Lois Y. Barrett et al., Treasures in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional
Faithfulness (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2004).
The follow up to the Missional Church by Guder et al (1998). This text
gives examples of what a missional church might look like, including
patterns of behavior and practice. The patterns identified resonate well
with Christian Swartz’s Natural Church Development study.
John
M. Bryson, Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit
Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational
Achievement, 3rd edition
(San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2004).
I
purchased this book with its companion workbook. This text is the
foundational text for current strategic planning models. It is focused
more on strategic thought than strategic planning, and a practical
resource for anyone in leadership of a public or non-profit. The
workbook is the cliff notes to the textbook, and perfect for a quick
review or to help clarify a section of the book.
Jim
Herrington et al., Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide
for the
Transformational
Journey
(San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000).
I
purchased this book with its companion workbook. The authors utilize
many of the best practices of the business world and apply them with
theological intention to congregational life. The model they provide is
one geared toward declining congregations and helps the leaders figure
out a plan and what to do when conflict arises from the plan. The
workbook is crammed full of activates and easily bridges the gap from
the theory presented in the book to real life. However, this book and
workbook are not the silver bullet because each congregation is
different as well as its context. In some ways it falls in the same camp
as the Purpose Driven line of products. It should be utilized in
conjunction with other resources (such as Advanced Strategic
Planning).
Henry
Klopp, The Ministry Playbook: Strategic Planning for Effective
Churches (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002).
This text is a very thoughtful, biblical, and well resourced approach
to creating a game plan for a congregation. In some aspects, it is still
captive in a modernist model. However it helps transcend the gap by
helping the reader see the challenges of leading the church in a largely
un-church and de-churched culture. The Ministry Playbook models a
way of strategic thinking that is theo-centric and lays the ground work
toward a different model of church leadership, especially of pastors.
Aubrey Malphurs, Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church
and
Ministry Leaders
(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999).
A
must read for church planters and judicatories in transformation.
Whether you’re planting a church or growing an established one, there
are fundamental ministry questions that must be addressed in order to
succeed. This text walks you through the whole process of answering nine
fundamental ministry questions, and is strongly rooted in scripture with
a focus toward spiritual formation and communitas. Consider this
the new handbook.
Anthony
B. Robinson, Transforming Congregational Culture (Grand Rapids,
MI:Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2003).
Robinson’s book is one which name the liminal period we are living in
as the Church in today’s world and cultures. It is a good resource of
leaders in order to help them see and understand the shifting of the way
church has been done and is being called to be and do in the emerging
world. For those who are in the midst of strategic planning, this would
inform their thick description.
George
B. Thompson, Jr., Treasures in Clay Jars: New Ways to Understand Your
Church (Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2003).
Thompson believes the continuous decline in membership of mainline
denominations and the increasing numbers of multicultural and
multiracial churches call for a new way of thinking: ministers must
begin to see their ministry differently in order to do their ministry
differently. This text provides a social science informed paradigm to
help interpret and work effectively with the complex dynamics of local
faith communities. Rooted in the symbolic-interpretation model of
organizational theory, Thompson’s voice should be included in the
discernment process.
Miroslav Volf, Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture
Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005).
Volf examines contemporary western popular culture through the lens of
Paul's' vision of God's grace and Martin Luther's interpretation of that
vision. For those wondering what the role of the Church is in today's
world, Volf, out of personal experience shares, "I need daily
disciplines of prayer, meditating on texts from the Holy Book, and
silence. I need a community of fellow believers with whom to celebrate a
vision of life that revolves around love of God and neighbor. I need
friends to keep me accountable." This book is about worshipping God and
letting God act in us through those foundational core practice we read
about in Acts 2:42. A great text to read personally before diving into
strategic planing.
More, Go To My Vision
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