Evaluating The Church Growth Movement
$26.99
“The church growth movement (CGM) has stirred debate ever since it was first introduced by Donald McGavran in the 1960s. By the 1980s it attracted enough attention to merit the publication of around 580 church growth books. Many churches experienced significant growth applying these principles. But during the 1990s critics questioned the movement and its theological underpinnings. Nevertheless, interest in the movement continues in the 21st century. It’s a movement that can’t be ignored. This Counterpoints Church Life book presents five viewpoints on the CGM from national church leaders from a diverse denominational, theological, and geographical representation. The five perspectives include: * Effective evangelism view: Church growth effectively confronts the culture (Elmer Towns) * Gospel in our culture view: Church growth does not effectively engage the culture (Craig Van Gelder) * Centrist view: Church growth has been culturally insightful but theologically superficial (Charles Van Engen) * Reformist view: Church growth has not developed a balanced intertwining of theological reflection, cultural analysis, historical perspective, and practical strategy (Gailyn Van Rheenan) * Renewal view: Church growth must come from the inside out being a community of faith focusing on kingdom issues (Howard Snyder) Not only do the five main contributors respond to each other’s positions, but another chapter gives the responses and views of three nationally known pastors for whom church growth is not an academic discipline but a matter of hands-on daily involvement. The book intends to make a valuable contribution to the church by bringing together conflicting views so all perspectives are heard and readers can make their own informed conclusions. The book’s introduction by Gary McIntosh shows why this is a movement that can’t be ignored. He gives a helpful brief overview of the history of this movement that celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2005. Each chapter includes discussion questions enabling readers to use this book in small group and classroom settings.”
in stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
SKU (ISBN): 9780310241102
ISBN10: 0310241103
Editor: Paul Engle | Editor: Gary McIntosh | Elmer Towns
Binding: Trade Paper
Published: October 2004
Counterpoints Church Life
Publisher: Zondervan
Print On Demand Product
Related products
-
Surprised By Hope
$15.99For years Christians have been asking, “If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?” It turns out Christians have been giving the wrong answer. It is not heaven.
One of today’s premier Bible scholars and award-winning author N.T. Wright outlines the present confusion about a Christian’s future hope and shows how it is deeply intertwined with how we live today. Wright shows that Christianity’s most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection. First, he provides a magisterial defense of a literal resurrection of Jesus himself. This became the cornerstone for the Christian community’s hope in the bodily resurrection of all people at the end of the age. Next Wright explores our expectation of “new heavens and new earth,” showing what happens to the dead until then and what will happen with the “second coming” of Jesus. For many, including many Christians, all this will come as a great surprise.
Wright convincingly argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death. For if God intends to renew the whole creation – and if this has already begun in Jesus’s resurrection – the church cannot stop at “saving souls” but must anticipate the eventual renewal by working for God’s kingdom in the wider world, bringing healing and hope in the present life.
Lively and accessible, this book will surprise and excite all who are interested in the meaning of life, not only after death but, before it.
Add to cart2 in stock
-
Pinkalicious Fairy House Level 1
$3.99Every spring, Pinkalicious loves to see all of the beautiful flowers and blossoming trees come to life in her family’s garden. Of course, Pinkalicious knows that the blooming garden is all because of the hard work of the fairies! This year, Pinkalicious wants to be ready for the fairies’ arrival, so she makes a cozy house for the fairies to stay in during their visit. Peter and Pinkalicious camp out in the backyard, waiting for the fairies to appear-but will they be able to see them?
Join Pinkalicious in this fairy-filled I Can Read adventure.
Add to cart6 in stock
-
Pinkalicious Pink Around The Rink Level 1
$3.99After Pinkalicious colors her white ice skates with a cotton candy pink marker, she feels ready to spin, glide, and soar with the best of them. But as the color starts to run off of her skates, she is embarrassed. When Pinkalicious thought she was going to leave her mark on the skating rink, she didn’t mean it so literally. . . .
This I Can Read story will have young readers laughing out loud-until they get pink in the cheeks!
Add to cart4 in stock
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.