Welcome to the page for Habits of Healthy Churches: 7 Practices to Transform Your Church Culture – the book! Here you learn more about the book and how to get your copy.
About the Book
How to Order
Reviews
How you can Help
About the Book
Author and leadership guru, Patrick Lencioni notes, “the single greatest advantage any company can achieve is organizational health.” Organizational health trumps everything. Having worked in and with a variety of businesses, organizations, non-profits, ministries, and churches, there is no question that this maxim is true. Organizational health trumps all else. Organizational health trumps resource, location, market share, staffing, personality, product, or services. For the Christian church, a corollary maxim would be “outside of the work of God through the Gospel, organizational health trumps everything.” The guiding principle for this book is simple: for individual congregations and ministries, outside of the work of God through the Gospel, organizational health trumps everything. Health trumps.
This book is being written on what is hoped to be the tail end of a nearly two-year global pandemic that impacted and shaped the whole world for both the good and the bad. The church in the United States is in its most perilous position in its history. More churches are at risk of closing than any other time in history. Pastors and church staff are leaving their congregations and ministries at an unprecedented rate. The US church needs revitalization more than ever before. Revitalization happens when a church knows its identity and lives out the model of the early church in its context.
In this book, we explore the nature of health for the church (all Christian communities, congregations, and ministries) and for individual conversations. This book is intended to be theoretical and practical. It seeks to engage in healthy orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right practice). Habits of Healthy Churches will examine the nature of organizational health in general and from a church level. The book also examines seven of the primary habits of healthy churches, giving practical wisdom to leaders and congregations who want to be as healthy as possible. Finally, after examining the habits of healthy churches, the book will explore some other important concepts concluding with a reflection on where we go from here.
How to Order
Currently the book is available in paperback and on Amazon Kindle. We hope in the future to be able to offer it on Audible. Here is how you can get yours:
Paperback
Amazon
eBay
Directly from Marcus (shipping or in person)
*If you are looking for 10 or more copies, we can offer you a discount. Contact us for more information.
Amazon Kindle
Reviews
Here are some of the reviews for Habits of Healthy Churches: Habits of Healthy Churches: 7 Practices to Transform Your Church Culture – The Book:
“If your church is hurting – for whatever reason – Dr. Marcus Carlson will give you the practical tools you need to begin healing. As he says, “The health of your church trumps everything else.” It trumps your mission statement, your strategy, your staffing and volunteers. Unhealthy, toxic churches hurt people. Healthy churches heal people. The choice is clear and so are the consequences. By opening this book, you are beginning the journey toward the better choice: restored congregational health. –
~Rev. Greg Finke, author of “Joining Jesus on His Mission” (www.dwelling114.org)
“Do not just read the following pages; meditate on them. Allow them to marinate in your heart. Wrestle with the implications, but whatever you do, do not be afraid to take that first step on a journey toward health! “
~Dr. Christian Nichles, Lead Pastor Grabill Missionary Church and author of Through the Pain: Reflections on the Life of Job.
“Habits of Healthy Churches is a must-read for anyone interested in the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. Marcus shares powerful insights that will help any local church to be led by the Holy Spirit to reach those outside its four walls, operating through abundance and trust, rather than scarcity and fear.”
~Dr. Mitch Kruse, author, Wisdom for the Road: Daily Reflections of our Designer; Street Smarts from Proverbs; and Restoration Road.
“Too many pastors know unhealthy churches; most of us have seen or served in places filled with unhealthy systems and people; fewer of us have experienced really healthy ministries. Rev Dr Marcus Carlson has seen the best and very worst of churches and, in Habits of Healthy Churches, he gives us tools to move us toward health. Filled with wisdom, practical ideas, helpful examples, and culture-forming habits, this book can allow us to take stock of ourselves and the systems in which we are serving. I especially valued the intentional order of the habits and the chapter on Habit 6 (on adoption over assimilation—it’s both a joy and a challenge to welcome into belonging people unlike myself!). In a time when toxic churches seem to get all the press, I recommend Habits of Healthy Churches for those pastors who want to serve in healthy places.”
~Josh Cramer, Lead Pastor Resurrection Covenant Boise
“Everyone longs for their Church to be healthy but few do what is necessary to make it happen. Marcus does a great job of showing us what Church health is and the practical ways to get there.”
~Lee Houtz, Worship Pastor, Grabill Missionary Church
How You Can Help
We need your helping in getting the word out about this book so that churches can be empowered and equipped for lasting and transformational health. Here are four simple ways you can help:
- Buy the book!
- Share this page.
- Share our social media posts through RevDrOrange and Preparing for Amazement Ministries.
- Write a review on Amazon.