Undercover Bishop: A Parable for Today's Church

A newly elected bishop peruses parish reports and is alarmed at the declining numbers. She wants answers, but a veteran pastor advises her that neither clergy nor church members are likely to speak to a bishop with candor. The only way to get answers to her questions is to visit congregations "under cover." Her visits erase her preconceptions. She discovers gems of innovative ministry taking place in congregations with the least amount of professional leadership. This modern parable is the result of one small congregation's unique project. Members visited 80 neighboring congregations whom they discovered they barely knew. Their findings, presented in fictional form, are true. The people and congregations you will meet are composites of actual congregations and the many unsung leaders encountered over the course of three years.