Managing Polarities is a helpful book particular for protestant mainstream church leaders, both clergy and lay people. The polarities described and worked on are typical for churches that attract a diverse group of people (both in membership and leadership) with different ideas about faith and world (which is typical for protestant mainstream churches who are part of bigger church organizations like Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists and Baptists and have a leadership structure that involves lay people as much as clergy) and who have an understanding that diversity is not necessarily of evil and are governed by a constitution and a council. It helps those church leaders to gain a new perspective on the issues they have to deal with and differentiate between problems that can be solved and those that will not be solved, but perpetuate within a church and rather need to be managed well by the leaders. I did not give it 5 stars as I found it a bit repetitive, almost more like in a presentation or workshop, where it would have its place (a problem I noticed with a lot of American church leadership books, as if the authors don't trust the readers to get it the first time around). It makes the book longer than necessary. It helps though to find out why a congregation may be stuck in certain areas instead of moving forward. and I am not a big fan of "John and Mary were pastors in neighboring congregations" stories (that might be my personal problem and is only a minor one, as those stories appear to me as too fake. Most of them are based on experiences of the authors who have been in the field for while. Nonetheless, by giving the pastors new and politically correct gender balanced names and placing them in neighboring congregation makes them sound unreal).
Anyhow, the process offered to use in order to work with those polarities (and to know the difference to problems that can be solved by making a decision) and make them fruitful is very good and the appendices have helpful ideas how to implement the technique in a congregation or its board of directors. The method can be easily transferred to other life situations like work place of family.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
$31.74
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2016
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2011
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2016
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2013
