Transitions

by Mosser, David N.; Schnase, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780664235437
• ISBN10: 0664235433
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-04-04
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Pr

Summary

Preacher and teacher David Mosser offers practical and spiritual guidance for pastors struggling to manage and respond to changes in the economy, changes in their neighborhoods, changes in their denominations, changes in the congregation, changes in culture, and the life changes present in every parishioner's life. Wise words from authors such as Alyce McKenzie, David Buttrick, Joanna Adams, and Thomas Long all contribute to this most timely and helpful book.

Author Biography

David N. Mosser is Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Arlington, Texas. He also teaches preaching at Perkins School of Theology and is the author or editor of more than a dozen books on preaching, including The Stewardship Companion: Lectionary Resources for Preaching.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Introduction	p. xv
The Clergy in Chaos
For All That Has Been, Thanks; For All That Will Be, Yes	p. 5
A Break in the Stained Glass Ceiling	p. 14
Led by a Pillar of Fire: The Preacher in Transition	p. 19
Poetry in Motion: A Case Study in Preaching in a New Pastoral Setting	p. 28
Leading through Anxious Times and Situations: More Than Meets the Eye	p. 42
Most Change Occurs in Ways We Would Not Choose	p. 53
Leadership, Preaching, and Pastoral Care in Times of Anxiety or Conflict	p. 60
The Show Must Go On	p. 70
The Congregants in Adaptation
Preaching to the Elderly	p. 81
Divorce and Marriage for Christians	p. 91
Have a Good Day! Ecclesiastes 9:1-12	p. 100
Still Falling Short of One Hundred: Isaiah 65:17-25; Revelation 21:1-4	p. 109
Preaching: The Role of Change and How to Get There	p. 112
Long Enough at the Holy Mountain: A Theologically Sound Spirituality for Change	p. 119
In Life ... In Death: Funeral Sermons	p. 124
The Congregation in Crisis
If the Lord Is Pleased: Numbers 14:8	p. 137
Paying Attention to Transitions: Passage Points and Preaching Strategies	p. 144
The Minister's Story: A Resource for Helping Congregations through Transitions	p. 153
Look Up; Draw Near; Reach Out: Acts 1:11; Luke 24:44-53	p. 169
Responding to Resistance during a Change Process	p. 173
Preaching as a New Pastor in Times of Congregational Crisis	p. 189
The Community in Transition
The Power of Disruptive Innovation	p. 205
Embracing Our Neighborhood in Transition	p. 210
When the Center Doesn't Hold: A Working Orientation for Pastors Dealing with Transition and Crisis	p. 218
What Has Not Changed about Preaching and Pastoral Care	p. 226
From Crowded Stable to Empty Tomb to the Sunday Morning Pew: Preaching Transition through the Cycle of the Liturgical Year	p. 236
Contributors	p. 245
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