-PDF Download- Inside The Large Congregation EBOOK

Inside the Large Congregation

Author: Susan Beaumont

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2011-10-25

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1566995612

For five years, Alban Institute senior consultant Susan Beaumont has been giving voice to the organizational and leadership demands of large congregations. Through her work, she has identified five basic leadership systems that need to stay in alignment for the large church to function well for its size: clergy leadership roles, staff team design and function, governance and board function, acculturation and the role of laity, and forming and executing strategy. She has also learned that these five systems operate with some important but subtle distinctions in what Beaumont calls the professional church (400-800 in worship attendance), the strategic church (800-1,200), and the matrix church (1,200-2,000). Often, she has discovered, problems in a large congregation are related to the fact that one or more of the five systems is inappropriately structured for the size of the congregation. In other words, the church isn't acting its size. Beaumont is invested in helping large congregations 'rightsize' their leadership systems to better serve their ministry context. This book articulates why size matters and how it matters in the world of large congregations. It is written for anyone who wants to better understand the leadership and organizational dynamics of the large church anyone seeking to understand the challenges of leading from inside the large congregation.

When Moses Meets Aaron

Author: Susan Beaumont

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2007-10-15

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 1566996996

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

With the number of large congregations rising in the U.S., these congregations are increasingly dependent upon a greater number of staff to meet the needs of their diverse collection of members. As leaders of multi-staff teams, senior clergy must play the dual role of both Moses and Aaron—both visionary and detail-oriented leader—in order for their large congregations to thrive. They need to be skilled with the tools of human resource management, while at the same time setting a vision and inspiring both staff and congregation. Unfortunately, until now there have been few resources for senior clergy who lead multi-staff teams. Working without adequate models and tools, senior clergy of large congregations often find themselves with passionate, dedicated staff members who are moving in different directions, competing over limited resources and attention. They end up with questions of how to evaluate the performance of staff and direct their efforts. They find themselves using time, attention, and resources to care for staff rather than using staff as a resource to care for the mission of the congregation. Longtime Alban senior consultant Gil Rendle and Alban senior consultant Susan Beaumont have developed When Moses Meets Aaron to help clergy responsible for several-member staff teams navigate these unknown waters. They have taken the best of human resource practices and immersed them in a congregational context, providing a comprehensive manual for supervising, motivating, and coordinating staff teams. Rendle and Beaumont give both detailed and big picture guidance on hiring, job descriptions, supervision, performance evaluation, staff-team design, difficult staff behavior, and more. Their combined experience in consulting and training with staff and leaders of large congregations proves invaluable in this manual for today's leadership demands.

Understanding Your Congregation as a System

Author: George D. Parsons

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 1994-02-01

Total Pages: 153

ISBN-13: 1566996872

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Parsons and Leas have created an important tool for congregational leaders in this application of systems theory to evaluating a congregation’s life and readiness for change. Church leaders can explore the forces at work and examine the systemic implications in seven key areas: strategy, process, pastoral and lay leadership, authority, relatedness, and learning. The Manual provides an overview of systems theory, complete instructions for administering and scoring the Congregational Systems Inventory (CSI), and guidance for interpreting and explaining the inventory results using sample scores. The Congregational Systems Inventory is a survey designed to sample the perspectives of church staff, governing board, and key lay leaders. Be sure to order some packs of the CSI along with this valuable resource.

Inside the Organic Church

Author: Bob Whitesel

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: 2006-08-01

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 142674823X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

A new generation of churches is emerging, calling new disciples to the way of Jesus by proclaiming the Good News and seeking the transformation of culture. Bob Whitesel takes us inside congregations that draw upon ancient traditions and modern technologies to create a spiritual community and shows how the practices of the "organic church" can be instructive for all those wishing to reach today's world with the gospel of Christ. Bob Whitesel is Associate Professor in the Department of Graduate Studies in Ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. A sought-after speaker and conference leader, he is the author of several books, including Growth by Accident, Death by Planning, also published by Abingdon Press.

The Purpose Driven Church

Author: Rick Warren

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2007-09-04

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 0310294088

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Every church is driven by something. Tradition, finances, programs, personalities, events, seekers, and even buildings can each be the controlling force in a church. But Rick Warren believers that in order for a church to be healthy if must become a purpose driven church by Jesus. Now the founding pastor of Saddleback Church shares a proven five-part strategy that will enable your church to grow. . .- Warmer through fellowship - Deeper through discipleship - Stronger through worship - Broader through ministry - Larger through evangelism. Discover the same practical insights and principles for growing a healthy church that Rick has taught in seminars to over 22,000 pastors and church leaders from sixty denominations and forty-two countries. The Purpose Driven Church® shifts the focus away from church building programs to emphasizing a people-building process. Warren says, "If you will concentrate on building people, God will build the church."

One Size Doesn't Fit All

Author: Gary L. McIntosh

Publisher: Revell

Published: 1999-08

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 0800756991

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Different churches grow in different ways. This book will help you figure out your church's orientation and show the way to healthy growth.

High Expectations

Author: Thom S. Rainer

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Published: 1999-02-15

Total Pages: 205

ISBN-13: 1433671891

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

For over a quarter of a century the problem of losing church members has progressively increased. Today the situation is so bad that less than one-third of the members in some churches attend worship services. Church leaders are crying for help.In an effort to help church leaders, the Billy Graham School of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary conducted a massive research project involving nearly 287 churches. The most revealing aspect of the study was that the higher expectations placed on members, the greater the likelihood that the members would stay and be involved with the church. Using the data gathered from this project, Thom Rainer presents the first-ever comprehensive study about 'closing the back door.' Rainer looks at why people are leaving the church and how church leaders can keep the members.

The Connecting Church 2.0

Author: Randy Frazee

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2013-03-12

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0310494362

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The development of meaningful relationships, where every member carries a significant sense of belonging, is central to what it means to be the church. So why do many Christians feel disappointed and disillusioned with their efforts to experience authentic community? Despite the best efforts of pastors, small group leaders, and faithful lay persons, church too often is a place of loneliness rather than connection. In this revised and updated version of his best-selling book, Randy Frazee shows us how church can be so much...better. More intimate and alive. The answer may seem radical today, but it was a central component of life in the early church. First-century Christians knew what it meant to live in vital community with one another, relating with a depth and commitment that made "the body of Christ" a perfect metaphor for the church. What would it take to reclaim that kind of love, joy, support, and dynamic spiritual growth? Read this book and find out.

How to Lead When You Don't Know Where You're Going

Author: Susan Beaumont

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2019-09-17

Total Pages: 185

ISBN-13: 1538127695

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

How do you lead an organization stuck between an ending and a new beginning—when the old way of doing things no longer works but a way forward is not yet clear? Beaumont calls such in-between times liminal seasons—threshold times when the continuity of tradition disintegrates and uncertainty about the future fuels doubt and chaos. In a liminal season it simply is not helpful to pretend we understand what needs to happen next. But leaders can still lead. How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going is a practical book of hope for tired and weary leaders who risk defining this era of ministry in terms of failure or loss. It helps leaders stand firm in a disoriented state, learning from their mistakes and leading despite the confusion. Packed with rich stories and real-world examples, Beaumont guides the reader through practices that connect the soul of the leader with the soul of the institution.

Maximizing the Midsize Church

Author: David J. Peter

Publisher: Kregel Ministry

Published: 2019-01-26

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 9780825445651

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Nearly one in four congregations in the United States is a midsize church (150-400 worshippers per week), and the midsize church has its own distinctive culture, dynamics, and characteristics. Drawing on years of research and pastoral ministry, David J. Peter has written a comprehensive handbook for pastors and staff who direct these churches. Peter covers the most important issues leaders encounter, including: - The important role they play in advancing the kingdom of God - Common cultural characteristics - Typical problems and productive solutions - Advantages over both small and large churches, and how to capitalize on them - Practices for developing healthy programs - The responsibilities of the pastor - Guidance for hiring staff and recruiting volunteers Pastors of midsize congregations will find effective resources and encouragement for successful leadership.