Unbinding Your Heart: 40 Days of Prayer & Faith Sharing (All-Congregational Study in the Real Life Evangelism Series) - Softcover

Martha Grace Reese

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0827238053 ISBN 13: 9780827238053

Publisher: Chalice Press, 2008

Synopsis

Unbinding Your Heart: 40 Days of Prayer & Faith Sharing is a brilliant book -- witty, engaging, and grounded in a four-year Lilly Endowment study. Unbinding Your Heart is a six-week individual and small-group study for your entire congregation. [It is the culmination of the Unbinding the Gospel Series, by author, researcher, pastor and attorney Martha Grace Reese.] Church leaders should first study Unbinding the Gospel (the church leaders' study) that was selected by The Christian Century as a featured "Take and Read" book in its 2007 Book Issue. Then use Unbinding Your Heart as a study and devotional for the whole congregation. The third book in the series, Unbinding Your Church (the pastor's guide), will help you plan, teach, pray and organize your all-church study. The Unbinding Series has been enthusiastically endorsed by eight heads of denominations, Brian McLaren, George Hunter, Becky Garrison, Richard Peace, and countless pastors and church leaders.

About this title

Review:

"Don't miss this one!" -- Evangelism Connections

From the Publisher:

"...with clarity and sound theological grounding, we are invited into a grand adventure....could be a watershed book for mainline Protestantism."

Alban Institute, Congregations Magazine
"...the `don't ask, don't tell" evangelism program will not revers the trend. Humor, whimsy and joy in the faith will serve us better. Reese's book is written to provoke, to tease and to charm us back into telling our story." The Christian Century
"The Real Life Evangelism Series is a power pack! Based on the extensive and authoritative research of Martha Grace Reese, and rooted in her passionate love for God and respect for the mainline church, these books like Reese, are the rarest of gifts: they give us authoritative facts that arm us for real change rather than simply being alarming; they provide data that moves one to action rather than further depressing those of us who care about mainline churches.... a treasure." Todd Hunter, National Director, Alpha USA; Former Director, Vineyard Churches USA
"Martha Grace Reese gently but persistently lures the Mainline back to the ministry of evangelism that is the heart of the church. Based on careful research and extensive listening, the Unbinding the Gospel (and the RLE Series) avoid gimmicks and the trap of the latest church growth fad. They invite pastors and members instead to a relationship with Christ that overflows the banks of our often cautious and reserved congregations. These books can convert even the most "evangelism-cautious" Christians into eager disciples who love others enough to tell them why Jesus is the answer." John H. Thomas, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
"The statistics Reese gives sober me, and they motivate me too. And her stories of vibrant congregations give me hope." ....when you turn the last page, you can't just let this be another book you read. You need to let Reese's message affect you, and your faith community, and through you, other people..." Brian McLaren, Author (brianmclaren.net)
"Mainline churches, like the Red Sox, have not won any evangelism series for a long time. The Real Life Evangelism Series breaks the curse by knocking one out of the park! Reese equips mainline church leaders with prayerful and practical tools needed to change the church through the power of Christ's redeeming love. Becky Garrison, Senior Contributing Editor, Wittenburg Door, Author of Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church.
"Unbinding the Gospel teaches us how to re-learn the practice of evangelism. It's published at a teachable moment. Don't just read this book --use it!" Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary, Reformed Church in America
"Unbinding the Gospel is a great resource for congregations1 It is inspirational, motivational, and a great model and companion for congregations as they seek to be faithful stewards of the Gospel." Belva Brown Jordan, Philips Theological Seminary (formerly Harvard Divinity School)
"Martha Grace Reese loves the Church. Hope for the mainline church abounds in these pages. She carefully demythologizes evangelism and then reconstructs it through common sense practices." Jim Griffith, President, Griffith Coaching.
"This book is a marvelous resource --I heartily recommend it!" Clifton Kirkpatrick , Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
"Written with intelligence, heart and a sense of humor....this is real life evangelism for real life Christians." Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Unbinding the Gospel is a must-read for those of us in the progressive mainstream church that are trying to reclaim the e.word." David Schoen, Evangelism Minister and Team Leader, United Church of Christ.
"The anecdotal material inspires each of us as followers of Jesus to grow more comfortable in sharing our faith. But as important are the sections on congregational dynamics that impact the growth or stagnation of our churches. Reese has put together an approach to sharing the gospel that works in mainline churches." Bruce Humphrey, Senior Pastor, Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church, San Diego, California
"There is a palpable sense of God's presence and availability in Martha Grace Reese's keen-eyed, level-headed, and big-hearted approach to evangelism. She poses the empowering possibilities of new life with style, verve, and an abounding sense of joy and trust in God. In a time when it is so easy to beat up on churches, she offers warm encouragement and wise guidance." Robert Lee Hill, Senior Pastor, Community Christian Church, Kansas City, MO
"This book will be a great resource for small groups, churches, and pastors who are ready to be instrucments of unleashing God's awesome Spirit in the world." Yolanda Villa, Executive Pastor of Congregational Care, United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, KS
"There is nothing quite like solid research to dispel the sort of misconceptions and self-serving biases and attitudes we of mainline churches have harbored for so long. Solid research is what Martha Grace Reese gives us, along with clear, thoughtful analysis and concrete prescriptions for how we can move forward in faithful and effective evangelism. She manages to do all this in a book that is completely accessible to both clergy and lay people and fun to read! It is an amazing and timely accomplishment!" Richard L. Hamm, Executive Administrator, Christian Churches Together, former Disciples General Minister and President.
"Martha Grace Reese has done a great service to the church by creating the Mainline Evangelism Research Project and then reporting on it in such an engaging, faith-filled, readable way. This should be required reading in all mainline churches. Our continuing existence may depend upon it." Richard Peace, Robert Boyd Munger Professor of Evangelism and Spiritual Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary

About this edition

• Publisher: Chalice Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0827238053
• ISBN 13: 9780827238053
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176