Towards a Theology of Church Growth

Towards a Theology of Church Growth

Author: David Goodhew

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-03-03

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 1317009134

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Concern about church growth and decline is widespread and contentious, yet theological reflection on church growth is scarce. Reflecting on the Bible, dogmatic theology and church history, this book situates the numerical growth of the church within wider Christian theology. Leading international scholars, including Alister McGrath, Benedicta Ward and C. Kavin Rowe, contribute a spectrum of voices from evangelical, charismatic, liberal and anglo-catholic perspectives. All contributors unite around the importance of seeking church growth, provided this is situated within a nuanced theological framework. This book offers a critique of ’decline theology’, which has been influential amongst theologians and churches, and which assumes church growth is impossible and/or unnecessary. The contributors provide rich resources from scripture, doctrine and tradition, to underpin action to promote church growth and to stimulate further theological reflection on the subject. The Archbishop of Canterbury provides the Foreword.


Evaluating the Church Growth Movement

Evaluating the Church Growth Movement

Author: Zondervan,

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2010-06-01

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 0310872154

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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.


The Book of Church Growth

The Book of Church Growth

Author: Thom S. Rainer

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Published: 1998-09-01

Total Pages: 227

ISBN-13: 1433669463

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The Church Growth Movement has divided devout Christians. Even though Rainer is an advocate, his aim here is to present an objective view of the movement--its history, the theology associated with it, and the principles which seem to separate churches that grow from those that don't.


Church Growth and the Whole Gospel

Church Growth and the Whole Gospel

Author: C. Peter Wagner

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 1998-12-15

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1579102018

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Has the church growth movement failed to stress the social dimensions of the Christian faith? Dr. Peter Wagner, a leading exponent of church growth, argues that Christians can evangelize and churches can grow strongly, while at the same time participating in the global struggle on behalf of the poor and oppressed - for justice and peace, for brotherhood and liberation, and for the alleviation of human suffering.


Church Growth

Church Growth

Author: C. Peter Wagner

Publisher:

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 9780842302876

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Trends among the world's 20 largest churches; The local church as a church planting base; Church growth and the Holy Spirit; Using computers to support church growth; Who's who in church growth.


Growing God's Church

Growing God's Church

Author: Gary L. McIntosh

Publisher: Baker Books

Published: 2016-01-12

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 1493401572

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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.


Exploring Church Growth

Exploring Church Growth

Author: Wilbert R. Shenk

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2010-08-01

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 160899872X

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During the past twenty years the phenomenon of church growth--especially as it has been known under the dynamic leadership of Donald McGavran and the School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary--has resulted in an impressive array of books, articles, reports, and theses. While freely acknowledging their debut to the church growth school, the contributors to this volume wish to explore further the premises, principles, and goals of church growth. Firmly convinced that church growth is more than empirical data and effective methods, and that there is nothing approaching a complete book of church growth, they aim not simply to offer definitive answers but rather to open up fresh lines of inquiry--historical, experiential, methodological, and theological. Thus, while interacting with previous studies, the authors view their work as a constructive contribution to the search for a more adequate understanding of church growth patterns. Contributors to this volume include Alfred C. Krass, Harvie M. Conn, Orlando E. Costas, John H. Yoder, Harry R. Boer, and C. RenŽ Padilla.