Waking to God's Dream

by Richard Wills, James A. Harnish, Dick Wills

Book Overview

The demands of congregational ministry are many, the rewards sometimes seem few, and burnout becomes a real possibility. Small wonder, then, that churches become stuck in a state of arrested spiritual development. When the pastor is functioning in a survival or maintenance mode, the church's vitality is often the first casualty. Yet Wills's own experience demonstrates that churches can turn around; the wind of the Spirit can be felt anew. This happens...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0687004829
• ISBN13: 9780687004829
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.3" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Inspiring and specific

Unlike so many books of this nature, Dick Wills' slim volume packs a powerful message: the key to church renewal is spiritual leadership, but then provides very specific, straightforward steps to building spiritual leadership. And this isn't just theory - everything in this book is based on the author's actual experience at a Fort Lauderdale church. As the author cautions, it isn't about adopting these specific methods so much as opening up to God working "on" us and through us. This book is already changing my life, and I think it will help transform the life of our mainline congregation.

This is the direct and condensed "Purpose Driven Church"

I was moved by this book and immediately gave it to my pastor, just as I did Purpose Driven Church. This book is much more spiritually oriented than Warren's approach, although I think highly of Warren's approach. To think a church the size and denomination background such as the author's would turn to spritual discernment in its council meetings is great. I went to a council meeting in our church the day I finished the book and had a whole different perspective on how much time we spent dicussing the cost of the pastor's car insurance. Not once did we discuss the areas of our church where God was calling us to action. Wills' story is a powerful statement on seeking God's will as a church body.

Church Renewal and God's Dream

An excellent presentation of how one minister's church responded to the search for God's will for a church and its people. It is sure to be helpful in at least some ways for all churches. Seeking God's will is always a first step. He has some excellnt ideas that have been proven in his church and I am certain they will work in most churches today. Revival of the "dead" in our churches is at a critical point. Too many people merely warm the pew. Rev. Wills gives some excellent and detailed steps to church renewal. Well written and easy to put into practice, with God's blessing, of course.