A must for every Catholic bookshelf, this fresh and inspiring book distils the essential thoughts of Pope John Paul II on matters of belief and conscience into one volume. Throughout his more than two decades as the leader of the world's Catholics, John Paul II has spoken both officially and informally on all aspects of life in the modern world. Whether defining the Church's teachings or passionately espousing the basic human rights of all people, he has always eloquently and clearly stated his hopes for the Church and the world. Collected from his encyclicals, speeches, homilies, and statements to fellow bishops, this book includes the pontiff's thoughts at the beginning of the third millennium of Christianity.

Western culture has made a cult of success, and the church has accepted the larger culture's definition, focusing on success as growth in membership and budget, rather growth in faithfulness as disciples of Jesus. When we do not measure up, we become discouraged, disillusioned, and perhaps even envious. Moots details numerous examples to show how the ministry of encouragement offers a workable, effective pattern for church leadership. "I am convinced," he writes, "that accepting Barnabas as my model has changed my ministry for the better and that Barnabas's example can benefit any pastor and congregation who take his lessons seriously. Barnabas and his ministry of encouragement offer us a focus for the vital, messy, and exhilarating work required of us as faith communities.

Controversy about the Catholic priesthood is nothing new. Just like laity, priests (including bishops and popes) have always been sinners. Some priests, like some laity, have caused grave scandal throughout the 2000-year history of the Church. Two questions arise from this reality. Why did Jesus Christ establish a ministerial priesthood for his Church, if the priesthood would sometimes cause scandal what did he intend for the priesthood? Second, what has the Catholic Church in past times done about scandal in the priesthood how has the Church corrected its priests and encouraged priests to lead lives of holiness? Amidst the noisy din of talking heads and self-proclaimed experts, this book offers solid warnings and directions about the priesthood from 15 saints of the past two millennia. On the Priesthood serves as a readable guide for priests, seminarians, and educated readers seeking to learn more about the simultaneous unworthiness and dignity of the priesthood. Always challenging and penetrating, the selections unite around one key point; the need for holiness.

This book describes how, in adopting an organic approach to ministry development, it is possible to make a real impact on people's lives and ministries; this approach is based on the organics model proposed by James Hopewell. Backed by thorough research, and wide reading in the literature, this book nevertheless keeps in touch with what is happening in the grassroots and is realistic as well as hopeful, about what can be achieved.

Helping a community of faith 're-vision' its personal and collective narratives is one of the greatest leadership challenges of the age. In Finding Our Story, Larry Golemon, lead researcher of the Alban Institute's Narrative Leadership in Ministry project, has assembled essays by congregational consultants who use the power of story to help congregations heal, strengthen, and reinvent themselves. These consultants describe how narrative therapy works, explore its promise and its challenges, and share the practical wisdom of their own experiences along with their favorite models of narrative change to show how congregations can be transformed by reauthoring the operative stories they live by

The first year or so of a pastor's tenure in a new congregation is precarious; many pastors stay at a new congregation for fewer than five years. This handbook helps both experienced and new pastors enter a new congregation effectively. Drawing from organizational systems leadership material in religious and secular worlds, it offers nearly 50 tips and tools designed to help new pastors analyze their congregation's system and then to lead leaders within the congregation to affect positive change. Using imagery from Alice in Wonderland to clarify various archetypal roles within the church community, Harris provides concrete suggestions for facilitating communication and dealing with difficult behaviors within the congregation. He provides a coaching approach to ministry, in which the pastor reframes issues and asks provocative questions a powerful strategy to maximize a new pastor s chances for success. Readers will find tools to help them uncover critical information about their new congregation regarding: .congregational norms, particularly regarding the office of pastor, conflict, and holy objects; .their history and sense of God's call; .the true leaders among the congregation; .mutual accountability."

How to More Effectively Leverage the Leadership Gifts and Abilities of Women in Your Church What would your church look like in the future if it were to maximize the dormant gifts of the women God has brought there? In Developing Female Leaders, Kadi Cole, twenty-year veteran in leadership and people development, offers a practical strategy to help church and organizational leaders craft cultures that facilitate the development of women as volunteer and staff leaders. Using interviews and surveys of more than one thousand women in key church and organizational roles, combined with current research, the author has created eight easy-to-implement "best practices" that help accelerate a woman's organizational contribution. Thorough appendices and references add even more guidance for setting vision, milestones, and goals. Developing Female Leaders is a one-of-a-kind resource for identifying what is missing today in your church to help it flourish in the future.

Do you want to love your neighbor as yourself but don't know where to start? This practical, accessible guide to bridging the dividing lines of politics, race, and economics, both individually and as the church, will help you amplify Jesus in your community and build God's kingdom. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus gave a two-part answer: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" and also "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love God. Love others. Jesus' simple command to love your neighbor can feel overwhelming when your neighbor looks, lives, and votes differently than you do. Racial and economic tensions across the country have resulted in deep dividing lines that seem really intimidating to cross. Docusen breaks down these lines in approachable chapters, including topics like these: how to actively seek out people you can benefit and encourage, what it means to find a diverse and supportive community that fulfills needs, examples of real-life experiences, including highlights and missteps of Docusen's ongoing journey, and how churches can teach on difficult topics with grace and truth. Neighborliness is a practical guide to bridging those dividing lines and learning to recognize and amplify the beauty of God in our communities. Backed by David's speaking and training through the Neighborliness Center, this book will help individuals and churches reach out to their neighbors, love them through Christ, and build God's kingdom.

For Lutheran pastor John Berntsen, the cross is about more than the crucifixion on Good Friday. It is shorthand for the whole drama of salvation--God's decisive act of reconciling the world to God's own self. The cross is dying and rising with Christ, but at a deeper level it is the story of the world's resistance to grace. Those who lead are subject to the cross no less than others. In contrast with the current fashion for "visionary" or "purpose-driven" leaders, cross-shaped leaders are not primarily the providers of master plans, nor are they master builders. Cross-shaped leadership is provisional, contextual, and fallible--open-ended ministry that has the character of a pilot project. It is always under construction and revision. Our moment-by-moment functioning in ministry is subject to countless deaths and resurrections, few of which are heroic or glorious. But Berntsen offers good news within this potentially dismal perspective. He writes, "Once we've accepted the truth that ministry is hard, even impossible--once we've stopped living in denial of this reality, or perhaps whining about it--it becomes the truth that sets us free. We cease being gloomy servants, weighed down by our resentful conviction that we are all alone in our work--the closet atheism born of the worry, 'If I don t do it, nobody will'--and instead become joyful coworkers of a strong, wise, and consoling Lord." With optimism, humor, and deep empathy, Berntsen's Cross-Shaped Leadership offers hope and challenge in the midst of the rough and tumble of parish practice.

"Lee probes far beyond the rags-to-riches tale, though Bishop Jakes'riches remain. He devotes much of the book to what he sees as Bishop Jakes' dual nature: businessman and preacher."--"Dallas Morning News"

"A clearly written, thoughtful interrogation of the financially successful, though morally suspect, merger of business and religion achieved by this African American preacher-millionaire."
--"Choice," recommended

"Shayne Lee, an assistant professor of Sociology at Tulane University, has provided us with the first critical examination of the most influential African American preacher of our time. A socio-cultural biography of sorts, the author examines T.D. Jakes rise to prominence from the hills of West Virginia to multimillion-dollar religious corporate enterprise. But this book does more than follow the development of T.D. Jakes and his ministry. As the author puts it, Jakes becomes 'a prism through which the reader may learn more about contemporary American religion.' Lee contends that Jakes is an embodiment of traditional American cultural ideals and the postmodern features that inform what it means to be American in this contemporary moment."
--"Pop Matters"

"Most of the public knows about the Bishop T. D. Jakes who graced the cover of "Time" magazine, preached "Woman, Thou Art Loosed!" and filled stadiums across the country with throngs of weeping fans. But how many know about the Jakes who boasted that he didn't have enough garage space for his luxury cars, said Jesus was rich, and once tried to evict the owners of a home he had just purchased though they only had a week to pay off their debts? That portrait of Jakes comes courtesy of "T. D. Jakes: America'sNew Preacher," Shayne Lee, a sociologist and professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, asks hard questions about Jakes' ministry."
--"Atlanta Journal-Constitution"

"Jakes has risen from poverty in the mining towns of West Virginia to a multimillion-dollar faith industry based in Dallas, benefiting from the controversial trend toward prosperity religion. Lee examines the rags-to-riches life of Jakes in the broader context of changes in how Americans view religion."
--"Booklist"

"Lee offers an intriguing exploration of Jakes's popularity. His entrepreneurial spirit and multimedia approach have endeared him to millions, while his lavish lifestyle and focus on Christians' right to material prosperity continue to spark criticism. Lee avoids heavy jargon and effectively pares his study down to the essentials, making this an accessible portrait."
--"Publishers Weekly"

"Places an important contemporary African American religious leader in the context of recent trends in American religion in general and also of certain traditions of the Black Church in the African American experience. Lee's description and analysis of the phenomenon that is T.D. Jakes helps us gain a greater understanding of contemporary American religion and of African American religion as at once patently distinct but also quintessentially American."
--Milmon Harrison, Ph.D., author of "Righteous Riches: The Word of Faith Movement in Contemporary African American Religion"

T.D. Jakes has emerged as one of the most prolific spiritual leaders of our time. He is pastor of one of the largest churches in the country, CEO of a multimillion dollar empire, the host of a television program, author of a dozenbestsellers, and the producer of two Grammy Award-nominated CDs and three critically acclaimed plays. In 2001 "Time" magazine featured Jakes on the cover and asked: Is Jakes the next Billy Graham?

T.D. Jakes draws on extensive research, including interviews with numerous friends and colleagues of Jakes, to examine both Jakes's rise to prominence and proliferation of a faith industry bent on producing spiritual commodities for mass consumption. Lee frames Jakes and his success as a metaphor for changes in the Black Church and American Protestantism more broadly, looking at the ramifications of his rise--and the rise of similar preachers--for the way in which religion is practiced in this country, how social issues are confronted or ignored, and what is distinctly "American" about Jakes's emergence. While offering elements of biography, the work also seeks to shed light on important aspects of the contemporary American and African American religious experience.

Lee contends that Jakes's widespread success symbolizes a religious realignment in which mainline churches nationwide are in decline, while innovative churches are experiencing phenomenal growth. He emphasizes the "American-ness" of Jakes's story and reveals how preachers like Jakes are drawing followers by delivering therapeutic and transformative messages and providing spiritual commodities that are more in tune with postmodern sensibilities.

As the first work to critically examine Bishop Jakes's life and message, T.D. Jakes is an important contribution to contemporary American religion as well as popular culture.

First published in 1984. The Victorian clergy occupied a uniquely prominent position in English society. Their church generated continual and often rancorous debate and they played an important part in the local provision of education, welfare and justice. Politically, also, they were never negligible. But, while in 1830 the clergy still constituted England's largest and wealthiest professional body, by 1914 their position was increasingly marginal. This title examines these changes and the issues in which the clergy was facing during this transition. The Victorian Clergy will be of particular interest to students of history.

Pope Francis: His Life and Thought paints a compelling picture of a truly remarkable man, showing the evolution of his theological ideas in detail until his election as pope in 2013. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was a highly unusual candidate for the papacy for two main reasons: the 'pope from far away' is the first from the Americas and the first former Jesuit to have been elected. Bergoglio's theological principles have been profoundly shaped by his Argentinean heritage and Jesuit spiritual formation. The author also reveals that his thought was deeply a ected by his simple Argentinean upbringing and fearless work in the slums of Santiago and Buenos Aires as a young Jesuit, and later as a bishop and a cardinal. Bergoglio has consistently emphasised the importance of alleviating the suffering of the poor, following the teaching of Vatican II, and in keeping with his own unflinching morality. This volume reveals Pope Francis as an exceptionally humble and altruistic man, doctrinally conservative, and engaged less in politics than in the struggle to bring the Church to the margins of society. It will be of great interest to any reader who wishes to know more about this inspiring individual. Mario I. Aguilar is a theologian from Chile, now Professor of Religion and Politics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. He has written extensively on the Church in Latin America, Africa and Asia, including Cardenal Raul Silva Henriquez: Presencia en la vida de Chile 1907-1999 and A Social History of the Catholic Church in Chile (9 volumes). He is a Camaldolese Benedictine Oblate and has lived in Scotland for the past 20 years. "This reflection draws upon Aguilar's own experiences as a Latin American theologian and it engages directly with many of the Spanish sources that shed light upon the life and thought of Jorge Bergoglio. He] cuts a swath through fact and myth as he charts the new pope's formative experiences in detail. . . . Food for thought for anyone seeking to understand what has made him the pontiff he is." Prof. Gerard Mannion, Amaturo Professor in Catholic Studies, Georgetown University. "Pope Francis has already provided a breath of fresh air, and this welcome and timely book explains why. Anyone who thought God had no surprises up his sleeve will discover here how this new leader has been formed to be a challenging and transforming presence both in his own Church and further afield." Rt Revd Prof. N.T. Wright, Former Bishop of Durham, Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, University of St Andrews.

Jong Hun Joo offers a model of how both solid biblical understanding and effective practice of worship can be realised in churches today by exploring the theology and practice of Matthew Henry (1662-1714). Matthew Henry is one of the most famous biblical commentators in the English-speaking world. He was, however, also a pastor who was liturgical in negotiating the political and religious landmines of his day. This all but overlooked aspect of Henry's biography and writings is both a window into his life and times, and an insightful view into the pastoral dimensions of Christian rituals and practices in the home and church. Joo discerns how Henry understood and practised English Presbyterian worship as an example of Reformed worship in his context and suggests how contemporary churches can appropriately develop and articulate their own worship in their own contexts, making the case for worship renewal.

It's time to leave behind the discontent of comparison and discover a free and joyful life. Join Pastor Nona Jones--who was recently featured on GMA3--as she gives you the tools you need to kill comparison once and for all. Nearly all of us deal with the struggle of comparison and finding ourselves lacking. But there is a way to break free from internal and external messages communicating a lack of self-worth. It starts with identifying the basis of your urge to compare and ends with securing your identity to the unchanging confidence of God's love for you. Nona Jones knows this journey all too well. Throughout her life and in her career--most recently as an executive for the world's largest social media company--Nona discovered that despite professional success, true confidence can only be achieved by defeating toxic comparison and securing our identity to God's approval alone. Killing Comparison provides a fresh, biblically rooted perspective on an age-old human dilemma--the pressure to compare oneself to others--that the era of social media has exacerbated and heightened. This timely and necessary guide will help you: Determine your true source of self-worth Develop practical ways to conquer daily comparison Learn how to control social media instead of letting it control you Discover how to accomplish your dreams without comparing yourself at every turn Identify the root cause leading you to compare your life to others Through practical insight and down-to-earth encouragement, Nona helps you avoid the despair of comparison and pursue a free, joyful life.

William Wykeham was an extraordinary figure whose rapid ascent from peasant to chancellor bucked contemporary trends. Wykeham's administrative talents ensured that he became bishop of Winchester, holder of one of the richest sees in Christendom and Chancellor of England under Edward III and Richard II. "Everything was done by him and nothing was done without him" wrote the contemporary chronicler, Jean Froissart. His lasting contributions to society arose from two passions, architecture and education. He made effective use of the rich revenues of his see to indulge both. He rose in the service of King Edward III having masterminded the royal building works at Windsor Castle. His own building projects included episcopal palaces, colleges, churches and Winchester Cathedral. His interest in education resulted in the foundation of two iconic educational institutions - the public school Winchester College and New College Oxford Much of this has been recognised.Virginia Davis highlights Wykeham's extraordinarily commitment to good governance and his extensive involvement in English politics between c1360-1402. Wykeham has been recognised as a key government figure in Edward III's reign from c. 1360 but his contribution to politics and government throughout the turbulent reign of Richard II and beyond, has not hitherto been fully appreciated. This book offers a fascinating biography of one of the key-figures of late fourteenth-century England, an acquaintance of Chaucer and a man who wielded immense political power. It covers in detail his fall from political power in 1376-77 and his rehabilitation. Wykeham - even when not holding political office - was a figure to whom the decision-makers of late fourteenth century England listened.

Online churches are Internet-based Christian communities, pursuing worship, discussion, friendship, support, proselytization, and other key religious goals through computer-mediated communication. The first examples appeared in the mid-1980s, but this genre of online activity has been revolutionized over the last decade by considerable institutional investment and the rise of new low-cost social media platforms. Hundreds of thousands of people are now involved with online congregations, generating new kinds of ritual, leadership, and community as well as new networks of global influence.

Creating Church Online is the first large-scale sociological investigation of this area, offering a significant and timely advance in the study of religion, media, and culture. Five ethnographic case studies are presented, based primarily in the UK, USA, and Australasia, providing levels of detail, scope, and variety previously unexplored by researchers in this field. Comparative analysis of these case studies demonstrates the emergence of intriguing new hybrids of digital, local, and institutional religion, reflecting major shifts in contemporary patterns of religious commitment. Author Tim Hutchings constructs a rich account of the culture and practice of five online churches, emphasizing worship, leadership, and community and the relationship between online and everyday life. Through such in-depth analysis, this book explores the significance and impact of online churchgoing in the religious and social lives of participants, as well as the relationship between online and everyday life, in search of a new theoretical framework to map religious users engagement with new media."

The Church, Authority, and Foucault addresses the problem of the Church's enmeshment with sovereign power, which can lead to marginalization. Breaking new ground, Ogden uses Foucault's approach to power and knowledge to interpret the church leader's significance as the guardian of knowledge. This can become privileged knowledge, under the spell of sovereign power, and with the complicity of clergy and laity in search of sovereigns. Inevitably, such a culture leads to a sense of entitlement for leaders and conformity for followers. All in the name of obedience. The Church needs to change in order to fulfil its vocation. Instead of a monarchy, what about Church as an open space of freedom? This book, then, is a theological enterprise which cultivates practices of freedom for the sake of the other. This involves thinking differently by exploring catalysts for change, which include critique, space, imagination, and wisdom. In the process, Ogden uses a range of sources, analysing discourse, gossip, ritual, territory, masculinity, and pastoral power. In all, the work of Michel Foucault sets the tone for a fresh ecclesiological critique that will appeal to theologians and clergy alike.

This book examines the potential of conducting studies in comparative hagiology, through parallel literary and historical analyses of spiritual life writings pertaining to distinct religious contexts. In particular, it focuses on a comparative analysis of the early sources on the medieval Christian Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) and the Tibetan Buddhist Milarepa (c. 1052-1135), up to and including the so-called 'standard versions' of their life stories written by Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1221-1274) and Tsangnyoen Heruka (1452-1507) respectively. The book thus demonstrates how in the social and religious contexts of both 1200s Italy and 1400s Tibet, narratives of the lives, deeds and teachings of two individuals recognized as spiritual champions were seen as the most effective means to promote spiritual, doctrinal and political agendas. Therefore, as well being highly relevant to those studying hagiographical sources, this book will be of interest to scholars working across the fields of religion and the comparative study of religious phenomena, as well as history and literature in the pre-modern period.

True leadership isn't a matter of having a certain job or title. In fact, being chosen for a position is only the first of the five levels every effective leader achieves.

To become more than "the boss" people follow only because they are required to, you have to master the ability to invest in people and inspire them. To grow further in your role, you must achieve results and build a team that produces. You need to help people to develop their skills to become leaders in their own right. And if you have the skill and dedication, you can reach the pinnacle of leadership-where experience will allow you to extend your influence beyond your immediate reach and time for the benefit of others.

The 5 Levels of Leadership are:

• Position - People follow because they have to
• Permission - People follow because they want to
• Production - People follow because of what you have done for the organization
• People Development - People follow because of what you have done for them personally
• Pinnacle - People follow because of who you are and what you represent

Through humor, in-depth insight, and examples, internationally recognized leadership expert John C. Maxwell describes each of these stages of leadership. He shows you how to master each level and rise up to the next to become a more influential, respected, and successful leader.

Draws on examples of 'entrepreneurs' from the Bible and Christian history to help readers imagine how such an approach could work in their own context Addresses the problems some have with the word 'entrepreneur' and sets out a positive and informed alternative understanding Full of informative and inspiring case-studies of entrepreneurial ministry in action

What's working and not working in your congregation? You'll explore the factors that inspired and motivated changes to reverse decline as other congregations wrestled with the same issues you're facing: ministry to current members, ministry to the unchurched, worship, changing neighborhoods, and more.

Here is a summons to pray with twenty great women of faith_from Hildegard of Bingen to Dorothy Day. Brief biographies are followed by commentary, prayer experiences, questions for reflection, and suggestions for action. Meehan brings these women to life, allowing their example to inspire, encourage, and empower you. Meet women who will change your life and enrich your spiritual journey with new possibilities of self-discovery, wisdom, creativity, and friendship. Reminding us that abundance is all around us, and challenging us to make a difference, this book is filled with stories of visionary women with whom we can share the longings that lie deep within us for divine love, deep tranquility, and human intimacy.

Learn the secrets to building and maintaining a healthy, productive, and unified ministry team that sticks together for the long haul. Serving as a church leader can be a tough calling. Whatever your role, odds are you've known your share of the frustration and disillusionment that comes with turf battles, conflicting vision, and marathon meetings. You may have asked yourself, "How did it get this way?" With twenty years of front-line ministry experience, Larry Osborne understands congregations (as baffling as they can sometimes be) and he know how the best-intentioned teams can become disrupted and disunified. With this book, he aims to shore up the foundation of a healthy team--what does a unified and thriving church leadership look like and how can it be achieved? Sticky Teams is divided into three main sections, dealing with key aspects of what it takes to develop long-term, efficient harmony: Landmines and Roadblocks exposes the organizational structures, policies, and traditions that can unintentionally sabotage even the best of teams. You'll discover strategies for managing conflicts and getting around obstacles. Equipped for Ministry explores what it takes to get everyone on the same page and headed in the same direction. Chapters deal with practical tips for board, staff, and congregational alignment. Communication examines what it takes to keep everyone on the same page, with a special emphasis on some especially dicey areas and issues of ministry, such as conversations about money. Whatever your situation; from start-up phase, to mid-sized, to megachurch, Osborne has been there. As the pastor of North Coast Church, he's walked his board, staff, and congregation through the process of becoming more genuinely unified, and, because of that, better able to carry out God's design for his church. With warm encouragement and insight, he shares expertise that most pastors and leadership teams learn only from long experience: how to invest the time to create church harmony and how to lead so that unity is maintained long-term.

Jesus was uniquely adept in the art of "reading" people. He fit his approach to the precise needs and interests of the person with whom he was dealing, and he spoke the cultural language of that individual. In this book, Robert Perry takes what Jesus and others have done intuitively-niche marketing-and provides a framework for applying those principles in everyday practice. Convinced that congregations can learn from the wisdom of secular disciplines and apply that wisdom to congregational life without damaging the integrity of the Christian faith, Perry offers a detailed process for using sound marketing principles to identify a congregation's strengths and the needs of its community, and to develop strategies for effective ministry.