Coronavirus and the Leadership of the Christian Church


Book Description

"Coronavirus and the Leadership of the Christian Church: A Sacred Trust Broken." What a striking if not provocative title to address a current subject that has not only gripped the heart, mind, body and soul of all members of the visible Church, but has challenged the very stability and testimony of those who profess the name of Christ. As Jesus is our Lord and Savior and the very Word of Truth for all of Christian living, the desire of this book is to seek to present purity, faithfulness, and godliness in church polity and practice, from which only true peace and unity can ever be gained in Christ's Church. This is the book you have been waiting for. It will present the situation of the past seven months of the coronavirus upon society and the Church. It will lay out for the Christian the response of Church leadership as they attempted, with both compassion and good intent, to command a response by God's people to its actions and directives. Within the scope of the following chapters we will see how the Scripture, the Confessions, church history, medical science, and governmental influence all affect and demand a prioritized evaluation and Biblical response as to faith and life. In doing so this work will hopefully serve as a primer and guide for the future of the Christian Church as they seek to obey the Sovereign God rather than man. ---Ernest Springer Old Paths Publications** "Uncritically to yield to the decrees of the state in the matter of public worship is indefensible. 'We must obey God...' This book calls the hitherto compliant churches, including the most orthodox and conservative, which presently are not worshiping God, to repentance (sorrow over past disobedience) and conversion (change of behavior)." ---The Rev. David J. Engelsma Emeritus Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI** "Hope for the future is not without promise. The Lord blesses His Church, and where it falters, the way forward is the way home, and the way home is the way of hope, and the way of hope is the way of confession and repentance, for it brings the Church closer to the One who is merciful, full of compassion, long-suffering and who affords forgiveness." ---Ernest Springer




The African Church and COVID-19


Book Description

The African Church and COVID-19: Human Security, the Church, and Society in Kenya is a bold and incisive look at the African Church in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the book, contributors explore how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragilities of African society as well as the weaknesses in the Church’s role in helping and serving African communities. The African Church and COVID-19 analyzes the question of how the Church in Kenya should move forward in a post-COVID-19 era to address the vulnerabilities of socio-economic and political structures in Africa.




Transforming Healthcare Together


Book Description

America's insurance-driven healthcare system is a mess. It's a cause of frustration to both patients who can't afford care and physicians who are overloaded by bureaucracy. After experiencing near-burnout early in his professional career, Dr. Yeager embarked on a vintage model of healthcare which eliminates third-party payors and returns medicine to the historic covenant of trust between patient and physician. Using vignettes from his primary care practice, he outlines a model which is far simpler and cheaper than it might appear. Transforming Healthcare Together provides a historical overview as well as an analysis of our current crisis and outlines a faith-based cooperative partnership between physicians, patients, and pastors.




The Post-Quarantine Church


Book Description

A trustworthy and respected guide for pastors and church leadership in the post-quarantine world, providing hope and vision for the future of your congregation. From thousands of surveys of church leaders and in-person consultations, Thom Rainer and his Church Answers team have gathered the essential wisdom you will need to face the challenges and opportunities that the quarantine crisis creates for the local church, including: New and better ways to lead the gathered church A wide-open door for growing the digital church A moment to rethink the facilities New strategies for church growth . . . and much more! This book is, in effect, your personal church consultant, helping you plan and prepare for the future. In the midst of heartbreak, tragedy, and struggle due to Covid-19, here’s hope, wisdom, encouragement and vision. This book is valuable for those looking for local church and pastor resources to enhance church leadership, grow your church, and serve digital and online church communities in the post-quarantine world. As a former pastor and founder of Church Answers, Thom S. Rainer is intimately familiar with the ever-present demands that pastors face. He has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of the local church.




Leadership for a Time of Pandemic


Book Description

In just a few weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. What does ministry require now? Drawing from Tod Bolsinger's books Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Resilience, this brief, timely book is an ideal resource for applying some of his key leadership insights to the current global crisis.




On Earth as It Is in Heaven


Book Description

An economic justice toolkit for Christians The church is positioned to be an ally of the poor and laborers in their search for social justice and equality, but only if it actively chooses to be. Numerous passages in Scripture convey God’s strong disapproval of inequality point toward a religious imperative to speak out. What are the most effective ways to frame and facilitate discussions about poverty, and how can pastors and activists add to their own understandings of the theological and religious history of labor and work? By critically examining biblical texts, Church history, and present-day events and experiences, Eric Atcheson offers pastors, activists, and concerned citizens a faith-based toolkit for understanding and addressing the economic disparities present in their communities, as well as ways to initiate hopeful conversations. On Earth as It Is in Heaven is a powerful resource for any of the faithful interested in building a more just and equitable kingdom in the face of increasingly powerful opposition.




Canoeing the Mountains


Book Description

Do you ever feel that you are leading in uncharted territory? Pastor and consultant Tod Bolsinger draws on decades of expertise guiding churches and organizations in this expanded practical leadership resource, offering illuminating insights and practical tools to help you reimagine what effective church leadership looks like in our rapidly changing world.




Religion, Race, and COVID-19


Book Description

"This book analyzes how the particular dynamics and effects emerging from the COVID-19 crisis both impact and are perceived by its most vulnerable yet visionary populations, based on their pragmatic and prescient analysis of the American experiment of freedom with regards to race and religion. Without a doubt, this book addresses the various ways the COVID-19 crisis marks not merely a moment in time, but also a world-historical event that threatens to leave its imprint on lives and cultures for decades to come"--




Growing the Post-pandemic Church


Book Description

Practical strategies for churches in the new-normal. The author, an award-winning writer/scholar on church leadership, looks at 12 radical changes coming to the American church and suggests now is the time to rethink how we do church. The reader will learn how worship is moving from entertainment to experience, largeness is being replaced by relevance, and how leaders can make the most of online attendance. Bob Whitesel, D.Min., Ph.D. draws from his extensive consulting/coaching practice to suggest growth strategies for churches with aging buildings, overbuilt sanctuaries or underfunded staffs. And he describes emerging church alternatives such as pub churches, café churches, online churches and churches led by bi- or co- vocational pastors. He then introduces biblical foundations that every church can embrace to increase survivability: putting the needs of non-churchgoers first, making small groups your hallmark, practicing passionate prayer and growing learners, rather than growing an audience (Matt. 28:18-20). In the chapter, "St. Paul's Guide to Leading Remotely," Dr. Whitesel explores how to lead God's people in difficult, even remote, times based on Paul's theology and practice in his letters. And, in the chapter on the "eReformation," he describes 10 leadership skills needed to remain relevant in a world where communication is increasingly electronic. And because racial tensions continue to rise, Whitesel, a respected author on multiethnic church growth, offers "7 organic steps to building bridges across racial divides," including: learning about the other's culture, how not to judge by appearance, starting with a biblical model of reconciliation, practicing unity, reevaluating where you spend your money, awakening to your own personal preferences and expecting change in people. The book concludes with a look at the "church of the future." Here Whitesel looks at recurring problems that emerge after catastrophes. He looks at each problem from a biblical perspective and describes what churches can do to increase their future impact.




The Disciple Dilemma


Book Description

The Disciple Dilemma explains the realities and limitations of using classic business logic and strategy within the Christian community and makes the case that Christian leaders must restructure their organizations to conform to Christ's mission.