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BOOK REVIEW: A smart read for pastors David Mosser, Oct 5, 2007
Church Administration: Programs, Process, Purpose Robert N. Bacher and Michael L. Cooper-White Fortress Press, 2007 303 pages, hardcover
By David Mosser Special Contributor
In my role as pastor of a fairly large congregation, I have many small duties that go beyond preaching and comforting the bereaved. Those duties can mire church leaders in a jumble of undersized details, but they may also spell the difference between whether ministry takes place or not.
Such is life in the 21st century.
For instance, let’s say that 62 youth show up for a day trip, but you’ve only planned transportation for 35. To put it bluntly, you’ve failed to take care of business.
That’s why I’d urge anyone in church leadership to take a close look at this book. Is it titillating reading? No, but it can save pastors, church staffs and lay leaders many hours of heartache and wasted time.
Like it or not, churches with more than 1,000 members are important institutions in their neighborhoods. Learning to manage the administrative duties of ministry shows efficiency, diligence and good stewardship.
Both authors are ordained clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, but the issues they address echo across all denominational and theological lines.
They do a thorough job of helping readers understand the dynamics of a church board or governing council. Topics include budgeting, communication, conflict resolution and legal issues in a litigious society.
The book’s appendices are especially helpful, offering tips on how to carefully maintain records. Sample documents show churches how to handle revenue, expenses and balance sheets.
Also included are job descriptions, personnel evaluation forms and background-check documentation. There are even useful samples of meeting agendas!
Most of us, given a choice, would pick something more exciting to read among ecclesial books. But any church leader who follows the advice in Church Administration will probably have more free time to do exactly that.
This book can help a church work smarter, but not necessarily harder.
The Rev. Mosser is senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Arlington, Texas.
Like it or not, churches with more than 1,000 members are important institutions in their neighborhoods. Learning to manage the administrative duties of ministry shows efficiency, diligence and good stewardship. 
