Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1426767552 ISBN 13: 9781426767555

Publisher: Abingdon Press, 2013

What behaviors do highly vital congregations have in common? How can all congregations move toward greater vitality? In Vital, Jorge Acevedo passionately and effectively reveals how Grace Church in Cape Coral, Florida, has developed behaviors that result in vital and fruitful ministry. Focusing on spiritual pastoral leadership, lay leadership development, worship, small groups, and service and mission, Acevedo both inspires and coaches. He helps leaders of congregations act in their own contexts to develop behaviors essential to vitality, as identified by the recent study of 32,000 United Methodist congregations. The book includes brief summaries of learnings from the research written by Amy Valdez Barker, project manager for the Vital Congregations Initiative, as well as stories from other congregations illustrating vital behaviors in different settings.

About the Author:

Jorge Acevedo is the Lead Pastor at Grace Church, a multi-site United Methodist congregation in Southwest Florida. Jorge led a group of young clergy in the creation of the book and Bible study Sent: Delivering the Gift of Hope at Christmas and is author of Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World. He is a contributor to Circuit Rider magazine, Good News magazine, and Our Faith Today.