The following resources are recommended by the Colorado Conference Church Health Board
ASSISTANCE
AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COLORADO CONFERENCE
COACHES TRAINING INITIATIVE
The goal of a coach is to help people or groups succeed. It is not about telling others what to
do; it is about helping them discover it for themselves. Like Barnabus, a coach is able to
encourage, challenge, and empower others for ministry. Without Barnabus many would not
have been able to accomplish the great things for God that they did.
Through special funding from the Church of God Ministries, four people were selected
by the Colorado Conference Health Board to become coaches. When their year-long training
is completed in February 2010, they will be certified by CoachNet and available to help
churches define their mission, realign ministries, walk with leaders as they develop new
skills, work through periods of transition and any many other challenges that churches face
today.
S.H.A.P.E. (Sustaining Health and Pastoral Excellence)
By fall 2009 pastors who desire to be a better servant leader for Christ can participate in
S.H.A.P.E. More detailed information will be communicated soon.
WELLNESS TEAMS
In order to facilitate the process for health, Wellness Teams are available to partner with
churches that are experiencing conflict, pastoral transition, vision/mission issues, etc. The
leadership of any church that has completed the Conference/congregational Covenant
Agreement can request a Wellness Team to partner with them in finding solutions.
BYLAWS AND GOVERNANCE
BUILDING EFFECTIVE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS by Rev. Alfred H. Ells, M.C.
Because churches and are now facing more legal scrutiny, better and more sophisticated
systems of accountability and structure are necessary. The Board of Directors of a ministry
is the ultimate governing authority that brings accountability to an organization. To be
effective, the board must understand its fundamental fiduciary and spiritual role and how it
is different from the leadership role of the senior ministry leader.
In this set of articles the role and responsibilities of governance are clarified. Models of
governance are presented along with a description of the ten fundamental responsibilities of
a Board of Directors, legal issues of structure and authority are delineated along with
instructions on how to maintain appropriate minutes of meetings.
WINNING ON PURPOSE by John Edmund Kaiser
Winning on Purpose offers leaders a way to organize congregations for success by creating
structures that enable church life and health. As a comprehensive and powerful application
of the biblical call to mission, Winning on Purpose sets forth an accountable leadership
strategy. This model of leadership brings together standards for mission, boundaries, and
accountability, and then shows how these standards come to life through the performance of
four key players: the board, the pastor, the staff, and the congregation. Avoid the pitfalls of
typical church boards and enable a pastor to lead, boards to govern, staff/volunteers to
manage and put your members into ministry.
CHURCH HEALTH
CHURCH UNIQUE by Will Mancini
In his blueprint for church renewal, Mancini explores common pitfalls to growing your
ministry (over programming, outdated planning, conference techniques) and presents new
models for vision casting and clarification. He explains how to develop missional teams,
articulate your unique strategies, unpack cumbersome baggage, and proceed into the future.
Here is a quote from the "Introduction."
"Every day, local churches step either closer to or further away from becoming the
movement that God designed them to be. . . We believe that 'the future as movement' for
the local church is intrinsically tied to two assumptions. First, a unique vision must
'ooze' from the leader's life as well as the church's leadership community. Second, this
vision must create a stunningly unique culture inside the church that is inclined and
motivated to penetrate the culture outside the church. In other words, reaching the
surrounding community should be innate, driven by the church's DNA rather than
programming. Therefore, I write with one purpose: to challenge you to find your
Church Unique--that is, to live a vision that creates a stunningly unique, movementoriented church. . . When leaders start thinking clearly, engaging locally, focusing
redemptively, and risking boldly, their church becomes an unstoppable force and an
irresistible influence. It becomes a church that prevails not because it is 'purpose-driven'
but because it is purposeful."
CHURCH PLANTING MANUAL – Church of God Colorado Conference
After months of research, the Colorado Conference Church Planting Board published this set
of guidelines based on the best practices of churches that are experiencing a high rate of
success in planting new churches. Don’t overlook this manual as a resource for assessing
and developing the health of existing congregations.
COACHNET
CoachNet's website is an online tool for Christian leaders. One of the most unique webbased training and communication tools of its kind, CoachNet has a built-in reference library
with hundreds of valuable resources, discussion forums on a wide variety of ministry topics,
online study courses, and powerful, interactive online coaching tools.
ESSENTIAL CHURCH by Thom S. Rainer and Sam S. Rainer III
More than two-thirds of young adults between the ages of 18-22 leave the church. That's a
disturbingly high figure. The premise of Essential Church is . . . "Church going students
drop out of the church because it is not essential to their lives."
Dr. Thom S. Rainer and Sam S. Rainer III statistically, scripturally, and sympathetically
share a shocking evaluation of the situation in many church sanctuaries across the United
States of America and show how we can reverse trends and see a revival of the Lord’s work.
The book is divided into two sections: Part 1, dedicated to the research explaining "why
people are leaving the nonessential church"; and part 2, relating "how essential churches
close the back door."
LEADING TURNAROUND CHURCHES by Gene Wood
Plateaued churches become dying churches if they are not led by turnaround leaders. Gene
Wood tackles the myth that only a gifted few pastors have what it takes to turn around a
plateaued or declining church. Wood contends that turnaround skills can be learned. In this
book he shares insights on the characteristics of turnaround leaders, how to assess a leader’s
turnaround potential, obstacles to initiating change, how to develop a compelling vision, and
reasons why leaders often settle for plateau or decline.
SIMPLE CHURCH by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger
Simple Church clearly calls for Christians to return to the simple gospel-sharing methods of
Jesus. No bells or whistles required, so to speak. Based on case studies of four hundred
American churches, authors Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove that the process for making
disciples has quite often become too complex. This book presents an extreme makeover
process (Clarity, Movement, Alignment, Focus) to take a congregation from a bloated,
burnt-out organization to a streamlined, sleek spiritual body.
TRANSFORMING CHURCH by Kevin G. Ford
Why do many churches struggle for relevancy in today's society? Drawing on intensive
research as head of a management consulting firm, Ford delves into the deep issues pastors
and congregations must face. Avoiding quick fixes and easy answers, he offers an
encouraging blueprint for building a growing, healthy congregation true to its “code”.
Purchase of this book includes a free online church assessment.
WHO STOLE MY CHURCH by Gordon MacDonald
Feel like your church has been hijacked? You're not alone. Millions of seasoned churchgoers
feel at odds with praise bands, PowerPoint presentations, mall-like mega-sanctuaries---and
many are dropping out. Through the power of story, MacDonald's fictional tale helps build
intergenerational understanding by illustrating that change can advance God's kingdom.
Pastors that are planning to lead their churches through transitions will find "Who Stole
My Church?" a tremendous benefit. Laity will enjoy it too, as they resonate with the pains of
a people who are watching their church change before their eyes.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN
BEAKERS, BUBBLES & THE BIBLE by Tina Hauser (Wife of COG Pastor)
What do electric pickles, homemade snow and slime have to do with the Bible? PLENTY,
according to Tina Houser. Join Tina, a.k.a. Dr. Fran Bunsenburner, as she takes us into her
laboratory (that looks suspiciously like a Sunday school classroom). Kids love to watch
surprises unfold before their eyes, and Tina has a real gift for turning stupefying experiments
into Bible lessons. These projects are simple to perform but will make lasting impressions
on kids. By making the learning fun and memorable, Tina gives children the tools they need
to live godly lives for years to come.
GOING LIVE 3-2-1 by Tina Hauser
If there’s one thing Tina Houser knows how to do, it's how to tell GREAT stories…Bible
stories that is! If you are ready to take your Sunday school or children's church lessons from
ho-hum to hurray, this book is for you! Tina shares many of her time-tested, kid-pleasing
storytelling techniques in this information-packed book. Your kids will be having so much
fun they won't even realize they're learning Bible stories by heart!
IT’S NOT JUNK IT’S RESOURCES by Tina Hauser
Using everyday objects most of us have lying around or ready for trash pickup, author Tina
Houser shows us imaginative ways to make great children's storytelling props, activities,
games and classroom décor that all reinforce Bible stories.
MORE THAN COOKIES & PUNCH by Tina Hauser
What kid doesn't look forward to snack time in Sunday School? This book contains more
than 50 fun and educational activities that use food to illustrate stories from the Bible. Once
the story has been told kids can eat the ''lesson.'' For ages 6+.