Church on the Edge of Somewhere - Softcover

Thompson, George B.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1566993482 ISBN 13: 9781566993487

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007

Synopsis

Most congregations today exist in what George Thompson calls the "middle of anywhere." They live comfortably with their surrounding culture, focusing their energies on serving the needs of their current members. These congregations have many strengths and gifts that they can exercise without changing a thing. But Thompson envisions a deeper, more prophetic call for congregations to explore the meaning of being in the world but not of it--a church on the "edge of somewhere." Thompson sees a church that is deeply engaged in ministering to the community while calling on others to commit to doing the same. By analyzing the interaction between a congregation's focus of identity and their stance with the world, Thompson has created a helpful grid for congregations to place themselves on today's cultural map. A congregation that sees itself as existing on the margins of society will look different than one that sees itself as embedded in society. A congregation that hears a call to serve the surrounding community will look different from one that focuses on its internal needs. Knowing where they stand now is the key for congregations to discover where they must go in the future to fully live out their call to be God's people in the world.

About this title

About the Author

George B. Thompson, Jr., is Associate Professor of Church Administration at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. He holds a Ph.D. from the Chicago Theological Seminary and the Claremont School of Theology. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister and the author of several books, including Alligators in the Swamp: Power, Leadership, and Ministry.

Review

Not many of us seek to live on the "edge" of anywhere, but George Thompson invites congregations not only to find the edge but to move toward it with courage and intentionality. The edge of "empathetic marginality" calls leaders and churches to risk comfort and security in order to engage the world with a transforming vision of the gospel. --Marcia Barnes Bailey, Author, Choosing Partnership, Sharing Ministry: A Vision for New Spiritual Community

Drawing from his fine scholarship and his lifetime of church experience, George Thompson has the ability to translate theoretical concepts into the practical realities of congregational life. --Lovett H. Weems, Jr., Director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary

The local church needs momentum as it moves forward into the twenty-first century. This book creates that momentum as it helps address difficult questions, chart fresh directions, and respond with theological integrity to a church that is finding itself on the margins. --Roy M. Terry IV, Pastor, Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Naples, Florida

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1566993482
• ISBN 13: 9781566993487
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 148