Both my Clergy Cluster and my Tending the Fire group are discussing the book Changing the Conversation by Anthony Robinson. What I like about the book is that it is a book about church leadership and health that doesn't offer a quick fix. I've been a pastor long enough to encounter one too many quick fix books. If you only organize this way or preach this kind of sermon your church will grow! The problem with the quick-fix is that each church is different, unique and placed (by God) in a particular context. One size does not fit all.

What Robinson does instead is to invite us to change the conversations we are having in our churches. Instead of looking for the quick fix, he invites churches to ask questions about themselves, seek to get to know themselves and their communities, and discern what are their weaknesses and what are their unique gifts and purposes. He writes:

When we face up to our own internal situation and turn to God to help us get on with the changes we need to make, amazingly, we seem much more interesting and attractive to others. When life and vitality are happening in a church, when people are excited to be there and are engaged in genuine spiritual growth, it tends to be contagious.

As your pastor, I may be biased, but I think we have a lot to be excited about as a church. We have vital worship, engaging adult studies, vibrant church school, and meaningful mission. What do you think are our unique gifts and purposes? What, in your opinion, are our weaknesses? How can we become (more) attractively contagious? Are you interested in continuing ~ or changing ~ the conversation?