There are now over 250 theological seminaries in the United States and Canada. Leading these diverse institutions is a difficult task that combines elements of executive management, academic prowess, master storytelling, and spiritual discipline. Apart from informal mentoring relationships, however, there has been no resource specifically designed to impart collected presidential wisdom. Douglass Lewis, Lovett Weems, and the four dozen other presidential contributors to this volume -- a project of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada -- together possess hundreds of years of combined experience in institutional leadership. They pass along sage advice on everything from boards and enrollment to facilities and institutional advancement, with special discussions of women in leadership, Canadian schools, and the challenges of university-based programs. Any person in administration at a seminary recognizes that leadership in theological education presents a unique set of challenges. "A Handbook for Seminary Presidents" aims to make this task easier and more fulfilling not only for the presidents themselves but also for deans, faculty, support staff, and all who seek to effectively prepare the next generation of Christian leaders. Contributors: Daniel Aleshire Harold W. Attridge Albert Aymer Rebekah Burch Basinger Michael Battle Maxine Beach Charles E. Bouchard C. Samuel Calian Cynthia Campbell John Canary Robert Cooley Vincent Cushing Marvin Dewey David Draper Ward Ewing Frederick J. Finks Dorcas Gordon Thomas Graves Heidi Hadsell Adolf Hansen Martha Horne James Hudnut-Beumler ByronKlaus Christa Klein Steven Land Robert Landrebe Robert F. Leavitt G. Douglass Lewis David Maldonado Kevin Mannoia David McAllister-Wilson William McKinney Laura Mendenhall Ron Mercier Donn Morgan Richard J. Mouw David Neelands Anthony Ruger Donald Senior Jean Stairs Brian Stiller Susan Thistlethwaite David L. Tiede Timothy Weber Kent M. Weeks Louis Weeks Lovett H. Weems Jr. Edward Wheeler Craig Williford Wilson Yates

This book is about getting the most out of seminary. Seminary can be rich and rewarding, but also disorienting. In addition to the typical challenges of doing graduate studies, your experiences in seminary have the potential to affect how you see God, other people, and yourself. The stakes are high, but the good news is that you are not alone! In Surviving and Thriving in Seminary, two experienced professors (and former seminary students) tell you what to expect and how to navigate your years in seminary. They give you advice on how to prepare your own heart and relationships, how to manage your time and energy, and how to acquire the study skills you need. This essential book encourages and equips current and prospective seminary students to get the most out of their time in seminary. - Publisher.

An Essential Guide to Understanding and Leading Worship Worship leaders are adrift in a sea of worship resources, but, incredibly, no single book provides a simple introduction to worship and worship leading. Essential Worship is a concise, easy-to-read primer on the basics of worship theology and practice. Each concept is introduced clearly and concisely. Diagrams, charts, and bulleted lists make the information easy to digest. And preparation and reflection questions help readers apply the material to their own church context. Whether one is a beginner or an experienced worship leader, readers from all traditions will find in this resource a solid foundation for future success. It is particularly well-suited for the first-time worship or praise band leader, as well as for pastors who want to be more intentional about the music in their services.

Christian Leadership Essentials finds university president David S. Dockery assembling a great wealth of tried and true insights on the distinctive methods of leading Christian organizations and institutions. No matter how much experience a faith-based leader may already have, there are plenty of fresh thoughts and indispensable guiding principles here on topics including finance and budget planning, mission and vision, employee relations, theological foundations, mentoring, crisis management, and more. A majority of the nineteen contributors are active academic presidents, including Robert B. Sloan (Houston Baptist University; "A Biblical Model of Leadership"), Judson Carlberg (Gordon College; "Managing the Organization"), Jon Wallace (Azusa Pacific University; "Financial Oversight and Budget Planning"), Evans Whitaker (Anderson University [South Carolina]; "Development, Campaigns, and Building Projects"), Carl Zylstra (Dordt College; "Accreditation and Government Relations"), Jim Edwards (Anderson University [Indiana]; "Relationships with Multiple and Various Constituencies"), Phil Eaton (Seattle Pacific University; "Employee Relations in a Grace-filled Community"), Barry Corey (Biola University; "Engaging the Culture"), and Randall O'Brien (Carson-Newman College; "The Leader as Mentor and Pastor").

I began studying American theological education in the 1970s, and Piety and Plurality is the third of three studies. In Piety and Intellect, I examined the colonial and nineteenth-century search for a form of theological education that was true to the church's confessional traditions and responsible to the intellectual demands of the age. In Piety and Profession, I described how that model was modified under the impact of the new biblical criticism and by the American belief in professionalism. In this volume, I have tried to bring the story up to date. Unfortunately, I did not find one unifying theme for the period. Rather, theological education seemed to move forward on a number of different levels, each with its own story. Here I have tried to capture some of the dynamics of this movement and to indicate how theological educators have struggled with the plurality in their midst. In the process, theological education has learned to live with its contradictions and problems. As important as the stories are, however, there is also the story of the schools' struggles to live in the midst of a constant financial crisis that checked development at every stage.

This introduction to contemporary theology looks at the origin and history of each movement, their major figures, and doctrinal emphases. The author evaluates the teachings and practices of each system in light of biblical Christianity.