Open Source Church

Author : Landon Rev. Whitsitt, Author
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2011-04-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781566995979

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Open Source Church by Landon Rev. Whitsitt, Author Pdf

Open source software makes the basic program instructions available for anyone to see and edit. An 'open source church,' likewise, is one in which the basic functions of mission and ministry are open to anyone. Members feel free to pursue their callings from God that are consistent with what God has called the congregation to be and do. But what does 'open source church' look like? In Open Source Church: Making Room for the Wisdom of All, Landon Whitsitt argues that Wikipedia, the encyclopedia that anyone can see and edit, might be the most instructive model available to help congregations develop leaders and structures that can meet the challenges presented by our changing world. Its success depends, he demonstrates, not on the views of select experts but on the collective wisdom of crowds. Then, turning to the work of James Surowiecki in The Wisdom of Crowds, he explores the idea that the body of Christ itself--when it is intentionally diverse, encourages independence of thought, values decentralization, and effectively captures and aggregates the group's collective wisdom--is an open source church. Together, these phenomena show us what an 'open source church' looks like. It is the body of Christ at its best.

Author : Brian Mavis,Rick Rusaw
Publisher : Thomas Nelson
Page : 209 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2016-08-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780718077266

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The Neighboring Church by Brian Mavis,Rick Rusaw Pdf

New Leadership network title, to be filled in at a later date by editor.

Author : Robert J. A. Doornenbal
Publisher : Eburon Uitgeverij B.V.
Page : 442 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Christian education
ISBN : 9789059726239

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Crossroads by Robert J. A. Doornenbal Pdf

Author : Eric S. Raymond
Publisher : "O'Reilly Media, Inc."
Page : 260 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2001-02-01
Category : Computers
ISBN : 9780596553968

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The Cathedral & the Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond Pdf

Open source provides the competitive advantage in the Internet Age. According to the August Forrester Report, 56 percent of IT managers interviewed at Global 2,500 companies are already using some type of open source software in their infrastructure and another 6 percent will install it in the next two years. This revolutionary model for collaborative software development is being embraced and studied by many of the biggest players in the high-tech industry, from Sun Microsystems to IBM to Intel.The Cathedral & the Bazaar is a must for anyone who cares about the future of the computer industry or the dynamics of the information economy. Already, billions of dollars have been made and lost based on the ideas in this book. Its conclusions will be studied, debated, and implemented for years to come. According to Bob Young, "This is Eric Raymond's great contribution to the success of the open source revolution, to the adoption of Linux-based operating systems, and to the success of open source users and the companies that supply them."The interest in open source software development has grown enormously in the past year. This revised and expanded paperback edition includes new material on open source developments in 1999 and 2000. Raymond's clear and effective writing style accurately describing the benefits of open source software has been key to its success. With major vendors creating acceptance for open source within companies, independent vendors will become the open source story in 2001.

Author : Douglas Estes
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2009-09-22
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310314134

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SimChurch by Douglas Estes Pdf

The meeting place for the church of tomorrow will be a computer screen. Don’t laugh, and don’t feel alarmed. The real-world church isn’t going anywhere until Jesus returns. But the virtual church is already here, and it’s poised for explosive growth. SimChurch invites you to explore the vision, the concerns, the challenges, and the remarkable possibilities of building Christ’s kingdom online. What is the virtual church, and what different forms might it take? Will it be an extension of a real-world church, or a separate entity? How will it encourage families to worship together? Is it even possible or healthy to “be” the church in the virtual world? If you’re passionate about the church and evangelism, and if you feel both excitement and concern over the new virtual world the internet is creating, then these are just some of the vital issues you and other postmillennial followers of Jesus must grapple with. Rich in both biblical and current insight, combining exploration and critique, SimChurch opens a long-overdue discussion you can’t afford to miss.

Author : Paul Nixon,Beth Ann Estock
Publisher : The Pilgrim Press
Page : 251 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2016-02-05
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780829820362

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Weird Church by Paul Nixon,Beth Ann Estock Pdf

A wake-up call to anyone who still thinks church revitalization is simply a matter of doing better the things that used to come so easily. However, for the innovators whose ministries cannot fully be measured or understood by the old paradigms of members and money, Weird Church offers compelling vindication and encouragement that may cause them to stand and cheer

Author : Michael Jinkins
Publisher : Westminster John Knox Press
Page : 168 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2012-01-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780664238438

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The Church Transforming by Michael Jinkins Pdf

Theologian and author Michael Jinkins probes the present state and future of the Reformed faith.

Author : Neal D. Presa
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 376 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2012-10-03
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781610976169

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Here I Am, Lord, Send Me by Neal D. Presa Pdf

Church leadership and authority have been perennial theological issues facing Protestant churches of the Reformed tradition since the sixteenth century. What is ordination and what occurs when the Church ordains women and men to offices are questions that Reformed churches have attempted to answer for over five hundred years. In Here I Am, Lord, Send Me, Neal Presa combs the rich confessional, constitutional, and theological tradition of the Reformed churches. He critiques previous methods that have tried to answer questions of the meaning of ordination, and then proposes a new methodology that focuses on the ritual and stories of ordination, the shape and content of an assembly's worship. This work provides pathways for deeper and helpful engagement with present church debates and ecumenical discussions on ordination and ecclesiastical authority.

Author : Heidi A. Campbell
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 375 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2020-09-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781000073041

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Digital Creatives and the Rethinking of Religious Authority by Heidi A. Campbell Pdf

Much speculation was raised in the 1990s, during the first decade of internet research, about the extent to which online platforms and digital culture might challenge traditional understandings of authority, especially in religious contexts. Digital Creatives and the Rethinking of Religious Authority explores the ways in which religiously-inspired digital media experts and influencers online challenge established religious leaders and those who seek to maintain institutional structures in a world where online and offline religious spaces are increasingly intertwined. In the twenty-first century, the question of how digital culture may be reshaping notions of whom or what constitutes authority is incredibly important. Questions asked include: Who truly holds religious power and influence in an age of digital media? Is it recognized religious leaders and institutions? Or religious digital innovators? Or digital media users? What sources, processes and/or structures can and should be considered authoritative online, and offline? Who or what is really in control of religious technological innovation? This book reflects on how digital media simultaneously challenges and empowers new and traditional forms of religious authority. It is a gripping read for those with an interest in communication, culture studies, media studies, religion/religious studies, sociology of religion, computer-mediated communication, and internet/digital culture studies.

Author : Earl S. Johnson
Publisher : Westminster John Knox Press
Page : 215 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2012-01-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780664503178

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Selected to Serve by Earl S. Johnson Pdf

This useful guide for church leaders covers all aspects of officer training--call, duties, ethics, the Presbyterian Constitution, and much more. Congregations will find this resource indispensable for the recruitment and training of effective church leaders. Earl S. Johnson, Jr. has revised this best-selling book to include the new standards from the new Form of Government in the Book of Order

Author : Quentin P. Kinnison
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 202 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2016-05-20
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781625647030

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Transforming Pastoral Leadership by Quentin P. Kinnison Pdf

For many congregations, change creates discomfort. Pastoral leaders are often expected to be experts who manage and control realities beyond their expertise, experience, and ability. That expectation, a product of modern approaches to leadership, views the pastor as responsible for maintaining the status quo. Transforming Pastoral Leadership responds to this context by challenging readers to rediscover key biblical themes around the shepherding metaphor as well as key theological themes steeped in our historical faith narratives. Readers are challenged to consider the origins of our dominant leadership practices and to reconsider how Christ's preeminence as the leader of his church requires us to reconstruct leadership practices that are faithful to his preeminence. To assist congregations, Transforming Pastoral Leadership suggests two processes that might help congregations discern God's missional promptings as they move forward into God's future and experience conflict as opportunities for transformation.

Author : Rev. Martha Spong
Publisher : Turner Publishing Company
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2015-04-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781594736032

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There's a Woman in the Pulpit by Rev. Martha Spong Pdf

Be informed and inspired, delighted and supported, encouraged and entertained by stories and prayers from the unique perspectives of clergywomen. "In ministry, we constantly balance the sacred and the ordinary, juggling the two as expertly as we manage a chalice and a [baby] bottle. Even as we do things as simple as light the candles, set the table, break the bread and pour the wine, we invite people into a holy moment.... The women [in this book] not only have a wellspring of deep wisdom, but they also have the ability to dish out their knowledge with side-aching humor.... I am thrilled that their great wisdom and intelligence will be bound into the pages that I can turn to, lend and appreciate for years to come." ―from the Foreword by Rev. Carol Howard Merritt Learn―and laugh―with these women of the church, bound together by a deep commitment to ministry, as they reveal what it really means to be a woman in the pulpit. Over fifty clergywomen representing fourteen denominations share the details of their intimidating balancing act―juggling the isolating expectations of perfection from their congregations and the shared human realities of everyday life. Intended for laypeople, women hearing a call to ministry and clergy of all denominations, these stories and prayers will resonate with, challenge, encourage and amuse anyone who has a passion for their work and faith. Contributors: Rev. Jemma Allen • Rev. Denise Anderson • Rev. Stephanie Anthony • Rev. Amber Belldene • Rev. Beth Birkholz • Rev. Laurie Brock • Rev. Jennifer Garrison Brownell • Rev. Hilary Campbell • Rev. Erin Counihan • Rev. Julie Craig • Rev. Robin Craig • Rev. Liz Crumlish • Rev. Martha Daniels • Rev. Stacey Simpson Duke • Rev. Jan Edmiston • Rev. Ruth Everhart • Rev. Amy Fetterman • Rev. Marci Auld Glass • Rev. Rachel G. Hackenberg • Rev. Elizabeth Evans Hagan • Rev. Cheryl Harader • Rev. Joanna Harader • Gillian Hoyer • Rev. Rosalind C. Hughes • Rev. Sara Irwin • Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston • Rev. Deborah Lewis • Rev. Jennifer Burns Lewis • Rev. Catherine MacDonald • Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan • Suzy Garrison Meyer • Rev. Karla Miller • Rev. Sarah E. Howe Miller, PhD • Rev. Holly S. Morrison • Rev. Katie Mulligan • Rev. Dr. Teri McDowell Ott • Rev. Katya Ouchakof • Rev. Kerri Parker • Rev. Katherine Willis Pershey • Rev. Teri Peterson • Rev. Patricia J. Raube • Rev. Diane M. Roth • Rev. Anna Scherer • Rev. Julia Seymour • Rev. Monica Thompson Smith • Rev. Martha Spong • Rev. Sally-Lodge Teel • Rev. Sharon M. Temple • Rev. Michelle L. Torigian • Rev. Deb Vaughn • Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell • Rev. Julie Woods

Author : Antonio Spadaro
Publisher : Fordham Univ Press
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2014-09-19
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780823257027

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Cybertheology by Antonio Spadaro Pdf

Because the Internet has changed and is changing the ways in which we think and act, it must also be changing the ways in which we think Christianity and its theology. Cybertheology is the first book to explore this process from a Catholic point of view. Drawing on the theoretical work of authors such as Marshall McLuhan, Peter Levy, and Teilhard de Chardin, it questions how technologies redefine not only the ways in which we do things but also our being and therefore the way we perceive reality, the world, others, and God. “Does the digital revolution affect faith in any sense?” Spadaro asks. His answer is an emphatic Yes. But how, then, are we to live well in the age of the Internet? Spadaro delves deeply into various dimensions of the impact of the Net on the Church and its organization, on our understanding of revelation, grace, liturgy, the sacraments, and other classical theological themes. He rightly points out that the digital environment is not merely an external instrument that facilitates human communication or a purely virtual world, but part of the daily experience of many people, a new “anthropological space” that is reshaping the way we think, know, and express ourselves. Naturally, this calls for a new understanding of faith so that it makes sense to people who live and work in the digital media environment. In developing the notion of cybertheology, Spadaro seeks to propose an intelligence of faith (intellectus fidei) in the era of the Internet. The book’s chapters include reflections on man the decoder and the search engines of God, networked existence and the mystical body, hacker ethics and Christian vision, sacraments and “virtual presence,” and the theological challenges of collective intelligence.

Author : George B. Thompson,Beverly A. Thompson
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 122 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2011-09-21
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781566995375

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Grace for the Journey by George B. Thompson,Beverly A. Thompson Pdf

Every community of faith journeys through periods of transition. In Grace for the Journey: Practices and Possibilities for In-Between Times, authors Beverly and George Thompson invite congregations to open themselves to the grace-filled possibilities that accompany these in-between periods. Drawing on biblical examples and contemporary experience, the authors invite the community of faith to see transitional times as an opportunity to develop deeper spiritual awareness of God's call on its communal life—a call that open up fresh potential even as it calls us to consider what familiar things may need to change. As pastors and teachers with experience in congregations across the country, the Thompsons serve as your travel guides, accompanying you and your congregation as you walk through the wilderness of transitional times to the hope-filled possibilities on the horizon.

Author : Henry Anthon
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 74 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 1843
Category : Apostolic succession
ISBN : UIUC:30112041538528

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The True Churchman Warned Against the Errors of the Time by Henry Anthon Pdf