Description
Table of Contents
Women in the pulpit. Homosexuality. Denominational mergers. Church splits. HIV/AIDS. Seminary education. A church move to the suburbs. Egotism. Church politics.
There is an old saying in the black community that goes, "God Don't Like Ugly." According to McKinney, the issues named above have led to "ugly" in the black church and have thus weakened its status as the strongest institution in the black community. These issues are but a few covered in the groundbreaking book Getting to Amen. This important resource provides a set of practical toolsbased on Christian principles, psychological theory, and research on African American religious culturethat will help churches move beyond disputes and disagreements to harmony and heartfelt AMENs!
Reviews
"One of the hallmark beauties of her book is the insistence that we don't have to surrender our principled stands on critical issues to work beyond our differences—or even through them—to embrace one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. This book is...a practical handbook to resolve conflicts that, when addressed in a healthy fashion, can lead to a deepening of our theological insight while strengthening our mission to change the world through love." —from the foreword by Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities and Professor of African-American and Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania
"Getting to Amen not only provides churches with a framework for conflict resolution but helps them to resolve these conflicts in new and creative ways based on our faith." —Rev. Romal J. Tune, Director, African American Ministers Programs, People for the American Way
"It is a must-read book for every church member." —Dr. Linda Hollies, editor of Sister to Sister, Volume 2
"Recognizing that conflict is a necessary and potentially productive component of a relationship, McKinney offers strategies that allow voices to be heard, fears to be allayed, and people to demonstrate their faith in God." —Tracy D. Weaver, Black Issues Book Review
"Getting to Amen is a handy resource highly recommended for church and lay leaders." —Lisa Crayton, Aspiring Retail
"...A great Christian education instructional tool to use in a classroom setting during a conference, retreat, seminary, or other church-affiliated training. Church officials will welcome this book, which not only helps to understand the conflicts that may arise in a church, but also shows the steps needed to resolve the problem and move forward." —Multicultural Review, Spring 2006
Author Bio
Lora-Ellen McKinney is the daughter of a third-generation Baptist minister and an expert in community health, social services, social justice, and education. She currently heads her own consulting firm in Seattle, WA. Her Kellogg National Fellowship Award provided her dispute resolution training through the Harvard Negotiation Project and Eastern Mennonite University's Conflict Analysis and Transformation program. McKinney received her MS and PhD from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.