Showing results for "andrew root"

A Hopeful Approach to Evangelism"Evangelism" is a contested, even conflicted word. But churches are declining in numbers and resources. What if we aren't thinking about evangelism in the right way, culturally or theologically? This book contextualizes evangelism in our late modern times and reimagines what the call to outreach means in today's world.Our sad times are made sadder by the realization that our all-out pursuit of happiness has made us stressed, ...

Why the Endless Pursuit of "More" Won't Save the ChurchIn an era of church decline, pastors and ministry leaders face intense pressure to grow--more attendance, more influence, more reach, more budget. But what if this relentless pursuit of "more" is actually a form of modern idolatry?In Baal and the Gods of More, leading practical theologian Andrew Root challenges everything you thought you knew about church growth and success. You'll discover how...

Youth ministers were once missionaries, meeting teenagers where they gathered in schools, malls, and parking lots. But over the past decade, something changed. Youth workers have struggled to connect with anxious kids glued to their phones and have found themselves filling the role of therapist for adolescents coming of age on the internet.We need a new approach. A veteran in youth ministry, Andrew Root explains how the church got here--and why soothing teenagers hasn't alleviated ...

One of the Academy of Parish Clergy's "Top 10 Books for Parish Ministry"When is the last time you asked yourself hard questions about why you were pursuing certain relationships in your ministry? Could it be that the end game for many of us is not relationship per se but loyalty, adherence, even submission? The sheep in our flock become the means to our end: pastoring becomes less about the people of God and more about maintenance of the status quo—and, if we are w...

A New Vision for Faith Formation in a Secular AgeThe loss or disaffiliation of young adults is a much-discussed topic in churches today. Many faith-formation programs focus on keeping the young, believing the youthful spirit will save the church. But do these programs have more to do with an obsession with youthfulness than with helping young people encounter the living God?Leading practical theologian Andrew Root offers an alternative take on the issue of ...

In the bestselling tradition of Inside of a Dog and Marley & Me, a smart, illuminating, and entertaining read on why the dog-human relationship is unique--and possibly even "spiritual."Dr. Andrew Root's search for the canine soul began the day his eight-year-old son led the family in a moving Christian ritual at the burial service for Kirby, their beloved black lab. In the coming weeks, Root found himself wondering: What was this thing we'd experi...

Why does divorce cause so much strain and long-term distress for children of all ages?Andrew Root, a recognized authority on youth ministry and a child of divorce himself, explains that divorce causes children to question their core identity. Since a child is the product of the union of a mother and father, when that union ends, he or she experiences a baffling sense of loss of self--a loss of his or her very sense of being. Root redirects efforts for assisting chi...

**What if the solution for the decline of today's church isn't more money, people, programs, innovation, or busyness?What if the answer is to stop and wait on God?**In When Church Stops Working, ministry leaders Andrew Root and Blair Bertrand show how actively watching and listening for God can bring life out of death for churches in crisis today. Using clear steps and practices, they invite church leaders to stop the endless cycle of doing more and rather to simpl...

Named a 2014 Jesus Creed **Book of the Year (Biography)Best New Contribution to Bonhoeffer Studies & Best Youth Ministry Book for 2014,** Hearts & Minds BooksThe youth ministry focus of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life is often forgotten or overlooked, even though he did much work with young people and wrote a number of papers, sermons, and addresses about or for the youth of the church. However, youth ministry ...

A New Vision for Pastoral Ministry TodayIn Faith Formation in a Secular Age, the first book in his Ministry in a Secular Age trilogy, Andrew Root offered an alternative take on the issue of youth drifting away from the church and articulated how faith can be formed in our secular age. In The Pastor in a Secular Age, Root explores how this secular age has impacted the identity and practice of the pastor, obscuring his or her core vocation: to call ...

Where is God present in the world? What hope does the church offer to folks who are struggling with death and despair in their many forms, from broken relationships to lost jobs to the seeming lack of meaning in our late-modern context? Some answer these questions by pointing to churches that have had success in growing their worship services and ministries. But Andrew Root invites us to answer the questions from a different angle. Rather than place primary focus on creating a successful c...

Since the late 1970's practical theology has had a significant voice and influence in the academy. While many have seen great hope and potential in this work, not everyone has agreed. Some, for instance, have examined the conversation and found by focusing on the concrete and lived experiences of humanity, by and large, practical theology has not had the theological vision to present frameworks for understanding concrete and lived experience with divine action. So argues Andrew Root, who i...