Most seminary graduates will begin their ministries with plenty of important head knowledge to share--but with a deficit of some of the most practical aspects of doing ministry, such as - which ministry role most suits them - how to start out strong at a new church - persevering during difficult seasons of ministry - leading meetings and delegating tasks - safeguarding their family - fighting discouragement, pastor envy, and a lack of contentment - navigating special ministry needs, such as hospitals, weddings, and funerals - and much more Through his hard-won wisdom, Jason Helopoulos comes alongside new pastors as a trusted friend and mentor, ready to guide them through their first years of ministry with intelligence and compassion.
The Pastor's Handbook (KJV) is intended to meet the continuing need of the Christian minister for guidance and forms as he does the work of the ministry. It seeks to offer options to suit the tastes of the pastor and congregation within the parameters of quality, beauty and dignity. To this end, numerous changes, both large and small, have been made—more selected Scriptures, new alternatives for special occasions, some significant additions and changes. At the same time, every effort has been made to keep the book concise and compact to maximize its usefulness. The formulas should be sufficient for the ordinary needs of the minister. They may be modified or supplemented by materials from the pastor's private collection or his own preparation. Some who stress liberty in prayer and preaching dislike set forms, preferring spontaneity and a free style as they worship. If the spiritual vitality of a church is maintained there need be no fear that these forms will become lifeless rituals. The use of forms should never become merely formal. And if the use of forms adds beauty and dignity to the atmosphere of sacredness, who can object? May the blessing of God attend all who glean from this manual, enabling it them to know what to say and how to say it. This is made also for allowing them to know what to do and how to do it especially as the occasion requires. Gratitude is expressed to many pastors and contributors for this volume. Includes the: worship service, baptism, communion, funerals, anointing services, healing services, membership, installation, baby and child dedication, consecration services, ceremonies for buildings and visitation.
Powerful. Practical. Pastoral. Pastor’s Handbook is the major expansion and revision of beloved preacher John R. Bisagno’s previously heralded work, Letters to Timothy. Based on his sixty years in ministry, it now includes 160 brief yet powerful chapters of practical insight for handling real life pastoral issues—“things that might have fallen through the cracks in seminary.” Bisagno still mentors young pastors in his retirement and recognizes new challenges in this profession known for its high dropout rate. Keeping that in mind, Pastor’sHandbook adds helpful entries on such issues as “The Seeker Friendly Church,” “Solving Worship Wars,” “Multiple Campuses,” “New Media,” and “Home Groups” as well as “Internet Pornography,” “Biblical Inerrancy,” “The High Cost of Overnight Change,” “Homosexuality,” “Christianity and Islam,” and more than a dozen other timely topics. Bisagno also refreshes many of the original chapters, factoring in new world issues and his updated survey of pastoral colleagues. In the foreword, pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren (The Purpose-Driven Life) writes, “My prayer is that an entire new generation of pastors and church planters will use this book to develop the necessary perspective, convictions, character, and skills needed for ministry in the 21st century from this giant of the 20th century.”
The church administrative assistant is a key part of effective ministry. Greeting weekday visitors, taking phone messages, managing paperwork, and keeping the pastor and staff organized are just a few of the daily tasks of an assistant's role. This myriad of duties and responsibilities, which are often unique to each individual church, makes training new assistants an often difficult and daunting task for pastors and staff.The Church Administrative Assistant's Handbook is a valuable training tool to help church administrators and assistants work together to achieve efficiency and maximize their church's ministry. It includes a variety of useful forms and information for the pastor and assistant to use together as they set up their requirements and expectations for a successful team.Resources include: Design expectations and qualifications to use when selecting an executive assistantQuestionnaires to help determine work style, personality, and spiritual gifts Practical tips, guidelines, and tools for accomplishing daily tasks A CD with reproducible files of policies, templates, forms, checklists, and procedures, which can be adapted to fit a person's various need
What’s new about this third edition of the long respected and often used Church Administration Handbook? In addition to time and technological-sensitive updates to the basic organizational details, editor Bruce Powers writes: “The needs of people and churches have continued to change, with questions now being raised about the quality of congregational life, nature of leadership, and responsibility for ministry among all believers . . . As we have prepared this edition, we have sought to address five primary needs. 1. Leadership skills and administrative tools that can be adapted for use in a variety of contexts from traditional to contemporary, from rural to urban, and from unicultural to multicultural settings; 2. Spiritual formation that relates to all of life (from birth to death); 3. Mission consciousness (in community, regionally, nationally, and globally); 4. Ministry of all believers (particularly calling out and equipping vocational, bivocational, and lay ministers); and 5. Leadership competence (the ability to inspire, motivate, and equip the saints for the work of ministry).”
Church leaders understand that managing the day-to-day operations of a church can be challenging because of limited resources, managing volunteer labor, and supporting the needs of the congregation. Smart Church Management: A Quality Approach to Church Administration, Third Edition is an updated guide for managing the resources of a church - which is people, time and money. This book provides tools and examples for decision making and problem-solving for church administration that is easy to understand and more importantly, quick to implement! This book also includes discussion questions to provoke thought and discussion for church teams. This book is ideal for ministry students, church boards, church leadership and church administrators.
Pastors are tasked with the incredibly demanding job of caring for the spiritual, emotional, and, at times‚ physical needs of their people. While seminary is helpful preparation for many of the challenges pastors face, there’s far more to pastoral ministry than what can be covered in the classroom. Designed as a reference guide for nearly every situation a pastor will face, this comprehensive book by seasoned pastors Kent Hughes and Doug O’Donnell is packed full of biblical wisdom and practical guidance related to the reality of pastoral ministry in the trenches. From officiating weddings to conducting funerals to visiting the sick, this book will equip pastors and church leaders with the knowledge they need to effectively minister to their flocks, both within the walls of the church and beyond.
