In this profound yet practical book, Mary Sellon and Daniel Smith make the case that the health of churches and synagogues depends on congregations learning how to live out love in “right relationships.” The authors distill what they have learned from other researchers as well as their work with dozens of pastors and congregations. This […]
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 […]
Are you ready to abuse-proof your congregation? If one child or adult is spared the confusing ordeal of unwanted touch, it will be worth your time to read this book. In this comprehensive resource, Methodist pastor and pastoral psychologist Karen McClintock demonstrates that sexual abuse in congregations is preventable and gives clergy and lay leaders […]
Projects That Matter introduces project leaders and teams to the five basic elements of project design and describes in detail a six-step process for designing and implementing a project evaluation and disseminating evaluation findings. Written for the nonexpert, leaders in religious settings will find Cahalan’s guidance clear and invaluable. Presenting evaluation as a form of collaborative […]
Small churches trying to live up to ‘big church’ standards frequently suffer from low self-esteem. Steven Burt, educator, consultant, and former small church pastor (UCC/UMC), and Hazel Roper, an American Baptist judicatory executive and former small church pastor, team up to provide clergy, lay leaders, denominational leaders, and seminary educators associated with small churches a […]
Pastoral-to-program size change is frequently described as the most challenging of growth transitions for congregations. Now Alban senior consultant Alice Mann, author of The In-Between Church: Navigating Size Transitions in Congregations, addresses the difficulties of that transition in this resource designed specifically for a congregational learning team. Conceptualized and developed by Mann for an Alban online […]
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 […]
What makes it possible for a church to reverse course from decline or stagnation into long-lasting vitality? How can a church immigrate from a congealing present into a compelling future? What can a congregation do to experience continuous, deep change rather than just temporary, surface improvement? How does a person lead redevelopment? The three authors […]
Untangling the day-to-day issues in our multifaceted lives can seem daunting. Time to sit quietly and reflect is rare. If we are fortunate, we have good friends or close family members with whom to talk things through and find clarity, but many times we feel isolated and lonely. As people of faith, we add another […]
Can how you leave a church affect your feelings about leaving or create “baggage” you take to your new congregation? Gain insight into termination styles and how they affect both you and your parishioners. Oswald guides you through Alban Institute research findings, using real-life illustrations. Roy M. Oswald has provided leadership for hundreds of conferences […]