Achieving Balance in Ministry by
Balance . . . it's an elusive ideal and an admirable goal. Every Christian, especially those in the pastorate, desire balance in their lives and ministries. And while pastors hear a lot about becoming a whole person, their efforts toward self-mastery, discipline and time management disappear in the daily tyranny of the urgent. Achieving Balance in Ministry is written to give troubled pastors the tools they need to restore order, effectiveness and fulfillment to life and ministry. This quick-read is full of practical advice and encouragement. Rediscover your inner fire and find fulfillment. Paper.
Center Church: doing balanced, Gospel-centered ministry in your city by
Today many pastors are struggling to adapt to a post-Christian culture without abandoning orthodox theology. How do we communicate the concepts of grace and substitutionary atonement in our globalized culture and context? In Center Church, Timothy Keller offers challenging insights and provocative questions based on over twenty years of ministry in New York City. This book outlines a theological vision for ministry - applying classic doctrines to our time and place - 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 underserved 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. "In this important book, Tim Keller unpacks the gospel and gently but firmly reminds us that it is nonnegotiable. At the same time, he enables us to think through how we can responsibly interact with the culture, how we can - indeed, must - appreciate good things within it, and how we can firmly and faithfully apply the gospel to it." - D.A. Carson, research professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Clergy Self-Care: finding a balance for effective ministry by
Nationally known for his work and teaching on clergy development, Oswald integrates research and experience into a liberating perspective on the pastoral calling. Discover how imbalances in your physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual lives can destroy the very ministry you seek to carry out. Learn what you can do to restore that balance. Packed with self-assessment tools, real-life experiences, and specific self-care strategies.
Gentle Shepherding: pastoral ethics and leadership by
Named "One of the Top Ten Books for Parish Clergy" for the year 2006 by the Academy of Parish Clergy! Gentle Shepherding offers a rare balance in an introduction to pastoral ethics, one that identifies deeply with the pastoral vocation and brings it into conversation with a developed body of ethical theory. The goal of the book is to equip seminarians and pastors with conceptual resources for clarifying moral responsibility in the practice of ministry. This responsibility includes three levels: the minister as a moral agent in offering care; the minister as a moral enabler in encouraging virtue in others; and the minister as a moral leader in facilitating congregational life and witness in society. Helping ministers and seminarians to think anew about their responsibilities and the moral quandaries in pastoral practice, Gentle Shepherding integrates theory with practice, providing case material for further reflection and discussion and at least one case study or exercise associated with each chapter.
Collaboration: uniting our gifts in ministry by
A comprehensive look at collaborative ministry, chronicling its development and the often painful issues ministers confront.
Collaborative Ministry: skills and guidelines by
Collaborative or shared ministry is a topic of growing interest arising out of a call to all Christians to share their gifts in ministry. The authors focus on the necessary skills, the obstacles, the methods of organizing, the use of leadership, and the management and possible resolution of conflict.
A Heart for the Community: new models for urban and suburban ministry by
Islam, gentrification, AIDS, and multiculturalism: Where do we face these realities? A few years ago, it was in the city. But today, many city dwellers are moving to the suburbs, either by choice or because of circumstances beyond their control. And this shift is changing both the urban and suburban landscape. With this shift in mind, editors John Fuder and Noel Castellanos have gathered together a team of experts to help you minister effectively in both the urban and suburban context. Divided into four sections--Critical Issues, Church-Planting Models, Ministering to Suburban Needs, and Para-Church Ministries--A Heart for the Community is a rich resource designed to help you do ministry today.
The new life through shared ministry: moving from volunteering to mission by 
The New Paradigm in Ministry Education: a radical philosophy of collaboration by 
The Teaming Church: ministry in the age of collaboration by
The Teaming Church is so good, I had a poster made out of its key ideas and am using that with our team and keeping it in my office. You cannot have a great church without a great team at the core. --John Ortberg, Best-selling Author & Pastor Create a successful team culture.Great teams live and serve in light of the Divine Team--the Trinity, and to be truly effective they need: a deeply challenging goal, a creatively empowering leader, and a willingness to collaborate and honor the Bible. Author Robert C. Crosby provides innovative ways in which biblical teams reflect the workings and nature of "the image of God." Revealing what he calls "The Four C's of Great Teams" - The Character, The Carrot, The Coach, and The Context - Crosby shows how successful teams reach their goals more effectively. Conversely, he also addresses the "Four Fatal Teaming Errors" and how to avoid unnecessary, time-consuming missteps. This book provides biblical motivations, vivid examples, and practical approaches for creating a teaming culture in any faith community. Crosby, a leader who has built teams as a senior pastor, youth leader, and university administrator, is now training and mentoring a new generation of pastors and leaders. "Teamwork is essential for effective ministry. Robert Crosby's book, The Teaming Church, explores the essential elements of a team and gives a biblical perspective on how to surround yourself with the right people." --Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv; author of "Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World""Relational networking and collaboration is the way forward for Christ's Kingdom in the 21st century! Teamwork has always been God's way as he declared, "Let US make humans in our own image" and demonstrated in Jesus' formation of the ultimate team--His Church. The timing of Bob Crosby's work in this volume could not be better. You will be inspired and motivated to participate in ministry teams who will conquer contemporary challenges for Christ. Together we can win."--Billy Wilson, Executive Director, International Center for Spiritual Renewal"'The Teaming Church' captures the most transformative leadership model in history, the ministry of Jesus Christ. Robert Crosby frames the optics of collaboration and kingdom partnerships that vertically honor God while horizontally empowering others.This book affirms strategic and prophetic cooperation for a generation that stands skeptical of individual platforms while embracing the idea of community." --Samuel Rodriguez, President, NHCLC, Hispanic Evangelical Association
Theological Foundations for Colloborative Ministry by
This book examines the theological foundations of a collaborative approach to Christian ministry. The discovery that Christians are members 'one of another' creates energy and joy in ministry and empowers the Church in an age of mission. Outlining the present challenges for ministry, Stephen Pickard offers an historical perspective on ministry over the last century; develops a theory of collaborative ministry based on a dialogue between theology and science; and explores some implications of collaborative ministry for lay and ordained people of the Church. This book breaks new ground in its theory of collaborative ministry through a dialogue with the sciences of emergence. It also offers fresh insights on important texts in ministry; relationships between Christology, Pneumatology and ministry; a relational ontology of ministry; episcopacy, ecumenism, ordination vows and wisdom for team ministry.
