SPIRITUAL-STRATEGIC CHURCH RENEWAL
Part of the ministry resources on Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal.
- Introduction to Ministry Resources on Spiritual-Strategic Renewal
- First Reads
- Other Helpful Ministry Resources on Spiritual-Strategic Renewal
- Related Ministry Resoures
Introduction
Many attempts at church renewal fall into two extreme categories. One emphasizes spiritual formation but minimizes the importance of missional and organizational initiatives. Another emphasizes missional and organizational effectiveness but plays down spirituality. The following resources seek to avoid either extreme by holistically integrating the spiritual and strategic dimensions. They are listed in suggested order, yet all are quite good.
Remember that a special value of resources in this category is they help church leaders with their own “heart preparation” for the hard work of church renewal.
First Reads
- Howard E. Friend, Recovering the Sacred Center: Church Renewal from the Inside Out – Integrates postmodern cultural sensitivity, theological reflection, contemplative spiritual practices, leadership development, and corporate visioning into a thoughtful approach to renewal.
- N. Graham Standish, Becoming a Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual Purpose, Presence, and Power — An excellent balance between the extremes of “rational functionalism” (his word) and “anti-strategic spiritualism” (my word). It is deeply spiritual and immensely practical.
- Charles Halley, The Heart of the Matter: Changing the World God’s Way (TCP Leadership Series) — An excellent integration of spiritual formation and strategic congregational development. Looks at all of the significant activities of an established church through the lens of spiritual transformation.
Other Helpful Ministry Resources on Spiritual-Strategic Renewal
- George W. Bullard, Jr., Pursuing The Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation (TCP Leadership Series) – Presents “Spiritual Strategic Journeys,” a process that emphasizes congregational spiritual discernment. Also makes great use of the Congregational Health Cycle.
- Bill Easum, A Second Resurrection: Leading Your Congregation to New Life – Acknowledges that some church leaders are far from spiritual, and they lead churches that are turned far more inward than devoted to Christ. These churches cannot be revitalized. They must be resurrected.
- Karen A. McClintock, Shame-Less Lives, Grace-Full Congregations – Discusses the propensity of church leaders and their congregations toward shame and perfectionism, and offers insight on how to help both live out of a grace-full posture. Shows how shame-based ministers and churches often push each other into over-functioning, and how to mutually embrace God’s lavish provisions of grace.
- William T. McConnell, Renew Your Congregation: Healing the Sick, Raising the Dead— Combines the philosophy of Rick Warrens’s Purpose Driven Church, research among Lutherans (ELCA) on growing congregations, and McConnell’s own experiences with renewal.
- Mel Lawrenz, Whole Church: Leading from Fragmentation to Engagement– Encourages churches to experience wholeness and integration by living into God’s shalom that seeks to tie all of life into a meaningful whole.
- Loren Mead, More Than Numbers: the Way Churches Grow — For almost two decades, one of the more widely used texts to offer a holistic perspective on congregational growth in spiritual, organizational, and missional dimensions.
- Gene Mims, The Kingdom Focused Church: A Compelling Image of an Achievable Future for Your Church — Written like an inspiring sermon, Mims encourages leaders to go beyond current church growth resources that parrot popular secular ideas.
- Danny E. Morris and Charles M. Olsen, Discerning God’s Will Together: A Spiritual Practice for the Church — A great field guide for churches that wish to use corporate spiritual discernment to clarify and enact congregational vision.
Related Ministry Resources
See Other Resources on Church Leadership and Renewal:
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal, Index
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Theological Foundations, Ecclesiology
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Philosophical Foundations – e.g. Church Growth, Missional, Emergent, and Other Missionally Responsive Trajectories
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Practical Foundations, Church Dynamics and Research
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Practical Foundations, Congregational Culture, Church Identity
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Practical Foundations, Church Size, Size Transitions
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Practical Foundations, Research and Case Studies on Effective Churches
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Special Situations, Small Church Development
- Church Leadership, Church Health and Renewal – Strategies for Renewal
Ministry Resources on Related Areas
- Church Administration
- Transition and Change in Church
- Conflict in Church
- Elders, Church Governance
- Evangelism
- Church Giving, Tithing, and Financial Stewardship
- Involvement, Using Spiritual Gifts for Ministry in Church
- Christian Leadership
- Managing Volunteers in Christian Ministry
- Church Staff, Ministry Teams
- Ministry Transitions, Interim Ministry
- Missional Perspectives, Intro
- Missional Strategies for Christian Ministry
- Pastoral Theology
- Social Ministry, Social Justice
- Spiritual Formation for Christian Ministry
- Theology of Mission and Ministry
See Resources on Over 100 Areas of Christian Ministry: