Church Growth Resources -
General and Overview
compiled by Ronald W. Waters
last updated
05/25/2007
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The following list of resources is provided for your assistance. Inclusion in this list does not imply the endorsement of all the content by
New Life Ministries. We do believe you will find them to be helpful.
Abrahamson, James O.
Put Your Best Foot Forward: How to
Minister from Your Strength. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1994.
Ahlen, J. Timothy, and J. V. Thomas.
One Church, Many Congregations: The
Key Church Strategy. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1999.
Anderson, Andy.
Effective Methods of Church Growth:
Growing the Church by Growing the Sunday School.
Nashville: Broadman Press, 1985.
_____________.
The Growth Spiral: The Proven
Step-By-Step Method for Calculating and Predicting Growth Potential in Your
Church. Nashville: Broadman
& Holman, 1993.
Anderson, Leith.
A Church for the 21st Century.
Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1992.
_____________.
Dying for Change: An Arresting Look
at the New Realities Confronting Churches and Para-Church Ministries.
Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1990.
Arn, Charles.
How to Start a New Service: Your Church
Can Reach New People.
Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997.
__________.
"Multiple Worship Services and Church Growth."
Journal of the American Society for
Church Growth 7:73-104.
Arn, Charles; Donald McGavran; and Win
Arn. Growth:
A New Vision for the Sunday School. New
rev. ed. Pasadena: Church Growth
Press, 1980.
Arn, Win.
The Church Growth Ratio Book.
Pasadena: Church Growth, 1987.
________.
The Pastor's Church Growth Handbook.
Pasadena: Church Growth Press, 1979.
________.
The Pastor's Church Growth Handbook.
Vol. II. Pasadena: Church
Growth Press, 1982.
Arn, Win, and Charles Arn. Catch the Age Wave: A
Handbook for Effective Ministry with Senior Adults.
Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993.
Barna, George.
Finding a Church You Can Call Home:
The Complete Guide to Making One of the Most Significant Decisions of Your Life.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1992.
___________.
The Frog in the Kettle: What
Christians Need to Know about Life in the Year 2000.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1990.
___________.
Turn-around Churches: How to
Overcome Barriers to Growth and Bring New Life to an Established Church.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1993.
___________.
User Friendly Churches: What
Christians Need to Know about the Churches People Love to Go To. Ventura: Regal Books, 1991.
Bast, Robert L.
Attracting New Members.
Monrovia: Church Growth, Inc., 1988.
Bartel, Floyd G.
A New Look at Church Growth.
Newton, Kans.: Faith and Life Press, 1979.
Beasley-Murray, Paul, and Alan
Wilkinson. Turning
the Tide: An Assessment of Baptist Church Growth in England.
London: British Bible Society, 1981.
Benjamin, Paul.
The Growing Congregation.
Lincoln, Ill.: Lincoln Christian College Press, 1972.
Bernhard, Fred, and Steve Clapp.
Widening the Welcome of Your
Church: Biblical Hospitality and the Vital Congregation.
4th ed. Fort Wayne: New Life Ministries, 2005.
Bowman, Ray.
When Not to Build: An Architect's Unconventional Wisdom for the Growing Church.
Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1992.
Callahan, Kennon L.
Building for Effective Mission: A
Complete Guide for Congregations on Brick and Morter Issues.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
Clapp, Steve.
Fifty Ways to Reach Young Singles,
Couples, and Families. Fort
Wayne: New Life Ministries, 1994.
__________.
Overcoming Barriers to Church
Growth. Fort Wayne: New Life
Ministries, 1994.
__________.
Promising Results: Passing On the
Promise and the Pilgrimage Toward Growth.
Elgin, Ill.: faithQuest (Brethren Press), 1993.
Clapp, Steve, and Cindy Hollenberg
Snider.
Creating
Quality in Ministry: Insights on How Quality Can Sharpen and Focus Today's Local
Church Ministry. Fort Wayne: New
Life Ministries, 1995.
Clegg, Tom, and Warren Bird. Lost
in America: How You and Your Church Can Impact the World Next Door.
Loveland, Colorado: Group Publishing, 2001.
Cordeiro, Wayne.
Doing Church as a Team. Ventura:
Regal Books, 2001.
Dempsey, Ron D.
Faith Outside the Walls: Why People
Don't Come and Why the Church Must Listen.
Macon, Ga.: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Inc., 1997.
Dobson, Ed.
Starting a Seeker Sensitive
Service: How Traditional Churches Can Reach the Unchurched. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993 (157 pp.).
Drummond, Lewis.
Ripe for Harvest: The Role of Spiritual Awakening in Church Growth.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001.
Dudley, Carl S.
Where Have All Our People Gone?:
New Choices for Old Churches. New
York: The Pilgrim Press, 1979 (136 pp.).
____________, and Sally A. Johnson.
Energizing the Congregation: Images
That Shape Your Church's Ministry. Louisville:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993 (116 pp.).
Easum, William.
Dancing with Dinosaurs: Ministry in
a Hostile and Hurting World. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1993.
____________.
How to Reach Baby Boomers. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1992.
____________.
Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Fowler, Harry H.
Breaking Barriers of New Church
Growth: Increasing Attendance from 0-150.
Rocky Mount, N.C.: Creative
Growth Dynamics, Inc., 1988.
General Assembly Council Task Force on
Church Membership Growth. "A
Report Approved by the 203rd General Assembly (1991), Presbyterian Church
(USA)." Louisville: Office of
the General Assembly, 1991.
George, Carl F.
How to Break Growth Barriers:
Capturing Overlooked Opportunities for Church Growth. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993.
Gibbs, Eddie.
I Believe in Church Growth.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.
Green, Hollis L.
Why Churches Die: A Guide to Basic
Evangelism and Church Growth. Minneapolis:
Bethany Fellowship, 1972.
Hadaway, C. Kirk.
Church Growth Principles:
Separating Fact from Fiction. Nashville:
Broadman Press, 1991.
Hale, J. Russell.
The Unchurched: Who They Are and
Why They Stay Away. San
Francisco: Harper & Row, 1980.
Haugk, Kenneth C.
Reopening the Back Door: Answers to
Questions about Ministering to Inactive Members.
St. Louis: Tebunah Ministries, 1992.
Hemphill, Ken.
The Bonsai Theory of Church Growth.
Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991.
____________.
Revitalizing the Sunday Morning Dinosaur: A Sunday School Growth
Strategy for the 21st Century.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996.
Hemphill, Ken, and R. Wayne Jones.
Growing an Evangelistic Sunday
School. Nashville: Broadman
Press, 1989.
Henderson,
Jim, and Matt Casper.
Jim and Casper Go to Church: Frank Conversations about Faith, Churches, and
Well-Meaning Christians. Ventura, Calif.: BarnaBooks, 2007.
Hendricks, William D.
Exit Interviews: Revealing Stories
of Why People Are Leaving the Church. Chicago:
Moody Press, 1993.
Hoge, Dean R., and David A. Roozen, eds.
Understanding Church Growth and
Decline: 1950-1978. New York:
Pilgrim Press, 1979.
Horton, Michael Scott, ed. Power Religion: The
Selling Out of the Evangelical Church?
Chicago: Moody Press, 1992.
Hudnut, Robert K.
Church Growth Is Not the Point.
New York: Harper & Row, 1975.
Hunter, George G., III.
Church for the Unchurched: The
Rebirth of "Apostolic Congregations" Across the American Mission Field.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.
_________________.
Radical Outreach: Recovery of Apostolic Ministry and Evangelism.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003.
_________________.
The Contagious Congregation: Frontiers in Evangelism and Church Growth.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1979.
_________________.
To Spread the Power: Church Growth in the Wesleyan Spirit.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1987.
Hunter, Kent R.
Foundations for Church Growth.
New Haven, Mo.: Leader Publishing Co., 1983.
____________.
Your Church Has Personality: Find
Your Focus—Maximize Your Mission. Lima,
Ohio: Fairway Press, 1997.
Hybels, Lynne, and Bill Hybels.
Rediscovering Church: The Story and
Vision of Willow Creek Community Church.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Johnson, Merle Allison.
How to Be Happy in the Non-Electric
Church. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1979 (112 pp.).
Jones, R. Wayne.
Overcoming Barriers to Sunday
School Growth. Nashville:
Broadman Press, 1987.
Kelley, Dean M.
Why Conservative Churches Are
Growing. Rev. ed.
Macon, Ga.: Mercer University, 1986.
Kimball,
Dan.
They
Like Jesus but Not the Church:Insights from Emerging Generations. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2007 (272 pp.).
Logan, Robert E.
Beyond Church Growth: Action Plans
for Developing a Dynamic Church. Grand
Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1989.
MacNair, Donald J.
The Growing Local Church.
Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1975.
Mains, David.
Healing the Dysfunctional Church
Family. Wheaton: Victor Books,
1992 (156 pp.).
Mann, Alice.
The In-Between Church: Navigating
Size Transitions in Congregations. Bethesda,
Md.: The Alban Institute, 1998.
Martin, Glen, and Gary McIntosh.
The Issacher Factor: Understanding
Trends that Confront Your Church and Designing a Strategy for Success.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993.
Martin, Kevin E.
Myth of the 200 Barrier: How to Lead through Transitional Growth.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005.
McGavran, Donald A.
The Bridges of God.
Rev. ed. New York:
Friendship Press, 1981.
_________________.
How Churches Grow.
New York: Friendship Press, 1966.
_________________.
Understanding Church Growth.
3rd ed. Revised by C. Peter Wagner.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990.
McGavran, Donald A., and Win Arn.
How to Grow a Church.
Glendale: Regal Books, 1973.
______________________________.
Ten Steps for Church Growth.
San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1977.
McGavran, Donald A., and George G.
Hunter, III. Church
Growth: Strategies That Work. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1980.
McIntosh, Gary.
Make Room for the Boom . . . or
Bust: Six Church Models for Reaching Three Generations. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1997.
____________.
One
Size Doesn't Fit All: Bringing Out the Best in Any Size Church.
Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1999.
____________.
Three Generations: Riding the Waves of Change in Your Church.
Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1995.
____________, ed.
"Worship and Church Growth."
Journal of the American Society for
Church Growth 7.
Mead, Loren B.
The Once and Future Church:
Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier.
Bethesda: The Alban Institute, 1991.
___________.
Transforming Congregations for the
Future. Bethesda: The Alban
Institute, 1994.
Miller, Herb.
How to Build a Magnetic Church.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1987.
Miller, C. John.
Outgrowing the Ingrown Church.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.
Morgenthaler, Sally.
Worship Evangelism: Inviting
Unbelievers into the Presence of God. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Morris, George E., ed.
Rethinking Congregational
Development: Nine Church Leaders Speak Out on the Revitalization of Existing
Congregations and the Development of New Ones. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1984 (96 pp.).
Morris, Linus J.
The High Impact Church: A Fresh
Approach to Reaching the Unchurched. Houston:
TOUCH Publications, 1993.
Moss, James W., Sr.
People Spots: Planning for the
Arrival of New People, Completing the Process of Evangelism through Assimilation.
Harrisburg: Church Consultants, 1988.
Mundey, Paul.
Change and the Established
Congregation. Elgin, Ill.: The
Andrew Center, 1994.
___________.
Riding the River: Congregational
Outreach and the Currents of the 21st Century.
Elgin, Ill.: The Andrew Center, 1994.
___________.
Unlocking Church Doors: 10 Keys to
Positive Change. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1997 (165 pp.).
Murren, Doug.
The Baby Boomerang: Catching Baby
Boomers as They Return to Church. Ventura:
Regal Books, 1990.
Murrow, David.
Why
Men Hate Going to Church. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004.
Neighbour, Ralph W., Jr., and Cal
Thomas. Target-Group
Evangelism: Reaching People Where They Are. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1975.
Orjala, Paul R.
Getting Ready to Grow: A Strategy
for Local Church Growth. Kansas
City: Beacon Hill of Kansas City, 1978.
Payne, Claude E., and Hamilton Beazley.
Reclaiming the Great Commission: A Practical Model for Transforming
Denominations and Congregations. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Posterski, Donald C., and Irwin Barker.
Where's a Good Church?: Canadians
Respond from the Pulpit, Podium, and Pew.
Winfield, B.C.: Wood Lake Books, 1993.
Rainer, Thom S.
The Bridger Generation.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997.
_____________.
The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles.
Nashville: Broadman Press, 1993.
____________.
Eating the Elephant: Bite-Sized
Steps to Achieve Long-Term Growth in Your Church.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994.
_____________.
Effective Evangelistic Churches:
Successful Churches Reveal What Works, and What Doesn't. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996.
_____________.
High Expectations: The Remarkable
Secret of Keeping People in Your Church.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.
Roozen, David A., and C. Kirk Hadaway.
Church and Denominational Growth:
What Does (and Does Not) Cause Growth or Decline.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.
Rothauge, Arlin J.
Sizing Up a Congregation for New
Member Ministry. New York: The
Episcopal Church Center, 1982.
Saarinen, Martin F.
The Life Cycle of a Congregation.
Washington, D.C.: The Alban Institute, 1986 (24 pp.).
Sample, Tex.
Blue-Collar Ministry: Facing
Economic and Social Realities of Working People.
Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1984.
Savage, John S.
The Apathetic and Bored Church
Member: Psychological and Theological Implications. Pittsford, N.Y.: LEAD Consultants, Inc., 1976.
Schaller, Lyle E. 21
Bridges to the 21st Century: The Future of Pastoral Ministry.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
____________.
44 Ways to Increase Church
Attendance. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1987.
____________.
Activating the Passive Church:
Diagnosis and Treatment. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1981.
____________.
Assimilating New Members.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1978
____________.
Innovations in Ministry: Models for
the 21st Century. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1994.
Shenk, Wilbert R., ed.
The Challenge of Church Growth: A
Symposium. Scottdale, Pa.:
Herald Press, 1973.
_________________.
Exploring Church Growth. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983.
Sisemore, John T.
Church Growth through the Sunday
School. Nashville: Broadman
Press, 1983.
Slaughter, Michael.
Spiritual Entrepreneurs: 6
Principles for Risky Renewal. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1995.
Smith, Ebbie C.
Balanced Church Gorwth.
Nashville: Broadman Press, 1984.
Spader, Dann, and Gary Mayes. Growing a Healthy
Church. Chicago: Moody Press,
1991.
Stanley, Andy, and Ed Young.
Can
We Do That?: 24 Innovative Practices That Will Change the Way You Do Church.
West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing Co., 2002.
Stewart, Carlyle Fielding. African American Church
Growth: 12 Principles of Prophetic Ministry. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
Stutzman, Ervin R.
Welcome! A Biblical and Practical Guide to Receiving New Members.
Scottdale: Herald Press, 1990.
Sullivan, Bill.
New
Perspectives on Breaking the 200 Barrier. Kansas City: Beacon
Hill Press, 2005.
Terry, John Mark.
Church Evangleism: Creating a
Culture for Growth in Your Congregation.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997.
Tillapaugh, Frank R.
The Church Unleashed: Getting God's
People Out Where the Needs Are. Ventura:
Regal Books, 1982.
Towns, Elmer L.
154 Steps to Revitalize Your Sunday
School. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1988. Read
online at www.elmertowns.com/online.
_____________.
How to Grow an Effective Sunday
School. Denver: Accent Books,
1979.
_____________.
Ten of Today's Most Innovative
Churches. Ventura: Regal Books,
1990. Read online at
www.elmertowns.com/online.
_____________.
Ten Sunday Schools that Dared to
Change: How Churches Are Changing Paradigms to Reach a New Generation.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1993. Read
online at www.elmertowns.com/online.
Towns, Elmer L., gen. ed. Evangelism and Church
Growth: A Practical Encyclopedia. Ventura:
Regal Books, 1995.
Towns, Elmer L; C. Peter Wagner, and
Thom S. Rainer. The
Everychurch Guide to Growth: How Any Plateued Church Can Grow.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
Read one chapter online at www.elmertowns.com/preview.
Trueheart, Charles.
"Welcome to the Next Church."
The Atlantic Monthly (August
1996):37-58.
Wagner, C. Peter.
Leading Your Church to Growth.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1984.
_____________.
Strategies for Church Growth: Tools for Effective Mission and Evangelism.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1987.
_____________.
The Healthy Church.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1996.
_____________.
Your Church Can Grow: Seven Vital
Signs of a Healthy Church. Ventura:
Regal Books, 1976.
______________.
Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your
Church Grow. Ventura: Regal
Books, 1979.
Wagner, C. Peter, ed., with Win Arn and
Elmer Towns. Church Growth: State of the Art.
Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986.
Warren, Rick.
The Purpose Driven Church: Growth
without Compromising Your Message & Mission.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Waters, Ronald W.
Leader's Manual for Inviting and
Welcoming New People. Ashland,
Ohio: The Brethren Church, 1994.
______________.
Promise for the Future.
Ashland, Ohio: The Brethren Church, 1993.
Werner, Waldo J.
Vision and Strategy for Church
Growth. Chicago: Moody Press,
1977.
Woods, C. Jeff.
Congregational Megatrends.
Bethesda, Md.: The Alban Institute, 1996.
____________.
We've Never Done It Like This
Before: 10 Creative Approaches to the Same Old Church Tasks. Washington, D.C.: The Alban Institute, 1994 (98 pp.).
Wright, Timothy.
A Community of Joy: How to Create
Contempary Worship. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1994.
Yeakley, Flavil R., Jr.
Why Churches Grow.
Nashville: Anderson's, 1977.
Zunkel, C. Wayne.
Church Growth Under Fire.
Scottdale: Herald Press, 1987.
______________.
Strategies for Growing Your Church.
Elgin: David C. Cook, 1986.
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