An Hour on Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder [Hardcover]

Nancy Beach (Author), Kathee Biaggne (Illustrator, Photographer), Travis King (Illustrator), Steve Sonheim (Photographer), Bill Hybels (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 2004

Today's spiritually searching culture is less inclined than ever to attend church. Yet, no time of the week is filled with more life-changing potential than Sunday morning. Imagine . . . experiences that bring people heart-to-heart with God.messages in which God's truth connects to everyday life.transcendent moments that leave people awestruck---and transformed. That's what can happen when you unleash the arts in your church through the power of the Holy Spirit. An Hour on Sunday is not about nitty-gritty programming details or cookie-cutter how-to's. It's about foundational issues---ten enduring principles that: unite artists and ministry leaders around a common language empower artists and pastors to effectively work together create the potential for moments that matter on Sunday morning. An Hour on Sunday is for worship and arts ministry leaders, pastors and teachers, artists---including musicians, writers, dancers, actors, visual artists, film makers, light and sound engineers and anyone who believes in the limitless potential of the arts in their church. Whimsically illustrated, written with passion and humor, and filled with stories of both success and failure, An Hour on Sunday explores the deep, shaping forces that can make your hour on Sunday a time of transformation and wonder for believers and seekers alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'5 stars! In this book, Nancy shares some of her wisdom on building weekend worship experiences that bring together biblical teaching and art to ultimately lead people closer to God. The book creatively tackles subjects like building a service that reaches your target, preparing relevant sermons, leading a team of artists, evaluating your services, and more.' -- Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox

(Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox )

Review

'I got a front-row seat to watch Nancy Beach in action for a decade. Her heart and mind are a gift to everyone who works with her. An Hour on Sunday distills the essence of her wisdom gleaned over thirty years. For artists, it is indispensable.' -- John Ortberg

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (May 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310252962
• ISBN-13: 978-0310252962
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nancy Beach is executive vice president of programming and production for the Willow Creek Association and a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. A champion for the arts and artists in the church, she is the author of An Hour on Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder. Nancy holds a master's degree in communication from Wheaton College. She lives in Barrington, Illinois, with her husband, Warren, and her two daughters, Samantha and Johanna.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An artful use of an hour on Sunday, November 10, 2004

By 

Dennis Leggett "DL" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Hour on Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder (Hardcover)

Every pastor responsible for planning and leading a worship service should buy this book, read it, and then do two things. First, find an artist in your congregation who will help you understand how important this book is. Let that artist, or better yet several artists, teach you how the arts can assist you in creating moments of transformation and wonder during that hour on Sunday. Second, honestly respond to the "Questions to Explore" at the end of each chapter. Write out your answers. Discuss them with your staff or leadership team. They are outstanding discussion starters for weekly staff or leadership meetings or even for use in a retreat setting. Dealing with these questions will intensify the impact of this entertaining and informative read.

I read this book from the mindset of a Christian educator who fears that an hour on Sunday is what the average Christian invests in their Christian education. Nancy Beach has provided a timely challenge for we who teach to embrace the value of creativity. She writes from her passion and experience as one dedicated to communicating the truth of God's Word to a culture overwhelmed by information and to generations who learn as much by seeing and experiencing as they do by listening. If you want to make the most of an hour on Sunday you'll be well served by this book.

P.S. If you lead creative people, the bovine metaphor on page 80 is worth the price of the book!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Hour on Sunday, June 30, 2004

By 

Jerry M. Gill (Muncie, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Hour on Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder (Hardcover)

This is one of the most delightful "how to" books I have read in a long time! This book will help both ministers and lay leaders in the planning of the Sunday morning service. The suggestions given are sound, biblical, and can apply to both a traditional setting or a more contemporary setting. The reader is challenged to make the worship hour on Sunday morning more meaningful by first examining his own heart and motive. The goal is to have the worshiper leave the church changed in a more positive way than when they first came. The advice of this book is both timely and easy to follow.
Many times "how to" books are dry and boring to read. The delivery of the material in this book is as entertaining as it is enlightening. The use of illustrations and drawings are intermingled with the text, many times becoming the text. For example, when the book discusses music, you find the text in a sheet of music, like the lyrics of a song. Humor is very much a part of this book. In the first part of the book, the author gives you permission to skip to a page later in the book if you feel you don't need to read that particular section. When you skip to the page indicated, you are admonished and told to return to the section you wanted to skip. All in good humor, of course. There are also thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter that enable you to celebrate the good things you are currently doing in your organization and encourage you to explore new ground.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous resource, October 5, 2008

By 

Margie Brodeur "Margie Brodeur "cookbookg... (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Hour on Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder (Hardcover)

This was a practical book, yet full of moments of hopeful artistry for the soul. It also reveals honestly mistakes made with people, and inner struggles. It was better than I'd hoped for and I"m using it for our Worship Committee as we start on our journey towards trying to create moments of awe in church.