This visually stunning and carefully researched book encompasses some of the most significant Catholic churches of Chicago, addressing both their architectural and theological significance. Color photographs beautifully illustrate the insightful text. It is a book suitable for those interested in local history, architectural achievement, theological awareness, or those who simply desire to glory in the visual beauty of Chicago's historic churches.
Yes, there certainly are many obstacles to urban church planting. The challenge of refraining from insisting on suburban models for urban settings, the soaring cost of living expenses in global urban settings, the challenges inherent in diverse over homogenous contexts, the continual shifting of people moving in and out of cities, the multiplicity of global religions and worldviews- these things can sometimes seem formidable. However, God, who loves cities, and the promise of Kingdom come are truly worth the struggle. Our urban church planting work will be more effective if it is intentional about being both responsive to what is going on around us and in the world and proactive to the possibilities God has placed before us. It is Linda and Michael's hope that this book will help its readers become more willing to experiment and more willing to be hopeful about the possibility for starting thousands and thousands of vibrant urban churches.
A design-thinking book for planting or redesigning churches and incubating a new generation of leaders. Written by Linda Bergquist and Allan Karr, two experienced church planters and mentors, the book is full of wisdom, practical advice, and creative counsel. Instead of a business-model-as-usual approach, the authors challenge readers to begin with the raw materials of beliefs, values, individuals, teams, and culture, and to then move outwards to draw from a rich palette of real and potential church paradigms. This book is meant to provoke church leaders to think outside of the box and to imagine how their churches might better reflect the image and the mission of God in the world. Contains a wealth of illustrative examples, charts, and other visual aides Offers a creative practical perspective and a multi-disciplinary approach to establishing a new church or leading an existing one Shows how to honor a church's purpose while embracing its unique culture Includes important lessons for nurturing church leadership skills
Practical and Gospel-centered thoughts on how to have a fruitful ministry by one of America's leading and most beloved pastor. Many church leaders are struggling to adapt to a culture that values individuality above loyalty to a group or institution. There have been so many "church growth" and "effective ministry" books in the past few decades that it's hard to know where to start or which ones will provide useful and honest insight. Based on over twenty years of ministry in New York City, Timothy Keller takes a unique approach that measures a ministry's success neither by numbers nor purely by the faithfulness of its leaders, but on the biblical grounds of fruitfulness. Center Church outlines a balanced theological vision for ministry organized around three core commitments: Gospel-centered: The gospel of grace in Jesus Christ changes everything, from our hearts to our community to the world. It completely reshapes the content, tone, and strategy of all that we do. City-centered: With a positive approach toward our culture, we learn to affirm that cities are wonderful, strategic, and under-served places for gospel ministry. Movement-centered: Instead of building our own tribe, we seek the prosperity and peace of our community as we are led by the Holy Spirit. "Between a pastor's doctrinal beliefs and ministry practices should be a well-conceived vision for how to bring the gospel to bear on the particular cultural setting and historical moment. This is something more practical than just doctrine but much more theological than "how-to steps" for carrying out a ministry. Once this vision is in place, it leads church leaders to make good decisions on how to worship, disciple, evangelize, serve, and engage culture in their field of ministry—whether in a city, suburb, or small town." — Tim Keller, Core Church
To Transform a City is a valuable guide for those who dream big about the spiritual and social changes possible for the cities and towns that surround their churches. Two visionary leaders examine the foundations, history, theology, and practical methods of community transformation.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, paying particular attention to the downtrodden and the poor. As followers of Jesus, Christians are called to imitate his example and reach out to those who have the least. This book offers biblical guidelines and practical strategies for reaching those on the margins of our society with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The authors—both pastors with years of experience ministering among the poor—set forth helpful “dos” and “don’ts” related to serving in the midst of less-affluent communities. Emphasizing the priority of the gospel as well as the importance of addressing issues of social justice, this volume will help pastors and other church leaders mobilize their people to plant churches and make an impact in “hard places”—in their own communities and around the world.
What does church planting look like in the 21st century? Is the goal to plant more churches or is it to plant new kinds of churches? In Planting Churches in the 21st Century, Stuart Murray suggests that church planting isn't just about numbers--it's about the renewal of the church and the development of new ways of being the church that are biblically rooted and contextually appropriate. With his gift for posing thought-provoking questions while writing in a clear, logical style, Murray provides stimulation and challenge to anyone who wants to see new churches come into being. But don't look here for stereotypes and ready-made blueprints; Murray's approach is open-ended and leaves ample room for personal reflection and creative responses. "Most of the literature on church planting in North America assumes that that the Christendom come-to-us model still works. That is true for a rapidly declining segment of the population and fails to reach the growing ranks of the never-churched. Stuart Murray has provided a much needed contribution to the study and practice of church planting by addressing the basic questions: Why plant Churches? Where? When? What? Who? and What Next? "In addressing each of these fundamental questions he both surveys a wide terrain and digs deeply, drawing from his long experience with a wide variety of traditions. He also writes as a practitioner and not just a theoretician. This is not a step-by-step, how to book that you can read and set aside, but a reference book that church planters will want to turn to on a regular basis." —Eddie Gibbs, professor of Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary and co-author of Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures "Murray provides the scaffolding church leaders need to extend an effective and incarnational witness to the reign of God. This book is a 'must-read' for all students and practitioners of church planting. Missional leaders who long to see the church become a nesting place for all will find good guidance for aligning the work of the church with the inbreaking of God's kingdom." —David Boshart, lead pastor at West Union Mennonite Church and mission strategist Click here to read a press release about the book. Click here to read an interview with author Stuart Murray. Click here to read the foreword by Rev. Anne Wilkinson-Hayes, North-West Metro Baptist Union of Victoria, Australia. Free downloadable study guide available here.
Fundamentalists in the City is a story of religious controversy and division, set within turn of the century and early twentieth-century Boston. It offers a new perspective on the rise of fundamentalism, emphasizing the role of local events, both sacred and secular, in deepening the divide between liberal and conservative Protestants. The first part of the narrative, beginning with the arrest of three clergymen for preaching on the Boston Common in 1885, shows the importance of anti-Catholicism as a catalyst for change. The second part of the book deals with separation, told through the events of three city-wide revivals, each demonstrating a stage of conservative Protestant detachment from their urban origins.
Do we have a positive theology of the city so that an urban spirituality can emerge from this place? We have for too long focused on quick fixes, pop up churches, and strategic solutions which have left us malnourished and emaciated, yet bloated from our over-consumption of these unsatisfying approaches. Spiritual formation is something that we need to pay closer attention to today. How do we live this kind of holy life in the city?
A practical approach to church planting that uses cultural and experiential data to facilitate the founding of new churches in unreached areas of the world.
