You Only Have to Die: Leading Your Congregation to New Life by James A. Harnish (Nashville: Abingdon, 2004). 193 pages.

Jim Harnish nearly died of heart disease at the age of 45. A United Methodist pastor for his entire professional life, he and his wife had recently become empty-nesters. Jim had worked through a mid-life crisis and even written a book on the subject. The bishop had assigned him to a new parish, the Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL. Hyde Park was an ‘Old First’ downtown with 93 years of history. Harnish’s brush with death caused him to reflect with fresh urgency on the mission of God’s people in congregations and communities. In time, lessons from personal experience as a heart patient were wed to leadership lessons for congregational turnaround, and this book was born.

This book bridges from the author’s personal cardiac disease to “congregational cardiology.” Written for those who love older congregations and want to see them thrive, the book would be an excellent resource for a study group or leadership team. It is written in a folksy, accessible style with a consistent sprinkling of humor. Discussion questions appear in shaded boxes throughout the book.

This statement from page 12 will ring true to many subscribers to Church Over 40 e-news: “The sad reality is that many congregations are so afraid of dying that dying is about the only thing they can do.” What a wonderful summary of the downward spiral begun when survival mentality grips a congregation.

But just as God promised through Ezekiel to remove hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), God can heal the heart disease crippling declining congregations. The result? “…a transformed heart, a clear sense of mission, and a passion for transformation in the lives of people and in the community they serve” (p. 19).

Chapters averaging about 15 pages are short enough to permit busy people to keep up with weekly reading assignments and then meet to discuss application. Topics include discernment, conflict, prayer, worship, vision, and connecting your future to your past. Harnish shares a model for small groups in established churches, connects congregational transformation to insights from Jim Collins’ Built to Last, and comes clean about some things he now wishes he’d done differently. If you’re looking for wisdom from a seasoned pastor with a passion for new life in older churches, Jim Harnish provides plenty.