The Politics of Ministry

"I once spoke with a six-term US Congressman who told me, 'I once considered the ministry, but thought it was just too political!' Needless to say, I howled. For anyone in, thinking about, or trying to penetrate the mysterious politics of church life, this book will function like an ecclesial MRI revealing subtle layers of how decisions are made, who stays and who goes, and much that goes on under the surface of ministry. Burns, Chapman, and Guthrie nail it. The light they shed from current research illuminates what is for most of us a dark and often dangerous landscape. I only wish this wisdom had been available when I entered my first church thirty-four years ago. This book is a significant step in their helping local congregations and pastors to become both healthier and more effective."