Ten Dumb Things Churches Do

And How to Avoid Them

Ten Dumb Things Churches Do is about making the system we call the local church into one that truly reflects what we believe the body of Christ is supposed to be--a community that exemplifies the gospel through its life together and its presence in the world. Knowing when we’ve done that, however, is difficult to measure. A business makes money, the Red Cross provides emergency relief, and a symphony orchestra makes beautiful music. But what exactly is the church supposed to do and how should it do that? Based on his years as an Episcopal priest and church consultant, Philip Wiehe writes here about the church as it is today and how we will need to retrofit it to fulfill its mission in the years to come. Along the way he exposes ten dumb things—traps that churches often fall into, including: being too business-like or not business-like enough; failing to do strategic planning; falling into the mission statement trap; making decisions poorly; internal turf wars; being confused about identity; and others. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Wiehe provides clergy and lay leaders of congregations with specific steps for undoing the messes they find themselves in, or even avoiding them altogether.