Winter 2004
Managing The Local Church, Part 2

Theme Articles

Ask The Superintendent
Management: The Other Side Of Pastoral Ministry
Interview with Thomas E. Trask
This interview with Thomas E. Trask on "Management: the Other Side of Pastoral Ministry" will consider managing church finances, legal risks, and facilities and property management.

Pastors Who Lead The Way
By Rick Warren
You know your gifts are clustered in the areas of preaching and teaching, not management and administration. Yet, your role as church leader seems to call you to administrative tasks. Learn how pastors who lead the way are keeping ministry and administration in balance

Managing The Church’s Financial Resources
By John P. Joseph
If there has ever been a time for pastors to have their churches’ finances in order, it is today. The current environment is ripe for scandals; church leaders need to be wise. The media is searching for CEO mismanagement. Newspapers swirl with stories of mismanagement from Enron to WorldCom. Corporate leaders in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are being scrutinized for leadership and fiduciary responsibilities. They are being held accountable by their shareholders, and in the case of religious organizations, their members.
       How is your church managing its financial resources? What would happen if someone inspected under a microscope what your church is doing? Would they find everything in order? The days of collecting offerings and paying bills without thought of outside oversight are long gone. Managing church finances responsibility is possible. This section will show you how.

Managing The Changing Dynamics Of Legal Risk And Ministry
By James Cobble, Jr.
While the nature of the legal environment continues to evolve and change, one reality remains the same. From the beginning of the Church until today, legal realities have impacted our story as the people of God. For better or worse, like Paul, we still find ourselves making appeals to Caesar. While church leaders increasingly recognize that the legal enviroment is changing, only a small percentage are taking steps to reduce risk. Perhaps one reason is pastors are not sure what to do. In this section on managing church risk, a series of articles and sidebars explore some of the conditions, trends, and issues that impact the church today in light of current legal realities.

Risk Management—What the Church Must Do To Protect Itself
Interview with James F. Cobble and Richard R. Hammar
Managing risk in the local church is no longer an option. The church has been and will continue to be the subject of major litigation. Though the primary duty of the pastor is to teach and proclaim the timeless truths of God’s Word, he is also obligated to protect the vulnerable and the innocent who have been entrusted to his care. Richard R. Hammar, J.D., LL.M., CPA, legal counsel for The General Council of the Assemblies of God, and James F. Cobble, Ph.D., executive director of Christian Ministry Resources, recently spoke with the Enrichment journal.

Ten Legal Risks Facing Churches and Church Leaders
By Richard R. Hammar
Churches today exist in an increasingly litigious and regulated environment that makes an awareness of legal risks more important than ever before. Pastors and church leaders must take affirmative steps to become informed about legal risk, and implement appropriate risk-management strategies. This article reviews 10 significant legal risks facing churches and church leaders today and in the foreseeable future and also provides appropriate, risk-management strategies.

Facilities And Property Management In The Local Church
By Merwin Pickney
Functionality, flexibility, appearance, safety, and economy are the building blocks of a well-designed church facility. Though a well-designed and maintained facility may be but window dressing, to someone outside the community of faith it can be the bridge that opens their heart to the proclamation of the gospel.
       This section explores many areas vital to managing church facilities, including safety and security, stewardship of buildings and equipment, accessibility, building policies and procedures, and creative facilities planning. The material in this section is gleaned from over 25 years of ministry experience.

Editorials

Ministry matters
By Gary R. Allen

In closing
By Brett Nelson

Columns

Preaching That Connects
Six levers of series preaching (part two)
By Craig Brian Larson

The Church and the Chosen People
Our Local Assembly’s Synagogue Heritage
By Ray Gannon

History Is His Story
Erasmus of Rotterdam: A Deep Mind and Shallow Heart
By William P. Farley

Financial Concepts
Connecting the Secular to the Spiritual
By Randall K. Barton

Managing Your Ministry
Confessions of a Church Sign Reader
By W. Clayton Brumby

A View From the Pew
Sirs, We Would See Jesus
By J. Diane Awbrey

Leaders Edge
Everybody Needs Some Faith
By Wayne M. Warner

Evangelistic Insights
Inviting the Evangelist: Key Steps for Extending Invitations
By Marshall M. Windsor

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