Customer Reviews

Equipping Church, The

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Sue Mallory, one of the nation's leading experts on lay ministry has written the definitive text on the subject. This book along with the companion guidebook, give a step by step process for empowering and enabling a church's members to engage in meaningful ministry.Topics include how to recruit volunteers, how to discern people's talents and gifts, how to train people to serve in ministry and how to support and nurture those people.Up until now most of this material has been available only in workshops or on tapes. It is great to have the complete plans for a lay ministries program in one book. (Actually, two with the guidebook).

Sue Mallory, one of the nation's leading experts on lay ministries has written the definitive text. This book, along with the companion guidebook, show churches how to recruit, train, and support volunteers. She gives the vision for an alive, involved church and tells you how to get there. I could not recommend it more highly.

"The Equipping Church" by Sue Mallory is an excellent book that addresses the question: "What might your church look like if its members were vital, fully empowered partners in ministry? How can you help them discover and release their full potential? How would their roles change - and yours?" The goal is to help church leaders customize an equipping system and culture in their church.

The approach taken by Mallory is very practical, with a lot of examples and encouragement, and clear explanation of bibilical principles behind the priest of believers. She also highlights several good examples in each chapter of churches that are doing a good job today at putting these principles into practice. In addition, there are appendices looking at core values of an equipping church, how to change the culture, how to build a system. A key point made is that addressing issues of culture or system alone are insufficient for change, but that when both are understood and developed, lasting and transformational change can occur.

For anyone in the position of helping develop volunteer ministries and leaders, as well as those who are passionate about making a big difference in your church despite being a volunteer, "The Equipping Church" is a must read!

Via Ephesians and detailed in this book, one cannot suppose the "minister" of the church as the do-everything-for-everyone-all-the-time individual. The church is equipped to do what they are called to do. Good read for all forms and stages of leadership.

Sue Mallory offers a deep well of insights in The Equipping Church. She writes as someone with rich experience in equipping lay ministers to do ministry in a local church. She also shares the benefits of her experience working with the professional staff of the church. There are many lessons, ideas and insights for readers of this book. Mallory writes with a humble and helpful tone that conveys her passion for church ministry and the body of Christ.

The equipping church serves to guide readers along the journey of generating a high level of participation and growth among church members according to each member's gifts from God. She provides clear counsel thoughout her book that also includes principles and examples for each chapter. All of her writing includes personal stories from her own journey, both successes and failures. Mallory includes theory and method so the book is persuasive and practical.

I think this book will be helpful to all readers to desire to better lead and equip Christians for ministry and to faciliate churches becoming healthier and more effective in bearing witness to Jesus. Mallory focuses on the gifts of ministry listed in Eph 4.11-13 -- pastors, teachers, prophets, apostles and evangelists. She also addresses other gifts that being might have such as computer skills, organization, giving, training, etc; however, she does not discuss the Spirit's gifts such as faith, healing, prophecy, tongues, miracles, discernment, wisdom or knowledge--those Paul lists in 1 Cor 12-14. I think that any discussion of equipping the church ought to include discussion of these gifts also.

Once you read this book and follow the steps, you and your church will never be the same again, Sue explains how the whole process began from day ONE for her church and how all of us can do what they did (missing the potholes they found) and to grow beyond what any man could have thought even remotely possible.

Get 'em before they're all gone, am going to read it twice and take action notes!

This is an excellent book for churches who want to improve their ability to develop a volunteer (servant) program. But, it will take work, commitment and time. Sue Mallory offers many perceptive Bible based concepts - not a quick fix.

The Equipping Church is one of the best books I have ever read on what it means to use our God given gifts as members of the body of Christ. Sue Mallory doesn't sugar coat the time, effort and faith that is involved in building the kind of community many churches long for, but are unsure how to create. Ms. Mallory lays out the path her church followed in the process of moving toward and becoming a faithful place in which they could be God's people. The stories she shares are personal, sometimes heart wrenching, but always authentically filled with grace. Ms. Mallory makes me want to dig in and do the work to which I am called.

Great job Amazon. My books came together, on time and in great condition. One new and one used! Great price too! I will definitely use Amazon again.