Review: Growing God’s Church: How People Are Actually Coming
to Faith Today
Gary L. McIntosh
Baker Books
2016
After so many church growth books have been written,
marketed, read, and whatever becomes of such material afterward, this book
contains some information that reveals some of the results of a research
project that measured what might be considered as the outcome of all the advice
presented in the church growth books. That’s
the way I read it. What really is
working with whom is the gist of McIntosh’s results.
Fear not, this does not read like a statistical report or a
doctoral thesis. He insured the results
remained accessible to most readers.
Part 1 explores the biblical version of what church is and does along with
some discussion of the current versions found in today’s culture, mostly
Western culture. I found it thorough and
hard to argue against even if I didn’t agree with some of what he had to say.
Part 2 reveals the results of his research work, bar graphs
for those that want the information immediately and in discussion form for
those with a bit more patience. McIntosh
looked at the results from the standpoint of gender, generational age, region, person
most influential in choices made by the respondents related to faith, church
attendance, and several other pertinent areas.
For those working within the church setting some of the information may
be surprising and other information validation of what had been obvious, but
pushed aside for a time.
Part 3 covers suggestions for evaluation and/or change that
the author felt could be helpful. I will
not spoil the book for you. Instead, I will
let you pick a copy and read it for yourself.
Do not start at the end. The end
is the conclusion of the prior work presented and needs to considered in light
of that.
I do recommend this book.
The research tool used has been included in the appendix for those that
want to see the questionnaire and he included his research procedure for
distilling the results in the early narrative portion of the book.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a
review.
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