Kirjahaku

Breakout Churches Can Your Church Become One? This is the story of thirteen churches and the leaders who moved them from stagnancy to growth and from mediocrity to greatness. Drawing on one of the most comprehensive studies ever on the church, this book reveals the process of becoming a “breakout” church and the factors that lead to this spiritual metamorphosis. Eighty percent of the approximately 400,000 churches in the United States are either declining or at a plateau. Is there hope for the American church? Breakout Churches offers a resounding “yes!” and offers specific examples and principles to help you and your church become more effective.

In a national survey conducted by author Thom Rainer and his staff, eight out of ten unchurched men and women said they would come to church—if only someone would invite them. When and how is the next big question. Rainer helps you figure out where your neighbors, friends, and coworkers are in their spiritual quest, and how you can know who among the unchurched people in your life are receptive to Christ. In this fascinating book, Rainer identifies five “faith stages” that represent your running buddy, your sister-in-law, or your hairdresser. “A discovery we made is that reaching lost and unchurched people is not always best accomplished with some cookie-cutter strategy,” Rainer writes. “The unchurched are different in how they respond to the gospel.” How different? You will be amazed at the variables that exist when it comes to how open people are to the Christian message. Open this book, and open your mind and heart to the powerful new possibilities of reaching The Unchurched Next Door.

We’ve read all the hot books on evangelism, we’ve attended scores of seminars—and still we’re not reaching the unchurched. Eighty to ninety percent of churchless Americans will never enter our culturally relevant, seeker-sensitive doors. What are we missing? Maybe we’ve been asking the wrong people. Instead of consulting the unchurched masses, it’s time we heard what the small but important minority who have recently begun attending a church have to say. What made the difference for them? What critical factors helped spark their faith in Jesus and drew them into the community of believers? Thom Rainer shares results and conclusions of this groundbreaking survey of the formerly unchurched. At last, here are proven insights into what evangelistically effective churches are doing right. Filled with charts, graphs, and other visual aids, plus an abundance of true-life accounts, this book explodes myths about the unchurched. You will discover: • Why pastors and doctrinal preaching are critical • The enormous influence of family and relationships • Which things matter more than we thought, and which matter less • The traits of unchurched-reaching leaders • How to become a church for the unchurched

Breakout Churches¬ … what does it take for your church to break out of mediocrity? In search of answers, Thom Rainer and his research team conducted a landmark study on the church. Unfolding the findings of that study, Breakout Churches furnishes both principles and examples to show how you as a pastor or church leader can help your church break out of the status quo into unprecedented fruitfulness. Of the thousands of churches examined in the study, thirteen met the criteria for a “breakout church.” All of them experienced both a period of struggle and a time of sustained breakout growth under the same pastor’s leadership. Transitioning from mediocrity to excellence over several years, they grew to have an impact on the entire community. Breakout Churches tells the story of these churches and their pastors. And, using a statistical approach, it identifies key patterns and characteristics common to churches that experienced turnarounds.

Best-selling author and ministry leader Thom S. Rainer drew an exceptional response when he posted a 500-word declaration about church membership to his daily blog. "I Am a Church Member" started a conversation about the attitudes and responsibilities of church members -- rather than the functional and theological issues -- that previous new member primers all but ignored. Thoughtfully expanded to book form, I Am a Church Member begins to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members, addressing without apology what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person's attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally. Six intentional chapters with study questions guide this rising discussion: 1. I Will Be a Unifying Church Member 2. I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires 3. I Will Pray for My Church Leaders 4. I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members 5. I Will Be a Functioning Member 6. I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift

No one wants to see a church die. And yet, far too many churches are dying. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died. From this experience, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died. Yet, it's not gloom and doom because from those twelve themes, lessons on how to keep your church alive have emerged. Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ's Kingdom!

Could you be the answer to the problems you see? Every day we are faced with the needs of those around us. Emotional. Physical. Spiritual. What are we to do about it? Are these problems for our pastors to address or is there a way for the church member to make an impact that will last? Bestselling author Thom S.Raineranswers these questions by offering nine simple traits that you can incorporate into your lifeno matter your background, stage of life, or sense of capability. You can do it. Now it's time to just stand up and say you will "

Most church members don't see their churches clearly. In almost all of Thom S. Rainer's consultations, church members perceive their church to be friendly. But as he surveyed guests, he found that the guests typically saw church members as unfriendly. The perception chasm existed because the members were indeed friendly . . . to one another. The guests felt like they crashed a private party. Bestselling author Thom Rainer (I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church) has a game plan for churches to become more hospitable. In a format that is suitable for church members to read individually or study together, Rainer guides readers toward a practical framework for making a difference for those who visit their church. Churches may use Becoming a Welcoming Church to assess and audit where they are on a spectrum between welcoming and wanting. Additionally, churches can use the companion book We Want You Here to send guests home with a compelling vision for what pastors want every guest to know when they visit.

The message is basic but profound. We want guests to know they are welcome to the church. This book is a gift to guests to communicate that very message. Bestselling author Thom S. Rainer (I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church) has created a tool for churches to become more hospitable through a brief, welcoming book that introduces the ministry of the local church to guests. We Want You Here is a clear and instructive message to be given to church guests. Rainer facilitates the follow up conversation that every pastor would have, if they had the opportunity. By giving away the book to guests, they are encouraged, in a non-intrusive manner, to continue to reflect on the decision to visit their church. Those churches who share We Want You Here will be able to tell their guests: - We Really Want You Here - This is Not a Place for Perfect People - We Would Like to Get to Know You - This is Where Families Grow Strong - Getting to Know the One Who Made Us - Come Make a Difference with Us - Thank You for Being Here

A church leadership fable about how to combat the silent killer of churches.Oliver, lead pastor of Connection Church, couldn't put his finger on why he felt so unsettled. Everything seemed to be going right at Connection--that was until he asked a task force what had happened to one church member: Jill. Oliver couldn't have known how his one simple question could lead to an unraveling of what was really happening within the church.In this book, respected church consultant, founder and CEO of Church Answers, and author of several church leadership books, Thom S. Rainer, shows how the trend of low church attendance is slowly undermining churches and sending many to the grave. With this leadership parable, Thom illustrates the five key dysfunctions that plague congregations and block healthy church growth. He demonstrates why church leaders need to pay more attention to core issues like unbelief, membership, and dedication to evangelism.Where Have All the Church Members Gone? will give you hope. The book will give you a plan on how to identify dysfunction and put your church on a path to renewal.A story that illustrates common church dynamics Follow Oliver and his Connection Church task force as they uncover the true reason for dwindling attendance;A plan that uncovers the real reasons: Don't let appearances deceive you. Discover ways to pinpoint the key causes of apathy in congregations;A guide to the five typical dysfunctions: Find out why people are quietly quitting church and what you can do about it.

Spend the next 30 days reaching your community in prayer and learn what it means to be a Great Commission Christian.Pray & Go is a profound and easy-to-use tool that empowers church members to focus outward and learn how to pray regularly. There's hope. Imagine your congregation devoted to prayer. Envision a healthy and growing church dedicated to worshiping Jesus.Our neighborhoods need prayer like never before. Pray & Go is designed to provide convenient opportunities for everyone in your church to participate in and experience the incredible power of prayer. It's easy. Anyone can do it. Just be present and pray.When Jesus left his followers to be reunited with God the Father, his parting command to them was to wait. The believers obeyed by gathering, praying together, and waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Pray & Go is focused on following in the footsteps of those early Christians.It's a 30-day journey of praying and going, waiting for God and then going outside the church's four walls in obedience to Jesus' command. Both adults and young people enjoy the Pray & Go program because it isn't cumbersome or time-consuming. It requires a small commitment each month to prayer and outreach.Pray & Go contains 30 daily focus topics to pray for, including: Praying for Great Commission church membersPraying for your pastorPraying for unityPraying for reconciliationJust pray and go. Yes, it's that simple. You will be amazed by what God will do when your church family is praying for each other and for the community.Accompanying video Church Campaign Kit through Church Answers available online.

A new generation is going to church. But is the church ready?Church consultant and researcher, Thom Rainer, believes God is at work in this generation, and he believes that this moment in time has created unique opportunities for churches to grow, thrive, and revive.The culture is at inflection point. Nearly two-thirds of Gen Zers reported experiencing at least one mental health problem in the past two years. This statistic was lower for all older generations, including Millennials (51%), Gen Xers (29%) and Boomers (14%). Gen Z is the loneliest generation of Americans, lacking deep relationships and offline connection. Sixty-eight percent of Gen Z feel like nobody knows them well. That is one reason why this generation is called the anxious generation. Researchers have identified everything from social media to pandemic lockdowns as the prime culprit of why Gen Z is struggling with issues like mental illness more than other generations.Thom Rainer views the church as God's Plan A for helping this generation discover their true calling and thrive in a purposeful and genuine faith community. In this book, Thom explores research that reveals that the anxious generation is yearning for meaningful community and is waiting to be invited in.The Anxious Generation Goes to Church presents research on the anxious generation that engenders hope for the future of the churchdescribes the unique challenges for the anxious generation as well as their dreams and goalsprovides strategy and inspiration for church leaders who want to prepare believers to provide help and hopeWith the unique challenges of our times, the anxious generation needs the church more than ever. Is your church ready?

In a culture that is starving for presence and becoming weary of screens, the analog church offers something beautifully countercultural. The analog church is rooted in sacred slowness. It offers people what they can't get from a device. It offers them us. Not our livestream, not our highlights, but our actual lives. Scripture never rushed. The story of God unfolds with meals and journeys, gardens and wildernesses, decades and generations. Jesus did not post the Sermon on the Mount. He sat down and taught it face to face. When the disciples misunderstood him, he didn't send them a correction via group chat. He walked with them and talked with them along the road. The analog church is not lazy; it is intentional. It is not old-fashioned; it is timeless. It is the antidote to this anxious age. Discover what it means to be the church in an overwhelmingly digital world. Not the content producer. Not the weekly broadcaster. The church. The people of God, in the presence of God, for the sake of the world. In Revival of the Analog Church, pastors, church leaders, and church members will: recapture the vision for faithful in-person gatherings rediscover the sacred slowness of intentional presence reclaim the power of discipleship lived out within a community of faith resist the allure of smart phones, social media, and other fast-paced technology reestablish the priority of people and their relationship to God in your ministry Your church can be the gathering place where the pace slows, hearts open, and lives are changed.