Taking Risks in Ministry

'Being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.'--Jawaharlal NehruIs your church at a crossroads, trying to measure if a risk is worth the reward? Perhaps you're considering a new building project, changing worship styles, hiring a new staff member, or even planting a new church. Do you feel like you're standing on the edge, deciding whether or not to jump? Are you wondering if your parachute will open on the way down?A fine line exists between taking risks in faith and foolishness. Foolishness is like jumping off a tall building#151laws of gravity inevitably cause the jumper to get hurt. By contrast, faith dares with God to dream the impossible but also walks in ways consistent with God's principles.Taking Risks in Ministry provides principles for managing risk in a variety of areas including finance, administration, worship, and discipleship. Learn to minimize the downsides of risk and maximize the potential to help your church grow. Well-known church leaders including Dale Galloway, Walt Kallestad, Dick Wills, Wayne Cordeiro, Bill Easum, Elmer Towns, Leith Anderson, Sally Morgenthaler, and Maxie Dunnam share methods for judging the acceptability of risks and lessons they have learned through taking risks in their own ministry.

Dr. Dale Galloway, founder of New Hope Community, Church in Portland, Oregon, serves as dean of the Beeson Institute for Advanced Church Leadership. He leads sessions as host, teacher, and facilitator. He is a graduate of Nazarene Theological Seminary and received a D.D. from Western Evangelical Seminary Dr. Walt Kallestad is senior pastor of Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Arizona. He is also CEO and president of The Joy Company and author of many books. He is a graduate of Concordia College, Luther Northwestern Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary Dr. Wayne Cordeiro planted New Hope Christian Fellowship Oahu. Honolulu, in 1995. Pastor Cordeiro is a graduate of Eugene Bible College. Eugene, Oregon, with postgraduate studies at Northwest Christian College and the University of Oregon. He received a D.D. from the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Bill Easum is President of Easum, Bandy & Associates, Inc. He was a senior pastor for 28 years. He graduated from Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Perkins School of Theology Dr. Elmer Towns serves as dean of the School of Religion at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, which he cofounded in 1971. He holds degrees from Southern Methodist University, Dallas Theological Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary Dr. Maxie Dunnam. president of Asbury Theological Seminary. is one of eight world presidents of the World Methodist Council. He served as a pastor for more than 30 years. He graduated from Emory University and received a D.D. from Asbury Theological Seminary. Sally Morgenthaler. author of Worship Evangelism, is a worship consultant and is founder and president of Sacramentis.com. A former pastor's wife, she is a graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield. Minnesota, with a degree in music education Dr. Leith Anderson has been senior pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, since 1977. He is a graduate of Bradley University, Denver Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary