Vital Church Issues


Book Description

Vital . . . pertaining to life; essential; of critical importance. Church . . . a body or organization of religious believers. Issues . . . a point or matter, the decision of which is of special or public importance. A dictionary can define the terms, but tackling the tough texts and difficult issues of church leadership requires skillful study and balanced reflection upon the whole of Scripture. Vital Church Issues: Examining Principles and Practices in Church Leadership draws upon the insights and study of numerous evangelical scholars and writers to address crucial issues in church leadership. Some of the chapters included are: Personal Challenges for 21st-Century Pastors by Leith Anderson The 'Laying on of Hands' of Elders by David A. Mappes Can Fallen Leaders Be Restored to Leadership? by Jay E. Smith Assimilating New Converts into the Local Church by R. Larry Moyer Confidentiality in Counseling Individuals with HIV/AIDS by Jay A. Quine Pastors, laypeople, and seminary students will appreciate the helpful scholarship of Vital Church Issues.




Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate


Book Description

The inerrancy of God's Word has been attacked throughout church history. Today's assaults are unique since neo-evangelicals now surrender to post-modernistic ideas of history and historical-critical ideologies that assault this vital doctrine. They seek to redefine the orthodox meaning of inerrancy. Since the signing of the Chicago Statements, troubling signs have once again appeared in recent years among many who either did not fight the battles for the inerrancy of Scripture as did the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, or who do not remember the troubling times that caused their development. The nature and definition of "inerrancy" are now being changed to include ideas of fallibility. History is forgotten. The need arises for sounding the alarm for Vital Issues in Inerrancy. Evangelical schools and churches that broke away earlier to defend inerrancy surrender now to academic prestige and scholarly fads instead of faithfulness to God's inerrant Word. The contributors pray that the Lord will raise up a new generation with the spiritual fervency of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy to uphold the inerrancy of God's Word: Isaiah 40:8--"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."




Vital Christianity


Book Description

Challenge theses debilitating distinctions between spirituality and social justice by exploring the numerous threads that can and should connect these two components of holistic Christian living.




Vital Theological Issues


Book Description

Vital . . . pertaining to life; essential; of critical importance. Theological . . . pertaining to the study of God, of His nature and will. Issues . . . a point or matter, the decision of which is of special or public importance. A dictionary can define the terms, but the tough questions faced by pastors, teachers, missionaries, and Christian leaders are the real test of one's theological understanding. Vital Theological Issues: Examining Enduring Issues of Theology draws upon the insights and study of leading evangelical scholars and writers to address enduring theological questions. Included are articles by Lewis Sperry Chafer, J. Ronald Blue, John F. Walvoord, Charles C. Ryrie, and Roy B. Zuck. Some of the issues discussed in this volume include: If God is in control, why should I pray? What difference does it make that Jesus was sinless? Can a person be saved who has never heard of Jesus? Has Lordship salvation really been taught throughout Christian history? Christian readers, church leaders, and pastors alike will appreciate the practical insights and spiritual focus of Vital Theological Issues.




Rediscover Church


Book Description

"A Christian without a church is a Christian in trouble." Since a global pandemic abruptly closed places of worship, many Christians have skipped church life, even neglecting virtual services. But this was a trend even before COVID-19. Polarizing issues, including political and racial strife, convinced some people to pull away from the church and one another. Now it's time to recommit to gathering as brothers and sisters in Christ. In Rediscover Church, Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman discuss why church is essential for believers and God's mission. Through biblical references and personal stories, they show readers God's true intention for corporate gathering: to spiritually strengthen members as individuals and the body of Christ. In an age of church-shopping and livestreamed services, rediscover why the future of the church relies on believers gathering regularly as the family of God. Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition and 9Marks.




Growing Young


Book Description

Unleashing the Passion of Young People in Your Church Is Possible! Churches are losing both members and vitality as increasing numbers of young people disengage. Based on groundbreaking research with over 250 of the nation's leading congregations, Growing Young provides a strategy any church can use to involve and retain teenagers and young adults. It profiles innovative churches that are engaging 15- to 29-year-olds and as a result are growing--spiritually, emotionally, missionally, and numerically. Packed with both research and practical ideas, Growing Young shows pastors and ministry leaders how to position their churches to engage younger generations in a way that breathes vitality, life, and energy into the whole church. Visit www.churchesgrowingyoung.org for more information.




Urban Churches: Vital Signs


Book Description

Written by Nile Harper and six leading pastors, this volume tells the stories of twenty-eight urban churches that are successfully contributing to the transformation of inner-city communities in fifteen major cities across America -- Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, San Francisco, Savannah, and Washington, D.C.




Elders Lead a Healthy Family


Book Description

Elders Lead a Healthy Family explores the biblical paradigm for shared leadership: elders as the spiritual "big brothers" and shepherds to the family of God. This book is a fresh biblical alternative to the standard fare of pragmatic church leadership. Delivered in a winsome and irenic style, the book addresses the key concerns of our day, including pastoral burnout, women as elders, women and the pastoral gift, power in leadership, abuse of power in ministry, ministerial pay, and fostering missional-leadership structures. The answer to so many of the problems facing the church is not more coaching or better education. The answer requires our churches to change the very structures that foster abuse, isolation, and burnout. If we hope to save our pastors, then we need our pastors to abandon the "pastor-as-CEO" model of leadership. If we want to reach the lost, we need a systemic change in the way we plant, grow, and maintain our churches. Instead of putting a solo leader at the top of "Church Incorporated," we need to build teams of elders, doing ministry together, as they lead the family of God.




Music and Vital Congregations


Book Description

Congregations that are alive and vibrant have vital music programs. How did they get that way? There are sensible and practical steps to develop such a program which begins with a clear vision of the end product. This book addresses the many interrelated issues of defining and embracing the leadership role in the church music program that is required of clergy in parish ministry and essential for a healthy congregation. Clergy and musicians work toward the same goals; however, clergy are trained differently from musicians. How does this fact impact their relationship, and how can they learn to work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect? The practical issues of employment can be addressed more effectively in this atmosphere. If one is looking for the right musician for the parish, what qualities does one seek? How does one find such a rare and gifted individual? A successful search complete, how does the clergyperson work harmoniously with the music leader? This book provides a blueprint for: • Developing a vision for music in your parish • Locating a musician who is a partner in ministry • How music comes and goes in the church’s repertoire • Moving from musician as performer to musician as pastor




Moral Leadership in the Church: a Normative Approach


Book Description

In a time of confusion, uncertainty, debate, and division regarding what constitutes right moral behaviour, the subject of responsible moral leadership in the church takes on fresh urgency. But at this critical time of need for moral leadership, too many clergy simply mirror the uncertainty or abnegate the responsibility. This book addresses this anomaly specifically by proposing a normative model for moral leadership in the local church. Pastors and leaders of all Christians traditions will find this book very informative and useful. The book begins with an overview of the historical, theological and biblical bases for Christian leadership and more particularly, what the moral dimension of such leadership means. Various Christian traditions are surveyed for insights into the character, vision and tasks of moral leadership including the authoritative sources for ethical reflection and moral guidance. Since Dr. Felix Orji is a Bishop in the Anglican Communion, he includes a chapter on that tradition to give a sense of the ecclesiastical ethos in which presbyters must exercise such leadership. This is followed by a clear examination of Scripture in regard to what it tells us about moral leadership. This book ends with a detailed normative model for moral leadership in the church and a leadership training resource specifically designed for such leadership.