Church and Leadership

Church and Leadership

Bible Study Guide Downloads:

Anatomy of the Church (8 Lessons): (2024-2029B)

How can a church be all that God wants it to be? In this lesson, that question is answered by using Paul’s analogy of the church as a body. First, you’ll learn about the skeleton of a church—the foundational things a church must be committed to. Next, you’ll examine the internal organs, which are proper spiritual attitudes. Third, you’ll look at the muscles, or the functions of a church. Last, you’ll learn about ht flesh of a church, which is its visible method of ministry.

Although the churches differ externally, they must all be committed to the same truths, attitudes, and functions. The Anatomy of a Church is a valuable study tool that explains how you and your church can glorify God!

Marks of a Healthy Church (8 Lessons): (1207-1887)

Follow the agenda set by church growth experts, business strategists, and opinion surveys, and you’re likely to conclude that building a successful church demands shorter services, larger parking lots, better equipped nurseries, more entertainment, and above all, less preaching and teaching from the Bible.

But the church is not a business, success is not its goal, leadership qualifications aren’t negotiable, and its health is not measured in size, market share, bank account, programs, or its influence or popularity with the world.

So what is the standard for greatness when it comes to your local church? John’s classic study Marks of a Healthy Church identifies the traits that, when true of a church, lead to effectiveness and spiritual growth in the congregation and the community. This study can help you develop your spiritual gifts in a way that builds up fellow believers.

Books:

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
Leading with Love
A Christian’s Guide to Leadership for the Whole Church

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (Mark Dever, 287 pages, paperback)

Some churches are thriving, while others are barely surviving. What distinguishes a healthy community from one that's ailing? In this expanded edition of his classic study, Dever identifies nine marks that set a vigorous, biblical congregation apart, including expository preaching, biblical theology, concern for discipleship and growth, biblical church leadership, and more.

Leading with Love (Alexander Strauch)

Leading with Love provides church leaders and teachers a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches about love. This understanding is essential to you as an individual leader and to the church as a whole. It will significantly improve your relational skills, enhance your effectiveness in ministry, diminish senseless conflict and division, build a healthier church, and promote evangelism.

If you lead or teach people--whether as a Sunday school teacher, youth worker, women's or men's ministry leader, Bible study leader, administrator, music director, elder, deacon, pastor, missionary, or evangelist--this book will help you become a more loving leader or teacher.

A Christian’s Guide to Leadership for the Whole Church (Derek Prime, Paperback)

This book is born out of the author’s desire to encourage and train people for the vital role of leadership in the church. Christian leadership is unique in that it must be always and completely subject to its ultimate head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Leaders should therefore accept his authority and that of his Word, the Scriptures, and should shape their vision and objectives accordingly. This extremely practical book is concerned primarily with leadership in the local church, but is not just for pastors and elders; it is relevant to any who hold positions of responsibility within the church. But this book should not be read just by leaders; Derek Prime helpfully shows those of us who are not leaders that we should know what to expect of those who rule over us, and how we can best assist them in fulfilling their God-given task. To this end there are two sets of pertinent questions at the conclusion of each chapter, one for use in Bible study groups, and one for church leaders themselves.”