Favourite Books on Church Growth
Church growth has to do with how churches seek to increase spiritually and physically. The leadership of different churches adopt various strategies to help their churches to grow. The devil fights the growth of churches and so ministers and leaders of churches have to devise ways and means to make their churches grow. Some of the activities that has been adopted is reaching out to people in communities in which churches are located, teaching through writing and preaching the Word of God. All these in an attempt to get believers to understand the importance of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) which Jesus Himself commissioned His disciples just before He ascended to heaven.
So many books have been written by various ministers around the world to teach and encourage Christians on how to make their churches grow. These books also teach on why it is important for churches to grow. The list goes on but undoubtedly some of these books stand out and have become the favorite for pastors and their congregation.
- Successful home cell groups by Dr Yonggi Cho
As one who has experienced miraculous church growth and whose congregation has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world, Korean pastor Paul (David) Yonggi Cho describes how the introduction of home cell groups has brought about not only phenomenal growth, but also intimate fellowship and involvement.
The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren is another powerful book that teaches on building a healthy church based on the principles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rick believes that the emphasis should not be just church growth but on the health of the church. He states that once a church is health it will naturally grow. He cautions leaders of churches to focus on the purposes of God for their ministry rather than on their own ideas. The Purpose Driven Church has been voted by many ministers in the United States as one of the best and favorite books on church growth.
Further information on The Purpose Driven Church, visit http://www.purposedriven.com/
The Mega Church by Dag Heward-Mills is a simple and powerful book that teaches how churches can grow. Bishop Dag Heward-mills through this book explains in simple and easy to understand language how to win souls and grow churches in other to depopulate the kingdom of darkness. Because of its simplified language, The Mega Church is easy to read and understand hence it has become the favorite of many preachers in Africa and around the world when it comes to step-by-step teaching on how to attain church growth. Many Pastors have used The Mega Church and other books by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills to successfully grow their churches.
More information on The Mega Church and other books by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills on click here
Church Growth… It Is Possible by Dag Heward-Mills. In this second book on growing churches, Dag Heward-Mills leaves almost no stone unturned as he examines various factors which affect church growth. Topics include Church Growth and Lay People, Church Growth, Conventions and Camp Meetings, Church Growth and Relationships, Church Growth and Women and many more.
Your Church Can Grow by C. Peter Wagner an interesting booking for minister to assess the health of their churches. The book shows how Pastors can check and read the vital signs of their churches to see whether the church is healthy and growing. Dr. Wagner says in the book that a healthy church like healthy people will have certain vital signs. He lists 7 signs which will indicate whether a church is in good health or not. It also talks about how to get the congregation to a place of responsible church members.
Further information and copies of the book on: http://books.google.com/books/about/Your_Church_Can_Grow.html?id=4PYHAAAACAAJ
Breakout Churches: Discover how to make the Leap by Thom S Rainer is another favorite book that has helped churches to grow in the United States. Rainer in this book teaches how the leaders of a group of churches were able to transform their churches from nothing to great and successful churches. The book gives examples as well as specific principles that help to build an effective church. Pastors wanting to breakout from mediocrity to greatness have found the principles in the book very useful.
For copies and more information visit: http://www.amazon.com/Breakout-Churches-Discover-Make-Leap/dp/0310293472.
The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson takes a different dimension to church growth. Teaching about reaching out to the poor and needy, Rusaw and Swanson explain how churches can grow through serving the community in which the church is located. Studies show that it is easier to touch the heart of people through service and love. In fact, the teachings in the book help church member also build their spiritual commitment as they serve others. The Externally Focused Church helps to shifts their attention from those within (believers already in the Kingdom) to those outside the church. A very practical book which has helped many minister to grow their church.
Copies of the book and further information at: http://externallyfocusednetwork.com/
Dying for Change by Leith Anderson is a book that looks at the need for the modern church to change with the times and seasons. Changes in the society have affected many churches’ growth. It is quite obvious that most churches today have become stagnant and are reducing in numbers because the focus of the members and the people in the society have been shifted to the complex changes in today’s world. Leith Anderson, a retired Pastor and President of the National Association of Evangelicals, addresses certain trends that modern churches need to understand and deal with to be effective. He also talks about the need to change and how he successfully led his congregation through a change and growth process. His book stresses the need for change which sometimes could be extremely difficult but very necessary.
For information on the issues addressed in the book, visit: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198660.Dying_for_Change
User Friendly Churches by George Barna is book that talks about how churches can follow key biblical strategies to be successful. The author takes a look at successful churches and research into why people love to attend. Like the Apostle Paul, Christians must determine to do whatever it takes to win souls through preaching the gospel and committing to godly and holy living. Churches have been successful mostly adopt the strategy of reaching their community and making the church user friendly. The church goes beyond Sunday and helping people in and outside of the church should be a life-style.
Further reading on: http://all4jesus.net/eng/BARNA.doc
http://www.amazon.com/User-Friendly-Churches-George-Barna/dp/0830714731
Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully Engaged Members of Your Church by Nelson Searcy, deals with how Christians can create a friendly atmosphere for newcomers. The first few minutes a person visits a church is very crucial and many people decide to stay of leave based on the atmosphere or the environment. The first timer decides to return when he experiences an environment that is exciting and embraces them. The writers of the book cautions Christians to be stewards of the people God bring into the church. Fusion, deals with the steps and plans on how to practically establish relationships with newcomers that will encourage them to return and ultimately become fully-engaged members of the church.
For further information visit http://images.acswebnetworks.com/1/48/FusionWeb.pdf
Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens by Neil Cole is another book that studies how churches today struggle to maintain their members and new converts. Churches devise various strategies to bring about growth but most of the time, these new ideas and strategies doesn’t bring about much change to the numbers in the church. According to Neil Cole, in sharing the Word of God, Christians must shift focus to places where people congregate. Christians must take the gospel to the neighborhood, to restaurants, bars and the parks. The Bible teaches on how Jesus mingled with the publicans and other people in the society. The Organic Church teaches churches to return to the ways of Jesus by spreading the word in both likely and unlikely places.
For copies of the Organic Church, visit;
http://www.christianbook.com/organic-church-growing-faith-where-happens/neil-cole/9780787981297/pd/981290
Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for making Disciples by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger. This book looks at how churches become successful as a result of following four simple ideas of clarity, movement, alignment and Focus. This book teaches how Pastors can simplify the discipleship making process and make it effective in churches.
http://books.google.com/books/about/Simple_Church.html?id=eGH5CjtgavoC
For More also read: https://thenewslettersblog.wordpress.com/2022/12/23/best-books-on-church-growth/