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As a resource page we will bring different opportunities together for your review under the Congregational Life Teams six areas of focus: Worship Planning, Spiritual Formation, Evangelism, Stewardship Education, Small Membership Churches, and Urban and Ethnic Ministries
Not all of the following reading recommendations fit one of the six categories, so a seventh called "General Congregational Life" is also included. It should also be noted that some books could fit into several categories as well as the one they are in now.
Discerning God’s Will Together, Morris, Danny E. & Olsen, Charles M.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1997
ISBN: 0-8358-0808-4
I will use this wonderfully crafted guide book as I work with congregations to create vision and mission statements. Both authors know how to make the steps look easy and yet profound in that which is uncovered by the process. This book should be in every library of every pastor and congregational consultant.
**
Attending Parishioner’s Spiritual Growth, Williams, Thomas P.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1997
ISBN: 1-56699-179-X
I resonate with Williams at all junctures. We do not see the spiritual ministry of the church flourishing as it ought. Much of the trials and tribulations in the congregation are spiritual in nature. This is a guide book both to look at the historical modes of spiritual life in the congregation as well as ways to nurture women’s and men’s spirituality. CLT persons need this book in their briefcase!
**
Engaging in Ministry With Older Adults, Carlson, Dosia
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1997
ISBN: 1-56699-189-2
“Harvesting faith stories” is the best chapter in the book. Carlson wants us to rethink how we deploy our older brothers and sisters. As the older adult contingent grows, we must find ways to put them into meaningful ministry. Give up the old way of “serving” our older ones and take on the idea that life-long learning and service is what the church is all about.
**
The Interventionist, Schaller, Lyle E.
Abingdon Press Nashville, TN 1997
ISBN: 0-687-05449-4
This is a MUST READ for anyone who works with groups and congregations. Asking questions is the way to consult!!! We must first unload our own baggage as consultants before we try to assist others in unloading theirs!! Then we take the process one step at a time, keeping our eye on the process so that we do not skip around not gloss over any step.
This is classic Schaller. It will be right along side my Bible when I go to work with congregations.
**
A Simpler Way, Wheatley, Margaret J. & Kellner-Rogers, Myron
Berrett-Koehler Publishers San Francisco, CA 1996
ISBN: 1-881052-95-8
“Whether we are beginning a relationship, a team, a community organizing effort, or a global corporation, we need together to be asking: ‘What are we trying to be? What’s possible now? How can the world be different because of us?’ ” page 59.
The authors have pieced together a wonderful book on organizations. For one who wants to be “spiritual” about organization, this is a MUST READ. I will read it over and over. It is the soul of being one with the “flow” of every organized culture.
**
Synchronicity - The Inner Path of Leadership, Jaworski, Joseph
Berritt-Koehler Publishers, Inc. San Francisco, CA 1996
ISBN: 1-57675-031-0
Jaworski has captivated my thinking with the idea of “synchronicity.” Leadership to be strong must come from a synchronous inner being - one that knows itself and feels at one with those who are being led. The introduction by Peter Senge is worth the cost of the book. I agree that most leadership does not have that inner knowledge of self - the inner integrity of commitment and drive - that desire to be at one with those who are being led. No more mechanistic leadership.
If you want to follow the narrative style of the author to a deeper understanding of self, this book is for you!
**
Transforming Leadership - New Skills for an Extraordinary Future, Anderson, Terry D.
Human Resources Development Press, Inc. Amherst, MA 1992
ISBN: 0-87425-181-8
An excellent road map to leadership development that does not just administer but transforms the work and client culture around it. Although put into business orientation, this is a riveting and well formatted work. I’d recommend it to anyone.
**
Discerning Your Congregation’s Future, Oswald, Roy M. & Friedrich, Robert E. Jr
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1996
ISBN: 156699-174-9
This is a very usable workbook on ways to look at the congregation’s future and how to organize it toward the future. I will be using this with congregations that are working toward a vision and mission statement, toward ministries that will deal with the future work into which the church is moving. I encourage every CLT person to have this book as a resource.
**
Kicking Habits - Welcome Relief for Addicted Churches, Bandy, Thomas G.
Abingdon Press Nashville, TN 1997
ISBN: 0-687-03189-3
This is a must read!!! I am getting a copy to each pastor in the Michigan District and to my Executive Committee of the Michigan District Board. Congregations are indeed addicted to self-destructive practices. Bandy works at this problem as an opportunity for ministry. In a gentle but straight toward the mark way, he deals with it for the transformation of the congregation.
**
Leading Change in the Congregation, Rendle, Gilbert R.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1998
ISBN: 1-56699-187-0
We live in organizational chaos!!!! How do we make sense out of the structures that best take us into the future? Rendle gives us tools to do just that. We can no longer work with the church as a machine - with simple tinkering with peripherals. We must work with the spiritual and emotional climates that block most of us from moving forward. How do we help others to “adopt” change? Slowly and with great care!
This book may be a little too mechanistic for my sensibilities. It sounds like doing a number on people. Yet the principles are sound.
**
Natural Church Development, Schwartz, Christian A.
Church Smart Resources Carol Stream, IL 1996
ISBN: 1-889638-00-5
This book is developed to meet and work with Anabaptist sensibilities. Every pastor and/or church planter should read this book. Its focus is to empower leadership to dream dreams and for the laity to work with joy.
**
Reflections of a Contrarian, Schaller, Lyle E.
Abingdon Press Nashville, TN 1989
ISBN: 0-687-35888-4
Schaller reflects on the church into which we are living. Even though this is an older book!!!, it is filled with keen insights. He works on all the cliches that we use to keep us from moving forward into the future.
**
Plain Talk about Churches and Money, Hoge, Dean & McNamara, Patrick & Zech, Charles
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1997
ISBN: 1-56699-185-4
This is a book of strategies - strategies that work to find money for the ministries of the church. We must give up the old ways of thinking about how we raise funds. This book helps us do that. This is a “Must Read” book.
**
Raising Small Church Esteem, Burt, Steven E. & Roper, Hazel A.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1992
ISBN: 1-56699-053-X
I work with small membership congregations every day. They all feel that they “just can’t do what it takes.” This is a very easy to follow and get into book. The authors work toward taking the high road rather than the fighting and bickering that takes place in most small membership groups. The book is well written and easy to follow.
**
The Crisis in the Churches - Spiritual Malaise, Fiscal Woe, Wuthnow, Robert
Oxford University Press New York, NY 1997
ISBN: 0-19-511020-X
A keen analysis of the church into which we now are given is the gift of this book. I would have every consultant and pastor read this book. The author works not only on the “one size fits all” issues but also divides the “church size” groups and works on prescriptions for work with them.
“It is troubling, however, to hear how clergy talk about the future of the church. Those who say it will remain strong in the future bask their arguments on the logic of necessity: Because people NEED spirituality, they argue, the churches will remain strong. They fail to recognize that growing numbers of people are looking outside the churches for spiritual guidance.” P 225
The bottom line is this: the church will either become again a vital partner in the real world or forfeit its place in the stream of human community. Pastors and leaders will either become scholars of the mission field or lose any right to ministry.
I found myself reading this book twice and at a very slow pace. A MUST READ
**
Healthy Congregations, Steinke, Peter L.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1996
ISBN: 1-56699-173-0
Steinke is a person to reckon with as we work with congregations. He takes a “systems approach” to health in the congregational life. Everyone who works with congregations should have this book on the shelf - after having read it ten times!!!! Read it after How Your Church Family Works.
**
How Your Church Family Works, Steinke, Peter L.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1993
ISBN: 1-56699-119-2
All too many pastors do not understand the emotional system that operates in their congregation. Fact is, most see it as a negative! Steinke helps to unpack this baggage and assists us to work with the system in a creative and healing manner. This book is a must for anyone who really loves the ministry and the church!
**
A New Day for Family Ministry, Olson, Richard & Leonard, Joe H. jr.
Alban Institute Bethesda, MD 1996
ISBN: 1-56699-166-8
Touted as another way of working with families than that of the religious right, Olson and Leonard put together an excellent framework for ministry in the church. I especially found it helpful when working with family diversity in the church. This book could be the answer to my Sabbatical question of ways to keep the church as one in this day of tugs and pulls.
**
Watch this page for future additions and changes
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