Just Say Yes: Unleashing People for Ministry

Churches say No in a thousand ways to new ideas, ministry initiatives, and creative people. Churches struggle with committees that are no longer conducive to their mission while pastors and laity have become conditioned to view anything new with suspicion and resistance. Churches operate with a pervasive culture of No. Just Say Yes! Unleashing People for Ministry is written for people whose passion has been simmering for years, who yearn to be told Yes! It’s for those whose energy and ideas have been tamped down by systems and attitudes that restrain ministry and who have felt frustrated by attempts to start programs, reach new people, or experiment with alternative worship services, only to be told No. Robert Schnase examines the systems and attitudes that restrain and control ministry. He demonstrates practical ways church leaders can rethink fundamental assumptions about organizations and leadership. Real-church examples show how every church can unleash its people for ministry—encouraging, emboldening, and equipping them. "Significant turnaround could happen in churches everywhere if each congregation worked through this book, chapter by chapter." —Sue Nilson Kibbey, Director of the Missional Church Consultation Initiative, West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church "Just Say Yes! is a valuable resource for laity and leaders who want to make a real difference in their mission field. I’m making it required reading in every church I coach and work with." —Ken Willard, Certified Consultant and Coach, Leadership 4 Transformation; author, Time Management for the Christian Leader from Abingdon Press "The energy of the Holy Spirit jumps off every page and right into your heart and mind in a way that could make all things new." —Patricia Farris, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Santa Monica, CA "If we take this book seriously we will see people unleashed for ministry in the world. In the process we may just rediscover why our churches exist in the first place." —Clay Oliphint, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Richardson, TX "Schnase examines how churches say No, then provides an inspiring and practical look at how they can say Yes. We need this book!" —Steve Harper, Professor of Spiritual Formation (retired); author, Five Marks of a Methodist from Abingdon Press