Nile Harper, Urban Churches Vital Signs: Beyond Charity Toward Justice. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2005. Referenced in: Social Ministry Among the Urban Poor, Urban Ministry LifeandLeadership.com Summary This represents the work of Nile Harper and associates as they visited twenty-eight urban churches in fifteen major cities across the nation during the 1990s. Its purpose is
Barbara J. Elliott, Street Saints: Renewing America’s Cities. Templeton Foundation Press, 2004. Referenced in: Social Ministry Among the Urban Poor, Urban Ministry LifeandLeadership.com Summary The publisher’s description below provides an excellent summary of this text. It is a wonderful treasury of stories of people of faith, faith-based organizations, and churches that are making a difference
Ronald Sider, Phil Olson, and Heidi Unruh, Churches That Make a Difference: Reaching Your Community with Good News and Good Works. (Baker, 2002). Referenced in: Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a comprehensive introductory guide for holistic ministry (i.e. integrating evangelism and social action) in congregations. It compares well with Tim Keller’s Ministries of
Timothy J. Keller, Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road, Second Edition. P & R Publishing Company, 1997. Sequel: Keller, Generous Justice Referenced in: Theological and Philosophical Foundations of Christian Social Ministry Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is a very biblical, balanced look at the principles and practice of mercy ministry. The
Tim Keller, Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes us Just. Dutton Adult, 2010. Prequel: Keller, Ministries of Mercy Referenced in: Theological and Philosophical Foundations of Christian Social Ministry Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeadership.com Summary I have previously summarized Tim Keller’s first volume on Social Justice, Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (1997). This
Carl Dudley, Community Ministry: New Challenges, Proven Steps to Faith-Based Initiatives. Alban Institute, 2002. Companion volumes: Dudley, Congregations in Transition Ammerman, Studying Congregations Referenced in: Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeaderhsip.com Summary This is a result of Carl Dudley’s extensive research into community/urban ministry. It is the revised and updated version of his earlier volume, Basic Steps
Carl Dudley and Nancy Ammerman, Congregations in Transition: A Guide for Analyzing, Assessing, and Adapting in Changing Communities. Jossey-Bass, 2002. Companion volumes: Dudley, Community Ministry Ammerman, Studying Congregations Referenced in: Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeadership.com Summary Often the awakening which leads a congregation into more intentional social ministry is a shift in the demographics of the
David W. Crocker, The Samaritan Way: Lifestyle Compassion Ministry (TCP Leadership Series). Chalice Press, 2010. Companion volume: Crocker, Operation Inasmuch Referenced in: Evangelism Approaches, Servant Evangelism Social Ministry Strategies This volume builds upon Crocker’s previous work, Operation Inasmuch, where he addressed the capacity of individuals and churches to engage in one-day blitz projects, under the
David W. Crocker, Operation Inasmuch: Mobilizing Believers Beyond the Walls of the Church (TCP Leadership Series). Chalice Press, 2005. Companion volume: Crocker, The Samaritan Way Referenced in: Evangelism Approaches, Servant Evangelism Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeadership.com Summary This book is part of The Columbia Partnership (TCP) Leadership Series. Any book in this series is worth reading.
Steve Sjogren and Dave Ping, Outflow: Outward-Focused Living in a Self-Focused World. Group Publishing, 2010. Referenced in: Evangelism Approaches, Servant Evangelism Steve Sjogren, Servant Evangelism Series Social Ministry Strategies LifeandLeadership.com Summary Outflow operates from the same premise as the other Sjogren resources, with the emphasis here on the “overflow” of a life that is filled
