Appreciating And Nurturing Small Churches

This book discusses the unique strengths that small churches possess despite, or even because of, their size. It suggests how pastors and leaders of small churches can work around the limitations of size and resources to disciple members and reach out to the community.

“My Liver Transplant: Journey of Faith” accounts for Dr Vincent’s long-suffering cancerous liver condition, its treatment and eventually its transplant. He faced his health condition realistically but at the same time, praying for the best interest of God as well. This is a real-life story account of the tears, triumphs, and joys of the life of a brother who knows Jesus Christ and was privileged to go through the fiery furnace of illness. Along his journey, he learned many spiritual lessons; how his faith grew with each passing phase of health stages.

Franklin's book urges direct engagement by African American and other churches with America's mounting social problems and details programs for children, elders, and economic action.

This book is a thorough and well-documented study on why churches need to develop effective men's ministries. Containing a wealth of vital information, this is a solid treatment of the biblical basis for male leadership in the church. The thrust of the book is that the development of men is the slow but sure way to build the church, for men either positively or negatively impact every aspect of church and family life. Jesus invested his life in a small group of men, and those men changed the world!

Church growth in metropolitan communities motivated a short study concerning the pastoral care and counseling of immigrants, specifically Black Caribbean congregants in large/mega congregations. Culture, denomination history, and interpretations of scripture enter into the dynamics of defining not only the pastoral office of leaders but their perception of “care.” The phenomenological “cycle” of care is said to exist as an exchange happens between caregivers and care receivers. Such an exploration of three congregations opened up rare concepts of the psycho-social, and spiritual nature that guide interpersonal relationships of family systems across cultures. Large/mega congregations desire women’s as well as men’s style of nurturing and of fellowship that form the characteristics of a sharing, caring congregation. The study implicated a need for more comprehensive interdisciplinary teaching methods to train church leaders and clergy. It signals for an approach in practical theology to develop curricula for spiritual health of cultural plurality in congregations and community.

The vast majority of United Methodist churches are small membership churches that can be and are vital places of ministry that matter. Most are situated in areas where there are people outside any faith community and have great potential for ministry. This Guideline will help you be an effective leader in your smaller church. This is one of the twenty-six Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 that cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.

Christian Education is part of the vital ministry of all churches, but especially of small membership churches. In a culture that places great value on numbers, small membership churches often mistakenly see themselves at a disadvantage. Small membership churches can create wonderful opportunities to form and disciple faithful followers of Jesus Christ. In offering viable Christian Education, the role of the pastor is critical. This book invites pastors to lead their small membership churches to develop an imaginative and holistic vision of Christian Education. Read the Introduction

Even as so-called megachurches capture the attention of many church watchers, small congregations continue to dominate America's religious landscape in both rural and urban settings. Although sometimes obscured by their larger siblings, these small churches play a prominent role and hold a unique place in both local and national cultures. How can leaders help to keep these often at-risk churches alive and to meet their potential for ministry? Small-church expert Tony Pappas has gathered a cornucopia of essays into an indispensable book for anyone interested in the rich life of these small but significant congregations. Drawing on classic and updated articles by a variety of writers from his own small-church newsletter The Five Stones; from Alban journals Action Information and Congregations; and adding new pieces developed especially for this volume, Pappas provides timeless ideas on learning to value, pastor, develop, and lead the small church. In addition to time-honored articles by the editor, other contributors to this volume include Sherry and Douglas Alan Walrath, Gary Farley, Lawrence W. Farris, Loren Mead, Caroline Westerhoff, Steven Burt, Carl Dudley, David Ray, James Lowery, and a host of others known for their work-and love-for the small church. Readers of Inside the Small Church will come away with a renewed love and appreciation for these vital congregations as well as with new skills for ministry.