Randy Pope, The Intentional Church: Moving From Church Success to Community Transformation. Moody Publishers, 2006. Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive LifeandLeadership.com Summary This describes a philosophy for church transformation Pope developed through the ministry of Perimeter Church in Atlanta. It revises and repackages his previous volume, The Prevailing Church. In both texts, Pope
Robert B. Schnase, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. Abingdon Press, 2007. Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is the result of an effort of the Ohio West and Missouri Conferences of the United Methodist Church to search the scriptures for images to define congregational health. Five images emerged: Radical hospitality Passionate
Kevin Ford, Transforming Church: Bringing Out the Good to Great. David C. Cook Publishing, 2008. Referenced in: Leadership Approaches: Adaptive Leadership, Ron Heifetz Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive LifeandLeadership.com Summary It may seem from the subtitle that this planning approach builds on the concepts of Jim Collins’ popular Good to Great. The authors do mention
George W. Bullard, Jr., Pursuing The Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation (TCP Leadership Series). Chalice Press, 2006. Referenced in: Strategies for Church Leadership and Renewal – Congregational Health Cycle LifeandLeadership.com Summary George Bullard is an insightful church strategist, one of the best in my opinion. At the time he wrote this book, he was
Robert Dale, To Dream Again: How to Help Your Church Come Alive. Wipf and Stock, 2004. Referenced in: Strategies for Church Leadership and Renewal – Congregational Health Cycle LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a recognized classic in church leadership, first published in 1988 and now in a nice reprint edition. Dale provides an excellent discussion of
Karl Albrecht, The Northbound Train: Finding the Purpose, Setting the Direction, Shaping the Destiny of Your Organization. Karl Albrecht International, 2003. Referenced in: Strategies for Church Renewal – Strategic Planning LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is recognized as a standard text on strategic planning in business circles. As such, it assumes many of the realities of business
Nancy Vogel, Catching the Next Wave Workbook: Leadership Strategies for Turnaround Congregations. Augsburg Fortress, 1999. Referenced in: Strategies for Church Renewal – Strategic Planning, Congregational Discernment LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a companion to Steven J. Goodwin, Catching the Next Wave (1999), but one needs only this volume to get the gist of the approach. The
Roy M. Oswald and Robert E. Friedrich, Jr., Discerning Your Congregation’s Future: A Strategic and Spiritual Approach. Alban Institute, 1996. Referenced in: Strategies for Church Renewal – Strategic Planning, Congregational Discernment LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a brief, well-written, directive guidebook to strategic planning as a spiritual practice by seasoned practitioner-scholar-consultants from the Alban Institute. It
Daniel P. Smith and Mary K. Sellon, Pathway to Renewal: Practical Steps for Congregations. Alban Institute, 2008. Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal – Strategic Planning, Congregational Discernment LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a good attempt at applying the best practices of spiritual formation and congregational development to the hard work of church renewal. The book
Gil Rendle and Alice Mann, Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations. Alban Institute, 2003. Referenced in: Strategies for Church Renewal – Strategic Planning, Congregational Discernment LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is my top recommendation for congregational strategic planning. Holy Conversations integrates a considerable breadth of spiritual and organizational resources. This includes spiritual discernment
