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Man is not meant to live alone. God's reflections in Genesis 2 make that quite clear, and our own inner longings for community confirm the truth that we were created for authentic relationships. Those who walk in church-worker shoes know that their congregation is a little community, one not gathered together by their efforts but united as a gift from God. Unique personalities and vastly different communication styles define each flock. And everything in the world, our sinful human flesh, and Satan seek to destroy these diverse relationships in the Body of Christ. Building Up the Body of Christ: Supporting Community Life in the Church gives church leaders a guidebook for developing and nurturing church environments that are psychologically and spiritually healthy. Author Bruce Hartung combines research, real stories, and personal experience that will inspire you to reevaluate best practices for loving and serving your neighbors at church. Return to your baptismal identity, receive God's Word and the Lord's Supper often, and you're ready to begin the journey! Book jacket.

No one likes to eat alone; to approach a table filled with people, only to be told that despite the open chairs there isn't room for you. The rejection stings. It leaves a mark. Yet this is exactly what the church has been saying to far too many people for far too long: “You're not welcome here. Find someplace else to sit.†How can we extend unconditional welcome and acceptance in a world increasingly marked by bigotry, fear, and exclusion? Pastor John Pavlovitz invites readers to join him on the journey to findâ€"or buildâ€"a church that is big enough for everyone. He speaks clearly into the heart of the issues the Christian community has been earnestly wrestling with: LGBT inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions, and global concerns. A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, Hopeful Spiritual Community asks if organized Christianity can find a new way of faithfully continuing the work Jesus began two thousand years ago, where everyone gets a seat. Pavlovitz shares moving personal stories and his careful observations as a pastor to set the table for a new, more loving conversation on these and other important matters of faith. He invites us to build the bigger table Jesus imagined, practicing radical hospitality, total authenticity, messy diversity, and agenda-free community.