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In volume offers insight and guidance regarding this new ministerial order both to those who are called into the diaconate, and those among whom they will minister. The book begins by locating the office of deacon within the larger United Methodist understanding the ministry of all God's people and of ordained ministers. Drawing on the stories of those whom God has called and ordained to the ministry of deacon, the authors portray the crucial link between the worship of the church and service to the world that is central to the office of deacon. The book concludes with answers to common questions asked by deacons and the churches in which their ministry takes place: Who pays for insurance? What about pensions? What responsibilities do deacons have to the congregations that hire them, and what to the conferences of which they are members?

"Paul and the Galatians" explores crucial theological, ethical and ecclesiastical questions in Paul's famous epistle. Each selfcontained session includes questions for reflection. The volumes in "The Life and Letters of Paul" series are especially appropriate for those who want an in-depth study of the Pauline epistles.

The third volume of Shawchuck and Heuser's trilogy, this title will focus on the relationships and processes common to the religious congregation. The emphasis will be on the identification and maximization of effective processes within church structures. Key Features: Detailed analysis of the congregation as a network of systems and relationships; Explores four areas of potential transformation for the congregation: mission, spiritual formation, relationship with people, and structures of ministry; Comprehensive format ideal for pastors and seminary students. Key Benefits: Identifying systems and relationships within the congregation enables church leaders to be intentional and structured in their approach to change; Emphasizes the concept of the "Continuous Improvement Project," which helps leaders to understand the on-going nature of organizational transformation; Contributes to our understanding of how to design, implement, or change systems within the congregation in order to enhance the effectiveness of ministry.

"Three Months with Revelation is popular author Justo Gonzalez' study of the Book of Revelation. Eminently readable, the study uses the see-judge-act method to bring readers closer to the text and informs and challenges the daily life of the Christian. These 13 studies can be used for Sunday school, for evening Bible study, for home study meetings, for faith communities, for retreats, and for personal Bible study.

In this, the only book available that addresses the distinctive issues and character of preaching in the Hispanic congregation, the authors discuss important historical, theoretical, and methodological issues in Hispanic homiletics. Includes ten sermons.

Tres Meses en la Escuela de Isa as (Isaiah)

In the parable that begins this book, a large chunk has fallen out of the roof of a historic church, exactly where an imposing mosaic of God enthroned in heaven used to reside. The members of the church, unable to agree on how to repair the roof or what image to put there, now worship under a God-shaped hole, trying to come to grips with the loss of old certitudes and the new challenges they face. The church today faces exactly the same problem, argues Thomas Troeger. We live in a fragmented society, and the church reflects that fragmentation. We, too, sit under the "God-shaped hole," wondering how to proceed now that former ways of understanding who God is and what it means to be God's people are no longer universally or even widely held. How does one preach in this situation? The answer, says Troeger, is to reclaim the imaginative and visionary role of the preacher. The preacher's job is to employ the creative elements of preaching to help God's people imagine the new thing God is doing in our time. Yet this kind of creative preaching is not just a matter of technique, of learning the right methods for how to preach with imagination. It is foremost a matter of formation; it comes when the preacher opens himself or herself, through the disciplines of prayer and study, to the inspiring presence of God's Spirit. In Preaching While the Church Is Under Reconstruction, Troeger constructs a framework for how to preach in this time of transition and failing certainties. He demonstrates that, enlivened by the work of God's Spirit, it is possible to preach with vision and insight, and help God's people perceive their place in the world which God is creating anew.

This volume in the United Methodist Studies series challenges United Methodists to engage in life-transforming practices. The author explains a theme and underscores major emphases within the United Methodist denomination. This adult study is divided into four sections with suggestions for group discussion, and can be completed in 4 to 8 sessions. No leader's guide is needed. The sections are: 1 - Living from the Heart - This chapter examines the essence of prayer and devotional life for United Methodists: holiness of heart and life. The chapter is divided into two sections to enable this examination: Cimmunion (heart) and Compassion (life). 2 - Read and Pray Daily - Exploring these two central disciplines in Christian formation and the Wesleyan Tradition guides readers into practical expressions of what it means to read devotionally (lection divina) and pray continually (the life of prayer). 3 - Get Connected! - The idea of "e;connectionalism"e; is a significant part of our tradition. This chapter examines this idea from two vantage points of classic formation principles and the concrete structures Wesley used in early-Methodism, which still contain implications for today. 4 - Go On! - The cultivation of prayer and devotional life in United Methodism is not about "e;attainment"e; but rather about "e;journey."e; This chapter examines the pilgrimage motif through the two lenses of the biblical doctrine of Christian perfection, and the practical development of that message through an action/reflection model of Christian formation.

Like the two previous projects Weaver has brought to Abingdon Press, this is a case-study book which will be used both as a resource for clergy and other pastoral workers and for those in training in those fields. The cases will translate technical material into real-life situations while highlighting practical implications for pastors. The authors provide readers with treatment options, referral procedures within the context of the religious community and beyond, and additional national, self-help, and cross-cultural resources, emphasizing those available on the internet.

This inspiring book presents a sensitive collection of stories about people with disabilities and their friends enriching the lives of one another. Beautifully illustrated.

In Resurrecting the Person, John Swinton argues that while mental illnesses are often biological and genetic in origin, the real handicap experienced by individuals is imposed by the types of reactions, values, and attitudes which are typical of contemporary western society. In other words, how a mental illness is experienced has much to do with how it is socially constructed. How will the church react to this suggestion? Swinton suggests that the key to the effective pastoral care of individuals with severe mental illness lies not only within the realms of psychiatry, therapy, and pharmacological intervention, but in the rehumanization which is borne within the relationship of friendship.