Phil Cooke is a regular contributor to ChurchLeaders. He works at the intersection of faith, media, and culture, and he’s pretty rare – a working producer in Hollywood with a Ph.D. in Theology. His client list has included studios and networks like Walt Disney, Dreamworks, and USA Network, as well as major Christian organizations from Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, The YouVersion Bible app, to many of the most respected churches in the country. In a few weeks he releases his latest book, Church on Trial. He’s what he says about this new worK:
Churches and ministries around the world are experiencing a crisis or scandal, and when it happens, leaders, board members, and staff are often blindsided and have no idea what to do. Because I’ve spent so many years being known as the communications and media guy, I’ve helped many churches navigate these crises, whether caused by a leader’s moral failure, employee embezzlement, predators, cancel culture, or other challenges.
Church on Trial
And now, I’ve compiled all those experiences, recommendations, and advice into my latest book, “Church on Trial: How to Protect Your Congregation, Mission, and Reputation During a Crisis.”
The most important challenges church and ministry leaders face today may be how to avoid crises in the first place and how to deal with them if they happen. This is especially true considering that 27% of people who leave the Church today leave because of a crisis at the church or how poorly their church handled it. Fixing that problem alone could make a major impact on engaging today’s culture.
