Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet


Building the Body - learning activities for growing churches


An excellent compendium of exercises to stimulate church growth from the Church of Scotland Mission and Discipleship Council



 

Building the BodyBuilding the Body - learning activities for growing churches
By Steve Aisthorpe, Lesley Hamilton-Messer, David McCarthy, Phill Melstrom, Robbie Rawson
St. Andrew Press
ISBN 978 0 7152 0974 5
Reviewed by Martin M’Caw 


Congratulations to the Church of Scotland Mission and Discipleship Council for publishing an excellent compendium of exercises to stimulate church growth. It is not a book for starting on page one and reading through to the end, but selecting exercises that appear most pertinent for aspects of church life you want to grow.

The chapter Facilitation Made Easy is a succinct guide for using the exercises in a group setting. It covers essentials of good planning, possibly using outsiders which reduces the likelihood of insiders bringing their own agenda, establishing ground rules, encouraging the dynamics of discussion, and the importance of asking the right questions and identifying the wrong question. The instructions for each exercise include suggestions about the time and resources required. While experienced group leaders might feel ‘it’s easy-peasy – been there and done that’, it’s always good to remind oneself of the basics of group work.

The six key sections are Reflecting on whose we are, Knowing one another, Exploring our cultures, Understanding our communities, Learning from our experience and Discerning our future. These are essential for already growing churches. They are also good stimulants for churches stuck in the mud, or wondering what their future holds given the difficulties of declining members, challenging locations and the thought that growth can never be for them. Topics cover our individual spirituality and walk with God as well as corporate implications for church and community. I belong to a small village church that is very community minded and seeking its next part time minister. Here is an excellent tool for our moderator to encourage us and new minister to develop us when appointed. This is more than a versatile tool for church based ministers. It’s an essential resource for regional and church-life ministers within our Associations.

The exercises in Understanding Our Community section enable church groups to get to grips with the nature of their community, mapping what shapes it and identifying its strengths and weaknesses.

Discerning our Future is a challenging climax. As service providers and commercial organisations engage in strategic planning to develop their relevance and effectiveness, so must churches prepare to engage with their future because the idea that our ‘never-changing God’ desires a ‘never-changing church’ is ‘a myth - and an unhelpful one’. The exercises are to develop a shared vision and prevent a growing disconnection between a congregation and the community life around it. So let’s get on with Starting to Discern a Vision, Setting Priorities and Exploring What Motivates Us for Mission. The final exercise leads to discovering how God will lead his church forward with Small Steps for Meaningful Change

 

The Revd Dr. Martin M’Caw (Retired Baptist Minister. Wing Chaplain No.2 Welsh Wing RAF cadets.)

Baptist Times, 10/05/2019
    Post     Tweet
A Calendar of Carols by Gordon Giles
'A useful, well-researched tool for those who want to know more about how the carols we sing came about - but would have benefitted from some illustrations'
Wounded I Sing: From Advent to Christmas with George Herbert, by Richard Harries
​Devotional reading helps us avoid the too-soon collapsing of Advent into mere preparations for Christmas - and here Harries demonstrates how George Herbert is our most significant observer of the spiritual life through poetry
Do Not Be Afraid, by Rachel Mann
'In this Advent book Mann writes with a simplicity that conveys a depth of wisdom both scriptural and theological, and which is related to the ordinary things of everyday life'
The DNA of Healthy Discipleship by Dave Criddle
'Accessible, rich in insights and practical wisdom, this is a book for anyone who is serious about following Jesus and helping others to do the same – and just wants to get on with the job'
Jesus and the Powers by Tom Wright and Michael F. Bird
Rather than telling Christians how to vote, the authors focus on the relationship of God’s Kingdom to the powers that govern different countries and to democracy
Mindful Formation by Shaun Lambert
'Blends academic, practical, and devotional content seamlessly - a modern spiritual classic'
    Posted: 04/10/2024
    Posted: 01/03/2024