10 Prescriptions for a Healthy Church

10 Prescriptions for a Healthy Church
Author: Bob Farr
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2015-04-21
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1630883166

Ten Prescriptions for a Healthy Church offers prescriptions for the top ten issues seen during church consultations. Bob Farr and Kay Kotan share their expertise from working with churches across the country, detailing the most common concerns and obstacles, and then go straight to the point: What to change, and how, for positive results. They offer a helpful approach to fixing common problems, and strategies to help congregations achieve success in specific areas of ministry. Proven success stories offer practical application, inspiration, and hope. I love the way this book addresses issues of mission, vision, worship, hospitality, outreach, and other important matters and offers concrete, pragmatic practices to fulfill these without compromising the gospel. This is a refreshing new guide for pastors and laity. --Tex Sample, Robert B. and Kathleen Rogers Professor Emeritus of Church and Society, Saint Paul School of Theology Bob and Kay have so much experience. They get it: the types of changes most churches need are not new. The pathway to health is not flashy. Basic, steady, strong: That is what you find in this very useful material. -- Cathy Townley, Worship and Church Planting Consultant and Coach, Minnesota Annual Conference, UMC Bob Farr is a powerhouse of a leader who has a great grasp on what it takes for a congregation to discover the path toward vitality and health. As you read the prescriptions in this amazing book, you will see a catalyst for Jesus Christ. --Bob Crossman, New Church Strategist; author, Committed to Christ: Six Steps to a Generous Life Nobody is better than Bob and Kay at explaining the concept -- and the specifics -- of ‘Prescriptions’ than can improve local church health. Very few people have spent more hours in church basements, parlors and sanctuaries across the country helping churches diagnose – and overcome—the real life problems they face. Leveraging years of experience and insights, this book is an easy-to-use, instrumental tool for clergy and laity in churches that are willing to take definitive steps toward a new future. --Jim Ozier, Church Consultant, Coach, Speaker; author, Clip In: Risking Hospitality in Your Church

Becoming a Healthy Church

Becoming a Healthy Church
Author: Stephen A. Macchia
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1999
Genre: Church renewal
ISBN: 9780801011771

Real stories illustrate the top ten qualities of healthy churches, based on extensive surveys, to encourage creating a healthy climate in every church.

Renovate Or Die

Renovate Or Die
Author: Bob Farr
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2011
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1426715862

Bob Farr asserts that to change the world, we must first change the Church. Rearranging the pews, painting the fellowship hall, or paving the parking lot are just not enough. With clear language and practical tips, this book will inspire and help you organize your church for new life. Learn how to grow your church and discover the commitments that leaders must make to guarantee the fruitfulness of local congregations. --Book Jacket.

Becoming a Healthy Church

Becoming a Healthy Church
Author: Stephen A. Macchia
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2003-11-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1585585661

"A wonderful tool that I recommend to every church that is serious about being purpose-driven." -Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Church Now available in trade paper, Becoming a Healthy Church illustrates the ten most important characteristics of church health. Based on extensive surveys, this helpful volume is designed to encourage the creation of a healthy climate for your church and its ministry.

Get Their Name: Participant Workbook

Get Their Name: Participant Workbook
Author: Bob Farr
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Total Pages: 35
Release: 2016-05-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1501825461

The Participant Guide is a workbook to facilitate the layperson’s experience as the church studies Get Their Name. It includes group and individual activities, and personal devotional material. Church leaders and members should all read the original Get Their Name book during the month of this church-wide experience.

Becoming a Healthy Disciple

Becoming a Healthy Disciple
Author: Stephen Macchia
Publisher: Lti Publications
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2013-07-30
Genre:
ISBN: 9780615861357

In Becoming a Healthy Disciple, Macchia explores the ten traits of a healthy disciple, including a vital prayer life, evangelistic outreach, worship, servanthood, and stewardship. He applies to individual Christians the ten characteristics of a healthy church outlined in his previous book, Becoming a Healthy Church. Discipleship is a lifelong apprenticeship to Jesus Christ, the master teacher. Using the Book of John, Macchia looks to the beloved disciple as an example of a life lived close to Christ. Personal experiences as well as the experiences of others bring the traits of discipleship into modern context. Each chapter ends with a prayer and questions for reflection and renewal. Becoming a Healthy Disciple is excellent for laypeople who want to grow in discipleship, as well as pastors, church leaders, adult classes, and small groups.

Gear Up!

Gear Up!
Author: Kay Kotan
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Total Pages: 138
Release: 2017-05-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1501835521

In Gear Up!, Kay Kotan outlines nine areas of ministry where congregations must intentionally design a process. It is not enough to decide, “We are going to refocus in this direction.” Leaders must decide how and what steps they will take. Who will do what, and when? This concise and exceedingly practical new book can help. “Kay Kotan has long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation among both laity and clergy as a passionate, positive change agent. In her new book, readers will find a rich synthesis of her time-tested insights and hands-on work with local churches of all sizes and circumstances. If your church has slipped into reverse or is stuck in neutral, Gear Up! can help get it driving forward!” —Jim Ozier, Director of New Church Development, North Texas Conference, UMC; author of Clip In and The Changeover Zone from Abingdon Press “Gear Up! is packed with practical information and checklists designed to empower leaders and teams. This book should be handed to every church leader and board member so that they will understand the essential hows and whys of effective ministry in today’s complex world.” —Blake Bradford, Assistant Director for Clergy Development, Center for Vitality, Arkansas Conference, UMC “This is a tactical, practical, nitty-gritty, boots-on-the-ground, systems-oriented book. It gives you a series of diagnostics to run on your church so that you can get on the road to faithful discipling.” —Cynthia Fierro Harvey, Bishop, Louisiana Conference, UMC “Healthy systems lead to healthy churches. Gear Up! is a systems manual to help our churches be healthy so that we can fulfill our mission of making disciples who transform their community and the world.” —Kelly P. Brown, Director for Congregational Vitality, East Ohio Conference, UMC “Kay Kotan understands that sustained growth depends on healthy systems. Gear Up! provides helpful insights and checklists to diagnose the state of your systems so that your church can ‘gear up’ for the long run.” —Phil Schroeder, Director of Congregational Development, North Georgia Conference, UMC

The Necessary Nine

The Necessary Nine
Author: Bob Farr
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Total Pages: 95
Release: 2016-01-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1501804979

Conventional wisdom is that leaders are born, not made. In reality, that is one small piece of the leadership puzzle. The fact is, approximately 10% of church leaders are naturally-gifted leaders who actually don’t need any help. Another 10% of church leaders do not have the capacity to lead nor learn to lead with the skill set needed for the 21st century church. This means approximately 80% of church leaders have the possibility of becoming a more effective church leader. This book is for them. The Necessary Nine contains nine simple axioms for effective pastoral and lay leadership for the church. These axioms have the greatest potential for fruitful ministry. These strategies are straightforward and easy to use. The reader will have “that’s true” moments and learn to put those insights into regular practice. It will help the reader with the simple leadership strategies that, if practiced over and over and over, will change the effectiveness of their leadership, impacting the church and the world. "Bob Farr and Kay Kotan have captured some of the essential qualities of effective pastoral leadership. This book offers something practical and helpful for pastors at every age and stage of ministry. I heartily recommend it." -- Clayton Oliphint, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Richardson, TX

The Prodigal Church

The Prodigal Church
Author: Jared C. Wilson
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2015-04-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433544644

Pastors want to reach the lost with the good news of Jesus. However, we've too often assumed this requires loud music, flashy lights, and skinny jeans. In this gentle manifesto, Jared Wilson—a pastor who knows what it's like to serve in a large attractional church—challenges pastors to reconsider their priorities when it comes to how they "do church" and reach people in their communities. Writing with the grace and kindness of a trusted friend, Wilson encourages pastors to reexamine the Bible's teaching, not simply return to a traditional model for tradition's sake. He then sets forth an alternative to both the attractional and the traditional models: an explicitly biblical approach that is gospel focused, grace based, and fruit oriented.