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Una iglesia en el poder del Espíritu: Un modelo de ministerio según Hechos 2
No es un misterio por qué algunas iglesias crecen, algunas permanecen estancadas, y otras declinan. Los principios de la multiplicación spiritual son evidentes en las Escrituras . . .
Si les ponemos atención.
En Una iglesia en el poder del Espíritu, Alton Garrison nos dirige a la esencia del crecimiento dinámico de la iglesia: la formación de discípulos llenos del Espíritu que participan en las cinco actividades centrales —conectar, crecer, servir, ir, y adorar— que influyen en la vida de cada persona y comunidad a través del amor y el poder del Espíritu de Dios. Con una mezcla de enfoque bíblico, reflexiones inspiradoras, e historias personales, Garrison comparte el modelo Hechos 2 para la iglesia que puede renovar la vitalidad espiritual de su congregación.
La iglesia de Hechos 2 revolucionó la sociedad del primer siglo con el mensaje de Jesús. Dios quiere usar su iglesia para que suceda lo mismo en nuestro tiempo.
Si les ponemos atención.
En Una iglesia en el poder del Espíritu, Alton Garrison nos dirige a la esencia del crecimiento dinámico de la iglesia: la formación de discípulos llenos del Espíritu que participan en las cinco actividades centrales —conectar, crecer, servir, ir, y adorar— que influyen en la vida de cada persona y comunidad a través del amor y el poder del Espíritu de Dios. Con una mezcla de enfoque bíblico, reflexiones inspiradoras, e historias personales, Garrison comparte el modelo Hechos 2 para la iglesia que puede renovar la vitalidad espiritual de su congregación.
La iglesia de Hechos 2 revolucionó la sociedad del primer siglo con el mensaje de Jesús. Dios quiere usar su iglesia para que suceda lo mismo en nuestro tiempo.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
97 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 14, 2018
Great practical book.
July 17, 2016
This book takes you back to the heart of church. In a day and age when church has become an "experience" instead of a llifestyle, this book is a refreshing reminder of the original design for church. It's premise is very simple -- we are to grow, connect, serve, go, and worship. It was the model of the Acts 2 church and it's the only model that we need to have today. How we do those things will look different because we're all different. We have a unique set of talents and gifts within each of our "churches" and so their fulfillment of the mission will look different. That's were vision truly comes in at. Vision is not about figuring out the purpose of your church -- that's be defined. Instead, vision about determining how your church is supposed to live out its purpose.
With assessment resources and great discussion questions, this book can serve a discussion and training tool for church leaders especially if there seems to be stagnation or a change in leadership.
With assessment resources and great discussion questions, this book can serve a discussion and training tool for church leaders especially if there seems to be stagnation or a change in leadership.
June 15, 2018
This book was to be read as part of a course I was taking called "The Spirit Empowered Church". I have to be honest that when I was going through the book, working w/my study guide for school, I read over alot of the material, but there were things that caught my attention in the book that led me to want to reread it after the course and going into summer break.
I have now had the chance to go back over the book and thoroughly reread it. Making alot of notations within the book.
Overall I would rate it as a very good book. It is based on the principles of Acts 2 in the Bible. If a church is on the decline there are some very basic tips on how to help get your church back on the upswing. This books shares many ups and downs in ministry and the pitfalls that churches can fall into over time.
I enjoyed the book. It was a good read.
I have now had the chance to go back over the book and thoroughly reread it. Making alot of notations within the book.
Overall I would rate it as a very good book. It is based on the principles of Acts 2 in the Bible. If a church is on the decline there are some very basic tips on how to help get your church back on the upswing. This books shares many ups and downs in ministry and the pitfalls that churches can fall into over time.
I enjoyed the book. It was a good read.
November 17, 2018
"A Spirit-Empowered Church!"
For any Lay person, Pastor, Deacon/Elder, anybody seeking reference for a church like that of The church in ACTS, this book is it! Without compromise!
For any Lay person, Pastor, Deacon/Elder, anybody seeking reference for a church like that of The church in ACTS, this book is it! Without compromise!
March 2, 2019
Eveleth book with reading
All of it. Really excited to see my church take this approach. However I think they've anyway started without knowing it.
All of it. Really excited to see my church take this approach. However I think they've anyway started without knowing it.
January 15, 2020
Wonderful book for church growth and for personal Christian growth.
December 31, 2020
Phenomenal book about getting to the basics of scripture and why the disciples did what they did. Jesus is the ultimate model and he laid it all out there. This book was so encouraging.
March 29, 2023
This book adequately and eloquently describes the behaviors of a Spirit Empowered Church. I highly recommend it to any church leader to read.
December 3, 2024
Brought me to action in my ministry! Held a vision night and changed the direction of our church!
March 8, 2016
Alton Garrison, A Spirit-Empowered Church: An Acts 2 Ministry Model (Springfield, MO: Influence Resources, 2015).
Pentecostals look to the Acts 2 church as the paradigmatic church—and with good reason! This was the church to whom Jesus Christ himself said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). This was the church whose miraculous beginnings (2:4) were followed by immediate growth, both quantitatively (2:41) and qualitatively (2:42ff.).
This paradigmatic church is sometimes misunderstood, however. It was not a perfect church, for example, as the negative example of Ananias and Sapphira reminds us (5:1ff). It also was not a hyper-spiritual church, one so dependent on the immediate leading of the Holy Spirit that it neglected more pragmatic aspects of ministry. Just before the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2, for example, the church nominated two men to succeed Judas Iscariot (1:12ff.) On the Day of Pentecost itself, someone had to come up with a plan (and locations!) to baptize 3,000 converts (2:41). Later, the church had to resolve a problem in the distribution of the poor fund, which it did by creating the office of deacon (6:1ff).
The Acts 2 church, it turns out, was both powerful and pragmatic. Garrison writes:
Alton Garrison makes the case for this kind of church in A Spirit-Empowered Church. Garrison is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA). In that capacity, he provides oversight to the AG’s Church Transformation Initiative, which partners with district denominational offices and local congregations to help strengthen the local church. His book is both steeped in classical Pentecostal theology and practice as well as attentive to what works.
Garrison divides the book into three units. Unit 1, “Our Challenge,” focuses on the issues that churches need to address to experience greater health. Unit II shows church leaders how to think about their congregation’s mission, vision, and values…and why. Unit III identifies the five core functions of a healthy church: connect, grow, serve, grow, worship. Garrison blends biblical insight, personal example, and practical principles in each chapter. The book thus rises out of a lifetime of reflection on the ministry of the local church.
What Garrison writes about the Acts 2 church resonates with me. In my own 25 years of ministry, I have been tempted to rely too much on one end of the powerful-pragmatic spectrum. I have also seen others go too far the other way. Reading a veteran minister make the case for balance reminded me not to be captive to false dichotomies in ministry. I would recommend this book especially to young ministers in their first pastorates. Heeding the advice Garrison gives will save you from a lot of grief. I’d also recommend it to pastors, board members, and other church leaders who feel that their church is stuck and need help getting spiritually and mission ally healthier.
_____
P.S. This review first appeared at InfluenceMagazine.com.
P.P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
Pentecostals look to the Acts 2 church as the paradigmatic church—and with good reason! This was the church to whom Jesus Christ himself said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). This was the church whose miraculous beginnings (2:4) were followed by immediate growth, both quantitatively (2:41) and qualitatively (2:42ff.).
This paradigmatic church is sometimes misunderstood, however. It was not a perfect church, for example, as the negative example of Ananias and Sapphira reminds us (5:1ff). It also was not a hyper-spiritual church, one so dependent on the immediate leading of the Holy Spirit that it neglected more pragmatic aspects of ministry. Just before the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2, for example, the church nominated two men to succeed Judas Iscariot (1:12ff.) On the Day of Pentecost itself, someone had to come up with a plan (and locations!) to baptize 3,000 converts (2:41). Later, the church had to resolve a problem in the distribution of the poor fund, which it did by creating the office of deacon (6:1ff).
The Acts 2 church, it turns out, was both powerful and pragmatic. Garrison writes:
The odd thing is that in some churches, we see resistance to calls for revitalization while others resist the idea of planning. Some don’t see the need for the work of the Holy Spirit or feel their churches have enough of the Spirit already, and others act like the Holy Spirit has no place in a planning meeting. The truth is that we need Him in every component of our lives and churches.
Alton Garrison makes the case for this kind of church in A Spirit-Empowered Church. Garrison is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA). In that capacity, he provides oversight to the AG’s Church Transformation Initiative, which partners with district denominational offices and local congregations to help strengthen the local church. His book is both steeped in classical Pentecostal theology and practice as well as attentive to what works.
Garrison divides the book into three units. Unit 1, “Our Challenge,” focuses on the issues that churches need to address to experience greater health. Unit II shows church leaders how to think about their congregation’s mission, vision, and values…and why. Unit III identifies the five core functions of a healthy church: connect, grow, serve, grow, worship. Garrison blends biblical insight, personal example, and practical principles in each chapter. The book thus rises out of a lifetime of reflection on the ministry of the local church.
What Garrison writes about the Acts 2 church resonates with me. In my own 25 years of ministry, I have been tempted to rely too much on one end of the powerful-pragmatic spectrum. I have also seen others go too far the other way. Reading a veteran minister make the case for balance reminded me not to be captive to false dichotomies in ministry. I would recommend this book especially to young ministers in their first pastorates. Heeding the advice Garrison gives will save you from a lot of grief. I’d also recommend it to pastors, board members, and other church leaders who feel that their church is stuck and need help getting spiritually and mission ally healthier.
_____
P.S. This review first appeared at InfluenceMagazine.com.
P.P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews