Alumni Publications, March 2013
VITAL: CHURCHES CHANGING COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD by Jorge Acevedo (1988, M.Div.)
What behaviors do highly vital congregations have in common? How can all congregations move toward greater vitality? In Vital, Jorge Acevedo passionately and effectively reveals how Grace Church in Cape Coral, Florida, has developed behaviors that result in vital and fruitful ministry. Focusing on spiritual pastoral leadership, lay leadership development, worship, small groups, and service and mission, Acevedo both inspires and coaches. He helps leaders of congregations act in their own contexts to develop behaviors essential to vitality, as identified by the recent study of 32,000 United Methodist congregations. The book includes brief summaries of learning from the research written by Amy Valdez Barker, project manager for the Vital Congregations Initiative, as well as stories from other congregations illustrating vital behaviors in different settings. Click here to find the book on Amazon.
REKINDLED: RISING FROM THE ASHES OF BURN OUT by Donald E. Demaray (1949, BD)
This book comes packaged in digestible units of single meditation readings that indicate causes and suggest cures of burnout. These I have designated by the medical sign for prescription-Rx followed by info-med for information and meditation.Thirteen crucial areas of cause and cure provide the book’s framework. In each of the thirteen divisions are seven sections. This volume spans over a quarter of a year for small group interaction (13 sections in 13 weeks, each week divided into 7 days) or for private reading and processing. Click here to find the book on Amazon.