Book
Against the Odds
Written by Kevin Ward, this book traces the story of a church that over forty years, under the leadership of Murray Robertson, grew from around 60 people to the largest church in Aotearoa. It tracks the commitments of the man and his leadership team and the highs and lows of the community, and offers lessons…
Read MoreStructured for Mission
By Alan Roxburgh, this book usefully encourages leaders to look beneath the surface to the core narratives shaping our institutions, and from there into the theological and biblical foundations they rest on in order to facilitate a thorough-going review that can power a new imagination for church going forward.
Read MoreWayfinding Leadership
This excellent book explores the wisdom of Polynesian worldview and navigating for guiding organisations through the complex environments we now find ourselves in. Written by Maori scholar Chellie Spiller, advised by kaumatua, leaders are presented with the notion of sphere intelligence, a wholistic, indigenous perspective that takes many ingredients into account to chart the path…
Read MoreMahi tahi : Book 5
This is a scan of book five of Mahi Tahi published by PCANZ in 1992, which illustrates the Presbyterian Church’s efforts to move towards bi-culturalism. The full document can be found here. Contact the Presbyterian Research Centre Archives (pcanzarchives@prcknox.org.nz) for more information or borrow the print version from the Library.
Read MoreListening and Spiritual Conversation
Sue Pickering, a NZ Anglican priest and spiritual director, wrote this book inspired by watching attempts in a bird sanctuary to teach an orphaned kokako how to sing, thinking of Christian witness as a singing of our God-song, but of the importance of helping others to find theirs rather than imposing ours. She asks provocative,…
Read MoreChurch Refugees
This book by Josh Packard and Ashleigh Hope detail research done in the USA in 2013-2014 interviewing nearly 100 people who, reluctantly, have left the church but not their Christian faith. The results are not what you’d expect, and the book ends by usefully offering a number of constructive insights and ideas to church leaders…
Read MoreUnderstanding Sexual Abuse
This book by Tim Hein, a minister in the Uniting Church in Australia draws on his own and his wife’s experiences of sexual abuse to offer empathy, and practical guidance, to survivors of sexual abuse and those seeking to minister to survivors.
Read MoreNurturing Hope
This is Lynne Baab’s latest (2018!), very readable, book offering key principles and practices to help pastoral carers navigate through the challenges people encounter today.
Read MoreBreaking Calabashes
This book by Rosemary Dewerse explores four practices for meaningfully engaging all people from all cultures in your faith community. Easy-to-read with stories and reflective questions, it also has a discussion guide for an interactive book club.
Read MoreYou Are What You Love
This book by James K. Smith, author of ‘Desiring the Kingdom’ offers a more entry-level version of the idea that who and what we worship fundamentally shapes our heart. Including practices for individuals and communities, this book explores the formative potential of worship as a holy habit. Good for big-picture thinking around our worship services.…
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