The gifts of the small church
By: Jason Byassee.
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Nashville
Language: eng
Number of pages: 114
ISBN-13: 9780687466597
Subjects: Small churches
Description: "Dizzying changes have taken place in American religious life in the last half century. Yet in spite of that fact, taking a snapshot of a 'typical' Christian church in America would reveal a surprising number of small-to-mid-sized congregations, rooted in a local neighborhood or community, tied to a specific denomination, where most of the members know each others{u2019} names, and hence are blessed (and cursed) with being the church together. In this clear-eyed, humorous appraisal, Jason Byassee contends that the 'church around the corner' occupies a particular place in the divine economy, that it is especially capable of forming us in the virtues, perspectives, and habits that make up the Christian life. Not that he romanticizes these churches, however. Having been a rural, small membership church pastor, Byassee knows too well the particular vices and temptations to which they are subject. But he also knows the particular graces they{u2019}ve been given, graces like the 'prayer ladies,' those pillars of the congregation who, 'when one told you she was praying for you it meant something. When one hugged you, you remembered all week. When one cooked for you the casserole tasted like love. And when you were around them you were in the presence of Jesus.'" -- Publisher's description.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: where the local church is the solution; title: How'd you get out here?; title: A little growth is enough; title: Priestly people; title: Grief from pastors; grace from parishioners; title: Faces shining; title: To the ends of the earth; title: Blessed be the lord, who trains my hands for war; title: Being buried with saints; title: Take thou authority; title: God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist; title: Oh yes, you did laugh; title: Divine election; title: How to talk right; title: A pharaoh who knew not joseph; title: An arena for holiness; title: No one's cute up close; title: Discipleship despite sunday school; title: Sneaking sacraments back in; title: God's patience and ours; title: Be of the same mind in the lord (philippians 2:2); title: Deeper wells of peace; title: Overdue wisdom; title: There is now no longer jew nor greek; title: Anointing; title: Holy, holy, holy lord; title: Cynical of cynicism.