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Book Review: The Learning Congregation: A New Vision of Leadership

EDUCATORS HAVE LONG insisted that education, especially church education, cannot be equated with schooling. It is not just Sunday Schools and other formal educational occasions that play a role in the teaching and learning of people in congregations. Hawkins argues enthusiastically and systematically that the whole life of the congregation is the occasion for Christian learning. Because we are all "living at the speed of change," we must "learn at the speed of change." The first half of the book weaves together Christian education theory, biblical scholarship, congregational studies, adult education, learning theory, leadership, and organizational development theory to give the reader a detailed description of "learning at the speed of change." The second half offers a set of analytical devices through which to view a learning congregation in action. The learning congregation functions on three interrelated levels: the individual, the team, and the congregation. Illustrations, diagrams, and case studies enhance descriptions of the character and interconnections among these three dimensions of congregational life. Pastors, says Hawkins, can help congregations deal adaptively with change by helping them learn the skills of learning at all three levels.