Recommended Resources
 

In addition to the resources presented under "Conversation Starters," here are valuable resources for denominational leaders facing such challenges as leadership, evangelism, change, and conflict resolution. Click on the resource title or image for further information.

Can Our Church Live?: Redeveloping Congregations in Decline (Book)
Alice Mann, Author. Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1999.

Can waning and dying congregations actually live again? The author paints a picture of cautious but energizing optimism. Demographics, says Alice Mann, have not been friendly to mainline churches, but other factors can reverse a church's decline and give it new vitality. First, there needs to be a faith-based sense of purpose that extends beyond church walls, rather than a focus on survival and maintenance. To become vital, a church also needs a clear and positive identity, ongoing attention to nonmembers in the community, congregational harmony, positive relationships between clergy and laity, and small group programs where people can form deeper ties to one another and connect their faith with daily life. 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.

Ending with Hope: A Resource Guide for Closing Congregations (Book)
Beth Ann Gaede, Author. Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 2002.

Ending with Hope is not only about responsibly closing a congregation, but also about redirecting resources and energy for new ministry. Central to doing God’s work is our response to the question, "To what ministry is God calling us, now?" While God may be calling some congregations to close, God is not calling those involved in closing congregations to stop being God’s people or doing God’s work. Beth Ann Gaede has bought together fourteen individuals experienced in closing congregations. She offers various perspectives on the dynamics involved in deciding to close, stories about particular closings, and resources for leaders who are closing a congregation. Contributors to the book make it clear that healing is possible in all phases of individual and congregational life—even in dying. Of particular importance is that the decision to close a congregation should not be based solely on numbers, but should be open to faithful and spiritual discernment. This book will be useful to denominational representatives, clergy, and lay leaders who are determining whether a congregation should close—and if it should, how can it be done in a way that is both healing to parishioners and faithful to God’s call.

A Fork in the Road: Emerging Trends in Judicatory Operations (Book)
Alan C. Klaas, Author. Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1996.

This booklet summarizes research on judicatory executives from ten Protestant denominations: Church of God, Episcopal, Luthern (ELCA), Lutheran (Missouri), Mennonite, Presbyterian (USA), Reformed, Southern Baptist, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist. Klaas explains how judicatories have contended with challenges, frustrations, and deteriorating effectiveness—and tells instructive stories of their innovative work. He also discusses the importance of having clear purposes and keeping mission in front of congregations. The booklet concludes with what Klaas calls "an assortment of good ideas," particularly on such topics as working with new clergy, recruiting volunteers, training lay ministers, and funding ministries.

Hartford Institute for Religion Research: Denominational Web Sites (Web Resource)

This comprehensive list of official denominational Web sites, maintained by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, is a convenient place to find the Web address for a denomination or to explore many lesser-known religious bodies. The number and variety of denominations found here is a good reminder of the diversity of religious expressions practiced in America today.

Hartford Institute for Religion Research: Judicatory Articles (Web Resource)

These articles, authored by Dr. Adair Lummis of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, cover a range of issues faced by today’s judicatory leaders. "Judicatory Niches and Negotiations" discusses those congregations that appeal to particular groups by offering distinctive worship experiences, learning opportunities, or occasions for fellowship. (Examples include non-English speaking churches, churches having a special liturgical or theological focus, open and affirming churches, and churches that beckon to racial or ethnic groups.) "The Role of Judicatories in Interpreting Denominational Identity" (PDF format) explains (1) the conditions that foster greater identity between a congregation and its denomination and (2) the part that judicatories play to develop these conditions. "The Art and Science of Subtle Proactivity" explores ways that judicatory leaders and regional executives can build trust with their congregations and make congregational leaders aware of available resources. It also reports on the extent to which judicatory leaders may be reactive or proactive in offering help, as well as the opportunities and pitfalls inherent in "subtle proactivity."

Innovations in Ministry: Models for the Twenty-First Century (Book)
Lyle E. Schaller, Author. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994.

Everyone has heard the bad news about American Protestantism, but Schaller thinks there is much good news as well: a higher proportion of the U.S. population was in church in 1993 than in 1953, there are more multicultural and multiracial fellowships, and a number of parachurch organizations have emerged. This book is a field guide to the positive developments in Protestantism that will lead to increased vitality. It proposes that "key churches"—large, successful congregations—team up with local judicatories to establish missions to reach out to the unchurched and to help small congregations whose survival is threatened. The book is an interesting view of one possible future for Protestant congregations and denominations.

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.

Because leadership involves moving groups or communities through moments of sustained and often painful change, it is dangerous work. Building on Heifetz' earlier work Leadership Without Easy Answers, and utilizing their combined experiences in business and politics, the authors illustrate what it means for leaders to survive the most critical and often deadly pitfalls. Because leaders engage organizations to face "adaptive challenges" (challenges to values, habits or long standing patterns of behaving), they encounter resistance as the group attempts to maintain equilibrium. Congregational leaders know how resistance thwarts change by restoring order and bypassing the pain associated with loss. The skills needed to successfully lead adaptive change include 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. Congregational and judicatory leaders could benefit from the recommended personal skills that act as anchors in tough times—such as developing confidants and seeking sanctuary. Those involved in new ministries may find this work especially helpful. Pastors, judicatory executives, and consultants will benefit from their practical and insightful reflections on the heart of leadership in a changing world.

Patterns of Polity: Varieties of Church Governance (Book)
Edward LeRoy Long Jr., Author. Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2001.

Author Edward LeRoy Long believes that while churches and denominations are normally compared by the doctrines they hold, a better method would be to compare their methods of governance. Don’t mistake polity for mere legalism or rule following; better to think of polity more like a language. As the author writes, "Polities offer, not only rules for procedure, but models for interaction and fidelity." Long explores the methods of governance in various denominations, beginning with "Governance by Bishops," and "Monarchial Episcopacy," then traveling the spectrum to "Governance by Congregations" and more particularly, "Congregations without Overstructures." In each case, he carefully examines a polity in practice in American churches. Pastors will find this a remarkably handy book to keep on their shelves, particularly with respect to the specific examples of polity. Theologians should find Long’s approach a fresh means of extending the ecumenical dialog.

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, Reclaiming the Great Commission presents the principles and practicalities of evangelism for mainline denominations. A central thesis is that mainline denominations will only be revitalized when their focus shifts from maintenance and survival to mission and outreach. One of the authors is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; this book is based on the success of his diocese’s biblically based missionary model in increasing attendance, baptisms, and stewardship. After exploring the spiritual hungers of our time, the authors describe this missionary model as it applies to denominations, judicatories, and congregations. They articulate the roles of clergy and lay persons in implementing the model and examine how communications, technology, education, and youth ministry can give an evangelistic focus to outreach. This book can be used not only by denominational, judicatory, and congregational leaders, but by all clergy and lay persons who are concerned about declining church membership.

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. While maintenance leaders burn out quickly, spiritlinking leaders manage vision with clarity of identity and mission. They create synergy, sustain creative conflict, work through grief and resistance, and build collaborative teams in order to move the organization forward to unimagined, creative, new solutions that make a difference for the local and global community. Questions and practical information at the end of each chapter provide ample material for discussion at retreats, management team meetings, and personal reflection. Denominational and judicatory boards, church councils, pastors, church staff, and lay leaders can apply Markham’s observations to their own situations. A thorough study of this book could help any organization through the chaos of transformation.

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 Systems Thinking Playbook contains over 30 exercises to illustrate the five disciplines outlined by Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline: Mental Models, Team Learning, Systems Thinking, Shared Vision, and Personal Mastery. The activities illustrate one or more of the five disciplines by translating otherwise complex theories into understandable, applicable learning modules. Each exercise contains directions for the trainer—specifying the purpose, outcomes, context, resources, time, space, equipment, set-up, and ideal number of participants. For example, the "Moon Ball" exercise allows participants to see their own behavior as a critical part of the larger system. Each team must keep a beach ball in the air as long as possible. Each member must touch the ball once before any member can touch it twice. As the teams have a chance to strategize and learn from their behavior, they can identify the barriers to their own learning and success. In addition to presenting the exercises, the book highlights facilitation techniques. Any facilitator will benefit from the insights, tips, and ideas illustrated in this resource.

Transforming Regional Bodies for Mission (Book)
Roy M. Oswald and Claire Schenot Burkat, Authors. Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute (excerpt), and Boonsboro, MD: Life Structure Resources (full book), 2001.

What would it mean for a judicatory leader to move from congregational caretaking to transformation? Roy Oswald and Claire Schenot Burkat suggest some activities that invite such a move: recruiting new and diverse leaders, establishing new missions, redeveloping declining congregations, and developing size-based strategies. They encourage judicatory leaders to spend at least 30 percent of their time on transformational work. Recognizing that no judicatory leader can make radical changes overnight, Oswald and Burkat describe the kinds of resource persons who might relieve a leader of some pastoral, maintenance responsibilities—including mentors for newly ordained clergy, task forces and companions for transition, interim pastors, and others. By tapping and training such clergy and lay specialists, judicatory leaders will be buying the time to move forward on longer-range, transformational redevelopment. Click on the title or image to order this downloadable document (free to Alban Institute members), excerpted from the book by the same name. Click here to order the full book.

When Push Comes to Shove: A Practical Guide to Mediating Disputes (Book)
Karl A. Slaikeu, Author. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1995.

Seeking a process for compassionately resolving conflicts or training others in mediating problems? Karl Slaikeu has written a meticulous practical reference for pastors, middle judicatory leaders, educators, counselors, and others involved in settling disputes. First, he differentiates the role of mediation in conflict management as a process through which a third party assists two or more others in working out their own solution to a conflict. Next, Slaikeu spells out an integrative model that delineates three important foci: awareness and empowerment, understanding and recognition, agreement and reconciliation. Particularly helpful is a conflict grid for recording, analyzing, and breaking down problems into components from which a synthesis for resolutions is ultimately generated. From the first contact and the layout of the meeting place, to resolving logjams, to putting agreements in writing, the reader is encouraged to reflect on every aspect of mediation. The reference checklist is a portable script for the seasoned or new mediator. Like all good counselors, the author recognizes the limitations of mediation and sets boundaries within which it will work. This is an essential book for those who want to develop the skill and discipline of being a mediator.

Are we missing your favorite resource? If so, please email Claudia Greer, Research Associate at the Alban Institute.