About the Contributor(s): Rosario ""Roz"" Picardo is lead pastor of Embrace Church in Lexington, Kentucky.

Embrace

Religion & Spirituality

Picardo, Rosario

Christian Books & Bibles

Wipf and Stock

Clergy are trained to preach, teach, and lead a congregation in spiritual matters. However, there is very little training for clergy when it comes to the “business” matters of the church-finances, debt reduction, fundraising, and building maintenance. The added and sometimes unexpected load for clergy can become cumbersome and extremely stressful. In addition, the decline of the church and the passing of key funders of churches leave many pastors with dying churches and few resources to do anything about it. Author Rosario Picardo has been in this very position. As a pastor, Picardo launched a church in a movie theater with no people and very little financial support. He also revitalized a dying congregation in a deteriorating physical structure. Through trials and failures, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, God provided, and Picardo learned new ways for reaching the least and lost, and for growing disciples. In Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fish, Picardo shares the lessons he’s learned with confidence that other leaders can do the same. He demonstrates how, step by faithful step.

Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fishes

ABINGDON PRESS *

Rosario Picardo was a recently divorced and slightly jaded ex-Marine when he heeded God's call to plant "a church for broken people" This book chronicles the struggles and triumphs of Embrace Church, from its beginnings in his basement as a rare urban church plant to a multi-campus congregation that reaches hundreds of folks broken by poverty, burned by Christians, and in need of healing grace. By telling his story, Picardo hopes to inform, inspire, and encourage seminary students, future church planters, and any Christian committed to expanding the body of Christ among marginalized people in urban areas. Alongside relevant data and theological insights, Picardo shares the practical lessons he learned, as well as personal journal entries about his internal struggles, in order to offer a comprehensive glimpse into not only the need for new church plants, but the difficulties and opportunities that exist in this sort of ministry.

Embrace: A Church Plant that Broke All the Rules

Resource Publications

Ministry Makeover examines the decline within the church, especially the United Methodist Church (UMC), and some causes for this decline. It calls for a reforming of United Methodist structure and polity by drawing more attention to the value of the bi-vocational model of ministry and a re-visitation of the Wesleyan/United Brethren view and historical perspective. This book establishes a solid theological foundation upon which to build this shift and it goes a step beyond typical ecclesiology (the study of the church) to identify Trinitarian theology as the basis for the practice of the church. In turn, this text reveals bi-vocational ministry and support of new congregations as not only a viable option, but also arguably the model towards which the church is heading. These insights will transform the church and lead to more effective church ministry with respect to resources, structure, and reach in a post-Christendom world context. Picardo uses Embrace Church (Lexington, KY) as a case study, and incorporates his experiences into this text in order to show how these implications have played out in a true bi-vocational, church-plant context.

Ministry Makeover: Recovering a Theology for Bi-vocational Service in the Church

Fresh Expressions is a canary in the coal mine, alerting congregations to reevaluate what the Church is, where and when it can happen, and who can lead it. Church as we know it is inaccessible to most people. A fundamental premise of the movement is that Church can become accessible again by emerging in every nook and cranny where life already happens. Fresh Expressions is based in simplification, returning to basic scriptural principles, and a recovery of a "priesthood of all believers"--in the three places where people live and relate to others.First Place: The home or primary place of residence.Second Place: The workplace or school place.Third Place: The public places separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace, which host regular, voluntary, informal, and neutral spaces of communion and play. Examples are environments such as cafes, pubs, theaters, parks, and so on.During a pandemic, our two primary mission spaces were closed off; the second and third places were shut down. We couldn't have Tattoo Parlor Church; the tattoo parlor was closed. We couldn't gather in Moe's Southwest Grill for Burritos and Bibles; they were doing take-out only. The dog park was empty; no Paws of Praise. This limited us to the only spaces we have left: the first place, or the home place. The digital place, or the "space of flows." This forces us into recognizing the digital space as its own kind of third place, a new missional frontier.

Fresh Expressions in a Digital Age: How the Church Can Prepare for a Post Pandemic World

Beck, Michael Adam

Many local churches are stuck in a rut, have reached a plateau, or - worst of all - are declining. The temptation is to serve up the same exact ministry models that worked in another time and space, but ultimately feel safe to existing churches. Like ordering from a menu at the franchise chain restaurant and expecting the meal to be palatable in the local context, many churches try and start something new by serving up the same old thing, failing to discover what their local community is actually hungry for. From Franchise to Local Dive explores what it means to multiply ministry by cooking with local flavor. Whether you want to start a new service, or a brand-new campus, this workshop will help you discover how to make a ministry recipe that will keep people coming back for more. The local church is not called to settle for the fast food chain mentality that cranks out disciples with slick slogans, flashy trends and regurgitated practices. Rather the call is to be a local, homegrown, farm-fresh, organic ministry that uses authentic ingredients to win people for Jesus. In Franchise to Local Dive, Jason Moore and Rosario Picardo offer an important resource designed to help congregations multiply their ministries by learning how to perfect their winning recipes.

From Franchise to Local Dive: Multiplying Your Church by Discovering Your Contextual Flavor

Moore, Jason

Market Square Publishing

Money talks. Money has power. Influence. It ascribes worth and value. Almost like a god, money beckons us to worship and idolize. In fact, money has become a god for many of us. 
We work and work to get more, buy more, consume more-to have the latest, the best, the better than we had before. We stress about money. Will we have enough? What do we do when the bank account gets too low? When the credit card bills get too high? What happens when there’s more month than money? 
The good news is, money isn’t the only thing that talks. God also talks. Even louder than money if we have the ears to hear. God is speaking today through the power of the Holy Spirit. And as much as the world loves to talk about money, God has even more to say. What is He trying to tell us in the midst of all this money talk? Simply this: He is enough. 
So, how can we talk about money as it relates to our relationship with God, others, and the world? This book is spiritual, but it’s also practical. Throughout these pages readers will explore how to actually earn, save, spend, and give in a way that puts God, not money, first. There are countless Christian books on money, but many of them focus on worldly concepts-only attempting to fit God’s Word in as an afterthought. 
In Money Talks, the Roz and Callie Picardo share their hope that in listening to God speak, He will direct our steps in all areas- from earning and saving to spending and giving. That’s why this book was written. Greed, materialism, debt, and consumerism have a hold on so many hearts, and we want to see people set free to worship God alone. It’s nearly impossible to avoid the use of money in our culture, but it is possible to seek God first in all areas of our life and put money in its proper place: simply a tool used to give God the glory.\nTestimonials 
Reading this content-rich, spiritually-endowed book was like receiving warm, personal mentorship for the journey of financial discipleship. Practical guidance is woven together with real-life stories into a beautiful pathway, guiding readers to God-honoring management of both possessions and money. 
Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey 
Director, Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center\nMoney Talks is a winsome and engaging, intensely practical guide to faithful living with our financial resources. Building on a strong biblical foundation, Rosario and Callie tackles one of the truly vexing issues of our day and time – the use and abuse of our financial resources. I strongly commend Money Talks for use by a working pastor preparing sermons on the subject of money or for the Sunday School/small group leader who is trying to help students grow in faithfulness to Christ. The reader will be blessed and guided in concrete ways to move forward in their walk with Christ. 
Bishop Mike Lowry 
Resident Bishop of the Central Texas Conference\nMoney talks—but for those with ears to hear—God speaks louder! So many of us get caught in the hamster wheel chasing after money. But the world is not enough to fill the void created by the disease of “more.” What if there is a way that our work can be sacred? What if earning money can be an icon that points to God, rather than an idol that points to ourselves? What if the key to money is in being a channel through which God’s blessings flow into the lives of others? Roz and Callie Picardo have given the world a gift in this book. They embody the Biblical principles they share. Drawing upon the wisdom of John Wesley to “earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can” they show us a practical way to faithfully put God’s voice first, so our finances can flourish and bear kingdom fruit. This gold mine of a resource is required reading for pastors and their teams!\nRev. Dr. Michael Adam Beck 
Director , Fresh Expressions at United Theological Seminary

Money Talks: A Biblical Take on Earning, Saving, Spending, and Giving

Picardo, Callie

Break through the walls of your prayer life and discover miraculous new possibilities.\nDynamite Prayer is a daily prayer guide that will show you how to begin a practice of "breakthrough prayer," a way of praying where we ask God to open new doors and reveal new possibilities, fueled by the Spirit's power. This 28-day adventure will take you from feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and uninspired to curious and expectant as you surrender your own preferences and ideas and courageously follow the miracles God brings into your life.\nEach day contains: A brief meditation on a verse from Scripture that will help you see how the Spirit's dynamic power has been at work throughout history and in your life today Reflection questions for the day A short breakthrough prayer for the day A prayer word or phrase to help you make breakthrough prayer part of each moment

Dynamite Prayer: A 28 Day Experiment

Nilson Kibbey, Sue

Invite Press

Most of us know the right things to do with finances. We know we need to live within a budget, prioritize giving and saving, and avoid debt...so why is there so often a gap between our knowledge and our actions?Could it be that it's not really about money at all?Healthy Money is a 30-day guided journey that takes you beyond your budget and bank balance and into the emotional and spiritual roots of your finances: your beliefs, your wounds, your fears, and your dreams.This journey will reveal your primary money mindset, its healthy and unhealthy sides, and how God can transform your financial patterns at the root by healing the deepest parts of your heart and soul.You will discover: &#61623; The 5 common money mindsets (and which one you have)&#61623; The underlying beliefs that drive your financial habits&#61623; Godly truths to replace unhealthy lies about money&#61623; How to overcome the weaknesses and play into the strengths of your mindset&#61623; Reflection questions and guided prayer to help you surrender your finances to God&#61623; Financial next steps that work for you (no more "shoulds" or formulas)As you explore and own the truth about your relationship with money, you will find more than just financial freedom; you will also find freedom from the lies you believe about yourself, the guilt and shame you carry, and the fear, scarcity, and comparison mindsets that keep you from reaching your personal and financial potential.Healthy Money isn't another piece of advice, another box to check, or someone else pointing out what you're doing "wrong." It's a tool to unleash deeper healing in your life, change the financial trajectory you're on, and start heading in the direction you want to go - from a place of surrender, trust, and wholeness.;

Healthy Money: A 30-Day Journey toward Spiritual, Emotional, and Financial Freedom

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