Power & change in parish ministry

Published in 1991 by the Alban Institute, this work emerged during a period of significant transition for mainline Protestant denominations in the United States. Michael Jinkins, a theologian and educator, wrote this text to address the complex power dynamics inherent in congregational leadership. The book was developed as a resource for the Alban Institute’s long-standing mission of providing research-based insights to clergy and lay leaders, aiming to help them navigate the tensions between traditional ecclesiastical authority and the changing needs of modern parishes.

Jinkins approaches the subject through a blend of theological reflection and organizational theory, seeking to frame parish ministry as a collaborative rather than purely hierarchical endeavor. The design of the book reflects the practical, scholarly orientation of the Alban Institute’s publications, which were widely utilized in seminary curricula and by church boards throughout the 1990s. It was received as a serious contribution to the field of practical theology, noted for its emphasis on the health of the community over the preservation of individual clerical power.