A wise and perceptive portrait of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the newly elected Bishop of Rome and 266th Pope, now in a revised and greatly expanded new edition 'An exhaustive look at the newest pope ... a highly worthwhile resource for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.' Kirkus 'a superb guide into one of the most pivotal personalities of the 21st century' Publishers Weekly Pope Francis has enchanted and bewildered the world in equal measure with his compassion and his contradictions. Expanding greatly on his acclaimed earlier book Pope Francis: Untying the Knots, Paul Vallely reexamines the complex past of Jorge Mario Bertoglio and adds nine new chapters, revealing many untold, behind-the-scenes stories from his first years in office that explain this Pope of paradoxes. Vallely lays bare the intrigue and in-fighting surrounding Francis's attempt to cleanse the scandal-ridden Vatican Bank. He unveils the ambition and arrogance of top bureaucrats resisting the Pope's reform of the Roman Curia, as well as the hidden opposition at the highest levels that is preventing the Church from tackling the sex abuse crisis. He explains the ambivalence of Pope Francis towards the role of women in the Church, which has frustrated American Catholic women in particular. And Vallely charts the battle lines that are being drawn between Francis and conservatives and traditionalists talking of schism in this struggle for the soul of the Catholic Church. Consistently Francis has show a willingness to discuss issues previously considered taboo, such as the ban on those who divorce and remarry receiving Communion, his liberal instincts outraging traditionalists in the Vatican and especially in the Church hierarchy in the United States. At the same time, many of his statements have reassured conservative elements that he is not, in fact, as radical as he might appear. Behind the icon of simplicity that Pope Francis projects is a steely and sophisticated politician who has learned from the many mistakes of his past. The Pope with the winning smile was previously a bitterly divisive figure. In his decade as leader of Argentina's Jesuits left that religious order deeply split. His behavior during Argentina's Dirty War, when military death squads snatched innocent people from the streets, raised serious questions. Yet after a period of exile and what he has revealed as 'a time of great interior crisis' he underwent an extraordinary transformation - on which Vallely sheds new and fascinating light. The man who had been a strict conservative authoritarian was radically converted into a listening participative leader who became Bishop of the Slums, making enemies among Argentina's political classes in the process. Charting Francis's remarkable journey to the Vatican and his first years at work there, Paul Vallely has produced a deeply nuanced and insightful portrait of perhaps the most influential person in the world today. 'Pope Francis,' he writes, 'has not just demonstrated a different way of being a pope. He has shown the world a different way of being a Catholic.'

Are you letting your lack of authority paralyze you? One of the greatest myths of leadership is that you must be in charge in order to lead. Great leaders don't buy it. Great leaders lead with or without the authority and learn to unleash their influence wherever they are. Clay Scroggins knows all about this. His former boss, Andy Stanley, explains: "Clay was making a difference at North Point Community Church long before he was in charge of anything significant. Everything he touched got bigger and better whether he was in charge of it or not. In this study, Clay shares everything he learned about leading beyond his title, position, and authority. It's amazing." ~ Andy Stanley In this study you will: Learn to leverage influence instead of authority Create a game plan for leading yourself well Change the energy of your team by choosing positivity Cultivate influence by thinking critically, not being critical Avoid the trap of passivity when you feel out of control Learn an effective way to challenge people in authority over you How to Lead When You're Not in Charge will free you to become the great leader you want to be so you can make a difference right where you are. Even when you're not in charge. Sessions include: The Oddity of Leadership Lead Yourself Choose Positivity Think Critically Reject Passivity Challenging Up Designed for use with the How to Lead When You're Not in Charge Video Study 9780310095934 (sold separately).

Are distractions holding you back from living abundantly? Our world is filled with distractions. They take a toll on our work, our parenting, our marriages, and our souls. Constant tugs on our attention have us spinning our wheels, unable to gain momentum to move forward. Much like white noise, these distractions tune out what matters most within, and we're all susceptible. As distractions grow louder, we become deaf to the issues that most need our attention. In this six-session video Bible study (DVD/digital videos sold separately), pastor Clay Scroggins shows you how to take the next step in your personal growth by limiting the distractions in your life. Through the practices described in this guide, you will be empowered to replace the chaos in your increasingly busy schedule with emotional competence that leads to a calmer and more fulfilling life. This study guide contains a session overview, a video teaching summary, group discussion questions, and personal study tools. Sessions include: The Danger of Distraction Turning Down the White Noise Finding Simplicity Speaking to Yourself Getting Quiet Pressing Pause Designed for use with the How to Lead in a World of Distraction Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.

What are the distinctive characteristics of Christian leaders? Too many churches and parachurch groups are blindly operating under secular leadership principles and strategies. Concerned to counter this drift, leadership expert Aubrey Malphurs 1) articulates a working definition of a Christian leader and leadership based on Scripture and his own extensive research, and 2) challenges you to define and develop leadership in your ministry. Malphurs then describes in detail the specific characteristics of leaders, such as commitment to Christ, caring, trustworthiness, a servant attitude, and having followers. Each chapter ends with helpful questions for reflection and discussion. Included in the appendices are several inventories that will help you assess your strengths and weaknesses in leadership as well as your leadership style, ideal ministry circumstances, and much more. Aubrey Malphurs is professor of pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. A nationally recognized expert on leadership issues, he is the author of a dozen books and the president of The Malphurs Group (www.malphursgroup.com), a training and consulting organization.

On the first anniversary of his election to the papacy, Leo the Great stood before the assembly of bishops convening in Rome and forcefully asserted his privileged position as the heir of Peter the Apostle. This declaration marked the beginning of a powerful tradition: the Bishop of Rome would henceforth leverage the cult of St. Peter, and the popular association of St. Peter with the city itself, to his advantage. In The Invention of Peter, George E. Demacopoulos examines this Petrine discourse, revealing how the link between the historic Peter and the Roman Church strengthened, shifted, and evolved during the papacies of two of the most creative and dynamic popes of late antiquity, ultimately shaping medieval Christianity as we now know it. By emphasizing the ways in which this rhetoric of apostolic privilege was employed, extended, transformed, or resisted between the reigns of Leo the Great and Gregory the Great, Demacopoulos offers an alternate account of papal history that challenges the dominant narrative of an inevitable and unbroken rise in papal power from late antiquity through the Middle Ages. He unpacks escalating claims to ecclesiastical authority, demonstrating how this rhetoric, which almost always invokes a link to St. Peter, does not necessarily represent actual power or prestige but instead reflects moments of papal anxiety and weakness. Through its nuanced examination of an array of episcopal activity-diplomatic, pastoral, political, and administrative-The Invention of Peter offers a new perspective on the emergence of papal authority and illuminates the influence that Petrine discourse exerted on the survival and exceptional status of the Bishop of Rome.

Create a small, strong congregation that is dedicated to advancing God's mission The twenty-first century is the century of small, strong congregations. More people will be drawn to small, strong congregations than any other kind of congregation. Yes, there are mega-congregations; Their number is increasing greatly. Nevertheless, across the planet, the vast majority of congregations will be small and strong, and the vast majority of people will be in these congregations. With uncommon wisdom Kennon L. Callahan--today's most noted church consultant--moves ahead of conventional thinking and in Small, Strong Congregations offers his unique vision of the church of the future. This important book chronicles the emergence of a vast number of congregations that are questioning the bigger-is-better notion in church membership. These congregations are deliberately small, active, and happy in their dedication to creating strong church communities that advance God's mission. Step by step, Kennon Callahan shows pastors and other church leaders how they can develop the values and specific qualities helpful to shape and strengthen their own small congregations.Written to be a hands-on guide, Small, Strong Congregations offers practical suggestions for creating mission and service, compassion and shepherding, community and belonging, self-reliance and self-sufficiency, worship and hope, teams and leaders, space and facilities, and giving and generosity. This wise resource is filled with illustrative examples that show clearly how myriad small churches have created solid, vigorous congregations.

How can a church best respond when their priest tells them "I'm retiring," or "I've been called to another parish?" This book outlines to receiving a new ordained leader, recognizing that every parish is different. Discerning exactly what your parish needs can be both a challenge and a joy, and On the Emmaus Road affirms that you can listen to God's voice while attending to other day-to-day tasks. Based upon several years of doctoral research into the work of search committees in the Diocese of Virginia, this book has been refined through the experience of using its new methodologies in over seventy-five calls. With both traditional and creative new approaches to the clergy search process, Thorpe gives a wealth of resources for your parish to not only survive the days to come, but thrive in the midst of them.

In 1631, Marie Guyart stepped over the threshold of the Ursuline convent in Tours, leaving behind her eleven-year-old son, Claude, against the wishes of her family and her own misgivings. Marie concluded, "God was dearer to me than all that. Leaving him therefore in His hands, I bid adieu to him joyfully." Claude organized a band of schoolboys to storm the convent, begging for his mother's return. Eight years later, Marie made her way to Quebec, where over the course of the next thirty-three years she opened the first school for Native American girls, translated catechisms into indigenous languages, and served some eighteen years as superior of the first Ursuline convent in the New World. She would also maintain, over this same period, an extensive and intimate correspondence with the son she had abandoned to serve God. The Cruelest of All Mothers is, fundamentally, an explanation of Marie de l'Incarnation's decision to abandon Claude for religious life. Complicating Marie's own explication of the abandonment as a sacrifice carried out in imitation of Christ and in submission to God's will, the book situates the event against the background of early modern French family life, the marginalization of motherhood in the Christian tradition, and seventeenth-century French Catholic spirituality. Deeply grounded in a set of rich primary sources, The Cruelest of All Mothers offers a rich and complex analysis of the abandonment.

Pastor, author, and leadership consultant unpacks instruction for church leaders found in 1 Peter 5:1-4 where they are exhorted to shepherd the flock among them.Some instruction is timeless. Regardless of the age in which we live, certain instruction carries no expiration on its relevance. Pastor, author, and leadership consultant, Larry Osborne has discovered this to be the case with instruction on how to be a good leader. The best, most practical advice comes from the Bible, and in particular, 1 Peter 5:1-4. It's in this short passage where leaders are exhorted to shepherd the flock among them.Unfortunately, most modern leaders have precious little experience tending sheep, and many of the implications that were well understood when Peter penned these words are lost on today's reader. Osborne finds the parallels to be numerous, well-worth reviewing and understanding anew.A shepherd leads them to water even when they fear it. A shepherd never allows one sick lamb to destroy the flock. A shepherd lays down his life for his sheep . . .When leaders truly understand Peter's words of exhortation to lead like a shepherd, then they will begin to see the path that leads them to Leading Well.

'Gripping ... An exquisite conversation between two people who know each other, like each other, and have mutual respect for one another' - Catholic Times Since resigning from the papacy in 2013, the first Pope in over 700 years to do so, Pope Benedict has lived quietly in a convent in the Vatican gardens in Rome. He has devoted himself to a life of prayer and study and has vowed to remain silent, until now. So much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict's time in office - in this book, written with bestselling German author Peter Seewald, he addresses the issues of his papacy and reveals how, at his late age, governing and reforming the Church was beyond him. Last Testament is also an autobiography, recalling Pope Benedict's childhood in Germany under Nazism, his early development as a priest, and eventually his appointment as Archbishop of Munich. After becoming Pope, his account deals with the controversies that rocked the Catholic world - how he enraged Muslims with his Regensburg speech, what he did and did not do to stamp out the clerical sexual abuse of children, the 'Vatileaks' scandal and how he broke up a gay cabal within the Vatican itself. At all times, we see a man who is shy and retiring and modest being exceptionally open and frank with the outside world. In this Last Testament, a unique book insofar as no other living Pope has had the opportunity to write an account having left office, Benedict gives in his own words an unprecedented view of the difficulties, the achievements and the consequences of his time as head of the Catholic Church worldwide.

The study examines the appointments to the office of Bishop in two Italian church provinces (Milan and Salerno) in the period from 1676 to 1903. It covers the legal and political parameters, the state and ecclesiastical bodies selecting the candidates, and the social prerequisites for advancement to higher church orders. The study draws on extensive material from the Vatican archives on the personnel policy of the Roman curia from the pontificate of Innocent XI to that of Leo XIII and casts an unusual light both on the relations between the Papacy and the Italian states and on the social history of the Roman Church.

Arranged in a Q & A format, this volume tackles the major questions that pastors, church leaders, and students ask about congregational church government, a topic of much interest in the church today. It provides readers with a clear analysis of key biblical passages, succinct answers (4-8 pages each), and discussion questions. The unique format of the book allows the reader to pick and choose what issues are most pertinent to their interests and needs.

"Earl Creps is a superb communicator with the passion, courage, and vulnerability to hang out with younger people who mentor him enthusiastically. This book is a refreshing, innovative perspective that all other mentoring books miss."
--Gary R. Collins, PhD, School of Psychology and Counseling, Regent University

"This book will help satisfy a deep hunger for wisdom and guidance."
--John Ortberg, pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church; author, "The Life You've Always Wanted"

"The world has ended about four times. New technologies and processes for handling information make the old world obsolete, quickly. When this happens an unusual dynamic asserts itself. Younglings mentor the elders into the way of the new world. The richness of life sharing that is established in reverse mentoring is a largely unexplored, but promising green edge to the Christian movement. Let Earl Creps show you how to get in on this development."
--Reggie McNeal, author, "The Present Future"

"Unfortunately, those of us who've been around for awhile find it difficult to listen to those who haven't. What could they ever teach us? No question this prevalent attitude is much to our disadvantage as we lose touch with the future of Christ's church. So how can we learn to be quiet for once and listen? And why should we founts of wisdom even consider it? Earl Creps provides us with a compelling answer in Reverse Mentoring. This is a must-read for all generations who love Christ's church."
--Aubrey Malphurs, lead navigator, The Malphurs Group; senior professor, Dallas Seminary

"And I thought I was cool, that I had put the 'hip' back in discipleship! But after experiencing Reverse Mentoring, Ihave discovered it was an 'artificial hip.' It reminded me how much younger leaders have helped me, and it motivated me to get down to Starbucks or wherever I can spend some time with them."
--Bill Hull, author, "Jesus Christ Disciple Maker," "The Disciple Making Pastor" and "The Disciple Making Church"

"Yikes. We've been nattering on about apprenticeship and formation forever, but we've often studiously ignored some of our best teachers. Brilliantly incisive and yet Monday-morning practical, this warm, vital book might just nudge the church into a long overdue revolution."
--Jeff Lucas, author, speaker, broadcaster

Many colleges and universities informally highlight the value of mentoring among academic professionals. Yet scholars often lack clear definitions, goals, practices, and commitments that help them actually reap the benefits mentoring offers. As new faculty members from younger generations continue to face evolving challenges while also reshaping institutions, their ability to connect with more experienced mentors is critical to their vocations-and to the future of higher education. In Cultivating Mentors, a distinguished group of contributors explores the practice of mentoring in Christian higher education. Drawing on traditional theological understandings of the mentee-mentor relationship, they consider what goals should define such relationships and what practices make their cultivation possible among educators. With special attention to generational dynamics, they discuss how mentoring can help institutions navigate generational faculty transitions and cultivate rising leaders. Contributors include: David Kinnaman Tim Clydesdale Margaret Diddams Edgardo Colon-Emeric Rebecca C. Hong Tim Elmore Beck A. Taylor Stacy A. Hammons This book offers valuable insights and practical recommendations for faculty members, administrators, and policy makers. Whether pursuing their vocation in Christian or secular institutions, Christian scholars will benefit from the sharing of wisdom mapped out in Cultivating Mentors.

Ian Parkinson shares his experience of partnering with God to transform two very different local churches. He weaves stories from his own congregations, and draws on his experience of ministering in an inherited traditional but declining church, revealing what he has done to turn them around.

The transformation of such churches is critical: there are relational links to build on within communities; there are resources in place; and most importantly, God desires to renew his people in their sense of identity, vision, calling and anointing, even when they lose their way. In order for this to happen, there need to be leaders who are enthused and equipped to share in God's vision to be agents of change in the church for the sake of the world. This is transformational leadership. Such leadership comes about when we are gripped by a compelling vision of how God intends His Church to be, and a passion to see it move it forwards.

Ian Parkinson begins with a brief overview of the true calling and identity of the Church, before examining the catalytic role of leaders in establishing practices and habits which enable the congregation to see vision become reality.

In the past thirty years, the Catholic bishops of the United States have made headlines with their statements on nuclear disarmament and economic justice, their struggles to address sexual abuse by clergy, and their defense of refugees and immigrants. Despite many similarities, the nearly two hundred U.S. bishops are a diverse mix of varying backgrounds and opinions. The last research-based book to study the bishops of the United States came out in 1989, since which time the Church has gone from Pope John Paul II to Benedict XVI to Pope Francis and undergone dramatic shifts. Catholic Bishops in the United States: Church Leadership in the Third Millennium presents the results of a 2016 survey conducted by the Center of Applied Research for the Apostolate. It reveals the U.S. bishops' individual experiences, their day-to-day activities, their challenges and satisfactions as Church leaders, and their strategies for managing their dioceses and speaking out on public issues. The bishops' leadership has been tested by changes including the movement of Catholics from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West, the arrival of huge numbers of Catholic immigrants, and the ongoing decline in the number of priests and sisters serving the Catholic community. This book provides a much-needed up-to-date and comprehensive view of who the U.S. bishops of today are, where they are from, and how they are leading the Church in the United States in the era of Pope Francis.

Seven out of ten Christian leaders feel overworked, four in ten suffer financial pressures, only two in ten have had management training and 1,500 give up their job over a ten-year period. At the same time, as financial restrictions affect the availability of full-time ministers, more people are needed for leadership roles in local congregations, for every area of church work. This book faces the challenge of raising up new leaders and helping existing leaders to mature, using the model for growing leaders at the heart of the Arrow Leadership Programme, a ministry of the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS). It comprehensively surveys leadership skills and styles, discerning our personal calling, avoiding the 'red zone' of stress, developing character, and living as part of the community of God's people. The book contains twelve chapters, in six sections, plus a resources section: Part 1: Leadership today, Part 2: Growing leaders know they're chosen, Part 3: Growing leaders discern God's call, Part 4: Growing leaders develop Christ-like character, Part 5: Growing leaders cultivate competence, Part 6: Growing leaders lead in community. First published in 2004.

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. Confessions describes Saint Augustine's conversion to Christianity and is the basis for his reputation as one of Christianity's most influential thinkers.

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.

Anglicanism can be wonderful, mystifying and infuriating. For some it is an expression of the Church catholic, going back to the early Church and the apostles. For others it is a pragmatic compromise dating from Henry VIII's dynastic ambitions. Some see Anglicanism today as self-destructing, torn apart by internal pressures.
Paul Avis expounds an Anglicanism that is both catholic and reformed and open to fresh insight. On this interpretation, what is distinctive about Anglicanism is its understanding of the Church and of authority. These issues are addressed in relation to the origins of Anglican ecclesiology, the diversity and coherence of the worldwide Anglican Communion, its understanding of baptism and the Eucharist, the question of women priests and bishops, its ecumenical engagement and the internal conflicts of the early twenty-first century. This is a authoritive and passionate vindication of classical Anglicanism, evolving to respond to contemporary challenges.