From Franchise to Family

As I look around the landscape of Christianity today, I notice that many of the churches having the greatest impact tend to have this in common: there is a strong family dynamic present at their core. This has been a point of intrigue for me, and I’ve been exploring the value of a family-based model in the overall health and effectiveness of the church. In our Catholic parishes, we often use the language of family, but if we look at the specifics, I think it’s more accurate to say we function much more like franchises than families.

Leadership, CultureJim SchusterNovember 17, 2019culture, page 3

Understanding “This Cultural Moment”

We should not allow ourselves to give in to a doom-and-gloom perspective of where things stand today, nor should we embrace hyperbolic slogans that claim this to be the worst period in history. Not all churches are dying; many are thriving and growing. Once we cast off the narrative of inevitable decline, there is every reason to believe that we may be standing on the edge of the next great awakening.

Leadership, Evangelization, CultureJim SchusterOctober 13, 2019post-christianity, culture, page 3

The 4 Kinds of Leadership Every Parish Needs

Parishes cannot accomplish great things without great leadership. But a truly great parish also requires different kinds of leadership in order to grow into its full potential. I believe there are four key leadership needs for every parish: visionary leadership, team leadership, pastoral leadership, and managerial leadership.

LeadershipJim SchusterApril 18, 2016administration, leadership, parish culture, team, vision, page 2Comment

The Parish as School of Evangelization

What is we looked at the parish as a school of evangelization that focuses on training her members to evangelize outside of parish walls? There are two main objections that come to mind in this regard. First, the parish has always been a provider of pastoral care for her members. Would the focus on becoming a school of evangelization mean setting aside the valuable pastoral care our parishes provide? Second, many might object that a great number of parishioners need much more foundational formation themselves before they would be ready to be trained in evangelization. Sure, we need to do some evangelization training, but isn't it unrealistic to think that we could make that the central focus?

What Is a Parish?

Though the parochial system has been a mainstay of Catholic culture for centuries, it remains but an optional approach to governance in the Church. That is to say, there is nothing doctrinal or dogmatic about the role of a parish, and so it is a legitimate question to ask in any age, "What is the purpose of a parish today?" The way we answer this question today may be different than in times past.