Overview

Church conflict harms those in the church, obscures God's glory, and impedes the church's witness to a watching world. There are a variety of causes of church dysfunction, but some of this dysfunction results from church attenders' limited ability to think properly about and effectively engage with the authority of their leaders - in other words, to become healthy followers. While secular academia has begun to explore the discipline of follower-ship, there is a lack of research and writing in the Christian world that provides direction to church attenders on this topic. That which does exist often creates confusion rather than clarity. Even more concerning is that so many in the church are reluctant to seriously talk about pastoral authority as something potentially beneficial, since their thinking is so frequently co-opted by visions of abuse of power. When the issue is ignored, however, it leaves the church vulnerable and becomes an Achilles Heel, especially during times of stress. This book's aim is to help church attenders become followers who are well-equipped to help leaders exercise their authority in ways that create an environment of flourishing for the entire church and that bring glory to God. A secondary goal is to raise awareness within the church and Christian academia about the importance of studying this topic seriously. Drawing on interviews with church attenders, research on current church health and other relevant literature, and the development of a practical theology of pastoral authority, the book establishes a beachhead from which the church can launch a more concerted effort to explore this topic.

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9781947153004

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Scott Maurer spent several years in the business world before being called to pastoral ministry. Since then, he has had the opportunity to serve as an associate pastor and senior pastor of several churches. He has graduate degrees from the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University and from Liberty Theological Seminary, as well as a Doctor of Ministry from Bethel Seminary. He is pastor of West City Fellowship in Alexandria, VA, where he lives with his wife and his son and daughter (when they are home from college).

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