Philip Graham Ryken, City on a Hill: Reclaiming the Biblical Pattern for the Church in the 21st Century. Moody Publishers, 2003. Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a put forth as a “back-to-the-Bible” approach to church renewal, chronicling the spiritual weakening of American culture and the church at large, and
Anthony B. Robinson, Changing the Conversation: A Third Way for Congregations. Eerdmans, 2008. Prequel: Robinson, Transforming Congregational Culture Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a sequel to Robinson’s best-selling volume, Transforming Congregational Culture. While written with the concerns of mainline Protestant denominations in mind, the insights are transferrable to congregations
Anthony B. Robinson, Transforming Congregational Culture. Eerdmans, 2003. Sequel: Robinson, Changing the Conversation Referenced in: Leadership Approaches – Adaptive Leadership Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a best-selling volume on church renewal. It is often recommended alongside Robinson’s sequel, Changing the Conversation. While written with the concerns of mainline Protestant denominations in
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
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
Bill Easum, Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers: Ministry Anytime, Anywhere, By Anyone. Abingdon Press, 1995. Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal – Easum and Bandy’s Diagnostic on Thriving Congregations Empowering Leadership Involvement and Gift-Based Ministry LifeandLeadership.com Summary This was Bill Easum’s first attempt to describe permission-giving, servant-empowering, team-based congregational ministry systems. Easum’s more thorough treatment
Bill Easum, Unfreezing Moves: Following Jesus into the Mission Field. Abingdon Press, 2002. Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal – Easum and Bandy’s Diagnostic on Thriving Congregations Empowering Leadership LifeandLeadership.com Summary I would call this book, “Permission-Giving, Servant Empowering Congregational Cultures 101,” and although it may be too academic, it would be on target. Let’s
Thomas G. Bandy, Spirited Leadership: Empowering People to do What Really Matters. Chalice Press, 2008. Also featured, companion volume: Bandy, Christian Chaos Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal – Easum and Bandy’s Diagnostic on Thriving Congregations Empowering Leadership Empowering Ministry Belief Systems and Structures Plural-Elder Congregational Leadership LifeandLeadership.com Summary The word “empowerment” is used often
