Church Work Rules

"Learning from your own mistakes might be the best way, but it is a hard way. It is much better to learn from the mistakes of others." These words, spoken to David Self by his father, apply equally not only to an individual's challenges and responsibilities, but also to the rules of church leadership. Too many church leaders fail due to violating one or more of these rules, which are based on lessons from the Bible and the words of the first leaders of the Christian church. Executive pastor and author Dr. David Self follows the narrative of Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian Elders in Acts 20 and relates it to his experiences during the five-year interim of Houston's First Baptist Church. Emphasized are ten principles of church leadership based on Paul's instruction and illustrated through Self's generational wisdom, passed from father to son for a cumulative ninety years of ministerial experience. Each chapter offers scriptural passages for focus and reflection, related personal experiences from shepherding one of America's largest congregations in its time of transition, and the skills needed in any church environment. Paul bestowed upon the Ephesians wisdom in passing on the baton of church leadership, teaching them the pitfalls to avoid and the principles to follow. By learning the lessons of those who came before us, we can realize the joys and lessen the heartaches of church work, knowing there is no better place to invest our time.

Offers critical definitions about the work of a pastor or elder -- what his job description is and what the limits of his authority are in the context of church government.

Pastors and church leaders are constantly faced with strategic questions. How much staff does the church need? How many workers are needed in the nursery this month? When is the right time to start a second worship service? How many people should we train for evangelism this year? How does seating and parking impact worship attendance? When church leaders have questions about planning, running, or growing their churches, they need answers fast! What Every Pastor Should Know offers pastors and leaders 101 valuable rules and "sacred" laws to help answer real-life ministry questions. From advertising to facilities to visitation, this valuable book offers the practical help that leaders need, just when they need it most. This comprehensive guide will become one of the most valuable books in a leader's library. Never again will they wonder if they based critical decisions on the right information. They'll get the answers they're looking for all in one place.

This new book, “Rules of Church Work”, is a much-needed resource for all who desire to work in a church. Dag Heward-Mills, in his usual style, lays out the rules for working in full-time ministry and brings much needed revelation for successful ministry.

Some of the biggest challenges that pastors and church leaders face are rooted in a non-biblical church structure. These challenges lead to low morale and discouragement, and they can drain enthusiasm and kill vision faster than almost anything else. This book shows you how to build an effective biblical church structure so that troubling dysfunction can be transformed into a healthy environment. Additionally, a model Constitution and Bylaws, scrutinized by an attorney who specializes in church and denominational litigation, is provided for others to inculcate into their respective ministries. Pastors, missionaries, church planters, college and seminary professors, church leaders and church members will be greatly helped by reading and applying this book, which combines biblical scholarship with the practical insights of a pastor with over 30 years of experience. The foreword is written by the President of the largest seminary in the world. This book has also been endorsed in writing by thirteen other key evangelical leaders (professors, missionaries, pastors, editors, and institutional presidents and administrators). It can stand the test of scholarly scrutiny, but is succinct and promises to fill a huge void for years to come.

You may have had a call from God to work in church and you ignored it maybe God gives you a second chance. Some people wait for that something extraordinary that they are going to do for God and they might wait forever. Maybe you are already working in God?'s church which is a humbling experience. The point is that we need guidelines and in this book Dag Heward-Mills provides it. There are certain delusions about working in ministry like thinking that you are special, spiritual and that it is a free ticket to travelling to foreign countries. Dag Heward-Mills wants you to wake up and smell the ministry roses. It is a humble job in which you have to be patient, gentle, steadfast and tolerant but the secret is also to enjoy this wonderful chance that you have to serve God. He also teaches the laws of the mission and explains the different types of full-time ministers.