Carl S. Dudley – författare

According to Carl Dudley and Sally Johnson, the discovery of strong and compelling congregational self-images binds church members together and energizes ministry. They describe five images of churches' relationships to their communities over time--the Survivor, Prophet, Pillar, Pilgrim, and Servant styles--thus allowing churches to gain the knowledge necessary to build on their strengths and address their weaknesses.

This hands-on guide helps congregations meet the reality and challenges of today's constantly changing urban and suburban church communities. Congregations in Transition, written in an easy-to-follow workbook format, is designed to help communities of faith focus on the changing needs of their members and explore the opportunities and options open to them.

Dudley''s work in Making the Small Church Effective (1978) broke new ground in understanding the dynamics of life in the small congregation. In this revised edition, Dudley revisits the small church, posing new questions reflective of the considerable changes that have swept over small churches in the last two decades. Among the most significant recent developments are shifts in institutional loyalty and individual''s sense of identity in relation to larger groups and organizations. Dudley explores the key components that contribute to a small congregation''s sense of unity and that motivate its members to more faithfully live out their faith.

In this era of "faith-based initiatives," congregations increasingly find themselves in the business of establishing and supporting community ministries-daycare for infants and toddlers, respite care for elders, and programs for housing rehab and home repair, tutoring, and social justice advocacy. In this volume, Carl S. Dudley revises and updates his earlier book, Basic Steps toward Community Ministry, which Loren Mead called "the most valuable book on parish ministry I''ve seen in a decade."