Format: Softcover
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Christian Chaos
Thomas Bandy continues his exploration of congregational life by arguing that the organization of a congregation – its boards and committees – constitutes a crucial ingredient in its vitality and mission. The way in which a church is organized will make all the difference in whether it becomes what Bandy has named elsewhere a thriving…
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Fragile Hope
Is your congregation concerned primarily with health and stability, or mission and outreach? Does it always or usually seek a pleasant sense of harmony and fellowship, or does it vibrate with an edgy energy? Are the members risk averse, or risk takers? In this innovative book Tom Bandy explains how harmony-the desire to minimize conflict…
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If It Could Happen Here…
In this informative book, Jeff Patton describes six ‘levers’ for transforming a small-membership church: prayer, discerning a clear vision, indigenous worship, growth groups, membership that means something, and by pastoring. Filled with solid insights on how the principles Patton has developed can be applied in different contacts, this book will offer hope to all leaders…
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Pastor
Ordained ministry, says Willimon, is a gift of God to the church–but that doesn’t mean that it is easy. Always a difficult vocation, changes in society and the church in recent years have made the ordained life all the more complex and challenging. Is the pastor primarily a preacher, a professional caregiver, an administrator? Given…
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Fling Open The Doors
In this book Paul Nixon paints a picture of what community-based ministry is all about. Drawing on his experiences within a congregation that has seen twenty-five years of increased worship attendance, he lays out practical steps that churches can take to plant themselves firmly within the lives of the communities they serve. He demonstrates how…
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Can Homophobia Be Cured?
In Can Homophobia Be Cured? Bruce Hilton focuses on the difficult questions Christians raise about the deeply divisive issue of homosexuality: – What if the real sin is not homosexuality but homophobia – fear and hatred of lesbians and gay men? – What will the church do with the growing scientific evidence that same-sex orientation…
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Faithquakes
FaithQuakes is for people who have the shakes and are looking to God’s future. With up-to-the-minute monitoring of changes and trends that affect our lives, Leonard Sweet provides refreshingly unconventional glimpses into the future that must be grasped by church leaders. We learn how to pursue a more effective, ‘go and tell’ evangelism that reaches…
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The Complete Ministry Audit
This study guide will help a church conduct a self-study anbd a complete audit of their ministries. The workshets are printed in the workbook, and are also contained in spreadsheet files on a (floppy) computer disk provided inside the back cover.
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Leading Your Ministry
Pastors are often taught the finer points of preaching and counseling and the intricacies of theological thinking – and this is assumed to be enough – but rarely are they taught the principles of leadership. Two few leaders are identified and nurtured in seminary. Alan Nelson makes a case for that need and seeks to…
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Road Runner
‘Why should we change?’ This book is written for the vast majority of congregations who are cautious, tentative, and ambivalent to change and creative initiatives for mission. The vast majority will find a calm, reasonable explanation of why their stability is more shaky than ever, and their seeming congregational health hides a growing self-destructive addiction.…
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Legacy Of The Heart
In this inspiring book, Wayne Muller draws on more than twenty years of experience as a therapist and minister to show how hard-won wisdom born of pain can become a powerful source of strength and peace. By revealing how to recognize the damaging effects of childhood wounds and how to transform them in order to…
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Studying Congregations
This new edition of Handbook for Congregational Studies replaces the previous edition. In this new edition, the authors update what has become the primary textbook in the field of congregational studies in the seminary classroom. Studying Congregations: A New Handbook will also be a useful reference for pastors, denominational leaders, and strategic planning committees.