Biblical Church Growth

What exactly is the Church Growth movement? This timely volume in the Counterpoints series addresses the history of the movement that has become such an enormous shaping force on the Western church today, and it explores--in a roundtable forum of leading voices--five main perspectives on the classic Church Growth movement: Effective Evangelism View - presented by Elmer Towns Gospel in Our Culture View - presented by Craig Van Gelder Centrist View - presented by Charles Van Engen Reformist View - presented by Gailyn Van Rheenan Renewal View - presented by Howard Snyder Each view is first presented by its proponent, then critiqued by the co-contributors. The interactive and fair-minded format allows the reader to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement concludes with reflections by three seasoned pastors who have grappled with the practical implications of Church Growth. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

McIntosh explores the biblical basis for church growth, giving leaders eternal principles rather than temporary models for growth.

It's no secret that the evangelism methods of yesterday are not yielding the kinds of results they did in the 1970s and 1980s. So how are new Christians hearing the Gospel today? How are they finding churches? And what makes them stay at a church? The answers to these questions have the power to dramatically alter the way we do outreach. And Dr. McIntosh has them. Based on ten years of scientific research, Growing God's Church shows pastors and church leaders how people are actually coming to faith in the 21st century. It covers factors such as our motive for ministry, the priorities churches set for themselves, the reality of churchless Christians, generational and gender-based differences in evangelism effectiveness, the name of your church, the influence of pastors, and much more. The appendix includes a copy of the survey that provides the basis for McIntosh's arguments and an overview of the study is provided in the first chapter.

Nothing is more important for ministry today than small groups. (George Gallop Jr., a Christian who conducts polls on political and religious matters, quoted in chapter 1 of this book.) Lavin is quick to point out that this book is not merely about numerical growth. It is about nurturing spiritual growth, which in itself is a dynamic that leads to growth in numbers. Use this publication as a workbook. The chapters each end with fascinating questions for consideration and group discussion. Dr. Lavin offers five different kinds of group structures for discipleship development. Each is fully explored, offering the reader or study participant the opportunity to determine which style best fits their group. He also lists five essentials that must be present for any group to function effectively. Lavin has had over 35 years of experience in the ministry, during which time he has refined the methods that are most successful in leading people to commitment and discipleship. This book is filled with fascinating anecdotes and stories that have grown out of his experience with congregations where impressive growth has taken place. Dr. Ronald J. Lavin is Senior Pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church, Fountain Valley, California. He previously served congregations in Indiana, Iowa, and Arizona. In each church where he served as pastor the membership doubled. He graduated cum laude from Carthage College, Northwestern Theological School of Theology, and engaged in graduate studies at the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago. Lavin has published twelve books and numerous magazine articles. He has been in demand as a speaker and seminar leader at schools and churches throughout the country as well as in several foreign countries.

Every pastor wants to have a vibrant, dynamic church. There are many popular models for church growth based on outstanding churches led by outstanding pastors. But unfortunately, specific models are temporary and go out of style quickly. Author Gary McIntosh explores the biblical principles for church growth and applies them to today's culture. Instead of concentrating on the ephemeral how of church growth, he focuses on the unchanging why. McIntosh defines church growth as "all that is involved in bringing men and women who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ into fellowship with him and into responsible church membership." In other words, church growth is effective evangelism, not a methodology for increasing membership. According to Biblical Church Growth, growing churches always evidence a desire to fulfill the Great Commission by cooperating with God in building a faithful church. Using personal stories and current statistics as well as numerous biblical examples, the author sets forth ten basic principles that provide an eternal foundation for helping any church-large or small-achieve lasting vitality and growth.

Church leaders understand that managing the day-to-day operations of a church can be challenging because of limited resources, managing volunteer labor, and supporting the needs of the congregation. Smart Church Management: A Quality Approach to Church Administration, Third Edition is an updated guide for managing the resources of a church - which is people, time and money. This book provides tools and examples for decision making and problem-solving for church administration that is easy to understand and more importantly, quick to implement! This book also includes discussion questions to provoke thought and discussion for church teams. This book is ideal for ministry students, church boards, church leadership and church administrators.