There’s always a story behind every congregation’s understanding of themselves. It’s a story that they have inherited and a story they unconsciously live by. But is it a true story; a story that reflects the hope and potential of what’s ahead? Larry Golemon, as part of Alban Institutes Narrative Leadership in Ministry Collection, writes this book to help congregations “re-envision” themselves and recover a narrative that will inspire them to reach their full potential. Golemon, an ordained Presbyterian minister and research consultant with the Alban Institute, has assembled essays by a number of congregational consultants who use the power of story to “help congregations heal, strengthen, and reinvent themselves.” Selected contributors describe how this approach to “finding our story” works. The book explores the potential of narrative in unlocking congregational gifts and possibilities. It includes practical wisdom along with favorite models of narrative change to show how congregations can be transformed by reframing the stories they live by. This is a book that congregational leaders from any faith tradition would appreciate and benefit from reading.

Reviewed by Beth Booram