The Emotionally Healthy Church: A Strategy for Discipleship that Actually Changes Lives
Books / Hardcover
Books › Religion › Christian Ministry › Discipleship
ISBN: 0310246547 / Publisher: Zondervan, March 2003
Something is desperately wrong with most churches today. Many sincere followers of Christ who are passionate for God and his work are unaware of the crucial link between emotional health and spiritual maturity. They present themselves as spiritually mature but are stuck at a level of immaturity that current models of discipleship have not addressed. Discipleship that really transforms a church must integrate emotional health with spiritual maturity. The Emotionally Healthy Church, winner of the
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True Discipleship Integrates Emotional and Spiritual Health.New Life Fellowship in Queens, New York, had it all: powerful teaching, dynamic ministries, an impressive growth rate, and a vision to do great works for God. Things looked good---but beneath the surface, circumstances were more than just brewing. They were about to boil over, forcing Peter Scazzero to confront needs in his church and himself that went deeper than he'd ever imagined. What he learned about the vital link between emotional health, relational depth, and spiritual maturity can shed new light on painful problems in your own church. Here are refreshing new insights, and a different and challenging slant on what it takes to lead your congregation to wholeness and maturity in Christ.Our churches are in trouble, says Scazzero. They are filled with people who are-unsure how to biblically integrate anger, sadness, and other emotions-defensive, incapable of revealing their weaknesses-threatened by or intolerant of different viewpoints-zealous about ministering at church but blind to their spouses' loneliness at home-so involved in 'serving' that they fail to take care of themselves-prone to withdraw from conflict rather than resolve itSharing from New Life Fellowship's painful but liberating journey, Scazzero reveals exactly how the truth can and does make people free---not just superficially, but deep down. After offering a new vision of discipleship and a revealing, guided self-assessment of your own spiritual and emotional maturity, The Emotionally Healthy Church takes you through six principles that can make a profound difference in your church. You'll acquire knowledge and tools that can help you and others - look beneath the surface of problems - break the power of past wounds, failures, sins, and circumstances - live a life of brokenness and vulnerability - recognize and honor personal limitations and boundaries - embrace grief and loss - make incarnation your model to love others.Written in a personal and passionate style, The Emotionally Healthy Church includes hands-on tools, discussion questions, spotlights on key points, and story after story of people at New Life whose lives have been changed by the concepts in this book. Open these pages, and find out how your church can turn a new corner on the road to spiritual maturity.
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