Articles by J. Val Hastings

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Stressful Times at Church? Do What I Say, Not What I Do!

In a list of the most stressful jobs you can have, being a minister came in as one of the top ten. Pastors weren't surprised by that at all, but what if things were different? What if we practiced what we preached? When I mention the stressful nature of ministry to people outside of the church, many are surprised, even taken aback, "If they think being a minister is stressful, they should come work at my place!"

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

2,184 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Baby Step Your Way to Achieving Your Vision

Working towards a big vision is a powerful experience. As a compass, a vision can be a decision-making tool for all of your day-to-day actions. If the action will take you towards your vision, you do it. If it won't, you don't. Simple? Yes. Easy? No. Vision work can be daunting as well, and I see that all the time. A vision can be so large and overwhelming that people have a hard time getting started.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

2,040 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Just What is the Pastor's Role, Anyway?

At every church, there is usually a Board of Directors or some other governing body that hires the pastor, creates a job description and a set of expectations for that pastor, and evaluates how the pastor is doing in their role. These expectations are laid out to the pastor, of course, but unfortunately that's usually where the conversation stops – and that's a huge problem. These roles and expectations are often never discussed with the congregation at large. They either don't know or they have no say.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,920 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Is Little League Killing the Church?

I was clicking around my LinkedIn account, minding my own business, when I ran into church consultant Barbara Stechert. She had started a juicy discussion by writing that organized children's sports is either the new religion or is killing the old church. People were very emotional in their responses – she obviously struck a chord. For me, the chord that was struck as I was eavesdropping on the conversation was the same one I wrote about in my article Change Your Questions, Change Your Church – the power in changing the questions we're asking.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,749 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Pastors: Steer Into The Shift Or Be Left Behind

Ministry is going through a shift – really, a kind of death (of the pastor-centered approach to ministry) and resurrection (of a team approach). We see it in the numbers: more and more pastors out of work, more and more churches closing their doors, less and less money available for programs and building costs. It is crucial that today's clergy acknowledge this reality and steer into the shift – it's the only way to be part of the resurrection and not the death. But how do you do that?

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,735 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Vision Comes Before Action

Some say the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. I disagree. The journey of a thousand miles begins by identifying the destination. Before you do the important work of setting your 2012 goals, you must get out the Windex and clear up your view of where you/your team/your congregation are going. Coaching is all about intentionally moving forward. We always need to know what vision we're heading towards. Otherwise, we’re taking action just for action’s sake.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,660 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Coaching Skills Bridge the Gap for Overwhelmed Pastors

There are many things that seminary training doesn’t cover, including how to effectively lead, empower and equip today’s volunteers, congregations and church staff. As a result, pastors may take an overly controlling approach, or step back and surrender to the chaos, neither of which is particularly effective. With shrinking church budgets, pastors are expected to do more and more, but no one is telling them just how to create extra hours in the day (hint: you can’t) or how to transform into a multi-tasking superhero who can do it all (hint: you shouldn’t).

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,244 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

The Power of Play

Churches, faith communities and other organizations are all looking to cut corners and costs these days. So when it comes to staff development, they're squeezing out the fun events where people can play and be creative in favor of more concrete and serious activities. Why is that a mistake? 1) Play is rejuvenating and gives us more energy and focus for our work – while the absence of play can lead to burnout and higher turnover.r

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,207 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Change Grows Best in a Culture of Appreciation

Is it too late to suggest a New Year's resolution? If I had my wish, each and every church would commit to the resolution of creating a culture of appreciation. Coaches and church leaders often have the same goal – to help people create internal or organizational change. That is certainly true for one church I was working with recently. They had been trying to implement certain changes for years, with no luck.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,130 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

What is the Economic Halo Effect?

Churches wonder: Are we relevant to the community, are we making a difference, how can we have a bigger impact? On February 1st in the Philadelphia Inquirer, there was a fascinating article about "the economic halo effect." In a research study, 12 congregations were measured by 54 separate different criteria of valuation. Astoundingly, the combined total of all 12 congregations was a value of more than $50.5 million to their surrounding neighborhoods.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,107 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

Coaching Your Way through the Scriptures – Jacob's Story

I’ve long been inspired by the powerful coaching lessons found throughout the Scriptures. As a pastor, coach and coach trainer, it’s only natural for me to look to this ultimate source for inspiration and example. Is there any end to the coaching wisdom in the New and Old Testaments? I wanted to find out, and so this article begins that journey, starting with Jacob’s story.

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,076 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

For Overworked Pastors, a Restful Vacation Takes Preparation

A 2012 study by American Express found that 140 millio Americans were planning to travel this summer (as reported on the USA Today Travel blog). Yet in my conversations with clients, what I’m hearing is that if they are planning a vacation (and many aren’t), it’s not something they’re looking forward to. In a revealing post on the Day 1 blog, the Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow[a] shares the results of a poll he took of his clients, Facebook contacts and Twitter network. He asked the simple question, “Why don’t pastors take vacations?”

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

1,063 views

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By J. Val HastingsRecently published1 topic

The Key to Keeping Seminary Students in the Church

Today's seminary students are 40-50 years old, on average. They're on their second or third career, many coming out of corporate America. And while they're committed to making a difference in the world, most of them aren't planning to do that in a church setting. They see what's going on in faith communities these days and they don't want to be there. Who can blame them? So what got a group of seminary students excited – really excited – last month about the possibilities at church?

Primary topic: Religion

Religion

989 views

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Articles by J. Val Hastings

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Articles by J. Val Hastings