Download or read book Attentive Church Leadership written by Kevin G. Ford and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2024-04-02 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world has changed. The changes around us present daunting challenges to the church, and we minister in places we have never been in before. But there are no one-size-fits-all solutions because every church needs to attend to its specific situation and calling. We need to listen for not only what to do but also what not to do. In a world screaming in a thousand directions for our focus, it's essential for us to become attentive to God, our congregation, and our community. Kevin Ford and Jim Singleton call for attentive churches with attentive leaders who can discern cultural and organizational change and pivot accordingly. Healthy transformation starts with a posture of attention. We need to see what God is already doing in our midst: in our own soul, in our people, and in the communities and culture around us. Chapters explore key questions that attentive leaders ask and offer case studies of attentive churches that have navigated the issues and transitions facing them. As we practice habits of attention, God leads us through the highs and lows of change into the exciting adventure of being on mission with him.

Download or read book All There written by Gail Johnsen and published by . This book was released on 2020-11-06 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whatever your ministry context, the kind of authentic leadership needed in today's 21st century culture relies heavily on the person of the leader; whose life on the inside is congruent with the outside, who listens and responds to the fresh, redemptive movements of God, and embodies a grace-filled presence to others. All There is about the soul of the leader and living and leading redemptively in the world. Ultimately, our wholeness plays an integral part in Jesus' missional purposes.Jesus invites us to give careful attention, i.e., to be "all there," to the three essential dimensions of human life: God, self, and others. Jesus was not calling us to try harder to be more loving but to be attentive to the right things. This leadership book is unique in examining the role that attentive-ness plays as the basis for authentic ministry leadership.

Download or read book Eldership and the Mission of God written by J.R. Briggs and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2015-01-23 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The biblical model for church leadership is found not only in pastors but also in teams of elders who oversee, shepherd, teach, equip and guide the community into God's mission. In this practical guide, J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt unpack the role, character and posture of a mission-oriented elder.

Download or read book The Attentive Life written by Leighton Ford and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your attention, please. That's what God wants, Leighton Ford discovered. It's the path to becoming like Christ. Distractions, fear and busyness were keeping Ford from seeing God's work in and around him. He was missing God. So he began a journey of longing and looking for God. And it started with paying attention. In these pages, he invites you to journey with him. Using the rich monastic tradition of praying the hours, Ford will walk with you, helping you pay attention to God's work in you and around you throughout each day and in different seasons of your life. If you're busy, distracted, rushing through each day, you might be feeling disconnected from God, unable to see how he's working. You might be missing him. But the way toward him starts with a pause and a prayer—with intention and attention—and becomes a way of life, awake and alive to the peaceful, powerful presence of God.

Download or read book Transforming Leadership written by Leighton Ford and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 1993-01-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combining a fresh examination of Jesus' ministry with the insights of the best recent discussions of leadership, Leighton Ford challenges readers to become transformational leaders on the job, in the church and in the public arena. Includes a study guide.

Download or read book Life Together in Christ written by Ruth Haley Barton and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2014-10-30 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Best Book of Spiritual Formation, from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore Have you joined a church or small group in hopes of experiencing real life change, only to be disappointed? Have you sat through inspiring sermons about what is possible when Christians gather together in mutually edifying relationships, only to recognize how cynical you have become after many failed attempts? Community may be one of the most over-promised, under-delivered aspects of the Christian life today. Individuals remain selfish and stuck in their ways. Communities become spiritually lifeless or even fall apart because we don't know how to experience transformation together. Transforming community does not come primarily from listening to inspiring preaching or adding another church program. It emerges as we embrace a shared commitment to the attitudes, practices and behaviors that open us to Christ in our midst. And that's where Life Together in Christ comes in. Reflecting on the story of the two disciples who meet Christ on the Emmaus Road, Ruth Haley Barton offers this interactive guide for small groups of spiritual companions who are ready to encounter Christ in transforming ways—right where they are on the road of real life.

Download or read book Pursuing God s Will Together written by Ruth Haley Barton and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2012-04-25 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Logos Book of the Year Meetings can sap our energy, rupture community and thoroughly demoralize us. They can go on forever with no resolution. Or they can rush along without consensus just to "get through the agenda." What if there was another way? Church boards and other Christian leadership teams have long relied on models adapted from the business world. Ruth Haley Barton, president of the Transforming Center, helps teams transition to a much more suitable model—the spiritual community that discerns God's will together. In these pages you will discover personal and group practices that will lead you into a new way of experiencing community and listening to God together.

Download or read book Attentive to God written by Karen-Marie Yust and published by Chalice Press. This book was released on 2001-04-01 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Attending to the unique needs and missions of church committees, Yust proposes a theology of church committee work and explores ways to maintain a spiritual focus. Included are devotional resources for use in seven committees.

Download or read book Into Thy Word written by Richard Krejcir and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2000-12-20 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about how to read and study the Bible. This book is about getting the non-Christian to learn how to study the Bible, and this book is for the Pastor and theologian who needs to have their "refresh" button pressed. This book is in fact for anybody desiring to know the Book of ages. If you are new to the Word or are a seasoned teacher. If you do not know where to begin, or you have tried countless times and feel overwhelmed and frustrated, this is the book for you!

Download or read book Rich Wounds written by David Mathis and published by The Good Book Company. This book was released on 2022-02-01 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Profound reflections on the cross that help you to meditate on and marvel at the sacrificial love of Jesus. This book can be used as a devotional, especially during Lent and Easter. These profound reflections on the cross from David Mathis, author of The Christmas We Didn’t Expect, will help you to meditate on and marvel at Jesus’ life, sacrificial death, and spectacular resurrection-enabling you to treasure anew who Jesus is and what he has done. Many of us are so familiar with the Easter story that it becomes easy to miss subtle details and difficult to really enjoy its meaning. This book will help you to pause and marvel at Jesus, whose now-glorified wounds are a sign of his unfailing love and the decisive victory that he has won: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) This book can be used as a devotional. The chapters on Holy Week make it especially helpful during the Lent season and at Easter.

Download or read book Attentive to God written by Charles M. Wood and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2011-12-01 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How the pastor reads a situation theologically will define the possibilities for ministry now and for the church's future. The pastor's theological lens affects every ministry task. This book introduces students to the importance of theological reflection. It tells them why theological reflection is crucial to who they are and what they do, and it shows them how they can acquire and strengthen their capacity for theological attentiveness. Central to Wood and Blue's approach is the conviction that pastoral character and pastoral practice are mutually formative. Also through the practice of ministry the pastor's identity is both continually discovered and continually worked on and worked out. All pastors must integrate who they believe themselves to be and who they believe God is to be effective leaders.

Download or read book Spiritual Exercises for Church Leaders written by Dolores R. Leckey and published by Paulist Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spiritual Exercises for Church Leaders grows out of the Church Leadership Program of the Woodstock Theological Center where a systematic approach to the development of authentic leadership was designed and field tested in a number of settings. The process begins with a focus on gratitude, the foundation of spiritual growth, and then moves through the steps needed for authentic leadership. Being attentive and intelligent, being discerning and responsible: These are the steps that lead to conversion, and ultimately to authenticity. The process is based on the spiritual insights of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the theological method of Bernard Lonergan, S.J., and scripture. In particular, passages from the Acts of the Apostles show how leadership developed in the early Church, and how we can learn from that experience. Other disciplines -- the arts, history, and sociology -- together with reflective exercises are resources for understanding how change occurs, how culture impacts our religious understanding, and how creative solutions to contemporary problems can be fostered. Book jacket.

Download or read book A Church Called Tov written by Scot McKnight and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-10-06 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Scot and Laura do an amazing job of teaching us what a good church looks like.” —Beth Moore What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches—from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church. We need a better way. The sad truth is that churches of all shapes and sizes are susceptible to abuses of power, sexual abuse, and spiritual abuse. Abuses occur most frequently when Christians neglect to create a culture that resists abuse and promotes healing, safety, and spiritual growth. How do we keep these devastating events from repeating themselves? We need a map to get us from where we are today to where we ought to be as the body of Christ. That map is in a mysterious and beautiful little Hebrew word in Scripture that we translate “good,” the word tov. In this book, McKnight and Barringer explore the concept of tov—unpacking its richness and how it can help Christians and churches rise up to fulfill their true calling as imitators of Jesus.

Download or read book An Unhurried Leader written by Alan Fadling and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2017-06-20 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 15th Annual Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year - Also Recommended in Leadership What does grace-paced leadership look like? Spiritual mentor. Pastor. Executive director. Parent. Professor. Spouse. We have many roles and relationships. And in the midst of all we do, we're tempted to frantically take control of situations in hopes of making good things happen. Alan Fadling, author of An Unhurried Life, writes: "That kind of unholy hurry may make me look busy, but too often it keeps me from actually being fruitful in the ways Jesus wants me to be. Jesus modeled grace-paced leadership. To learn that we begin not with leading, but with following." In these pages Alan Fadling unfolds what it means for leaders to let Jesus set the pace. Through biblical illustrations, personal examples, and on-the-ground leadership wisdom, this book will guide you into a new view of kingdom leadership. Along the way you just might find that the whole of your life has been transformed into a more livable and more fruitful pace.

Download or read book Churches Cultures and Leadership written by Mark Lau Branson and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2023-02-28 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in a culturally diverse society. As the church continues to heed Christ's call to reflect the multiethnic character of his people, pastors and lay leaders need to gain skills and competencies to serve in multicultural contexts, both inside and beyond their congregations. With this book, Mark Lau Branson and Juan F. Martínez equip leaders to create environments that make God's reconciling initiatives apparent in church life and in missional engagement with their neighborhoods and cities. Drawing on courses they've taught at Fuller Theological Seminary, Branson and Martínez take an interdisciplinary approach that integrates biblical and theological study with sociology, cultural anthropology, leadership studies, and communications. The result is a rich blend of astute analysis and guidance for the practical implementation of a deeper intercultural life for the church. Case studies, Bible studies, and exercises for personal and group reflection address real-life challenges and opportunities that arise in multiethnic contexts. Churches, Cultures, and Leadership offers not a static model but a praxis of paying attention, study, and discernment that can lead to genuine reconciliation and shared life empowered by the gospel. This new edition is updated throughout to address current trends and sources, particularly emphasizing the continuing power of racism and how churches should respond.

Download or read book Excellence in Leadership written by John White and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2011-06-27 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Christian leaders, should we solve our problems using the secular strategies of best-selling management books, or is there another way? John White says that Nehemiah provides the model we need for excellence in leadership. With wisdom and biblical insight, he shows how to be action-oriented and prayer-oriented, a firm leader and a servant, a realist and a visionary.

Download or read book Wisdom from Babylon written by Gordon T. Smith and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-10-13 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What does it mean to provide leadership for the church in an increasingly secular context? When religion is privatized and secularism reigns in the public square, Christians are often drawn toward either individualist escapism or constant cultural warfare. But might this context instead offer a fresh invitation for the church to adapt and thrive? Gordon Smith is passionate about the need for capable, mature leaders to navigate and respond to a changing society. In this book, he draws on his extensive experience as a university president, pastor, and international speaker to open a multidisciplinary conversation about the competencies and capacities essential for today's leaders. After analyzing the phenomenon of secularization in the West and charting common Christian responses, Smith introduces four sources of wisdom to help guide us through this new terrain: the people and prophets of Judah during the Babylonian exile, the early church in its pagan environment, contemporary churches across the Global South, and Christian thinkers in post-Christian Europe. From these resources he identifies practices and strategies—from liturgy and catechesis to mission and hospitality—that can give shape to faithful, alternative communities in such a time as this. In cultures fraught with fear and division, Smith calls for leaders who can effect change from the margins, promote unity and maturity among Christians, and provide a non-anxious presence grounded in the presence of Christ. Educators, church leaders, and those seeking to understand the times will find this book to be an indispensable resource for cultivating distinctively Christian leadership.