Ministry Leadership

Longtime pastor Douglas Wilson takes a hammer to some of our very favorite graven images, and (surprise, surprise) we've set up display cases for most of them in our churches: liturgy, tradition, systematics, infant baptism, and that crafty old Baal doctrine. Alongside a critique of philosophical assumptions about human nature, dualism, and grace, Wilson stresses the unavoidable and absolute necessity of individual hearts being born again. He concludes by laying out the case for the church.

¿No es suficiente con que un cristiano siga la transmisión en vivo de un servicio de la iglesia? ¿Todavía vale la pena unirse a una congregación local? ¿En realidad es tan importante reunirse todas las semanas? ¿Por qué debería ir a la iglesia (de nuevo)? Collin Hansen y Jonathan Leeman abordan estas preguntas. Quieren ayudarte a redescubrir por qué la iglesia es tan importante. La iglesia es más que una transmisión en vivo; es una comunidad que, como pueblo de Dios, aprende a ser el cuerpo de Cristo. Necesitas a otros (y otros necesitan de ti) para ser cristiano.

Wie müsste sie aussehen - eine Kirche, in der sich möglichst viele Menschen wirklich wohlfühlen? Christopher Schlicht und Maximilian Bode, zwei junge Pastoren, probieren es einfach. Als Pastor nicht zu heilig daherzukommen, das ist beiden wichtig. Deshalb tragen Pastor Max und Pastor Chris im Gottesdienst keinen Talar, sondern Jeansjacke oder Flanellhemd. Nur am Kollar, dem Priesterkragen, sind sie während des Gottesdienstes zu erkennen.

The Externally Focused Quest: Becoming the Best Church for the Community is designed for church leaders who want to transform their churches to become less internally focused and more oriented to the world around them. The book includes clear guidelines on the changes congregations must adopt to become truly outwardly focused. This book is not about getting all churches to have an annual day of community service as a tactic, but changing the core of who they are and how they see themselves as a part of their community.

Grant Windle invites pastors and Christian leaders to reflect on their approach to leadership. He Counted Them offers an unflinching glimpse into the journey of an Australian pastor reflecting on over four decades of church leadership. Windle confronts his own struggles with the profound paradox of being both a servant and a leader, as taught and exemplified by Jesus himself.

A new world thats both global and local - glocal - is being born. What does this look like for believers and the church? How can we adapt to this new world? Glocalization offers an intriguing look at the future of Christianity and how individuals and churches can connect to the future.

Is it possible our world is just one big high school lunchroom? In a world fraught with polarization and division—where we form separate tables based on political beliefs, skin color, economic status, theological ideas, and personal preferences—can we find a way to live differently, more aligned with the ways of Jesus? In Lunchroom Theology, Heather Gorman and Mark Nelson confront our societal and theological rifts, and by weaving together scriptural and sociological insights, they expose the many ways our contemporary divisions are mirrored by the church today.

Why do Church leaders and Christian organizations struggle to connect with modern audiences? Where once the church was a cornerstone of local communities, today many people believe it is irrelevant or out of touch. And so, church leaders are now stuck between a warped public perception and the true message of the Gospel. If you care about the Christian message today, it is hard not to feel discouraged.

Christians love to fight, and most of the time we fight unnecessary battles. We fight over worship styles, building programs, carpet color, governance structures, use of alcohol, and a thousand other debatable matters of theology or culture. The fuel that feeds the fire are gray issues. What is a gray issue? A gray issue is an area of theology or culture that is either not addressed in the Bible, or while addressed, leaves room for legitimate differences of opinions. Come and join a new movement of biblically sound, theologically solid, and beautifully unified Gray Churches.

Repentance is one of the core tenets of the gospel, but what does it truly mean? Understanding the principle of repentance at a deeper level is often overshadowed by the simplistic reciting of the five-step process of repentance: (1) recognition, (2) remorse, (3) confession, (4) restitution, and (5) forgiveness. But repenting is so much more than a checklist step in the process to get on the righteous path.

Among the top 10 trends that are changing American life, Time magazine recently listed a rising dissatisfaction with organized religion. Though many people today like Jesus, they are growing tired of traditional religious institutions. For many years, Dan Kimball would have agreed, until an encounter with a small group of Jesus followers started him on a journey that challenged him to rethink everything he had ever assumed about the church.

While "missions" used to be the territory of experts and missionary professionals, globalization has made the issues and needs of our world accessible to average Americans. Many American Christians feel overwhelmed by the scope of the brokenness in the world and conclude all they can do is go on with their lives. Others respond by giving and praying, and still others want to do more. What Can I Do shows that global mission is something we all can be part of in tangible ways.

Whether you know it or not, you're a leader. Maybe that's not news; you're used to taking charge. But if you're like many people, you have yet to discover your potential as a man or woman others follow in pursuit of a vision--a compelling, infectious vision that grips people and draws them alongside you to fulfill it.

Self-identifying as 'evangelical' is risky business these days. What is Evangelicalism? Is it a historical artifact? A political philosophy? A set of doctrines? A litmus test for genuine faith? Perhaps more important, what will come to mind when future generations hear something described as 'evangelical'? Routes and Radishes invites you into a conversation about what the evangelical movement has been and what it is going to be.

While we can't determine how God will act, we can be expectant and anticipate his work. And revivals are not just experienced-they can be led. James Choung and Ryan Pfeiffer have seen revival in their own ministries, with remarkable transformation in both individuals and communities. They unpack what revival looks like, how Christians can anticipate it, and how they can experience it in their own lives and in larger movements. They provide a model of revival leadership for Christians who want to facilitate and spread revival in their contexts.

Imagine the chance to sit down with 30 of the world's best-known and best-respected leaders as they share their secrets to success. That's Master Leaders - the most valuable leadership book of the decade.

In an audiobook eagerly awaited by her growing retinue of fans, she brings listeners inside the world's oldest Christian faith, illuminating Eastern Orthodoxy in a manner similar to Kathleen Norris's exploration of Benedictine spirituality. An ex-hippie and former social radical, the author often writes humorously about her unusual road from Woodstock to the altar of an Orthodox church, where she is the pastor's wife.

Moments after our pastor exited the building that afternoon in 2008, most of the congregation sat in shock. A tiny but powerful minority wore victorious smiles at the minister's ousting. The lady to my left wept. Her pleading question kept me awake all night. "Why did our pastor have to leave?" Polls reveal startling statistics regarding pastoral ministry: 91 percent of ministers know three to four others who've been forced out of pastoral positions.

In Deep Church, Belcher brings the best insights of all sides to forge a third way between emerging and traditional. In a fair and evenhanded way, Belcher explores the proposals of such emerging church leaders as Tony Jones, Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt. He offers measured appreciation and affirmation as well as balanced critique.

You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, and reared in evangelicalism and not be an emergent Christian. In fact I want to argue that it would be better if you weren't. The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today's Christian community. And they're talking about good things: caring for the poor, peace for all men, loving Jesus. They're doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there's more to the movement than that.