Urbanization is taking over the world’s population at an extreme rate. It is expected that by 2050 3.4 billion urbanization will increase by 84% to 6.3 billion people (Harf & Lombardi, 2013). This is an increase from 3.4 billion in 2009. In contrast, 2020 will see the peak of rural population of 3.5 billion, but … Continue reading Who Is Responsible for Urbanization?
Tag: systems
Tangible Leading Through Intangible Elements
As a consultant, one of the challenges is dividing between the emotional elements of church life and the organizational elements. It is so hard to identify the tangible pieces from the intangible ‘feeling’ elements. In the church world, the ‘feeling’ elements, or intangible variables, can seem as though they are the majority of the driving … Continue reading Tangible Leading Through Intangible Elements
Causal Loop Diagrams for Casting Vision
Church ministry life is complicated with a wide variety of variables that need consideration but can be overlooked. For those within a ministry leadership team, trying to understand the complexity is challenging, however for those outside of the team it may be an impossibility. Leaders are always seeking the balance of sharing the necessary information … Continue reading Causal Loop Diagrams for Casting Vision
Faith Communities are Living Systems
Systems dynamics is a valuable area of thinking for ministry leaders. To understand the systems that impact ministry success, as well as societal health, are vital. Too often, though, systems thinking is dismissed as only information technology or process flows, and many leaders do not see the living systems impacting their lives every day. There … Continue reading Faith Communities are Living Systems
CLD for a Church Building
Trying to make sense out of organizational life can be very challenging, but attempting to make sense out of organizational life through linear thinking may not only make it more difficult, but may actually create an inaccurate understanding that leads to completely counterproductive decisions. Making inappropriate simplifications of organizational life can prove disastrous for the … Continue reading CLD for a Church Building
Causal Loop Diagrams for Clarity
In his book, Strategic Modeling and Business Dynamics, John Morecroft (2015) uses the system of violent drug crime as a model to explain how a causal loop works. The focus of the scenario is on reducing drug-related crime and how the system of drugs, law enforcement, and those involved with the drugs perpetuate drug-related crimes … Continue reading Causal Loop Diagrams for Clarity
Field Notes 