Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World

by Jorge Acevedo

What behaviors do highly vital congregations have in common? How can all congregations move toward greater vitality? In Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World, Jorge Acevedo passionately and effectively reveals how Grace Church in Cape Coral, Florida, has developed behaviors that result in vital and fruitful ministry. Focusing on spiritual pastoral leadership, lay leadership development, worship, small groups, and service and mission, Acevedo both inspires and coaches. He helps leaders of congregations act in their own contexts to develop behaviors essential to vitality, as identified by the recent study of 32,000 United Methodist congregations.

The book includes brief summaries of learnings from the research and stories from other congregations illustrating vital behaviors in different settings.

Approximately 15% of the 32,228 churches (4,961 churches) scored high in vitality based on the vitality index. What this means is that 15% of our churches have figured out some way to remain highly vital in spite of the fact that 85% have not. What this means is that we cannot assign all the blame for our congregational demise at the feet of the "institution" of the church. 4961 congregations have figured out ways to prevail in spite of our denominational condition. To me this is hopeful and promising! This book is my best attempt for us to learn from the 15% of United Methodist Churches that are vital, growing and prevailing.
Jorge Acevedo

Genres: Leadership, Christianity

176 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[James Leman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical and encouraging!

This book forces me, as a pastor, to take a serious look at what we’re doing (and not doing) as a church. We may have people in the building on Sunday mornings, but are we truly a “vital” church?!? Convicting....but the book doesn’t just convict and leave us licking our wounds. It gives practical and encouraging examples of ways to move forward!

[Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jorge does a great job of showing how vital congregations excel in the five strategic ministry areas of vitality: Pastoral Leadership, Lay Leadership, Worship, Ministry and Mission. While the church I pastor doesn't have the multiple campuses that Grace Church has, there are things from this book that can be used in any local church looking to become what would be identified as a vital church!

[Johnina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very powerful and full of great examples of living your faith through the church. Will recommend to my pastor and our Vision and Planning Committee and will probably bring as a study to my Sunday school class.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about what it means to be a vital congregation and embrace that within your own context

[Tom Pasmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good thoughts on church systems leadership. Well done.