Stephen E. Burt and Hazel Ann Roper, The Little Church that Could: Raising Small Church Esteem (Small Church in Action Series). Judson Press, 2000.
Referenced in: Small Church Leadership
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is a unique and needed volume that fully develops a theme found in all of the best materials on small church development – congregational morale. Small churches often try harder than larger churches, but may still see worship attendance down, involvement low, and financial resources running out. Sometimes it is hard to keep going. Burt and Roper compare churches that are corporately depressed (“little church that couldn’t”) to those with high esteem (“little church that could”), and suggest the congregational and leadership habits necessary to make the shift. This book is not just a pep talk. Instead, seasoned consultant/practitioners use insights from fields such as appreciative inquiry, congregational life cycles, congregational identity/styles, and size-dynamics to equip the reader for the crucial first-order task of elevating the spirit of a small congregation.
From the Publisher
Small churches face unique challenges. Many of those challenges stem not from a lack of inspiration or resources but from poor self-esteem. Filled with case studies and practical helps, this guide addresses everything from congregational life cycles to size-related dynamics. The authors avoid generic, one-size-fits-all solutions and provide customized answers based on solid thinking and sound theological understanding.
Editorial Reviews
“The Little Church That Could heads straight into the difficult issues of small church life.” Douglas Alan Walrath, retired director of field education, Bangor Theological Seminary and author of Making It Work: Effective Administration in the Small Church, Small Churches Are the Right Size.
***For additional information on this resource, including reviews, click the bookstore links. Check the reference at page top or the links below for resource guides on related topics.***
Related Areas
See Other Resources on Small Churches:
See Other Resources on Church Leadership and Renewal:
- Church Leadership and Renewal, Index
- Church Leadership, Theological Foundations, Ecclesiology
- Church Leadership, Philosophical Foundations – e.g. Church Growth, Missional, Emergent, and Other Missionally Responsive Trajectories
- Church Leadership, Practical Foundations – Church Dynamics and Research
- Church Leadership, Practical Foundations – Congregational Culture, Church Identity
- Church Leadership, Practical Foundations – Size Dynamics, Size Transitions
- Church Leadership, Practical Foundations – Research and Case Studies on Effective Churches
- Church Leadership, Special Situations – Small Church Development
- Church Leadership, Strategies for Renewal
See Resources on Over 100 Areas of Ministry Leadership: