Church Structure that Works
Church Structure that Works

Author: Bill Blanchard

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781935265238

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Some of the biggest challenges that pastors and church leaders face are rooted in a non-biblical church structure. These challenges lead to low morale and discouragement, and they can drain enthusiasm and kill vision faster than almost anything else. This book shows you how to build an effective biblical church structure so that troubling dysfunction can be transformed into a healthy environment. Additionally, a model Constitution and Bylaws, scrutinized by an attorney who specializes in church and denominational litigation, is provided for others to inculcate into their respective ministries. Pastors, missionaries, church planters, college and seminary professors, church leaders and church members will be greatly helped by reading and applying this book, which combines biblical scholarship with the practical insights of a pastor with over 30 years of experience. The foreword is written by the President of the largest seminary in the world. This book has also been endorsed in writing by thirteen other key evangelical leaders (professors, missionaries, pastors, editors, and institutional presidents and administrators). It can stand the test of scholarly scrutiny, but is succinct and promises to fill a huge void for years to come.

Who Runs the Church?
Who Runs the Church?

Author: Zondervan,

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2009-05-26

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 0310543525

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Churches have split and denominations have formed over the issue of church government. While many Christians can explain their church's form of rule or defend it because of its "tried and true" traditions, few people understand their church's administrative customs from a biblical perspective. Who Runs the Church? explores questions such as: What model for governing the church does the Bible provide, and is such a model given for practical or spiritual reasons? Is there room for different methods within Christianity? Or is there a right way of "doing church"? And, finally, how (and by whom) should the church be governed? Four predominant approaches to church government are presented by respected proponents: Episcopalianism - represented by Peter Toon Presbyterianism - represented by L. Roy Taylor Single-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Paige Patterson Plural-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Samuel E. Waldron As in other Counterpoints books, each view is followed by critiques from the other contributors, and its advocate then responds.

That All May be One
That All May be One

Author: Terence L. Nichols

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 9780814658574

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Written from an ecumenical perspective, "That All May Be One" is addressed to those who are concerned about hierarchy in their own churches and those concerned about the ecumenical movement. Terence L. Nichols details the notion of participatory hierarchy, grounding it in Scripture and in Christian tradition.

The Office of Peter
The Office of Peter

Author: Hans Urs Von Balthasar

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2013-05-15

Total Pages: 413

ISBN-13: 1681495279

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In this theological masterpiece on the ministry of the Pope (the Petrine Office) and the nature of the Church, the great Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar examines what he calls the anti-Roman attitude-a widespread hostility toward the Papacy. Unfortunately, this attitude exists even within the Catholic Church. How should we understand this? More importantly, how should we overcome it? Hans Urs von Balthasar answers these questions by providing a balanced discussion of the Papcy's place in the Church. He shows how the Office of Peter is an essential aspect of the ongoing life and mission of Christ's Church. On the one hand, the Papacy is not "above" the Church, the author insists, nor is the mystery of the Church reducible to the Papacy. On the other hand, writes von Balthasar, the Petrine ministry of the Pope is a crucial element among other indispensable, constitutive principles, which include what von Balthasar calls the Johannine and Pauline dimensions, and above all else on the Marian aspect of the Church.

How Your 21st-Century Church Family Works
How Your 21st-Century Church Family Works

Author: Peter L. Steinke

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2021-11-27

Total Pages: 157

ISBN-13: 1538149141

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The first edition of How Your Church Family Works was written nearly thirty years ago, and the reach and velocity of change in the last three decades poses a new challenge for churches. Thirty years ago, churches functioned in a fairly stable environment and focused on growth an expansion. The tide has turned now, though, and supplanted increase with decline. Bowen family systems theory—on which How Your Church Family Works is based—has not changed, but its application has to be revised for the twenty-first century. How Your 21st-Century Church Family Works, the second edition of Peter Steinke’s landmark book, addresses the radically altered landscape of church sustainability with new introductory and concluding chapters bookending updates throughout the now-classic text. Core chapters of the book feature fresh examples of emotional process that are more exemplary of the current scene. One key addition is a new trigger of anxiety for churches—the change process. Change threatens the familiar and stable and suffers from negative connotations of endangering tradition. Where gradual change has been the norm for so long, churches now see a blistering pace of disruptions, some of which have forced change too early or too late, or sometimes in unproductive directions. How Your 21st-Century Church family works embraces the anxiety caused by change, transforming it from a source of anguish to a font of opportunity.

Organizing Love in Church
Organizing Love in Church

Author: Tim Adeney

Publisher:

Published: 2012-04-14

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13: 9781922110169

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Most of us have the instinct that a church won't automatically develop a culture of love for God, his people, and his world. This book puts words to that instinct.Chapter 1 outlines the kinds of loving fellowship, discipleship, and mission we hope for in a church. Chapter 2 explores why these expressions of love generally don't 'just happen', and why some common approaches to church -- including Sunday gatherings and Bible studies -- don't necessarily foster a loving community. And chapter 3 makes some concrete suggestions for how better to promote love in church.

How Your Church Family Works
How Your Church Family Works

Author: Peter L. Steinke

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2006-11-20

Total Pages: 170

ISBN-13: 1566995515

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Drawing on the work of Bowen and Friedman, and on his own many years of counseling experience, Peter Steinke shows how to recognize and deal with the emotional roots of such issues as church conflict, leadership roles, congregational change, irresponsible behavior, and the effects of family of origin on current relationships.

Death of the Church
Death of the Church

Author: Mike Regele

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 0310200067

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Our culture is changing at a dizzying rate. But the church seems to be left behind, caught in subcultural backwaters that have little or no impact on mainstream society. Based on the quantitative research of his group, Percept, Regele analyzes the forces in our culture and discusses how the church can fulfill its mission in the face of them.

Churches That Make a Difference
Churches That Make a Difference

Author: Ronald J. Sider

Publisher: Baker Books

Published: 2002-04-01

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1585582190

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Churches over the past generations have been weakened by a failure to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of their communities. Many have adopted a narrow vision, focusing on only one aspect of ministry. But in today's environment of faith-based opportunities many Christians are eager to start reaching out to their world with both Good News and good works, and therefore they are searching for appropriate ways to integrate both into their ministry. In Churches That Make a Difference, best-selling author Ron Sider and his coauthors give those involved in community outreach a comprehensive resource for developing holistic ministry--a balance of evangelism and social outreach. Illustrations and helpful organizational tips detail the how-to's of an effective holistic ministry. Case studies that show how different churches across the United States reach out to their communities provide a variety of ideas and practical applications. User-friendly tools are included as well for congregational studies, surveys, evaluations, and community assessments. The authors draw on extensive experience with church ministries and faith-based organizations as they share the life-changing vision and biblical mandate for living the whole gospel. Church leaders will be encouraged in their process of developing and maintaining a holistic ministry, and local churches will rediscover a passion for loving the whole person the way Jesus did.

Church Architecture
Church Architecture

Author: James F. White

Publisher: O S L Publications

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781878009340

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

New edition for congregations planning to build or renew their church facilities. Now includes elements, which have become prominent in recent times including the use of visuals, electronic instruments, and the need for flexible space to accommodate the various configurations and multiple uses to which church space is put.