If preaching were but public speaking, if worship services were no more than community gatherings, if music ministry were simply a matter of performance, if baptism were but a rite of passage, there would be little reason to read a book such as this, little cause to get excited about improvement. But if the church is more than a social club and if eternal destinies hang in the balance, then church leaders need to continually evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the public life of the church. This collection of two hundred articles by one hundred experts will assist church leaders in the following areas:
● Preaching
● Worship
● Music
● The Lord's Supper
● Baptism
● Weddings
● Funerals
Each section not only examines the theology of the subject, but also offers counsel on planning, preparing, and doing ministry in a practical and up-to-date way.
Leadership journal and Baker Book House have teamed up to produce this handbook and its two companion volumes─Leadership Handbook of Management and Administration and Leadership Handbook of Outreach and Care. They are compiled with a love for ministry and a desire that among the myriad demands of modern church life these volumes may become trusted and valuable friends, readily available to pull from the bookshelf and consult frequently.