• 25 More Questions for people who want to make their churches grow

    A lot of people seem to have been sharing my 25 Questions for people who want to make their churches grow on social media.

    So, here’s 25 more…

    1. If you didn’t have to go to your church on Sunday would you still go?
    2. Are the clergy happy?
    3. Are the musicians happy?
    4. Does the congregation have a stronger ethos than that of its denomination?
    5. What one thing could you change this week to make the worship better?
    6. Why didn’t you make that change last week?
    7. What steps are you taking to make the phrase “All are Welcome” come true?
    8. Do you do church business on a Sunday after church or is there a better time for that?
    9. In the next month are you more likely to spend time on ecumenical activities or church growth activities?
    10. Do people who leave become ex-members who have disappeared or do they still contribute to the life and ministry of the place?
    11. What is the noticeboard like?
    12. What is the first thing you see when you come through the door?
    13. Did you implement the recommendations of the last “mystery worshipper” you asked to give you a candid assessment?
    14. Which church events in the next six months will be newsworthy locally?
    15. Which church events in the next six months will be reported in the local media?
    16. Do you have enough staff and who decides this?
    17. What would your clergy really like to do that they can’t because of the laity?
    18. What would your laity really like to do that they can’t because of the clergy?
    19. Which would attract young families more – a bible-based week long summer activity for children or letting it be known that gay people are welcome in your church?
    20. Can you email those members of your congregation who want to receive regular updates?
    21. Do you email those members of your congregatio who want to receve regular updates?
    22. Has someone done the work required to make sure emails sent to large numbers of people don’t end up in spam boxes?
    23. Who in the congregation has gifts that could be better used doing a different job in the congregation than what they are currently doing?
    24. Who is your volunteer co-ordinator and is it obvious how to contact them?
    25. Can you volunteer without being a member of the church?

6 responses to “LGBT Booklist”

  1. Peter Ould Avatar
    Peter Ould

    Mario Bergner, “Setting Love in Order”

    Sorry, couldn’t resist…

  2. Kimberly Avatar

    Exile or Embrace , Mahon Siler. Not so much for LGBT as for those who need to hear stories and have no one to tell them. It’s about how a congregation worked through the process of how (and whether) to welcome gay people.

    James Alison’s Faith Beyond Resentment is equally important. I wonder if the chapter on the dynamics of exclusion shouldn’t be required reading for all Christians.

  3. Ryan Dunne Avatar
    Ryan Dunne

    Thanks for that Kelvin. Post – exam (May 7th) I plan on reading some of them. I can’t help but giggle at the fact that “Know My Name:Gay Liberation Theology” is published by “John Knox Press” however; what would old John have thought of the Polo Lounge ;-)?

  4. Graham Ward Avatar
    Graham Ward

    Not only relevant for addressing LGBT issues, Jack Spong’s The Sins of Scripture is also very useful.

  5. Scott Rosenberg Avatar
    Scott Rosenberg

    I have recently very much enjoyed Richard Holloway’s Leaving Alexandria. Whilst not a book about gays and the Church it does touch on this issue on several occasions and I found it to be an engrossing read.

  6. fr dougal Avatar
    fr dougal

    “Gift by Otherness” Wm countryman and MR Ritley is quite good.

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