The Difficult But Indispensable Church

It's difficult to be church these days. Congregations are under pressure from internal conflict, problems in the communities in which they exist, and struggles throughout the social and political structures of our world. Add to that the fact that congregations are made up of individuals, each with his or her own set of problems, struggles, and anxieties; and the magnitude of the challenge becomes clear. The 21 contributors to this book, all faculty of Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque IA, make no claims of easy solutions. However, they argue that the church is indispensable in spite of, or perhaps because of, those very challenges. One contributor argues that the church serves individuals by providing "a trustworthy place to be different together." Other contributors articulate the church's vital role in being the "heart" of a society that often seems to have no heart, the voice of hope to those who live with only despair, and a strong advocate for those whose voices cannot be heard in the seats of power. Several chapters of this book would be good material for church council retreats.