Leading Beyond Church Walls; Developing Congregations With a Heart for the Unchurched

Hamilton, Adam; Leading Beyond Church Walls; Developing Congregations With a Heart for the Unchurched. 2002 Abingdon Press, Nashville. pp208 price 36.95 available at the Centre - 1-800-804-0777.
Adam Hamilton- senior pastor at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas.

Introduction.
The author is optimistic about renewal in mainline churches in America. The desire is there and the key will be the willingness and wisdom to respond to the challenge of necessary change and commitment.
Ch. 1. A Biblical Model for Leadership; The Shepherd.
Shepherds take initiative with sheep. The motivator is compassion.
Ch. 2. Three Questions You Must Answer.
1. "Why do people need Christ?"p.21. 2. "Why do people need church?"p.23. Five reasons are given to explain why people need church. i.e. It is Christ’s body. 3. "Why do people need this particular church?"p.25. This has to do with personal needs and gifting. Each church is unique.
Ch. 3. The Fourth Question.
"To whom does the church belong?"p.28. The obvious answer is, the Lord. The implications of this truth are paramount. We need to be clear about the Lord’s passion and ministry and emulate it.
Ch. 4. Marketing the Church.
Marketing takes on a spiritual meaning that could be equated to evangelism (selling the gospel). ‘Market research’ is all about becoming aware of a church’s community and it’s needs. Marketing gets information about the church out to the community.
Ch. 5. The Little Things.
Little things create first impressions so therefore they are important.
Ch.6. Effective Follow-up Strategies.
Follow-up is absolutely essential to church growth. A number of specific ideas are suggested for follow-up. They include having people sign up, giving hand-delivered gifts, newsletters, a pastoral evangelistic call.
Ch. 7. Great Expectations.
Views are expressed and definitions are explained about membership. Joining a church should be easy. Expectations of members should be challenging but realistic.. The general goal of membership is to make disciples that are maturing and ministering.
Ch. 8. Reflections on "Traditional" Worship.
It is suggested that worship be a blend of "scripture, tradition, experience, and reason".p.68. Effective worship requires thorough planning and sincere prayer.
Ch. 9. Preaching.
Ten characteristics are listed regarding Jesus’ sermon(s). Preaching for many people is the reason why they join a church. Five preaching ‘aims’ for the author (a preacher) are "evangelism, discipleship, equipping and sending, pastoral care, and institutional development".p.79.
Ch. 10. Pastoral Care.
Pastoral care is a privilege and also a part of balanced ministry. i.e. preaching and pastoral care. The goal of pastoral care is to "represent Christ"p.105. Pastoral care can be done by pastors and/or lay people. The key is gifting.
Ch. 11. Weddings and Funerals.
Both are great opportunities for evangelism. Funerals are opportunities for special care especially for the unchurched.
Ch.12. Troubled Waters. Dealing With Opposition.
When criticism is positive it is good. There can also be some learning with negative criticism. Criticism should never be ignored. It could indicate a failure in communication. It is usually associated with change. The author offers seven ‘pointers’ regarding how to respond to criticism.
Ch. 13. Becoming a Visionary Leader.
The pastor is the primary vision caster but this function is not limited to him. Acts 2:7. "Vision is the ability to see possibilities, pitfalls, untapped potential, and a preferred picture of the future."p.133. Vision casting can be a ‘team sport’. There should be short and long term vision casting. "Ten essential ingredients for developing and implementing visions in the church", p.137 are presented. This is practical information.
Ch. 14. What You Need to Know About Staff.
The role of the "personnel committee"p.149 is explained. The role of the senior pastor becomes more administrative as the staff grows. Management becomes necessary. The chapter closes with some practical suggestions about staffing.
Ch. 15. Fund Raising.
Addressing financial challenges in a materialistic society is not an option for church leaders. A church should challenge its people to declare up front what their financial goal is for the year. This is essential in order to set realistic church budgets. (Most churches do it the other way around.) The advantages of a stewardship campaign are discussed. Capital funds campaigns need to to be done from time to time.
Ch. 16. The Qualities of an Effective Pastor.
Ten qualities are listed and discussed. They include characteristics like integrity, humility, passion, vision, etc.
Ch. 17. Avoiding Burnout and Other Personal Advice.
A pastor has to remain well-grounded spiritually. Some practical suggestions are made on how to organize and prioritize your life as a pastor to avoid burnout, spiritual bankruptcy and moral failure.
Ch. 18. A Postscript and a Word of Encouragement.
This author believes the megachurches are here to stay. He gives six reasons. This is not to say that small churches will disappear. All churches have incredible potential. The author gives five reasons why he is "persuaded that mainline Christianity can once again be a tremendous force for the kingdom of God".p.203.
Comment HD
What a positive message about mainline churches from one of its own pastors. It reminds me of Reg Bibby’s assessment of Canadian mainline churches. Adam has chosen a very wide topic in this book and that makes it read more like a report at times. His United Methodist Theology and polity is apparent. An enjoyable read with practical, encouraging material.