From Nomads to Pilgrims: Stories from Practicing Congregations tells the extended stories of a dozen congregations that have been on a pilgrimage to vitality—retrieving and reworking Christian practice, tradition, and narrative.
The book reads as a series of first-hand dispatches from pastors on the road to an emerging style of congregational vitality, one centered on the creative and intentional re-appropriation of traditional Christian practices such as hospitality, discernment, contemplative prayer, and testimony.
From Nomads to Pilgrims is the highly anticipated follow-up to
The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church by Diana Butler Bass. Both books offer a hopeful view of a new and often overlooked renaissance occurring in mainline Protestant congregations.
The contributors to
From Nomads to Pilgrims are innovators, representing some of the most dynamic leadership voices among today’s clergy. Their experiences challenge conventional thinking and inspire creative experimentation. Any congregational leader searching for positive models will appreciate these insightful essays. Contributors include:
Scott A. Benhase on Taking Risks
Kenneth H. Carter, Jr., on Saying Yes and Saying No
Lillian Daniel on Speaking Faith
Todd M. Donatelli on Engaging Creativity
Eric Elnes on Practicing Worship
Paul E. Hoffman on Forming Faith
Steve Jacobsen on Navigating Culture
Gary D. Jones on Making Space for the Sacred
J. Mary Luti on Enlarging Hospitality
Timothy Shapiro on Proclaiming God's Word
N. Graham Standish on Paying Attention to God
Roy Terry on (Re)Discovering Tradition
The book also features new essays by the editors:
Diana Butler Bass on Pilgrimage Congregations
Joseph Stewart-Sicking on Christian Practices in the Congregation
These are stories of congregations that have found a new sense of purpose through Christian practices that they have made their own. Each in its own way has discovered a renewed sense of identity and mission on the pilgrimage to vitality. These are stories worth sharing.
