Book picks similar to
Pastors and Their Critics by Nick Thompson


leadership
pastoral-ministry
christian-ministry
loaned-out

The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church


Timothy Z. Witmer - 2010
    Too many church leaders perceive of themselves as a "board of directors" when the Bible is clear that they are to know, feed, lead, and protect the flock entrusted to their care.

Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People


Donna Hicks - 2018
    Extending the reach of her award-winning book Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict, Donna Hicks now contributes a specific, practical guide to achieving a culture of dignity. Most people know very little about dignity, the author has found, and when leaders fail to respect the dignity of others, conflict and distrust ensue. Hicks highlights three components of leading with dignity: what one must know in order to honor dignity and avoid violating it; what one must do to lead with dignity; and how one can create a culture of dignity in any organization, whether corporate, religious, governmental, healthcare, or beyond. Brimming with key research findings, real-life case studies, and workable recommendations, this book fills an important gap in our understanding of how best to be together in a conflict-ridden world.

Breakfast with Bonhoeffer


Jon Walker - 2012
    After almost twenty years in ministry, Walker was laid off twice, lost his home and savings, was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, and then his wife filed for divorce just a few days before their twenty-fourth anniversary.Bonhoeffer saw the storms of political upheaval and pressure on Christians coming at warp speed, and he called believers to meet it head on by following Jesus, who bids believers to come and die.In BREAKFAST WITH BONHOEFFER, Walker brings to a new generation the timeless teachings of Bonhoeffer, especially the teaching that calls Jesus' followers to break free from the tyranny of popular culture and religious thinking. It also offers hope for those who face loss or have been hurt by the economic downturn.

Spiritual Leadership


J. Oswald Sanders - 1967
    In this classic, J. Oswald Sanders illustrates biblical leadership principles through the lives of David, Moses, Nehemiah, the Apostle Paul, David Livingston, and Charles Spurgeon.This world needs more leaders who are guided by God and devoted to Christ. Christianity needs to put forth a powerful voice to be heard above the cacophony of immorality and deception in much of today's leadership. Spiritual Leadership will encourage you to place your talents and powers at His disposal so you can become a leader used for His glory.This timeless classic will equip leaders of all generations to press on in service for Jesus Christ. Spiritual Leadership has easy-to-understand modern language and a study guide to assist each leader as they grow and successfully apply the principles in this book. Prepare to be stretched, challenged, and motivated to apply the leadership principles of character, passion, and especially godliness. Spiritual Leadership is a necessary tool for today's leaders.

The Life and Work of a Priest


John Pritchard - 2007
    He looks in turn at the only three things he believes need be of concern: the glory of God, the pain of the world, and the renewal of the Church. From these flow the priest's many roles, such as spiritual explorer, multi-lingual interpreter, wounded companion, friendly irritant, creative leader and mature risk-taker. This book pays homage to Robert Martineau's The Office and Work of a Priest, published in 1972, and much valued as a wise account of the duties of a priest at that time. "Dipping again into John Pritchard's The Life and Work of a Priest for this review reminded me what a remarkable, wise, and humane book it is. It covers just about everything parish life might throw at clergy. Well, not quite everything. If you're troubled by sylvan revels or cohabiting bandits, I'm afraid you're on your own." Paul Handley, Church Times

Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It)


Robert D. Lupton - 2011
    Toxic Charity provides proven new models for charitable groups who want to help—not sabotage—those whom they desire to serve. Lupton, the founder of FCS Urban Ministries (Focused Community Strategies) in Atlanta, the voice of the Urban Perspectives newsletter, and the author of Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life, has been at the forefront of urban ministry activism for forty years. Now, in the vein of Jeffrey Sachs’s The End of Poverty, Richard Stearns’s The Hole in Our Gospel, and Gregory Boyle’s Tattoos on the Heart, his groundbreaking Toxic Charity shows us how to start serving needy and impoverished members of our communities in a way that will lead to lasting, real-world change.

Reclaiming Glory: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America


Mark Clifton - 2016
    In Reclaiming Glory, Clifton draws not only upon his own burden for revitalizing dying churches but also upon years of church rePlanting experience to offer passionate counsel for how to breathe new life into a dying church . . . all for the glory of the God who is building his church upon the immovable rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All I Need to Know about Manufacturing I Learned in Joe's Garage: World Class Manufacuring Made Simple


William B. Miller - 1993
    All I Need to Know About Manufacturing I Learned in Joe's Garage: World Class Manufacturing Made Simple

The Unsaved Christian: Reaching Cultural Christianity with the Gospel


Dean Inserra - 2019
    They’d check the Christian box on a survey, they’re fine with church, but the truth is, they’re far from God. So how do we bring Jesus to this overlooked mission field?The Unsaved Christian equips you to confront cultural Christianity with honesty, compassion, and grace, whether you’re doing it from the pulpit or the pews. This practical guide will:show you how to recognize cultural Christianityteach you how to overcome the barriers that get in the waygive you easy-to-understand advice about VBS, holiday services, reaching “good people,” and more!If you’ve ever felt stuck or unsure how to minister to someone who identifies as Christian but still needs Jesus, this book is for you.

Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry: A Personal and Practical Guide to Starting Right


Doug Fields - 2002
    Doug translated his passion, insight, and vision for his beloved “rookies” into what you’re now reading, Your Fist Two Years in Youth Ministry—hands-down the most comprehensive companion to not only surviving, but also thriving, during the most crucial phase of youth ministry. Employing his renowned wisdom and humor—as if you and Doug were chatting over a long, relaxing meal—the author disarmingly relates stories and principles from his own successes and failures over 20-plus years in youth ministry. In the end, he offers treasure troves of practical advice, all in the hope that new youth workers can travel a smoother path and achieve real longevity in a church culture that all too often chews them and spits them out. Doug covers all-important issues such as: · Dealing with discouragement · Establishing a solid spiritual foundation · Building effective relationships with students · Resolving conflict · Ministering to parents and families · Trailblazing change · Working with volunteers · Defining a realistic job description · And many others! In addition, a chorus of insightful sidebar voices joins your conversation with Doug, among them ministry veterans Jim Burns, Steve Gerali, Mike Yaconelli, Helen Musick, Chap Clark, Marv Penner, Rick Warren, Jana L. Sundene, Bo Boshers, Duffy Robbins, Tony Campolo, and Richard Ross, all who’ve composed extensive, topical essays for each of the dozen chapters. Your First Two Years of Youth Ministry is a must-have tool for new youth workers, volunteers, seminary professors and students, senior pastors, elders, church boards—even veteran youth workers who’ve been ministering in unstructured environments and are now asking, “What did I miss? What can I still learn?” The first two years of youth ministry are never easy. But never fear. Doug fervently assures us: “Hang on. Hope’s coming!”

Knights of Bretonnia


Anthony Reynolds - 2011
    Against these fearsome foes stand the Knights of Bretonnia, calling upon their faith in the Lady and their guile with the sword to repel their legions of enemies. When young noble Calard starts upon the path to knighthood, he soon discovers the darkness hidden within his homeland and the price that must be paid by those seeking the holiest of honours - the title of Grail Knight. Accompanied by his faithful manservant Chlod, he must face vampires, wyverns, Chaos warriors and goblins, but each battle brings him one step closer to becoming the legend he seeks. Knights of Bretonnia collects the novels Knight Errant and Knight of the Realm, plus two new novellas, Questing Knight and Grail Knight, completing the saga of Calard from his knightly training to his most epic of victories.

The New Rational Manager


Charles Higgins Kepner - 1965
    The principles explained in this book represent the combined best thinking of two highly respected consultants whose contributions to their field have been applied successfully by them and their organization to enterprises throughout the world.

One-to-One Bible Reading: A Simple Guide for Every Christian


David R. Helm - 2011
    That guided people in a deeper, more meaningful way than an event, program or class could possibly do—guided on an individual basis by someone who cared for them personally.What is this way? What is this activity that is so simple and so universal that it meets the discipleship needs of very different people at very different stages of discipleship, even non-Christians?We call it reading the Bible one-to-one.But what exactly is reading the Bible one-to-one? Why should we do it? Who is it for?In One-to-One Bible Reading: a simple guide for every Christian, David Helm answers these important questions.About the AuthorDavid Helm is a pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago, and Chairman of The Charles Simeon Trust, a ministry devoted to equipping expository preachers. He longs for all Christians to read God’s word for themselves and with others.

In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership


Henri J.M. Nouwen - 1989
    For a society that measures successful leadership in terms of the effectiveness of the individual, Father Nouwen offers a counter definition that is witnessed by a "communal and mutual experience." For Nouwen, leadership cannot function apart from the community. His wisdom is grounded in the foundation that we are a people "called."This beautiful guide to Christian Leadership is the rich fruit of Henri Nouwen's own journey as one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the 20th century.

The Feiner Points of Leadership: The 50 Basic Laws That Will Make People Want to Perform Better for You


Michael Feiner - 2004
    Feiner's candid leadership guide cuts through rhetoric and theory and gives managers and executives a "hands-on" approach to dealing with problems in business.