Help! My Church is Leaving Me

by Bill Kemp (Editor)

Overview

Help! My Church is Leaving Me enables United Methodist church members and leaders become both informed and intentional in their actions regarding LBGTQ concerns. This book takes the reader behind the scenes of the LGBTQ debate in the United Methodist Church. It teaches spiritual discernment, listening skills, and small group process while encouraging the differing sides of the issue to rediscover their unity in Christ. Designed to be understood by laity, the book recounts how we got here, what we value, and how each local church's decisions about this social issue impacts their ongoing mission and ministry. It also addresses the more advanced subject of what to do next if we are not comfortable with where the denomination is heading.

Help! My Church is Leaving Me, was completed shortly after the Special 2019 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. The concept has been to provide a timely tool box, so that congregations and clergy persons can begin to plan their next steps. Each of the five authors brings a particular expertise to the project, as well as a commitment to present their part with clarity, balance, and integrity. The book lends itself to small group study, with discussion questions highlighting the nine short chapters. Relevant cartoons, illustrations, quotations, and references for further reading are also provided. Further, updates will be provided quarterly as the denomination continues to adapt to its future. Additional resources are available at www.notperfectyet.com.

Five Authors (Darrell Coats, Joe Fort, Roger Grace, Bill Kemp, Kathy Moore) work together to provide a timely tool box, so that congregations and clergy persons can begin to plan their next steps. Quarterly updates and web resources will keep this book relevant well into the future.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940161398937
Publisher:	Not Perfect Yet Publishing
Publication date:	05/13/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Darrell Coats is a native Texan and is presently an extension minister, specializing in working with conflicted congregations and helping local churches navigate difficult transitions. He has had training in Bowen Systems Theory and Mediation. Darrell has been married to Catherine Coats and is the father of two grown sons, Chris and Zachary, and has two grandchildren.

Joe Fort is a fourth-generation United Methodist pastor from the Texas Annual Conference.  His years of ministry have encompassed a wide variety of settings:  associate pastor in Houston, a startup congregation in a blue-collar bedroom community, East Texas county seat church, 17 years as lead pastor in two different congregations of roughly 4000 members, and district superintendent.  He presently serves as the lead pastor at Lakewood United Methodist Church in northwest Houston.  He has been married to his spouse Margaret for 35 years.

Roger Grace is a retired Elder in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served primarily rural, "Town & Country" churches for 18 years before serving a seven-year term as District Superintendent of Athens District, and Assistant to the District Superintendent for 10 years. He continues to work part-time as a church consultant helping with visioning and conflict resolution. He has been a delegate to Jurisdictional Conference five times, and a delegate to General Conference three times. He is married to Sue and they have three sons and eight grandchildren.

Bill Kemp is an enthusiastic writer, pastor, and teacher. He is the author of a dozen books targeted at bringing about change in the local church. He has written numerous plays and three full-length novels. Bill lives near Pittsburgh PA with his wife, Karen.

Kathy Moore is a United Methodist pastor from the Iowa Conference living in Indianola, Iowa.  She served a total of 15 churches in Iowa for 30 years before retiring in 2018.  She loves preaching, teaching, and is passionate about missions and social justice. One of those churches was a member of Reconciling Ministries, with about two-thirds of the members part of the LGBTQ community.