Re:Vision

Aubrey Malphurs, E. Penfold Gordon

Description

Pastors around the country continue to look for the program, the book, or the sermon series that will turn their plateaued or declining churches around. But what if the answer to revitalizing the church was closer to home? According to trusted church leadership expert Aubrey Malphurs and veteran pastor Gordon E. Penfold, it is. They believe that pastors themselves are the key. In a time when many pastors are jumping from church to church every two or three years as they search for the "right fit" where they can "make a difference," churches are suffering from a lack of sustained leadership from pastors with a viable vision for ministry.In Re:Vision, Malphurs and Penfold take pastors through a process of discovery and self-evaluation designed to help them re-envision their role, create a culture for positive change, and recruit people to come alongside them as helpers and encouragers. Multiple appendices offer self-diagnostic tools and surveys to help pastors assess their strengths and weaknesses for more effective ministry.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 14 octobre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441220103
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

© 2014 by Aubrey M. Malphurs and Gordon E. Penfold
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2014
Ebook corrections 10.01.2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-2010-3
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Malphurs and Penfold have de-mystified the church revitalization process without factoring out the necessary dependence on the Holy Spirit. They have provided principles and processes to follow. They have supplied evaluative tools for both the church and the pastor. And, most importantly, they have centered it all in Scripture and prayer. This will be a resource every pastor leading in a revitalizing effort will want to have.”
— Phil Stevenson , assistant district superintendent, Pacific-Southwest of the Wesleyan Church
“What leadership is to healthy and growing churches, vision is to effective leadership. Penfold and Malphurs have rightly targeted and identified the need for weary pastors and waning church leaders to team up around a renewed vision that will direct and align their energies and resources toward a revitalized church. What they present may well be the remedy for the declining direction of the church in America.”
— Rich Frazer , president, Spiritual Overseers Service International
“Integrating statistical analysis, biblical theology, and pastoral wisdom, Aubrey Malphurs and Gordon Penfold have compiled a marvelous work that will help leaders think through how to lead their teams to re-envision their leadership structures for the glory of Christ.”
— Kevin Peck , lead pastor of The Austin Stone Community Church
“Church planting is on the rise, but what about all the existing plateaued, dead, or dying churches in America that are in desperate need of revitalization? Is there hope for them? Very few pastors are turnaround leaders, yet the majority of churches in America are in desperate need of renewal. Most pastors don’t know how to lead a church out of a downward spiral. Here’s a book that will help pastors do just that—turn around a church.”
— Jim Tomberlin , founder and senior strategist, MultiSite Solutions; author of many books, including 125 Tips for MultiSite Churches
“In this invigorating, timely, and prophetic work, Malphurs and Penfold paint a necessary future picture for the American church. Not content to only describe and lament the decline of the American church, the authors provide marching orders for pastors, congregations, judicatories, and denominations. Substance is added to the picture as the authors provide processes useful to the pastor who desires to bring about the re-envisioning of a local congregation.”
— Matthew Bohling , pastor for preaching and vision, Living Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA)
“ Re:Vision acknowledges the state of the church, declining denominations, and what it takes to reverse those trends. Through quantitative and qualitative research, Malphurs and Penfold unpack the significance of pastoral vision and how it directly influences the heart, health, and future of the church. This book will help leaders regain the momentum they need to revitalize the work God has called them to do.”
— Tami Heim , president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance
“This book should be required reading for every pastor and staff member in our churches. Aubrey and Gordon have produced a phenomenal user’s manual for kingdom and church growth. They have covered all the bases plus brought into the mix of material behavioral requirements that are needed for pastors. Every reader should be challenged to make personal changes that will allow God to use them in an extraordinary way as well.”
— Ken Bratz , owner, Ken Bratz Consulting
“This practical leadership book adds tremendous value to church leaders. The research, real life stories, and reflection sections will help move you from ideas to implementation. Re:Vision is not only a great read, it’s a great training tool.”
— Mac Lake , visionary architect, The LAUNCH Group
“This is a book pastors will return to again and again. Every pastor should read it and read it again when it is time to dream new dreams and lead toward the next season of ministry. This is a great book for a mentor and protégé to enjoy together.”
— David Bowman , executive director, Tarrant Baptist Association
“Malphurs and Penfold offer us their marvelous wisdom, creativity, practical analysis, and motivating vision—envisioning—with regard to pastoral leadership in the church. In this present situation in North America, there is much confusion over what could and should be done to lead churches toward health and growth. One thing we do know is that without vision—without envisioning—congregations slowly decline and die. This book is a treasure trove of down-to-earth, immediately usable advice for all of us called to lead the church today.”
— Charles Van Engen , professor of Biblical Theology of Mission, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
We dedicate this book to those pastors and their families who commit themselves, often at tremendous personal cost, to transforming established churches from the throes of death to new life and vitality. You have hung in there in spite of people’s resistance to change and innovation. Sometimes the saints can make church work difficult. Regardless, out of a deep love for Jesus Christ and his body, you struggle against all odds to direct the churches you serve back to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. We thank God for your dedication and sacrifice not only to the church, but to those who are not yet Christ-followers. May your number grow exponentially and may the Lord use you to create such a stirring that North America will never again be the same. You are our heroes. We need more leaders like you.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Endorsements
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1 Preparation for Discovery
1. The State of Pastoral Leadership in America
2. Re-Envisioning Pastoral Leadership
3. The Biblical Basis for Re-Envisioning Ministry
4. Design, Direction, and Development
5. The Leader’s Behavior
Part 2 Process of Discovery
6. Our Initial Exploration
7. Our Follow-up Exploration
8. Four Critical Questions
Part 3 Practice of Discovery
9. Embracing the Characteristics of Re-Envisioning Pastors
10. How to Create and Cast a Compelling Vision
11. Creating a Culture for Change
12. Recruiting a Mentor or Coach
13. Preparation, Process, and Practice
14. Re-Envisioning Seminaries, Denominations, and Networks
Appendixes
A. Temperament Indicator 1
B. Type Indicator 2
C. Leadership Style Survey
D. The Expanded Temperament Indicator 1
E. The Expanded Type Indicator 2
F. Sampling of Church Growth Statistics from Discovery 2
G. Pastoral Leadership Audit Scores
H. Vision Style Audit
I. Character Assessment for Leadership
J. Sixteen Make-or-Break Questions
K. Examples of Successful Internship and Apprenticeship Ministries

Notes
About the Authors
Back Ads
Back Cover
Acknowledgments
Thanks to all those pastors who contributed in some way to our exploration. Your willing participation made this book possible. Your love for Christ’s church and your desire to aid in her growth is commendable. Thanks for making yourselves vulnerable as you shared your ministry life with us.
Special thanks to Brad Bridges, who helped us gather some of the material to make this book possible. Due to your push at the end of the discovery phase, we were able to reach pastors whose ministries touch each state and each Canadian province. Thanks for your investment.
To Ken Bratz of Ken Bratz Consulting: Your gift of the DISC profiles made this project doable. Thanks for your wonderful generosity that enabled us to reach such a large and diverse group of pastors. The extensive nature of this exploration would have been most difficult, if not impossible, without your generous contribution.
From Gordon:
Thanks to Sandy Ferguson, who tirelessly entered information into our massive database. Your commitment to accuracy and detail made life much simpler for all of us!
First Baptist Church of Holyoke, Colorado, made a commitment seven years ago to support me in this ministry. This project would not have succeeded without your faithful support and belief in this work. Thank you for your wonderful partnership in this venture and the ministry of Fresh Start.
Bob Humphrey, you initiated ministry to plateaued and declining churches decades ago. Your wisdom and insight into the body of Christ give constant courage and hope to me in the midst of the struggle to re:vision churches. Thanks for believing in me to carry on the work you began.
Gary McIntosh, you coached and mentored me through the D.Min. program and Talbot Seminary. Your insight into the church and your willingness to lead me through Discovery 1 are not forgotten. Thank you for your investment in me. You have been a true me