17Jun 1999 by Joe Tolton No Comments
Congregations at the Crossroads: Remembering to Be Households of God

Congregations at the Crossroads: Remembering to Be Households of God

Biblical, Congregations, Resource Review, Theology
By Ronald E. Vallet. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998), ISBN: 0802813670, 256 pp. $29 US Review by Herbert Mather, director of stewardship for the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church Here is a book that does not fit the mold. It is both faithful and practical. Most of us have read books on Christian stewardship, agreed with most of what the author thought, "So what?" Many writers develop a sound theology but provide no clues about relating it to real life in the church. Other books have an abundance of how-to recommendations based on the latest management or marketing techniques with a few Bible verses tossed in to furnish legitimacy. Congregations at the Crossroads is different. Ron Vallet talks theology but doesn't simply theorize.…
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17Jun 1999 by Joe Tolton No Comments
Plain Talk About Churches and Money

Plain Talk About Churches and Money

Congregations, Resource Review
By Dean Hoge, Patrick McNamara, Charles Zech. (Bethesda, Maryland: Alban Institute, 1997), ISBN: 1566991854, 138 pp., $15.75 US Book review by Jerry Dean Weber, a development officer for the PCUSA Foundation This book by Dean Hoge (professor of sociology, Catholic University of America), Patrick McNamara (professor of sociology, University of New Mexico), and Charles Zech (professor of economics, Villanova University), is based upon the extensive research for their earlier work, Money Matters (1996). Both works wrestle with important issues about faith and money within North American congregations at the end of the twentieth century. This new work, however, goes beyond the previous book in its importance, because the issue of money in the church is talked about in a manner accessible to everyone. The authors have outlined for us the…
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