The Hidden Lives of Congregations: Discerning Church Dynamics [Paperback]

Israel Galindo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2004

Faced with crisis, lack of direction, or just plain "stuckness," many congregations and their leaders are content to deal only with surface issues and symptoms—only to discover that the same problems keep recurring, often in different, and more serious, ways. In The Hidden Lives of Congregations, Christian educator and consultant Israel Galindo takes leaders below the surface of congregational life to provide a comprehensive, holistic look at the corporate nature of church relationships and the invisible dynamics at play.

Informed by family systems theory and grounded in a wide-ranging ecclesiological understanding, Galindo unpacks clearly the factors of congregational lifespan, size, spirituality, and identity and shows how these work together to form the congregation’s hidden life. He provides useful tools for diagnosing and understanding how one’s congregation fits into the various categories he names and suggests what leadership skills are necessary to get beyond the impasse of surface issues and help the congregation achieve its mission.

The Hidden Lives of Congregations provides one of the most far-reaching looks into the invisible nature of faith communities written in recent years. For seminaries and divinity schools, it provides a standard text for getting a solid start in congregational practices; for experienced pastors, it provides support for renewing ministry; for lay leaders and committees, it offers insight to deepening mutual ministry. Israel Galindo has written an indispensable manual that leaders will return to repeatedly for new wisdom and guidance

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Galindo has made a significant contribution to the literature on church and system theory...." -- Peter L. Steinke

"Galindo offers a resource to clergy and lay leaders that is both practical and theological." -- Margaret J. Marcuson

"To read this book is to see your congregation in a new way—and new perspectives provide new opportunities." -- Gilbert R. Rendle

About the Author

Israel Galindo is a professor at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia. He also serves as faculty for Leadership in Ministry Workshops, a clergy leadership training program, and is executive director of Educational Consultants. He is the author of several books and is a frequent seminar and workshop leader.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Alban Inst (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566993075
• ISBN-13: 978-1566993074
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hidden Lives No Longer?, November 9, 2004

By 

John R. Dizon (Lee's Summit, Mo United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hidden Lives of Congregations: Discerning Church Dynamics (Paperback)

Israel Galindo's "Hidden Lives of Congregations" affords an excellent overview of the Christian church and its followers, diagnosing the cause and effect of the life, growth and attrition of churches in America. Its in-depth analysis of the mindsets of the average churchgoer, the clergy and the infrastructure of the church provides us with an essential profile of the movers and shakers that make the modern church the cornerstone of American society it is today. Yet we are introduced to the paradox as to how conformity to industrial paradigms result in the failed mission of the church in its purest form. This social phenomenon is explored in an informative and comprehensive dialogue that makes this a worthy addition to any Christian library.

The author leads us through an exploratory narrative as we trace the paths of ministers and their congregations who begin on the home church level, evolving into storefront ministries, growing into the need for their own church building, and finally expanding into property development to suit their advancing requirements. Only we find that the transition results in the church morphing into a mirror image of the secular corporation, requiring a board of directors to supercede the elders of the church in ministering to its greater needs. The pastor grows more detached from his teeming congregation, his leaders forced to spend more time administering to the needs of its members than pursuing its evangelical and community goals. As a result, the monolithic superchurch achieves corporate success as its profits soar, but ultimately becomes a failure to God and man.

"Hidden Lives" can be seen as an indictment of the consumer-friendly megachurch system that dominates the American religious scene today. The author depicts how idealistic ministers become discouraged and demoralized by the myriad of responsibilities thrust upon their shoulders, faced with exponential demands of their overgrown ministries. The book suggests a return to the apostolic vision of Pauline doctrine, the smaller church being more flexible and less encumbered as it pursues its simple mission to preach the Gospel to all nations. Providing a variety of social services in ministering to the needs of its followers is just one of the many excesses that hinder the church from its soul-saving mission. This book dissects the problem at its root causes and gives every clergyman the opportunity to avoid many of the pitfalls on the road ahead.

This is an excellent gift item for Christian workers and clergymen, as well as sociology buffs and casual readers alike. Don't miss out on this well-written, in-depth study; your home church will thank you for it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Starting over, December 10, 2007

By 

susanna (South Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hidden Lives of Congregations: Discerning Church Dynamics (Paperback)

After 20 years in pastoral ministry, preparing for retirement, I wish I were back in seminary, with Galindo's book. He has given me a hugely helpful way to understand what goes on in churches. I'm buying a copy for my district superintendent, and my friend who's just starting seminary.

I do have a question: if a pastor canot "cast a vision" for a church until she's been there five years, how does that work for us United Methodists and our brief-tenure itinerant system? And I wish Galindo had used a few more examples, real-people illustratons of his oobservations. Other than that, I'm unequivocaly enthusiastioc - and I do plan to start over, reading the book again!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dynamic, March 21, 2007

By 

J. L. Barnes (Montgomery, AL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hidden Lives of Congregations: Discerning Church Dynamics (Paperback)

This book opened my eyes to a lot of the enfighting that you see in churches. It has also enhanced my thoughts about the spirituality of church and why they worship the way they do.