From earliest times the Western Church has fiercely debated questions about the place of the ministry within the Church and Church government. What requirements should be met by candidates for holy orders and what do we expect of priests and ministers: personal holiness, training for their calling, social skills or merely the possession of official ordination? The Church has at different times produced very different answers and the 30 scholars from Britain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, whose papers in this volume follow the course of the debate concerning the good shepherd from the early church through to modern times, show on the one hand what happens to Christian communities that have lost a clear view of the functions of the ministry and on the other just how much trust people have always placed in their priests and pastors. With contributions by Anton Weiler, Charles Caspers, Robert Swanson, Petty Bange, Mathilde van Dijk, Claire Cross, Fred van Lieburg, Ingrid Dobbe, Frank van de Pol, Eamon Duffy, Joke Spaans, Trevor Johnson, Gian Ackermans, David Wykes, Jeremy Gregory, W.M. Jacob, Joris van Eijnatten, Nigel Yates, David Bos, Leo Kenis, F.G.M. Broeyer, Frances Knight, John Tomlinson, Stuart Mews, Lieve Gevers and Ian Jones.

From earliest times the Western Church has fiercely debated questions about the place of the ministry within the Church and Church government. What requirements should be met by candidates for holy orders and what do we expect of priests and ministers: personal holiness, training for their calling, social skills or merely the possession of official ordination? The Church has at different times produced very different answers and the 30 scholars from Britain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, whose papers in this volume follow the course of the debate concerning the good shepherd from the early church through to modern times, show on the one hand what happens to Christian communities that have lost a clear view of the functions of the ministry and on the other just how much trust people have always placed in their priests and pastors. With contributions by Anton Weiler, Charles Caspers, Robert Swanson, Petty Bange, Mathilde van Dijk, Claire Cross, Fred van Lieburg, Ingrid Dobbe, Frank van de Pol, Eamon Duffy, Joke Spaans, Trevor Johnson, Gian Ackermans, David Wykes, Jeremy Gregory, W.M. Jacob, Joris van Eijnatten, Nigel Yates, David Bos, Leo Kenis, F.G.M. Broeyer, Frances Knight, John Tomlinson, Stuart Mews, Lieve Gevers and Ian Jones.

Church growth models have often been long on promises and short on disciple-making. We continue to watch consistent church attendance shrink, and our desire to reach the lost is infected with a need for self-validation by growing our numbers at any cost. If we believe that God wants his church to grow, where do we go from here? What is the future of the church? Drawing from his 20 years and 15,000 hours of consulting, author Will Mancini shares with pastors and ministry leaders the single most important insight he has learned about church growth. With plenty of salient stories and based solidly on the disciple-making methods found in Scripture, Future Church exposes the church's greatest challenge today, and offers 7 transforming laws of real church growth so that we can faithfully and joyfully fulfill Jesus's Great Commission.

Of the many problems which excite general concern in the Catholic Church today are issues regarding the ministerial priesthood. Lack of collegiality with the authority structure of the Church and other circumstances have contributed to the frustration of many priests. Of this unfortunate state of affairs, this study carried out in the light of the apostolic constitution Pastor Bonus of John Paul II aims to address some of those pertinent matters confronting priests in their day to day living. Its many features include the sanctification and ongoing formation of clerics, clerical rights and obligations, the equitable distribution of the clergy in the world and priestly sustenance. It also examines the pastoral leadership of parish priests in their sacramental role as "pater familias" in the community of faith and the challenges confronting pastoral ministry in today's parishes.

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Have you ever wondered how many people went to Egypt with Jacob? Or perhaps you’re confused by what seem to be contradictions in the Old and New testaments. Roscoe L. DeChalus, president and senior pastor for Lord of Hope Ministries, draws on his expertise to answer those questions and many more in this book that will bolster your faith in the Lord—and help you share His word with others. Other questions include: · Is open-air preaching a requirement for all Christians? · As Christ died for all our sins, why will we be judged in heaven? · What is the origin of the cross and church steeples and are they related to phallic worship? · Why do people listen to false prophets? Whether you’re a Christian seeking to bolster your understanding of the Bible or a nonbeliever who is open about starting a relationship with the Lord, the answers in this book will satisfy your curiosity and move you to accept the Lord Jesus as your savior.