Becoming the Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual Purpose, Presence, and Power

Excellent book! Lots of great ideas and stories. there are many practices I want our congregation to consider.

Drawing on his experience as a pastor and counselor, Standish describes a blessed church as one that is "alive because God is alive." As the pastor of Calvin Presbyterian Church in Zelienople, Pennsylvania he has encouraged an experience with God rather than activity-based church experiences about God. Beginning with prayer to discern God's purpose and vision for the church, the author provides an appendix filled with suggested processes for becoming a blessed church. This refreshing book is not about church membership growth. Rather, it leads the church to become a deeper, broader, spirit-filled community of Christ. The thoughtful reflection questions at the end of each chapter make this an excellent book for study groups and church leaders who are seeking God's transformation in their own lives and the life of the church.

Pastor Standish shares an approach to building up a church, no matter how long it has been in existence and no matter what size it is, into a vibrant, blessed body of Christ. One of the criteria our church used for evaluating the myriad of books and recommended approaches available for study was - how is it working for the author? Well, Pastor Standish's denominational suburban church continues to grow and to thrive. The approach is pretty simple. Invite God to all of your church meetings, not just your worship services. Start your business meetings with devotions, and dedicate significant time and energy to the Lord. Pray fervently about your church's decisions and needs, and trust that God answers prayers. Let this approach become the way things are always done at every gathering no matter how large or small. Call on the Holy Spirit to take part in the decision-making process. Being an accountant, I can reconcile accounts and plan budgets with the best of them. However, after reading this book, I now realize that it's okay if my church's forecasted giving doesn't quite measure up to the planned expenses. It's okay if those expenses are a result of what the Spirit is calling our church to do. Pastor Standish includes many accounts, personal and anecdotal, of funding arriving on time from unplanned sources to allow a church organization to fulfill its mission. The book is filled with so much more. And the appendixes are loaded with great practical guides to applying the book's principles, for example: - A Guide to Holding Spiritually Grounded Meetings - Nominating Committee Members - Discerning Direction for a Particular Issue - A Guide to Creating a Prayer Group All of our church leadership team has a copy of Becoming a Blessed Church. And the book has been introduced to all members at a congregational meeting. The change in our approach to decision-making and issue resolution has been dramatic. Comments such as, "We found that the problem wasn't really a problem after all" and "Let's pray about that" are heard more and more frequently. I heartily recommend Becoming a Blessed Church to all Pastors, church leaders, and committee members. Let the Spirit be the driving force in everything you do and say, and in what you become - blessed.