Description
The living church creates community.
This first volume in Judson Press's new "Living Church" series addresses the topic of church growth and discipleship.
For centuries, the Christian church has led the way in creating communities of people. Dr. Lee Spitzer proposes that today's church can sustain that leadership role by developing a transformative paradigm for church growth. The key, Spitzer asserts, is learning to expand and enrich our circles of friendship—in our home, our congregation, and our community.
Through friendships, our churches grow—not only in terms of the number of people who join but in regard to the maturity of disciples who participate in the life of the Body of Christ. This practical resource includes chapter studies on friendship in the Bible and in the life of Jesus.
Author Lee Spitzer is donating his book royalties to the anti-poverty efforts of the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey.
Download the Friendship Exercises for personal and church group use!
Visit us on Facebook where Lee shares articles and updates on the topic of friendship!
Author Bio
Lee B. Spitzer is Historian for the Baptist World Alliance and Affiliate Professor of Church History at Northern Seminary in Chicago. He is the retired General Secretary of the American Baptist Churches USA - the first person of Jewish descent to hold that office. He pastored three ABC churches and served as the Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor of ABC New Jersey for 14 years. His PhD is from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in association with the International Baptist Theological Study Centre (IBTS). He serves on the Committee on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and as a IBTS Research Fellow. He is the author of several books, including Baptists, Jews, and the Holocaust: The Hand of Sincere Friendship (Judson Press, 2017) and Making Friends, Making Disciples: Growing Your Church Through Authentic Relationships (Judson Press 2010).