George Bullard
JUDICATORIES WORKING HARD VS. WORKING SMART
Reinventing Congregational Services in Middle Judicatories
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
by George Bullard of Hickory Learning Communities and
the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Questions for Discussion:
Is your middle judicatory a really smart working denominational organization, or a really hard working one? What is the evidence that leads you to this conclusion? In what areas is it working really smart, and in what areas is it working really hard? Are you going forward or backward in your effectiveness and relevance?
Is your middle judicatory doing the same faithful and traditional programs it has been doing for many years? Or, is your middle judicatory innovating at a level significant enough that it is reinventing itself to be effective and relevant in this emerging post-denominational era? What is the evidence that leads you to this conclusion? Are you going forward or backward in programming and innovation?
Is your middle judicatory initiating needed congregational movements in the areas of multiplication, faithful, effective, and innovative ministry, transformation, and support? Where are you experiencing your greatest success in helping congregations reach their full kingdom potential? Where are you lagging? At any points are you co-dependent on old, known ways of doing congregational and denominational ministry? Is your greatest enemy congregational mediocrity? Or, is your greatest friend congregational effectiveness?
How is your middle judicatory using its time, personnel, and money? Are these precious kingdom resources focused on the rediscovery of yesterday, or on welcoming tomorrow with open arms? How close are you to reallocating resources consistent with the percentage goals for really smart middle judicatories? Do you fall into the trap of being a rescuer of preaching stations, chaplaincy outposts, and faithful family parishes?
George Bullard is the associate executive director-treasurer for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, which is a regional denominational organization with almost 4,000 congregations who claim 1.2 million members. His primary roles are chief learning officer, staff coordinator, and executive coach for Lake Hickory Learning Communities [LHLC]. The Hollifield Leadership Center is the home base for LHLC.
During the past eight years George has been a consultant and coach to three dozen different denominations throughout North America and Europe. He has spent significant time with middle judicatories among Christian Church [Disciples of Christ], ELCA and LCMS Lutherans, United Methodists, Episcopal, Presbyterian USA, Christian Reformed, and Baptists. He has pioneered a certification process for Coaches for Congregational Leadership as the new wave of third-party assistance for congregations. This moves away from an over dependence on consultants, toward building capacity in the persons or organizations being coached. Hollifield Leadership Center is the home base for this certification process in partnership with On Purpose Ministry.
George has a notebook collection of several dozen articles he has written on denominational transformation that will be available August 1, 2003. For information on this collection, contact Sandy Lail at Hollifield Leadership Center, or 866.HLC.LHLC.
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