Understanding Your Congregation as a System: The Manual

by George Parsons

Book Overview

Parsons and Leas have created an important tool for congregational leaders in this application of systems theory to evaluating a congregation's life and readiness for change. Church leaders can explore the forces at work and examine the systemic implications in seven key areas: strategy, process, pastoral and lay leadership, authority, relatedness, and learning. The Manual provides an overview of systems theory, complete instructions for administering...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566991188
• ISBN13: 9781566991186
• Release Date: February 1994
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Understanding Your Congregation As a System: The Manual

I was never introduced to the concepts in this book during masters or doctoral studies in seminary. A major problem of much of current theological education is that it presents church ministry in a compartmentalized and programmatic fashion. In my book "Simple Discipleship," I suggest that much of th current paradigm of theological education contributes to churches inability to make disciples. George Parsons has presented a very useful book that every pastor should read. It will help church leaders step back from the systems in the church and determine whether they are connected, purposeful, and sustainable.