The Emotionally Healthy Church: A Strategy for Discipleship that Actually Changes Lives

True Discipleship Integrates Emotional and Spiritual Health. New Life Fellowship in Queens, New York, had it all: powerful teaching, dynamic ministries, an impressive growth rate, and a vision to do great works for God. Things looked good---but beneath the surface, circumstances were more than just brewing. They were about to boil over, forcing Peter Scazzero to confront needs in his church and himself that went deeper than he'd ever imagined. What he learned about the vital link between emotional health, relational depth, and spiritual maturity can shed new light on painful problems in your own church. Here are refreshing new insights, and a different and challenging slant on what it takes to lead your congregation to wholeness and maturity in Christ. Our churches are in trouble, says Scazzero. They are filled with people who are -unsure how to biblically integrate anger, sadness, and other emotions -defensive, incapable of revealing their weaknesses -threatened by or intolerant of different viewpoints -zealous about ministering at church but blind to their spouses' loneliness at home -so involved in 'serving' that they fail to take care of themselves -prone to withdraw from conflict rather than resolve it Sharing from New Life Fellowship's painful but liberating journey, Scazzero reveals exactly how the truth can and does make people free---not just superficially, but deep down. After offering a new vision of discipleship and a revealing, guided self-assessment of your own spiritual and emotional maturity, The Emotionally Healthy Church takes you through six principles that can make a profound difference in your church. You'll acquire knowledge and tools that can help you and others - look beneath the surface of problems - break the power of past wounds, failures, sins, and circumstances - live a life of brokenness and vulnerability - recognize and honor personal limitations and boundaries - embrace grief and loss - make incarnation your model to love others. Written in a personal and passionate style, The Emotionally Healthy Church includes hands-on tools, discussion questions, spotlights on key points, and story after story of people at New Life whose lives have been changed by the concepts in this book. Open these pages, and find out how your church can turn a new corner on the road to spiritual maturity.

Pete Scazzero is founder and Senior Pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York City, a large, multiracial, international church with over sixty-five countries represented. Pete and his wife, Geri, have four daughters, are co-founders of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. SPANISH BIO: Peter Scazzero es ampliamente reconocido por su obra en una gran iglesia multicultural y multirracial, cuyo origen esta en mas de 55 naciones, en una de las areas etnicamente mas diversas de los Estados Unidos. En 1987, Pete y Geri Scazzero fundaron la New Life Fellowship, una primera congregacion de una asociacion de iglesias. Hoy dia, el movimiento incluye a cinco distintas congregaciones de la ciudad de Nueva York (cuatro de habla inglesa y una de habla hispana) y tres en otros paises (Republica Dominicana y Colombia). Se graduo del Seminario Teologico Gordon-Conwell y actualmente es estudiante del doctorado en Ministerio en el Seminario Teologico Bautista del Este, con una especializacion en matrimonio y familia.

Warren Bird (PhD, Fordham University) serves as a primary researcher and writer for Leadership Network and has more than ten years of church staff and of seminary teaching experience. He has collaboratively written twenty books, all on subjects of church health or church innovation. Warren and his wife live just outside of New York City. SPANISH BIO: Warren Bird, pastor ordenado por mas de veinte anos, obtuvo un doctorado en sociologia de religion en la Universidad Fordham y ademas maestrias de la Facultad Wheaton y el Seminario Teologico Alliance. Sirve como director del departamento de capital de investigacion e intelecto en la Red de Liderazgo y tiene mas de diez anos de experiencia ensenando en seminarios. Ha colaborado como autor en varios libros acerca de la salud e innovacion de la iglesia entre ellos, La iglesia emocionalmente sana. Warren y su esposa, Michelle, residen en las afueras de Nueva York.