Recovering Hope for Your Church

H Hammett Edward

Description

"Why?" seems to be on the lips of many church, judicatory, and denominational leaders today. "Why has our church plateaued?" "Why are so few young leaders going into church-based ministries?" "Why are so few interested in church these days?" Recovering Hope uncovers the "whys," creating space to embrace new realities, commit to the tough road of recovery, and develop new skills, structures, and ministry designs through a process of spiritual discernment, congregational coaching, and a deeper reliance on the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Eddie Hammett, a Professional Certified Coach and Church and Clergy Coach for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, provides a step-by-step process of hope and health to encourage, guide, and inspire pastors, leaders, churches, regions, and denominations that recovery of hope is possible. A TCP Leadership Series title.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian Church
• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: Christian Board of Publication
• Date de parution: 30 août 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780827232303
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

Recovering

for Your Church Moving beyond Maintenance andMissional to Incarnational Engagement

Edward H. Hammett

“I challenge anyone to read this book without having a holiday in their heart. Hammett not only showcases how hope is the dis tinguishing mark of a vital church, but turns this book into a rope of hope to transform nohope and lowhope living into highhope communities of faith.” Leonard Sweet, Author, Professor (Drew University, George Fox University) Chief Contributor to sermons.com

“InRecovering Hope for Your Church, Eddie Hammett offers an ex cellent resource for congregational leaders seeking to help their church move into a healthy and vital future. Using the analogy of diagnosing and treating the human body, he presents treatment op tions based upon biblical examples, current change research, and his own extensive experience working with congregations. This book gives leaders tools for assessing a church’s current condition, and its possibilities for innovation and spiritual transformation.” Peggy Hinds, Congregational and Leadership Coach Educator and MidCouncil Leader, Presbyterian Church (USA)

“Recovering Hope for Your Church is practical, accessible, and saturated with wisdom. It will help you deal with congregational realities from church bullies to fear of change, from being over programmed to thinking you’re friendly when you’re actually not, from refocusing your purpose to developing a healthy culture, and so much more. A gift for pastors and lay leaders alike from a wise and seasoned coach.” Brian McLaren, Author, Speaker, Activist

“Eddie Hammett knows congregational ministry. He begins this discussion with ‘Why?’ and leads us to ‘How!’ Eddie takes us on a fascinating journey from the ‘institutional’ church that is focused purely on itself through the Missional church to its next expres sion. The Incarnational Church is a transformed, redeemed body of Christ. Along the way, Eddie poses coaching questions that give readers opportunities to think, reflect, and act. This is pure Ham mett at his best, insightful, informational, inspirational!” Bo Prosser, Ministries Coordinator Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

“In many ways the church of Jesus Christ is not healthy and it’s losing hope. That’s why Eddie Hammett’s book is the right word at just the right time. Drawing upon his personal experience as well as expertise in congregational coaching, Eddie offers pastors and church leaders a way to rediscover hope and experience new energy for the future. Through his diagnosis of the times, as well as his coaching resources, pastors and church leaders will be able to embark on a journey of dreaming and discovery that will reen ergize their passion for Christ as well as the Great Commission. If you feel your church is stuck, your next step needs to be to go and purchase this book. It will be your first huge step toward renewal.” Scott Wagoner, Pastoral Minister Deep River Friends Meeting (Quaker)

“Facing a lifethreatening health crisis creates an opportunity to discover the truths of recovering hope for congregations with un certain futures. Eddie Hammett brings his years of congregational work and coaching experience to face his own uncertainty and in doing so discovers a way of transformation for churches struggling to stay alive in a context of change. Congregational coaching in Recovering Hopethe ’yes’ to the question of how. Intentionality, is truth telling, honest conversation, teachable moments, laughter, struggle, and hospitality are coached practices that create shared passion and move churches forward. When topdown hierarchies of power and preplanned agendas are set aside, the Spirit finds welcome in this sacred space of being together.Recovering Hope shares stories of congregational transformation and provides the tools for churches and coaches to find the courage to let go of what threatens health and embrace that which brings new life.” Carol Morgan, Chaplain North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

“Eddie Hammett offers a pinpoint diagnosis of the challenges fac ing 21stcentury churches in a changing culture. Framed through the lens of his health crisis, Hammett’s thirty years of working, consulting, and coaching with ministry leaders provides a front row seat on the issues many churches face. His stories and insights, coupled with pertinent questions and assessment tools in each chapter, offer hopeful prescriptions for a coach approach process encouraging church leaders to embrace a Spiritled future.” Greg Rogers, Pastor, Oakmont Baptist Church Greenville, North Carolina

“Recovering Hope for Your Churchcongregations the needed gives tools to enter into a time of selfexamination and discernment in order to transition from being a church going through the motions to becoming a church on the move. Hammett challenges congre gations to rethink the roles of the pastor and laity, inviting us to embrace a new paradigm of leadership and shared ministry neces sary for the Christian witness to be effective in today’s ambiguous and ‘notreligiousbutspiritual’ culture. Every church can benefit from this resource!” Ginger Howe Isom, Christ United Methodist Church Greeneville, Tennessee

“In his new bookRecovering Hope for Your Church, Eddie Hammett uses questions, imagery, and narrative to challenge individuals and churches ‘to move the church of God forward in faith and function.’ If you want to consider how to retool for personal and congregational transformation, check out Eddie’s book today.” Ka’thy Gore Chappell, Leadership Development Coordinator Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina “Eddie Hammett, consummate student of congregational life, has written an excellent and informative book for church leaders. Ed die taps into his personal medical crisis and subsequent dramatic lifestyle changes required to regain health as a metaphor for chal lenges congregations face today. The fact that 9295% of churches are plateaued or declining confirms ‘church infection’ must be acknowledged and addressed. Most congregations have difficulty shifting their standard operating procedures. Many are content with the status quo. Hammett asserts a coach can ask good and powerful questions to awaken the consciousness of congregational leaders to the necessity of ‘reformation.’ Hammett’s love for the church is evident on every page of his book. He is not content to simply diagnose problems facing congregations; Eddie offers prac tical advice, a toolbox of creative and innovative ideas, myriad lists and charts, seasoned wisdom, and stories from congregations that found spiritual vitality through engaging the coaching process. For leaders who sense their churches need spiritual infusion,Recovering Hope for Your Churchis a must read! Be ready! You will likely find yourself in the market for a good congregational coach!” Terry Maples, Field Coordinator Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Recovering

for Your Church

Key Leadership Resources fromwww.TCPBooks.info

George W. Bullard Jr. Every Congregation Needs a Little Conict FaithSoaring Churches Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation Richard L. Hamm RecreatingtheChurch Edward H. Hammett Recovering Hope for your Church: Moving beyond Maintenance and Missional to Incarnational Engagement Making Shifts without Making Waves: A Coach Approach to Soulful Leadership Reaching People under 40 while Keeping People over 60: Being Church to All Generations Spiritual Leadership in a Secular Age: Building Bridges Instead of Barriers

Gregory L. Hunt Leading Congregations through Crisis Cynthia Woolever and Deborah Bruce Leadership That Fits Your Church: What Kind of Pastor for What Kind of Congregation The Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Peer Learning Team So Much Better: How Thousands of Pastors Help Each Other Thrive Larry McSwain The Calling of Congregational Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing Ministry

For more leadership resources, see www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org www.TCPBooks.info

Recovering

for Your Church

Moving beyond Maintenance andMissional to Incarnational Engagement

Edward H. Hammett

Copyright ©2014 by Edward H. Hammett.

All rights reserved. For permission to reuse content, please contact Copy right Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 7508400,www.copyright.com.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zonder van Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Bible quotations marked NRSV are from theNew Revised Standard Version Bible,copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NASB is taken from theNEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. Biblical quotations marked REB are fromThe Revised English Bible copyright © Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press 1989.The Revised English Bible with the Apocryphafirst published 1989.

Quotations marked Message are fromThe Messageby Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permis sion of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Cover art: depositphotos.com Cover design: Scribe, Inc.

Print: 9780827232280 EPUB: 9780827232297 EPDF: 9780827232303

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data Hammett, Edward H., author. Recovering hope for your church : from maintenance to missional and incarnational engagement / Edward H. Hammett. pages cm Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 9780827232280 (pbk.) 1. Church renewal. 2. Church. 3. Pastoral theology. 4. Hope—Religious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.

BV600.3.H38 2014 262.001'7—dc23

2014022988

www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org www.TCPBooks.com

CONTENTS

Editor’s Foreword Acknowledgments Preface: The Power of Why

PART I: Finding Hope for Your Church 1. When Infection/Lies Enter the Body 2. Lies Many Churches Believe 3. Uncovering Blind Spots and Lies Leaders Perpetuate 4. Scope of Transitions Facing Churches

PART II: Activating Hope in Your Church 5. From Lies to Launching a More Effective Ministry 6. When Spiritual Formation Is Not Enough 7. What Is Distinctive about Missional Leadership? 8. Moving from Maintenance to Missional to Incarnational Engagement 9. Bullying in the Church and What to Do about It

PART III: Living into Hope in Your Church 10. When Change Is Needed but Not Wanted 11. The Power of Congregational Coaching 12. New Dance Steps in Ministry 13. When Leaders Change, Churches Change 14. Culture—Not Numbers—Matters Now 15. Creating Hope Builders in Your Church

PART IV: Sustaining Hope in Your Church 16. Congregational Coaching 17. Signs of and Solutions for an Overprogrammed Church 18. Rebooting Your Church—When? How?

xi xiii xv

3 7 11 14

23 30 36 40

48

61 67 75 81 85 96

103 117 125