Louis B. Weeks, All for God’s Glory: Redeeming Church Scutwork. Alban Institute, 2008.
Referenced in:
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
“Scutwork” is Navy slang for routine and menial labor, any task one has to do but would rather not do. And that is how many ministers are tempted to see the work of administration, as a necessary evil that one has to endure. Weeks tries to elevate these tasks. He insists that church administration be seen as pastoral care, and provides insight on how to engage it effectively to open and deepen pastoral relations. One often hears the argument that pastoral care is the basis of one’s long-term credibility. Weeks adds another dimension, that effective execution of day-to-day details builds the trust that is essential to the care of souls. While this is probably not the definitive volume on how to fulfill the complete range of administrative tasks, it offers a helpful interpretation of the meaning of these activities. It is a valuable safeguard to keep administrivia from becoming a cynical drudgery and to redeem it for the many pastoral opportunities it provides.
From the Publisher
Nobody likes scutwork, the unwanted dregs of the working day. Pastors are no exception to this, often dreading the endless e-mails and phone calls, having no heart for putting together one more bulletin or attending one more meeting, all of which feels like so much distraction from the “true” pastoral work to which they have been called. Louis Weeks challenges that paradigm and lifts up scutwork as an integral part of pastoral care and leadership. How can we administer congregations in ways most likely to increase the measure of pastoral care? How can our service, in menial and glorious work alike, build up the Body of Christ? How can all the work and worship in this congregation help God’s work in the world?
Preparation, organization, and other administrative duties are crucial for effective programs and mission in a congregation as elsewhere in society. Preaching, teaching, and pastoral care—three indispensable parts of congregational life—all depend upon competent congregational administration. It is through focused attention to the details of scutwork that pastors are able to build solid relationships within the congregation, and without the trust that comes from these relationships, no true pastoral care and leadership is possible. All for God’s Glory explores ways in which churches are engaged and can engage in practices of administration that deepen care and build a healthy congregational community.
Editorial Reviews
All for God’s Glory takes the common lament about the drudgery of church “scutwork” and turns it into a joyful song of praise. By grounding administration in theology, Louis Weeks offers a fresh perspective on how healthy administration leads congregations to extend their “care of souls.” — Lewis F. Galloway, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
Louis Weeks offers dozens of good ideas and insights as to how the churches we serve can be more faithful to God through good organization and effective administrative practices. Biblically based and theologically sophisticated, All for God’s Glory is a genuine page-turner. No pastor or lay leader ought to be without it. — Joanna M. Adams, Senior Pastor, Morningside Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia
Louis Weeks uses the practical everyday leadership experiences of a wide variety of pastoral leaders to help us see that “scutwork,” the menial, mundane tasks of ministry, is holy work. This book is filled with a host of faithful, hopeful, and practical suggestions for strengthening congregational leadership—for new and experienced leaders alike. — Dent Davis, Dean and Vice President for Lifelong Learning, Columbia Theological Seminary
About the Author
Louis B. Weeks is President Emeritus, Union-PSCE, Richmond, VA and Charlotte, NC, and served as a stated supply pastor and as a missionary in the Presbyterian Church in Congo (then Zaire). He has written broadly about church history, ethics, development, administration, the Bible, pastoral care, and ministry. His books include To Be a Presbyterian; The Presbyterian Presence: Bible Words that Shape a Faith; and Making Ethical Decisions. Recently, his books with other writers have included Faith in Words and Vital Signs: The Promise of Mainline Protestantism.
***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.***
Other Ministry Resource Guides on Church Administration:
See Resources on Over 100 Areas of Ministry Leadership: