Growing God's Church: How People Are Actually Coming to Faith Today

by Gary L. McIntosh

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801016455
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/19/2016
Pages:	190
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Gary L. McIntosh (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is president of the Church Growth Network and professor of Christian ministry and leadership at Talbot School of Theology. He is an internationally known speaker and church consultant who has written twenty-four books, including Biblical Church Growth, Beyond the First Visit, and What Every Pastor Should Know. He lives in California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 9

Part 1 The Church Today

1 An Old Story Refold 13

2 What Is Our Mission? 27

3 What Is Our Priority? 37

4 What Is Our Role? 51

5 What Is Our Focus? 65

6 What Is Our Context? 75

Part 2 Faith Today

7 Who Led You to Faith in Christ? 91

8 What Method Most Influenced Your Decision for Christ? 103

9 Why Did You Begin to Attend Church? 115

10 Why Do You Remain at Your Church? 129

11 What Is the Pastor's Role in Evangelism? 145

Part 3 Evangelism Today

12 Principles of Effective Evangelism 155

13 Inviting Others to Dine with Jesus 163

Appendix: Survey Instrument 177

Notes 185