By culture, George B. Thompson Jr. means not just racial, ethnic, economic, or regional culture, but also a congregation's way of doing things--its history, customs, conventions, and procedures. In order to launch and maintain a successful ministry, pastors and other church leaders must come to grasp that unique culture of their parish. They must develop a "culture capital" within their congregations, meaning that they invest themselves deeply in how their church does its work and goes about its ministries. The author presses clergy to answer such questions as "How well do I know what I'm getting into?" and "Have I been adopted yet?" and even "Is it time to move on?"The book is ideal for pastors in solo settings, but pastors in multiple staff settings will also find the author's insights helpful.

George B. Thompson Jr. is Professor of Leadership and Ministry Practice at The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Thompson is the editor and coauthor ofAlligators in the Swamp: Power, Ministry, and Leadership (2005, Pilgrim Press) and author ofChurch on the Edge of Somewhere: Ministry, Marginality, and the Future (Alban Institute, 2007).