Greg Hunt

Ben Halpern is a Confederate soldier serving time in prison for refusing to obey a command. The prison commandant, a man named Salem, is a sadist who despises Halpern's spirit and abuses him constantly.

Halpern escapes and flees west where he is befriended by a cowboy named Ridge Parkman. They track Salem to a western town where he planning to steal the ranches in a small valley by murdering all the owners which he could do because of the lack of lawmen because of the war. Ben and Ridge join forces to head off this crime which also nets Ben the love of Clarice, the daughter of one of the ranchers.

Fast moving story of revenge with copious amounts of action.… (mais)

Many people are discouraged watching the news, where all too often the cliché, "If it bleeds, it leads," proves true. While many news media may focus on the negative, the unfortunate truth is that there are many instances of destruction and suffering to cover. Horrific tornadoes and earthquakes occur with little or no warning, while hurricanes and floods can leave billions of dollars in devastation in their wake. Fires and car accidents can instantly shatter a family, while acts of violence inflict physical and emotional wounds on entire communities.

In these situations, we rely on trained people to respond, offering security, provisions, and comfort after such tragedies occur. Such first responders are police, firefighters, EMTs, and groups such as the Red Cross and the National Guard. Less visible, but essential, is the response of religious leaders, particularly when the tragedy directly affects a congregation.

Greg Hunt offers encouragement and instruction for pastors and church leaders to face such tragedies in his recent book, "Leading Congregations through Crisis." As he describes at the outset, Hunt faced a significant tragedy in his pastoral ministry when a bus crash on a church youth trip claimed two lives. The aftermath of that fatal accident for the congregation, and a recognition of the lack of resources and training for clergy and church leaders in crisis response and management, led him to write this valuable book.

Building on this personal experience, Hunt conducted interviews with leaders of other congregations that have faced and responded to significant tragedies, which are shared in vignettes throughout the book. Among these are church buildings destroyed by fire and hurricane, gun violence on church property, and the fatal electrocution of a pastor during worship. From this, Hunt has crafted considerations for both the immediate and the long-term response to such crises.

The book is broken into three sections. The first part offers an overview; the second part lays out, in some detail, how congregational leaders should direct their response over time; and the third part offers specific lessons that are unique to the church. Hunt strives to make the book useful for both clergy and lay leaders, and in this he is mostly successful. I imagine, though, that while all will find the first two sections very helpful, if depressing to consider, the third part seems most helpful for clergy.

In clear and direct language, Hunt offers plenty of practical advice throughout the book. Whether explaining how to prioritize jobs in the immediate aftermath -- including how to delegate key responsibilities -- or laying out how to communicate well to the congregation and the media, he presents important considerations and logical step-by-step approaches. While he draws on leadership and crisis management resources, he insists that the church has a specific perspective on the response to tragedy that should be unique. In fact, the overview chapter on response, "Leadership, Management, and Crisis Care: Getting Them Right… Together," is a helpful way of blending leadership studies with the gift of the church, which Hunt crystallizes as always putting care of the people affected first.

In the final section, clergy can especially benefit from two significant observations that seem rooted in Hunt's personal experience. First, he reminds pastors to remember to look for God's presence in the "eye of the storm," which presents unique demands in worship leadership and pastoral care. Second, he observes that those pastors who are best prepared to lead in response to crisis are those who have practiced (and continue to practice) self-care, so they can face the stresses and responsibilities with resilience and hope, instead of being broken by them.

This well-written and well-presented book fills a need for churches. Despite the many types of tragedies that can occur within the life of a congregation, there are precious few resources available detailing how to effectively prepare and respond. Drawing on leadership insights and the best lessons of faith, and with a depth of insight reflecting his experience, Hunt has prepared a resource that deserves to be on bookshelves in the pastor's office and the congregational library.

This review is also published at http://alongthispilgrimsjourney.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-leading-congreg...… (mais)