Reading Lists

Email us to suggest new reading lists or additions to these.

Adult Study with DVDs – New Members Class – Youth Ministry – Stewardship – Small Church Leadership – Clergy Self-Care – Christian Formation – Missional Church – The Church in the 21st Century

Adult Study with DVDs:

When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty. Product page. This has DVDs in addition to VHS – identical content.

They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Responding to Culture’s Objections to Christianity. Product page.

The Organic God. Product page.

The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God’s Best Version of You. Product page.

Faith Lessons. We have all 12 in this filmed-on-location in the Holy Land series, each of which has 5 sessions. Product page.

New Members Class:

Living the Questions DVD: a program for Christian invitation, initiation, and spiritual formation. Read a review from James R. Adams

Presbyterians Today magazine special issue: What Presbyterians Believe 2. Read a content summary

Who Are We Presbyterians? DVD. Product page.

Youth Ministry:

re:form Confirmation curriculum from Sparkhouse, with DVD, Leader’s Guide, and sample Student Notebook. Product page.

We Believe: Professing Our Faith PCUSA youth confirmation curriculum with Teacher’s Book, sample Student Notebooks for the 35-session and 8-session options, and The Study Catechism: Confirmation Version. Product page.

36 Parables DVDs with PDF study guides included Product page.

Youth Ministry Reflections:

Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry
Doug Fields; Zondervan/Youth Specialties 2002Read a review on Google Books 
Family-based youth ministry
Mark DeVries; InterVarsity Press 2004Read a review on Google Books 

Stewardship:

Not your parents' offering plate
a new vision of financial stewardshipJ. Clif Christopher; Abingdon Press 2008Read a review on Google Books 
Ask, thank, tell
improving stewardship ministry in your congregationLane, Charles R.; Augsburg Fortress 2006Read a review on Google Books 

Small Church Leadership

Preaching and Worship in the Small Church
William H. Willimon, Robert L. Wilson; Resource Publications (OR) 2001Read a review on Google Books 
Activating leadership in the small church
clergy and laity working togetherSteven E. Burt; Judson Press 1988Read a review on Google Books 
Raising Small Church Esteem
Steven E. Burt, Hazel A. Roper; Alban Institute 1992Read a review on Google Books 
Read our own Debbie Dennis’ review of Raising Small Church Esteem.

How to thrive as a small-church pastor
a guide to spiritual and emotional well-beingSteve R. Bierly; Zondervan 1998Read a review on Google Books 
From a mustard seed
enlivening worship and music in the small churchBruce G. Epperly; Alban Institute 2010Read a review on Google Books 

Clergy Self-Care

Ministry Loves Company
A Survival Guide for PastorsJohn T. Galloway Jr.; Westminster John Knox Press 2003Read a review on Google Books

The spiritual leader's guide to self-care
Rochelle Melander; Alban Institute 2002Read a review on Google Books 
Tending to the holy
the practice of the presence of God in ministryBruce G. Epperly; Alban Institute 2009Read a review on Google Books 
Quiet Conversations
Concrete Help for Weary Ministry LeadersAlan C. Klaas, Cheryl D. Klaas; Mission Growth Publishing 2000Read a review on Google Books 
A Deep Well for the Pastor
Meditations by Stephen P. McCutchanSongs by david m. bailey, Read a review on pcusa.org

Christian Formation

The pastor as spiritual guide
Howard L. Rice; Upper Room Books 1998Read a review on Google Books 
Shaping Spiritual Leaders
Supervision and Formation in CongregationsAbigail Johnson; The Alban Institute 2007Read a review on Google Books 
Growing spiritual redwoods
William M. Easum; Abingdon Press 1997Read a review on Google Books 
Growing in the life of faith
education and Christian practicesCraig R. Dykstra; Westminster John Knox Press 2005Read a review on Google Books 
Getting it Together
Spiritual Practices for Faith, Family, and WorkCarol A. Wehrheim; Westminster John Knox Press 2002Read a review on Google Books 

Missional Churches

Reimagining Spiritual Formation
A Week in the Life of an Experimental ChurchDoug Pagitt; Zondervan 2004Read a review on Google Books 
Mission symphony
notes for the third millennium, with leader's guideChapman, William E.; Witherspoon Press 2004Read a review on Google Books 
Shaped By God's Heart
The Passion and Practices of Missional ChurchesMilfred Minatrea; Jossey-Bass 2004Read a review on Google Books 
Greening spaces for worship and ministry
congregations, their buildings, and creation careMark Allen Torgerson; Alban Institute 2012Read a review on Google Books 

The Church in the 21st Century:

Journey in the Wilderness
New Life for Mainline ChurchesGil Rendle; Abingdon Press 2010Read a review on Google Books 
The wired church 2.0
Len Wilson; Abingdon Press 2008Read a review on Google Books 
Open source church
making room for the wisdom of allLandon Whitsitt; Alban Institute 2011Read a review on Google Books 
Web-Empowered Ministry
Connecting With People through Websites, Social Media, and MoreMark M. Stephenson; Abingdon Press 2011Read a review on Google Books 
Church in the inventive age
Doug Pagitt; Sparkhouse Press 2010Read a review on Google Books