Church Next [Paperback]

Aubrey Malphurs (Author), Michael S. Malphurs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 14, 2003

Coauthored by an experienced ministry leader and a computer expert, this book provides a balanced look at the challenges of combining ministry with technology. (20040603)

Editorial Reviews

Review

A must-have book for church planters, ministers, and leaders. (Author's Choice Book Reviews )

From the Back Cover

When printing technology revolutionized mass communication more than five hundred years ago, the church embraced technology—making the Bible widely available and changing the course of history. Today the Internet offers the church an opportunity for worldwide impact of the same revolutionary proportions. Now the church must decide how to creatively and appropriately exploit technological benefits for the sake of the gospel.

Coauthored by a father-son team combining ministry expertise and technological savvy, this book provides a balanced look at the twenty-first century challenges of uniting ministry with technology. By examining reasons behind the decline of American Christianity, the authors illustrate the urgent need to make strategic use of Internet technology to reach the upcoming generations. Combining their uniquely matched experiences, they provide workable solutions to reach online generations with the message of Christ.

Aubrey Malphurs (Th.M., Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) teaches in the Pastoral Ministries Department at Dallas Theological Seminary and is president of Vision Ministries International, a consulting and strategic training organization that works closely with churches and their pastors.  He has served as a pastor and church planter and is the author of numerous books in the areas of leadership, vision, and church ministry, including Ministry Nuts and Bolts: What They Don’t Teach Pastors in Seminary; Doing Church; and Developing a Dynamic Mission for Your Ministry.

Michael S. Malphurs is creative director of Digital Dream Design, a Web design and advertising boutique in Dallas, Texas. He has more than seven years of experience in the creative services industry, much of it in Web design. Michael has also served as a Web consultant to companies around the world and has spoken at conferences and seminars in the southeastern United States.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Academic & Professional (August 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825431859
• ISBN-13: 978-0825431852
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,774,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Aubrey Malphurs (Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is professor of pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary and president of The Malphurs Group. He engages in church consulting and training and is the author of numerous books, including Developing a Vision of Ministry in the Twenty-first Century.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Intro Rationale for Online Ministry, January 26, 2005

By 

David R. Bess (Charleston, WV) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Church Next (Paperback)

Malphurs and his son Michael offer a solid rationale here for reaching the next generations for Christ. The first two parts of this three-part volume offer insights as to why the church is increasingly ineffective in ministering to buster and bridger generations. They describe how throughout its history, the church has been slow to harness technological advances for use in the cause of Christ. After making a convincing argument for the need for relevance in an information-based world, father and son offer a short rationale in part three as to how the church can use the Internet in a very positive manner for ministry.

This book is NOT a "how to" book on ministry via the Internet, but a "why to" book. It is a good introduction of the rationale for the church ministering online. For the Christian wary of the Internet or uncertain of its usefulness for the church, this book is fine choice.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Discussion of Church Web Sites and Technology, November 23, 2003

By 

"sbrakhage" (Arlington, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Church Next (Paperback)

Church Next is a well-thought out and easy-to-read book on both church web sites and the technology surrounding it. There are not many books available on the subject and this book succeeds in laying out the "why" behing building web sites for Christian organizations, without getting heavy on technical jargon. A lay person - like me - can pick Church Next up and understand what the author is saying, even without web site design or programming experience.

The first part of the book looks at the different generations in American culture. With study after study, this section builds the foundation for the books later argument that the Internet - and the technology surrounding it - is crucial for the Church's success in the new millenium.

The second portion of the book, looks at the different kinds of web sites that churches can build and offers tips on how to go about doing so successfully. One of my favorite sections of the book resides here, where the author interviews individuals who are resposible for building some of the church web sites that "get it".

Those who pick up Church Next should be aware that the point of the book is not to show "how" to build a web site, but "why" churches should do so. After reading it, you can count me as a convinced reader, who will emphasize to those in my church the need for an excellent web site.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Superficial at best, September 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Church Next (Paperback)

I picked this book up recently and was really disappointed in it. I thought it missed the deeper changes that the web is bringing to culture and instead focused on superficial solutions that missed the point completely. My focusing on what the big ministries were doing, he missed the emerging trends on the net and really missed a chance to engage with the rest of the digital culture.