Ministry Mess Management is directed principally at Christian ministry leaders and presumes that Christian ministry leaders subscribe to biblically based principles and Christ-centered management. It is our humble attempt to examine ministry failures and malperformance rooted in breeches of one or more of those biblical principles. We will demonstrate the close link between biblical principles and wise management, indeed a linkage based in God's reality. They go hand in hand. Necessary management decisions, including gritty and distasteful ones such as terminations, should be as much grounded in biblical principles as good management principles, not simply pragmatism or financial need. Furthermore, we invite you to think, and to frame, organizational behavior (and failure) within these values and wisdom. We wish to encourage, even urge, Christ-centered boards and managers to discerningly understand, detect and courageously be able to expeditiously act, yet with grace, out of a sense of biblical necessity in an organizational context when danger signs based both in biblical and sound management principles are flashing warnings. Governing and executive leadership are sobering responsibilities with, we believe, transcendent effects.

The WorshipMusic.com 2003 Book of the Year Andy Park writes, "I've learned through the years that becoming a worship leader involves far more than developing a set of skills--it's all about developing a life in God." Here's your opportunity to sit at the feet of one who has for twenty-five years led contemporary worship services in the United States and Canada. In Park's book you'll get an inside look at how this worship leader has learned to follow the leading of the Spirit as he brings others into God's presence. And you'll find practical advice, experienced counsel and inspiring ideas on a variety of issues like songwriting pulling together a team staying humble planning the flow of worship what to do in times of dryness working with the pastor and much more Above all, Park will help you discover what it means for you as a worship leader to be first and foremost a worshiper.

Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power is an analysis of cyclical manifestation, and more specifically of the relationship between royal and sacerdotal power. In accord with the Hindu doctrine of manvantaras and Plato's depiction of historical degeneration in the Republic, Gunon views history here as a series of 'revolts' of lower castes against the higher. The kshatriyas (warriors) revolt against the brahmins (priests), thus setting the stage for a revolt of the vaishyas (loosely, the bourgeoisie), as in the French revolution-and, finally, the shudras (the proletariat), as in the Russian revolution (which Gunon does not touch upon in this work). From one point of view, this is a progressive degeneration; from another it is entirely lawful, given the 'entropic' nature of manifestation itself. External, historical descent reflects an inner degeneration: knowledge (the celestial paradise) is eclipsed by heroic action (the terrestrial paradise), which is in turn overrun by the inertia and agitation of the passions. Yet the nadir of degeneration is also the point of renewal: the dawning of the Heavenly Jerusalem-spiritual Knowledge-which begins a new cycle of manifestation.

While there are millions of graduates leaving colleges and universities every year, major statistics show that more than 53 percent of these graduates are either unemployed or underemployed. In addition, many young people today fail to live up to their potential or even attempt to achieve their dreams due to lack of confidence in their abilities that often results from not being given permission to be and develop who they truly are. In THE NEW GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP, the authors gives outright that permission, and shares practical steps, inspiring stories and anecdotes, helpful principles, and uncommon truths in the nurturing of those innate qualities that will help young people increase their value, excel and stand out from the crowd.

After Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt was the most influential figure in early Mormon history and culture. Missionary, pamphleteer, theologian, historian, and martyr, Pratt was perennially stalked by controversy--regarded, he said, "almost as an Angel by thousands and counted an Imposter by tens of thousands."
Tracing the life of this colorful figure from his hardscrabble origins in upstate New York to his murder in 1857, Terryl Givens and Matthew Grow explore the crucial role Pratt played in the formation and expansion of early Mormonism. One of countless ministers inspired by the antebellum revival movement known as the Second Great Awakening, Pratt joined the Mormons in 1830 at the age of twenty three and five years later became a member of the newly formed Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which vaulted him to the forefront of church leadership for the rest of his life. Pratt's missionary work--reaching from Canada to England, from Chile to California--won hundreds of followers, but even more important were his voluminous writings. Through books, newspaper articles, pamphlets, poetry, fiction, and autobiography, Pratt spread the Latter-day Saint message, battled the many who reviled it, and delineated its theology in ways that still shape Mormon thought.
Drawing on letters, journals, and other rich archival sources, Givens and Grow examine not only Pratt's writings but also his complex personal life. A polygamist who married a dozen times and fathered thirty children, Pratt took immense joy in his family circle even as his devotion to Mormonism led to long absences that put heavy strains on those he loved. It was during one such absence, a mission trip to the East, that the estranged husband of his twelfth wife shot and killed him--a shocking conclusion to a life that never lacked in drama.

Evangelicals stand divided in their view of women in the church. On one side stand complementarians, arguing the full worth of women but assigning them to differing roles. On the other side stand egalitarians, arguing that the full worth of women demands their equal treatment and access to leadership roles. Is there a way to mend the breach and build consensus? Sarah Sumner thinks there is. Avoiding the pitfalls of both radical feminism and reactionary conservatism, she traces a new path through the issues--biblical, theological, psychological and practical--to establish and affirm common ground. Arguing that men and women are both equal and distinct, Sumner encourages us to find ways to honor and benefit from the leadership gifts of both.Men and Women in the Church is a book for all who want a fresh and hope-filled look at a persistent problem.

Responding to a recent upsurge of Jewish interest in Buddhism, Sasson undertakes the first serious academic effort to uncover the common ground between the founders of the two religions, Moses and the Buddha. Because this is a study of traditions rather than a historical investigation, Sasson is able to synthesize various kinds of materials, from biblical and non-biblical, adn from early Pali and Sanskrit Buddhist sources. She notes the striking similarities between the life-patterns of the two leaders. Both were raised as princes and both eventually left their lavish upbringings only to discover something higher. Their mothers play prominent roles in the narratives of their births, while their fathers are often excluded from view. They were both born surrounded by light and embodying miraculous qualities. But there are also some rather consequential differences, which allow these two colossal figures to maintain their uniqueness and significance. Moses was a man chosen for a particular mission by a higher power, a human being serving as the deity's tool. By contrast, the Buddha was a man whose mission was self-determined and actualized over time. Moses lived one life; the Buddha lived many. The Buddha became the symbol of human perfection; Moses was cherished by his tradition despite - or possibly because of - his personal failings. And although Moses is often presented as the founder of Israelite religion, the Buddha was simply following the blueprint outlined by the Buddhas before him. The programme of this study goes further than to compare and contrast the two figures. Sasson argues that the comparative model she adopts can highlight doctrines and priorities of a religion that may otherwise remain hidden. In that way, the birth of Moses and the Buddha may serve as a paradigm for the comparative study of religions.

Leadership makes a difference. Leaders directly impact the success or failure of any group or church. Excellent leaders direct churches to successfully accomplish their goals, fulfill their missions, and create a vibrant fellowship of believers who significantly influence their communities for Christ. Poor leaders can undermine the mission of a church, devastate the reputation of a fellowship, and sometimes dissolve the ministries of a congregation. The effects of average leaders are variable. They often allow churches to limp along, to become routine, even stale, or to just survive from week to week. Many factors challenge churches already, and ineffective leadership can make those challenges even more difficult to conquer.

A primary reason why leaders struggle so often is a lack of understanding and training in the basic principles of genuine leadership. Further confounding this lack of understanding is the promotion of contemporary philosophies about leadership that can distort those basic concepts of leadership. This ignorance is not the fault of pastors who have a sincere desire to lead effectively, but the training in leadership at many seminaries is often limited. Leadership at the Crossroads addresses some of those concerns. What is leadership? What leadership style works best? How can ministers more effectively motivate their congregations? How can pastors direct the planning process, promote decision making, properly delegate responsibilities, and initiate change? What methods are effective in conflict resolution? These questions, as well as others, are addressed in Leadership at the Crossroads.

As the availability and use of media platforms continue to expand, the cultural visibility of religion is on the rise, leading to questions about religious authority: Where does it come from? How is it established? What might be changing it? The contributors to The Media and Religious Authority examine the ways in which new centers of power and influence are emerging as religions seek to “brand” themselves in the media age. Putting their in-depth, incisive studies of particular instances of media production and reception in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America into conversation with one another, the volume explores how evolving mediations of religion in various places affect the prospects, aspirations, and durability of religious authority across the globe. An insightful combination of theoretical groundwork and individual case studies, The Media and Religious Authority invites us to rethink the relationships among the media, religion, and culture. The contributors are Karina Kosicki Bellotti, Alexandra Boutros, Pauline Hope Cheong, Peter Horsfield, Christine Hoff Kraemer, Joonseong Lee, Alf Linderman, Bahíyyah Maroon, Montré Aza Missouri, and Emily Zeamer, with an afterword by Lynn Schofield Clark.

An invitation and guide for leaders "to cast a courageous and imaginative vision, to lead resiliently, and to be present and steady in times of deep anxiety." Ed Friedman's genius was to see the individual in the family in the larger group, bringing the wisdom of his experience as a therapist and rabbi to the field of organizational leadership. A timeless bestseller, A Failure of Nerve still astonishes in this new edition with its relevance and continues to transform the lives of leaders everywhere-business, church, family, schools-as it has for more than 20 years: Offers prescient guide to leadership in the age of "quick fix." Provides ways to recognize and address organizational dysfunction. Emphasizes "strength over pathology" in these anxious times. "The age that is upon us requires differentiated leadership that is willing to rise above the anxiety of the masses. We need leaders who will have the 'capacity to understand and deal effectively' with the hive mind that is us. This is, in Friedman's words, 'the key to the kingdom.' I am grateful for this accessible new edition." C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Texas

This comprehensive biography of Pope Benedict XVI emphasizes his theological positions and contributions as a theologian. Pope Benedict XVI: A Biography is an incisive exploration of the life and career of the current head of the Roman Catholic Church, with an emphasis on his theological positions and contributions as a theologian. Written by a Catholic priest who is an expert on Bavarian theology, the book looks at Benedict's family life, his teen years in Nazi Germany, his rise in the Church, and the beliefs that shape his Papacy. Readers of this biography will learn that, in addition to his native German, Benedict XVI speaks Italian, French, English, Spanish, and Latin fluently, has a knowledge of Portuguese, and can read ancient Greek and biblical Hebrew. They will discover that he plays the piano and is very fond of cats. Perhaps surprisingly, they will find that during the time of the Second Vatican Council, the Pope was viewed as a reformer, and that he continues to regard himself as a supporter of the Council's teaching, holding, however, that those teachings have been widely misinterpreted. All this and more make for a fascinating-and instructive-reading experience. Photographs Lightly annotated bibliography