{"product_id":"9781947153004","title":"Achilles Heel: Thinking Better About and Engaging More Effectively With Pastoral Authority","description":"Church conflict harms those in the church, obscures God's glory, and impedes the church's witness to a watching world. There are a variety of causes of church dysfunction, but some of this dysfunction results from church attenders' limited ability to think properly about and effectively engage with the authority of their leaders - in other words, to become healthy followers. \u003cp\u003eWhile secular academia has begun to explore the discipline of follower-ship, there is a lack of research and writing in the Christian world that provides direction to church attenders on this topic. That which does exist often creates confusion rather than clarity. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven more concerning is that so many in the church are reluctant to seriously talk about pastoral authority as something potentially beneficial, since their thinking is so frequently co-opted by visions of abuse of power. When the issue is ignored, however, it leaves the church vulnerable and becomes an Achilles Heel, especially during times of stress. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book's aim is to help church attenders become followers who are well-equipped to help leaders exercise their authority in ways that create an environment of flourishing for the entire church and that bring glory to God. A secondary goal is to raise awareness within the church and Christian academia about the importance of studying this topic seriously. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on interviews with church attenders, research on current church health and other relevant literature, and the development of a practical theology of pastoral authority, the book establishes a beachhead from which the church can launch a more concerted effort to explore this topic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ecclesia Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47063553245424,"sku":"9781947153004","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781947153004_p0.jpg?v=1763800078","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781947153004","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}