Ministry
Supporting today’s leaders in their churches, communities, and beyond
Doing ministry in the 21st century is challenging. Fortress Press publishes titles that support mainline and evangelical church leaders in their efforts to lead dynamic faith communities. Topics and series cover the full range of contemporary ministry, from preaching to pastoral care and from leadership to community organizing.
The Peoples’ Sermon
Preaching as a Ministry of the Whole Congregation
In The People's Sermon, Shauna K. Hannan argues that preaching is not a solo endeavor. It is a communal practice, a ministry of the whole congregation that is most faithful when the process is shared. She invites readers to reflect on what preaching is and to explore roles in the congregation's preaching ministry. Further, she guides readers and their communities through a process that will equip hearers for their roles in the preaching ministry.
Where God Meets Man, 50th Anniversary Edition
Luther's Down-to-Earth Approach to the Gospel
The fundamental theme of this book is the "down-to-earth" character of Luther's theology in the hope that it will help individual Christians today to be both faithful to God and true to their human and social responsibilities. This 50th Anniversary Edition includes a preface by Marianna Forde and a new study guide by Bradley C. Jenson, created to encourage new readings and conversations about Forde's influential take on Luther, theology, and the church.
Hiding in the Pews
Shining Light on Mental Illness in the Church
In 2012, Steve Austin, then a pastor, nearly died by suicide. He began to wonder: if church folks had talked openly about mental health, therapy, suicide prevention, recovery from abuse, and other difficult issues, would that have changed his story? Hiding in the Pews challenges and equips pastors and lay leaders to transform their communities into places where people who are suffering will find a sense of safety and belonging.
Dutiful Love
Empowering Individuals and Families Affected by Mental Illness
Dutiful Love explores the distinctive relationship between self-sacrificial love and caregiving when that duty to care extends over the course of an entire lifetime because of social limitations placed upon people with severe mental illness. The author draws upon her own experiences as the sibling of someone with mental illness. The book includes discussion questions, making it an ideal resource for individual reflection, church study groups, and college, seminary, and university classrooms.
God's People Made New
How Exploring the Bible Together Launched a Church's Spirit-Filled Future
God's People Made New reveals the role of God's Word in forming a congregation. Through the voices of congregants, biblical texts, theological reflection, and tools for studying the Bible, Rachael J. Powell inspires congregations to enter into the power of Scripture.
Clergy Burnout, Revised and Expanded
Surviving in Turbulent Times
In Clergy Burnout, Fred Lehr explores the nature and practice of codependence in the life and ministry of clergy. In short, insightful, and easily accessible chapters, he offers many useful examples along with hard-won and carefully distilled wisdom for ministry amid today's cultural shifts.
Free in Deed
The Heart of Lutheran Ethics
Free in Deed provides an imaginative and succinct introduction to Lutheran ethics, which the author contends is, finally, neighbor ethics. The gospel of Jesus Christ sets us free to serve neighbors--including all creation--and their well-being. This Lutheran framework provides a distinctive approach for navigating social issues in tumultuous times.