In The Faithful Path…for Now, Rev. Beth Crissman gives faith leaders a framework to navigate cultural and institutional change. While the love of God remains constant, Beth writes, how we extend that love to others through the ministries of the church might be different.
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The Faithful Path…for Now isn’t about crafting a ten-year vision that would likely be outdated before it is implemented. Instead, this seven-week journey, rooted in Wesley’s means of grace, provides a repeatable, step-by-step guide to help participants:
The study is accompanied by weekly worship resources and worksheets so that by the completion, you have a plan that can be implemented in your local ministry setting.
Through seven interconnected sessions, The Faithful Path…for Now unpacks Jesus’ threefold commission: loving God and neighbor (Matthew 22), meeting real community needs (Matthew 25), and making disciples (Matthew 28).
Key themes include transitioning from scarcity to abundance thinking, fostering strategic partnerships, and embracing generative disciple-making.
Grounded in Wesleyan theology and contemporary ministry experience, each chapter moves from theological foundation to practical application, helping faith leaders:
The framework emphasizes incremental steps rather than long-term plans, equipping participants to adapt quickly while maintaining mission focus. Through spiritual disciplines and practical tools, congregations can discover their faithful path forward… for now.
Asking the right questions, listening in new ways
To develop the kind of relationships that reflect the love and grace of God, we are called to be in ministry with our communities, instead of ministering “to” them.
Yet if recent studies are any indication, many of our churches struggle to understand and faithfully address the needs of neighbors. This was true even before a global pandemic, political tensions, racial reckonings, and the pain of disaffiliation in the United Methodist Church.
“In the last few decades, we’ve just lived through a dramatic pace of change,” Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in a recent interview with NPR. “We move more, we change jobs more often, we are living with technology that has profoundly changed how we interact with each other and how we talk to each other.”
So how do we move forward faithfully? It starts with asking the right questions and listening in new ways – with our ears, our eyes, our hearts, and our minds wide open. The Foundation invites you into this journey, trusting that God’s will can and will be made known to us, one faithful step at a time.
Rev. Beth M. Crissman, an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, currently serves as a District Superintendent and as Director of Peace Building Ministries for the Conference.
In addition to serving as lead pastor for multiple congregations, Beth and her husband, Rev. Kelly Crissman, served as founders and executive directors of Plowpoint, a non-profit organization which trained teams of clergy and laity throughout the United Methodist Church for the transformation of leaders, churches, and communities.
Beth is the author of four previous books: Longing to Belong, Feeding and Leading of Shepherds, Stepping in the Stream, and Choosing the Faithful Path (along with co-author Rev. Dr. Nancy Rankin).
Beth, a native of Graham, N.C. is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (BS Nursing), University of California-Los Angeles (Masters in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner), and Emory University (MDiv). She and Kelly have two grown children.
The Foundation’s partnership in presenting The Faithful Path…for Now reflects a commitment to adaptive leadership in a season of change. It also flows from a newly adopted strategic vision informed by the needs and aspirations of those we serve.
Small group conversations with 100+ clergy and lay leaders revealed a desire for more forms of stewardship education; leadership training for lay people; and professional development for clergy.
Following the faithful path is an apt way to describe how the Foundation board and leadership views its calling.
“After everything our denomination has endured, many are asking, “Who are we now?” and “What does the future look like?” said Anne Martin, chair of the Board of Directors. “The Foundation stands with you in taking on these questions with courage and conviction.”
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