Publisher: Alban Institute
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The Business Of The Church
Pastors are called to be not only leaders with vision but also managers of congregational systems, says John Wimberly in The Business of the Church. Drawing on his thirty-six years in ordained ministry, Wimberly weaves the realities of congregational dynamics and faith-centered purpose together with practical, proven approaches to business management. A student and friend…
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The Pastor As Newcomer
All too often when a pastor takes up a new assignment or call the same frustrating series of events occurs: everyone experiences a burst of enthusiasm and hope, with Lay people and clergy finding that doors seem to open to new possibilities a few things go wrong, some hopes get dashed, personal differences emerge, old.…
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Unique Dynamics Of The Small Church
The struggle to define the small church provides an insight into the problems of small congregations.
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The Leadership Situation Facing American Congregations
This report contains an overview of current reports on the status of congregational leadership and outlines the challenges to developing new leadership for congregations. Click here for more information and to download the report (PDF format).
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If This Is The Way The World Works
In If This Is the Way the World Works William O. Avery and Beth Ann Gaede ask two primary questions: First, what principles from science are so broadly accepted that scientists themselves are willing to say, ‘This is the way the world works’? Second, how do congregations and their leaders behave when they operate in…
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The Church Of All Ages
Many congregations today experience collisions between parents who ant to spend time with their children and age-segregated church programming, as well as between the children worshiping in their pews and the increasing number of seniors in the same pew. Among the questions these congregations struggle to address are these: Should we try to hold the…
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Choosing The Kingdom
Today the Christian faith is moving through one of the greatest sea changes in its two thousand year history, and we can no longer assume we know exactly what kind of animal preaching is or ought to be. Choosing the Kingdom is both a work of theology and a how-to guide for preachers who want to rethink…
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Preaching Ethically
How do clergy preach to meet the legitimate needs of their congregation and live up to standards of professionalism and personal integrity? Preaching Ethically offers guidelines for preaching in light of a range of factors that might tempt a preacher to misuse the pulpit. How do you preach about controversial issues? What do you say from the…
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Reaching Out In A Networked World
A congregation communicates its heart and soul through words, photos, actions, programs, architecture, decor, the arts, and countless other aspects of congregational life. In Reaching Out in a Networked World, communications expert and pastor Lynne Baab examines technologies such as websites, blogs, online communities, and desktop publishing. She demonstrates how a congregation can evaluate these tools…
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When God Speaks Through You
‘Holy and active listening’ means listening openly and attentively to one another with the expectation that God will speak in and through the conversation. In When God Speaks through You, homiletics professor Craig Satterlee helps preachers and their congregations learn to listen to one another with such grace. Satterlee demonstrates how individuals and groups can…
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Holy Places
Building communicate. Stained glass windows, high altars, multi-purpose worship/gymnasium spaces, Plexiglas pulpits, padded pews–these and all other architectural elements say something about a congregation’s theology and mission. They point to a faith community’s beliefs about worship, identity, purpose, and more. From the stark simplicity of a Quaker meetinghouse to the splendor of a Romanesque Revival…
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Church On The Edge Of Somewhere
Most congregations today exist in what George Thompson calls the “middle of anywhere.” They live comfortably with their surrounding culture, focusing their energies on serving the needs of their current members. These congregations have many strengths and gifts that they can exercise without changing a thing. But Thompson envisions a deeper, more prophetic call for…