The Equipping Church

by Sue Mallory

Picture your church as a place where the priesthood of believers finds its expression in creative and powerful ways. Picture leaders and staff equipping and unleashing people to minister in ways consistent with how God designed them. Think of the effectiveness, vitality, and contentment that come when the body of Christ nurtures itself through the healthy give-and-take of each member. In The Equipping Church, Sue Mallory describes the benefits, the structure, and the culture of an equipping church and shows how your congregation can become one. This book is about limitless possibilities. Think "vision." What might your church look like if its members became vital, fully empowered partners in ministry? How can you help them discover and release their full potential? How would their roles change--and yours? AN EQUIPPING CHURCH IS A CHURCH * pastors and leaders enable church members to share in ministry * people’s gifts, talents, and life callings are matched with areas of service * ministry opportunities are recognized and developed * the culture encourages the growth of a broad array of ministries *a well-designed system addresses needs of every kind, both individual and corporate *the pastor doesn’t have to be all things to all people Unpacking insights and principles uncovered by Leadership Training Network over the last several years, Mallory helps you customize an equipping system and culture in your church. You’ll proceed from preparation (what you need to know), to foundations (what you need to change), to construction (what you need to do). In the process, Mallory takes you inside the story of her own church, Brentwood Presbyterian, to observe the different stages of their trial-and-error journey and how it has transformed their approach to "doing church." See how they dealt with various concerns that arose along the way, and meet men and women whose lives have been changed because Brentwood took the ministry road less traveled. Each chapter includes a section of "Equipping Principles," questions for discussion and reflection, and a summary of different equipping churches from around the country. With the accompanying Equipping Church Guidebook, this book will be a mile marker in your church--and the gateway to a more effective and biblical approach to ministry.

Genres: Leadership, Church, Christian Living, Christianity

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jamie Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not high on the list of recommended reading on leadership

[Erin]

One of the things I really appreciate about Sue Mallory's The Equipping Church is that she shares her experience growing a mainline local church into a new culture and system. So many books about church transformation are written by church planters who never had to deal with100+ years of history and/or a rigid denominational structure. I believe her when she says that she knows where we are and how hard it is to do something new. (And, really, it's not new, it's returning to the layout that God designed for us!) Looking forward to many discussions with others about Ephesians 4:11-13.

[Dylan Dodson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this based on a recommendation. It is about equipping those in the church for the work of ministry. The book was written about 25 years ago, and it is pretty dated in terms of concepts and approaches to ministry.

I'm sure it was good when it came out but it isn't helpful now, both pragmatically and in terminology.

[Tim Schwamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dry and not wholly applicable in parts to my tribe, but there are also many things to think about to get church members engaged in ministry. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking to develop a church of servants both inside and outside the church walls.

[Steven Bullmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a game-changer for me. The theme verse of every chapter is Ephesians 4:11-13: "The gifts [Christ] gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ." As a pastor, those three verses define the purpose of my ministry: to equip the saints for the work of ministry. And I am now dedicating the second half of my life and ministry to doing just that.
I have read the book 5 times, and plan to read it again soon.
And now I've read it 6 times. I keep thinking, dreaming, praying, that some day, somehow, the institutionalized mainline Protestant church to which I belong will finally see the self-fulfilling prophesy that "20% of the church members do 80% of the work," for what it is--a really horrible rut into which we have fallen. If the Church really is the Body of Christ, would you ask 20% of your body to do 80% of all the work your body has to do to stay healthy and thrive? And someone in the church, in a position of leadership and influence, will say, "There must be a better way to do church/to be the church." And I will gladly walk them through The Equipping Church, and we will do what Sue Mallory so eloquently and insightfully shows us what to do. And it will be like a rebirth of life, or relevance, of loving our neighbors, of making disciples, of being who Christ calls us to be.

[Brandon Atwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Church leaders were never meant to do it all. Every Christian is gifted to serve. Leaders in church should be spending their time equipping people. This book is a good reminder and full of real life examples of how churches are making equipping work.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical, recommended reading for all vestry members, all clergy if you take to heart the statement that the ministers of the church are all baptized.

[Suzanne Bullard]

Well written and practical. I really appreciate the stories that she tells.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book makes a good point about equipping lay leadership but feels a little too focused on the author's context