Churches That Make a Difference: Reaching Your Community with Good News and Good Works - Softcover

Ronald J. Sider; Olson, Philip N.; Unruh, Heidi Rolland

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801091330 ISBN 13: 9780801091339

Publisher: Baker Books, 2002

Synopsis

Churches over the past generations have been weakened by a failure to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of their communities. Many have adopted a narrow vision, focusing on only one aspect of ministry. But in today's environment of faith-based opportunities many Christians are eager to start reaching out to their world with both Good News and good works, and therefore they are searching for appropriate ways to integrate both into their ministry.
In Churches That Make a Difference, best-selling author Ron Sider and his coauthors give those involved in community outreach a comprehensive resource for developing holistic ministry--a balance of evangelism and social outreach. Illustrations and helpful organizational tips detail the how-to's of an effective holistic ministry. Case studies that show how different churches across the United States reach out to their communities provide a variety of ideas and practical applications. User-friendly tools are included as well for congregational studies, surveys, evaluations, and community assessments.
The authors draw on extensive experience with church ministries and faith-based organizations as they share the life-changing vision and biblical mandate for living the whole gospel. Church leaders will be encouraged in their process of developing and maintaining a holistic ministry, and local churches will rediscover a passion for loving the whole person the way Jesus did.

About this title

About the Authors

Ronald J. Sider (1939-2022; PhD, Yale University) was the founder and president emeritus of Evangelicals for Social Action and served as distinguished professor of theology, holistic ministry, and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary at Eastern University. He wrote more than thirty books, including Nonviolent Action, The Early Church on Killing, Just Politics, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, Good News and Good Works, and the bestselling Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.

Philip N. Olson is vice president for church relations at ESA and director of Network 9:35, which helps churches develop holistic ministries.

Heidi Rolland Unruh is associate director of the Congregations, Communities, and Leadership Development Project at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

From the Back Cover

Is your church meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of your community? Churches That Make a Difference explores the biblical mandate and how-to's of developing and maintaining an effective holistic ministry that combines evangelism and social outreach. This comprehensive resource will help your congregation embrace change, resolve conflict, overcome social barriers, and move into a life-changing outreach of holistic ministry.

"When Sider, Olson, and Unruh call churches to engage in holistic ministry, they are calling us all back to the basics-to simply be faithful to the Gospel." Senator Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania

"Those who want help in the integration of spiritual and social ministry will find that this book will give them the help they need." Commissioner John Busby, National Commander, Salvation Army

"This is compulsive reading because it's not a set of ideas but realities that have been worked out in the ministry of local churches. I wholeheartedly commend it." Clive Calver, president, World Relief

"A faith-based revolution is emerging with the church, taking its rightful and responsible place in the public square. I found this timely book to be an insightful and practical guide for the church to seize this unprecedented opportunity." Dave Donaldson, founder & CEO, We Care America

"This timely book combines a theological and historical perspective with practical advice. Filled with detailed examples of ministries that are successfully addressing societal problems, it should be an influential and useful work." Robert L. Woodson Sr., president, National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise

"A wonderful guide for churches that want to empower the poor and share the gospel." Rep. Tony P. Hall, U.S. Congressman (D-Ohio)

"This book shows that churches, especially small churches, with vision, courage, and a biblically informed theology can be major players in transforming cities. It gave me great hope." Tony Campolo, professor of sociology, Eastern College

"A biblically grounded, richly researched, and thoroughly useful guide to enacting holistic ministry in every congregation." Carl S. Dudley, Hartford Institute for Religion Research, Hartford Seminary

"An extremely important book for congregations seeking to create ministries that reach the whole person, body and soul, with God's empowering love." Barbara Williams-Skinner, president, Skinner Leadership Institute

"This is a good book on holistic ministry. It is excellent for the church in America and timely." Jesse Miranda, director, Center for Urban Studies and Ethnic Leadership, Vanguard University

"This is an important book that will have a lasting impact on the role and vision of all our faith-based organizations." Bob Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

Edition details

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801091330
• ISBN 13: 9780801091339
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336