Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
Research shows that over time, most churches plateau and then eventually decline. Typically, they start strong and experience periods of growth, then stagnate and lose members. Since 1991, the North American population has increased by 15 percent while the number of "unchurched" people has increased by 92 percent. Large church houses that were filled in the 1950s and `60s now hold a fraction of their capacity. To counter this trend, authors Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson surveyed 300 churches from across ten different denominations that recently achieved healthy evangelistic growth after a significant season of decline. What they have discovered is an exciting method of congregation reinvigoration that is shared in the new book entitled Comeback Churches.
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Top Highlights
“In its simplest form, the term ‘missional’ is the noun ‘missionary’ modified to be an adjective. Missional churches do what missionaries do, regardless of the context. They can parachute-drop into a village in India or go into a metropolitan U.S. city and be missional. If they do what missionaries do—study and learn language, become part of culture, proclaim the Good News, be the presence of Christ, and contextualize biblical life and church for that culture—they are missional churches.” (Page 4)
“A comeback requires at least three elements. First, there is spiritual energy in the lives of individual believers and the church family as a whole, brought about by revival. Second, the church is restructured around its missional purpose. Third, there’s a long-term commitment to change. Comeback churches implement these elements in an ongoing process of personal and corporate repentance and revitalization, keeping their focus on mission.” (Pages 54–55)
“But the average person in a church believes that the church exists to meet his or her needs and the needs of the family.” (Pages 29–30)
“The wrong question is whether your church is ‘traditional’ or ‘contemporary’ and which is better. The real issue is whether your church is biblically faithful, acting as the presence of Christ in the community at large, able to relate Christ to people in culture, and is on mission. In short, is your church ‘missional’?” (Page 4)
“How we ‘do’ church is grounded in Scripture but applied in culture. Simply stated, missional churches are biblically faithful and culturally relevant.” (Page 8)
- Title: Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too
- Authors: Mike Dodson, Dr. Ed Stetzer
- Publisher: B&H
- Print Publication Date: 2007
- Logos Release Date: 2012
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- Subjects: Church growth; Church renewal
- ISBNs: 9781430074465, 9780805448955, 9780805445367, 0805448950, 0805445366, 1430074469
- Resource ID: LLS:9780805448955
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-06T20:43:13Z