Be Not Afraid!: Building Your Church on Faith and Knowledge (Book)
Fredric M. Roberts, Author.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2005.

Drawing on a study of eight mainline Protestant congregations, anthropologist and Christian Fredric Roberts addresses the fears of church leaders that their churches may be failing. At the same time, he challenges leaders to trust in the God of history, showing that the values by which we determine "success" in our culture often ring false in mainline churches.

Misplaced anxieties based on wrong diagnoses of church problems often cause leaders to overlook the real challenges that face their churches. Roberts recommends that congregations work to discover their own uniqueness and to build upon the strengths that already exist. At their core, congregations have a radically different "bottom line" than other institutions and need to be organized around their unique purpose. Central to this core, believes Roberts, is worship—distinctive to every congregation but ultimately the litmus test of every initiative.

Be Not Afraid! offers a research-based guide to help people of faith know who they are, both as present-day congregations and as historical denominations; know what they believe and why they believe it; and integrate their history and beliefs into all dimensions of their life together: organizational, liturgical, pastoral, and societal. It will help churches rediscover their true calling to be nurturing faith communities, committed to spreading the good news and making disciples.

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