Pastors are called to be not only leaders with vision, but also managers of congregational systems, says John Wimberly in The Business of the Church. Drawing on his thirty-six years in ordained ministry, Wimberly weaves the realities of congregational dynamics and faith-centered purpose together with practical, proven approaches to business management. A student and friend of Rabbi Edwin Friedman, Wimberly builds on Friedman's systems theory as he helps readers avoid common pitfalls and put into practice effective techniques of congregational management. The book begins with a foundational discussion of how a systems approach helps congregational managers identify areas of dysfunction and effective solutions. Managing the critical 'inputs' of people, facilities, and finances has a direct bearing on the desired 'outputs' of proclamation, pastoral care, and mission. A strategic plan, through which a congregation sets its goals and identifies and prioritizes resources, is an essential management tool for both pastors and lay leaders. The author's conversational writing style and many real-life examples make a seemingly complicated, mysterious topic for some an engaging and easily applicable read.

Religious and faith-based organisations constitute a large and important group of organisations. This is the first book to study systematically their characteristics and the distinctive challenges they pose to the people managing them. Malcolm Torry discusses how to define religious and faith-based organisations, how to study them, and the secular context in which they operate in Western Europe and the USA. There are chapters on congregations, denominations, governance, membership, the clergy, leadership, and religious and faith-based organisations' relationship to civil society. The book relies on research-based literature and case studies and contains full bibliographies, making it an essential tool for anyone studying this important new field.

The modern church is being poorly managed but does not know it. The level of inefficiency and waste in today's churches is staggering. 40 Days to Excellence in Church Management was written specifically for churches to convey basic business wisdom, management principles, and the best business practices. Unlike intimidating business textbooks, it includes forty short vignettes designed to be read like a daily devotional. Each chapter deals with everyday challenges and offers real-life examples derived from the author's more than thirty years of experience. It shows how to (and sometimes how not to) handle each situation of conducting business for the church.

This book was written to convey basic business wisdom, management principles, and best practices to right-brained, creative, relational people (i.e. pastors).