How to Thrive in Associate Staff Ministry

How to Thrive in Associate Staff Ministry
Author: Kevin E. Lawson
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 235
Release: 2000-04-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1566995493

Contents include: Foreword, by Lovett H. Weems, Jr. Preface Introduction CHAPTER 1. Finding Satisfaction in Following God's Direction CHAPTER2. Working Well with Your Supervisor and Fellow Associates CHAPTER 3. Foundational Attitudes and Commitments CHAPTER4. Church Environments that Enable Thriving CHAPTER 5. Sustaining Personal Spiritual Vitality CHAPTER 6. Building Supportive Relationships CHAPTER 7. Strengthening the Home Front CHAPTER 8. Savoring Joys and Weathering Storms CHAPTER 9. Thriving Skills for Female Associate Staff CHAPTER 10. Veterans' Advice to "Wanna-bes" and "Newbies" Introduction to Appendixes A and B - For Those Who Care about Associate Staff APPENDIX A. The Valued Supervisor APPENDIX B. The Supportive Church Board APPENDIX C. The "Thriving in Associate Staff Ministry" Study APPENDIX D. Professional Organizations for Associate Staff Members Further Reading for Associate Staff Members

Associate Staff Ministry

Associate Staff Ministry
Author: Kevin E. Lawson
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 263
Release: 2014-07-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1566997526

This vital revised and expanded update to How to Thrive in Associate Staff Ministry (Alban, 2000) provides guidance to the growing population of staff members employed by churches. Churches are expanding their staffs, but the turnover rate remains high, often due to stress, isolation, and conflict on the job. Lawson and Boersma address what it takes to thrive personally, professionally, and relationally within associate staff ministry. Based on updated research and interviews with over 600 veteran associate staff members from many different denominations, Lawson and Boersma describe the priorities, attitudes, and practices that can help associate staff members thrive in their ministry roles. They present, explain, and illustrate a four-part “Model for Thriving in Associate Staff Ministry,” a concrete framework that readers can use to help achieve satisfaction and balance in their own lives. In addition to addressing those in associate staff roles, the book also includes chapters to help supervising pastors and church boards support their associate staff members. Each chapter includes questions for personal reflection or discussion with others to help readers engage with the material and determine what steps they might take to improve their own experience in associate staff ministry.

Resilient Ministry

Resilient Ministry
Author: Bob Burns
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 314
Release: 2012-11-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 083086461X

Why does one well-equipped, well-meaning person in ministry succeed while another fails? Bob Burns, Tasha Chapman and Donald Guthrie undertook a five-year intensive research project on the frontlines of pastoral ministry to answer that question. What they found was nothing less than the DNA of thriving ministry today.

Thriving as a Single Person in Ministry

Thriving as a Single Person in Ministry
Author: Jane Carr
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 166
Release: 2021-06-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1538127490

Churches large and small across the world and in every denomination have rising numbers of single people on their leadership staff. This book presents a research-based perspective on the joys, opportunities, and challenges of being single in vocational ministry. Through extensive interviews and focus groups, the authors present both a practical application and a positive message for those serving God as single clergy or pastoral leaders.

The Work of the Associate Pastor

The Work of the Associate Pastor
Author: Alan R. Rudnick
Publisher: Work of the Church
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780817017095

In The Work of the Associate Pastor, author Alan R. Rudnick presents the associate pastorate as equally important but distinctively different from the role of senior or solo pastor. Within these pages, readers will Explore the diverse roles and responsibilities that fall under the associate umbrella Embrace associate ministry as more than training ground for a senior pastorate Discover the challenges and opportunities for associate pastors The book's appendix offers these practical resources for churches: How to plan for an associate Sample job descriptions Compensation guidelines Associate ministers also will find a personal assessment, helpful in discerning when to stay and when to leave their associate position. Whether you are an associate pastor, a senior pastor, a seminarian, or a member of the church staff or pastoral relations committee, this guide will provide valuable insight into one of the most undervalued and misunderstood ministries in the life of the church. Book jacket.

How to Thrive as a Pastor's Wife

How to Thrive as a Pastor's Wife
Author: Christine Hoover
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2022-03-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1493434039

Every pastor's wife is a faithful servant and leader in her own right. She has great influence on her church, her community, her family, and her husband, and she finds joy in seeing God move in the lives of others. Yet she also faces unique challenges that too often go unnoticed and unaddressed. At times, a pastor's wife may feel she can't talk about her struggles even with those who are closest to her, which can leave her feeling alone, depleted, and misunderstood. She may settle for this way of living, but that's not God's desire for her. Christine Hoover knows firsthand the unique struggles and opportunities afforded a pastor's wife--she's been filling that role for more than 20 years. Coming alongside as an understanding friend, she offers encouragement and guidance to the struggling pastor's wife, showing her how to make meaningful personal relationships with God, her husband, her children, her church community, and other women--relationships that will sustain her and help her thrive.

Supervising and Supporting Ministry Staff

Supervising and Supporting Ministry Staff
Author: Kevin E. Lawson
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 189
Release: 2017-06-07
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1566997879

Surveys of pastoral staff repeatedly show that senior or supervising pastors consistently rate their working relationships with their associate staff members higher than do the associate staff members. Satisfaction levels follow similar patterns. In many cases, supervisors are not aware of or attentive to the concerns of their staff, and yet, these staff members are critical to the success of the church. Supervising and Supporting Ministry Staff is a research-based guide to the senior/associate staff relationship that is filled with real-life stories and practical advice to help readers negotiate their staff relationships successfully. The book focuses not only on the business mechanics of the supervisor/supervisee relationship, but also the full experiences of the associate staff, including emotional and spiritual needs. This helpful resource addresses congregations of all sizes across denominations and discusses a range or supervisor/supervisee relationship types.

Leading Small Groups That Thrive

Leading Small Groups That Thrive
Author: Ryan T. Hartwig
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2020-08-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310106710

Nearly every church is trying to help their congregants build relationships with others, grow as disciples, and/or engage in meaningful service through small groups. Many have argued that these small groups are the preferred vehicle for relationship building, disciple making, and membership assimilation in the local church, especially in large, multisite churches. Leading Small Groups That Thrive shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply highly effective, transformational, healthy small group experiences where people grow spiritually together. Based on a large-scale research study of small group pastors, leaders, and members, Leading Small Groups That Thrive gives church leaders both what they want--practical, straightforward, actual small group member voices and experiences, and compelling guidance on how to build transformational groups complemented with real-life examples and data of successful small groups--and what they need--substantial, challenging insights and a data-driven model grounded in the latest research on church small groups.

Teams That Thrive

Teams That Thrive
Author: Ryan T. Hartwig
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2015-03-10
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830897577

What do the top church teams do to thrive together? Researchers and practitioners Ryan Hartwig and Warren Bird have discovered churches who have learned to thrive under healthy team leadership. Using actual church examples, this coaching tool presents their discoveries, culminating in five disciplines that will enable your team to thrive.

So Much Better

So Much Better
Author: Penny Long Marler
Publisher: Chalice Press
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2013-03-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0827235240

Meant to both inspire and inform pastoral leaders, So Much Better examines the impact of peer group participation on pastoral leaders, their families, and ministries. This book goes beyond numbers and data by breathing life into the statistical bones. At this book's heart are seven peer group models including stories and examples from participants, families, and church members. Also featured is information about peer group recruitment, leadership, content, and structure, and practical advice about the cost, sustainability, and evaluation of peer groups. So Much Better can change the way you think about and perform your ministry and lead you to a life that is-- well, so much better. Authors: Penny Long Marler James Bowers Larry Dill Brenda K. Harewood Richard Hester Sheila Kirton-Robbins Marianne LaBarre Janet Maykus D. Bruce Roberts Lis Van Harten Kelli Walker-Jones From The Columbia Partnership (TCP) Leadership Series