In a congregational church, every member is a minister. From this idea flows a responsibility for each person to use his or her divinely given spiritual gifts under God's direction while the church still moves together as a unified body-as a congregation.
Even so, the standard triangle model of church organization leaves no place for ministerial leadership. Christ, not the pastor, is the head of the church; furthermore, the pastor is not the only one to hear God's message and relay it to the people. Neither is the pastor servant of the church for menial tasks. In Working in God's Diamond, pastor and leadership consultant Jere W. Patterson shows how the dynamic, inclusive diamond model supports all the interrelationships of a growing congregation and allows it to thrive.
The diamond organizational model formed the nucleus of Patterson's doctoral research and thesis, and he has practiced it in churches for over fifty years. Using real-world scenarios and biblical examples for the organizational and growth problems facing modern congregations, Patterson offers solutions and guidance for churches overwhelmed by bureaucracy and the doctrine of the "priesthood of the believer." In the end, it is His church. By working in God's diamond, congregations can strengthen and clarify leadership and operational organization, develop a vision for growth, and ultimately focus their most powerful energies on working for and through Jesus' Spirit and Word.
