Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders [Paperback]

Charles M. Olsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1995 | ISBN-10: 156699148X | ISBN-13: 978-1566991483

Discover inspiring, practical ways your board can make its meetings become opportunities for deepening faith, developing leadership, and church renewal. Research included interviews with lay leaders; clergy; and seminary, judicatory, and denominational staff from mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and Evangelical Christian faith traditions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Chuck Olsen offers a program of four point: shared stories, scripture, prayer, and discernment. These can lead to new possibilities." -- Howard L. Rice, Professor of Ministry, San Francisco Theological Seminary

"Church boards can become the focus point for a congregation's spiritual growth." -- Loren B. Mead, founding president, The Alban Institute

About the Author

Rev. Dr. Charles M. (Chuck) Olsen, ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), directs Worshipful-Work: Center for Transforming Religious Leadership. He is an experienced consultant, conference presenter, and spiritual director for clergy and lay leaders, and has special interests in national and local church renewal and revitalization. Chuck's Alban Institute book, Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders details his four-year project on the integration of spirituality and administration in church boards and councils. He is also co-author of Discerning God's Will Together.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Alban Inst (February 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156699148X
• ISBN-13: 978-1566991483
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pragmatic and transforming process of new thinking., October 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders (Paperback)

Charles M. Olsen awakens new thinking for the Church's traditional mode of organizational operation. He sees the primary objective of a church board doing its necessary business, but in a format that is fresh and new. Leadership is encouraged to take on a new objective, that of becoming a core of Spiritual leaders within the body of people for whom and with whom it is making decisions, that is, the congregation. He proposes that the format of worship become the church board's business format. Devotions, the traditional meeting opener, becomes a brief worship service that sets the mood. Worship then continues throughout the meeting. Committee reports are transformed into an offering. Prayers, seeking God's discernment on issues, are interspersed throughout the meeting. Closings become a blessing and an encouragement as guidance for the journey that lies ahead.

If there is a criticism of this writing it is the redundance of certain thoughts. Some work could be done, in a revision, to improve the flow of the words. On the other hand, these recommendations become secondary to the theme and its potential effectiveness as it is outlined by the author.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Transforming Church Boards- An Idea Whose Time Has Come, February 6, 2007

By 

Richard O'FFILL - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders (Paperback)

Having been in the ministry for more than forty years I have found the book Transforming Church Boards into communities of spiritual leaders an idea whose time has come. Though the idea is not new-it is what the early church was all about-it is something that can transform the culture of the congregation because influence flows downhill.