Spiritual Maturity: Preserving Congregational Health and Balance

by Frank A. Thomas (Editor)

Like all human bodies, the body of Christ that we call "church" needs to attend to its health or it may become ill. Renowned pastor, preacher, and teacher Frank Thomas believes that many congregations exhibit a number of dysfunctional habits in conducting business that lead to rifts, divides, and even congregational splits. Often they are caused by leadership styles that are ineffective and controlling. Thomas examines how poor congregational leadership is often the result of personality conflicts among leaders and how many key leadersboth clergy and layparticipate in keeping unhealthy methods alive. Thomas's book will help lay and clergy leaders improve the health of their congregation by taking a close look at the styles of church leadership, methods of information flow, and levels of participation that exist within the body. Thomas offers a holistic solution based on a model of spiritual maturity for creating and preserving a healthy congregation.

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 1985

Reviews

[Lukas Stock · Rating 1 out of 5]

Leadership books are awful. Christian leadership books are worse.

Individualistic, pseudo-pelagian nonsense. Ending by explicitly saying you’re rejecting a model of church leadership described in scripture is almost funny if it wasn’t so offensively and boringly predictable.

Just so bad. Insulting to have been assigned in a seminary setting.

[Zack Clemmons · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is coming a day when I will no longer be assigned books.

[Reid Parrish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite frankly the worst book I’ve read in seminary. Please please please put this book down and go read Pete Scazzero.

[Colby · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book merits even less than this review. Much less a few hours of my time.

[Emily London Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m grateful for the direct, practical advice Thomas gives about the leadership styles and managing conflict. However, I had significant hesitations about certain aspects of his book, particularly the theological grounding of some of his reflections.

Overall, his framework is heavily individualistic and prizes the autonomy of a church leader/minister and their congregants. I wish his insights were tempered with recognition that even as we take responsibility for our actions and our spiritual maturity, we will do so imperfectly within a grace-filled context of the whole church. I think an acknowledgment of the interdependence that ministers especially have upon other people and particularly upon the Lord– and the grace and kindness we receive from God when we accept the grace and kindness of others — would be a helpful addition. Because he focuses so much on everyone taking responsibility for their own actions, I wonder about the role of community in spiritual formation (outside of the community conflict that Thomas readily presents.) I also hoped for a more nuanced perspective on emotional maturity, but it seemed like his framework heavily relies on volition (i.e, we “choose how others make us feel,” therefore spiritual maturity means choosing not to react “negatively” to others.) His take on emotional maturity was particularly concerning to me.

Though I felt at times Thomas had an overrealized and oversimplified understanding of the “victory” we can have in spiritual maturity, I also appreciated how his position critiques my own customs and biases. His book provoked a lot of reflection about the dynamics of church leadership and provided some helpful directives on how a church leader can meet conflict with integrity, but I would hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend it.

[Graham Gaines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. It's just...okay. The story he tells in Module 4 is the most effective part, imo.