Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations [Paperback]

Robert Schnase (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Schnase contends that sucessful congregations often have certain characteristics in common. These fundamental practices demonstrate congregational health, vitality, and fruitfulness. They also help churches fulfill their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the tranformation of the world.

The five practices of fruitful congregations:
-Radical Hospitality
-Passionate Worship
-Intentional Faith Development
-Risk-Taking Mission and Service
-Estravagant Generosity

Editorial Reviews

Review

Five Practices is a thought-provoking book for congregational leaders who want to see the church fulfill its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ. -- Leading Ideas Book Review by Tom Berlin, senior pastor of Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Virginia<br /><br />Schnase is helpful because he tells the truth. He is hopeful because he imagines a different and more faithful future for the church. The practices described in this book will lead any pastor or leader, or better yet any congregation, toward renewal in the service of God's mission. --Circuit Rider Magazine Book Review by Kenneth H. Carter, Jr., Providence UMC, Charlotte, NC

From the Publisher

"Robert Schnase astutely weaves theological insight, practical advice, and exemplary stories into an inspiring book for pastors and laity alike. The five practices are central to faithful and fruitful Christian living and offer a blueprint for congregational vitality and excellent ministry. Be careful, however. While the nouns (e.g., hospitality, generosity) sound wonderfully encouraging, the adjectives that go with them (e.g., radical, extravagant) point to how challenging and life-transforming they are. So use at your own risk--a risk that your congregation will discover a new sense of 'the life that really is life' (I Tim. 6:19)."
-L. Gregory Jones, Dean and Professor of Theology, Duke Divinity School

"In a time when congregations focus more on activities than outcomes and more on good intentions than transformed lives, Robert Schnase reminds us that God's call to congregational fruitfulness is biblical and Wesleyan to the core. Schnase's words are thoughtful, provocative, and challenging. Any congregation will find encouragement and insight in every chapter to deepen faithfulness and multiply fruitfulness."
-Lovett H. Weems, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary

"Stimulating. Challenging. Uniquely helpful. These five practices make mission come alive. They are essential to fruitful congregations. Excellent for congregational leaders, Sunday school classes, small group studies, pastors and ministry teams. Bishop Schnase gives us powerful language, rich examples, and practical suggestions for fulfilling the mission God gives us."
-Janice Riggle Huie, Bishop of the Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0687645409
• ISBN-13: 978-0687645404
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Church Leadership > Church Institutions & Organizations

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars CPR for Stagnant congregations; or Caffeine for the already strong!, November 15, 2008

By 

Kevin Quinley "GeezerJock" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (Paperback)

Author Robert Schnase offers one compelling perspective of "best practices" in congregational settings.

The five best practices (my terminology, not Schnase's) are:

* Radical hospitality
* Passionate worship
* Intentional faith development
* Risk-taking mission and service
* Extravagant generosity

Not a cookbook, but an effective blueprint for how churches can grow and thrive. This was the reading for a small 5-week study group I joined at church and it made for terrific discussion.

One problem might be if congregations take this book and turn it into an extensive checklist for congregational success. The idea is that these practices flow out of Christian love and faithfulness, not that this is a template for every church to ape; that at least is my perspective on "Five Practices." This, however, is no criticism of Schnase but rather how some churches might take and try to use the book.

To get some great ideas on applying CPR to stagnant congregations - or to take a strong congregation to "the next level" - I'd highly recommend "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations,"

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all new church members, October 20, 2008

By 

Pamela Pallak "Pammaw" (Cheyenne, Wyoming United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (Paperback)

I got this for an adult Sunday School class, and we all like it so much that we are thinking about making it part of our new member orientation.
It is an outstanding book, along with the prayer book, to get folks out of the pews and doing God's work in the community.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Needs to be condensed, February 8, 2009

By 

D. Bahr "David" (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (Paperback)

I had great hopes for using this as a Lenten study, but I would never ask people to spend so much time reading something which has a very good premise but takes way too long to get through. I like the five ideas, but the coherence through the chapters is lacking, except for constant repitition. We get it already. I'm sorry to sound harsh, but I was really disappointed. However, it is also too United Methodist for an ecumenical audience. Keep pursuing the ideas.