Description
Think you don't need another book on transformation?
Think again!
Drawing on years of experience in working with churches seeking transformation, author David Laubach condenses his recommendations into twelve direct and clear steps, each of which includes a biblical reference and commentary that illuminate the topic. Each chapter concludes with questions for reflection and recommended action steps.
Topics include:• creating a healthy church climate• counting the costs of transformation• eliminating "Lone Rangers"• developing effective leaders
Reviews
"Written by Reverend Dr. David Laubach, 12 Steps to Congregational Transformation: A Practical Guide for Leaders is a guide especially for pastors and church leaders to helping one's church survive and thrive. Grounded in the author's years of experience in helping churches transform, chapters give practical tools, tips, tricks, techniques and advice for revitalizing one's congregation and community. Biblical text commentary, questions for reflection and action, and the occasional black-and-white cartoon enhance this handy and motivational guide. 'I am amazed when I ask church leaders who have a vision statement to recite it and they stumble. If you fall into that category, you may want to begin the visioning process afresh. A statement drafted by the pastor or crafted by a committee may contain wonderful sentiments and cause heads to nod in assent, but it will not be emotionally owned by the entire congregation.' An invaluable resource for church leaders of all denominations." —Midwest Book Review
"The positive value of this book is the many ideas one finds from stories of personal experience working with congregations, to biblical emphases on renewal with some interesting applications to the contemporary church, to connections with important processes in developing teams and shared leadership for long-term success in transforming congregations." —Review and Expositor
"Church leaders concerned about the grim statistics of declining and closing churches would do well to consult this primer on renovating the church from within." —Jackie Riley, Baptists Today, April 2007
"The best thing about this book is that it is easily accessible for lay leaders in a church. Unlike many in this genre, I would not hesitate to recommend it to my entire leadership team...12 Steps to Congregational Transformation is a good entrée into an intimidating array of analyses, opinions, and resources." —Dwight Stinnett, Executive Minister, ABC Great Rivers Region
"In the end, this book is not just about twelve steps. It is about 'stepping out.' It is about walking with Christ into mission, and doing what the church is supposed to be about. Step, step, step, step...and keep going. It may take you five minutes or five years to move from one step described in this book to the next step. That's OK. Just don't stop. Keep going. God wants the church to be in motion." —from the Foreword by Thomas G. Bandy
"Laubach has written a book that ought to be a companion to the Bible for every church leader in America. His plan is understandable, achievable, teachable and measurable...This is an outstanding, practical book." —Charles Walton, pastor, First Baptist Church, Conroe, reviewed in Baptist Standard, May 14, 2007
Author Bio
David Laubach was formerly the Associate Executive Director for program ministries at the American Baptist Churches, USA. He serves as chair of the Church Renewal Workgroup of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), and also is a member of the BWA Evangelism and Education executive committee. A former pastor of churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Rev. Dr. Laubach has devoted much of his life's work to evangelism, renewal, and transformation. He holds a D. Min. degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, an M. Th. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an M. Div. degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.