Selling the Church

Selling the Church PDF

Author: Robert C. Palmer

Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Press

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 9780807827437

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

"Palmer analyzes an extensive set of data drawn from common law records to reveal a vigorous and effective effort by the laity to enforce the statutes of 1529. Motivated by both economic incentives and traditional ideals, the litigants used the statutes to compel the residence of their clergy and to make the commercial activities of lease-holding and buying for resale and profit the sole province of the laity. Inserting the rector back into the parish. Palmer shows, dramatically altered the economic, educational, and religious context of parish life."--BOOK JACKET.

Selling Out the Church

Selling Out the Church PDF

Author: Philip D. Kenneson

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2003-07-24

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 159244296X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Marketing the church is hot. For many church leaders, marketing might even be the first article of their creed, which goes something like this: We believe that our church determines its identity and mission through the tactics of marketing strategies. Theologians Kenneson and Street offer a thoughtful and provocative protest, with a foreword from Stanley Hauerwas. The authors expose the theological presuppositions that inform the marketing project. . . and help us to see that the marketer's presumption that form can be separated from content of the gospel betrays an understanding of the gospel that cannot help betraying the gift that is Christ. The authors propose an alternative, constructive account of the church's mission and purpose that is not based on exchange of value but on reminding us that the gospel is always a gift - a gift that makes impossible any presumptions that there can be an exchange between human beings and God that is rooted in the satisfaction of our untrained needs. The cross and resurrection challenge the world's understanding of what our needs should be.

Sojourners and Strangers

Sojourners and Strangers PDF

Author: Gregg R. Allison

Publisher: Crossway

Published: 2012-11-30

Total Pages: 498

ISBN-13: 143353603X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

What is a church? This can be a difficult question to answer and Christians have offered a variety of perspectives. Gregg Allison thus explores and synthesizes all that Scripture affirms about the new covenant people of God, capturing a full picture of the biblical church. He covers the topics of the church's identity and characteristics; its growth through purity, unity, and discipline; its offices and leadership structures; its ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper; and its ministries. Here is a rich approach to ecclesiology consisting of sustained doctrinal reflection and wise, practical application. Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.

Selling Jesus

Selling Jesus PDF

Author: Douglas D. Webster

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2009-08-01

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 1725226405

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

It's one thing to market cars and deodorant and hamburgers. It's another thing, says Doug Webster, to market Jesus and the gospel. Standing up to a spate of books and seminars that urge churches to model their mission on Madison Avenue methods, Webster sounds an urgently needed wake-up alarm. Selling Jesus is a hard-hitting book that shows how Jesus is more than a product to be hawked, how seekers are more than a matter of meeting "felt needs." But Selling Jesus doesn't merely challenge. It moves beyond penetrating criticism to the next step, suggesting faithful and powerful alternatives to marketing the church. Selling Jesus is a necessary book for those who are beginning to wonder if evangelism and missions really aren't synonymous with product promotion.

Slow Church

Slow Church PDF

Author: C. Christopher Smith

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2014-05-06

Total Pages: 251

ISBN-13: 0830841148

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In today's fast-food world, Christianity can seem outdated or archaic. The temptation becomes to pick up the pace and play the game. But Chris Smith and John Pattison invites us to leave franchise faith behind and enter the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loves the church.

Church Marketing 101

Church Marketing 101 PDF

Author: Richard L. Reising

Publisher: Baker Books

Published: 2006-01-01

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 9781441200310

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Over 90 percent of all Christian churches in the United States have fewer than 200 members. While they vary in shape, size, ethnicity, and denomination, they have one thing in common: the desire to grow. So why is it that some churches fail to grow for years, while other congregations in the same community increase exponentially? The problem, says church marketing authority Richard Reising, is that most churches should not be doing promotion. Instead, they should focus on the preparation that will make members eager to invite others. In ChurchMarketing 101®, he demystifies basic marketing principles for the church, evaluates them against biblical principles, and illustrates how simple changes can remove roadblocks that hinder members from reaching out. Reising's simple yet insightful approach will be invaluable to pastors and ministry leaders from churches of all denominations and styles.

Leaving Church

Leaving Church PDF

Author: Barbara Brown Taylor

Publisher: Canterbury Press

Published: 2013-01-25

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1848253575

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Tells how a renowned preacher left her ministry to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith. A moving reflection on keeping faith amidst the relentless demands of modern life.

Selling the Church

Selling the Church PDF

Author: Robert C. Palmer

Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Press

Published: 2003-10-15

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 0807861391

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In the years of expanding state authority following the Black Death, English common law permitted the leasing of parishes by their rectors and vicars, who then pursued interests elsewhere and left the parish in the control of lay lessees. But a series of statutes enacted by Henry VIII between 1529 and 1540 effectively reduced such clerical absenteeism. Robert Palmer examines this transformation of the English parish and argues that it was an important part of the English Reformation. Palmer analyzes an extensive set of data drawn from common law records to reveal a vigorous and effective effort by the laity to enforce the new statutes. Motivated by both economic and traditional ideals, the litigants made the commercial activities of leaseholding and buying for resale and profit the exclusive domain of the laity and acquired the power to regulate the clergy. According to Palmer, these parish-level reformations presaged and complemented other initiatives of the crown that have long been considered central to the reign of Henry VIII.

Toward the Better Country

Toward the Better Country PDF

Author: L. Gail Irwin

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2014-01-13

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1625642318

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

At a time when pews are not as full as they used to be, many churches are struggling to stay open. But no matter how creative or hard-working, some congregations are unable to revitalize their ministry. Is it time to talk about closing your church? Are there any other options for your future? Toward the Better Country tells the stories of real congregations that have faced a significant downsizing, merger, or closure and found positive ways to move forward in ministry. While no local church is meant to live forever, congregations that have chosen to faithfully complete their ministry are finding hope in the new ventures born from passing on their spiritual and material legacies.