Transforming the Mainline Church

InTransforming the Mainline Church, Robert Chesnut provides valuable lessons for inner-city churches. He urges congregations to be more open to diversity, to emphasize the arts and music, to support entrepreneurial leadership, and to move beyond denominational concerns to an approach that responds to the religious hungers of a new generation.

Robert A. Chesnut is the pastor of East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Acknowledgments

ix

Introduction

1

(8)

Part I. New Beginnings: Facing the Challenge of Change

Are You Ready for Radical Change?

9

(5)

Developing an Entrepreneurial Church

14

(5)

Would We Rather Die Than Change?

19

(5)

Signs of Pentecost

24

(6)

Drinking from Strange Wells

30

(6)

A Pilgrimage of Trust

36

(6)

Becoming the Cathedral of Hope

42

(9)

Part II. Building and Battling

Reaching a Generation of Seekers

51

(7)

A Tale of Two Churches

58

(10)

The Best-Laid Plans

68

(7)

Facing the Music

75

(7)

The Gathering Storm

82

(8)

Annus Horribilis

90

(7)

Putting Humpty-Dumpty Together Again

97

(10)

Part III. Transforming the Church for a New Millennium

Back to the Vision

107

(5)

Basement Treasure I: Bloom Where You're Planted

112

(8)

Basement Treasure II: Mission at Our Doorstep

120

(6)

Learning from the Trends: Past, Present, and Future

126

(7)

Evaluating the Trends

133

(10)

Transforming People, Transforming Organizations

143

(9)

What Is the Hope for Mainline Churches?

152

(10)

Afterword: Retrospective and Prospective

162

(11)

Appendix

173

(4)

Notes

177

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Transforming the Mainline Church

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials