The Prospering Parachurch: Enlarging the Boundaries of God's Kingdom [Paperback]

Wesley K. Willmer (Author), J. David Schmidt (Author), Martyn Smith (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787941980 | ISBN-13: 978-0787941987 | Publication Date: November 13, 1998 | Edition: 1

My friAnds and colleagues Wes Willmer and David Schmidt have done a marvelous job of capturing the essence of this [parachurch] movement. I commAnd this book to you.
--Billy Graham

The first book to take a comprehensive look at one of the profound paradigm shifts that is redefining religion--the parachurch: what it is, where it came from, how it operates, who supports it, and what is its future. Foreign missions, social services, health care, relief and development, camps, prisons ministry, evangelistic outreach, schools and colleges, rescue missions, and television and radio broadcasting are just a few of the forms that this burgeoning movement has taken.

Willmer and Schmidt provide a new understanding of the transforming of God's Kingdon beyond traditional boundries. They offer practical guidance to parachurch leaders on managing their complex mix of stakeholders in planning for a more strategic future. Those involved in both church and parachurch ministries and those who study religion will find the instructive text essential reading.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"God has chosen to work in dramatic ways through the parachurch in the last half of the twentieth century to significantly impact the world for Christ. My friends and colleagues Wes Willmer and David Schmidt have done a marvelous job of capturing the essence of this movement. I commend this book to you." (Billy Graham)

From the Inside Flap

A new breed of nonprofit organization?the parachurch?is dramatically reshaping the religious world?taking religion beyond the walls of the traditional church and providing infinite ways for people to link their lives to God. Some estimate there are as many as 100,000 parachurch organizations in North America alone and the number keeps rising. With monetary donations approaching donations to traditional churches, many parachurch organizations rank among the world's largest, most influential, and thriving nonprofits, including Campus Crusade for Christ, Habitat for Humanity, World Vision, Christian Broadcasting Network, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.These organizations, and thousands of other faith-based groups, provide a societal safety net?bringing their perspective of faith to bear on practically every personal or social issue imaginable, from education to disaster relief, from global evangelism concerns to personal counseling, from children's summer camps to the treatment of addiction. Expressed faith in God has found a new voice in the parachurch.What is fueling this dynamic and diverse movement?properly described as religion gone entrepreneur? What distinguishes those parachurch organizations that are most successfully enlarging the boundaries of God's work in the world? What challenges lie ahead? And how can all the stakeholders within these organizations?leaders, staff, board members, and the larger church community?work together to maximize these organizations' effectiveness in accomplishing their missions?In The Prospering Parachurch, Wesley K. Willmer and J. David Schmidt offer the first comprehensive resource for everyone with an interest in the future of parachurch organizations and the parachurch movement. They uncover the movement's roots and clarify the boundaries of the parachurch while providing a thorough and practical guide to the key issues facing every parachurch leader?remaining focused on the organization's mission

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Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (November 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787941980
• ISBN-13: 978-0787941987
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #972,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Marriage of Parachurch, Church, and Denomination?, September 24, 2000

By 

George Bullard "Strategic Leadership Coach" (Columbia, SC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Prospering Parachurch: Enlarging the Boundaries of God's Kingdom (Paperback)

It is time to take a new and unprejudiced look at the parachurch and its relationship to church and denomination. This book makes a great contribution to this effort!

North America is estimated to have more than 350,000 congregations. Alongside these congregations, there are estimated to be as many as 100,000 parachurch organizations.

This book talks about the dramatic reshaping of the North American religious world that is happening through an ever increasing and ever growing collection of parachurch organizations. This is the "only book to look at the parachurch movement as a whole and describe what it is, where it came from, how it operates, who supports it, and what its future is likely to be." [xiv]

The research that led to this book uncovers the movement's roots and clarifies the boundaries of the parachurch. The book is divided into four sections: What is the parachurch and why is it thriving? Who makes up the parachurch? How can the parachurch enlarge its impact? Where is the parachurch headed?

An increasing percentage of services bought or used by congregations will come from the parachurch world rather than the denominational world. Denominations may actually broker many of these parachurch services. However, congregations are also willing to go directly to parachurch organizations to receive desired services. This book will either open up your eyes to this reality, or confirm what you have already knew about this reality.