Celebrating the Graying Church

Celebrating the Graying Church PDF Author: Richard P. Olson
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538139685
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
Today, many churches and their related agencies and ministries are shrinking. Often a large portion of those who remain are older adults. Celebrating the Graying Church suggests that this is an opportunity for a new and different kind of ministry—a ministry to, with, and from older adults who may have wisdom to pass on to the legacy of the future generations. This book offers opportunities, ideas, and guidance for this new vision and practice of ministry, while also describing how aging adults in ministry can support each other and their faith communities.

Celebrating the Graying Church

Celebrating the Graying Church PDF Author: Richard P. Olson
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538139685
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 213

Get Book Here

Book Description
Today, many churches and their related agencies and ministries are shrinking. Often a large portion of those who remain are older adults. Celebrating the Graying Church suggests that this is an opportunity for a new and different kind of ministry—a ministry to, with, and from older adults who may have wisdom to pass on to the legacy of the future generations. This book offers opportunities, ideas, and guidance for this new vision and practice of ministry, while also describing how aging adults in ministry can support each other and their faith communities.

Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers

Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers PDF Author: Joan S. Gray
Publisher: Presbyterian Publishing Corp
ISBN: 0664503055
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 136

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Book Description
This timely new leadership guide for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is written for church officers who are looking for a deepened relationship with God. Joan Gray challenges elders and deacons to see themselves as spiritual leaders and equips them to lead alongside their pastors. Gray lays out a variety of leadership styles and helps leaders understand when each is appropriate. She also provides resources for dealing with relationships in the church and identifies ways churches can be supportive of the spiritual leadership of elders and deacons.

God, Do You Hear Me?

God, Do You Hear Me? PDF Author: Derwin Gray
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 1535995742
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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Book Description
God, do you hear me? If we're honest, that's a sentiment we’ve all shared. Prayer can be challenging and confusing. Often we feel abandoned, betrayed, and anxious. We don't know what to pray for, we don't know the words to say, and sometimes it just feels like there's no one on the other side. Through the pages of this book, pastor and bestselling author Derwin Gray will journey with you, in learning and living the prayer that God always answers. This prayer is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:9-13). The Lord's Prayer is the firm foundation God uses to build our lives on the Rock. It will help you break through to a completely new and refreshing prayer life. Along this journey, you'll learn several things about prayer: Prayer is the secret place where we find God waiting for us. Prayer is the door we enter to discover God’s heart of unending grace. Prayer is the home we have always wanted, where we can crawl into our Father’s lap and find our purpose. Prayer is not about getting God to give us stuff. It is about becoming who we were made to be: a reflection of Jesus in the world.

Sailboat Church

Sailboat Church PDF Author: Joan S. Gray
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 0664259588
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 174

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Book Description
Is your church a rowboat church or a sailboat church? Rowboat churches depend largely on human effort. In a time of often shrinking budgets and membership, rowboat churches frantically row harder against a current, often frustrated and disappointed at their efforts. Sailboat churches, on the other hand, take up the oars, hoist sales, and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them. Arguing that churches should be “sailboats,” author Joan S. Gray encourages readers to shift concern from the many daily, practical concerns of their local church to consider how new directions might be found by allowing the Holy Spirit to provide fresh ideas. The book includes four days of sailing prayers, quotes from Scripture, brief reflection questions, and an extensive bibliography that is arranged by theme. Perfect for groups to read together, this book will help leaders reframe their church’s mission and practice with the Holy Spirit as their guide.

20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America

20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America PDF Author: Ryan P. Burge
Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers
ISBN: 1506482015
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
The way most people think about religion and politics is only loosely linked to empirical reality, argues Ryan P. Burge. In 20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America, Burge strives to be an impartial referee and to overcome these caustic misperceptions by using both rigorous data analysis and straightforward explanations.

The Hospitality of God

The Hospitality of God PDF Author: Mary Gray-Reeves
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 159627140X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
What happens when two bishops known for their liturgical sensibilities travel to study alternative Christian communities on two continents? Bishops Mary Gray-Reeves and Michael Perham traveled throughout the U.S. and U.K. to study fresh expressions of church and identify the principles that link these new forms of worship and community. The Hospitality of God captures their practical and inspiring findings and builds a bridge between fresh new voices and the institutional church.

Aging as a Spiritual Journey

Aging as a Spiritual Journey PDF Author: Eugene C. Bianchi
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725230062
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
Bianchi's wide-ranging book draws together insights from the social sciences, the humanities, and religion to establish a holistic framework for a spirituality of aging. He argues that middle life and late adulthood present opportunities for turning inward for a deeper contemplative life within the context of active, worldly endeavors. This can also augur a reform of social relationships--beyond individual development alone--toward the creation of a more cooperative, just society. In this way, physical decline is countered by a spiritual ascent. He summons aging persons, fortified with universal values and concerns gained from age and experience, to return to the centers of decision making. Throughout, the author ponders such questions as personal power, identity, fear, freedom, contemplation, sexuality, the church, faith, suffering, and hope. In candid interviews, older religious leaders reflect on their early value formation, personal traumas, choice of careers, midlife transitions, experiences of old age, and the prospect of death. In dwelling mainly on human spiritual dilemmas of the aging cycle, Bianchi offers a strong, clear message of hope--one that stands against the tide of our culture which tends to shunt older people to the outer eddies of life's stream. Aging as a Spiritual Journey is immensely valuable to all laypersons and those in the helping professions who are concerned about the quality of the aging process.

Evaluating the Church Growth Movement

Evaluating the Church Growth Movement PDF Author: Zondervan,
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310872154
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
What exactly is the Church Growth movement? This timely volume in the Counterpoints series addresses the history of the movement that has become such an enormous shaping force on the Western church today, and it explores--in a roundtable forum of leading voices--five main perspectives on the classic Church Growth movement: Effective Evangelism View - presented by Elmer Towns Gospel in Our Culture View - presented by Craig Van Gelder Centrist View - presented by Charles Van Engen Reformist View - presented by Gailyn Van Rheenan Renewal View - presented by Howard Snyder Each view is first presented by its proponent, then critiqued by the co-contributors. The interactive and fair-minded format allows the reader to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement concludes with reflections by three seasoned pastors who have grappled with the practical implications of Church Growth. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Who Runs the Church?

Who Runs the Church? PDF Author: Zondervan,
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310543525
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
Churches have split and denominations have formed over the issue of church government. While many Christians can explain their church's form of rule or defend it because of its "tried and true" traditions, few people understand their church's administrative customs from a biblical perspective. Who Runs the Church? explores questions such as: What model for governing the church does the Bible provide, and is such a model given for practical or spiritual reasons? Is there room for different methods within Christianity? Or is there a right way of "doing church"? And, finally, how (and by whom) should the church be governed? Four predominant approaches to church government are presented by respected proponents: Episcopalianism - represented by Peter Toon Presbyterianism - represented by L. Roy Taylor Single-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Paige Patterson Plural-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Samuel E. Waldron As in other Counterpoints books, each view is followed by critiques from the other contributors, and its advocate then responds.

Transformational Church

Transformational Church PDF Author: Ed Stetzer
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 1433669307
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
It is time to take heart and rework the scorecard. --