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Full-Text Articles in Christianity

Shall We Reinvent Our 100 Year Old Denomination? Surveying Organizational Models, Kenneth Crow, Richard Houseal, Stan Ingersol, Dale Jones Jan 2008

Shall We Reinvent Our 100 Year Old Denomination? Surveying Organizational Models, Kenneth Crow, Richard Houseal, Stan Ingersol, Dale Jones

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

David Moberg has described the life cycle of religious organizations in The Church as a Social Institution. His model suggests five predictable stages. FIGURE 1 In the beginning of the ascending curve there is a phase of incipient organization characterized by a negative reaction to existing churches, emotional enthusiasm for the new church, and diffused leadership. Second, as the age and effectiveness of the organization increase, there is a phase of formal organization characterized by membership commitments, specification of goals, symbolic separation from the larger society, and a gradual move from charismatic leaders to rational or bureaucratic leaders. Third, as …


The God-Equipped Magnificent Obsession: A Christ-Centered And Values-Based Strategic Intent, Allen H. Quist Jan 2008

The God-Equipped Magnificent Obsession: A Christ-Centered And Values-Based Strategic Intent, Allen H. Quist

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

It was the first-century believers’ Christ-centered core values that drove their evangelism behavior. Core values still drive the behavior of present day believers. For present day followers of Christ to maximize the work of Christ’s Great Commission, Christians need Christcentered core values held at an obsessive level, plus God’s preparation and provision. Believers making up the first-century church, engaged their world through touch points of their time; the Roman political system providing relatively safe travel and quality roads, the widely-used Greek language, and scattered post-Pentecost new Christian believers. Today’s Christians need to engage our world through the touch points of …


Misperceiving The Real Reasons For Non-Attendance, Attribution Theory, Peter Burch Jan 2008

Misperceiving The Real Reasons For Non-Attendance, Attribution Theory, Peter Burch

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

My wife Holly and I arrived at Vista Del Mar Baptist Church (VDMBC) in Pacifica, California, a suburb of San Francisco, just three weeks shy of Easter in the year 2000. VDMBC began in the garage of a tract home in the 1950s. After two decades of consistent growth, the congregation dedicated an attractive 200-seat sanctuary in 1976. Regrettably, the next two decades brought consistent decline and, when I arrived as the new pastor in 2000, the church had returned to a garage-sized congregation. Having no staff to direct, secretary to talk to, or walls to paint, I decided to …


Church Conflict/Church Growth, Thomas Hammond, Steve Wilkes Jan 2008

Church Conflict/Church Growth, Thomas Hammond, Steve Wilkes

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

Sadly, conflict is a common occurrence in congregations of every denomination across America. It happens to traditional, blended, and contemporary churches for a variety of reasons, with the capacity to reach extreme levels of intensity. Its impact on a congregation can be devastating. Relationships are damaged, friendships strained, and many decide to stop attending. The church's ministry and evangelism efforts are usually brought to a standstill, leaving a divided fellowship that has taken its eyes off the harvest and has become distracted from fulfilling the Great Commission.


Book Review: Growth By Accident, Death By Planning: How Not To Kill A Growing Congregation, Darrell Lamos Jan 2008

Book Review: Growth By Accident, Death By Planning: How Not To Kill A Growing Congregation, Darrell Lamos

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


Evangelism Or Disciple-Making?, Charles Arn Oct 2007

Evangelism Or Disciple-Making?, Charles Arn

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

There is a growing body of evidence in church growth research, as well as in the practical experience of pastors and church leaders, to make the following somewhat startling observation: Many current evangelism methods are, at best, irrelevant to church growth…and, at worse, are inhibiting the effective outreach of well-meaning Christians and churches.


Book Review: Why Churches Die: Diagnosing Lethal Poisons In The Body Of Christ, Gordon Penfold Oct 2007

Book Review: Why Churches Die: Diagnosing Lethal Poisons In The Body Of Christ, Gordon Penfold

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Hit The Bullseye: How Denominations Can Aim The Congregation At The Mission Field, Randy M. Keeley Oct 2007

Book Review: Hit The Bullseye: How Denominations Can Aim The Congregation At The Mission Field, Randy M. Keeley

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


Book Review: The Next Generation Leader, Dirke Johnson Oct 2007

Book Review: The Next Generation Leader, Dirke Johnson

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work With God To Build A Faithful Church, Darryl Thompson Oct 2007

Book Review: Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work With God To Build A Faithful Church, Darryl Thompson

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


A Critical Evaluation Of Ebina Danjo’S Syncretistic Christianity With Respect To Church Revitalization In Japan, Shuma Iwai Oct 2007

A Critical Evaluation Of Ebina Danjo’S Syncretistic Christianity With Respect To Church Revitalization In Japan, Shuma Iwai

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

This article will explore how Ebina Danjo’s syncretistic Christianity influenced church growth during the Meiji Era and what his theology and pedagogy imply for developing church revitalization today. It is significant to examineEbina’s syncretistic Christianity because it will provide some evidences to show the importance of building a healthy churchthrough biblical foundations, not through inappropriate paradigm shift from Japanese religious thoughts to the Western religion, which is Ebina Danjo’s case.


The Protean Church, Allan Karr Oct 2007

The Protean Church, Allan Karr

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

This article examines some symptoms of ecclesiological shifts that are being observed and documented in the “church” meta-narrative.


Book Review: The Celtic Way Of Evangelism, Jeffrey Mansell Oct 2007

Book Review: The Celtic Way Of Evangelism, Jeffrey Mansell

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


Senior Adult Evangelism, David E. Moore Oct 2007

Senior Adult Evangelism, David E. Moore

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

Senior adults need to personally know God and His promise of eternal peace. Seniors in this state of hopelessness and fearfulness need to be given the opportunity to hear and then be invited to receive the hope and assurance of personal salvation with the promise of eternal peace and security. The lack of evangelism which targets today’s seniors is a growing crisis. The number of unsaved seniors will continue to expand unless today’s churches and believers intentionally evangelize these needful individuals that God loves and desires to be a part of His kingdom for eternity.


Volume 18 Issue 3 (Complete), Garly L. Mcintosh Oct 2007

Volume 18 Issue 3 (Complete), Garly L. Mcintosh

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


George Fox: A Man Of Fiery Passion On A Mission For Jesus, Tom Crawford Oct 2007

George Fox: A Man Of Fiery Passion On A Mission For Jesus, Tom Crawford

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

Impassioned by his personal experience of the “light of Christ” Fox became a dynamic, fanatically sincere speaker. He would speak the “truth” anywhere that God provided an opportunity for him to “convince” people that it was possible for them to “experience” the indwelling light of Christ to change their lives. He was not particular about where he spoke, for he would preach in barns, houses, fields, and in churches after the pries was finished. His ministry began in the northern part of England where he would preach, pray, and protest without reservation. Because he often denounced creeds, forms, rites, external …


Characteristics Of People Who Live Long & Love It!, Win Arn Apr 2007

Characteristics Of People Who Live Long & Love It!, Win Arn

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

For centuries, laughter and positive emotions have been known to contribute to people’s health, healing, and happiness. Scripture records that “a cheerful heart is good medicine.” So senior adults — or anyone else who desires to live long and love it — will want to keep a twinkle in their eye and a merry heart.


Introduction, Gary L. Mcintosh Apr 2007

Introduction, Gary L. Mcintosh

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


My Pilgrimage In Church Growth, Waldo J. Werning Apr 2007

My Pilgrimage In Church Growth, Waldo J. Werning

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

By the Spirit’s strength, various teachers and mentors shared truths and life applications of God’s Word with me to walk the justification and sanctification path Jesus offers with the light that He gives. My pilgrimage in the ministry of church growth that involved both Christian stewardship and church health has been and is one of reflecting Christ, our Savior and Lord, and learning from teachers, mentors, leadership networks and informative books that provided a healthy diet of God’s Word.


Learning To Love — At Any Age, Win Arn Apr 2007

Learning To Love — At Any Age, Win Arn

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

What is it? It is not one of God’s attributes. It is the sum total of all God’s attributes. It is the reason Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world.


Remembering Win Arn, Gary L. Mcintosh Apr 2007

Remembering Win Arn, Gary L. Mcintosh

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

Dr. Win Arn completed his life’s journey on earth this past December (June 26, 1923—December 13. 2006). For many of us who identify with the Church Growth Movement, his passing brought back memories of an important era in the life of North American churches that began in the early 1970s.


Bye Bye Rocking Chair, Win Arn Apr 2007

Bye Bye Rocking Chair, Win Arn

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

Senior adults in most churches have more available time … give more financially (one study indicated seven times more) than younger members … have years of valuable experience working in the church … don’t go “church shopping,” nor do they often move their residence … their work quality is high, and church loyalty solid.


A Short History Of Winfield C. Arn And The Institute For American Church Growth, Gary L. Mcintosh Apr 2007

A Short History Of Winfield C. Arn And The Institute For American Church Growth, Gary L. Mcintosh

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

This article is being reprinted from the Fall 2005 issue of the Journal of the ASCG in tribute to Win Arn. Readers who are not familiar with the early history of church growth, and particularly the role played by Win Arn and the Institute for American Church Growth, will find this article of interest. —Editor


The Korean Pentecost, Elmer L. Towns Apr 2007

The Korean Pentecost, Elmer L. Towns

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

Although Korea was one of the last nations in the Far East to hear the Gospel, a series of revivals early in the twentieth century quickly turned the Korean church into a powerful force for God. These awakenings transformed Korean culture and society and reached beyond its borders to other nations in Asia.


Beyond Seeker Friendly, Stephen Vantassel Jan 2007

Beyond Seeker Friendly, Stephen Vantassel

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

We want to provide some tips on identifying, welcoming, and integrating believers who were faithful to their old church but, due to various life circumstances, have had to relocate to your area. This article would also call attention to utilizing retired ministers who happen to attend your church.


Organic Change: 12 Emerging Communities Of Missional Theologians, Bob Whitesel Jan 2007

Organic Change: 12 Emerging Communities Of Missional Theologians, Bob Whitesel

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

My journey into postmodernal progressions of ecclesial change began with an ethnographic survey of 12 Christian congregations that were largely led, staffed and populated with adults between the ages of 22 and 35. My research within these communities was designed to uncover synergies and strategies that might inform further research among our masters and doctoral students in the College of Graduate Studies at Indiana Wesleyan University. The result of the above and subsequent research has led the present author to believe that the topic of organic change among emerging communities of missional theologians will be of both research and pragmatic …


Book Review: The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating The Missional Church, Darren Cronshaw Jan 2007

Book Review: The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating The Missional Church, Darren Cronshaw

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

No abstract provided.


Means Of Evangelistic Growth: The First 300 Years, J. D. Payne Jan 2007

Means Of Evangelistic Growth: The First 300 Years, J. D. Payne

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

The purpose of this study is to examine the various means, by which the gospel spread across the word throughout the first three hundred years of the Church’s existence. Though some biblical texts will be referenced, the primary focus of this study is upon the post-Apostolic, pre-Constantinian years. This study is descriptive in nature. Though contemporary secondary source literature will be consulted, I will draw predominantly from the historical documents written circa A.D. 100-300 and Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History.


Dominion! Kingdom Action Can Change The World, C. Peter Wagner Jan 2007

Dominion! Kingdom Action Can Change The World, C. Peter Wagner

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

If social transformation is what the Spirit seems to be saying to the churches today, we would expect that the Bible would support such an idea. Many will be asking the inevitable question: Is there a biblical theology to substantiate this?


The Shaping Of Things Now: Questions Of Emerging Churches, Darren Cronshaw Jan 2007

The Shaping Of Things Now: Questions Of Emerging Churches, Darren Cronshaw

Journal of the American Society for Church Growth

The term ‘emerging church’ has been hotly debated. Some mainstream churches say ‘what are you doing that we are not?’ and some emerging churches resent the implication that they are still ‘emerging’ into being a real church. 3 But ‘emerging’ describes something that is changing and evolving rather than fixed in one place. The label recognizes that such churches are emerging from a modern into a postmodern framework, in a post-Christendom era, in a digital age, for a post-colonial era. Interestingly, it is a term that has been used to describe the early church in the first century, since that …