Equipping Laity For Servant Leadership
Modeling A Servant's Heart, in the Rural Black Church: A Diaconate Training Resource
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
In 1998 at the age of forty-nine, God changed the writer’s insights and paradigms with respect to ministry praxis in the rural context. These insights began to emerge with a strong force after exposure to theological seminary training at Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. A passion emerged within to create a method to better equip servant leaders in rural context ministries starting at the Race Street Baptist Church where the writer is pastor.
This writer has a long rich history in the rural context with twenty-two years in the pastorate. The writer has labored amongst the challenges in many instances created by a lack of training and understanding of the role of the diaconate in the small rural black church. Thus, the writer realizes a tremendous need for a readily available training resource that could serve as an infrastructure to equip laity for servanthood, particularly within the ranks of the diaconate.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
As a senior pastor and former deacon, Dr. James H. Taylor, III, has many years of experience with the “grain of tradition" paradigm of rural ministry. His passion to make a contribution to the betterment of rural ministry through the equipping of laity for servant leadership and excellence in ministry, lies within this vital resource.
This book, which is part research project and part servant leadership resource equipping guide, provides the theological foundation, state of the art in servant leadership and step by step training modules for equipping the laity for the role of servant leader..
This book explores basic leadership principles and contrasts leadership and servant leadership and its intricate and important role in excellence in ministry. The ten module training guide systematically unfolds laity’s spiritual undergirding in preparation for embracing the ranks of servant leadership, specifically the diaconate.
This resource will benefit any church who desire to better equip its laity for servant leadership and strive for excellence in ministry.
About the Author
Dr. James H. Taylor, III, is the Senior Pastor of the Race Street Baptist Church located in historic Farmville, VA. He has done extensive work in the area of leadership and servant leadership training and development. In his work with rural churches, local associations and ministerial organizations, he is frequently sought after as teacher, lecturer, and trainer. He firmly believes that effective 21st century ministry requires well prepared and trained servant leaders to meet the demands of discipleship and to carry out the vision and mission of ministry.
Dr. Taylor holds an earned Doctor of Ministry degree from the prestigious United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio; as well as a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at the historic Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA.
Of his many roles in ministry Dr. Taylor is a Mentor to a Deacons' Union in Southside Virginia and educator at the college and university level.
He is a native of rural Southside Virginia and resides In Richmond with his wife of many years, Olivdean Silver Taylor. They are the proud parents of two daughters: Michele Solomon and Marketa James; two sons, Rev. Daryl Taylor, Esquire, Youth Minister of Loudoun Bible Church in Ashburn, Virginia and Adrian. They are proud grandparents of four: LaBrew Solomon, II, James and Jason Taylor and Jasmyn James.