Temporary Shepherds


Book Description

Effective interim ministry depends on strong partnership between the interim minster and congregation. Lay leaders of congregations preparing for such a transition will value the expert guidance provided by over a dozen experienced interim pastors. What is interim ministry all about? What needs to happen during the interim? What should leaders and members expect from the interim pastor and themselves during this transition? What other resources are available for congregations?




A Tender Shepherd


Book Description

Tender shepherding is the ultimate expectation of the Lord from shepherds who take care of His lambs and sheep. He is looking for tender shepherds everywhere including personal homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and in the church. Will you answer the call? Believers in Christ Jesus are making disciples as a sure proof of their love for Him but tender shepherding which is the ordained means appears to be somewhat in crisis. It is in this regard that “A Tender Shepherd” is a voice in time to ignite the tender shepherding spirit that inhabits believers. Tenderness is a significant power chip of the Treasure that resides in believers of Jesus Christ without a doubt. It is the undeniable power that is relevant for the world today. As this power becomes increasingly recognizable and used daily by believers in Christ Jesus for tender shepherding, transformation of lives will begin to be more visible and apparent in homes, families, workplaces, neighborhoods, and indeed in all spheres of human life. The world cannot deny their thirst for transformed lives in every sphere of life and hence the demand for tender shepherds. This is the kind of shepherding that pleases the Lord and proven to be effective for His purposes in reconciling the world to Himself. In this book you will find: • Heaven’s perspective on shepherding • The shepherding blue- print of Jesus Christ and illustrations; those that marked His discipleship and became His brand; discipleship by tenderness and love • The central purpose of shepherding for the fulfillment of the Great Commission • examples for the church from the Apostles who had first-hand and best taste of Jesus’ discipleship. • A hypothetical classification of churches based on shepherd types and suggestions for introspection and • Shepherding in other spheres of life The author considers tender shepherding one of the surest means of responding to Jesus’ command of making disciples of all nations as the day of reckoning draws near. When He will say to each tender shepherd: COME YOU BLESSED OF MY FATHER, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.




Transitional Ministry


Book Description

Transition is the word we use to describe the time following significant change. In congregations, that change might be the departure of the pastor, a catastrophe such as Hurricane Katrina or 9/11, or simply the changes caused by growth. Transition calls for clergy with special training to respond to the needs generated by the special time. “Task, training, and time limit” are the hallmarks of transitional ministry. Trained intentional interim clergy must have the skill and experience to lead congregations during transition. However, transitional or interim ministry has a bad reputation in some places. As one diocesan leader said, “We have never had a church in this diocese that was so bad off that an interim was needed.” Indeed, there are some “sick” churches, but most congregations have some good things happening and some things that need attention. Intentional interim ministry can be medicine for the sick, but in most cases it is better compared to vitamins that are taken to promote health. This book seeks to clear up misconceptions about transitional ministry and present an accurate and up-to-date picture of transitional ministry and to describe the various settings in which this specialized ministry can be helpful. Chapter authors, all expert in transitional ministry in mainline Protestant denominations, include: Robert Friedrich, John Keydel, George Martin, Loren Mead, Barry Miller, Nancy Miller, Ineke Mitchell, Ken Ornell, Molly Dale Smith, and Rob Voyle.




Parliamentary Papers


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Prize Essays and Transactions


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Shepherds and Shepherding


Book Description

The old-time shepherd – lamb in one hand, crook in the other – is an emblem of sturdiness, dependability and independence. He was one of the most important men on the farm, responsible for the care and well-being of the flock, with which he might need to spend days and nights out in open pastures. How did he manage his charges and his own life? What skills and equipment did he use? How did sheep farming change in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and what effect did those changes have on the shepherd's work? These are some of the questions considered by this fully illustrated exploration of shepherding life.




Lead Like a Shepherd


Book Description

Pastor, author, and leadership consultant unpacks instruction for church leaders found in 1 Peter 5:1-4 where they are exhorted to shepherd the flock among them. Some instruction is timeless. Regardless of the age in which we live, certain instruction carries no expiration on its relevance. Pastor, author, and leadership consultant, Larry Osborne has discovered this to be the case with instruction on how to be a good leader. The best, most practical advice comes from the Bible, and in particular, 1 Peter 5:1-4. It's in this short passage where leaders are exhorted to shepherd the flock among them. Unfortunately, most modern leaders have precious little experience tending sheep, and many of the implications that were well understood when Peter penned these words are lost on today's reader. Osborne finds the parallels to be numerous, well-worth reviewing and understanding anew. A shepherd leads them to water even when they fear it. A shepherd never allows one sick lamb to destroy the flock. A shepherd lays down his life for his sheep . . . When leaders truly understand Peter's words of exhortation to lead like a shepherd, then they will begin to see the path that leads them to Leading Well.




The Impact of Church Consultancy


Book Description

This book follows the journey of ten churches who underwent church consultancies, and explores in depth both the consultancy and its outcomes. Pre-consultancy and post-consultancy "snapshots," four to five years apart, of vitality indicators and attendance figures (using National Church Life Survey and other data) are used to compare these with churches that have not undertaken church consultancies. Theologies of church consultancy, church health, and church growth are also developed and examined, intersecting with a wide body of literature, including contemporary ecclesiologies. Consultancy outcomes are examined in detail. This includes interviews with pastors of some of those churches, reflecting on their perceptions of whether and how the church consultancy impacted the health and growth of their church. Conclusions are drawn about the efficacy of church consultancy in influencing the health and growth of churches, as well as contexts for the best use of church consultancy. This is a significant book for denominational leaders, theological lecturers, pastors, and church leaders as they encounter lack of health in churches and seek ways forward for greater health and impact in their local communities.