Jeffrey D. Jones

Facing Decline, Finding Hope (eBook, ePUB)

New Possibilities for Faithful Churches

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

Church today isn't the same as it was fifty years ago-or even ten years ago. In spite of the powerful stories of turn-around churches with skyrocketing memberships, the difficult reality is that most congregations are getting smaller. Jeffrey D. Jones asks brave questions for congregations facing this reality-what if membership growth isn't the primary goal for a church? How can churches remain vital, even with declining attendance?

Facing Decline, Finding Hope is an essential resource to help congregations confront their shrinking size while looking towards the hopeful reality that God is calling them to greater faithfulness. The book draws on biblical and theological resources, as well as contemporary leadership studies, to help leaders-both clergy and laity-set aside a survival mentality and ask new questions to shape ministry more attuned to today's world.

Facing Decline, Finding Hope is a powerful book for leaders who want to honestly assess the size of their church and plan for faithful, invigorating service regardless of whether membership numbers are up or down.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury eBooks US
• Seitenzahl: 152
• Erscheinungstermin: 5. Februar 2015
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781566997331
• Artikelnr.: 42427381

Autorenporträt

Jeffrey D. Jones is the author of a number of books on congregational life and leadership, including: Traveling Together: A Guide for Disciple-Forming Congregations (Alban) and Facing Decline, Finding Hope (Rowman and Littlefield). He has served as the pastor of three churches, the interim pastor of two churches, and twice as a national staff person for the American Baptist Board of Educational Ministries. He retired as the Director of Ministerial Studies and Associate Professor of Ministerial Leadership from Andover Newton in 2015.

Inhaltsangabe

Table of Contents
Foreword by Phyllis Tickle
Preface
Introduction
Part 1-Facing Reality
Chapter 1: The Trouble with Pool Tables and What that Means for Us
Chapter 2: Why Ezra and Nehemiah Were Wrong and What that Means for Us
Chapter 3: But Wait! There's More!
Part 2-Old and New Questions for Churches
Chapter 4: In/Out
Chapter 5: Pastor/Congregation
Chapter 6: Planned/Discerned
Chapter 7: Survive/Serve
Chapter 8: Save/Sign
Part 3-Embracing the Dangerous Work of Change
Chapter 9: The Predicament
Chapter 10: The Prayer
Bibliography