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BOOK NOTES - Three Concise Reviews of New Resources Marketing Your Church to the Community Part of the Ministry Guides Series from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, this book makes the case for why churches need to reach out to the unchurched in their community and then offers practical information and ideas on how to do it. Peter Metz, director of communications at Resurrection, provides strategies for reaching people and convincing them to visit, even when churches have a limited budget. This 63-page guide begins with advice on getting your message straight, identifying the audiences you want to reach, and selecting the right marketing options. One important tip: Marketing tools should be designed to reinforce the all-important personal invitations that come from existing church members. Watching Over One Another in Love: A Wesleyan Model for Ministry Assessment Pastor-parish relations committees and district superintendents will find particularly helpful this book that considers a Wesleyan model for ministry assessment. Purushotham, a staff member at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, sees supervision as a ministry deeply rooted in Wesleyan theology that understands growth in holiness as a manifestation of grace. Beginning with the premise that support and accountability must be held together through regular feedback and formal evaluation, she outlines a covenantal ministry assessment process for congregations with the pastor, pastor-parish relations committee, and district superintendent as covenant partners. Appendices include a sample covenant, guidelines for offering and receiving feedback, and sample questions for assessment. How to Treat a Staff Infection: Resolving Problems in Your Church or Ministry Team Looking for a solution to power struggles, gossiping, tardiness, or inertia among your church leaders? Subtitled “Resolving Problems in Your Church or Ministry Team,” this book is written to help diagnose and remedy common problems among both paid and unpaid people who serve in ministry. These pastoral “physicians” offer advice on dealing with those who cannot let go of tired programs and those who are too quick to adopt every passing fad, those hesitant to make decisions and those who are over-eager. Speaking the truth in love is the preferred prescription. This is often dispensed in the form of honest dialogue that might include confrontation, coaching, or counseling, with warnings about the need to document problems, when to involve third parties, and which behaviors are particularly change-resistant. In keeping with the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the final two chapters are most valuable, outlining positive principles for developing a healthy and supportive environment for group ministry. |
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