Fling Open the Doors

By Paul D. Nixon

Book Overview

The temptation to focus only on their own internal problems and issues is powerful for congregations. Without realizing it, even churches that have a long tradition of outreach and social involvement become centered on issues of institutional survival and preservation. Worst of all are congregations that adopt a "fortress mentality," addressing the larger community rarely, and only in the "language of Zion" when they do. This tendency to isolation and insularity flies directly in the face of the gospel imperative to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Christian congregations exist as God's redeeming presence in the communities in which they are located. If churches are to live as though they take that seriously, they must learn to give themselves away to the community. The focus of every ministry and program must be to reach and make disciples of the unchurched. In this book, Paul Nixon paints a picture of what community based ministry is all about. Drawing on his experiences within a congregation that has seen twenty-five years of increased worship attendance, he lays out practical steps that churches can take to plant themselves firmly within the lives of the communities they serve. He demonstrates how churches can organize their facilities to become community centers, establish multiple locations for ministry throughout the community, and empower every member to become a minister of the congregation. Written with an infectious sense of hope, this book will become a critical tool for church leaders seeking to transform their congregations into outward-looking bodies of witness.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0687045541
• ISBN13: 9780687045549
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Prompt and good value

I got the item I wanted in good shape and for a good value. Delivery was fast

Thinking outside of the box

Great book on really being intentional in reaching the unchurched of your community. Paul Nixon gives some great practical staffing advice - areas such as hiring, etc... You can really sense the passion for seeing the church become the focal point of the community through these pages. If you feel called to be a "community" church - or a church FOR the community, this is a must read!

Community Outreach at the Organizational Level - Brilliant

This book is incredible. The ideas that Nixon conveys are brilliant and challenging, yet written so that the reading is enjoyable and fun. You cannot help but have several "aha" moments as you turn the pages of this book. Paul Nixon demonstrates how to give the church away to the community so that it becomes a focal point for community life. This engraves community outreach into the very being of the church. It creates an avenue (or even a freeway) to share Christ with the unchurched and reestablish a relationship with those who have not been to a church in some time. Successful churches in the 2000's MUST Fling Open the Doors and establish a true relationship with their community. Nixon is right on. I highly recommend!

NEW PARADIGM

This is the wave of the future, a book that invites a church to be, not just for the membership, but for everyone. Any church that adopts this philosophy of ministry will be a 21st Century church.Nixon writes in a clear, easy to understand way, modeling his teaching that the church must speak in language the unchurched person can comprehend.One of the best books on church organization that I have ever read!