A Review of the Book "Daring to Share" by Sandra Beardsall, Mitzi Budde, and William McDonald

Title: Daring to Share

Author: Sandra Beardsall, Mitzi Budde, and William McDonald

Publisher: Pickwick Publications

Year:2018

170 pages

From the Back: Multi-denominational congregations offer rich soil for new interpretations of what it means to be a church. These parishes have chosen to covenant together for worship, service, ministry, mission, and nurturing of faith across two or more denominational traditions. Daring to Share tells their stories, investigates their practices, and proposes a fresh vision of church for the 21st century. This book equips ordained and lay leaders for the formation and flourishing of such ministries. It describes five models of partnership, analyzes the parish life cycle, interprets how worship works, addresses constitutional and governance issues, and reflects theologically on the intersection of diversity and unity.

    What can we learn from these congregations? Studying their particular witness, struggles, and promise for the future fills a gap in both congregational studies and contemporary ecclesiology. Multi-denominational parishes are more than a convenient way to revitalize congregational ministry. They present new opportunities and approaches for sharing the gospel. Ecumenical convergence meets demographic realities to suggest a mission strategy that will transform local practice and, perhaps, the church itself. By daring to share, these churches challenge a fractured world.

Personal Thoughts: With the decline in both membership and clergy, shared ministries may be the future of the church. It feels like this is such a new idea, but it turns out, according to this book, it's actually an old idea! What was specifically interesting was the work put in for ecumenical shared ministries. While we are truly one church under God, our doctrines and theologies keep us apart quite often. To be able to work through those differences to create strong and vibrant parishes is absolutely incredible.

    If your parish is beginning to consider shared ministry, whether it be inter- or extra-denominational, I truly recommend that you pick up this book and give it a read. There are some amazing ideas on how to work together without anyone feeling like they got bulldozed. I think my understanding and my work within the shared ministry in which I began my priesthood would have been much different if I had had knowledge of Daring to Share.