Until now, Fresh Expressions has been about starting and sustaining mission initiatives among people with little or no church contact. As these projects mature, pastoral problem easily arise – how do you integrate the old with the new? How do you get an established congregation to change its views and practices? How do you cope with conflict? What if newcomers challenge set patterns of church behaviour rather than conform with them? This highly practical text and workbook draws on the behavioural theory and organisational studies to train and equip local church leaders and congregations not only to manage change but to grow through of it.
Part 1 Group
The Human side of Church: Group Processes in Congregations
Words, Words, Words: Religious Discourse
No Conflict Here - We’re All Christians!
Empowering Leadership and the Spirit of the Group
Team-work
Part 2 Relationship
Oh, Those Difficult People
Healthy Relationships - in the Church?
Growing Faith
Wholeness and Holiness
Part 3 Resources
Church Consultancy: Tools for Facilitating Authentic Growth
Appendix 1 Longer Learning Exercises
For Chapter 1 The Human Side of the Church
For Chapter 2 Words, Words, Words
Appendix 2 Questionnaires
For Chapter 3
For Chapter 4
For Chapter 5
For Chapter 7
There is also a full Bibliography and Sources and Acknowledgements