The Future of the United Methodist Church: 7 Vision Pathways [Paperback]

Scott J. Jones (Author), Bishop Bruce Ough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2010

This book offers a renewed vision and practical steps for United Methodists to work together in mission and ministry. These bishops of The United Methodist Church urge congregations to stand together, under God’s grace, to lead others to vibrant faith, steadfast hope, and joyful living. The authors call for a new partnership with God to bring God’s reign to fruition for all God’s people. With concrete guidance about how to create and transform disciples, readers are invited to travel the path that leads to the abundant living that Jesus talked about. This book will also inspire and motivate congregations to work together to be a vibrant presence in their neighborhoods and communities.

The Seven Pathways were created by the United Methodist bishops and presented at the 2008 General Conference as a vision statement for the Church. Contributors include: Bishops Sharon Brown Christopher, Gregory Vaughn Palmer,  G. Lindsey Davis, Robert Schnase, Scott J. Jones, Hee-Soo Jung, E. James Swanson Sr., Minerva G. Carcano, Thomas J. Bickerton, and Bruce R. Ough.  

The seven pathways are: Planting New Congregations, Transforming Existing Congregations,  Teaching the United Methodist Way, Strengthing Clergy and Lay Leadership, Children and Poverty, Expanding Racial/Ethnic Ministries, and Eliminating Poverty by Stamping out Disease.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott J. Jones is Kansas Area Bishop for the United Methodist Church.

Product Details

• Paperback: 121 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (May 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426702523
• ISBN-13: 978-1426702525
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,227,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Schnase
Robert Schnase serves as bishop of the Missouri Area of The United Methodist Church.

Based in Columbia, Mo., he is the leader of nearly 900 congregations with 175,000 members across the state, offering ministry through local churches, colleges, campus ministries, social services and mission projects throughout the world.

Bishop Schnase was elected bishop in 2004 in The United Methodist Church's South Central Jurisdiction, an area that covers nine states in the southcentral United States.

A native of south Texas, he was ordained Deacon in 1981 and Elder in 1986 in the Southwest Texas Conference. He is a graduate of Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas with a master's degree in theology, and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in psychology. He has also studied Spanish for several summers in Central America.

From 1989 to 2004, he served as Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of McAllen, Texas. First Church was recognized for congregational growth, bi-cultural ministry, young adult ministry and commitment to mission as the congregation relocated and built new facilities to serve the Rio Grande Valley. From 1984 to 1989, Rev. Schnase served as pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Harlingen, receiving the Circuit Rider Award for Church Growth and the Denman Evangelism Award. From 1982-1983, he served the Farnham and Alton Circuit of five churches with the British Methodist Conference.

In addition to Five Practices, he's the author of several books published by Abingdon Press, including The Balancing Act: A Daily Rediscovery of Grace (2009), Ambition in Ministry: Our Spiritual Struggle with Success, Achievement and Competition (1993), and Testing and Reclaiming Your Call to Ministry (1991). He worked as editorial consultant for the New Interpreters Bible, and has contributed chapters to Weaver and Stapleton's Reflections on Marriage and Spiritual Growth and Grand-Parenting and the Spiritual Journey.

Bishop Schnase has served as delegate to The United Methodist Church's highest legislative conference, the General and its regional Jurisdictional Conferences. He has served on a number of agencies, including the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Board of Directors of Texas Methodist Foundation, the UTPA Campus Ministries Board and many other conference, district and ecumenical projects. From 1998 to 2004, he served as chair of the Order of Elders of the Southwest Texas Conference.

Bishop Schnase's wife, Esther, is a high school English teacher. They have two college-age sons, Karl and Paul. Bishop Schnase is an avid runner, completing several marathons, and enjoys canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, studying Spanish and traveling in Latin America.