Lutheran Mission: culture

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Saturday, April 09, 2016

Book: Church in a Age of Crisis

Jame Emery White,a pastor, adjunct professor, award-winning author and host of ChurchAndCulture.org identifies 25 cultural trends facing the church, showing readers how to prepare and respond to these challenges.

More about the book
It's time for a reality check.
Though many of the signs of the times are disturbing to those of us in the church, we ignore them at our great peril. Changes in belief, culture, marriage and family, media and technology, and mission affect us not only as individuals but also as a body of believers.
Functioning as both a telescope and a microscope, this hard-hitting examination of the future of the church looks into the vastness of the world and into the minute recesses of our hearts. James Emery White calls on us to sharpen our spiritual drive and determination in order to meet the challenges of our day--and the future. He calls us to look beyond the daily conflicts in order to see the much larger battle in which we are engaged, so that we might play our vital role in preserving and growing Christ's church in the coming age.

What others are saying
"Hard-hitting as well as carefully researched. It is also extremely relevant for our day. In twenty-five concise chapters, White scans the landscape of the postmodern world we now live in. This book will serve the church well."--Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
"The Church in an Age of Crisis is more than a survey of the cultural landscape of contemporary America. It is a call to bring Christian values to bear in the marketplace of ideas. With prophetic insight, James Emery White directs the church to be true to its calling--to be salt and light in a dying world."--Alec Hill, president, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA
"This book is a wake-up call for those who really care about America and how lost so many are today. The Church in an Age of Crisis provides positive answers on how the grace of God in Christ can break through even the stoniest of hearts."--Jerry Newcombe, Truth in Action Ministries
"This book is essential for those who desire to bring the truth, love, and light of Christ to our challenging present age."--Glenn T. Stanton, director, Global Family Formation Studies and Ministry Strategy Development, Focus on the Family

Saturday, June 01, 2013

Book: cracking your churches culture code

"Culture—not vision or strategy—is the most powerful factor in any organization. It determines the receptivity of staff and volunteers to new ideas, unleashes or dampens creativity, builds or erodes enthusiasm, and creates a sense of pride or deep discouragement about working or being involved there. Ultimately, the culture of a church shapes individual morale, teamwork, effectiveness, and outcomes."
Often church leaders confuse culture with vision and strategy, but they are very different. Vision and strategy usually focus on products, services, and outcomes, but culture is about the people—a church's most valuable asset. Cracking Your Church's Culture Code offers a practical resource for discovering the deficits in an existing church's culture and includes the steps needed to assess, correct, and change culture from lackluster to vibrant and inspirational so that it that truly meets the needs of the congregation.
Prominent church and leadership consultant Sam Chand describes the five easily identifiable categories of church culture (Inspiring-Accepting-Stagnant-Discouraging-Toxic) and includes diagnostic methods that church leaders can use to identify the particular strengths and needs of their church's culture. To help in this process there is also a separate online assessment tool (www.freeculturesurvey.com).
Once a church's culture is clearly identified, leaders can put in place a strategy for applying the seven keys of CULTURE (Control, Understanding, Leadership, Trust, Unafraid, Responsive, and Execution) that will make their church's culture one that stimulates people to be and do their very best and ultimately reach their highest goals.