Jerry Chip MacGregor is senior pastor at Southwood Park Church (Evangelical Free) in Portland, Oregon. A Ph.D. in organizational development, he consults with pastors and executives seeking clarity in their understanding of their organizations. LEADERSHIP asked him to identify the most helpful books on purpose and direction.
Increasing Your Boardroom Confidence by Bobb Biehl and Ted Engstrom, Questar, 1988
The best place to begin, this book offers a thorough, step-by-step approach to church leaders in need of a master plan. The appendixes (including “30 Questions to Ask Yourself before Making Major Decisions,” “A Crisis Checklist,” and “The Recruitment Process”) add greatly to the worth of the book. I’m currently using this book as a training tool with my church board, and it’s been well received.
Leading and Managing Your Church by Carl F. George and Robert E. Logan, Revell, 1988
Henry Ford once said he had only to look at the church’s survival as proof of God’s existence. Hardly a compliment for church leaders! In an attempt to reverse Ford’s diagnosis, the authors have come up with a masterful prescription for leadership. Writing with humor and insight, they share sound principles supported with Scripture. This book contains their insightful “Berry Bucket” theory of church leadership, which alone is worth the price of the book.
The Problem of Wineskins by Howard A. Snyder, Intervarsity, 1975
Snyder helps us gain much-needed perspective on the direction for our churches in a technological age, and he does it with an enjoyable style. He causes us to reexamine the old wineskin of the church, into which new wine is being poured in our day.
The Change Agent by Lyle E. Schaller, Abingdon, 1972
This is a book to help you through the inevitable tough times. Schaller takes a straight-ahead look at change: its difficulties, its processes, its most likely means.
Schaller is no Pollyanna when it comes to change; he knows how challenging it is. Yet he maps strategies to make us effective agents of change. He helps us face the challenge of innovation in a traditional setting.
Getting the Church on Target by Lloyd Perry, Moody, 1977
Revitalizing the Twentieth Century Church by Norman Shawchuck and Lloyd M. Perry, Moody, 1986
The former book started a trend by relating popular management principles to the church. It covers such topics as leadership, organizational structure, conflict, finances, and time management.
The latter book expands on such principles and is strong on implementation. A wonderful essay on church administration and its relationship to church renewal graces this second book. I find both books highly practical.
Strategy for Leadership by Edward R. Dayton and Ted W. Engstrom, Revell, 1979
This book is the pure extract of two effective leaders’ accumulated experience both in business and in Christian organizations. Dayton and Engstrom helped me work through the foundational questions: Why are we here? What should we be doing? How do we get started?
Sharpening the Focus of the Church by Gene A. Getz, Moody, 1974
This is one of the foundational books of Christian organizational development. Getz examines Scripture inductively for insights into goal setting and evaluation. He helps pastors and church leaders see the church through three lenses: New Testament principles, church history, and contemporary needs.
I find the book useful for reviewing a congregation’s assumptions and goals. Getz is a theoretician who has put his concepts into practice.
Copyright © 1989 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
