Overview
We all can think of organisations that were established by Christians that are no longer recognisably Christian. In Keeping Faith, the authors outline the key components of organisational faithfulness – that is, what is needed for Christian organisations to stay true to the way of Jesus. They argue that the old reliance on statements of faith, or a set of Christian values, is insufficient. What is needed is a robust organisational theology that inhabits the enterprise’s structures, management, business policies, practices and relationships and is tailored to the purpose of the organisation. In this important book, you will find • a checklist to determine if your organisation is losing its faithfulness • an outline of some key components of organisational theology • examples, both positive and negative, of theological application in organisations • discussion questions for organisational reflection. With combined global experience in practical theology, running businesses and charities, and integrating faith and work, Judd, Swinton and Martin have created an important and essential book for every Christian organisation.
Full Product Details
Author: Stephen Judd ,
John Swinton ,
Kara Martin
Publisher: Acorn Press
Imprint: Acorn Press
ISBN: 9780647531938
ISBN 10: 0647531933
Pages: 156
Publication Date: 31 January 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.
Reviews
'Many have written before about the tragedy of Christian organisations losing what the authors call organisational faithfulness , but few have offered such practical advice on how to avoid it! This long-overdue book is a must-read for trustees, executives, employees and supporters of Christian organisations, wishing to remain true to their founders' missions' - Professor Kenneth J. Barnes, Mockler-Phillips Chair in Workplace Theology and Business Ethics, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.; 'As the CEO of a large Christian organisation - World Vision Australia - I believed we would only flourish organisationally if we struggled with the question of organisational faithfulness. The apostle Paul talks about something that is supra personal or supra individual in his language of powers and principalities . I wish I had access to this book when I was a CEO and welcome such a refreshing and thoughtful resource' - Revd Tim Costello, Former CEO of World Vision Australia.; ' Keeping Faith is a project long overdue, challenging the expectation of organisational drift with a new and important approach they call organisational faithfulness . Like all brilliant ideas, once you read about organisational faithfulness, it sounds too obvious to have been missed. But it has been missed. And I pray that Keeping Faith becomes the go-to guide for maintaining Christian faithfulness in every kind of organisation that claims to honour Jesus Christ' - Dr John Dickson, Historian, author and Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor at Wheaton College (Illinois).; 'Christians are called to be signs and sacraments of God's presence in the world as well as in the church. This book will help to inform and inspire the everyday faith of those who are concerned to influence the corporate culture of their organisations and who seek to embody gospel values in the public square' - Canon Professor Elaine Graham, Professor Emerita, University of Chester.; 'From Harvard to the YMCA, organisations have drifted from their founding Christian mission. Keeping Faith is a timely and important book that thoughtfully explores why our organisations need not only to do good work, but also to remain faithful. In an era of both subtle and overt pulls toward secularisation, we need courageous leaders who avoid the well-worn path of mission drift and faithfully pursue the narrow way of implementing their full mission. Keeping Faith prompts readers to pay careful attention, align beliefs and actions, and avoid subtle compromises that threaten their convictions. This book will help us be found faithful' - Peter Greer, President and CEO of HOPE International and co-author of Mission Drift .; 'I wish as a CEO and leader in Christian organisations I could have read this book before I started. I wish I could have given it to my senior leaders and especially intending board members. Our biggest risk in Christian organisations is not financial, nor operational. It is failing to deliver on our calling as an organisation. This often happens because the call is clear, but we don't have a system of theology that keeps us true to that call. This leads to what we call mission drift and in too many cases mission is completely lost. The authors have at last articulated a model that can stop this happening - stop this failure - and help us stay true to Christ in our work. I highly recommend you read it, answer the questions and work out how to implement this in your organisation' - Toby Hall, former CEO of St Vincent's Health Australia, and Mission Australia.; 'The significance of this subject for all Christian organisations can hardly be overrated. How often the vision and ideals of the founders are not sustained by those who succeed them! We certainly need to consider the matter frequently and thoughtfully. This challenging book provokes us to think, pray and dialogue about the issues as we guard the good deposit which has been given to us' - Dr Peter Jensen, Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney 2001-2013, founding General Secretary of GAFCON.; 'Organisational faithfulness may be the hardest work a Christian organisation ever does, and resources to assist in the rigorous thinking and theological reflection necessary to maintain this are scarce. That this book provides deeply reflective questions that provoke equally practical actions is rarer still. Even as someone entirely committed to the ideals that Keeping Faith espouses, this book challenged and convicted me that there is much more to reflect on, to articulate, and to embed. It will prove a valuable and overdue resource, and I look forward to the continued challenge and kingdom impact it will bring' - Melissa Lipsett, CEO of Baptist World Aid Australia.; 'This book is an indispensable guide for leaders and board members of Christian schools, social service organisations, international development organisations and hospitals who will have to stand before God and account for the faithfulness of their organisations. No question is more important for Christian mission in Australia over the next few years than this faithfulness' - Paul Oslington, Professor of Economics and Theology, Alphacrucis University College.; 'This is a vibrating book. It emits the constant vibe that the authors know what they are talking about. Here is the counsel, challenge and guidance of practitioners long experienced in the high calling of running Christian organisations. Not far into my reading of the book, I concluded that every board member of every Christian organisation should devour this book: they will find both inspiration and warning here. As I read on, I found myself thinking every CEO and senior staff member of Christian organisations should read this book: it will empower them to act out their faith in grace-filled treatment of employees. Still less than half-way through, I was convinced that every staff member of a Christian organisation on recruitment should be presented with this book: it will enable them to be confident about what to expect and what is expected of them' - Dr Stuart Piggin, Conjoint Associate Professor of History, Macquarie University.; 'Christians have a long history of establishing schools, hospitals, agencies of community care and support, and other benevolent institutions to serve the world in the name of Jesus. Though some of these institutions have enjoyed great success and become household names, not all have been able to maintain their Christian focus and purpose, their 'first love'. Others struggle to see the personal Christian commitment of leaders, staff and board members permeate the warp and weft of the way the organisation operates. Full of thoughtful reflection on key biblical principles and drawing on extensive and diverse experience of leading and studying organisations, this is a volume to stimulate intentional reflection (including a discussion guide) on the enduring Christian shape of an organisation's ethos, identity and impact. I warmly commend this volume to boards and staff teams, and all those who have a concern for Christian organisations seeking to serve the gospel in the world at large, a pressing and vital challenge' - Kanishka Raffel, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.; 'Organisational leaders have long known that culture trumps strategy. When it comes to mission drift, or more accurately, theology drift, it is also true that the theology an organisation affirms is of no value unless it embodies that theology. Keeping Faith is a brilliant diagnostic tool for analysing organisational theology and shows how organisations can remain faithful. Practical theology at its best, this book is a gift to any leader who longs to promote a gospel-infused culture in the organisation they lead' - Dr Brian Rosner, Principal, Ridley College, Melbourne.; 'Faithfully leading organisations to hold true to their founding call to demonstrate God's love in action is not simple. It's hard. Many have failed. This important book charts a clear roadmap to inspire belief in God's work in organisations and hope that his redemption of the world will prevail as he liberates his mission through teams. It is essential reading for all Christian leaders and anyone who seeks to explore the vital role organisations can have in changing the world' - Donna Shepherd, Chair, World Vision International.; ' Keeping Faith raises the difficult question of how Christian organisations remain faithful to serving God's mission throughout the world. I am thankful that Judd, Swinton and Martin have tackled such a relevant topic for all Christian organisations. The stories and sometimes failures that they share invite the reader to learn alongside the authors as they tackle the difficult issues that can hinder Christian organisations - from the Christian 'nice' culture to the slow drift of organisational mission' - Clare Steele, CEO of Compassion Australia.; ' Keeping Faith articulates a beautiful organisational theology that resists the temptation to go Jesus-lite in Christian organisations in order to satisfy secular metrics. Not content with statements of doctrine or values alone, Judd, Swinton and Martin argue convincingly for forms of organisational discipleship where theology is embedded in questions of identity, aim, behaviour and impact. The temptations of perpetual busyness, estrangement from theology and the church, and mission drift for the sake of funding are articulated with wisdom. A summons to think about how belief becomes faithful corporate practice presses for organisational conversion in the service of Christ! What a challenging, refreshing and timely book!', Revd Dr Richard R. Topping, President and Vice-Chancellor, Vancouver School of Theology.
Author Information
Dr Stephen Judd is the former Chief Executive of HammondCare – an Australian Christian independent charitable trust working within health and aged-care provision and with an annual turnover of over $A400m. Professor John Swinton is a Scottish theologian based in the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, United Kingdom. He was Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II of England, and is now Chaplain to King Charles III. Kara Martin, Adjunct Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is a practical theologian and author/editor of three books dealing with faith–work.
