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Paraclete Press (Organization)

ADMINISTRATION

Starting and Managing a Nonprofit Organization: A Legal Guide, 4th Edition (Book)
Bruce R. Hopkins, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Bruce Hopkins sets out in this fourth edition of Starting and Managing a Nonprofit Organization to "translate the intricacies of the law (for nonprofits)…and to make them understandable to non-lawyer-managers of 'nonprofits'…"

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Book)
David Allen, Author.  New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2001.
In Getting Things Done, David Allen explains how you can be both more productive and less stressed by following his organizational system. Because the book speaks to the way we think and live, anyone—clergy, laity, staff—will find it helpful.

Leadership Handbook of Management and Administration (Revised and Expanded Edition) (Book)
James D. Berkley, Editor.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2008.
The third volume in a comprehensive reference for ministry leaders, this text covers the pastor's personal management, ministry transitions, leadership, supervision of paid staff and volunteers, church management, and finance.

The Responsible Administrator: An Approach to Ethics for the Administrative Role (Book)
Terry L. Cooper, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2006.
This book is designed to provide public administrators with a system for making ethical decisions when faced with ethically complex situations offering multiple options for action.

All for God's Glory: Redeeming Church Scutwork (Book)
Louis B. Weeks, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Louis Weeks invites readers to consider the importance of effective congregational administration for preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. In particular, Weeks holds that excellent "scutwork" practices lead directly to pastoral care.

Church Administration and Finance Manual: Resources for Leading the Local Church (Book)
Otto F. Crumroy Jr., Stan Kukawka, Frank M. Witman, Authors.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1998.
This reference guide provides guidance on the ethical and effective administration and financial management of a church. Forms, sample documents, checklists, and other tools are included to assist readers in implementing the systems described.

Church Administration Handbook (Book)
Bruce P. Powers, Editor.  Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997.
This book provides the basics for developing and implementing effective church administrative systems, including leadership and ministry skills, personnel management, planning and budgeting, office administration, and more.

The Clergy Journal (Periodical)
Inver Grove Heights, MN: Logos Productions Inc..
The Clergy Journal, targeted to professional clergy, describes itself as a "practical guide to church leadership and personal growth."

Effective Church Leadership: Building on the Twelve Keys (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1990.
With the current decline of mainline churches in our pluralistic culture, the “professional” pastor must give way to the “missional” pastor; the book defines and lists the major resources of a missional pastor-leader.

Faith-Based Management: Leading Organizations That Are Based on More Than Just Mission (Book)
Peter C. Brinckerhoff, Author.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.
This management resource is geared to the needs of churches and other not-for-profit organizations, recognizing that leadership, finances, marketing, and organizational structure take on a distinctive color in the faith-based organization.

Feeding and Leading: A Practical Handbook on Administration in Church and Christian Organizations (Book)
Kenneth O. Gangel, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1996.
Feeding and Leading will be useful primarily to pastors who function not only as spiritual shepherds, but also as leaders, managers, and servants of a diverse staff, a volunteer core, and a congregational board.

National Association of Temple Administrators (Organization)
NATA
The association fosters Reform Judaism, provides education in effective temple administration, and distributes administrative and procedural information to members and others.

North American Association of Synagogue Executives (Organization)
NAASE
The North American Association of Synagogue Executives convenes and supports Jewish Executive Directors of the Conservative Movement by developing the profession and by enabling administrators to serve their congregations effectively.

Safety Checklists for Churches and Schools (Book)
James F. Cobble Jr., Author.  Matthews, NC: Christian Ministry Resources, 2001.
This collection offers detailed check lists for issues related to building maintenance, accident prevention, and buildings and grounds. Each module includes overall guidelines, detailed tasks, scheduling considerations, and follow up plans.

Twelve Keys to an Effective Church (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
This book, the cornerstone of Kennon Callahan's "effective church" collection, is designed "to assist local churches in their strategic long-range planning to be effective churches in mission."

ADMINISTRATION : Communications 

On Dialogue (Book)
David Bohm, Author.  Lee Nichol, Editor.  New York, NY: Routledge, 2004.
Describing dialogue as "a stream of meaning flowing among and through us and between us," David Bohm lays out the theoretical foundations of dialogue and explores the implications of dialogue as a worldview.

The World Cafe (Web Resource)
This Web site supplies information on—and inspiration for—a process that enables participants to authentically communicate, learn, develop community, and commit to action on those questions that matter most to them.

The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter (Book)
Juanita Brown, David Isaacs, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2005.
The World Cafe presents a unique process for fostering communication, collaboration, community, and commitment—even in large forums and especially when difficult issues are being discussed.

Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together: A Pioneering Approach to Communicating in Business and in Life (Book)
William Isaacs, Author.  New York, NY: Random House, 1999.
William Isaacs provides a conceptual framework to get to the heart of conversation. Presenting practical examples, Isaacs integrates the theory and practice of dialogue in a way that stimulates creativity.

The Lost Art of Listening: How Learning to Listen Can Improve Relationships (Book)
Michael P. Nichols, Author.  New York, NY: Guilford Publications, 1995.
Psychologist Michael Nichols examines the inner barriers, deficient practices, and emotional reactivity that hinder empathic listening. He also shows how to recognize and take control of habits that hinder relating to others.

The Facilitator's Fieldbook: Step-by-Step Procedures, Checklists and Guidelines, Samples and Templates (Book)
Thomas Justice, David Jamieson, Authors.  New York, NY: AMACOM Books, 1999.
Thomas Justice and David Jamieson have provided an exceptionally thorough set of step-by-step procedures and guidelines for facilitating meetings.

Community: The Structure of Belonging (Book)
Peter Block, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008.
Peter Block calls for us to learn how to create and sustain authentic community. He discusses the nature of community, purpose of building community, dynamics of transformation, and approaches to restoring and nurturing community.

Church Communications Handbook (Book)
Wanda Vassallo, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.
This book is a practical "how-to guide" that includes checklists, summaries, tips, and ideas as well as numerous illustrations from churches and groups that have effectively implemented communication tools and techniques.

Getting the Word Out: The Alban Guide to Church Communications (Book)
Frederick H. Gonnerman, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
A resource for anyone responsible for church communications and publications, this book provides practical advice and strategies for developing and implementing a communications plan. Awarded Religion Communicators "Award of Excellence."

Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations (Book)
Gilbert R. Rendle, Alice Mann, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
This book, loaded with strategic planning tools, insists that it is not the tools—but the conversations evoked by the tools—that most benefit a congregation.

How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work: Seven Languages for Transformation (Book)
Robert Kegan, Lisa Laskow Lahey, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2001.
Harvard Psychologists Kegan and Lahey describe a common dynamic called “competing commitments” that often keeps us from making the changes in our lives we intend.

Delivra (Software)
Neighborhood Email
(Formerly Neighborhood Email.) Delivra helps congregations launch and maintain email programs such as newsletters, announcements, and discussion forums.

Speaking Faith: The Essential Handbook for Religious Communicators (Book)
The Revererend J. Richard Peck, Editor.  New York, NY: Religion Communicators Council, 2004.
This manual from the national organization of religion communicators provides 16 articles exploring all aspects of communications—from strategy to tools to crisis management. Additional information is available on an accompanying CD-Rom.

ADMINISTRATION : Congregational Finance 

The Cash Flow Management Book for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Managers, Consultants, and Boards (Book)
Murray Dropkin, Allyson Hayden, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2001.
Providing in-depth information on managing cash flow, this book includes details of requirements and controls, policies, projections, and development. Also included are useful forms, worksheets and tools to ease cash flow management in a non-profit setti

The Dynamics of Church Finance (Book)
James D. Berkley, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2000.
This book on financial stewardship will help beginning pastors, finance committees, church treasurers, and others with congregational budgeting, financial reporting, fund raising, and similar topics.

Basic Budgeting for Churches: A Complete Guide (Book)
Jack A. Henry, Author.  Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.
In this brief book, church financial management expert Jack Henry provides pastors and church volunteers who are new to budgeting with a foundation for developing and managing a simple yet effective church budget. Sample forms are included.

Finance for Congregations: Resources for Congregational Treasurers and Bookkeepers (Web Resource)
This set of downloadable documents from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American provides financial help to people of all faiths. Audits, best practices, and contingency planning are among the topics explored.

The Budget-Building Book for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Managers and Boards (Second Edition) (Book)
Murray Dropkin, Jim Halpin, Bill La Touche, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2007.
Written for those who prepare budgets in nonprofit organizations, this workbook provides "a comprehensive and systematic approach" to budgeting components, strategies, and processes. Included is a toolkit of budgeting resources and a CD.

Accounting and Financial Reporting Guide for Christian Ministries (Book)
Norwalk, CT: Evangelical Joint Accounting Committee, 2001.
This guide brings together the primary authoritative accounting literature pertinent to Christian ministries to assist these not-for-profit organizations in complying with generally accepted accounting principles.

Effective Church Finances: Fund-Raising and Budgeting for Church Leaders (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1992.
Kennon Callahan here examines how to construct a church budget that reflects, and meets, the congregation's mission goals.

National Association of Church Business Administration (Organization)
With 3000 members and over 70 local chapters, the National Association of Church Business Administration (NACBA) is an interdenominational Christian organization that provides training and resources in the field of church administration.

ADMINISTRATION : Information Technology 

Wired for Ministry: How the Internet, Visual Media, and Other New Technologies Can Serve Your Church (Book)
John Jewell, Author.  Brazos Press, 2004.
Having served as both a pastor and a computer systems analyst, John Jewell addresses both the ways technology can enhance ministry and the difficulties that technology can bring.

40 Days and 40 Bytes: Making Computers Work for Your Congregation (Book)
Aaron R. Spiegel, Nancy Armstrong, Brent Bill, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
An important book for any congregation that wants to use computer technology more effectively, 40 Days and 40 Bytes is essential for congregations that have made costly mistakes in the past—and want to avoid those mistakes in the future.

The Networked Congregation: Embracing the Spirit of Experimentation (Web Resource)
Religion writer Andrea Useem offers support for congregations exploring Web 2.0 technologies. She addresses the history of the Internet, defines Web 2.0, examines what it means for congregations, provides practical advice, and recommends resources.

Reaching Out in a Networked World: Expressing Your Congregation's Heart and Soul (Book)
Lynne M. Baab, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Lynne Baab relays the urgency of considering how new technologies can help congregations communicate their identity and values. She also offers a conceptual framework and practical tips for evaluating some new communication tools.

Webmedley (Web Resource)
Allowing congregations to quickly establish and maintain a Web presence, Webmedley offers a variety of user-friendly editing and development tools through a Web browser with add-on features.

E-zekiel (Web Resource)
Birmingham, AL: E-zekiel and Axletree Media
E-zekiel provides Internet-based tools and training for your congregation to establish, edit, and maintain a Web site; manage Web files; conduct e-mail; and engage in marketing and tracking.

Hartford Reviews of Congregational Web Sites (Web Resource)
Hartford, CT: Hartford Institute for Religion Research
This set of congregational Web site reviews from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research provides links to—and analyses—of good sites, plus criteria for evaluating congregational Web sites.

Web Pages That Suck (Web Resource)
This site offers much valuable information about what NOT to do with a Web site. Mistakes around first impressions, text and links, graphics, navigation, and content are covered, along with examples of the worst Web sites.

Center for the Digital Future (Organization)
The Center for the Digital Future (CDF) tracks and reports information on Internet usage. Leaders who use the Internet for communication and ministry will find this organization helpful as they think about Web-based initiatives.

Advanced Internet Management (Web Resource)
Advanced Internet Management provides Internet content filtering solutions and Internet blocking of pornography, adult material, criminal activity, chat blocking, and other categories.

BibleWorks (Software)
BibleWorks aims to provide pastors, educators, seminarians, and others with complete computer-based tools for biblical exegesis and interpretation. Bible translations, reference tools, maps, and more are included.

Church Management Software: How to Choose the Package That's Right for You (Article)
Nancy Armstrong, Brent Bill, Authors.  Church Business. March 2002. Virgo Publishing, Inc..
This article offers valuable advice for choosing church management software that fits the needs and culture of the congregation. A checklist, quick evaluation guide, and a list of software suppliers are included.

ChurchMedia.net (Web Resource)
Las Cruces, NM: Church Media.net
Many congregations are wrestling with the issue of using media in their worship services. ChurchMedia.net is a great first stop to get a handle on the difficult issues of "why" should I use this technology and then "how" do I go about

Computer Savvy: Information Technology in Congregations (Article)
Nancy S. Armstrong, Aaron R. Spiegel, John R. Wimmer, Authors.  The Christian Century. February 7-14, 2001. Vol. 118, No. 5, pp. 20-23. Chicago, IL: Christian Century Foundation.
Arguing against the notion that computer technology has undermined congregational relationships, the authors of Computer Savvy explain how congregations are using computers to support their ministries.

Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously In the Information Age (Book)
Quentin Schultze, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2002.
Schultze takes the role of constructive contrarian, placing the technological worldview of efficiency, control, and individualism under the authority of the Judeo-Christian worldview with its practices of virtue and spiritual discipline.

iHateSpam (Software)
Sunbelt Software USA
iHateSpam is a filter for Outlook and Outlook Express that, once configured, removes unwanted email from one’s inbox and relegates them to a quarantined, junk email folder for review or deletion.

Microsoft Charity Open License Program (Organization)
Microsoft Charity Open License Program
Qualifying congregations and organizations can purchase Microsoft software for discounts sometimes nearing 70% of retail pricing.

New Tools for a New Century: First Steps in Equipping Your Church for the Digital Revolution (Book)
John Jewell, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002.
This resource explores both why and how the local church can join the digital revolution to further its primary mission of spreading the faith.

Web Site Development for Religious Organizations (Web Resource)
Understanding that faith communities are often low on funds and must rely on volunteers, a professional Web site developer has created a resource that will help congregations with instituting and maintaining organizational Web sites.

Websense (Software)
Websense
Protecting and controlling Internet use within a congregation is becoming a necessity as church facilities become more like community centers. Websense provides a quality check for all internet use on your computer.

Wired Churches, Wired Temples: Taking Congregations and Missions into Cyberspace (Book)
Elena Larsen, Author.  Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2000.
Although it was released in 2000 and many of the statistics may have changed since then, this report provides an interesting look at congregational Internet use at a time when such use is becoming more common.

ADMINISTRATION : Legal Matters 

ChurchLawToday.com (Web Resource)
Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, Inc
ChurchLawToday.com is a Web site dedicated to providing extensive information on tax, legal, and risk management issues for church leaders—including clergy, staff, and volunteers.

Legal Guide for Day-to-Day Church Matters: A Handbook for Pastors and Church Members (Book)
Cynthia Mazur, Ronald Bullis, Authors.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2003.
The authors, both ministers and attorneys, provide a primer (in question/answer format) to the laws affecting clergy and churches, the actions that can result in litigation, and the procedures that can help avoid such litigation.

Legal Issues and Religious Counseling (Book)
Ronald Bullis, Cynthia Mazur, Authors.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993.
This book outlines the laws governing religious counselors, the primary reasons for which these counselors are sued (deficient quality of counseling, breach of confidentiality, and sexual misconduct), and ways to avoid such litigation.

Ministry and the Law: What You Need to Know (Book)
Mary Angela Shaughnessy, Author.  Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1998.
Ministry and the Law briefly reviews the laws affecting ministry, the types of lawsuits filed most frequently against clergy and churches, and the ways clergy and churches (particularly Catholic) can avoid litigation.

Accountable Leadership: A Resource Guide for Sustaining Legal, Financial, and Ethical Integrity in Today's Congregations (Book)
Paul Chaffee, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
This interesting book provides overviews of important aspects of congregational leadership and surveys resources that can help leaders better understand their responsibilities.

Ministry and the American Legal System: A Guide for Clergy, Lay Workers, and Congregations (Book)
Richard B. Couser, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.
Ministry and the American Legal System provides an overview of the history, form, and function of the American legal system and its interface with religious institutions and belief.

ADMINISTRATION : Pastoral Search 

Revitalizing Congregations: Refocusing and Healing through Pastoral Transitions (Book)
William O. Avery, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Noting that pastoral changes are often times of turmoil, William Avery tells the stories of six congregations who had experienced significant conflict and who benefited from having an intentional interim minister.

Beginning Ministry Together: The Alban Handbook for Clergy Transitions (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, James M. Heath, Ann W. Heath, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
Beginning Ministry Together looks in detail at how to effectively navigate the transition that begins after a pastor announces he or she is leaving and continues through the hiring and adjustment of the new pastor.

The Alban Guide to Managing the Pastoral Search Process (Book)
John Vonhof, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
More than a management manual, this books helps congregations create a solid base from which to conduct a search process. Prayer and corporate discernment augment sample letters, flowcharts, communication ideas, and policy suggestions.

ADMINISTRATION : Staffing 

A Change of Pastors . . . And How It Affects Change in the Congregation (Book)
Loren B. Mead, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2005.
Loren Mead explains ways that clergy can work with the church during their exit from old ministry settings and entrance into new settings. Revising an earlier work (A Critical Moment in Ministry), Mead addresses current issues.

Transform Your Church with Ministry Teams (Book)
E. Stanley Ott, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004.
This book offers practical advice to those who have made the decision to move from a committee-based to a ministry team based church organizational structure. Step-by-step information on recruiting, developing and enhancing team life is included.

Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable...About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business (Book)
Patrick M. Lencioni, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Convinced that good meetings are crucial to organizational effectiveness, Patrick Lencioni has written a book outlining the elements of meetings that work. Everyone who manages staff or volunteers will find this book helpful.

Teams That Click: The Results-Driven Manager Series (Book)
Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2004.
Teams that Click suggests ways to make your team "click" in four areas: boosting productivity, handling inevitable conflicts, dealing with special communication challenges, and rewarding team performance.

Turning Team Performance Inside Out: Team Types and Temperament for High-Impact Results (Book)
Susan Nash, Author.  Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, 1999.
Susan Nash draws upon her understanding of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and team dynamics to present a densely packed book aimed at developing both the gifts of individual team members and overall team strengths.

Team Troubleshooter: How to Find and Fix Team Problems (Book)
Robert W. Barner, Author.  Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, 2000.
Team Troubleshooter supplies a full toolkit for identifying and resolving team problems. Robert Barner leads readers through the problem-solving process and helps them understand the problems teams face.

When Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large Congregations (Book)
Gil Rendle, Susan Beaumont, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Leading a staff team can be a challenge. One has to manage everyday details while inspiring and driving a congregation’s vision. This book—an invaluable toolkit—takes the best of human resource know-how and applies it to the large congregation.

Church Staff Handbook: How to Build an Effective Ministry Team (Book)
Harold J. Westing, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1997.
The church staff must model for the church how a good team is to function. God wants the church to function as a team and who better to show the way than the professionals called to serve the church.

Effective Ministry as an Associate Pastor: Making Beautiful Music as a Ministry Team (Book)
Robert J. Radcliffe, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.
This resource is a guide to effective service in the specialized ministry of the associate pastor for clergy, laity, and staff.

Getting a Fix on Your Ministry: A Practical Guide to Clergy Performance Appraisal (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1993.
Acknowledging the damage that can result from attempts at clergy evaluations, consultant Roy Oswald explains and affirms two evaluation models: one for all church leaders and members, and one for clergy leaders.

How to Develop a Pastoral Compensation Plan: A Biblical Approach to Meeting the Needs of the Pastor and His Staff (Book)
Gary L. McIntosh, Author.  Oxnard, CA: Church Growth Institute, 1991.
How to Develop a Pastoral Compensation Plan explains the processes needed to develop a salary package that is fair and appropriate for pastors and other congregational staff.

National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (Organization)
NACPA is a national organization for human resource managers and personnel directors dedicated to the promotion and development of just personnel practices for all church employees.

Staff Your Church for Growth: Building Team Ministry in the 21st Century (Book)
Gary L. McIntosh, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2000.
Presenting an approach to church staffing that is both functional and biblical, Staff Your Church for Growth helps senior pastors answer key questions about the "what," "how," and "why" of multiple staff ministry.

ADMINISTRATION : Staffing  : Compensation 

National Church Staff Compensation Survey (Book)
Joyce Parchman, James D. Giffen, Editors.  Richardson, TX: National Association of Church Business Administration, 2005.
This comprehensive survey by the National Association of Church Business Administration reports the "high," "low," and "average" compensation of both ordained and non-ordained church staff across the country.

Compensation Handbook for Church Staff (updated annually) (Book)
James F. Cobble Jr., Richard R. Hammar, Authors.  Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, Inc, 2006.
This handbook provides leaders with an overview of compensation packages across a range of churches. It also helps readers understand compensation planning and standards for determining fair compensation.

How Much Should We Pay the Pastor? A Fresh Look at Clergy Salaries in the 21st Century (Book)
Becky R. McMillan, Matthew J. Price, Authors.  Durham, NC: Duke Divinity School Pulpit and Pew Research Reports, 2003.
This report offers a history of the Black church in relation to current demographic shifts. It profiles laity and clergy—combining narrative and statistical information, and explores church’s role as political and social action agent.

What’s Fair Pay for Your Pastor? (Article)
Scott A. Arnold, Author.  Action Information. January/February 1992. Vol. XVIII, No. 1, pp. 9. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
This article makes it clear that the pastor's salary should not be used as a budget-balancing tool and offers suggestions for the factors to be considered in establishing a fair pastoral salary, including the local cost of living and the average living e

ADMINISTRATION : Staffing  : Staff Dynamics 

Why Employees Don't Do What They're Supposed to Do: And What to Do About It (Book)
Ferdinand M. Fournies, Author.  New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 1999.
This book explains the often hidden reasons for poor employee performance, offers solutions for these situations, and discusses how to prevent them from arising.

Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior (Book)
Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, Authors.  New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2005.
This book offers guidance for anyone who has wondered what to do in the face of violated trust or other disappointing behaviors. The authors explain the steps for having a dialogue that resolves problems and restores relationships.

ADMINISTRATION : Staffing  : Personnel Policies 

The Alban Personnel Handbook for Congregations (Book)
Erwin Berry, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
The Alban Personnel Handbook gives church leaders the necessary tools and information for implementing a comprehensive personnel system, managing human resources effectively, and applying policies and processes in a fair and equitable manner.

ADMINISTRATION : Staffing  : Staff Dynamics 

Becoming Colleagues: Women and Men Serving Together in Faith (Book)
Carol E. Becker, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
The author discusses nine criteria for successful mixed-gender teams, illustrating the importance of each by case histories from congregational settings.

Destructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them? (Book)
Daniel Goleman, Author.  New York, NY: Bantam, 2003.
Daniel Goleman documents a week-long forum among Western and Buddhist practitioners and scholars dedicated to (1) exploring the harm caused by destructive emotions and (2) examining ways to reduce negativity and increase compassion.

Leading the Team-Based Church: How Pastors and Church Staffs Can Grow Together into a Powerful Fellowship of Leaders (Book)
George Cladis, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
Written around the seven attributes of an effective team, this book provides sound principles for living out team concepts in the church.

ADMINISTRATION : Staffing  : Volunteers 

Simply Strategic Volunteers: Empowering People for Ministry (Book)
Tony Morgan, Tim Stevens, Authors.  Loveland, CO: Group Publishing, 2005.
Written in a conversational style, this book offers practical and field-tested tips for recruiting, equipping, and retaining church volunteers in ninety-nine concise and easy-to-apply chapters suitable for individual or group study.

Network: The Right People, in the Right Places, for the Right Reasons, at the Right Time (Media)
Distributed by Zondervan Publishing House. 
Replacing antiquated, ineffective "time and talent" surveys, the Network system offers a way to help people in congregations discover their unique ministries.

Volunteers: How to Get Them, How to Keep Them (Book)
Helen Little, Author.  Naperville, IL: Panacea Press, 1999.
Little makes the case that all volunteers and volunteer leaders share twelve basic needs that must be met if the volunteers are to serve effectively and remain with the service organization for an extended period of time.

ADMINISTRATION : Stewardship 

The Whys and Hows of Money Leadership (Web Resource)
Chicago, IL: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
In this seven-session online curriculum, Mark Vincent invites you to examine your own beliefs about money, as well as congregational economics, money and leadership, and money and faith. Interactive assessment tools are included.

Winning Grants to Strengthen Your Ministry (Book)
Joy Skjegstad, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Joy Skjegstad takes the mystery out of the grantwriting process and explains the factors that heighten the prospect of winning grants. Topics covered include types of grants, building a strong case for your ministry, and following up.

Parish Publishing, LLC: Christian Stewardship and Preaching Resources (Organization)
Parish Publishing offers comprehensive educational stewardship materials to church communities of all sizes. Its products include a newsletter, sourcebook, stewardship campaigns, and sermon supports.

Moving from Fund-raising to Stewardship (Web Resource)
Based on the premise that stewardship is a spiritual experience—a way of life— and fund-raising is a means, Deborah Callard shares her experience developing annual campaign, planned giving, and capital campaign strategies.

The Abingdon Guide to Funding Ministry (Book)
Donald W. Joiner, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997.
The Abingdon Guide to Funding Ministry supplies a variety of tools for discovering, teaching, and proclaiming the joy and responsibility of faithful financial stewardship.

Christian Stewardship Association (Organization)
CSA is a membership organization for Christian development professionals. Its mission is to provide these individuals with a biblical understanding of stewardship through research, publications, educational events, and networking opportunities.

Creating Congregations of Generous People (Book)
Michael Durall, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
This view of stewardship asserts that continued generous giving to one’s church comes about from individual satisfaction and consequent spiritual growth, not from a duty to help meet the budget.

Ecumenical Stewardship Center (Organization)
The Ecumenical Stewardship Center offers books, videos, an annual journal, and a variety of seminars and conferences to assist denominations and other organizations in developing "creative and vital stewardship ministries."

Effective Approaches to Growth and Stewardship in the Small Church (Article)
Perry Bell, Author.  Congregations. September/October 1994. Vol. XX, No. 5, pp. 9. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
This article makes the case that the unique characteristics of small congregations must be understood if efforts to grow the membership and cultivate giving are to succeed.

Eight Ways Congregations Raise Pledges (Article)
Perry Bell, Author.  Action Information. July/August 1991. Vol. XVII, No. 4, pp. 10. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
The author outlines the eight basic approaches congregations can use to obtain financial commitments from their members, describing the resources necessaary to launch these drives and their expected results.

Generous Saints: Congregations Rethinking Ethics and Money (Book)
James Hudnut-Beumler, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
Author James Hudnut-Beumler immediately shifts notions of parish finance from green eyeshade budget-balancing to perennial religious questions undergirding mission and life.

Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church: A Guide for Every Member (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
Beginning with the premise that “money follows mission,” this book offers some simple, thoughtful ways to revitalize congregational stewardship campaigns and to increase overall church attendance.

The New Context for Ministry: Competing for the Charitable Dollar (Book)
Lyle E. Schaller, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002.
(Alternate subtitle: The Impact of the New Economy on Your Church.) Lyle Schaller reflects on how American society has changed in the 72 years between the stock market crash of October 1929 and the terrorist attacks of September 2001.

Pastor, You Can Increase the Giving in Your Church (Article)
Harris W. Lee, Author.  Action Information. July/August 1992. Vol. XVIII, No. 4, pp. 8–10. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
This article contests the notion that lay leaders are responsible for stewardship, suggesting that pastors play a key role through the quality of their pastoral ministry, the way in which they lead, and their relationship with the stewardship committee.

The Price of Faith: Exploring Our Choices about Money and Wealth (Book)
Marie Cross, Author.  Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2002.
Marie Cross attempts to broaden our understanding of "stewardship," to challenge the choices we make about money and wealth, and (in the process) to help us grow together in faith.

What Is the Best You Can Give to the Church? Old Testament Recipes . . . the New Testament Stretch (Article)
Donna Schaper, Author.  Action Information. September/October 1991. Vol. XVII, No. 5, pp. 1. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
The author examines the Hebrew tradition's "ladder of giving," applying it to Christian ideals of giving. In doing so, she asks readers to identify what taking sufficient care of themselves means.

With Generous Hearts: How to Raise Capital Funds for Your Church, Church School, Church Agency or Regional Church Body (Book)
Glen N. Holliman, Barbara L. Holliman, Authors.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 2005.
Providing an excellent overview of capital campaigns, this book presents the six steps of effective fundraising and emphasizes the importance of feasibility studies and advanced gifts.

BUILDING ISSUES

Church Extension Planning Publications (Web Resource)
Indianapolis, IN: Church Extension
This series covers aspects of a church-based building or renovation project, providing PDF documents on funding, planning, construction, existing facilities, and accessibility. All are written to support church building planning committees.

The Next Step: How to Discover the Right Solutions to Plan, Design, & Build Your Church (Book)
Bill Chegwidden, Author.  Canton, GA: Riverstone Group, 2004.
Presenting 14 distinct steps for congregations to follow, architect Bill Chegwidden has written a practical and highly readable book to help congregations navigate the details and challenges of a building project.

Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message (Book)
Nancy DeMott, Tim Shapiro, Brent Bill, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Holy Places helps congregational leaders implement a "sacred space model" for building spaces that communicate a faith community's identity, mission, and purpose. The model's three-part process will keep building projects on track.

Acoustics for Liturgy: A Collection of Articles of The Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada (Book)
Chicago, IL: Liturgy Training Publications, 1991.
This 60-page pamphlet provides advice on acoustics from an acoustician, architect, musician, organ builder, theologian, and pastor.

Building for Effective Mission: A Complete Guide for Congregations on Bricks and Mortar Issues (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
Affirming that mission grows with compassion and community, this book helps congregations discover and focus on their mission and to develop a physical environment to support that mission.

BUILDING ISSUES : Accessibility 

American Association of People with Disabilities, Interfaith Initiative (Organization)
AAPD
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Interfaith Initiative assists people with disabilities and their families who seek access to full participation in their religious and spiritual communities.

Accessible Faith: A Technical Guide for Accessibility in Houses of Worship (Book)
Elizabeth A. Patterson, Neal A. Vogel, Authors.  Chicago, IL: The Retirement Research Foundation, 2003.
This 50-page book provides a concise guide to planning, designing, funding, and constructing for greater accessibility in your church or synagogue—without detracting from the beauty or historical significance of your worship space.

BUILDING ISSUES : Architecture 

American Institute of Architects (AIA) (Organization)
The AIA provides public information on all phases of choosing and working with an architect, including guidelines, best practices and a series of articles on how to select and work with an architect. Includes downloadable materials and links.

Sacred Spaces: Designing America's Churches (Article)
Gretchen T. Buggein, Author.  The Christian Century. June 2004. pp. 20-25. Chicago, IL: Christian Century Foundation.
The author explores different architectural styles of American churches, their historical purposes and expressions, influencing worship practice and secular factors that influence style, and the aesthetic goals of good church design.

You and Your Architect (Web Resource)
Washington, DC: American Institute of Architects (AIA)
This guide helps owners develop and maintain a professional relationship with an architect to insure a project's success. Basic information, prompting questions, and FAQs make this a thorough resource for anyone engaged in a building project.

Renewing Spaces: Designing Distinctive Churches (Article)
Michael J. Crosbie, Author.  David Heim, Editor.  Christian Century. Faithful Design 2005. Vol. 122, No. 23, pp. 20-24.
Crosbie describes eight different buildings and how their architecture relates to the mission of the congregations they represent: from renovation of an historical cathedral in Chicago to an environmentally attuned building in northern Nevada.

Firm Foundations: An Architect and a Pastor Guide Your Church Construction (Book)
Lance Moore, Author.  Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Company, 1999.
Detailing all aspects of a building project—from initial idea to final dedication service—Pastor Lance Moore and architect Daniel Michal offer a comprehensive guide to church construction projects.

Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, and Worship (Web Resource)
Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Committee on the Liturgy
This resource has universal appeal in its theological grounding and descriptions of different church spaces such as the altar, baptistery, etc., each one’s liturgical significance, and construction and adornment guidelines.

Church Architecture: A Resource Network (Web Resource)
Dixon Arts Guild, Inc.
People beginning to think about the architecture of sacred spaces will find interest and enjoyment in this site, as well as links to related information. Articles, examples, and a glossary are included.

Designing Future Worship Spaces: The Mystery of a Common Vision (Book)
Richard S. Vosko, Author.  Chicago, IL: Liturgy Training Publications, 1996.
Contemporary church design often forgoes art in favor of function. Bucking this trend, the author asserts that both contemporary needs and artistic beauty can, and should, co-exist in modern church architecture while serving liturgical requirements.

Worship Without Words: The Signs and Symbols of Our Faith (Book)
Patricia S. Klein, Author.  Paraclete Press, 2000.
Author Patricia Klein provides a guide to the symbols of church architecture and worship space, with in-depth explorations of the alter and the cross.

BUILDING ISSUES : Building Construction 

The National Association of Church Design Builders (NACDB) (Organization)
This professional association is a membership network of Design-Build firms and certified consultants ready to assist congregations with Design-Build projects. NACDB offers educational materials, hosts seminars, and has a resource-rich Web site.

Church Growth by Design: A Complete Guide for Planning and Building Churches to God's Glory (Book)
Roe Messner, Author.  Matthews, NC: Empire Group, Inc., 2003.
Effective church buildings are critical to church growth and the expansion of God’s Kingdom. Drawn from long experience building church facilities, this book includes practical advice, planning worksheets, helpful diagrams, and illustrations.

Disaster Prevention Guide for Church Building Projects (Book)
Jon Elliott, Author.  Oxnard, CA: Church Growth Institute, 2003.
This guide offers solid know-how on planning and managing the details of a church building project along with information to avoid burnout caused by the potential stresses related to such projects. Printed and audio materials are provided.

Churches... Before You Build: Successful Strategies for Developing Worship and Ministry Facilities (Book)
William Couchenour, Author.  Cogun, Inc., 2003.
This book, written by a church building program professional, is designed to acquaint readers with the major aspects of a church building program, help prevent common mistakes, and enhance opportunities for success.

Relating to Contractors (Article)
Here is a list of important points to remember when hiring a building contractor. Includes a "learn more" appendix of related resources.

Church Construction.com (Web Resource)
(Formerly Praise Buildings.) This Web site provides a comprehensive online "yellow pages" to many vendors, articles, and resources. The search engine enables users to select by state or province.

When Not to Build: An Architect's Unconventional Wisdom for the Growing Church (Book)
Ray Bowman, Eddie Hall, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2000.
This book helps congregations decide if construction is the best solution to space constraints. Questionnaires, examples of churches who have and have not chosen building solutions but have experienced success are presented.

BUILDING ISSUES : Building Maintenance 

National Association of Church Facility Managers (NACFM) (Organization)
This organization provides an educational venue for those responsible for church building and facilities. Information is free to members. NACFM hosts an annual conference, other educational events and a certification program.

Thy Kingdom Clean: The Care and Maintenance of Houses of Worship (Book)
Ron M. Chandler FCBA, G.L. Lashley, Authors.  Joyce Parchman, Editor.  Richardson, TX: National Association of Church Business Administration, 2001.
This manual addresses the care and maintenance of houses of worship with brief overviews followed by extensive practical information—check lists, sample policies and procedures, contract guidelines, standards, job descriptions, and more.

Maintenance Manual: A Program for Inspection and Seasonal Maintenance of Religious Properties (Book)
Albany, NY: Architecture and Building Commission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, 1985.
This extensive property manual includes seasonal maintenance schedules and mechanical, inspection, and safety checklists—along with a helpful glossary and space for recording key information.

A Primer on Maintenance of Heating and Electrical Systems (Report)
Andrew Rudin, Author.  Melrose Park, PA: Interfaith Coalition on Energy, 1990.
This brief report outlines ten concrete steps for organizing and managing an effective church maintenance program.

BUILDING ISSUES : Building Repair,  Renovation, and  Restoration 

This Old Church: The Indispensable Guide for Restoring Church Buildings (Book)
Ion Grumeza, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2005.
A premier for Church Renovation Committees, this book provides overview information about renovation projects, issues likely to need attention, and practical advice. Specific renovation issues are described and illustrated with photographs.

Inspecting and Maintaining Religious Properties (Book)
Wesley Haynes, Andrew Rudin, J. Thomas Ryan, Authors.  New York, NY: New York Landmarks Conservancy, 1991.
The cost-effective use and maintenance of properties includes ongoing inspection and repair of structures and systems as well as good recordkeeping.

Partners for Sacred Places (Organization)
This organization is devoted to helping Americans care for and make good use of historic religious properties. It provides information on property management, maintenance, fundraising, and professional references suitable for any building type.

The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows (Preservation Brief 9) (Report)
John H. Myers, Author.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Preservations Assistance Division, Technical Preservation Services, 1981.
Learn to evaluate, repair, and maintain historic windows in your congregation's house of worship.

The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs (Preservation Brief 29) (Report)
Jeffrey S. Levine, Author.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resources, 1993.
This brief describes the history of slate use in the United States and explains the architectural character it provides to buildings.

Repairing Old and Historic Windows: A Manual for Architects and Homeowners (Report)
New York Landmarks Conservancy, Author.  New York Landmarks Conservancy, Editor.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995.
The maintenance and repair of old and historic windows requires information on proper cleaning, an understanding of what causes deterioration, and expertise on retrofitting and replacement options.

Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings (Preservation Brief 2) (Report)
Robert C. Mack, John P. Speweik, Authors.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resources, 1998.
Learn appropriate methods and materials needed to repoint all types of historic masonry. By preserving the historic character of buildings, some owners may qualify for preservation tax incentives.

Roofing Handbook (Book)
Robert Scharff, Author.  New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 1996.
This book is a practical, hands-on guide to roofing and roofing project management. Those overseeing roofing projects as well as those actually conducting roofing work will find this a helpful resource.

BUILDING ISSUES : Building Repair,  Renovation, and  Restoration  : Windows

The Color of Light: Commissioning Stained Glass for a Church (Book)
Sarah Hall, Author.  Chicago, IL: Liturgy Training Publications, 1999.
An attractive and easily-accessible guide to commissioning new stained glass art, this book will prove a valuable resource for building, renovation or art committees. Stained glass history, materials, design, and commissioning are included.

BUILDING ISSUES : Capital Building  Campaigns 

Capital Campaigns from the Ground Up (Book)
Stanley Weinstein, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Stanley Weinstein's comprehensive approach to capital campaigns outlines a sequential process for developing a strong and committed board, good communications, basic fundraising principles, and campaign materials.

The Complete Guide to Capital Campaigns for Historic Churches and Synagogues (Book)
Peggy Powell Dean, Susanna A. Jones, Authors.  Philadelphia, PA: Partners for Sacred Places, 1998.
Capital campaigns to restore historic buildings offer opportunities to seek grants and gifts that are not ordinarily available to congregations.

Extraordinary Money! Understanding the Church Capital Campaign (Book)
Michael Reeves, Author.  Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources, 2002.
Extraordinary Money presents questions and tips for congregations to consider before they seek to maximize individual gifts and broaden congregational participation in their capital campaigns.

BUILDING ISSUES : Energy Efficiency 

Interfaith Coalition on Energy (Organization)
Interfaith Coalition on Energy (ICE) offers a range of services and publications to help congregations reduce their heating, cooling and other energy costs.

Reducing Energy Costs in Religious Buildings: A Workbook for Congregation Leaders (Book)
Melrose Park, PA: Interfaith Coalition on Energy, 1996.
This 24-page workbook helps you analyze your own buildings if you are in a northern climate.

BUILDING ISSUES : Facility Sharing 

Your Sacred Place is a Community Asset (Book)
Tuomi Joshua Forrest, Patricia LePera, Sarah Peveler, Authors.  Philadelphia, PA: Partners for Sacred Places, 2002.
This multi-media tool kit helps congregations determine their community-service value, plan for a capital campaign and discover new ways to partner with community organizations. Various "tools" divide the work into manageable pieces.

Open the Doors, See All the People: A Guide to Serving Families in Sacred Places (Book)
Jackqueline T. Warren, Author.  Philadelphia, PA: Partners for Sacred Places, 2001.
This resource systematically considers how religious buildings can be seen as an asset to ministry with children and families.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY

The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church (Book)
Diana Butler Bass, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Looking at individual congregations as examples, The Practicing Congregation describes a growing trend in which mainline congregations are transforming into places of vital, intentional practices of faith.

Christianity for the Rest of Us (Book)
Diana Butler Bass, Author.  San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006.
Diana Butler Bass discusses her study of Christian communities that are open and creative while honoring ancient traditions, engaging in faithful practices, and fostering spiritual maturity and wisdom.

Synagogue 3000 (Organization)
Synagogue 3000 (S3K) empowers "congregations and communities to create synagogues that are sacred and vital centers of Jewish life." Resources, ideas, and opportunities for networking are included on its Web site.

Paying Attention: Focusing Your Congregation on What Matters (Book)
Gary Peluso-Verdend, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2005.
Holding that attention is "the capacity and the ability to be lovingly and truly present to God and to neighbor," the author explores the practices that strengthen attention and explains how to foster attention in congregations.

From Nomads to Pilgrims: Stories from Practicing Congregations (Book)
Diana Butler Bass, Joseph Stewart-Sicking, Editors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
From Nomads to Pilgrims offers portraits of congregations that have discovered vitality through embracing spiritual practices, engaging ancient traditions, offering compelling stories, and fostering virtue.

This House We Build: Lessons for Healthy Synagogues and the People Who Dwell There (Book)
Terry Bookman, William Kahn, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
This book offers insights into how synagogues function, the healthy and unhealthy motivations of the people involved in them, and the attitudes and actions necessary to build and maintain a healthy faith community.

Growing a Beloved Community: Twelve Hallmarks of a Healthy Congregation (Book)
Tom Owen-Towle, Author.  Boston, MA: Skinner House Books, 2004.
Tom Owen-Towle outlines twelve characteristics of healthy, vital congregations. Grounded in the image of the "beloved community," these characteristics include mutual care, a commitment to social justice, and the nurturance of generosity.

Becoming a Healthy Church: 10 Traits of a Vital Ministry (Book)
Stephen A. Macchia, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2003.
After visiting, interviewing, and evaluating many New England congregations and 1,899 of their members, author Stephen Macchia has found what he believes are ten principles characteristic of healthy churches.

Congregations (Periodical)
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
Published quarterly by the Alban Institute, Congregations magazine provides helpful information and insights on a wide range of topics for congregational leaders.

Easum, Bandy, and Associates (Organization)
A full-service consulting group, Easum, Bandy, and Associates (EBA) provides training and resources to Christian congregations.

The Illusion of Congregational "Happiness" (Article)
Gilbert R. Rendle, Author.  Congregations. May/June 1997. Vol. XXIII, No. 3, pp. 15-17. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
This article argues that focusing on complaints in the hope of increasing congregational happiness leads only to additional and competing complaints rather than to increased happiness for a congregation and its leaders.

Leadership Network (Organization)
The Leadership Network runs various programs aimed at identifying and generating a conversation among leaders of vital, growing churches.

Natural Church Development: A Guide to the Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches (Book)
Christian A. Schwarz, Author.  St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 1996.
This book, based on a survey of more than 1,000 congregations around the world, offers a valuable contribution to the discussion of why churches grow.

The Once and Future Church: Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier (Book)
Loren B. Mead, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1991.
Principles that have guided the church since the conversion of Constantine no longer apply in our turbulent world. In this classic, Mead alerts us to the challenges of reinventing the new church and offers hopeful signs of the future church’s emergence.

Transforming Christian Leaders (Web Resource)
Grounded in the belief that adults learn best through narratives, this web site provides a collection of resources centered around stories about congregational life and challenges.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Appreciative Inquiry 

Encyclopedia of Positive Questions, Volume One: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Bring out the Best in Your Organization (Book)
Diana Whitney, David Cooperrider, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, Brian S. Kaplin, Authors.  Euclid, OH: Lakeshore Communications, 2002.
This encyclopedia offers sample positive questions—as well as guidance on creating your own positive questions—to use during an appreciative inquiry process.

Claiming the Light: Appreciative Inquiry (Web Resource)
This Web resource explains the theory, principles, and practices of appreciative inquiry (AI). It also explores ways that appreciative inquiry can apply to congregational life—from education to evaluation.

Appreciative Inquiry Commons (Web Resource)
Hosted by Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, this Web site is a worldwide portal to academic resources and tools on appreciative inquiry and the discipline of positive change.

Appreciative Inquiry in the Catholic Church (Book)
Susan Star Paddock, Author.  Plano, TX: Thin Book Publishing, 2003.
Susan Paddock summarizes the appreciative inquiry process and explains how it is compatible with Catholic theology. She also explores stories of how various Catholic organizations and parishes have applied appreciative inquiry.

Experience AI: A Practitioner's Guide to Integrating Appreciative Inquiry with Experiential Learning (Book)
Miriam W. Ricketts, James E. Willis, Authors.  Chagrin Falls, OH: The Taos Institute, 2001.
This book outlines appreciative inquiry (AI) and explains how its results can be accelerated with experiential learning (EL), which involves immersing participants in experiences that encourage risk taking followed by meaningful reflection.

Appreciative Team Building: Positive Questions to Bring Out the Best of Your Team (Book)
Diana Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, Jay Cherney, Ron Fry, Authors.  Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, Inc., 2004.
Appreciative Team Building provides clear guidance on using AI to develop and achieve team goals. It helps readers to engage in conversations that will result in more cohesiveness, cooperation, shared meaning, creativity, and productivity.

The Appreciative Inquiry Summit: A Practitioner’s Guide for Leading Large-Group Change (Book)
Diana Whitney, James D. Ludema, Bernard J. Mohr, Thomas J. Griffin, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2003.
This is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to conducting a whole organization planning process based on collective strengths and full participation. Written for corporate settings, this rigorous approach can be creatively adapted for congregations.

The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry (Book)
Sue Annis Hammond, Author.  Plano, TX: Thin Book Publishing, 1998.
This slender volume explains appreciative inquiry as a tool for organizational change and makes it understandable for people new to the topic. It explains how to generate an appreciative inquiry process that inspires people to build on their strengths.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Change 

The Church Transition Workbook: Getting Your Church in Gear (Book)
Bill Kemp, Author.  Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 2004.
Believing that "critical changes in the local church happen best when they are accommodated within a declared period of transition" Bill Kemp provides a workbook for congregational change and renewal.

Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds (Book)
Howard Gardner, Author.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2004.
Offering insights on how we can effectively lead change, Howard Gardner discusses the seven levers that can effect mind change and uses case studies to illustrate how these levers work.

Open Space Technology: A User's Guide (Book)
Harrison Owen, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler, 2008.
Harrison Owen explains how to facilitate Open Space Technology gatherings. Such meetings are especially helpful when diverse individuals "must deal with complex and potentially conflicting material in innovative and productive ways."

Creating the Future Together: Methods to Inspire Your Whole Faith Community (Book)
Loren B. Mead, Billie T. Alban, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Two pioneers of organizational change bring various methods of change to religious communities. Large Group Methods offer viable ways to broaden the conversation so that everyone is included in visioning and implementing change.

Beyond Certainty: The Changing Worlds of Organizations (Book)
Charles Handy, Author.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996.
While not intentionally directed toward religious organizations this book would be of interest to those concerned with leadership development, as well as spirituality and the workplace.

The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations (Book)
Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, Richard Ross, George Roth, Bryan Smith, Authors.  New York, NY: Doubleday, 1999.
Peter Senge and others develop and apply systems theory to the leadership task of starting and sustaining productive, developmental life in organizations.

Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within (Book)
Robert E. Quinn, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1996.
Individuals have the capacity to change organizations through passion, vision, risk, and the creation of excellence, by addressing the need for change not only in the organization, but also in themselves and the other members of the organization.

Discontinuity and Hope: Radical Change and the Path to the Future (Book)
Lyle E. Schaller, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999.
Lyle Schaller details difficulties and sources of despair in American Christian churches but also provides suggestions for concrete responses.

Dying for Change (Book)
Leith Anderson, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1998.
Dying for Change discusses the present and multiple changes in our world and their impact on the church. If the church ignores these changes, it will do so at its own peril.

How to Change Your Church (Without Killing It) (Book)
Alan Nelson, Gene Appel, Authors.  Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2000.
Deeply concerned about the rapidly increasing secularization of the U.S. population, the book is dedicated to assisting those whom God has called to bring change in the life of their congregations.

Leading Change in the Congregation: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders (Book)
Gilbert R. Rendle, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
This practical guide is for congregational leaders trying to be faithful in a turbulent and unpredictable environment.

Leading Change: Overcoming the Ideology of Comfort and the Tyranny of Custom (Book)
James O'Toole, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
Recognizing that efforts by leaders to change organizations and systems often fail, James O'Toole offers a philosophy of leadership that is focused on the fundamental moral principle of respect for people.

Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey (Book)
Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem, James H. Furr, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
This resource explores the spiritual and relational vitality congregations need to survive change, the skills leaders need to constructively manage conflict, and the disciplines they must master to lead congregations through difficult times.

Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change (Book)
William Bridges, Author.  Boulder, CO: Perseus Books, 1991.
William Bridges focuses on organizational transitions within industry, but his experience and insights are readily applicable to congregational life.

Memories, Hopes, and Conversations: Appreciative Inquiry and Congregational Change (Book)
Mark Lau Branson, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Mark Lau Branson offers an account of how one Presbyterian church used appreciative inquiry to understand its history, encourage its members to discover and pursue their dreams, and call a new pastor who could help make those dreams reality.

Moving Off the Map: A Field Guide to Changing the Congregation (Book)
Thomas G. Bandy, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.
Comparing the contemporary church to the passenger pigeons that once filled the sky, Bandy argues that only thorough change will save Christian congregations from extinction.

The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change (Book)
Diana Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2003.
Drawing on years of experience in applying appreciative inquiry (AI) to organizational change, Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom present both the principles of AI and case studies that demonstrate how AI works.

Sacred Acts, Holy Change: Faithful Diversity and Practical Transformation (Book)
Eric H. F. Law, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2002.
Seeking God’s will for congregations in transition, Eric Law lays out a blueprint for analyzing where a church is, when a church has to "die" to follow Christ, and why the process must be centered in theological reflection, Bible study and pray

A Simpler Way (Book)
Margaret J. Wheatley, Myron Kellner-Rogers, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1996.
The "simpler way" advocated here approaches organizational change as something that evolves from within rather than something that is imposed externally.

Transforming the Mainline Church: Lessons in Change from Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Hope (Book)
Robert A. Chesnut, Author.  Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2000.
When Robert Chesnut became pastor of Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Presbyterian Church, this very large inner-city church was in real trouble.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Change  : Changing Neighborhood

Beyond These Walls: Building the Church in a Built-Out Neighborhood (Book)
Richard Dunagin, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999.
Can a congregation continue to grow when its neighborhood has stopped growing? Lake Highlands United Methodist Church shows that it can.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Conflict 

Peace Skills Set: Manual for Community Mediators; Leaders’ Guide (Book)
Ronald S. Kraybill, Robert A. Evans, Alice Frazer Evans, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2001.
The Peace Skills Manual for Community Mediators and the accompanying Leaders’ Guide provide the background, structure, and resources for both learning about conflict transformation and acquiring conflict mediation skills.

Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Moral Courage: Motives and Designs for Ministry in a Troubled World (Book)
Robert L. Browning, Roy A. Reed, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004.
Robert Browning and Roy Reed explore forgiveness, reconciliation, and such moral concepts as compassion, integrity, justice, and mercy from various perspectives. They challenge the churches to model and teach forgiveness and reconciliation.

Narrative Mediation: A New Approach to Conflict Resolution (Book)
John Winslade, Gerald Monk, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
John Winslade and Gerald Monk explain narrative mediation as a relational, story-based approach to conflict resolution. Their approach will especially help those in ongoing relationships and communities.

Why Forgive? (Book)
Johann Christoph Arnold, Author.  Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005.
Forgiveness is a much easier concept to discuss in abstract than to live in the reality of our broken world. Johann Christoph Arnold offers a discussion of many different aspects of forgiveness, all rooted in the real-life stories of people.

Our Community: Dealing with Conflict in Our Congregation (Book)
Susan M. Lang, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2002.
Our Community focuses on the roots, perceptions, and experiences of conflict. Author and pastor Susan Lang explores how conflict can develop and grow in family and congregational systems.

Church Conflict: From Contention to Collaboration (Book)
Norma C. Everist, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2004.
Norma Cook Everist proposes a collaborative approach to dealing with conflict, suggesting that working together in this way is both a strategy and an environment.

Staying with Conflict: A Strategic Approach to Ongoing Disputes (Book)
Bernard Mayer, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2009.
This book shows how, in the case of long-term disputes, it is more helpful to help prepare the disputing parties to engage constructively with their differences over an extended period of time rather than focus on resolving the conflict quickly.

How to Turn ANY Disagreement into a Nasty Fight at Your Congregation (Article)
Ian S. Evison, Author.  2005.
In an ironic tone, Ian Evison advises readers on how to create nasty fights out of virtually any disagreement. Here is a concise, humorous, and profound reflection on what adds fuel to the fire of congregational conflicts.

Promise and Peril: Understanding and Managing Change and Conflict in Congregations (Book)
David R. Brubaker, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2009.
Drawing on the results of a 2005 survey, David Brubaker explains the changes in congregational structure and culture that lead to conflict. He also helps leaders to manage conflict—and themselves—in the face of change.

Insights into Congregational Conflict (Article)
Confirming that congregational conflict is widespread, "Insights into Congregational Conflict" focuses on a range of related issues: the use of money, norms of behavior, forms of worship, leadership styles, and decision-making processes.

Managing Polarities in Congregations: Eight Keys for Thriving Faith Communities (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Barry Johnson, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2009.
Through stories and illustrations, the authors explore positive and negative aspects of each pole in eight polarities common to congregations, how to recognize when imbalance occurs between poles, and the steps needed to correct the imbalance.

The Little Book of Cool Tools for Hot Topics: Group Tools to Facilitate Meetings When Things Are Hot (Book)
Ronald S. Kraybill, Evelyn Wright, Authors.  Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2005.
Beginning with the premise that "conflict is natural, normal, and recurrent in community life," Ron Kraybill and Evelyn Wright offer tools for facilitating each stage of small and large group discussion in conflicted situations.

The Little Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects: A Practical, Hands-On Guide (Book)
Lisa Schirch, David Campt, Authors.  Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2007.
Lisa Schirch and David Campt offer a step-by-step process for organizing, designing, facilitating, and assessing the effectiveness of dialogue on controversial issues. They discuss when dialogue is useful, how it works, and how to sustain it.

Angry People in the Pews: Managing Anger in the Church (Book)
Leroy Howe, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2001.
Angry People in the Pews provides resources that enable caregivers both to deal more effectively with their own anger and to help angry people.

Behavioral Covenants in Congregations: A Handbook for Honoring Differences (Book)
Gilbert R. Rendle, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
Because congregations sometimes engage in the same mean-spirited behaviors that plague public life, Behavioral Covenants in Congregations offers congregations an approach to managing their differences with maturity and respect.

Beyond Blame: A New Way of Resolving Conflicts in Relationships (Book)
Jeffrey Kottler, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1994.
Combining theoretical insights with practical strategies, Beyond Blame encourages us to take responsibility for our own roles in conflicts and to think and act in more productive ways.

Church Conflict: The Hidden Systems Behind the Fights (Book)
Charles H. Cosgrove, Dennis D. Hatfield, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994.
Applying family systems theory to the local church, Church Conflict helps conflict-ridden congregations to heal and mature by changing the way they understand themselves as God’s family.

Conflict Management in Congregations (Book)
David B. Lott, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
In Conflict Management in Congregations, editor David Lott gathers the experience of more than a dozen authorities on church conflict.

Congregational Fitness: Healthy Practices for Layfolk (Book)
Denise W. Goodman, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2000.
Congregational Fitness: Healthy Practices for Layfolk focuses on multiple resources for lay people who are addressing church conflicts or seeking to avoid destructive conflicts in the future.

Congregations in Conflict: Cultural Models of Local Religious Life (Book)
Penny Edgell Becker, Author.  New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Penny Edgell Becker explains the types of conflict found in each of four congregational models: house of worship, family, community, and leader.

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (Book)
Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen, Authors.  New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1999.
Difficult Conversations offers an approach to those often conflict-ridden conversations we find most painful and tend to avoid. In such conversations, the stakes are high, we feel strong emotions, or our self-esteem is shaky.

Discover Your Conflict Management Style (Book)
Speed B. Leas, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1997.
This book presents descriptions of six conflict management styles, expert advice concerning their application, and a self-assessment tool to help readers discover their own dominant conflict management style(s).

From Stuck to Unstuck: Overcoming Congregational Impasse (Book)
Kenneth A. Halstead, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
Drawing on his experience as a pastor and counselor, author Kenneth Halstead suggests that systems theory concepts and brief therapy interventions may help to resolve congregational impasses.

Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation (Book)
William L. Ury, Author.  New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday, 1993.
Getting Past No is a guide to transforming relationships by negotiating one's relational problems from a posture of cooperation rather than confrontation.

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (Book)
Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, Bruce Patton, Authors.  New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1991.
Getting to Yes is based on answering a common question: what is the best way for people to deal with their differences? It suggests a process of "principled negotiation, " or looking for mutual gains whenever possible.

Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (Organization)
The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is a nonprofit ministry dedicated to conflict resolution and relationship building in private and public arenas: homes, workplaces, churches, and schools.

Managing Church Conflict (Book)
Hugh F. Halverstadt, Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991.
Author Hugh Halverstadt advances an ethical process of conflict resolution by showing how respectfulness, assertiveness, accountability, and a focus on the common good can work in contentious situations.

Moving Your Church through Conflict (Book)
Speed B. Leas, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1996.
This book step-by-step approach to conflict management will help congregational leaders identify various levels of congregational conflict and respond to conflict in healthy and productive ways.

Never Call Them Jerks: Healthy Responses to Difficult Behavior (Book)
Arthur Paul Boers, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
This book explores how difficult behaviors can be transformed into opportunities for redemptive ministry. Self-awareness, an understanding of root causes, and consideration of how the behavior fits into the larger system of interaction are emphasized.

Peacemaking Without Division (Web Resource)
Peacemaking Without Division—based on a workshop conducted in many congregations—provides models and tools for exploring issues of peace and conflict on the personal, interpersonal, community, and global levels.

Resolving Identity-Based Conflict in Nations, Organizations, and Communities (Book)
Jay Rothman, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
From Jay Rothman's years of professional mediation comes his synthesized approach to serious conflicts grounded in group identities and inadequate, inaccurate communications.

Welcoming Resistance: A Path to Faithful Ministry (Book)
William C. Hobgood, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
Exploring the types, bases, and processes of change, Welcoming Resistance encourages readers to understand resistance in a congregation's mission-focused work.

When Push Comes to Shove: A Practical Guide to Mediating Disputes (Book)
Karl A. Slaikeu, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
Karl Slaikeu has written a meticulous practical reference for pastors, middle judicatory leaders, educators, counselors, and others involved in settling disputes.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Congregational History 

The Changing Shape of Church History (Book)
Justo L. Gonzalez, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2002.
"The history of the church is changing, not just because scholars have new sources, but even more so because the church and the world are changing." So says Justo Gonzalez in this book on the changed perspectives and meanings of church history.

Preserving Your Church Archives (Web Resource)
Paul Ericksen discusses how to establish and maintain archives in a local church. Such archives, believes Ericksen, help to reinforce a link between generations and enable members to maintain their identity in a rapidly changing world.

Brethren Guide for Local Church Historians (Web Resource)
This basic guide outlines the steps and materials that are essential to preparing a congregational history as well as to preserving historical records in the local church.

Constructing Your Congregation's Story (Web Resource)
James Wind offers a complete and concise guide to constructing and telling your congregation's story, from assembling the raw materials and developing the basic skills to collecting the inner and public profiles of a church's life.

Congregation: Stories and Structures (Book)
James F. Hopewell, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1987.
Believing that each congregation has a narrative, James Hopewell asserts that good narratives combine setting, character, and plot to define congregational mission.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Congregational Renewal 

Culture Shift: Transforming Your Church from the Inside Out (Book)
Robert Lewis, Wayne Cordeiro, Warren Bird, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
Culture Shift points leaders seeking congregational renewal in the right direction. It shows how to assess congregational culture and then work in God’s power to transform it.

Spiritual Community: The Power to Restore Hope, Commitment and Joy (Book)
David A. Teutsch, Author.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2005.
This book advocates the importance of engaging in the intentional creation of a community that accords "full value to intrinsic goods—things inside ourselves that are valuable and that often take considerable commitment and energy to nurture and dev

You Only Have to Die: Leading Your Congregation to New Life (Book)
James A. Harnish, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2004.
"We must die to be born again": a paradox as true for congregations as for individuals. James Harnish writes that congregations must be willing to die to the things that block discipleship. Through such losses there is room for resurrection.

12 Steps to Congregational Transformation: A Practical Guide for Leaders (Book)
David Laubach, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2006.
This book outlines 12 areas of focus for thought and action for congregations wishing to grow, adapt to change, and foster the development of their members’ faith.

Changing the Conversation: A Third Way for Congregations (Book)
Anthony B. Robinson, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008.
Anthony Robinson proposes ways to promote congregational renewal by directing conversations away from typical dead-end polarities and toward more fundamental questions about congregational identity and purpose.

Pathway to Renewal: Practical Steps for Congregations (Book)
Daniel P. Smith, Mary K. Sellon, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Applying "adaptive leadership" to staff and lay leaders, Pathway to Renewal identifies three phases of organizational development that help renew congregations and enable them to implement change.

Behold I Do a New Thing: Transforming Communities of Faith (Book)
C. Kirk Hadaway, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2001.
Maintaining that a good church is one that truly changes people, Kirk Hadaway presents a dynamic model of church as “incarnational community” that provides leadership for transformation.

The Bold Alternative: Staying in Church in the 21st Century (Book)
Gary W. Charles, Author.  Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2001.
Reversing the perspective on church attendance from who’s not coming to focus on those who do come, Gary Charles explores six vibrant Presbyterian congregations and offers spiritual encouragement and practical suggestions for smaller congregations.

Christian Chaos: Revolutionizing the Congregation (Book)
Thomas G. Bandy, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999.
Christian Chaos describes how to effectively shape church leadership in our rapidly changing culture, and how to form and develop cell groups as the primary means by which today's congregations can be re-formed and revitalized.

Five Challenges for the Once and Future Church (Book)
Loren B. Mead, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1996.
Seriously concerned about the church’s viability, Mead explains the five key challenges congregations must face if we are to have churches in future generations that are stronger than ours.

The Power of Asset Mapping: How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts (Book)
Luther K. Snow, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Using a strategy developed in working with rural communities, Luther Snow shows congregations a way to identify their assets and how to see the power of those assets.

Power Surge: Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church (Book)
Michael W. Foss, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2000.
Asserting that churches today are called to shift from a "membership" model to a "discipleship" model, Michael Foss uses simple illustrations to discuss the leadership elements of discipleship churches.

Reclaiming the Church: Where the Mainline Church Went Wrong and What to Do About It (Book)
John B. Cobb Jr., Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.
John Cobb calls upon the mainline church to (1) re-discover its passion for the conviction that the Christian faith is of supreme; and (2) engage in serious theological reflection about our shared faith.

Reclaiming the Great Commission: A Practical Model for Transforming Denominations and Congregations (Book)
Bishop Claude E. Payne, Hamilton Beazley, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Grounded in the biblical Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and in the Great Commandment to love and serve God and neighbor, this book presents the principles and practicalities of evangelism for mainline denominations.

Recovering the Sacred Center: Church Renewal from the Inside Out (Book)
Howard E. Friend, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1998.
Using metaphor, story, and reflection, Howard Friend develops a theological and practical guide to congregation renewal that offers news ways to think about congregational change.

The Self-Renewing Congregation: Organizational Strategies for Revitalizing Congregational Life (Book)
Isa Aron, Author.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2000.
To serve the Jewish community of the twenty- first century synagogues must become self-renewing by changing the way they operate rather than the content of their operations.

Servant Leadership for Church Renewal: Shepherds by the Living Springs (Book)
David S. Young, Author.  Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1999.
Young argues that servant leadership is at the core of church renewal. "It starts with learning to kneel, to listen to God, and to be attentive to directives from God." Servant leaders, he says,"discover God in their midst and then point o

Transforming Congregations for the Future (Book)
Loren B. Mead, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1994.
Showing that mainline denominations have lost members and money during the past three decades, author Loren Mead asks that we dedicate ourselves not merely to increased numbers, but to congregational transformation.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Congregational  Redevelopment 

Healing Spiritual Amnesia: Remembering What It Means to Be the Church (Book)
Paul Nixon, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2004.
Paul Nixon asserts that revitalization comes, not through marketing and church plant strategies, but through the church reclaiming its its memory of who Jesus is, the holy habits of faith, who its neighbors are, and how it is effective. Examples are prov

Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation (Book)
George Bullard, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2006.
George Bullard offers congregations a comprehensive approach to what he calls a "spiritual strategic journey." This approach provides tools for assessing and developing congregational vitality.

Can Our Church Live?: Redeveloping Congregations in Decline (Book)
Alice Mann, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
This study provides excellent theory, contextual case studies, and inspiration to allow leaders of congregations in decline to struggle through their wilderness and to imagine new possibilities for a more faithful and vital future.

Discover Your Windows: Lining Up with God’s Vision (Book)
Kent Hunter, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002.
Kent Hunter has developed ten windows—personal paradigms for seeing the world—that can help congregations "become more productive for God."

In Search of the Unchurched: Why People Don't Join Your Congregation (Book)
Alan C. Klaas, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1996.
This two-year study examines our shift from being a churched to an unchurched society and helps congregations by providing both exercises for understanding this shift and responsive actions to take.

Is Your Congregation Ready for Change and Transition Leading to Transformation? (Article)
George Bullard, Author.  Net Results: New Ideas in Church Vitality. September 2001. Lubbock, TX: Net Results, Inc..
When is a congregation ready for change and transition? This assessment tool provides a guide to the benchmarks congregations need to consider when considering truly transformative change.

Post-Modern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World (Book)
Leonard Sweet, Author.  Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.
The postmodern church should be EPIC--experiential, participatory, image-driven, and connected--and focus on relationships, not programs. Leonard Sweet calls for a new church that is participatory, community-centered, and driven by multimedia images.

Redeveloping the Congregation: A How To for Lasting Change (Book)
Mary K. Sellon, Daniel P. Smith, Gail F. Grossman, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Drawing on the work of John Kotter, the authors explain a method through which dying and declining churches can begin—with God's grace—to reverse course and experience vitality.

Spiritual Strategic Journey: Tutorial for Congregational Redevelopment (Web Resource)
George Bullard, director of the Hollifield Center, has written this free on-line tutorial to help you understand congregational redevelopment and use redevelopment resources in creative and effective ways.

State Street Church (UCC) (Case Study)
Alice Mann, Author.  2000.
Alban Senior Consultant Alice Mann worked with State Street Church in Portland, Maine, to help the congregation respond to the membership plateau that followed a prolonged period of gradual decline.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Congregational Spirituality 

Becoming a Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual Purpose, Presence, and Power (Book)
N. Graham Standish, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Graham Standish believes that a blessed church is one where people experience God rather than simply experience church. Yes, the congregation will talk about God and serve God, but its overarching desire will be to know and experience God.

A New and Right Spirit: Creating an Authentic Church in a Consumer Culture (Book)
Rick Barger, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2005.
Rick Barger argues for creating an authentic church in a culture dominated by consumerism—a church that seriously engages the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Transformation inevitably arises from such engagement.

Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth (Book)
Thomas P. Williamsen, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1997.
Attending Parishioners’ Spiritual Growth offers practical steps for developing “parishioners’ intimate and experiential knowledge of God.”

Connecting to God: Nurturing Spirituality Through Small Groups (Book)
Corinne Ware, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1997.
This book provides a model for developing a spiritual life through the interaction of a small group.

Discerning God’s Will Together: A Spiritual Practice for the Church (Book)
Danny E. Morris, Charles M. Olsen, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1997.
Recognizing the limits of parliamentary procedures, reasoned discourse, and majority rule in group decision-making, Danny Morris and Charles Olsen offer a full but concise guide to the alternative process of spiritual discernment.

Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life (Book)
Marjorie J Thompson, Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995.
True to its title, Soul Feast invites the reader to sample the rich and varied disciplines of Christian spiritual practice.

The Soul of the Congregation: An Invitation to Congregational Reflection (Book)
Thomas Edward Frank, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
The Soul of the Congregation weaves story, reflection, and insight to explore how a congregation may discern its unique culture and strengthen its mission among congregational members and in the community.

Spirit and Flesh: Life in a Fundamentalist Baptist Church (Book)
James M Ault Jr., Author.  New York, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.
Sociologist James Ault steps into the life of a fundamentalist Baptist congregation as he studies neo-conservatism in America. Stories of church members illustrate the roots, influences and practices of fundamentalist Christianity.

Spiritual Awakening: A Guide to Spiritual Life in Congregations (Book)
John Ackerman, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1994.
Spiritual Awakening guides church leaders in helping congregants see God at work and hear God in their daily lives.

Uncovering Your Church’s Hidden Spirit (Book)
Celia Allison Hahn, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
Exploring case studies of five Episcopal churches, Celia Allison Hahn demonstrates how differently the Holy Spirit manifests itself. This book offers approaches to discerning and engaging the presence of the Spirit in congregations.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Declining Congregations 

Ending with Hope: A Resource for Closing Congregations (Book)
Beth Ann Gaede, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Ending with Hope is not only about responsibly closing a congregation, but also about redirecting resources and energy for new ministry.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Demographic Information

Percept (Organization)
Percept is a strategic information company that offers demographic products and other planning resources to help churches, judicatories, and parachurch organizations engage in mission.

Visions Decisions, Inc. (Organization)
Visions Decisions provides demographic studies for congregations, including local area studies, congregational studies, and regional population studies; they publish a newsletter and "Faithscape Maps."

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Diversity 

The Future is Mestizo: Life Where Cultures Meet (Revised Edition) (Book)
Virgilio Elizondo, Author.  Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado, 2000.
Although focused primarily on the relationship between Mexican and American cultures, this book could be helpful for other groups as they seek to forge a relationship between their first culture and their new American environs.

Leading Diverse Communities: A How-To Guide for Moving from Healing Into Action (Book)
Cherie R. Brown, George J. Mazza, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
Leading Diverse Communities will help leaders welcome diversity, work through their own stereotypes and misinformation, resolve conflicts, communicate across group lines, and develop vital intergroup leadership skills.

The Bush Was Blazing But Not Consumed: Developing a Multicultural Community through Dialogue and Liturgy (Book)
Eric H. F. Law, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 1996.
Using Exodus 3 as a theological starting point, this book explores how congregational leaders can use dialogue and liturgy to build multiculturally inclusive congregations and how to create worship that is meaningful for all members of the community.

Conflict Mediation Across Cultures: Pathways and Patterns (Book)
David W. Augsburger, Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1992.
This thoroughly researched presentation surveys ways of conflict resolution in many cultures.

Congregations Talking about Homosexuality: Dialogue on a Difficult Issue (Book)
Beth Ann Gaede, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
Seeking to help congregations "become places where people can talk about homosexuality in a helpful and respectful manner," this book presents the stories of seven congregations that struggled with welcoming sexual minorities.

Cross-Cultural Counseling (Book)
Aart M. van Beek, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1996.
This book addresses the tensions inherent in pastoral counseling when the parties come from different cultures; the skills, ethics, and awareness needed for effective cross-cultural counseling, and advice for working with certain cultures.

A Beginner's Guide to Crossing Cultures: Making Friends in a Multicultural World (Book)
Patty Lane, Author.  Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002.
A Beginner's Guide to Crossing Cultures addresses how one’s culture affects one’s behavior, how to nurture relationships with persons from other cultures, and how to develop a theological frame for cultural diversity.

Dismantling Racism: The Continuing Challenge to White America (Book)
Joseph Barndt, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Books, 1991.
A book about racism in America, written "for white people and about white people . . . by a white person." The book examines individual, institutional, and cultural racism, and includes a section on racism and the church.

Diversity in Families (Book)
Maxine Baca Zinn, D. Stanley Eitzen, Authors.  Needham, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2005.
Treating diversity as the norm in family life, this book applies socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic perspectives as it explores the varieties of families in society today.

Embracing Diversity: Leadership in Multicultural Congregations (Book)
Charles R. Foster, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1997.
The author explores the impact of cultural and racial diversity on the identity and mission of congregations, and examines leadership dynamics in congregations that embrace diversity.

Homosexuality and Christian Faith: Questions of Conscience for the Churches (Book)
Walter Wink, Editor.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1999.
Church leaders explore beliefs about homosexuality and the Church’s treatment of homosexual persons. All agree that the homosexuality controversy is an opportunity to learn to follow Jesus’ commandment to love one another.

A House of Prayer for All Peoples: Congregations Building Multiracial Community (Book)
Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook portrays six diverse congregations working to realize the prophet Isaiah’s vision for a "house of prayer for all peoples" in their communities. Included are recommendations and resources for further exploration.

The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb: A Spirituality for Leadership in a Multicultural Community (Book)
Eric H. F. Law, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 1993.
This book examines what is called for to effectively lead a multicultural community. It includes biblical reflections, case studies, insight into cultural differences in the perception of power, and processes that have proven helpful to other multicultur

You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation (Book)
Deborah Tannen, Author.  New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1990.
The conversations, humor, and research findings presented in this book offer insight into why men and women so often misunderstand each other. The lessons learned here can go a long way toward strengthening interpersonal relationships.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Evaluation 

When Better Isn't Enough: Evaluation Tools for the 21st Century (Book)
Jill M. Hudson, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Jill Hudson offers new criteria and tools for evaluating church effectiveness, adding discernment and formative evaluation to more traditional summative evaluation. Specific questions and evaluation process reviews are included.

Spiritual Windsurfing: Exploring the Context for Evaluation (Web Resource)
"Spiritual Windsurfing" examines key issues to consider before beginning a clergy or congregational ministry evaluation—issues such as calling, self-knowledge, and prophetic role.

Annual Church Review Procedure: The Church's Ministry and the Minister (Book)
Catherine H. Clark, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1986.
This publication provides questionnaire templates that congregations can use to evaluate their ministers, their committees, and their entire communities.

Completing the Circle: Reviewing Ministries in the Congregation (Book)
David R. McMahill, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
Evaluation processes that churches typically use do not always generate the information needed to effect positive change. David McMahill proposes a system to help church leaders ask for, receive, and make use of reliable feedback.

Evaluating Ministry: Principles and Processes for Clergy and Congregations (Book)
Jill M. Hudson, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1992.
Based on an understanding of ministry as mutual and collaborative between congregation and pastorate, this book may be used for designing either an evaluation process for clergy already in place or a contract provision for clergy soon to be called.

The Success Case Method: Find Out Quickly What's Working and What's Not (Book)
Robert O. Brinkerhoff, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2003.
The Success Case Method (SCM) combines survey and story-telling methods to produce evaluative information with impact.

User Friendly Evaluation: Improving the Work of Pastors, Programs and Laity (Book)
C. Jeff Woods, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1995.
User Friendly Evaluation is perhaps the handiest and most comprehensible survey of evaluation techniques and purposes currently available.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Generation Theory 

Bridging Divided Worlds: Generational Cultures in Congregations (Book)
Jackson W. Carroll, Wade Clark Roof, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2002.
While easy answers to intergenerational conflicts do not exist, congregations that learn to understand their type (inherited, blended, or generation-specific) can discern their drawbacks and opportunities and make appropriate choices.

Embracing Midlife: Congregations as Support Systems (Book)
Lynne M. Baab, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
This book concentrates on people in the 35–55 age bracket, who are the chief workers in congregational life and often interested in delving deeply into spiritual issues.

The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy (Book)
William Strauss, Neil Howe, Authors.  New York, NY: Broadway Books, 1997.
The authors show that human history is cyclical, and that cycles of 80 to 100 years (the approximate life span of a human) are composed of four stages.

Gathering the Next Generation: Essays on the Formation and Ministry of GenX Priests (Book)
Nathan Humphrey, Author.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 2000.
While specifically a book about the Episcopal Church in the United States, it also offers valuable insights to other denominations struggling to define vision, ministry, and mission for the twenty-first century.

Generations of Faith: A Congregational Atlas (Book)
Carl Eeman, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Carl Eeman applies Strauss and Howe's theory of generational types to the church. This book will help congregational and denominational leaders understand changes in American culture and how those changes impact the church.

Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069 (Book)
William Strauss, Neil Howe, Authors.  New York, NY: William Morrow, 1991.
The authors’ insights on generational differences enable us 1) to better understand the different world views that influence congregational life and 2) to identify persons whose perspectives may be under-represented.

The Multigenerational Congregation: Meeting the Leadership Challenge (Book)
Gilbert R. Rendle, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
To successfully serve many persons in the twenty-first century, multigenerational congregations must 1) understand their situations and assumptions and 2) develop new skills to capitalize on their potential for health.

One Church, Four Generations: Understanding and Reaching All Ages in Your Church (Book)
Gary L. McIntosh, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2002.
Analyzing each generation’s religious characteristics, Gary McIntosh explains how the church can meet reach out to each generation as well as blend different generations.

Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X (Book)
Tom Beaudoin, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1998.
Offering an overview of the religious/spiritual nature of Gen X derived from pop culture, the book will help readers understand how Gen X perceives itself, and how this generation might successfully interface with the religion of today and tomorrow.

What NeXt?: Connecting Your Ministry with the Generation Formerly Known as X (Book)
Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1999.
What NeXt? is a hands-on how-to for any congregation willing to stretch and grow by reaching out to a generation that is deeply spiritual but lives outside the traditional church box.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Growth 

Growth by Accident, Death by Planning: How Not to Kill a Growing Congregation (Book)
Bob Whitesel, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2004.
Bob Whitesel explains how planning that doesn’t take into account the factors that led to a congregation’s growth can undermine that very vitality. He then offers practical steps for regaining momentum in church life.

The Myth of the 200 Barrier: How to Lead through Transitional Growth (Book)
Kevin E. Martin, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.
Kevin Martin contends that a congregation's culture—not its average Sunday attendance—is the key factor in its growth or decline. In this book he shows how to transform a small-church culture into a large-church one.

African American Church Growth: 12 Principles for Prophetic Ministry (Book)
Carlyle F. Stewart, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994.
African American Church Growth asserts that black churches can build viable congregations by employing principles of church growth which reflect prophetic concern for African Americans.

The Church Growth Handbook (Book)
William M. Easum, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1990.
"The basic law of congregational life," writes Easum, is that "churches grow when they intentionally reach out to people instead of concentrating on their institutional needs."

The Complete Ministry Audit (Book)
William M. Easum, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2006.
This detailed workbook for measuring twenty congregational growth principles explains how congregations can reach out to people instead of concentrating on their institutional needs.

More Than Numbers: The Ways Churches Grow (Book)
Loren B. Mead, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1993.
Author Loren Mead presents four types of church growth: growth of members; growth by members; growth as a church's reordering of the way it works; and growth as a church’s enhanced impact on the local community.

The Passion Driven Congregation (Book)
Carver McGriff, Kent Millard, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2003.
The authors define a "passion driven" congregation as "one moved to share the suffering of others, compelled to action, and stirred to the depths by love."

The Purpose Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message and Mission (Book)
Rick Warren, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995.
The Purpose Driven Church teaches that a healthy, purpose-driven church experiences consistent growth by balancing five biblical purposes based on the Great Commission.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Inclusion and Welcoming 

Inclusion: Making Room for Grace (Book)
Eric H. F. Law, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2000.
Eric Law not only sets the stage for talking about how we include others, but also gives us a framework and set of action steps for moving toward greater inclusion in our congregations.

Befriending the Stranger (Book)
Jean Vanier, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005.
L'Arche founder Jean Vanier offers his reflections on hospitality, hope, incarnation, vocation, and related topics to those seeking a theological foundation for their work as caregivers, Christian disciples, and providers of hospitality.

Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion (Book)
Yvette A. Flunder, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2005.
In Where the Edge Gathers, Yvette Flunder offers a compelling vision of a radically inclusive church, providing sample community-giving and celebratory sermons designed to support this mission.

The Spirituality of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation into a Sacred Community (Book)
Ron Wolfson, Author.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2006.
This book offers numerous concepts, examples, tips, and exercises to assist readers in creating and maintaining an atmosphere of welcoming in their synagogues as a means of growth and spiritual transformation.

And You Welcomed Me: A Sourcebook on Hospitality in Early Christianity (Book)
Amy G. Ogden, Editor.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.
Amy Ogden shows that hospitality was deeply embedded within early Christianity. With interest in "spiritual practices" on the rise, this book should satisfy those seeking an historical context for spiritual disciplines.

Church for the Unchurched (Book)
George G. Hunter III, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996.
Church for the Unchurched demonstrates how congregations can use the distinctive apostolic principles of early Christianity to live out the gospel and reach contemporary unchurched Americans.

The Inviting Church: A Study of New Member Assimilation (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Speed B. Leas, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1987.
Most growing churches do not have formal recruitment or assimilation committees; rather, they have positive personalities evidenced in their energy, their belief in inclusion, and their sense of a unique identity.

Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition (Book)
Christine D. Pohl, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999.
Making Room presents the rich history of hospitality in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The author encourages readers to think of hospitality as a “way of living our lives and of sharing ourselves.”

Making Your Church More Inviting: A Step-by-Step Guide for In-Church Training (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1992.
The fifteen-session workshop outlined in this book explores the ways in which congregations can more effectively invite, welcome, and incorporate new members.

Welcome! Tools and Techniques for New Member Ministry (Book)
Andrew D. Weeks, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1992.
Andrew Weeks has used his own experience of visiting many congregations to provide an immensely practical, how-to book about welcoming ministries.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Marketing for  Congregations 

Ministry Marketing Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Marketing Your Church Message (Book)
Yvon Prehn, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2004.
From worship bulletins to the Internet, this book covers the hands-on how-tos for communication and marketing within—and into the world beyond—the congregation.

Find a Niche and Scratch It: Marketing Your Congregation (Book)
Robert Perry, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
Robert Perry shows how churches can use the concept of "niche marketing" in the secular business world to reach segments of the population with a ministry that meets their needs and encourages them to embrace the Christian faith.

Marketing for Congregations: Choosing to Serve People More Effectively (Book)
Norman Shawchuck, Philip Kotler, Bruce Wrenn, Gustave Ruth, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1992.
Marketing can help religious organizations achieve their objectives in the face of current challenges such as a secularized society, changing demographics, competition among congregations, and the practice of private faith rather than church attendance.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Mission and Vision

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (Book)
James C. Collins, Jerry I. Porras, Authors.  New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2002.
Asserting that building a visionary organization is more important than having a visionary leader, the authors note that such organizations are able to identify—and stay true to—their core values.

Vision and the Church (Web Resource)
Marie Fleming presents congregational vision as a process—shaped through seven "learning pathway" segments. Each segment includes a topical overview, a series of exercises and discussion starters, and a place to record and share insights.

Be Not Afraid!: Building Your Church on Faith and Knowledge (Book)
Fredric M. Roberts, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2005.
Be Not Afraid! offers a research-based guide to help people of faith know who they are, know what they believe, and integrate their history and beliefs into all dimensions of their life together.

Future Search: An Action Guide to Finding Common Ground in Organizations & Communities (Book)
Marvin Weisbord, Sandra Janoff, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2000.
Future Search describes a planning process for groups who seek to create a vision for their community, enable stakeholders to discover shared vision and take responsibility for their plans, or implement an existing shared vision.

Making the Church Work: Converting the Church for the 21st Century (Book)
Edward H. Hammett, Author.  Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishers, 2000.
Churches stuck in outdated modes of leadership and focus are failing churches. This book explores the areas where the church needs to repent and adaptations it must make to grow into full relationship with Christ and fill its future mission.

Who Is Our Church?: Imagining Congregational Identity (Book)
Janet Cawley, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
This book invites congregations to use what they know about themselves to create a metaphor of the congregation as a person and then to use this metaphor to discover their hidden gifts and create a new vision and mission for themselves.

Discerning Your Congregation's Future: A Strategic and Spiritual Approach (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Robert E. Friedrich Jr., Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1996.
Combining practical mission planning with a deeply grounded spiritual dimension, the authors have developed a "visioning" and mission development process that enables the whole congregation to understand and foster change.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : New Congregation  Development 

The Nomadic Church: Growing Your Congregation without Owning the Building (Book)
William M. Easum, Pete Theodore, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.
Drawing upon a wide range of real-world examples, this book examines the many issues church leaders must confront and master if they take the path of not owning a building while trying to grow a church, including personnel, financial, and attitudinal, an

Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens (Book)
Neil Cole, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
Identifying the DNA of the church as divine truth, nurturing relationships, and apostolic mission, Neil Cole offers a vision for church multiplication that brings these elements into everyday life venues.

Church Planting in the African American Context (Book)
Hozell C. Francis, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999.
The authors address the importance of the vision for a new church, case studies of a variety of congregations, the central role of the pastor, and specific obstacles that may be encountered.

Rekindling the Mainline: New Life through New Churches (Book)
Stephen C. Compton, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
Stephen Compton proposes planting new churches as a solution to declining membership in mainline denominations.

Starting a New Church: The Church Planter’s Guide to Success (Book)
Ralph Moore, Author.  Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2002.
This resource provides clergy, denominational execs, and anyone interested in church planting a systematic approach to multiplying congregations.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Outreach 

Talking Faith: An Eight Part Study on Growing & Sharing Your Faith (Book)
Heather Kirk-Davidoff, Nancy Wood-Lyczak, Authors.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2004.
Designed for use by groups, Talking Faith is a guide for anyone—leaders, potential leaders, members and seekers—who wants to grow in faith and to share faith in daily life.

Godbearing: Evangelism Reconceived (Book)
Elaine A. Robinson, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2006.
In this book, Elaine Robinson calls us away from traditional paradigms of evangelism and toward an evangelism based on the "revolutionary, subversive power of grace forming the Christ character within us and overflowing into the world."

Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism (Book)
Martha Grace Reese, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2006.
Defining "evangelism" as "anything you do to help another person move closer to a relationship with God, or into Christian community," Martha Grace Reese helps us reframe what it means to be faithful disciples through evangelism.

Borderland Churches: A Congregation's Introduction to Missional Living (Book)
Gary V. Nelson, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2008.
In the borderlands where "Christian faith, other faiths, and unfaith intersect,"Gary Nelson calls the church to define itself as a community of God's people that organizes its life around being an agent of God's mission to the world.

The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West ... Again (Book)
George G. Hunter III, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
This volume offers a fresh yet historically proven approach to evangelism, one that offers hospitality and fellowship to the unchurched, allowing them to find their way naturally into faith rather than requesting immediate acceptance of the Gospel.

The Church and the Dechurched: Mending a Damaged Faith (Book)
Mary Tuomi Hammond, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2001.
Mary Tuomi Hammond focuses on why people become dechurched, how the dechurched can have faith again, and meaningful ways the church can minister to the dechurched.

Church on Sunday, Work on Monday: The Challenges of Fusing Christian Values with Business Life (Book)
Laura Nash, Scotty McLennan, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2001.
This book is for clergy and congregations who want to be among the first to dialogue about matters of faith and practice, and for anyone who continues to find God at work in the marketplace.

City Reaching: On the Road to Community Transformation (Book)
Jack Dennison, Author.  Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1999.
Jack Dennison, having devoted himself to evangelism and outreach, proposes five major paradigm shifts that must take place in the way we "do church", all consistent with the early church model he finds in Acts.

The Contagious Witness: Exploring Christian Conversion (Book)
Ronald K. Crandall, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999.
Ron Crandall defines a clear model for witnessing and conversion grounded in biblical themes and a trinitarian understanding of God.

The Gathered and Scattered Church: Equipping Believers for the 21st Century (Book)
Edward H. Hammett, Author.  Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishers, 1999.
Edward Hammett concludes that the church needs to recast itself in a way that focuses on equipping people to be scattered out in mission to the world.

High Expectations: The Remarkable Secret for Keeping People in Your Church (Book)
Thom S. Rainer, Author.  Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.
How do we keep our members from leaving or becoming inactive? Church leaders struggle with this dilemma constantly. Through his survey of 287 congregations, Thom Rainer attempts to answer.

The Intrareligious Dialogue (Book)
Raimon Panikkar, Author.  Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1999.
Author Raimon Panikkar offers insight for leaders of different faith traditions seeking to build a climate of mutual respect and understanding.

Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Book)
Darrell L. Guder, Editor.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998.
Mission defines the church as God’s sent people, say the contributors to this call for change in our understanding of the church. Our mandate is to move from "doing" to "being" mission; from church with mission to missional church.

Reclaiming Evangelism: A Practical Guide for Mainline Churches (Book)
Jan G. Linn, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 1998.
Jan Linn asserts that if the mainline church is to be faithful to the totality of the gospel message, it needs to re-engage in a properly understood ministry of evangelism.

Turn Your Church Inside Out: Building a Community for Others (Book)
Walt Kallestad, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2001.
Drawing on his own experience and scriptural teachings, author and pastor Walt Kallestad outlines steps any congregation can take to become a community that celebrates and affirms people while managing change.

Welcoming the Stranger: A Public Theology of Worship and Evangelism (Book)
Patrick R. Keifert, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992.
In this primer on the relationship between evangelism and worship, Keifert calls for an imaginative, energetic, and engaging rendition of the church's traditional liturgy.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Rural Congregations 

Ruralchurch.org (Web Resource)
Offering free consultations and topically organized Web links, Ruralchurch.org seeks to connect congregational leaders with resources for effective ministry, particularly in the areas of youth ministry and adult Christian education.

Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Rural Congregations (Book)
L. Shannon Jung, David Poling-Goldenne, Authors.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2001.
Offering a hopeful and incremental approach to revitalizing a rural congregation, this book (and its companion video) can be used by those who want to grow a congregation but need practical ideas and encouragement.

Rural Congregational Studies: A Guide for Good Shepherds (Book)
L. Shannon Jung, Mary A. Agria, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997.
The authors of this book are deeply concerned with the fact that seminarians are not trained for service in the contexts of small rural congregations; they take most if not all of their training in urban settings.

Rural Evangelism: Catching the Vision (Book)
Kevin Ruffcorn, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Books, 1994.
Kevin Ruffcorn shows how rural and small-town churches can flourish when they nurture their members and reach out to neighbors using the available pool of talent and resources.

Rural Social Science Education for Leaders (Web Resource)
As a nonprofit program aimed at helping religious and community leaders to become more effective, Rural Social Science Education has developed a web site containing a full-text study of the problems and promises associated with rural religious life.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Size Transitions 

How to Break Growth Barriers: Capturing Overlooked Opportunities for Church Growth (Book)
Carl F. George, Warren Bird, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1993.
This book provides both rationale and method for achieving church growth in response to God's call. The author suggests a ministry-for-all approach is the key to such growth, explains why, and demonstrates how to develop this ministry style.

How to Minister Effectively in Family, Pastoral, Program, and Corporate-Sized Churches (Article)
Roy M. Oswald, Author.  Action Information. March/April 1991. Vol. XVII, No. 2, pp. 1-7. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
This article discusses the skills and attitudes of pastoral leadership that are successful in congregations of four different sizes and characters, and outlines what is needed to effectively transition from one size church to another.

The In-Between Church: Navigating Size Transitions in Congregations (Book)
Alice Mann, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
Alice Mann explores the hindrances that arise in the "plateaus" between church sizes to form a glass ceiling against new member assimilation and participation.

Inside the Small Church (Book)
Anthony G. Pappas, Author.  Anthony G. Pappas, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
This is an indispensable resource for small-church leaders to learn to stimulate "leading, loving, largening, and leaving" in their congregations.

One Size Doesn't Fit All: Bringing out the Best in Any Size Church (Book)
Gary L. McIntosh, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming Revell, 1999.
This book summarizes the differences in style and structure among different sizes of congregations, typical obstacles to growth at each size, and the most promising growth strategies for each situation.

Raising the Roof: The Pastoral-to-Program Size Transition (Book)
Alice Mann, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
Using two decades' worth of Alban Institute experience working with churches of various sizes, author Alice Mann offers a clear and well-written handbook for managing this critical transition.

Size Transitions in Congregations (Book)
Beth Ann Gaede, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
An anthology of fifteen articles exploring the impact of size transitions on congregational life, this resource builds on Arlin Rothauge’s classification and definition of four size-based church types (family, pastoral, program, and corporate).

Sizing Up a Congregation for New Member Ministry (Booklet)
Arlin Rothauge, Author.  New York, NY: Episcopal Church Center, 1983.
In this short classic, Arlin Rothauge discusses the structure, characteristics, relationships, and needs of four congregational sizes: family (up to 50 active members); pastoral (50-150); program (150-350); and corporation (350-500).

Small Congregation, Big Potential: Ministry in the Small Membership Church (Book)
Lyle E. Schaller, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2003.
Small churches have the potential to be exceptional communities of faith. Shifting the focus from what small churches can’t be, Lyle Schaller offers a vision and suggestions for how small churches can live into their potential.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Small Congregations 

The Indispensable Guide for Smaller Churches (Book)
David R. Ray, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2003.
David Ray presents theology, theories, and methods that will help small congregations use existing resources to best advantage and live as authentic communities of God’s people.

All Churches Great and Small: 60 Ideas for Improving Your Church’s Ministry (Book)
Kirk Farnsworth, Rosie Farnsworth, Authors.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2005.
This book offers ways for small churches to become more effective in a variety of ministry areas, including shepherding, ministering, studying, worshiping, praying, giving, living in the spirit, witnessing, and committing to God and the church community.

Entering the World of the Small Church (Book)
Anthony G. Pappas, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2000.
Instead of focusing on replicating the large church experience, this book explores the unique gifts and challenges presented by small congregations, offering encouragement to their pastors and guidelines to measure their congregational vitality.

Help for the Small Church Pastor: Unlocking the Potential of Your Congregation (Book)
Steve R. Bierly, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995.
Bierly, an experienced small church pastor, offers counsel and encouragement to small-church pastors, often with great warmth and humor.

How to Thrive as a Small-Church Pastor: A Guide to Spiritual and Emotional Well-Being (Book)
Steve R. Bierly, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.
For pastors who serve small churches, How to Thrive as a Small-Church Pastor provides down-to-earth counsel on surviving, and perhaps even thriving, in a small-church environment.

Learning to Pastor a Small Congregation (Article)
Andrew D. Hagen, Author.  Congregations. January/February 1998. Vol. XXIV, No. 1, pp. 14-15. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
Andrew D. Hagen recounts the mistakes he made when pastoring a small family-size church and the revelations that helped him shift his focus and introduce new, effective practices into his ministry.

Life on the edge: A small church redefines its mission (Article)
The Christian Century. 2003. Vol. 120, No. 14, pp. 24-27. Chicago, IL: Christian Century Foundation.
Richard Bliese presents the story of a church that became a vital missional community by focusing on what a small church can do, transforming lay members into lay ministers, and expanding its capacity for fellowship.

Small, Strong Congregations: Creating Strengths and Health for Your Congregation (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Kennon Callahan counters the conventional wisdom that bigger is better. Book chapters discuss the qualities of small, strong congregations and how to develop them.

Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church (Book)
Ronald K. Crandall, Author.  Herb Miller, Editor.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Arguing that small churches can grow and flourish, the author discusses the pastor's crucial role and explores the attitudes and behaviors that inhibit growth and those that can lead to revitalization.

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Systems Theory 

The Corporate Culture Survival Guide (Book)
Edgar H. Schein, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
This primer on the dynamics of corporate culture and change explains how culture forms, why it’s difficult to change, and what must be considered when attempting to change it. Case studies, questions, and practical suggestions are included.

The Balancing Act: The Congregation as Emotional System (Media)
Produced by Seraphim Communications, Inc..  Distributed by Seraphim Communications, Inc..  Duration: 90. 
Consultant and presenter Peter Steinke draws on systems theory to explain how congregations function, how dysfunction can develop, and how leaders can promote healthy emotional systems in congregations.

Congregations as Learning Communities: Tools for Shaping Your Future (Book)
Dennis G. Campbell, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2000.
Dennis Campbell leads the reader through an introduction to the "Learning Congregation"—a congregation that never stops learning and changing, but engages and responds to new information and opportunities.

Creating a Healthier Church: Family Systems Theory, Leadership, and Congregational Life (Book)
Ronald W. Richardson, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1996.
The family systems analysis in this book shows how relationships are never simply one-to-one, because each person brings along the ins and outs of all of his or her other relationships.

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies & Tools for Building a Learning Organization (Book)
Peter M. Senge, Author.  New York, NY: Doubleday, 1994.
As the "how to do it" companion to The Fifth Discipline, the Fieldbook is Peter Senge's compendium of nuts-and-bolts applications for building a "learning organization."

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization (Book)
Peter M. Senge, Author.  New York, NY: Doubleday, 1994.
Although written for the corporate world, this book's systems approach is also for congregational leadership open to building a faith community fully dedicated to the growth and development of its members.

Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue (Book)
Edwin H. Friedman, Author.  New York, NY: Guilford Publications, 1985.
Friedman—for twenty-five years a congregational rabbi, family therapist, and counselor to clergy of numerous faiths—applies the prism of family systems theory to describe in detail how congregational families do and don’t work.

Healthy Congregations: A Systems Approach (Book)
Peter L. Steinke, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
This text explores the congregation as an emotional system, underscoring the significant role that spiritually and emotionally healthy leaders can play in influencing a church's emotional health.

How Your Church Family Works: Understanding Congregations as Emotional Systems (Book)
Peter L. Steinke, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
Applying family systems thinking, the author articulates our interrelatedness and its potential to produce anxiety in situations of congregational struggle. He urges healthy responses that emphasize strength.

The Systems Thinking Playbook: Exercises to Stretch and Build Learning and Systems Thinking Capabilities (Book)
Linda Booth Sweeney, Author.  Durham, NH: The Institute for Policy and Social Science Research, 1995.
The experiential activities in this appropriately-named "playbook" help to translate complex systems theories into understandable, applicable learning modules.

Understanding Organizations: Applications of Bowen Family Systems Theory (Book)
Ruth Riley Sagar , Kathleen Klaus Wiseman, Editors.  Washington, DC: The Georgetown University Family Center, 1982.
Through eleven different papers presented at a symposium on applying Bowen Family Systems Theory to organizations, the various writers discuss the basic concepts of family systems thinking and how one might use the theory to improve the health of an orga

CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY : Urban Congregations 

Spirit in the Cities: Searching for Soul in the Urban Landscape (Book)
Kathryn Tanner, Editor.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2004.
This thin book presents thick theological and sociological analysis on such topics as economic dislocation, immigration, new architecture, and other concerns that have transformed the physical, social, and religious landscape of large cities.

LEADERSHIP

Better Than Success: 8 Principles of Faithful Leadership (Book)
C. Jeff Woods, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2001.
Jeff Woods lays out the principles for faithful leadership, including the capacity to help church leaders discern God's vision and to serve as an agent of growth and change.

Leading Quietly: An Unorthodox Guide to Doing the Right Thing (Book)
Joseph L. Badaracco Jr., Author.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Exploring "quiet leadership," leadership’s common and least-acknowledged form, the author affirms incremental change and describes eight characteristics of quiet leadership. Case studies and close analysis of problem resolution are included.

The Leadership Labyrinth: Negotiating the Paradoxes of Ministry (Book)
Judson Edwards, Author.  Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishers, 2005.
Drawing on years of pastoral experience, Judson Edwards explains 21 paradoxes of ministerial life. Recognizing such truths about our relationships, issues, and lives may make ministry more satisfying—and perhaps more fun.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't (Book)
Jim Collins, Author.  New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2001.
Through a major study of companies that consistently produced great results, Jim Collins has distilled the factors that contribute to organizational greatness.

"So That..."—Leadership, Accountability, and The Future Church (Web Resource)
Weems’ work brings together experience with young clergy, youth ministry, and the future of the church. This interview draws on his research and current trends in business and academic leadership thinking, offering new thoughts on leadership.

Weaving the Web with Conversation: A New Model for Effective Leadership (Web Resource)
For this interview, Meg Wheatley draws on experience working with living systems, encouraging congregations to move from hierarchical church models based on control and careful planning and opt, instead, for those based on human relationships.

Humble Leadership: Being Radically Open to God's Guidance and Grace (Book)
N. Graham Standish, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
This book defines humble leadership and compares it with other approaches to leadership. Graham Standish explains how humble leadership is self-aware, prayerful, unifying, and Spirit-led; he also names the essential skills of such leadership.

Leadership in Congregations (Book)
Richard Bass, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
The articles in this book deal with a wide array of leadership issues—including pastoring a small congregation, leading when consensus fails, and leading for the future. It will offer all leaders some starting point for their own ministries.

Leaders That Last: How Covenant Friendships Can Help Pastors Thrive (Book)
Gary D. Kinnaman, Alfred H. Ells, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2003.
This book illustrates, through numerous stories, the need for pastors to have safe, supportive, and mutually accountable relationships with their peers if they are to survive, thrive, and serve effectively.

The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World (Book)
Ronald A. Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, Marty Linsky, Authors.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2009.
The authors have written a practical guide for those seeking to understand and implement adaptive leadership ("the practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and thrive") in their congregations.

Wave Rider: Leadership for High Performance in a Self-Organizing World (Book)
Harrison Owen, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008.
Harrison Owen, the developer of Open Space Technology, reviews the history of Open Space and explains why it works. He further explores the practices that leaders can apply to foster high performance among those they are leading.

Heart, Mind, and Strength: Theory and Practice for Congregational Leadership (Book)
Jeffrey D. Jones, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Drawing from extensive scholarship on leadership and his many years of pastoral experience, Jeffrey Jones summarizes inspiring theories of leadership and offers practical advice for implementing these theories in the congregation.

Building Community: Christian, Caring, Vital (Book)
Loughlan Sofield, Rosine Hammett, Carroll Juliano, Authors.  Ava Maria Press, 1998.
These authors appreciate the realities of living in community, call the difficulties normal, and offer strategies for working through the tensions and problems.

Church Leadership: Vision, Team, Culture and Integrity (Book)
Lovett H. Weems Jr., Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1993.
Lovett Weems makes the case for a leadership that is heroic only in the context of the larger community.

The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership (Book)
Steven B. Sample, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Steven Sample challenges leaders to think counterintuitively or as a contrarian. He also challenges leaders to develop strong moral centers as they lead their institutions through change.

Executive Values: A Christian Approach to Organizational Leadership (Book)
Kurt Senske, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2003.
Executive Values offers provocative reading on such issues as becoming a servant-leader, creating an effective organizational culture, applying values to strategic planning, and intentionally taking time to be healthy.

Leadership Jazz (Book)
Max Depree, Author.  New York, NY: Doubleday, 1993.
Like good jazz musicians, effective leaders must joyously embrace the expected and unexpected, and easily adapt to a changing environment and group of players.

Leadership That Works: Hope and Direction for Church and Parachurch Leaders in Today's Complex World (Book)
Leith Anderson, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1999.
Jargon-free and experientially based, Leadership That Works addresses the numerous complexities and tensions of leadership.

Leadership: A Practical Journal for Church Leaders (Periodical)
Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, Inc.
This quarterly journal for clergy and church leaders offers practical counsel on the many facets of church leadership, along with book reviews and information about other leadership resources.

Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition (Book)
Dennis N.T. Perkins, Author.  New York, NY: AMACOM Books, 2000.
Originally written for business leaders, Leading at the Edge contains wisdom that is easily translatable to the language of the church. At the same time, the book uses a fascinating adventure story to breathe life into its concepts.

Not Trying Too Hard: New Basics for Sustainable Congregations (Book)
Bob Sitze, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
Sitze illustrates the perils of church leaders who try too hard to control, be, do, and understand all things. He then offers a light and playful approach build on the notions of small-step change and simplicity.

Reinventing Leadership (Media)
Distributed by Guilford Publications.  Duration: 40 minutes. 
This video describes how communities become dysfunctional when they are gripped by anxiety and how such communities tend to sabotage healthy leadership.

Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness (Book)
Robert K. Greenleaf, Author.  Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1977.
Calling for institutions to continually develop people’s servant leadership capacity, author Robert Greenleaf explores the “servant leadership” concept in three institutional settings: the church, the academy, and the corporation.

LEADERSHIP : Board Development 

Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership (Book)
Dan Hotchkiss, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2009.
Dan Hotchkiss explains the importance of unified structures for making governance and ministry decisions. He also addresses the tasks of boards and offers advice on making board meetings productive. Here is foundational reading for any board.

Reinventing Your Board: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Policy Governance (Book)
John Carver, Miriam Carver, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2006.
This book builds on the Policy Governance model John Carver introduced in Boards That Make a Difference, offering detailed advice for implementing and effectively applying the model in real-life situations.

The Strategic Board: The Step-by-Step Guide to High-Impact Governance (Book)
Mark Light, Author.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001.
This book offers nonprofit boards guidance for implementing a plan for setting organizational direction, delegating work, and monitoring the organization’s effectiveness in meeting its stated goals.

Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards (Book)
Richard Chait, William P. Ryan, Barbara E. Taylor, Authors.  Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2005.
This book outlines governance as a form of leadership. The authors contend that a generative role, in which boards provide a new sense of the problems and opportunities facing their organizations, is an essential component of governance as leadership.

The Board Member’s Guide to Strategic Planning: A Practical Approach to Strengthening Nonprofit Organizations (Book)
Fisher Howe, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
This book will help eliminate the dissatisfaction many congregations have about the results of their strategic planning by carefully moving through the planning process step-by-step.

Boards that Make a Difference: A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations (Book)
John Carver, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2006.
This book calls upon organizations to change static boards into dynamic ones by revising the types of policies they address. It describes how to produce boards that think big, have clearly stated missions, and can bring long-term goals to fruition.

Building Church Leaders: Your Complete Guide to Leadership Training (Book)
David L. Goetz, Editor.  Matthews, NC: Leadership Journal, 1998.
This looseleaf collection contains reproducible handouts useful for leadership training and discussion on 12 crucial areas of congregational life.

Creating Caring and Capable Boards: Reclaiming the Passion for Active Trusteeship (Book)
Katherine Tyler Scott, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Author Katherine Tyler Scott contends that church board members can better serve their parishioners and themselves by attending not to "answers" but to relevant questions about the organization and its history, future, mission, and publics.

Governing Boards: Their Nature and Nurture (Book)
Cyril O. Houle, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
Cyril Houle contends that all governing boards can be understood in terms of a tripartite system: the work to be done, the administration of that work, and the establishment of policies to guide it.

Growing Together: Spiritual Exercises for Church Committees (Book)
Rochelle Melander, Harold Eppley, Authors.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Books, 1998.
This book offers 50 exercises designed to help church task groups and committees become communities that spiritually nourish group members as they work together.

Selected to Serve: A Guide for Church Officers (Book)
Earl S. Johnson Jr., Author.  Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2000.
Detailed enough to be used in training Presbyterian Church officers, this handbook also addresses questions concerning biblical authority, church tradition, conflict, discipline, and change.

Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders (Book)
Charles M. Olsen, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1995.
This book offers ways to structure board meetings more like worship services than business meetings as a way to reduce conflict, offer board members a more fulfilling experience, and create a core of spiritual leaders in the congregation.

Trustee Leadership Development (Organization)
TLD is a national leadership education and networking program for the leaders and boards of nonprofit organizations, religious groups, and civic communities.

The Vestry Handbook (Book)
Christopher L. Webber, Author.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 2000.
This reference provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the vestry, addressing such topics as financial and property management, caring for the rector and staff, overseeing church programs, and working with the diocese.

LEADERSHIP : Board Development  : Spirituality

Attentive to God: Spirituality in the Church Committee (Book)
Karen Marie Yust, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2001.
Our current models of decision-making often prevent us from hearing God’s voice and experiencing God’s presence as we serve. Yust presents a new model that focuses attention on God and God’s role in the committee’s work.

LEADERSHIP : Clergy 

The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken about Pastoral Transitions (Book)
Carolyn Weese, J. Russell Crabtree, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
This book is full of practical advice on the roles and responsibilities of key players as a church concentrates on finding a new pastor. It emphasizes strategic planning, church culture, and developing a transition strategy that honors the congregation.

Thriving in Ministry (Book)
Robert H. Ramey Jr., Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2000.
Full of examples and wisdom from his years of ministry, this book offers advice on the benefits and opportunities the ministry profession offers. Ideal for those beginning a pastorate and for those needing refreshment within the profession.

Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry (Book)
Dean R. Hoge, Jacqueline E. Wenger, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005.
Based on a survey of 900 clergy from five denominations, this book delineates reasons why pastors leave parish ministry. It also recommends ways to avert departures and support transitions.

Resurrecting Excellence: Shaping Faithful Christian Ministry (Book)
L. Gregory Jones, Rev. Kevin Armstrong, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006.
This book reflects theologically on what will support pastoral life and excellence. Issues explored include power, office, call, professionalism, collegiality, ordination, and pastoral imagination.

God’s Potters: Pastoral Leadership and the Shaping of Congregations (Book)
Jackson W. Carroll, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006.
This book seeks to discern who America’s clergy are, what they do, how they are faring, and what excellence in ministry looks like, as well as how to nurture and sustain excellence.

Educating Clergy: Teaching Practices and Pastoral Imagination (Book)
Charles R. Foster, Lisa Dahill, Larry Golemon, Barbara Wang Tolentino, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
This book reports the authors' findings on how Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish seminaries prepare clergy to fulfill their complex roles and responsibilities, with an emphasis on interpretation, formation, context, and performance.

Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith (Book)
Barbara Brown Taylor, Author.  San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006.
This artfully written memoir chronicles Barbara Brown Taylor's decision to leave pastoral ministry. It provides an insightful take on pastors who leave local church ministry and taps into questions that many have about Christian faith.

Why You Should Develop a Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (Media)
Distributed by Alban Institute.  Duration: 50. 
Roy Oswald has developed a DVD and study guide for persons forming a "Pastor-Parish Relations" (PPR) committee. This resource provides guidance in forming a committee, understanding its mission, setting its tasks, and fulfilling its goals.

The Pastor: A Spirituality (Book)
Gordon W. Lathrop, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006.
A preeminent liturgical theologian explores the identity, central tasks, and spirituality of pastoral ministry. Written for Christian clergy, this book calls pastors to a lifelong catechumenate of growth in faith and faithfulness.

Faithful to the Call: Reflections on Excellence in Ministry (Web Resource)
This report from the Fund for Theological Education addresses "what excellent ministry looks like and what gets in the way." It will especially benefit those considering a call to ordained ministry and those who mentor others.

Four Seasons of Ministry: Gathering a Harvest of Righteousness (Book)
Bruce G. Epperly, Katherine Gould Epperly, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Bruce and Katherine Epperly write about the factors that create transformational ministry in each of the "four seasons" (seminary, first call, full ministry, retirement) of pastoral vocational life. Key practices for each season are explained.

Imagination and the Pastoral Life: A Way of Seeing (Article)
Craig Dykstra, Author.  Christian Century. 2008.
Craig Dykstra discusses the elements of a sound pastoral imagination that responds to both God's call and a congregations' ecclesial imagination. He also explores how pastors can foster this imagination for themselves and one another.

For Life Abundant: Practical Theology, Theological Education, and Christian Ministry (Book)
Dorothy C. Bass, Craig Dykstra, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008.
For Life Abundant redirects theological education by using the tools of practical theology as a resource for developing and sustaining excellent pastors who both embody and teach the ways of Christian abundant life.

Developing an Intentional Ministry (Article)
Glenn Farquhar-Nicol, Author.  Congregations. January/February 1994. Vol. XX, No. 1, pp. 10. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
The author discusses strategies for attending to the demands of parish ministry in an intentional rather than a reactive way, including limiting work hours, taking regular study leaves, using a job description, and recording his accomplishments each day

The Equipping Pastor: A Systems Approach to Congregational Leadership (Book)
R. Paul Stevens, Phil Collins, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1993.
Drawing on systems theory, covenant relationships, and biblical references, the authors present a convincing model through which clergy can empower their congregations to fulfill their ministries in the world.

In It for the Long Haul: Building Effective Long-Term Pastorates (Book)
Glenn Ludwig, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Seminarians are typically taught how to become theologians-in-residence at their churches, rather than trained leaders who resist becoming overtaxed and can therefore remain "for the long haul."

A New Beginning for Pastors and Congregations: Building an Excellent Match Upon Your Shared Strengths (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
Author and consultant Kennon Callahan targets the first three months of a new pastorate. This book is directive and specific, with detailed, supportive suggestions.

The Once and Future Pastor: The Changing Role of Religious Leaders (Book)
William C. Hobgood, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
The emerging church calls for a well trained pastor, assertive and faithful to God’s mandate to be a servant leader.

The Pastor as Spiritual Guide (Book)
Howard Rice, Author.  Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 1998.
As congregations are increasingly compelled to revise their understandings of pastoral leadership, author Howard Rice believes that “spiritual guidance” is increasingly becoming the pastor's central task.

The Unnecessary Pastor: Rediscovering the Call (Book)
Marva J. Dawn, Eugene Peterson, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999.
Using the Pastoral Epistles and Ephesians, authors Marva Dawn and Eugene Peterson help us understand that pastors are called not to fulfill cultural expectations, but to serve only Christ—with a most important role of reconciliation.

Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity (Book)
Eugene Peterson, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990.
This book highlights basic pastoral practices—praying, listening to scripture, and giving and receiving spiritual direction—and discusses important points to remember about each.

LEADERSHIP : Clergy  : Associate Staff 

Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams (Book)
Mike Bonem, Roger Patterson, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
This exploration of the paradoxes of the second-chair leadership position uses real-life examples to illustrate how second-chair leader can lead in their own right while at the same time supporting the work of the first-chair leader.

Team Players: What Do Associate Pastors Want? (Article)
Jason Byassee, Author.  Christian Century. 2006. Vol. 123, No. 2, pp. 18-22.
Jason Byassee examines what associate and senior ministers need to foster positive, collegial working relationships with each other, identifying key elements that both sets of clergy feel are important.

How to Thrive in Associate Staff Ministry (Book)
Kevin E. Lawson, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2000.
This book, the result of an extensive survey and study, identifies the best practices of those who thrive in associate staff ministry.

LEADERSHIP : Clergy  : Misconduct 

Understanding Clergy Misconduct in Religious Systems: Scapegoating, Family Secrets, and the Abuse of Power (Book)
Candace R. Benyei, Author.  Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, Inc., 1998.
An accessible book that provides helpful definitions and information without excessive jargon, this book examines many aspects of clergy misconduct in the context of the congregation and its related systems.

Preventing Sexual Abuse in Congregations: A Resource for Leaders (Book)
Karen McClintock, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Children and adults can be sexually abused in congregations by clergy, staff, and church leaders. Preventing destructive interactions takes awareness, knowledge, and action. This book can serve as a resource for individual or group study.

Telling Truths in Church: Scandal, Flesh, and Christian Speech (Book)
Mark D. Jordan, Author.  Warwick, RI: Beacon Press, 2003.
Drawing on the experience of the pedophile crisis in the Roman Catholic Church, the author outlines a strategy to promote healthy dialogue, conversation and theological boundary setting with regard to sexual identity and practice.

When A Congregation Is Betrayed: Responding to Clergy Misconduct (Book)
Beth Ann Gaede, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
Sexual malfeasance among clergy has become a headline-grabbing issue in recent years. This book addresses nearly all dimensions of the issue, many of which go unreported or remain hidden beneath the more lurid aspects of such behavior.

Clergy Sexual Misconduct: Awareness and Prevention (Web Resource)
Baylor University School of Social Work
A study by the Baylor University School of Social Work found that more than three percent of women in religious communities (across denominations) have been victims of clergy sexual misconduct (CSM). Preventive strategies were also proposed.

Sex in the Parish (Book)
Karen Lebacqz, Ronald G. Barton, Authors.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991.
This book, one of the first to address the subject directly, examines the impact of sexuality on the lives of clergy and looks at some addictions that particularly trouble those in the helping professions.

LEADERSHIP : Clergy  : New Pastorate 

Ending Well, Starting Strong (Media)
Produced by Roy M. Oswald.  Distributed by Alban Institute. 
This audiocassette presentation of a two-day workshop explores the issues pastors face when leaving one pastorate and going to another.

How to Get Along with Your Church: Creating Cultural Capital for Doing Ministry (Book)
George B. Thompson, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2001.
George Thompson argues that the success of a pastor’s ministry in and with a local congregation may largely be determined by how sensitive (and sensible) he or she is to that church’s culture.

Letters to Lee: Mentoring the New Minister (Book)
Paul C. Clayton, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
Constructed as a series of advisory letters to a novice in his first congregation, Letters to Lee addresses many practical concerns encountered during the early months of professional ministry.

New Beginnings: A Pastorate Start-Up Workbook (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1989.
Urging pastors to examine the emotions that they and their families bring to the moving experience, this workbook offers helpful materials for pastors who are preparing to move and determined to make their move a faithful and healthy one.

Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation (Book)
Lawrence W. Farris, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2003.
Though written primarily for pastors entering a new church, this text provides useful advice for all pastors in the areas of professional focus, role identity, pastoral care, and self-care.

LEADERSHIP : Clergy  : Sabbaticals 

Clergy Renewal: The Alban Guide to Sabbatical Planning (Book)
Richard A. Bullock, Richard J. Bruesehoff, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2000.
This book describes how sabbaticals can benefit both pastors and the conogregations or institutions they serve. The authors provide tips for overcoming the obstacles to sabbaticals and offer valuable advice for desiging effective ones.

Journeying toward Renewal: A Spiritual Companion for Pastoral Sabbaticals (Book)
Melissa Bane Sevier, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Melissa Bane Sevier examines the needs of both the pastor and congregation for an extended period of rest through a pastoral sabbatical. This book is filled with practical advice, personal reflection, and hopeful vision.

National Clergy Renewal Program (Organization)
This program of Lilly Endowment Inc. provides financial support for a time of rest and renewal by pastors of Christian congregations.

LEADERSHIP : Clergy  : Self-Care 

Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives (Book)
Richard A. Swenson, Author.  Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 1992.
Arguing that we are suffering a diminishing reserve of personal resources relative to what is demanded of us, Richard Swenson encourages us to re-center our lives by reining in the emotional, physical, financial, and time demands we endure.

Clergy, Retirement, and Wholeness: Looking Forward to the Third Age (Book)
Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2005.
Gwen Halaas, a physician and wife of a minister, presents a practical plan for making retirement a time of usefulness and joy. This book would be an excellent resource for discussion or a workshop on retirement.

The Right Road: Life Choices for Clergy (Book)
Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2004.
With The Right Road, Gwen Wagstrom Halaas seeks to boost the health of clergy by presenting wholistic understanding of health that includes physical, emotional, intellectual, vocational, and social/interpersonal well-being.

Clergy Burnout: Recovering from the 70-Hour Work Week and Other Self-Defeating Practices (Book)
Fred Lehr, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006.
This book addresses the many challenges of pastoral life that can lead to burnout, and offers practical advice on self-care practices that can help clergy maintain—or regain—balance and health in their lives.

Clergy Self-Care (Web Resource)
Synthesizing current thinking on clergy self-care, this website and report address the emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual components of well-being—for clergy and their families, colleagues, and congregations.

Clergy Self-Care: Finding a Balance for Effective Ministry (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1991.
In this book, Roy Oswald outlines the costs of clergy stress and burnout to both clergy and congregations. To counter these ills, he offers numerous strategies to help clergy effectively deal with the stresses of clergy life.

Leading the Congregation: Caring for Yourself while Serving the People (Book)
Norman Shawchuck, Roger Heuser, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.
Providing a survey course on the roles, functions, and pitfalls of congregational leadership, Leading the Congregation could be subtitled "caring for oneself in order to midwife the growth and development of the congregation."

The Spiritual Leader's Guide to Self-Care (Book)
Rochelle Melander, Harold Eppley, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
This book challenges pastors and lay leaders to look at how they care for themselves. It also offers an easy-to-follow weekly format to help leaders stay connected with God while caring for a congregation.

Spiritual Wholeness for Clergy: A New Psychology of Intimacy with God, Self, and Others (Book)
Donald R. Hands, Wayne L. Fehr, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1993.
The authors draw from over 10,000 hours of clinical therapy and spiritual direction to describe the disorders that clergy suffer, phases of healing, and a healthy spirituality in relationship to self, others, and God.

Walking Through the Valley: Understanding and Emerging from Clergy Depression (Book)
Robert Randall, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.
Every minister, priest, or rabbi who has experienced either temporary or chronic depression will benefit from pastor and psychologist Robert Randall’s encouragement, insights, and strategies for recovery.

LEADERSHIP : Emotional Intelligence 

Practicing Right Relationship: Skills for Deepening Purpose, Finding Fulfillment, and Increasing Effectiveness in Your Congregation (Book)
Mary K. Sellon, Daniel P. Smith, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Mary Sellon and Daniel Smith provide tools for religious leaders to develop and deepen relationships in their religious communities so that everyone may be channels of God’s holy work.

Blessed Connections: Relationships that Sustain Vital Ministry (Book)
Judith A. Schwanz, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2008.
Judith Schwanz has written a book for leaders who want to strengthen their ministries and lives by strengthening their relationships—with themselves, with others, and with God.

Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations (CREIO) (Organization)
Positing that the intelligent use of emotions in managing the self and in working with others increases personal effectiveness, the CREIO promotes the advancement of research and practice related to emotional intelligence in organizations.

EQ Directory (Web Resource)
EQ Directory
There are over a dozen sub-categories to help narrow searches. For example, sites are sub-divided by: Organizations, Corporate, College and University, K-12 Schools, Parents and Kids, Events and Conferences, War and Peace, and several more.

EQ Today (Periodical)
San Mateo, CA: Six Seconds.
EQ Today is a publication of Six Seconds, a non-profit organization seeking to bring emotional intelligence practices to schools, families, and organizations.

The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence: The Theory and Practice of Development, Evaluation, Education, and Application—at Home, School, and in the Workplace (Book)
Reuven Bar-On, James D.A. Parker, Editors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
This handbook of empirical research is most useful for facilitators already familiar with emotional intelligence who aim to develop and justify the basic concepts, models and constructs.

Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence (Book)
Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie McKee, Authors.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Primal Leadership provides excellent illustrations for building individual, team, and organizational emotional intelligence, enabling congregational leaders to apply its many insights to their own individual and group development.

Six Seconds (Organization)
Six Seconds believes that by learning emotional intelligence skills (optimism, empathy, impulse management, and resiliency), both children and adults will lead more joyful, productive, and healthy lives.

LEADERSHIP : Ethics 

Christian Ethics: An Essential Guide (Book)
Robin W. Lovin, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
"Ethics is about how we try to become good people and shape for ourselves a life that is worth living," writes the author. Instead of addressing specific ethical issues, this book lays a foundation of principles, concepts, and context.

Healthy Disclosure: Solving Communication Quandaries in Congregations (Book)
Kibbie Simmons Ruth, Karen McClintock, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Consultants Kibbie Simmons Ruth and Karen McClintock discuss the importance of clear and responsible communication in congregational and community life. They also explain communication problems and ways to address them.

At Personal Risk: Boundary Violations in Professional-Client Relationships (Book)
Marilyn R. Peterson, Author.  New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 1992.
An exploration of how power is distributed in professional relationships between the practitioner and the client, this book raises questions about the distribution of power within congregational and spiritual living.

Before the Fall: Preventing Pastoral Sexual Abuse (Book)
Nils C. Friberg, Mark R. Laaser, Authors.  Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1998.
This book, addressed to church and seminary leaders concerned with the formation of people for ministry, helps leaders identify ministerial candidates who are vulnerable to engaging in sexual misconduct.

Surviving Ministry (Book)
Ronald D. Sisk, Author.  Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishers, 1997.
The case studies, biblical references, and historical analogies presented in this manual shed light on the many ethical issues faced by ministers today in both their personal and private lives.

LEADERSHIP : Gifts Identification 

Selecting Church Leaders: A Practice in Spiritual Discernment (Book)
Charles M. Olsen, Ellen Morseth, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Filling leadership roles in a congregation can be a daunting task. Here is a resource for grounding that task in a spiritual discernment process that seeks to bring God's longings and our own into congruence.

Created and Called: Discovering Our Gifts for Abundant Living (Book)
Jean M. Trumbauer, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1998.
Recognizing that most mainline congregations do not assist members in discovering their gifts, this manual provides a comprehensive approach to recognizing different kinds of gifts, integrating these gifts, and applying them to the world's needs.

Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts (Book)
Lloyd Edwards, Author.  Boston, MA: Cowley Publications, 1988.
Asserting that human talents become "spiritual gifts" when they equip us to assume our unique roles in God's creative and redemptive work, Lloyd Edwards offers exercises for gift discernment and a model for a spiritual gifts workshop.

Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life: You and Your Spiritual Gifts (Book)
Kenneth C. Haugk, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Tebunah Ministries, 1998.
Drawing on reflections, Bible study, and readings in Church ministry, Discovering God's Vision for Your Life helps parishioners to develop not only their gifts, but also their spirituality, self-understanding, and commitment.

Everyday Creativity, by Dewitt Jones (Media)
Distributed by Star Thrower.  Duration: 20 minutes. 
Dewitt Jones uses photography to show how we can access our creativity on a daily basis, how we can look at the seemingly ordinary and see the extraordinary.

The Future That Has Come: The Possibilities for Reaching and Growing the Grass Roots (Book)
Kennon L. Callahan, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2002.
This resource calls modern congregations and pastors who want to deal with the implications of our current culture and build strong, healthy, grassroots congregations and lives.

LifeKeys: Discover Who You Are, Why You're Here, and What You Do Best (Book)
Jane A. G. Kise, David Stark, Sandra Krebs Hirsh, Authors.  Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2005.
Revised Edition. Use these stories, self-tests, and other tools to identify your interests and talents and guide your quest for meaningful volunteer opportunities or career change.

Ministry Specialities Test (Book)
Corinne Ware, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1995.
Corinne Ware helps interested persons discern gifts in the following areas of ministry: theology, pastoral care/social services, counseling, administration, teaching, spiritual direction, preaching, missions, youth ministry, liturgics, and music.

Sorting It Out: Discerning God's Call to Ministry (Book)
Alice Cullinan, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1999.
Sorting It Out defines a vocational call, provides examples of people who have received a call, considers the different kinds of available ministry opportunities, and advises on how to proceed once one determines God's will.

LEADERSHIP : Interim Ministry 

Interim Ministry Network (Organization)
Dedicated to encouraging and educating congregational leaders during interim periods, the Interim Ministry Network provides education and information on the interim process, professional support and development, and practice standards.

Temporary Shepherds: A Congregational Handbook for Interim Ministry (Book)
Roger S. Nicholson, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
Through the stories of 12 experienced interim ministers, this book provides expert guidance on what ministers and congregations need to know and do to make the most of these transitional periods.

LEADERSHIP : Lay Ministry 

Lay Ministry Special Report (Web Resource)
This report explores aspects of lay ministry and the factors that influence its expression. Ranging from service in the congregation to work as ministry in the world, the report offers examples of practice and recommends related resources.

Becoming Barnabas: The Ministry of Encouragement (Book)
Paul Moots, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
Paul Moots draws on the biblical actions of Barnabas to craft a new way of doing ministry. He looks at Barnabas’ generosity, his willingness to partner with others, and his ability to forgive as essential to the work of the church.

Co-Ministry: Some Starting Points (Article)
Virginia West Davidson, Author.  Action Information. July/August 1985. Vol. XI, No. 4, pp. 16. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute.
This article describes co-ministry, a model of congregational leadership that tries to bring parity to all relationships within the congregation.

Energize, Inc. (Organization)
An international training, consulting, and publishing firm, Energize focuses on volunteer challenges and management.

The Equipping Church Guidebook (Book)
Sue Mallory, Brad Smith, Authors.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
This guidebook accompanies Mallory’s book The Equipping Church and provides extensive detail on developing a church culture and implementing a system for lay ministry in the local church and community.

The Equipping Church, Serving Together to Transform Lives (Book)
Sue Mallory, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
As a member of a church staff, author Mallory explains the process she and her team followed in developing a church culture and system for supporting lay ministry.

Equipping the Saints: Mobilizing Laity for Ministry (Book)
Michael J. Christensen, Editor.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
With essays by nine writers, Equipping the Saints finds a niche among the growing number of books that emphasize the "priesthood of all believers" in their responses to the church’s twenty-first century challenges.

Letting Go: Transforming Congregations for Ministry (Book)
Roy D. Phillips, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1999.
This book will be useful to pastors, especially those who feel overwhelmed by the demands of their congregations, as well as to lay leaders who seek to revitalize their congregations.

Living on the Border of the Holy: Renewing the Priesthood of All (Book)
L. William Countryman, Author.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999.
Holding that each of our priestly vocations are "discerned through honest assessment of our individual gifts and longings and in conversation with one another," the author articulates the priesthood of the whole people of God.

The Overcommitted Christian: How to Serve God Without Wearing Out (Book)
Pamela Evans, Author.  Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001.
Asserting that over-commitment is fundamentally an inability to live the faith we proclaim, Pamela Evans escorts the over-committed Christian into undertaking honest and deep self-evaluation with regard to the ways each is called to serve God.

Partners in Ministry: Clergy and Laity (Book)
Roy Trueblood, Jackie Trueblood, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999.
Partners in Ministry is a practical guide filled with tips for effective team ministry interspersed with biblical references and models.

Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers: Ministry Anytime Anywhere by Anyone (Book)
William M. Easum, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Author Bill Easum believes that a church is most effective when individuals are given permission to live out their God-given gifts in becoming disciples of Christ.

Sharing the Ministry: A Practical Guide for Transforming Volunteers into Ministers (Book)
Jean M. Trumbauer, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1999.
Moving beyond the "fill 'em and forget 'em" volunteer recruitment model, the author presents a new paradigm of volunteer ministry which emphasizes shared ministry and each member’s unique gifts.

A Spiritual Formation Workbook: Small-Group Resources for Nurturing Christian Growth (Book)
James Bryan Smith, Lynda Graybeal, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.
Responding to the growing small-group movement within congregations, A Spiritual Formation Workbook provides an important planning and implementation tool for facilitators.

Volunteer Management Associates (Organization)
Volunteer Management Associates is a publishing and consulting firm dedicated to providing volunteer management training and resources.

When the Members are the Missionaries: An Extraordinary Calling for Ordinary People (Book)
A. Wayne Schwab, Author.  Essex, New York: Member Mission Press, 2002.
As redefined in this book, the work of the church is supporting members as they discover their unique calling to serve in the mission fields of daily life. Includes missionary stories and a process for congregational transformation.

LEADERSHIP : Leadership Development 

The Leader's Journey: Accepting the Call to Personal and Congregational Transformation (Book)
Jim Herrington, R. Robert Creech, Trisha Taylor, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Effective leadership requires the continual transformational of congregational leaders. Drawing on systems theory, the authors of The Leader's Journey seek to assist congregational leaders along this transformational journey.

Masterful Coaching (Book)
Robert Hargrove, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003.
A masterful coach triggers passion for a future that vitally encompasses everyone. Robert Hargrove combines teaching with illuminating case studies and diagrams that provide the tools necessary to become a masterful coach.

A Generous Presence: Spiritual Leadership and the Art of Coaching (Book)
Rochelle Melander, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
Offering tools that can be used to support our own growth and the growth of others, A Generous Presence introduces readers to the art of spiritual coaching and the dimensions of a coaching relationship.

Lift: Becoming a Positive Force in Any Situation (Book)
Ryan W. Quinn, Robert E. Quinn, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2009.
Using the history and science of flight as a metaphor, Ryan and Robert Quinn explain the four principles of "lift" (being purpose-centered, internally-directed, other-focused, and externally-open) and how all of these principles work together.

Center for Creative Leadership (Organization)
The Center for Creative Leadership offers educational programs and materials on individual, team, and organizational leadership. A nonprofit organization, the center promotes the understanding and practical development of leadership throughout society.

First, Break All The Rules: What The World's Greatest Managers Do Differently (Book)
Marcus Buckingham, Curt Coffman, Authors.  New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Just as great managers focus on employee talents, great congregational leaders effectively learn how to implement programs and leadership opportunities by honoring each person’s individual, spiritual gifts.

Leadership for a Changing Church: Charting the Shape of the River (Book)
Robert D. Dale, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.
Robert Dale asserts that, in the 21st century, effective leaders are those who are versatile; bring an attitude of service, stewardship, and partnership to the leadership role; and create vision and meaning.

Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading (Book)
Ronald A. Heifetz, Marty Linsky, Authors.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Congregational leaders will find the skills to implement adaptive change: gaining perspective, developing allies, allowing issues to ripen, controlling the heat of conflict, and giving the work back to those who must make the change.

Leadership Without Easy Answers (Book)
Ronald A. Heifetz, Author.  Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1994.
The book offers key distinctions regarding leadership and works through them in theoretical and practical ways. Although not aimed at religious leaders, it will be useful to them.

Leading Change (Book)
John P. Kotter, Author.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996.
A world expert on business leadership argues that change strategies often fail because they do not alter behavior.

Now, Discover Your Strengths (Book)
Marcus Buckingham, D.O. Clifton, Authors.  Free Press, 2001.
Used in connection with an exploration of spiritual gifts, this resource has the potential to produce a substantial contribution to the ministry of the congregation and its members.

Our Gifts: Identifying and Developing Leaders (Book)
David P. Mayer, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2002.
David Mayer provides a simple and practical, yet theologically rich, guide for equipping all of God's people as disciple leaders.

Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership (Organization)
This organization seeks to improve the quality of caring of institutions by helping people understand the principles and practices of servant leaders and providing resources and opportunities for sharing on the subject.

Spiritlinking Leadership: Working through Resistance to Organizational Change (Book)
Donna J. Markham, Author.  Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1999.
Exploring the obstacles that block transformative organizational change, author Donna Markham names as “spiritlinking” the courageous leader who finds a way around such obstacles to a future filled with vitality and purpose.

Worshipful-Work: Center for Transforming Religious Leadership (Organization)
Leaders of religious and other nonprofit organizations can use spiritual discernment to develop leadership and guide governance of their organizations.

LEADERSHIP : Mission and Vision

Spiritual Leadership in the Small Membership Church (Book)
David Canada, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.
This book offers suggestions for how small membership churches can reach their full potential as Christian communities by becoming more inclusive and hospitable and by developing their own sense of God’s presence in their lives.

Stewardship: Choosing Service over Self-Interest (Book)
Peter Block, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1996.
Grounded in the view that each of us longs to invest energy in things that matter, Stewardship calls us to move beyond self interest and make service the centerpiece of our corporate lives.

LEADERSHIP : Narrative Leadership 

Finding Our Story: Narrative Leadership and Congregational Change (Book)
Larry A. Golemon, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2010.
In this book, congregational consultants explore the power of narrative and illustrate the ways that story can be used to help congregations heal their troubled pasts, recognize their strengths, and reshape their identities and futures.

The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live By (Book)
Dan P. McAdams, Author.  New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Defining "generative" as being committed to the growth and well-being of oneself and others, McAdams holds that generative adults tell life stories that are redemptive. Such stories convey hope and bring good out of evil.

Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results (Book)
Lori Silverman, Author.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006.
This book offers extensive examples of how story is being used globally in a variety of business disciplines, as well as to how organizations are using story to bring about organizational change, build teams, and deal with difficult issues.

Storytelling in Organizations: Why Storytelling Is Transforming 21st Century Organizations and Management (Book)
John Seely Brown, Stephen Denning, Katalina Groh, Laurence Prusak, Authors.  Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005.
Four executives share their discoveries regarding the importance of storytelling for management and organizations. They explore how narrative can transfer knowledge and effect change, and predict the future of storytelling in organizations.

Corporate Legends and Lore: The Power of Storytelling as a Management Tool (Book)
Peg Neuhauser, Author.  Austin, TX: PCN Associates, 1993.
Peg Neuhauser explores how narrative can enhance a leader's effectiveness, connect people to an organization, help manage change, and create adaptive organizations. She shares six types of stories that can promote positive change.

The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Book)
Stephen Denning, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
Stephen Denning discusses storytelling as a crucial discipline for leadership, showing how the use of narrative can motivate, build trust, transmit values, facilitate teamwork, neutralize gossip and rumor, and create and share a vision.

The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling (Book)
Annette Simmons, Author.  New York, NY: Basic Books, 2001.
Through exploring six types of stories, this book shows how leaders can use stories to authentically communicate themsevles and their goals in ways that move others to share and support those goals.

The Power of Stories: A Guide for Leading Multi-Racial and Multi-Cultural Congregations (Book)
Jacqueline J. Lewis, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2008.
Through the inspiring stories of five pastors who have successfully created and led unified multicultural congregations, this book presents a complex psycho-spiritual analysis of what it takes to be such a leader.

The Secret Language of Leadership: How Leaders Inspire Action Through Narrative (Book)
Stephen Denning, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2007.
After outlining the qualities of transformational leaders, Stephen Denning explains the importance and relevance of effective communication to leadership. He also discusses how to communicate compellingly and develop narrative intelligence.

The Problem Trap: Escaping Our Limiting Stories (Article)
Larry Peers, Author. 
Larry Peers examines the energy-draining "problem-saturated stories" that keep congregations stuck in seemingly intractable situations. He applies the tools of narrative therapy for re-framing such stories and developing positive alternatives.

Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx (Book)
Heidi B. Neumark, Author.  Warwick, RI: Beacon Press, 2003.
Heidi Neumark began pastoring the South Bronx’s Transfiguration Lutheran Church in 1984. Breathing Space chronicles the renewal of this church and neighborhood through God’s grace and those who found hope in the midst of despair.

On Jordan's Stormy Banks: Leading your Congregation through the Wilderness of Change (Book)
H. Beecher Hicks, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2004.
Drawing upon the image of the Old Testament tabernacle—by which the Israelites were led through the wilderness—H. Beecher Hicks shows how to face the tensions involved in defining a vision, confronting change, and dealing with obstacles.

Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership (Book)
Howard Gardner, Emma Laskin, Authors.  New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996.
Addressing the questions of how we define leadership and how leadership in one sphere translates into others, Howard Gardner considers the life and work of eleven leaders in education, science, business, the military, politics, and faith.

Recalling Our Own Stories: Spiritual Renewal for Religious Caregivers (Book)
Edward P. Wimberly, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
Author Edward Wimberly believes that by "reauthoring" the "mythology" (unresolved personal problems or uncompleted developmental tasks) from their personal, familial, and ministerial lives, ministers can become more effective.

LEADERSHIP : Organizational Learning 

Working with Emotional Intelligence (Book)
Daniel Goleman, Author.  New York, NY: Bantam, 1998.
Working with Emotional Intelligence provides a "hard case for soft skills," explores personal and social competencies, and identifies the effect of emotional intelligence on organizations.

Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership (Fourth Edition) (Book)
Lee G. Bolman, Terrence E. Deal, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008.
Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal examine four organizational frames—structural, human resources, political, and symbolic—and explain how they can help us understand the ways organizations work.

Alban Institute (Organization)
Clergy and laity turn to the Alban Institute for guidance, training, and resources on leadership, congregational health, and conflict resolution.

Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge (Book)
Etienne Wenger, Richard McDemott, William M. Snyder, Authors.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Small group ministry initiatives, committee structures, or coalition building efforts with other congregations may benefit from this book's seven principles for cultivating communities.

Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World (Book)
Margaret J. Wheatley, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1999.
Margaret Wheatley asserts that Newtonian organizations no longer work (if they ever did) and that leaders can invigorate their businesses and institutions (and churches) by incorporating the insights of quantum physics.

The Learning Congregation: A New Vision of Leadership (Book)
Thomas R. Hawkins, Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.
The author proposes a practical and yet visionary model for congregational leadership that cultivates individual, team, and systemic learning as the means for best adapting to the rapid change and growing complexity of contemporary life.

Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems (Book)
Barry Johnson, Author.  Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press, 1997.
Leaders will find in this book an essential skill (including relevant case studies and applications) in problem solving fine-tuned by recognizing problems that are dynamic polarities.

Ten Dumb Things Churches Do: And How To Avoid Them (Book)
Philip Wiehe, Author.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 2001.
Recognizing that most church challenges and conflicts come from within, interim and consultant Philip Wiehe has laid out ten things churches do that subvert their own best efforts and desires.

What Have We Learned?: The Best Thinking on Congregational Life (Book)
Lyle E. Schaller, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.
Asserting that learning differs from the accumulation of information when it changes behavior, author Lyle Schaller identifies what we have learned in the local church and develops both critical questions and possible applications for these learnings.

LEADERSHIP : Pastoral Care 

Caring through the Funeral: A Pastor's Guide (Book)
Gene Fowler, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2004.
Caring through the Funeral is a helpful tool for clergy and other caregivers who assist the bereaved. It features rich resources for creating meaningful funeral liturgy.

A Pastor in Every Pew: Equipping Laity for Pastoral Care (Book)
Leroy Howe, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2000.
Clergy or lay leaders who want congregants to help one another more during deeply emotional and trying times will benefit from this book. The training manual in the back is an especially helpful tool.

Pastoral Care in the Small Membership Church (Book)
James L. Killen Jr., Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.
This book addresses the personal relationships which underlie various types of pastoral care in small-membership churches—including care of the ill and those who are grieving. Weddings, funerals, and other occasions are also discussed.

Pastoral Care Emergencies (Book)
David K. Switzer, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2000.
This guide to pastoral care emergencies suggests ways to address various situations, including health and family issues, violence, marital concerns, death, and more. Solid information is augmented with references to articles and related texts.

Counseling Survivors of Traumatic Events: A Handbook for Pastors and Other Helping Professionals (Book)
Andrew Weaver, Laura T. Flannelly, John D. Preston, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2003.
This resource offers case studies and guidelines that will be useful for any pastoral leader who must help the survivor of a traumatic incident answer the questions, "why did this happen?" and "how can I put my life together again?"

The Care of Men (Book)
Christie Cozad Neuger, James Newton Poling, Editors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997.
A resource for pastoral counseling, this collection of essays offers various perspectives on men’s issues. It addresses gender and theology, the needs of particular male groups, and other concerns.

Pastoral Care: An Essential Guide (Book)
John Patton, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.
John Patton's years of years of teaching and writing are concisely summarized in reflections on what it means to offer guidance, reconciliation, healing, sustaining presence, and empowerment to those in need.

Claiming God, Reclaiming Dignity: African American Pastoral Care (Book)
Edward P. Wimberly, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2003.
Drawing on the biblical account of Job, Edward Wimberly emphasizes that our primary connection with God supersedes our reliance on other people's opinions—particularly when it comes to finding meaning in the midst of suffering or change.

Shared Wisdom: Use of the Self in Pastoral Care and Counseling (Book)
Pamela Cooper-White, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2004.
This book provides guidance for developing emotionally deep and healthy counseling relationships. Historical information about transference and countertransference, fictional case studies, and exploration of God-in-relation are included.

Giving Counsel: A Minister’s Guidebook (Book)
Donald Capps, Author.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2001.
This book outlines the basic knowledge and skills ministers need to provide pastoral counseling, including how to create a listening environment, construct a conversation, think systemically, interpret stories, and manage boundaries.

Raging with Compassion: Pastoral Responses to the Problem of Evil (Book)
John Swinton, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2007.
Believing that many pastoral approaches to suffering are too abstract and fail to heal, John Swinton advocates reflection on—and engagement in—Christian practices that help people face tragedy and live with healing and hope.

Compassionate Caregiving: Practical Help and Spiritual Encouragement (Book)
Lois D. Knutson, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2007.
For those serving as caregivers, this book offers both spiritual comfort and guidance, as well as a toolbox of practical tips, from how to respond to impossible demands to how to say final good-byes.

Living Stories: Pastoral Counseling in Congregational Context (Book)
Donald Capps, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1998.
Donald Capps advocates using a narrative model for counseling. The role of the pastor is to hear the story of a person's past and then help that person re-tell or re-story it for a different future.

The Pastoral Care Case: Learning about Care in Congregations (Book)
Donald Capps, Gene Fowler, Authors.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2001.
Donald Capps and Gene Fowler explore the use of case study methods in learning pastoral care. They propose using the "pastoral care case," a model that is more complex and contextual than the clinical pastoral model.

LEADERSHIP : Personality Types 

Type Talk at Work: How the 16 Personality Types Determine Your Success on the Job (Book)
Otto Kroeger, Janet M. Thuesen, Hile Rutledge, Authors.  New York, NY: Dell Books, 2002.
This book explains the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality typing methodology to help readers understand and accommodate difference, thus improving effectiveness, relationships, and communication in the workplace.

Cast in God's Image: Discover Your Personality Type Using the Enneagram and Kabbalah (Book)
Howard A. Addison, Author.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2001.
Combining the Enneagram's rather negative view of the human condition with the uplifting views of the Kabbalah, Rabbi Howard Addison lays the groundwork for people to delve more deeply into their own and others' personalities.

The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective (Book)
Richard Rohr, Andreas Ebert, Authors.  New York, NY: Crossroad Publishing Co., 2001.
Some think the Enneagram is a powerful tool for spiritual discernment, while others consider it a religious personality typing system. If you have not yet experienced the Enneagram's challenges, this book provides a comprehensive introduction.

Personality Type and Religious Leadership (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Otto Kroeger, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1988.
This book is an introduction to the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in congregations. This book provides an introduction to the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in congregations. Its goal is to help pastors better serve the many and diver

Personality Type in Congregations: How to Work with Others More Effectively (Book)
Lynne M. Baab, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
This book explains the many ways in which the personality types described by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can be applied in the congregational setting, from improving teamwork to identifying satisfying lay ministries.

LEADERSHIP : Shared Ministry 

Choosing Partnership, Sharing Ministry: A Vision for New Spiritual Community (Book)
Marcia Barnes Bailey, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Marcia Barnes Bailey offers her definition and vision of a postmodern pastoral ministry leadership model that replaces conventional and hierarchical models. This model is a partnership based on mutuality and an equal sharing of responsibility.

All Who Minister: New Ways of Serving God’s People (Book)
Maylanne Maybee, Editor.  Toronto, Ontario: Anglican Book Centre Publishing, 2001.
All Who Minister is a compilation of twenty-two articles that calls for the rediscovery of the mutual ministry of laity and clergy to reform the church.

Doing Church as a Team: Launching Effective Ministries Through Teamwork (Book)
Wayne Cordeiro, Author.  Honolulu, HI: New Hope, 1998.
Author Cordeiro offers straightforward processes to build teams that are balanced according to gift mixes with a focus on ministry purpose.

The Power of Team Leadership: Finding Strength in Shared Responsibility (Book)
George Barna, Author.  Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001.
This book covers practical leadership issues such as how to transition to team-led ministry, dangers and challenges of team ministry, and examining which team configuration is best.

Team Based Ministry (Book)
William M. Easum, Author.  Port Aransas, TX: Easum, Bandy, and Associates, 2001.
Exploring the preliminary shifts and transitioning issues involved, William Easum helps congregations determine if they are ready for team-based ministry.

The Vision of Teams (Video)
Produced by Lead Dog Productions.  Distributed by Star Thrower.  Duration: 30. 
This 30 minute video comes with a leader's guide and team activities. The workbook further develops the concepts by having participants reflect on their own experiences and connect insights gained from the story.

The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization (Book)
Jon R. Katzenbach, Douglas K. Smith, Authors.  New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1999.
This source would be primarily helpful to pastoral leaders and laypersons responsible for leading teams. The three marks of good team leadership—attitude, behavior, and effectiveness—are explored.

LEADERSHIP : Strategic Planning 

Strategic Planning for Churches: An Appreciative Approach (Multimedia)
Distributed by Christianity Today, Inc. 
Strategic Planning for Churches applies appreciative inquiry to the strategic planning process. Charles Elliott explains what appreciative inquiry is, how it works, and why it can help congregations envision and act upon a vital future.

Strategic Planning Training (Web Resource)

This downloadable document from Leadership Resources' Building Church Leaders Web site provides a guide to developing strategic thinking among congregational leaders.

The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning (Book)
Henry Mintzberg, Author.  Free Press, 1994.
Henry Mintzberg asserts that strategic planning frequently fails because planning—as a formal procedure—focuses on analysis, while strategy building focuses on synthesis. For Mintzberg, analysis cannot produce synthesis.

Cracking Your Congregation’s Code: Mapping Your Spiritual DNA to Create Your Future (Book)
Richard Southern, Robert Norton, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2001.
Richard Southern and Robert Norton provide a tested development and planning model that helps a spiritual community to clearly articulate why it exists, what it is doing, and where it would like to go.

Projects That Matter: Successful Planning and Evaluation for Religious Organizations (Book)
Kathleen A. Cahalan, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2003.
Projects That Matter introduces readers to project planning, using as a framework the elements of condition, resources, activities, results, impact, and rationale. It also identifies six effective steps in the evaluation process.

Studying Congregations: A New Handbook (Book)
Nancy T. Ammerman, Jackson W. Carroll, Carl S. Dudley, William McKinney, Editors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.
This essay collection from scholars and leaders of congregational life provides basic tools and fresh perspectives for studying congregations. It guides readers in understanding the theology, values, and practices of congregations.

LEADERSHIP : Systems Theory 

Becoming a Healthier Pastor: Family Systems Theory and the Pastor’s Own Family (Book)
Ronald W. Richardson, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2004.
Ronald Richardson guides the reader in exploring one’s own family relational systems and how they affect one’s relational and emotional health. He also addresses how this health affects one's functioning as a minister.

Leading Systems: Lessons from the Power Lab (Book)
Barry Oshry, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1999.
This book offers a new understanding of how systems work within organizations. While many clergy have had some exposure to Bowen family systems theory, Oshry focuses on the segmentation of power and position that occur in every organization.

Alligators in the Swamp: Power, Ministry, and Leadership (Book)
George B. Thompson, Editor.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2005.
This collection of essays is a helpful resource for enabling pastors and churches to reframe their understanding of the nature of power and its responsible use in the life of the church.

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What (Book)
Peter L. Steinke, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
In Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times, Peter Steinke offers insight and practical advice for more productively responding to congregational conflict, tension, anxiety, or other difficulty.

A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (Book)
Edwin H. Friedman, Author.  New York, NY: Seabury Books, 2007.
A Failure of Nerve distills wisdom from the late rabbi and therapist, Edwin Friedman, to explain how groups—and their leaders—function when anxiety has become pervasive and chronic. Also offered is guidance on acting as a non-anxious presence.

Leading a Congregation through Change (Article)
Gilbert R. Rendle, Author.  Congregational Resource Guide. 2002.
How leaders can help people "become uncomfortable with their discomfort" and focus on the possibilities that change presents rather than the pain that accompanies it.

Understanding Your Congregation as a System: The Manual (Book)
George Parsons, Speed B. Leas, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1993.
This manual explains systems theory, its relevance to congregations, how a separately sold evaluative instrument can reveal the organizational systems within which a congregation operates, and how this information can be used to effect positive change.

LEADERSHIP : Vocation 

Awakened to a Calling: Reflections on the Vocation of Ministry (Book)
Ann M. Svennungsen, Melissa Wiginton, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.
This series of sermons from church leaders explores what it means to be called and how calling is lived out in service to God. Many sermons are frank in both the opportunities and challenges of following a call to ministry.

A Sacred Voice Is Calling: Personal Vocation and Social Conscience (Book)
John Neafsey, Author.  Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2006.
Through the insights of sages from a wide variety of disciplines and faith traditions, psychologist and theology professor John Neafsey explores what it means to find and follow a personal calling that satisfies not only personal but also societal needs.

The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters (Book)
Peter Block, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001.
The Answer to How Is Yes compels us to attend to those ideals and commitments that truly matter—both in our individual lives and in our institutions and communities.

Do I Belong in Seminary? (Book)
Ronald E. Parker, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
Ronald Parker demonstrates that there are different kinds of "calls"—including but not limited to the call to the pastorate—and that seminary may be the answer for many of them.

Grounded in God: Listening Hearts Discernment for Group Deliberations (Book)
Suzanne G. Farnham, Stephanie A. Hull, R. Taylor McLean, Authors.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999.
Grounded in God provides instruction on the benefits of—and skills needed for—using discernment in group decision making.

Listening Hearts: Discerning Call in Community (Book)
Suzanne G. Farnham, Joseph P. Gill, R. Taylor McLean, Susan M. Ward, Authors.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1991.
This is a theological and practical exploration of the meaning of call and the ways in which discernment in community can help us find our vocation. It includes guidelines for discernment groups and questions to raise during discernment.

Ordinary People as Monks and Mystics: Lifestyles for Self Discovery (Book)
Marsha Sinetar, Author.  Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1986.
The author sought out 40 people who have found inner peace by detaching emotionally from a comfortable and familiar life to lead a solitary, simple existence that becomes focused on caring for other people.

Reclaiming the Fire: How Successful People Overcome Burnout (Book)
Steven Berglas, Author.  New York, NY: Random House, 2001.
Steven Berglas has written a psychological treatise on success and burnout that can help church people who give and receive vocational ministry.

Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness (Book)
Eugene Peterson, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1992.
Issuing a major challenge to clergy, author Eugene Peterson urges a paradigm shift from Pastor-as-Program-Director to Pastor-as-Spiritual-Director.

Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life (Book)
Douglas J. Schuurman, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004.
Douglas Schuurman offers his readers a thoughtful and through exploration of the classic Protestant concept of vocation: a sense that our daily lives are arenas in which to live out our love of God and our neighbor.

LEADERSHIP : Women and Leadership 

The Web of Women's Leadership: Recasting Congregational Ministry (Book)
Susan Willhauck, Jacqulyn Thorpe, Authors.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.
Susan Willhauck and Jacqulyn Thorpe use the analogy of a web to show how leadership styles common to women can create church communities that are more relational than analytical and more participatory than authoritarian.

Back Talk! Women Leaders Changing the Church (Book)
Susan Willhauck, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2005.
Back Talk! suggests ways in which female church leaders can generate a form of leadership that is process-oriented, empowering, inclusive of people with diverse points of view, and able to build commitment toward common purposes.

Caretakers of Our Common House: Women's Development in Communities of Faith (Book)
Carol Lakey Hess, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997.
Caretakers of Our Common House explores the problems that girls and women face in their attempts to develop independence and self-differentiation. It also explains how faith communities can help.

Clergy Women: An Uphill Calling (Book)
Barbara Brown Zikmund, Adair T. Lummis, Patricia M. Y. Chang, Authors.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998.
From a comparative study of male and female clergy in 15 Protestant denominations, the authors conclude that clergy women are reinventing ministry and guiding the whole church to rethink its leadership and membership.

Leading Women: How Church Women Can Avoid Leadership Traps and Negotiate the Gender Maze (Book)
Carol E. Becker, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Leading Women explores the status of women in church leadership, based on interviews with female and male clergy, lay professionals, and volunteers in Protestant denominations.

WITNESS: Transforming the Church Through the Witness of Women (Organization)
Promoting gender parity in faith communities, WITNESS offers educational programs and study materials, counseling and referrals, consulting, networking, liturgical aids, spirituality retreats, and a newsletter.

Womens Ministry Network Homepage (Web Resource)
The Women's Ministry Network supports Christian women and organizations in evangelizing and mobilizing women for the ministry of the gospel by serving as a source of ideas, resources, and information exchange.

LEADERSHIP : Work and Faith 

Life and Livelihood: A Handbook for Spirituality at Work (Book)
Whitney Wherrett Roberson, Author.  Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 2004.
Life and Livelihood fosters the development of "Spirituality at Work" conversation groups. The intent is transformation—allowing the opportunity for spiritual reflection on work habits and encouraging action based on these reflections.

Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership in Organizations (Book)
Margaret Benefiel, Author.  Church Publishing Incorporated, 2005.
Margaret Benefiel, in Soul at Work, portrays individuals and organizations that have incorporated spirituality in the workplace. The term "soul" describes the lived manifestation of spirituality.

Spiritual Capital: Wealth We Can Live By (Book)
Danah Zohar, Ian Marshall, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2004.
The authors advocate the creation of a values-based business culture, where raising the common good is integral to an organization’s mission. They argue that, without this shift in attitude, our sense of life's meaning will diminish.

Taking Faith to Work: Next Steps for Christian Discipleship (Book)
Paul M. Minus, Author.  St. Paul, MN: Centered Life, 2004.
Paul Minus examines four kinds of workplace-related ministries: competence, caring, ethics, and change. He then explores how each ministry can further the kingdom of God. Aids and resources for small group study are included.

The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring (Book)
Parker J. Palmer, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
Using stories from various traditions, Parker Palmer explores how we can embrace the monastic virtues of silence, solitude, contemplation, and centeredness to achieve a spiritually guided active life.

Crown Financial Ministries (Organization)
Financial faithfulness is the focus of the study and training programs sponsored by Crown Financial Ministries, an interdenominational organization with operations in more than 100 U.S. cities.

Leadership Is an Art (Book)
Max Depree, Author.  Currency Publishing, 2004.
Leadership is an Art gives each reader both a finely crafted profile of a servant leader and the inspiration to become that person.

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation (Book)
Parker J. Palmer, Author.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
Let Your Life Speak is an ideal resource for discernment groups supporting prospective clergy, for groups determining their paths of lay ministry, and for any groups or individuals who seek an authentic fulfillment of their "calling."

MISCELLANEOUS

www.congregationalresources.org: A Guide to Resources for Building Congregational Vitality (Book)
Richard Bass, Editor.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004.
This book is a practical guide to the philosophy and theology that underlies the Congregational Resource Guide Web site, as well as a set of essays about key elements of congregational well-being at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Do You Have a Methodist Book on Strategic Planning?: Resourcing, Godly or Ungodly (Article)
Ian S. Evison, Author. 
As denominational identity becomes less important in churches, creativity and adaptability are becoming more important. Ian Evison unpacks some challenges for resource directors and the congregational leaders they support.

Massachusetts Conference – United Church of Christ (Web Resource)
The Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ (MACUCC) web site provides a wonderful selection of congregational ministry support resources.

MISCELLANEOUS : Abuse and Trauma 

The Dinah Project: A Handbook for Congregational Response to Sexual Violence (Book)
Monica A. Coleman, Author.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2004.
The Dinah Project (named after the biblical Dinah of Genesis 34) focuses on helping congregations talk about, and respond to, sexual violence in their communities.

Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute (ISTI) (Organization)
ISTI provides understanding, prevention, and healing of sexual trauma through research, education, and publications. It provides resources to create safe, healthy, and trustworthy faith communities while advocating for systemic change.

The Healing Alliance (Organization)
The Healing Alliance (HA) "offers positive options to those whose lives have been damaged by trauma." This organization focuses particularly on the victims of clergy abuse.

Churches Offering Hope to Sexual Violence Victims, Building on The Dinah Project (Web Resource)
Congregations struggle with helping to prevent sexual violence and care for those affected by sexual trauma. In this interview, Monica Coleman explores advocating for victims while serving the pastoral needs of abusers and faith communities.

Bad Pastors: Clergy Misconduct in Modern America (Book)
Anson Shupe, William A. Stacey, Susan E. Darnell, Editors.  New York, NY: New York University Press, 2000.
This solidly grounded study expands our understanding of clergy misconduct, moving discussion from individual actions to a more mature awareness of these real abuses.

Congregational Trauma: Caring, Coping and Learning (Book)
Jill M. Hudson, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
Congregational Trauma addresses tragic crises that strike congregations and require special caring, coping, and learning skills.

The Cry of Tamar: Violence against Women and the Church's Response (Book)
Pamela Cooper-White, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1995.
Author Pamela Cooper-White discusses the church’s response to women who have been physically, emotionally, and spiritually broken by physical and sexual violence.

Policies and Procedures Regarding Sexual Misconduct (Web Resource)
This document outlines the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Florida's policies and procedures concerning the prevention and reporting of sexual misconduct in its congregations.

Restoring the Soul of a Church: Healing Congregations Wounded by Clergy Sexual Misconduct (Book)
Nancy Myer Hopkins, Mark R. Laaser, Editors.  Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1995.
This book examines the effects of clergy sexual abuse for the victim, the perpetrator, and the congregation. Experts from a variety of fields describe how individuals and congregations are affected by the misconduct of a pastor and what can be done to

Sexual Shame: An Urgent Call to Healing (Book)
Karen McClintock, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2000.
With Sexual Shame, minister and therapist Karen McClintock joins other religious leaders who are bringing sexuality to the attention of Christian congregations.

MISCELLANEOUS : Domestic Violence 

FaithTrust Institute (Organization)
The FaithTrust Institute addresses sexual and domestic violence by providing topical information, in-depth articles, seminars, and consulting services developed with a focus on cultural and religious implications.

MISCELLANEOUS : Multicultural Resources 

United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race (Book)
Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Michael O. Emerson, George Yancey, Karen Chai Kim, Authors.  New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003.
United by Faith combines a three-year national study of multiracial congregations with advocacy for racial integration in Christian churches.

Cultural Intelligence: Improving Your CQ to Engage Our Multicultural World (Book)
David A. Livermore, Author.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009.
Ministry leaders often seek out multicultural information and behavioral tips when they want to communicate across cultures. But this book delves more deeply into spiritual and practical responses to problems of cultural difference.

MISCELLANEOUS : Retreat Centers 

Going on Retreat: A Beginner's Guide to the Christian Retreat Experience (Book)
Margaret Silf, Author.  Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2002.
Firmly believing that we are most healthy when we allow adequate time in our lives to listen to God, Margaret Silf carefully answers the questions of people who have never been on retreat.

A Place for God: A Guide to Spiritual Retreats and Retreat Centers (Book)
Timothy Jones, Author.  New York, NY: Doubleday, 2000.
Timothy Jones provides a guidebook of over 250 places (in the U.S. and Canada) where one can find spiritual refreshment and re-focus on listening to God. Both individuals and groups will find useful information here.

Moment by Moment: A Retreat in Everyday Life (Book)
Carol Ann Smith, Eugene F. Merz, Authors.  Ava Maria Press, 2000.
Grounded in the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius, Moment by Moment provides daily opportunities for prayer and spiritual reflection. It will be helpful for anyone seeking to appreciate the sacred during short periods of daily life.

MISCELLANEOUS : Seasonal Reading 

Reading Recommendations: 2005 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Summer 2005.

Reading Recommendations: 2005 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2005.

Reading Recommendations: 2004 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2004.

Reading Recommendations: 2005 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Fall 2005.

Reading Recommendations: 2005 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2005.

Reading Recommendations: 2002 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2002.

Reading Recommendations: 2003 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2003.

Reading Recommendations: 2003 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Summer 2003.

Reading Recommendations: 2003 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Fall 2003.

Reading Recommendations: 2003 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2003.

Reading Recommendations: 2004 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2004.

Reading Recommendations: 2004 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Summer 2004.

Reading Recommendations: 2004 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Fall 2004.

Reading Recommendations: 2006 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2006.

Reading Recommendations: 2006 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Summer 2006.

Reading Recommendations: 2006 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Fall 2006.

Reading Recommendations: 2006 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2006.

Reading Recommendations: 2007 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2007.

Reading Recommendations: 2007 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Summer 2007.

Reading Recommendations: 2008 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Summer 2008.

Reading Recommendations: 2008 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide's "top pics" for Fall 2008.

Reading Recommendations: 2008 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2008.

Reading Recommendations: 2007 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Fall 2007.

Reading Recommendations: 2007 Quarter 4 (Winter) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Winter 2007.

Reading Recommendations: 2008 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2008.

Reading Recommendations: 2009 Quarter 3 (Fall) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Fall 2009.

Reading Recommendations: 2009 Quarter 1 (Spring) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide staff's "top pics" for Spring 2009.

Reading Recommendations: 2009 Quarter 2 (Summer) (Web Resource)
Here is a list of the Congregational Resource Guide's "top pics" for Summer 2009.

PUBLIC MINISTRY

Earth Ministry (Organization)
With the mission of "inspiring and mobilizing the Christian community to play a leadership role in building a just and sustainable future," Earth Ministry assists individuals and congregations in fostering environmental stewardship.

Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale (Organization)
FORE
A project spanning multiple religions, the Forum on Religion and Ecology explores religious writings and practices related to current environmental issues on both local and global levels. Its website offers numerous tools for leaders.

Hope for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities (Book)
Ronald J. Sider, Heidi Rolland Unruh, Editors.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2007.
This book explores the devastating impact of poverty on children and on the nation as a whole, and offers a look at numerous and diverse ministries that can serve as models to Christians wishing to serve this vulnerable population.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time (Book)
Jeffrey D. Sachs, Author.  New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2005.
Economist Jeff Sachs shares what his more than 20 years of experience in helping poor countries has taught him about how the world's most extreme poverty can be eliminated in the next two decades.

Downtown Church: The Heart of the City (Book)
Howard Edington, Author.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996.
Downtown Church suggests ways for an urban congregation to partner with its surrounding city, build a highly qualified staff, and attract and retain newcomers.

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (Organization)
With 36 Protestant, Anglican, and Orthodox denominations across the country, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCCC) promotes Christian ecumenical communication and cooperation.

Seminary Consortium for Christian Urban Pastoral Education (Organization)
In partnership with other organizations and institutions, the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education provides consultation and pastoral experience and training in urban issues and systems.

Starting a Nonprofit at Your Church (Book)
Joy Skjegstad, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
This book, replete with thorough checklists and charts, will help any congregation seeking to start a nonprofit the correct way the first time. It also assists congregations in deciding if this is really what they need to be doing at all.

A Theology as Big as the City (Book)
Ray Bakke, Author.  Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997.
Bakke provides an important antidote to the predominant causes of attrition among urban workers: burnout and compassion fatigue.

Urban Churches, Vital Signs: Beyond Charity Toward Justice (Book)
Nile Harper, Editor.  Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 1999.
Each of the 28 urban churches whose stories appear in this book has been rejuvenated into a community ministry center by launching social service and economic development projects and by taking political action to achieve justice for marginalized groups.

What's God Got to Do with the American Experiment? (Article)
Brookings Review. Spring 1999. Vol. 17, No. 2, Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.
This special issue of Brookings Review examines the public role of religion in the United States.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Charitable Choice 

Considering Charitable Choice (Article)
Eileen W. Lindner, Author.  2001.
This article examines the experience of faith-based organizations during the first few years since the passage of the Charitable Choice provision of the legislation that reformed the welfare system.

Faith in Communities (Organization)
Faith in Communities (FIC) promotes faith-based organizations and projects arising from Charitable Choice legislation by conducting research to help shape public policy and by offering a variety of resources for faith-based practitioners.

A Limited Partnership: The Politics of Religion, Welfare, and Social Service (Book)
Bob Wineburg, Author.  New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2001.
Bob Wineburg explores 1) the premise that the burden of social service delivery is best carried at the local and faith-based level, and 2) the use of that premise in the reworking of social service delivery.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Community Economic  Development 

Center for Religion and Civic Culture (Organization)
This center conducts research and analysis, provides documentation services, facilitates conferences and consultations, and hosts a large Web site on public policy, human services, and the role of religion.

National Congress for Community Economic Development (Organization)
The National Congress for Community Economic Development represents over 3,600 community development corporations, which seek to create affordable housing and jobs through business and commercial development activities.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Community Ministry 

Social Ministry: An Urgent Agenda for Pastors and Churches (Book)
Haskell M. Miller, Author.  Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2000.
Noting the relationship between the personal and spiritual life and social experience, Haskell Miller presents a broadly stroked vision of the biblical and spiritual basis for social ministry by the church, and suggests possibilities for specific ministr

The Externally Focused Church (Book)
Rick Rusaw, Eric Swanson, Authors.  Loveland, CO: Group Publishing, 2004.
"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." This book explains why a church should be externally focused, what an externally focused church accomplishes, and, how a church can start or improve upon community service.

Lending Your Leadership: How Pastors Are Redefining Their Role in Community Life (Book)
Nelson Granade, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2006.
Nelson Granade challenges church leaders to move beyond the congregation and into the larger community, where he contends they have unique contributions to make—and through his own experience he shows how it can be done.

Acting On Your Faith: A Guide to Success in Service and Social Action (Book)
Victor N. Claman, David E. Butler, Authors.  Boston, MA: Insights, 1994.
This book is a practical and inspirational guide for those interested in empowering congregations to be fully involved in community ministry and in helping create needed, positive change through advocacy, service and social action.

Community Ministry: New Challenges, Proven Steps to Faith-Based Initiatives (Book)
Carl S. Dudley, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
After exploring the changes that have created challenges and opportunities for congregations establishing social ministries, Carl Dudley outlines a four-part model for effectively sharing God’s love in the community.

Next Steps in Community Ministry: Hands-On Leadership (Book)
Carl S. Dudley, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1998.
As a follow-up to Dudley’s Basic Steps In Community Ministry, this book identifies the motivation, organization, and resources most commonly found in effective community ministry.

The Prophetic Imagination (Book)
Walter Brueggemann, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2001.
The Prophetic Imagination passionately urges congregations to reclaim God’s freedom and to pursue the purposes of justice, compassion, and equality as those to which the divine has called us all.

Public Offerings: Stories from the Front Lines of Community Ministry (Book)
Linda-Marie Delloff, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2002.
Rather than a ‘how-to’ guide, this book offers the stories of great community ministries—and most importantly, the people, process, and transforming power behind them.

Public Religion and Urban Transformation: Faith in the City (Book)
Lowell Livezey, Author.  New York, NY: New York University Press, 2000.
Taking a "bottom-up" Chicago School sociological approach, the book is based largely on in-depth ethnographic studies of more than 75 diverse, mostly urban congregations in eight neighborhoods.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Homelessness

National Coalition for the Homeless (Organization)
Members of the National Coalition for the Homeless raise public awareness of hunger and homelessness and provide policy advocacy, education, and technical assistance needed to alleviate and ultimately end homelessness.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Peace and Justice 

Just Peacemaking: Ten Practices for Abolishing War (Book)
Glen Stassen, Editor.  Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 1998.
Seeking to be both hopeful and realistic, the ideas offered in this book plot a course for "just peacemaking" on both a local and a global scale.

Justice & Peace: A Christian Primer (Book)
J. Milburn Thompson, Author.  Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003.
Justice & Peace examines several pressing problems of social justice that challenge people of faith—including globalization and poverty. Written by a Catholic social ethicist, the book is accessible and illuminating across denominations.

Blessed are the Peacemakers: A Christian Spirituality of Nonviolence (Book)
Michael Battle, Author.  Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2004.
Arguing against an individualistic understanding of spirituality, Michael Battle maps out a communal understanding which emphasizes that Christians are the church, God's instrument for peacemaking in the world.

Just Neighbors (Media)
Just Neighbors is a nine-session program of video, role-playing, and educational exercises that provide information about poverty and homelessness. Combining basic information with experiential learning leads to a concrete result: action.

National Religious Campaign Against Torture (Organization)
Holding that torture violates the fundamental values of all religions, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture supports social justice efforts against state-sanctioned torture and educates faith communities and the public.

International Religious Freedom Advocacy: A Guide to Organizations, Law, and NGOs (Book)
H. Knox Thames, Chris Seiple, Amy Rowe, Authors.  Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2009.
Accessible and understandable, International Religious Freedom Advocacy explains (in lay terms) basic concepts in international law, the brokers in religious freedom issues, and the organizations they work through.

Center for Public Justice (Organization)
A Christian civic education and policy research organization "committed to public service that responds to God's call to do justice in local, national, and international affairs."

The Institute for Peace and Justice (Organization)
The institute offers workshops, resources, and materials promoting peace and justice on individual, family, community, and global levels.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Poverty

Glenmary Home Missioners (Organization)
Glenmary Home Missioners
Glenmary Home Missioners is a society of Catholic priests and lay brothers who are dedicated to serving both the spiritual and material needs of individuals in rural areas.

PUBLIC MINISTRY : Social Action 

The Biblical Jubilee and the Struggle for Life: An Invitation to Personal, Ecclesial, and Social Transformation (Book)
Ross Kinsler, Gloria Kinsler, Authors.  Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1999.
Ross and Gloria Kinsler believe that personal and global economics should be recognized as integral to the message of Hebrew and Christian scripture—and therefore integral to what is taught in congregations.

God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It (Book)
Jim Wallis, Author.  San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.
Jim Wallis, founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, has written a useful book for pastors and who are concerned about social justice and religious-political dialogue in the United States.

Social Justice and Common Ground (Web Resource)
Tap into the infectious enthusiasm that June Cooper has for ministry and working together to address issues of social and economic justice. This interview shows how congregations can embrace and grow from the Gospel’s message to serve others.

Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America (Book)
Michael O. Emerson, Christian Smith, Authors.  New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2000.
The authors assert that evangelicals’ emphasis on individualism largely ignores or fails to address important racial issues, and some evangelical efforts may inadvertently contribute to the continuation of existing racial problems.

Doing Justice: Congregations and Community Organizing (Book)
Dennis A. Jacobsen, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2001.
Doing Justice is a primer on the theology of, and rationale for, congregation-based community organizing for urban ministry.

RELIGION IN AMERICA

The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religion (Book)
Stephen L. Carter, Author.  Anchor Books, 1993.
Concerned about the status of religion in America, Stephen Carter argues for taking religion seriously in the public arena—particularly because millions of Americans insist that religion is for them of first importance.

Facing Terrorism: Responding As Christians (Book)
Edward LeRoy Long Jr., Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.
Edward Long offers a concise, yet insightful, discussion of terrorism and how Christians might respond. He emphasizes properly dealing with diversity and differences, as well as the necessity of forgiveness and using power as a servant leader.

All in Sync: How Music and Art are Revitalizing American Religion (Book)
Robert Wuthnow, Author.  Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003.
While serving as more of an analytical resource than a practical one, this book nonetheless may help congregational leaders discern ways in which the arts can further enhance the lives of their congregation and its members.

Congregations in America (Book)
Mark Chaves, Author.  Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004.
Drawing on the comprehensive 1998 National Congregations Study (NCS), sociologist Mark Chaves offers challenging conclusions on how American congregations do "social services, civic engagement and politics, worship and the arts."

The Future of Christian Faith in America (Book)
David Yount, Author.  Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Books, 2004.
In this survey of Christian faith in the U.S. today, David Yount covers a wide range of issues, from the devastating consequences of the decline in faith observance to Christianity's continued influence in many areas of public life.

The Churching of America 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy (Book)
Roger Finke, Rodney Stark, Authors.  New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2008.
Roger Finke and Rodney Stark use membership and census data gathered throughout American history to describe the growth and decline of mainline churches since the formation of the country.

U.S. Religious Landscape Survey 2008 (Web Resource)
Washington, DC: The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
This report explores the religious composition of the U.S., changes in affiliation, and affiliation reviewed by demographics. The report is available as a PDF download or online, with interactive data: affiliations, maps, portraits, and comparisons.

American Congregations, Volumes I & II (Book)
James P. Wind, James W. Lewis, Editors.  Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
The twelve unique congregations reviewed in this collection illustrate the diversity of American congregational traditions and their impact on American culture.

Congregations in Transition: A Guide for Analyzing, Assessing, and Adapting in Changing Communities (Book)
Carl S. Dudley, Nancy T. Ammerman, Authors.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2002.
Carl Dudley and Nancy Ammerman worked intensively with some twenty congregations to ground this workbook in the real changes and challenges of congregational life.

Handbook for Congregational Studies (Web Resource)
Hartford Institute for Religious Research
The Hartford Institute for Religious Research has provided free a resource that demonstrates how to use academic and scholarly tools to understand congregations.

Louisville Institute (Organization)
The Louisville Institute, based at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, is a Lilly Endowment program for the advancement of American religion.

Mainline to the Future: Congregations for the 21st Century (Book)
Jackson W. Carroll, Author.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.
This book’s central concern is the rebuilding of local mainline Protestant congregations through an honest but constructively critical assessment of innovative, seeker friendly, posttraditional churches.

A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation (Book)
Diana L. Eck, Author.  San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.
A New Religious American can help congregations understand the new religious pluralism in the United States as well as the basic tenets of principal faiths outside of Judaism and Christianity.

Resources for American Christianity: Information and Reflection on Selected Projects Funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. (Web Resource)
Lilly Endowment Inc.
Information about projects funded by the Religion Division of Lilly Endowment Inc. have been collected into a searchable database accessible from this web site.

RELIGION IN AMERICA : African American 

Growing the African American Church (Book)
Rev. Dr. Carlyle Fielding Stewart III, Editor.  Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2006.
This book offers the wisdom of 10 African American pastors who have grown their congregations both spiritually and numerically in a variety of circumstances and conditions.

Getting to Amen: Eight Strategies for Managing Conflict in the African American Church (Book)
Lora-Ellen McKinney, Author.  Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2005.
This book explores how conflict management strategies can be applied in the African American church, helping church members and leaders communicate in a healthy manner on such contentious issues as homosexuality and women in church leadership.

Resources for and from African American Congregations (Web Resource)
African American congregations and leaders suggest resources on a wide range of issues—including community ministry, health, and worship. This report describes these resources, provides access links, a resource index, and a search feature.

The Heart of Racial Justice: How Soul Change Leads to Social Change (Book)
Brenda Salter McNeil, Rick Richardson, Authors.  Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.
The authors challenge the apathy, individualism, and isolation that plague many churches and blind them from recognizing racism. They also offer and explore a model for reconciliation.

River of Struggle, River of Freedom: Trends Among Black Churches and Black Pastoral Leadership (Book)
Lawrence H. Mamiya, Author.  Durham, NC: Duke