1 Wisdom to Start Your New Year
Aimee Laramore, lead consultant at AlLyd Solutions, joins Ben and Matt to discuss the importance of recognizing the assets your congregation has and the importance of using...
Podcast
S1 E8: What Went Right in 2020
Ben and Matt are joined by southwest director Wendy McCormick, northwest director McKenzie Scott Lewis and president of the Center for Congregations Tim Shapiro. Each guest...
Podcast
S1 E7 Exchanging Pews for Strollers
Victoria Sun Esparza joins Ben and Matt to talk about Human Centered Design and applying it in congregations. This process is a way for you to listen well to the needs of your...
Podcast
S1 E6 Agents of Unity
Bishop Grant joins Ben and Matt to discuss the importance of getting back to the basics of faith. He challenges faith leaders and congregations to remember to center the people...
Podcast
S1 E4: Kicked Off a Cliff
Pastor Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes of the Double Love Experience joins Matt, Ben and Wendy to discuss what she's observed about rapidly changing systems in congregational life....
Podcast
S1 E2: Tapping into Experience with Tim Shapiro
This week Ben and Matt talk with the president of the Center for Congregations, Tim Shapiro. Tim shares his experiences as a senior pastor for 18 years and from his 18 years of...
Podcast
S1 E1: Where have all the young people gone?
Matt and Ben sit down with Science Mike to discuss the problems and possibilities with engaging young adults. Congregations across religious and denominational lines are...
Podcast
S1 E3: Do we have to hide our pain?
Hillary McBride joins Ben and Matt to talk about how congregations can be places of healing for those dealing with mental health issues. We explore Hillary's own experience...
Podcast
S4 E9: What's Right with Congregations
Former Center for Congregations staff members Nancy DeMott and Doug Hanner join Matt to share stories about their work at the Center. These stories highlight what congregations...
Podcast
S4 E8: When Digital Ministry Is Not Plug-And-Play
Rev. Dr. Rosario Picardo joins Ben and Matt to discuss digital ministry in congregational life. Roz is the co-author of Fresh Expressions in a Digital Age. In this interview...
Podcast
S4 E7: Remembering Our History In Order To Heal
Ben and Matt talk with Rev. Sue Park-Hur about the challenges facing the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. They discuss the model-minority myth, the rise in...
Podcast
S4 E11: Beyond Feisty and Divisive: Caring for LGBTQ Youth
In congregations many have questions and concerns about LGBTQ+ issues. Regardless of your theological stance, it's important to know how to care for youth that may identify...
Podcast
S4 E14: Are You Seeing What I'm Seeing?
You likely deal with some kind of diversity in your congregational life. Whether that be ethnic, cultural, generational or some other kind of diversity. Wilisha Scaife believes...
Podcast
S4 E15: Suffering in Silence: Addressing Mental Health
First, the bad news: mental health issues exist in your congregation. The good news is that there are a wealth of resources and people who can help and a myriad of ways to...
Podcast
S4 E16: Invisible People: Multiculturalism in Your Community
Your community is likely more multicultural than you may realize. In this episode of the Center for Congregations podcast, we speak with Sandy Garcia of Amistad Cristiana...
Podcast
S4 E17: Be the Bridge: Spanning Cultural Gaps
As people of faith, we are often called to be cultural brokers within our communities by identifying gaps that exist, asking the right questions, and harnessing the power of...
Podcast
S4 E18: Clergy Are People Too: No, Really.
In this episode of the Center for Congregations podcast, Marty Sawyers of the Full Strength Network and John Opalewski of Converge Coaching share their experience and insight...
Podcast
S4 E22: Building Relationships: What We Can Learn from Congolese Christians
Ben and Matt spoke with Emmanuel about the ways that the Congolese Christian community is learning to adapt to life in Indiana. As they unpacked both the challenges and...
Podcast
S5 E3: Am I Allowed to Come In?
Marketer and Millennial Kaeli Sweigard joins Ben and Matt to talk about her journey into congregational life. Topics include what congregations need to know about how they...
Podcast
S5 E2: What Do YOU Mean by Community Ministry?
Aimee Laramore joins Ben and Matt to talk about community ministry. Topics include the nature of what the different definitions of congregation and community are, focusing on...
Podcast
S5 E1: Conversations about Race are Hard
The hosts of the Shades of Hope podcast, Pastor Jeff Krajewski and Rev. Dr. Clarence Moore join Ben and Matt to candidly discuss racial justice in congregations and in our...
Podcast
S4 E23: Ghosts of Congregations Past, Present and Future 2022 Edition
President of the Center for Congregations Tim Shapiro joins Ben and Matt to discuss what the Center for Congregations has seen in regards to trends, happenings and work in...
Podcast
S5 E8: Laughing Our Way to Perfect Humanity
Dr. Jason Deuman joins Shellie and Matt to share how humor became a big part of his life and how he believes it provides us with the ability to better understand our sacred...
Podcast
S5 E19: Wholeness through Brokenness
Dr. Nii Addy talks with Shellie and Matt about how he came to his interest in neuroscience and mental health, how understanding neuroscience can benefit knowledge about mental...
book
Community is Messy: The Perils and Promise of Small Group Ministry
This resource reveals the difficulties of small group ministry, arguing that such challenges...
web resource
Small Group Ministries
Based on the "Purpose Driven Life” philosophy of Saddleback Church, Small Group...
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SmallGroups.com
This web resource is a vast library of resources for small group ministry that is organized...
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Small Group Leaders' Handbook: Developing Transformational Communities
This resource argues that small groups are all about transformation, providing an overview of...
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Biblical Foundations for Small Group Ministry: An Integrational Approach
This resource provides a biblically-based theological framework for small group ministry. ...
article
Healthy Church Cell Groups
This article argues that cell groups are the basic building block of any congregation and...
article
Against the Current: The Unexpected Challenges of Multi-Ethnic Ministry
This article contains an interview with the senior pastor of River City Community Church in...
article
Books Lay Out Guiding Principles for Small Groups in Parishes
This article highlights statistics on Catholics who have left their faith and provides...
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Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry: A Strategic Guide for Leading Group Life in Your...
The first book of a series, this resource provides a how-to guide on building and leading...
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The Field Guide for Small Group Leaders
This resource focuses on the small group leader's responsibility to prepare and lead small...
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Small Group Leadership as Spiritual Direction: Practical Ways to Blend an Ancient Art into Your...
This resource looks at small group leadership from a counseling perspective, arguing that...
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Lead Small: Five Big Ideas Every Small Group Leader Needs to Know
This resource provides strategies for encouraging faith among children through small group...
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Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership
This resource seeks to deepen understanding of why small groups are essential to...
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The Ministry of Small Groups: Towards an Integration of Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis
This article looks at six reasons why small groups fail and offers solutions.
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Making Small Groups Work: What Every Small Group Leader Needs to Know
Drawing upon the authors' experiences as psychologists, this resource looks at what makes...
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Missional Small Groups: Becoming a Community That Makes a Difference in the World
This resource shows how missional small groups differ from conventional small groups,...
web resource
11 Principles for Improving Your Church's Small Groups
This short blog provides practical tips for implementing a small group ministry.
web resource
Groups Matter - #TheExchange with @EdStetzer and @RealEricGeiger
President of LifeWay Research Division Ed Stetzer and Vice President of LifeWay Christian...
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Transformational Groups – Part 1 – The Exchange – Full Episode
This web resource offers a forty-eight minute interview with Ed Stetzer and Eric Geiger about...
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Ministry Outreach: Growing Your Church's Small Groups
This article provides a basic framework for understanding healthy small group leadership.
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Mission Drift: The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities and Churches
This research-based book examines the differences between "mission true" organizations that...
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GIA Publications, Inc.
This organization provides music resources for a number of different types of church music,...
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TechImpact
This tech organization supports nonprofits with IT training, consulting, and general...
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Singing from the Lectionary
This weekly blog website, provided by Natalie Sims, provides recommendations several weeks...
web resource
You Call That Church Music?
Annie Strickland is the music and arts director of Grace Episcopal Church in Bainbridge,...
web resource
Technical Preservation Services: Preservation Briefs
The National Park Service provides briefs on various specific issues related to historic...
article
Death and Resurrection of an Urban Church
This article details the story of an urban congregation in Indianapolis and how it adapted an...
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Effective Ministry
This organization provides research on church growth rates and online resources for building...
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Joel Comiskey Group
This organization provides in-depth resources for cell group ministry and how to plant new...
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Mosaix Global Network
This organization provides resources and membership for congregations interested in...
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The UU Small Group Ministry Network
This organization provides information and resources for small group ministry such as an...
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Youth Specialties
With 50+ years of youth ministry experience, this organization hosts the annual National Youth...
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LifelongFaith Associates
Led by John Roberto, this organization helps congregations develop sustainable faith formation...
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Sweetwater Sound
This consulting group sells worship equipment and offers resources to congregations for...
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Praying Pelican Missions
This organization leads short-term mission trips for a variety of groups ranging from...
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Social Media Church
This podcast features various church leaders discussing how they use social media to engage...
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The Youth Cartel
This organization supports adults who minister to youth by providing youth ministry...
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Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?
This article explores the iGeneration, statistics on the use of smart phones, and how it...
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Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform...
This book shares how stories can be used to teach and captivate audiences in congregations.
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Dream Teams: Working Together Without Falling Apart
This book describes collaborative and successful teamwork with examples and good practices. ...
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Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently
In this book, leadership expert John Maxwell shares how to go beyond communication to form...
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More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)
This memoir of a biracial woman shares the lessons learned as she navigated the business...
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Coronavirus Resources for the Church
The Wheaton College Human Disaster Institute offers a streamlined resource page for...
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Giving a Life Meaning: How to Lead Funerals, Memorial Services, and Celebrations of Life
This book provides practical tools for anyone leading a funeral service for the first time.
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Small-Church Pastors Adapt and Recover Kit (SPARK)
During the pandemic, this webpage helps small membership church leaders to adapt and recover...
article
Why the Word 'Millennial' Makes Me Cringe
Author John Green discusses the downside of labeling millennials, especially if you're trying...
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Church & State: Government Restrictions or Biblical Convictions
In this Q Ideas recorded event, Gabe Lyons facilitates a panel discussion about the...
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Hijacked: Responding to the Partisan Church Divide
These co-authors are not on the same side of politics, but they do agree that finding common...
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The Colossian Forum
This organization helps Christian communities use cultural conflicts as opportunities for...
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Church Recovery Guide: Adapt and Thrive After a Crisis
This short book provides advice and steps to lead a congregation through crisis. These...
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LiveControl
This company enhances worship production through remote videocamera and livestream support.
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Emotional Sobriety
This neuropsychology book explains the way trauma alters the brain and provides alternate...
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Sisters in Loss
This community, led by Erica McAfee, supports Black women who have experienced grief and...
article
Essential Tools for Hybrid Church Ministry
This article recommends online platforms and tools for congregational life during COVID-19.
media
Making Amazing Live Online Learning
In this Trending in Education podcast episode, expert Adi Hanash highlights the benefits of...
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How to Moderate Talks, Panels, Meetings, More (Virtual and Beyond!)
This podcast episode explains how to moderate discussions and present at meetings in online...
article
14 Live Streaming Tools to Win Over the Masses
This article highlights live streaming tools, their basic features, and the cost of each.
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The Twenty-something Soul: Understanding the Religious and Secular Lives of American Young Adults
Through stories and interviews, this book provides a picture of young adults in America and...
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iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Happy and Completely Unprepared for...
This book focuses on young adults born from the mid-1990s on. It explores technology’ s...
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How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation
This widely-circulated Buzzfeed article describes burnout and the ever-present need to...
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Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation
This book provides background and context for why the millennial generation is characterized...
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Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution
This documentary demonstrates how mainstream hookup culture impacts relationships, sex, and...
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
This website provides a variety of resources to learn effective leadership.
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Atomic Habits: An Easy Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
This book provides a framework to make small changes that add up to big impact over time.
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Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the U.S.
This book uses research to systemically examine Christian nationalism and its influence on...
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Religion in Quarantine: The Future of Religion in a Post-Pandemic World
This e-book shares reflections on how social distancing shapes the spiritual journey and the...
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Digital Ecclesiology: A Global Conversation
Reflecting on the rise of online congregational life, this e-book explores theological...
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Revisionist History: The Lady Vanishes
This Malcolm Gladwell podcast episode shares the dangers of tokenism, especially as...
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White Homework
This website provides resources for anyone starting to learn about systemic racism and...
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You're A Miracle (And a Pain in the Ass)
This raw and sometimes irreverant book from Mike McHargue demonstrates that we're all broken,...
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How to Recover from Psychological Aftershocks of Lockdown
Written in May of 2020, this article describes the long-term and downstream negative effects...
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Creating and Facilitating Peer Support Groups
This website outlines everything you need to create and facilitate a peer support group.
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Understanding the Effects of Social Isolation on Mental Health
This article defines social isolation and its effects on human beings. It also provides tips...
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5 Core Principles of Peer Support
This short video provides a brief overview to set up and run peer groups for children and...
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Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice
This book calls congregations to be better aware of racial injustice in our culture.
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Enneagram for Wholeness
This media-rich website shares Enneagram insights from Annie Dimond and interactive tools...
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Terraform: Building a Better World
Artist and activist Propaganda shares prose and perspective to help us improve the world with...
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The Essential Power of Belonging
This TEDx talk highlights belonging, how it helps humans thrive, and how to create it in...
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5 Truths about Diversity in the Church
This brief article focuses on what diversity is, why it happens, and how churches should view...
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Focusing on Belonging as part of D&I Strategy
This article lays out considerations for organizational Diversity & Inclusion, especially as...
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Bottled Up Inside: African American Teens and Depression
This book helps youth workers navigate mental health issues among African American teens. ...
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Taking Off the Masks: Telling Our Story and Giving God the Glory
This memoir explores self-worth and low self-esteem, sharing the author’ s story to...
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In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
This short book provides a framework for Christian leadership from its temptations to...
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Are You Thinking Strategically
This article provides six leadership strategies to navigate change.
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Eagle, Nelson
Mr. Eagle consults with Christian childcare and preschool ministries.
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National Christian Foundation
This organization assists generous donors in maximizing their giving to charitable...
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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
This organization provides information and support for suicide prevention, advocacy, and...
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BryteBridge
This organization provides support for start-ups and existing non-profits including IRS...
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Different Forms of Church Government
This article briefly outlines the three primary forms of church governance.
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The Five Models of Church Governance (and how they cope under pressure)
This article from Australia shares five models of congregational governance structures.
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Church Governance and the Most Common Types
This video from the Assemblies of God Rocky Mountain Ministry Network outlines the three...
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Church Governance: Exploring a variety of models for elder-minister relationships and leadership...
This report from the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry provides seven brief case studies...
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Practical Models of Church Governance
This one-page article describes five different types of church governance.
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Preaching Online to a Virtual and Real Audience
This 45-minute video from Church Media Creators features an interview with Jared Wellman...
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Church Media Creators
This YouTube channel is devoted to improving the use of technology for online and hybrid...
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Making Space Podcast
This podcast explores how physical spaces (especially congregational spaces) form and shape...
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Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places and Things in the Digital Age
This book by Jay Kim argues that physical spaces are still relevant and important for...
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95Network
This nonprofit organization specializes in supporting small and mid-sized congregations by...
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Livingworks
This organization provides integrated training programs and information for organizations...
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Firm Foundations Marketing Incorporated
This business helps congregations develop marketing strategies through community research...
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Humor Us! Preaching and the Power of the Comic Spirit
This book provides a framework for Christian preachers to understand the use of comedy in...
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Why Stand-up Matters: How Comedians Manipulate and Influence
This book looks at the social and political impact of stand-up comedy in both its positive...
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Stand-Up Preaching: Homiletical Insights from Contemporary Comedians
This book seeks to provide insight into the tools of stand-up comics to aid in the practice...
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Rooted Ministries
This organization seeks to develop clergy and congregations in their ability to be equipped...
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The Ultimate Guide to AI, Pastors, and the Church
This medium-length article from Carey Nieuwhof and Kenny Jahng is a thoughtful approach to...
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Creating A Healthier Life: A Step-by-Step Guide to Wellness
This guide provides an overview of wellness from a broad perspective while providing...
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The Wholeness Wheel
This brief article shares The Wholeness Wheel, a tool to help people develop a thorough...
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AI for Churches
This website, part of the organization Missional Marketing, provides a host of resources...
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Human-Centered AI: How Should the Church Engage With Emerging Artificial Intelligence Technologies?
This article features an interview with Father Philip Larrey who has been thinking and...
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How Technology Has Transformed Detroit's Black Churches: Adapting Post-Pandemic
This 20-minute video features an interview with two leaders of Black churches in Detroit...
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