Websites Every Church Leader Needs to Know
December 19, 2011In a recent Webinar offered by the Center for Progressive Renewal (CPR), Cameron Trimble, Executive Director and Kimberly Knight, social media guru, shared their list of outstanding websites for church leaders. These websites offer valuable tools to assist church leaders in practicing effective ministry. The following is their list and a little about what each website offers.
www.progressiverenewal.org
The Center for Progressive Renewal aim’s to become “the Place where Leaders go to learn”. They actively search out and recruit the best practitioners in the field – people who don’t just talk about it, but have started successful new churches and revitalized existing churches. They offer online courses for intensive training. Their webinars are a low-cost way to inspire creativity and new ideas for your ministry. Workshops and training events offer opportunities to interact with experts and colleagues. Coach Share, their newest program, connects you with experts and peers. Don’t see exactly what you need, they will custom design it for you.
www.fetzer.org/loveandforgive
The conversation and educational materials from the Fetzer Institute’s four-year “Campaign for Love and Forgiveness” is available on their website. Online resources include passages describing practices, teaching guides to use with groups, ways to get conversations started and more. Books, DVDs and educational materials are available to order.
www.patheos.com
Patheos has endeavored to collect accurate and balanced information on many traditions and religions around the world, including progressive Christian. Read articles and blogs from experts, multiple perspectives on current topics and about creative ideas about what it means to be church in this time.
www.onfaithonline.tv/darkwoodbrew
Darkwood Brew broadcasts a weekly interactive web television program each Sunday evening. The coffeehouse setting with jazz music, interviews with guests and real-time interactive media pushes online viewers to engage in worship in a new way. Listen to past episodes, download study guides and other resources for small groups and read blog postings by various contributors.
www.textweek.com
This website, titled “the text this week” supplies sermon preparation resources for people preaching on Sundays. In addition to the text, the site has links to related images, movie clips, and commentaries that will add creative and engaging elements to sermons.
www.workofthepeople.com
The Work of the People is a resource for visual media. Liturgical art and videos can add powerful elements to deliver worship experiences that are more transformational, than informational. Adding these components to worship reinforces sermon messages and incorporates methods of learning used outside of church.
www.Practicingourfaith.org
Practicing our Faith is a resource for people craving to reclaim the ancient art of spiritual practices. Watch video conversations with great thinkers and download the accompanying guides. Use these resources as study guides, sermon material, and conversations starters.
www.spiritualityandpractice.com
The Spirituality and Practice site offers many learning opportunities. Links in the right column on the index page invite you to explore various practices. Each practice also contains a list of additional resources for that practice in a linked list in lower area of the left column.
www.rethinkingyouthministry.com
Written by two DOC pastors, Rethinking Youth Ministry blog seeks to reverse the current wave of youth fleeing church and offer new ideas for more effective youth ministry. They offer practical suggestions for engaging youth, what to do (and not to do), and videos.
www.faithinpubliclife.org
Faith in Public Life helps to equip teams for effective justice ministry. Read about current health care, the economy and budget, and immigration issues. Access tools such as a searchable database of over 3000 organizations that advocate for justice. Bloggers discuss current events and trends.
www.facebook.com
Facebook is not a fad and its purpose is not to advertise church. Social media has the potential to engage church members, enhance relationships and to reach the wider community. The benefits far outweigh the risks. When done well, it is a listening and interacting portal, instead of a “post and walk away” medium. The pastor should not be the only person posting. Find a small group of people who are passionate and ask them to assist.
