Articles for tag: Church growth

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: A Year in Review

By Kent Fillinger Studies, books, and articles that examine high-performing or fast-growing churches abound, and each one seeks to uncover the reasons for their success. The same is true in the business world. Successful companies frequently are profiled in an attempt to ascertain the secrets of their greatness. Recent research from the business world demonstrates that “the “˜great” companies . . . are mostly just lucky.”1 A study of 287 high-performing companies in 13 major success studies showed “that only about one in four of those firms was likely to be remarkable; the rest were indistinguishable from mediocre firms catching

April 7, 2010

Christian Standard

It”s About More Than Just Size

By Mark A. Taylor Early in the first of his megachurch articles, Kent Fillinger gives perspective for churches of every size. The churches in this year”s list grew by an average of 4.7 percent, he reports, and points out that a church of 150 would need to add only seven to grow by the same percentage. Later, in his encouraging article about the explosion of baptisms in these churches, he calculates their 2009 baptism ratio (i.e., the number of baptisms per 100 attendees) at 7.6. To meet this standard a church of 150 would need to baptize 11 or 12 people annually.

March 14, 2010

Christian Standard

Friendship Matters

By Kelly Kastens Fifty years ago in a subdivision that was still under construction in Fairfield, Ohio, 12 women began to gather once a month to play bridge. The card playing was fun and getting out of the house for the night was even better! I have vivid memories of these get-togethers throughout my childhood because one of these women was my mom. I especially loved it when it was “our” turn to host. I helped clean the house, set up the card tables, and prepare the food. I was allowed to greet everyone and help fix beverages, and then

March 7, 2010

Christian Standard

God Intends Church Growth

By Stephen Bond “I will build my church . . .” (Jesus Christ in Matthew 16:18) God intends church growth. We know this because there are still people who have not yet embraced God”s grace through faith in Christ. Those people face the specter of eternal separation from the Heavenly Father. Jesus came to seek and to save these lost people. This is not the only message Jesus brings, but it is one of the most important. At the age of 21, I opened the Bible for the first time and discovered a world of truth I had never known.

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

The Rest of the Story

By George Ross There”s a couple in our church named Brian and Amy. Since the spring of 2000 I”ve used their experience to help explain the joy of coming to faith in the Lord. Their story is moving to me and sometimes to others if I do it justice by telling it properly. But just two weeks ago their journey with Christ became even more special to me. Anxious to Dive In Brian and Amy”s baptism a decade ago wasn”t during a service; most everyone had already left the building, but the angels were celebrating. After our last service of

February 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Memoirs of a Young Preacher

By Dale Tinsley I am quietly staring at a computer screen at 3 in the morning. Almost five years have passed since my first encounter with the church I am writing about. These past few years have deeply matured my understanding of God, ministry, and life, and reflecting on this time has led me to new convictions. As I open my heart and tell this story, my hope and prayer is that you hear a calling to live and act according to Christ, and that you might gain insight into how the church should look. VITAL, BUT OVERLOOKED I never

December 2, 2009

Christian Standard

Interview with David Bycroft

By Brad Dupray Tyro, Kansas, is a city of 250 people with a post office, a secondhand store and a church: Tyro Christian Church. David Bycroft started preaching at the church as a weekend minister in 1969 while a junior at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. After graduation he was called by the church to preach full time and he has been leading Tyro Christian ever since. David”s wife, Kathy, grew up in the Tyro church and was baptized there in her youth. David and Kathy recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Their three children are involved in local

November 29, 2009

Christian Standard

Fifty Years of Missiology: 1960″“2010

  by Doug Priest While missions began in biblical times, the academic discipline of missiology goes back only to the early 1800s. The definition of missiology we learned in college in the 1970s was, “the scientific study of missions.” I recall my missionary father cringing upon hearing this definition, fearing that others would assume the spiritual component in mission was being left out.  In seminary I learned a more technical definition: “The academic discipline or science which researches, records, and applies data relating to the biblical origin, the history, the anthropological principles and techniques and the theological basis of Christian

September 20, 2009

Christian Standard

MEDIUM-SIZED CHURCHES: The Leadership Factor

  by Kent E. Fillinger What situations foster or frustrate church growth? Some statistics correlate directly to growth, while other items have an indirect effect or no apparent impact at all. But two recurring statistics directly impact a church”s growth rate in ways that deserve attention. These two statistics have held true from megachurches to medium-sized churches over four surveys in a four-year period (2005″“08). The two factors both relate to the senior minister. One is his age. The other is his tenure. Combined, they create what I call the “leadership factor.”   The Leadership Factor  The average age of

September 13, 2009

Christian Standard

MEDIUM-SIZED CHURCHES: The Elephant in the Room

by Kent E. Fillinger Describing the 66 medium-sized churches analyzed in this issue reminds me of the old fable of the blind men who each touched a different part of an elephant and then tried to describe what the animal looked like. The men disagree based on the part of the elephant they touched and their personal perspective.  For the last four years, 3:STRANDS Consulting has partnered with Christian Standard to conduct in-depth research of Christian church/church of Christ megachurches and emerging megachurches. For the first time, the same research survey was completed by churches with average worship attendances of

August 9, 2009

Christian Standard

Whatever Happened to Pastoral Care?

  by David A. Fiensy It is unusual when someone enters your office, sits down, and immediately begins crying. When the white-haired lady regained her composure, she said only, “My husband is in the car. Would you come out and talk to him? Our minister won”t.” Thus began my acquaintance with this saintly, if unusual, couple that would continue over the next six months for him and over the next few years for her. Later, as I stepped inside the door of their small, frame house on the appointed day of my visit, the wail arose almost immediately. The poor

June 14, 2009

Christian Standard

Leaders Are the Key

  By Larry Travis and Tim Wallingford Why are 75 to 85 percent of the churches in America plateaued or declining? Why are 74 percent of those in their 20s not going to a church of any kind? We can find a clue in the ministry of Jesus. Before he launched his ministry, preached the Sermon on the Mount, confronted the Pharisees, taught in synagogues, and performed most of his miracles, Jesus selected leaders. He prayed all night before his decision. Jesus then invested the next three years equipping 12 men who, after being trained and empowered by God, turned

May 31, 2009

Christian Standard

Simple Church: Returning to God”s Process for Making Disciples

An Overview of “Simple Church” by David Ray “Tis the gift to be simple,  “tis the gift to be free,  “tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right,  It will be in the valley of love and delight.1    If today”s church leaders were to tell the truth, many would admit they arenot “in the place just right,” because most churches have become anything but “simple,” and the stress in leading them is nothing like finding yourself in any “valley of love and delight.” Why? Because churches have

April 15, 2009

Christian Standard

Interview with Gene Appel

By Brad Dupray Gene Appel became senior pastor at Eastside Christian Church in Fullerton, California, on October 1, 2008, after serving as lead pastor with Willow Creek Community Church”s South Barrington (Illinois) campus. In many ways, he has come full circle, having served as an intern at Eastside while a 20-year-old student at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian College. At 25, Gene became senior minister at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, and led the church from average weekly attendance of 400 to 8,000 during an 18-year ministry. Gene and his wife, Barbara, have three children, Jeremy, Alayna, and Jenna, with

August 10, 2008

Ken Idleman

Christian optimism

I Choose Optimism

Ken Idleman urges Christians to choose optimism, pointing to church growth, church planting, missionary momentum, global openness, spiritual seekers, and worship renewal as signs of gospel opportunity.

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