The predominant method for ministry formation in the contemporary church consists of a course of study in a Bible college or seminary. While this has been and will continue to be an effective method for theological education, it does not work for everyone called to ministry. Some people for financial or practical reasons cannot follow this path.…

This paper presents a brief review of the ways in which a church has incorporated art activities, particularly drama, in its ministry. The contents of the paper include a discussion of the initiation of and planning for a church theater, a description of the activities offered as part of the drama program, an overview of the staffing of the drama…

Support provided by 69 local churches to individuals with disabilities was studied through a mail survey. Results indicate that 56 of the churches were attended by individuals with developmental disabilities, and support was provided by churches in the form of food, transportation, opportunities for service to the church and the community, and…

As part of an evaluation of the Community College Program of the United Ministries in Higher Education (UMHE), this study surveyed 323 pastors in local churches to determine: (1) local congregations' interest or involvement in working with community colleges; (2) a baseline against which to measure further involvement of the church with the…

This guidebook presents information for use by religious leaders to plan and implement financially sound, high quality child care programs. A foreword describes child care provision as a ministry within the mainstream of congregational activity. Chapter 1, "Assessing the Need," provides a statewide overview of the need for child care…