Janet Hoover

Janet Hoover is a certified spiritual director in private practice and an American Baptist pastor. She graduated from the University of Indianapolis and earned her MDiv and DMin from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.

Contributions From Janet Hoover

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Called to Serve: Creating and Nurturing the Effective Volunteer Board

Formatted as a letter, the author uses his business and nonprofit board experience to discuss...

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The Equipping Church Guidebook

This biblically-based guidebook details a vision and strategy for implementing a...

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Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know to Secure...

This book provides a variety of ways congregations can ask for money, covering topics like the...

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101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide

This book offers tactics for congregations to better communicate through social media.

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New Life through Shared Ministry: Moving from Volunteering to Mission

This resource examines the shared ministry system as a way for congregations to support lay...

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Critical Minds and Discerning Hearts: A Spirituality of Multicultural Teaching

Written by a professor of ministry and pastoral theology, this resource argues that providing...

organization

Stephen Ministries

This organization provides resources and training for congregations to establish a ministry of...

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Volunteering and Its Surprising Benefits: Helping Others While Helping Yourself

This resource describes the four benefits of volunteering, which range from the physical to...

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Christian Education in the African American Church: A Guide for Teaching Truth

This book focuses on providing a Christian education for African Americans, equipping...

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The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer

This resource argues that 21st century volunteers are different, and thus, congregations must...

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Teaching Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Learning and Teaching

This resource combines anecdotes, information, and explanations to equip teachers with the...

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LifeKeys Discovery Workbook: Discover Who You Are

This workbook is filled with exercises and reflection questions to help readers discover their...

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Discover Your Conflict Management Style

This resource will help the reader identify their conflict management tendencies before...

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Born of Water, Born of Spirit: Supporting the Ministry of the Baptized in Small Congregations

This resource reveals the potential for collaborative ministry within small congregations and...

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Shaping Spiritual Leaders: Supervision and Formation in Congregations

This resource re-frames how readers see supervisory relationships within the congregation,...

organization

Group Publishing

This organization provides Biblically based resources on volunteers and volunteer management,...

organization

Gallup Strengths Center

Gallup provides the CliftonStrengths assessment tool for users to identify, understand, and...

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Boomer Volunteer Engagement: Facilitator's Tool Kit

This resource is designed to help nonprofit groups involve, engage, and sustain baby boomers...

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365 Ideas for Recruiting, Retaining, Motivating and Rewarding Your Volunteers: A Complete Guide...

This resource shows how to properly recruit, retain, and motivate volunteers, and covers...

organization

Energize, Inc.

This comprehensive website provides information to manage volunteers and programs through...

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Leading Life-Changing Small Groups

This workbook looks at both theory and practical issues to equip small group leaders with the...

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Discovering God's Vision for Your Life: You and Your Spiritual Gifts

This eight-hour course is part of a comprehensive spiritual gifts program that helps users...

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Called and Chosen: Toward a Spirituality for Lay Leaders

This collection of 13 essays discusses relevant topics for lay ministers, such as the...

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Becoming a Congregation of Learners: Learning as a Key to Revitalizing Congregational Life

This book outlines five stages to transform synagogues into learning congregations.

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The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good News in New Ways

Written by a church communications professional, this step-by-step guide explains how and why...

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Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth

This resource lends practical marketing strategies for congregations, using examples from...

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Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communication

This book contains dozens of brief, expert articles about how to communicate ideas inside and...

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The Little Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects: A Practical, Hands-On Guide

This peacebuilding book offers a group dialogue process and conversation skills to build...

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Listening & Caring Skills: A Guide for Groups and Leaders

This practical resource offers suggestions and examples to help readers enhance their...

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Michael Slind: Part of an Ongoing Conversation

This interview excerpt with a communications professional discusses the dynamics, content, and...

web resource

Church Tech Today: Technology for Today's Church

This website views technology as a vehicle for congregations to communicate and also shares...

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Center For Church Communication

This organization provides coaching and mentoring for congregations to use communication as an...

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Reaching Out in a Networked World: Expressing Your Congregation's Heart and Soul

This book underlines the importance of a congregation's ability to communicate their values,...

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Anne Curley: Do the Right Thing

This resource teaches lay leaders how to better handle a crisis and promotes collaboration...

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Essential Guide to Children's Ministry Safety

This resource provides an overview of how to keep children safe, touching on subjects ranging...

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WeShare: Online Giving for Churches and Other Community Organizations

This company makes online donation software that can be used with computers, tablets, and...

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Accounting and Money for Ministerial Leadership: Key Practical and Theological Insights

This book written by a seminary professor introduces faith leaders to basic accounting,...

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Vanco Payment Solutions

This software offers online giving and electronic financial services for organizations...

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Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations: Benefits and Responsibilities under the...

Created by the IRS, this booklet helps congregations ensure their compliance with the current...

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SimpleGive: Online giving made simple

This customizable giving platform allows congregations to select a variety of services a la...

web resource

A Parishioner's Guide to Understanding Parish Finances

This document is a tool to evaluate lay people's awareness of congregational finances and...

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Ministry and Money: A Practical Guide for Pastors

Written by an accounting professor and theology professor, this book is a practical overview...

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2022 Church & Clergy Tax Guide

This annual publication provides current information about tax laws, equipping treasurers and...

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Financial Information & Tools

This website provides links and information about finance in congregations.

software

eGive

This online donation software includes a variety of giving options to make it easy for...

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The Budget-Building Book for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Managers and Boards

This workbook provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to budgeting, ranging from the...

periodical

Church Finance Today

This e-newsletter covers timely finance topics such as record keeping, business expenses,...

organization

CapinCrouse, LLP

This company offers consulting on a wide range of accounting, financial, and management...

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Effective Church Finances: Fund-Raising and Budgeting for Church Leaders

This book will help churches attain future financial stability and offers a process for...

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The Color of Church: A Biblical and Practical Paradigm for Multiracial Churches

Drawing from the author's experience leading a multi-racial church, this book looks at the...

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Relational Judaism: Using the Power of Relationships to Transform the Jewish Community

Based on research from more than 100 interviews and site visits, this resource offers best...

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Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend

This book argues that congregations should focus on designing their church for the unchurched,...

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Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults

This resource draws upon five years of research on emerging adults to help congregations from...

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Welcome Them Home, Help Them Heal

This resource combines the authors' military, medical, and faith backgrounds to address the...

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Congregational Connections: Uniting Six Generations in the Church

This book examines the differences and needs of the six generations that make up...

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A Place at the Table: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor

This book outlines a 40-day spiritual journey to practice compassion and eat in solidarity...

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Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism

This book focuses on the concept of evangelism --- its challenges, the reason for doing it,...

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Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church

This resource uses theory and practice to help congregations understand the dynamics of...

periodical

Outreach Magazine

Outreach Magazine is a by-monthly, non-denominational magazine for Christian churches that...

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Beyond Hospitality

This article reflects on hospitality and the stranger through the lens of immigration,...

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10 Signals That Say "You Are Not Welcome In This Church"

This article identifies ten negative messages congregations unknowingly send to guests and...

organization

McIntosh Church Growth Network

This organization provides consulting and online resources focused on a variety of topics,...

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7 Do's and Don'ts of Welcoming Guests to Your Congregation

This article draws from the author's experience visiting various congregations to offer seven...

article

Pope Francis Calls All Catholics to Evangelize

Written by a theology professor, this article reflects on evangelism, the role of the...

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A Vision for the Aging Church: Renewing Ministry for and by Seniors

This book explores the aging population and shares how they can be assets to the congregation....

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Christians and the Color Line: Race and Religion After Divided by Faith

This collection of essays from various scholars explores race relations and the role religion...

organization

EvangelismCoach

This website provides tools and strategies to train and send evangelists to fulfill the Great...

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Cut Dead But Still Alive: Caring for African American Young Men

Based off the author's personal experience, along with the stories of six young black men,...

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Worship for the Whole People of God: Vital Worship for the 21st Century

This practical guide gives readers a theological background on worship and expands knowledge...

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Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church: Mandate, Commitments and Practices of a Diverse Congregation

Written in three parts, this book encourages churches to seek diversity, and gives best...

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A Many Colored Kingdom: Multicultural Dynamics for Spiritual Formation

This book examines how America's increased diversity impacts spiritual formation, addressing...

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The Work Of The Greeter

This easy-to-follow guide emphasizes the importance of capable greeters who are able to create...

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The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel

Written from the Roman Catholic Jesuit perspective, this scholarly book examines God's...

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The Welcoming Congregation: Roots and Fruits of Christian Hospitality

This book analyzes the theme of hospitality from multiple aspects, including the author's own...

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They Are Us: Lutherans and Immigration

This resource offers a Lutheran perspective on immigration, tracing its roots in the Bible and...

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Community: The Structure of Belonging

This book provides the process and strategy to build a community in a fragmented world.

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Culturally-Conscious Worship

This resource identifies challenges and offers solutions for congregations looking to reflect...

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Racial Justice and the Catholic Church

This informative book analyzes the Roman Catholic Church's response to racism in America,...

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Greening Spaces for Worship and Ministry: Congregations, Their Buildings, and Creation Care

This resource addresses how congregations can begin to treat the earth with sacredness by...

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When Not to Build: An Architect's Unconventional Wisdom for the Growing Church

This resource asks congregations to assess their needs and explore alternatives before...

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The Facility Management Handbook

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about managing a facility, ranging...

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The Church Construction Kit: A Complete Project Guide for Church Building Programs

This practical guide will help your congregation navigate the building process, from the...

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7 Simple Steps to Green Your Church

This two-part guide to become environmentally friendly includes case studies and tips,...

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Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy

Written in five parts, this book explores the relationship between Roman Catholic beliefs and...

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Building for Ministry: The Book That Will Save Your Church 1,000's of Dollars

This resource provides an overview of the building process, and covers the importance of...

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God's House is Our House: Re-imagining the Environment for Worship

Targeted towards Roman Catholics, this book summarizes a twelve-step process that can be...

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Who Moved my Tabernacle? The Ruckus Over Renovation

This article details the stories of several Roman Catholic congregations during the renovation...

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Guidelines for the Building and Renovation of Churches

Written by The Diocesan Commission on Church Art and Architecture for the Archdiocese of...

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The Church: Unlocking the Secrets to the Places Catholics Call Home

This resource combines theology, illustration, and history to delve into features of the Roman...

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The ADA Companion Guide: Understanding Accessibility Guidelines and Architectural Barriers

This resource specializes in understanding the American with Disabilities and Architectural...

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Zeal for God's House: An Architect's Reflections on Sacred Space

Written by an architect, this reflective article asks questions about how God's presence is...

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Construction Cost is Only Part of the Church Project Budget

This straightforward article lists the phases of a building project and highlights costs to...

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Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message

This resource divides renovation and building projects into a three part process, showing how...

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A Place of Encounter: Renewing Worship Spaces

This book makes the connection between worship goals and worship spaces with tips on how to...

software

SecureGive

This customizable giving platform provides many giving and reporting options for large...

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Small Is Big! Unleashing the Big Impact of Intentionally Small Churches

This book presents the small house church as a way to achieve ministry as described by Jesus...

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Imagining the Small Church: Celebrating a Simpler Path

Filled with moving stories about the life of a small church, this book offers a candid look...

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Administration In the Small Membership Church

This book identifies administration and leadership as crucial components for the small church,...

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Rural Ministry Conference

This conference focuses on educating and empowering prospective and current clergy, for...

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The Rural Ministry Blog

Bi-vocational pastor Harry Colegrove’ s leadership experience in a small town informs...

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Rural Home Missionary Association

This organization offers resources and trainings with the goal of planting and supporting...

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Rural Church Network of the United States and Canada

This web resource, by Rural Church Network, provides space for congregational leaders in...

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The Land That Calls Me Home: Connecting God's People to God's Land through God's Church

Based on the author's experience within a rural congregation, this resource explores the...

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Transforming Church in Rural America

Based on the experiences of the author as a rural pastor, this book dispels false assumptions...

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Rural Revival: Growing Churches in Shrinking Communities

Based off the results of a case study, this resource offers stagnant rural and small...

web resource

Catholic Rural Life

This website offers free resources for rural and small town congregations to address outreach,...

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Smaller Congregations Share Ideas in Quest to Stay Vibrant

This article looks at the efforts of Jewish congregations and judicatories to address the...

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Small Church Pastor

This organization provides coaching, consulting, and free online resources for leaders of...

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The Indispensable Guide for Smaller Churches

Designed to help small church leaders improve their ministry, this book examines small...

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The Strategically Small Church: Intimate, Nimble, Authentic, and Effective

This resource argues that the most effective small church is one that sees and appreciates its...

article

Does a Congregation's Location Influence Its Effectiveness?

This article argues that congregations can be successful regardless of their location,...

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25 Turnaround Strategies for Small-Membership Congregations

This downloadable guide outlines a three-year revitalization process for small churches.

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Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church

Written by someone with first-hand experience, this book shows how the part-time clergy model...

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The Challenges of Pastoring a Smaller Membership Church

This article identifies ten challenges that small church pastors might face while offering...

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Shepherding the Small Church: A Leadership Guide for the Majority of Today's Churches

This book presents the meaning of church vitality in a new light, and begins a conversation...

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The Gifts of the Small Church

This book offers a look inside the world of the small church, paying a tribute to the...

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Turnaround and Beyond: A Hopeful Future for the Small Membership Church

This book equips congregations with tools to move from maintenance to mission, examining the...

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Life on the Edge: A Small Church Redefines Its Mission

This article dispels negative myths about the small church's future.

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Intentional Ministry in a Not-So-Mega Church: Becoming a Missional Community

This book argues that churches must move from an internal to an external focus, giving...

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Places of Promise: Finding Strength in Your Congregation's Location

Drawing upon data and observations, this resource navigates the relationship between location...

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When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search: Biblical Principles and Practices to Guide Your Search

This book will help pastoral search committees through every step of the process, starting...

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Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change

Written by an organizational consultant, this book contains examples and strategies for...

web resource

ChurchJobFinder.com

This free website contains job postings from a variety of ministry positions.

article

50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor

Written by a United Methodist leader, this article offers 50 helpful actions that...

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Calling Clergy: A Spiritual and Practical Guide Through the Search Process

This book provides spiritual and practical processes to search for a new clergy, offering...

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Intentional Interim Ministry

Healthychurches.org shares good practices about intentional interim ministry and offers a...

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Interim Ministry Network

This organization provides training for clergy, intentional interims, or interim consultants...

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Navigating Pastoral Transitions: A Parish Leader's Guide

This book completes a three-part series on navigating pastoral transitions. This specific...

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Navigating Pastoral Transitions: A Staff Guide

This book completes a three-part series on navigating pastoral transitions in Roman Catholic...

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Navigating Pastoral Transitions: A Priest's Guide

This book completes a three-part series on navigating pastoral transitions in Roman Catholic...

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The Graceful Exit: A Pastor's Journey from Good-bye to Hello

Using scripture, stories from other clergy, and the author's own story, this resource helps...

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A Change of Pastors... and How it Affects Change in the Congregation

This resource frames clergy transitions as a period with potential to strengthen relationships...

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Interim Ministry: Positive Change in Times of Transition

This resource offers a comprehensive review of interim ministry, and includes strategies and...

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Vanderbloemen

This premier consulting agency works with churches for hiring staff, succession planning, and...

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Next: Pastoral Succession That Works

This book uses case studies, biblical examples, and interviews to offer a fresh perspective on...

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A Future for Interim Ministry

This article advocates for an increased number of trained intentional interim ministers and a...

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Leading Your African American Church through Pastoral Transitions

This resource identifies the nine leadership behaviors that will aid in a smooth transition to...

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Leadership That Fits Your Church: What Kind of Pastor for What Kind of Congregation

This e-book explores the challenges of pastoral leadership and provides clarity surrounding...

web resource

Clergy Sexual Misconduct: Awareness and Prevention

Baylor University’ s website offers individuals and congregations several resources...

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The Cry of Tamar: Violence Against Women and the Church's Response

This resource uses the voice of Tamar from 2 Samuel 13 as the grounding force to challenge...

article

Defeating the Demons: The Prevention of Clergy Sexual Abuse

This article presents a proactive stance on clergy sexual abuse and suggests four categories...

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Faith Trust Institute

This organization offers online trainings, resources, and consulting addressing sexual and...

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Lives Entrusted: An Ethic of Trust for Ministry

This resource looks at topics such as misconduct, authenticity, testimony, vulnerability, and...

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Flying in the Face of Tradition: Listening to the Lived Experience of the Faithful

This resource critiques the Roman Catholic church with love and grace, diagnosing its current...

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Joining Forces: Empowering Male Survivors to Thrive

Based on his work with male survivors of sexual abuse in addition to his own experiences as a...

article

We Dare Not Fall: Dealing with the Peril of Clergy Sexual Misconduct

This article helps male clergy understand and identify the risks of clergy sexual misconduct...

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We Were the Least of These: Reading the Bible with Survivors of Sexual Abuse

This resource offers survivors of sexual abuse a scriptural interpretation that helps them...

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Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse

Written in four parts, this resource gives readers clarity about emotional abuse and paths to...

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Understanding the Impact of Clergy Sexual Abuse: Betrayal and Recovery

This volume examines clergy sexual abuse from several angles based on a series of...

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Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church for Children and Youth

This resource tackles the difficult topic of abuse and religious communities --- how to...

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Clergy Sexual Misconduct: A Systems Approach to Prevention, Intervention, and Oversight

This comprehensive book offers a systemic approach to clergy and congregation recovery after...

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Nothing to Hide: Secrecy, Communication, and Communion in the Catholic Church

Written by a journalist, this resource argues for a Roman Catholic church that is open,...

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So You Think You Don't Know One? Addiction and Recovery in Clergy and Congregations

This resource tackles the systemic, spiritual, and communal problems of addictive and...

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Spiritual Abuse Recovery: Dynamic Research on Finding a Place of Wholeness

This comprehensive guide looks at spiritual abuse by clergy and lay leaders through a lens of...

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Staying in Bounds: Straight Talk on Boundaries for Effective Ministry

This resource offers tools and practical applications for ministry to embrace healthy...

web resource

Safe Sanctuaries

This United Methodist online resource has links to articles, webinars, and contact information...

web resource

Areyvut

This web resource promotes areyvut, a term that means “mutual responsibility”, as...

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The Other Philadelphia Story: How Local Congregations Support Quality of Life in Urban America

Based on multi-faith research, this book highlights the value congregations add to their...

web resource

Community Tool Box

This free web resource is a public service of the University of Kansas and its KU Work Group...

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Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices: Money

This book provides a variety of Jewish voices and opinions on the topic of money --- how it...

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Inside Out Families: Living the Faith Together

Based on interviews of numerous families, this book provides ideas for engaging family...

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Effective Staffing for Vital Churches

This resource simplifies church staffing into the "Four Core Processes": evangelism,...

web resource

GenerationOn

This web resource, provided by the youth division of the 1989 President George H.W. Bush...

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Empowering Laity, Engaging Leaders: Tapping the Root for Ministry

This practical resource gives readers helpful approaches and suggestions for engaging laity in...

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Go the Distance

Part of a three-book series, this specific resource focuses on volunteers and covers topics...

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Essential Guide to Employment Issues for Church Boards

This resource uses an ethical and legal perspective to examine common and difficult employment...

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Tomorrow's Synagogue Today: Creating Vibrant Centers of Jewish Life

This resource contemplates the identity of the synagogue as a religious center for Jewish...

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Moving Forward

Part one in a three-book series, this resource focuses on helping leaders recruit and train...

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The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World

This resource views missional churches as the best response to modern-day malaise in many...

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Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn From America's Largest Churches

This book examines the effectiveness of megachurches by addressing myths and concluding that...

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Taking Flight with Creativity: Worship Design Teams That Work

This resource tackles the ins and outs of vibrant worship, and provides suggestions on how to...

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A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations: Who's Going Where and Why

This resource paints a detailed portrait of American congregations from a variety of religious...

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Cultivating Sent Communities: Missional Spiritual Formation

Composed by a variety of contributors, this book examines spiritual formation from the...

article

Children's Ministry Check-In and Check-Out Procedures

This article focuses on how to keep children safe while they are in church facilities.

article

Confronting Gun Violence at Church

This article equips clergy and lay leaders with tips and information to prepare for the...

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Essential Guide to Youth Ministry Safety

This resource addresses a range of topics to help youth ministers navigate issues of safety,...

article

Medical Emergency Preparation

This article argues for a health ministry team that can be integrated into the congregation...

article

Record Keeping

This comprehensive article is a review on what constitutes as a church record, which records...

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Arts Ministry: Nurturing the Creative Life of God's People

This resource offers a history of the arts in Christianity and shows readers how to establish...

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Transitional Ministry Today: Successful Strategies for Churches and Pastors

This collection of essays promotes a rethinking of the developmental model of interim ministry...

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Youth Leader Training on the Go: Practical Leadership Development for Busy Volunteers

This DVD curriculum allows youth pastors to train volunteers remotely by sending video...

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Building Your Volunteer Team: A 30-Day Change Project for Youth Ministry

This resource walks readers through a 30-day boot camp in order to secure youth volunteers.

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The Wisdom of Group Decisions: 100 Principles and Practical Tips for Collaboration

This slim guide offers principles and accompanying tips that can easily be applied to any form...

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Facing Decline, Finding Hope: New Possibilities for Faithful Churches

This book offers solutions for congregations who hope to grow a vibrant faith community...

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The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus: Relational Smarts for Religious Leaders

This resource uses the Bible, brain science, and psychology to depict the uses of emotional...

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Not Safe For Church: Ten Commandments For Reaching New Generations

Using the Old and New Testament, this book provides readers with ten practices or...

book

Social Media Guide for Ministry: What It Is and How to Use It

Written by a social media pastor, this book makes a case for viewing social media as a helpful...

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Plan and Conduct Effective Meetings: 24 Steps to Generate Meaningful Results

This resource will increase the effectiveness of your congregation by providing a guide to...

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Spiritual Discovery: A Method for Discernment in Small Groups and Congregations

This user-friendly resource encourages congregational leaders to use the Spiritual Discovery...

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Better Bylaws: Creating Effective Rules for Your Nonprofit Board

This comprehensive guide outlines how to create bylaws and is easily adaptable for...

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The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair

This resource provides the history and basics of The Circle Way, a structure of conversation...

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Facilitation at a Glance: Your Pocket Guide to Facilitation

This practical book teaches facilitation for anyone interested in coordinating group work or...

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Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision Making

This comprehensive resource teaches the nuts and bolts of facilitating group decision-making...

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Associate Staff Ministry: Thriving Personally, Professionally, and Relationally

This book for associate staff encourages growth and well-being, focusing on four areas:...

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A Precious Fountain: Music in the Worship of an African American Catholic Community

This resource uses the lens of worship music to explore the culture of a Black Catholic parish...

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Big Lessons from Little Places: Faithfulness and the Future in Small Congregations

This book argues that small congregations offer relevant lessons appropriate for any size of...

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The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers,...

This comprehensive guide looks at the theory and practice of facilitating conversations as a...

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Sanctifying Art: Inviting Conversation Between Artists, Theologians, and the Church

Written by an artist and seminary professor, this resource bridges the divide between the two...

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For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts

This collection of essays offers an expansive vision of the arts for the church.

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Preaching Funerals in the Black Church: Bringing Perspective to Pain

This resource provides theological reflections and suggestions for clergy seeking to provide...

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More Than 50 Ways to Build Team Consensus

This user-friendly resource equips leadership teams with various techniques to reach...

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Mobilizing Congregations: How Teams Can Motivate Members and Get Things Done

This resource examines all aspects of ministry teams --- how they function, benefits, and...

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Building a New Church: A Process Manual for Pastors and Lay Leaders

This resource covers a range of broad to specific topics relating to the building or...

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Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional

This resource assesses both traditional Evangelical and emerging Evangelical perspectives to...

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A Field Guide to Contemporary Worship: How to Begin and Lead Band-Based Worship

This book combines theology and practical instruction to start or improve a contemporary...

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Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Tradition

This collection of essays discusses the future of the Christian church, drawing upon current...

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Worship at the Next Level: Insights from Contemporary Voices

This collection of essays explores Christian worship from different vantage points, such as...

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A Primer on Christian Worship: Where We've Been, Where We Are, Where We Can Go

This book focuses on worship renewal by examining faithful worship and how history shapes...

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From A Mustard Seed: Enlivening Worship and Music in the Small Church

Designed for small membership Christian congregations, this resource explores new ways...

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The Emergent Psalter

Designed to serve the musical and liturgical needs of emergent communities of faith, this...

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New Songs of Celebration Render: Congregational Song in the Twenty-First Century

This church hymnody resource identifies, describes, and discusses seven categories of...

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Emerging Worship: Creating Worship Gatherings for New Generations

This resource uses theory and practices to counter the "restlessness" among young people in...

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The Art of Curating Worship: Reshaping the Role of Worship Leader

This resource generates new language and meaning to change how readers view worship service...

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Perspectives on Christian Worship: 5 Views

This resource offers different perspectives of worship and responses from voices outside of...

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Alternative to Worship?

This article describes an event designed to help young adults connect with their Jewish...

web resource

Helping Small Churches Thrive

A plethora of information about small churches is available on this website that is maintained...

book

Zondervan 2020 Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide: For 2019 Tax Returns

This easy to follow guide contains helpful information relating to congregational and...

organization

Church for Men

This organization provides resources that help congregations reach more men and boys, such as...

organization

American Community Gardening Association

This organization provides online resources and in-person services for food and gardening,...

organization

Association of Consultants for Liturgical Space

This organization offers a list of artists, architects, and liturgical consultants who are...

organization

BoardSource

This organization provides conferences, trainings, and assessments to help nonprofit board...

organization

ChurchSmart Resources

This organization provides workshops, online resources, and assessment tools focused on church...

article

5 Reasons People Volunteer

This article discusses five motivations people have for volunteering so that leaders can guide...

event

International Catholic Stewardship Council Annual Conference

This four-day conference is dedicated to advancing Christian stewardship, Catholic...

article

Buying Church Property

This five-step plan from the Christian Church is for congregations who have already identified...

article

Church Facility Maintenance

This article offers best practices for maintaining a church facility with the goals of safety...

article

Signage

This article helps congregations assess how their signage adds or detracts from their...

organization

Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership

This organization promotes and teaches the principles of servant leadership through...

web resource

Externally Focused Churches Becoming the New Norm

This web resource offers a YouTube video narrated by Eric Swanson, author and Leadership...

organization

Journey to Baptismal Living

This organization offers an e-newsletter, conference, and articles to help congregational...

article

50 Ways to Welcome New People

This three-page document is full of practical suggestions for making your congregation...

article

25 Simple Ways to Be Missional in Your Neighborhood

This article describes 25 practical and easily implemented ways for congregations and...

article

Child Sexual Abuse Response Plan

This article equips congregations with ways to prevent child abuse and what to do if abuse is...

article

Dealing with Dangerous People

This article helps churches identify dangerous behaviors and outlines strategies for keeping...

article

Do-It-Yourself Energy Audit for Congregations

In this article, Kansas Interfaith Power and Light offers a five-step process to help...

article

Five Strategic Advantages of Small Churches

This article identifies and details five strengths of smaller congregations while providing...

article

Insights Into: Attracting and Keeping Congregational Members

This article offers research and insights to help congregations attract and recruit new and...

article

Choosing a Site

This article offers congregations topics to consider before selecting a piece of property to...

article

Flexible Space

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of converting your facility into a...

article

The Eight Practices of a Missional Church

This article offers eight practices of a missional church while inviting readers to consider...

article

What is the Missional Church? A Brief Introduction

This article describes a brief history of the missional church movement and discusses the...

media

Alternative Worship Images from the UK

This montage captures the spirit, mood, and tone of the alternative worship movement in one...

web resource

Calvin College Pubs Clubs Alt Worship Compilation

This less than three-minute video from YouTube has no spoken words, but speaks volumes about...

web resource

Labyrinth - Grace09

This web resource offers a YouTube video that contains a labyrinth meditative prayer walk...

web resource

Prayerscapes

This website, provided by Prayerscapes, a group of Christian musicians, dramatic readers, and...

web resource

Worship Enrich: Exploring Old and New Ways of Responding to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Anglican Church Music Director Neil Barker created this website to explore and discuss the...

article

Six Characteristics of a Missional Church

This article identifies the foundation of the missional church outlining six characteristics...

book

Debtcibel: a Non-technical Sound Book that Teaches the Church How to Spend, When to Spend and Who...

Written by a Grammy-winning sound engineer, this resource shows how congregations can achieve...

periodical

Religious Buildings

The annual Traditional Building magazine is targeted to professionals in architecture,...

web resource

Governance in Small Congregations

This article has advice for small congregations to create a right-sized governance system.

article

Alternative Worship

This article summarizes alternative worship's history and offers eight alternative worship...

article

Communication Strategies for Addressing Conflict

This article discusses the role that miscommunication plays in congregational conflict and...