Stuck is a guide for understanding how and why a traditional approach to ministry does not align with the modern realities facing pastors, congregations, and seminaries. More than simply describing findings from their firsthand research, however, Todd W. Ferguson and Josh Packard offer a new understanding of why professional ministry can be so alienating today.Stuck shifts the dominant narrative around calling, vocation, and ministry away from a focus on individua...

The Emerging Church Movement, an eclectic conversation about how Christianity needs to evolve for our postmodern world, has been breaking traditional bounds and stirring up controversy for more than two decades. This volume is the first academic work to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to understanding this complex and boundary-crossing phenomenon. Containing contributions by researchers from a diverse set of disciplines, this book brings together historical, sociological, ethnographic,...

They’re called The Dones. After devoting a lifetime to their churches, they’re walking away. Why? Sociologists Josh Packard and Ashleigh Hope reveal the results of a major study about the exodus from the American church. And what they’ve discovered may surprise you... -Church refugees aren’t who you’d expect. Among those scrambling for the exits are the church’s staunchest supporters and leaders. -Leaving the church doesn’t mean abandoning the faith. Some who are done with church report th...

Research-based strategies for Christian leaders to engage Gen Z and Gen AlphaIn a world where young people are increasingly disconnected from traditional religious institutions and influenced by social media, church leaders face an urgent challenge: how to authentically engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha in meaningful faith conversations. Faithful Futures offers a research-based lifeline with practical tools and strategies designed specifically for connecting with...

In a world where young people are increasingly disconnected from traditional religious institutions and influenced by social media, Faithful Futures offers church leaders a lifeline: practical, research-based tools to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha in meaningful conversations about faith. This book provides actionable strategies that build trust and foster belonging in today's rapidly changing cultural landscape.Traditional approaches to youth ministry are often outdated and i...

What if the church Jesus is building looks more like wildflowers strewn across an alpine meadow than a walled garden with manicured hedges? If, like many other people, you have questioned whether there is something more to Jesus’ church than the religious institutions we’ve inherited after two thousand years, you’ll want to read Finding Church. Here is straight talk from a man who has sought authentic New Testament community for more than fifty years and who has discovered it in the most u...

Churches and mission agencies are increasingly characterized by cultural diversity.As a result, many Christians find themselves working as part of a multicultural team. Leading these teams is a complex challenge that requires team leaders to understand how to help multicultural teams thrive. Team leaders need to know how to help team members grow in particular qualities and acquire specific skills related to multicultural teamwork.This book integrates insig...

Keeping students focused can be difficult in a world filled with distractions—which is why a renowned educator created a scientific solution to one of every teacher's biggest problems.Why is it so hard to get students to pay attention? Conventional wisdom blames iPhones, insisting that access to technology has ruined students' ability to focus. The logical response is to ban electronics in class.But acclaimed educator James M. Lang argues that this solution...

A deeply human exploration of how our relationship with work has evolved—and a guide for leaders who aim to make things right—from the author of The Burnout Epidemic.Work has recently undergone profound changes, not all for the better.AI's acceleration has led to worker fears and uncertainties around job security. DEI initiatives are underfunded or canceled. The debate over remote, hybrid, and in-person work is growing more heated. And study after ...

An essential guide to professional communicationProfessional communication has become more complex than ever as, with the rise of remote working and the increasing prominence of social media, we frequently find ourselves muted – when we can't find the opportunities to speak up or our ideas aren't getting the credit they deserve. In Unmuted, Heather Hansen draws upon her years of experience as a communication specialist and consultant to illustrate...

We're being formed by our devices. Today's digital technologies are designed to captivate our attention and encroach on our boundaries, shaping how we relate to time and space, to ourselves and others, even to God. Our natural longing for relationship makes us vulnerable to the "industrializing" effects of social media. While we enjoy the benefits of digital tech, many of us feel troubled with its power and exhausted by its demands for permanent connectivity. Yet even as w...

It takes strength not to curse someone out when they're being rude, or not to lose it when your child is being disobedient. It is also emotionally taxing to keep it all together when you are on the receiving end of a microaggression.Each of these instances requires us to use our emotional intelligence (or EQ). And, while it is a basic skill, there are more shades to emotional intelligence than you might think. Emotional intelligence can also be used to break barriers to equity....