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Church Growth and Vitality

Items listed include online resources and publications from New Life Ministries as well as information from other web sites.  New Life Ministries does not necessarily endorse all the content at any site we may link to from here. Such links are provided because we believe they offer valuable resources for your use.

Also see the Church Planting/New Church Development listing.
You'll find information on multi-site churches there.

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What's

Why Seekers Come to Church - Leaderhip (1998)/James Emery White - added Dec 31 2008
Making Worship Visitor Friendly - Christianity Today/Don Cousins - added Dec 24 2008
Free 2008 Demographics Report - from the Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth - added Nov 17 2008
Invite Them into the Kitchen - Leadership (2000)/Andy Stanley - added Nov 02 2008
Gateway Country: 4 Myths about Reaching the Unchurched - Leadership (Summer 2001)/James Emory White - added Oct 11 2008
Betty's Secret Ingredient - Leadership (Summer 2008)/Mark Labberton - added Sept 09 2008
On the Verge - Leadership (Summer 2008)/an interview with David Gibbons - added Sept 02 2008
"Great to Good" Churches - Leadership (Spring 2003)/Eric Swanson - added July 30 2008
Seven Ways to Rate Your Church - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Leith Anderson - added July 21 2008
Do's and Don'ts of Adding a New Service - Outreach & Evangelism Today/Charles Arn - added July 21 2008
Will the Circle Be Broken? - Leadership Journal/Lyle Schaller - added May 13 2008
Seven Ways to Keep Church Hoppers from Staying - Brian Jones - added May 13 2008
Ten Questions to Evaluate Outreach - Rev.org/Lynne Marian - added May 13 2008
Impact in a Changing Community: Finding People Who Need Good News the Most - Grow - added Feb 16 2008
Jammin' at the Jail - Grow - added Feb 16 2008
Resurrecting the Lazarus Church - Outreach (Mar-Apr 2005)/Amy Eckert - added Jan 30 2008
A Gut-Check for Growing Churches - rev.org/Todd Rhoades - added Jan 21 2008
Growing Pains: Overcoming the Top Five Growth Barriers - Outreach/Nelson Searcy - added Jan 07 2008
Coming Home: Report on a Study of the "De-Churched" - Outreach (July/August 2007)/Thom Rainer & Sam Rainer - added Jan 02 2008
An Artful Approach to Sharing God's Truth - Outreach (Fall 2002)/Bob Newman - added Jan 02 2008
Five Kinds of Christians - study by Leadership (Fall 2007)/Helen Lee - added Jan 01 2008

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NLM Online Resources

Bibliography on Church Growth General and Overview Resources
Bibliography on the Church Growth and Evangelism History and Theology
Bibliography on Church Health/Renewal/Revitalization
Bibliography on Congregational and Community Analysis
Bibliography on Large- and Middle-Size Churches and Staffing

A Gut-Check for Growing Churches - rev.org/Todd Rhoades
A Plan for Outreach - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Absentee Care: Bulletin Ministry - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Atmosphere Affects Volunteerism - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
An Anabaptist Look at Natural Church Development - AEC Presentations

Back to the Basics - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Being Proactive Makes a Difference - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
Characteristics of a Healthy Church - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Church Culture - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Churches Have Personalities - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Church Is Hard Work - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Church Mergers - Article/Dan Reiland
Christmas Celebrations - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Coffeeshop Connections - Leadership Journal/David Swanson
Common Mistakes in Introducing Change - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Comprehensive Care - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Congregational Morale and Church Growth - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
Contrasting Church Renewal and Church Planting, Part 1 - Church Renewal - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Culture of the Denomination - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Cyber-Vitamins, the Web, and the Church - Article/Steve Clapp
Defending or Attacking? - People Spots/Ray Baum
Direction of the Flow - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Do You Want Your Church to Grow? People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Dysfunctional Architecture - Article/J. David Schmidt
Evaluating Your Church's Ministry - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Exit Interviews & Other Healthy Church Strategies - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
Farming a Community - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Growing Pains: Handling a "Pioneer-Homesteader" Crisis - Article/Tom Wymore
Growth Issues: Spiritual Warfare - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Healthy Sunday School–Growing Church - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
I Have to Be in Control! - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Ideas That Work - Ideas
Identifying and Recruiting Prospects - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Institutional Maintenance Checklist - Self-Assessment Tool/Steve Clapp
Institutional Maintenance: Does It Drain Your Congregation? - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
Institution vs. Mission - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Intentionality - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Involving Laity in Ministry - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Involving People in Ministry - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
It's Advent - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Keeping People Who Visit - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Large Churches Part 1 and Part 2 - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Loneliness Is Epidemic - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Merging Isn't a Growth Strategy! - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Mid-size Churches Part 1 and Part 2 - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
A Ministry of Affirmation - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Multiple Worship Services - FAQs
No Quick Fixes - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Normal Attrition - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Open the Doors, Let 'Em In: 10 Ways to Open Your Doors to the Community - OnlineRev.com
On the Attack - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Our Sunday School is Slipping! - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Peace, Justice, and Church Growth - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
People Participation - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
People Spots: A Definition - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Personal Renewal - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Reaching Young Adults - NLM Report/Steve Clapp & Kristen Leverton Helbert
Reasonable Expectations - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Remember What It Takes - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Requirements for Serious Expansion - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Riding the "Mo" Train - Article/John Maxwell
Saturation - People Spots/James W Moss, Sr.
Small Churches Part 1 and Part 2 - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Starting a New Service - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Telephone Visitation Program - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
The River: a case study in starting a new worship service - Ronald W. Waters
Thinking Christmas - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Thinking of Building? - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Touches, Touches, and More Touches - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Trading Inactives? - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Turning Around a Congregation - Article/Dan Reiland
Understanding Churches of Choice - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Understanding Culture - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Understanding Our Changing World - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Understanding Outreach Today - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Understanding Quality - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Understanding Renewal - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Understanding Saturation - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.
Walking People through the Door - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr
When Do People Begin to Feel Crowded? - People Spots/James W. Moss, Sr.

NLM Publications & Videos

An Anabaptist Look at Natural Church Development - AEC Presentations
Anabaptist Witness in a Postmodern Society - AEC Presentations
Building a Multicultural Congregation - G. Edwin Bontrager
Church for the 21st Century - Video
Church of Recovery - Sam Detwiler and Steve Clapp
Creating Quality in Ministry - Steve Clapp and Cindy Hollenberg Snider
Discovering a Vision - Module
Expanding Christian Community - Module
Fifty Ways to Reach Young Singles, Couples, and Families - Steve Clapp
Following in the Footsteps of Paul - G. Edwin Bontrager
Guide to Hospitality for Greeters and Ushers - S. Joan Hershey
Hospitality and the Vital Church - Video
Hospitality: Life without Fear - Steve Clapp and Fred Bernhard
How to Start a New Service - W. Charles Arn
Invite a Friend Kit - Kit/S. Joan Hershey
LifeQuest Congregational Profile
LifeQuest Congregational Survey
New Vitality for the Small Church - Kit/Jim Kinsey
One Hundred Ways to Reach Young Singles, Couples, and Families - Steve Clapp
Overcoming Barriers to Church Growth - Steve Clapp
Practical Strategies for Servant Evangelism - Andrew Center Staff
Public Relations Kit: Help from a Hospitality Perspective - Kit/Kristen Leverton Helbert and Dick Benner
Reaching Out through Christian Education - Steve Clapp and Jerry O. Cook
Revitalizing Christian Education - Kit/Steve Clapp and Jerry O. Cook
Riding the River–Congregational Outreach and the Currents of the 21st Century - Paul Mundey
Unlocking Church Doors: 10 Keys to Positive Change - Paul Mundey
Vital Congregations Package - six titles for the price of five!
Welcoming New People - Module
Widening the Welcome of Your Church - Fred Bernhard and Steve Clapp

NLM Seminars

Churches Have Personalities - James W. Moss, Sr.
Unlocking Church Doors: 10 Keys to Positive Change - Paul Mundey

Other Internet Links

Links to Church Growth/Church Health Organizations
Links to Geo-Demographic Resources
Links to Large Churches
Professional Organizations and Publications
Resource Centers for Church Growth and Evangelism
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Special Resources

Christian Community
ChurchConstruction.com
CoachNet^®
ElmerTowns.com - many of his books available online
Multi-Site Churches
The Phone's for You
Renewing Pastor and People - Ashland Theological Seminary
Servant Leadership for Church Renewal
Shalom Foundation - source for Together newspaper & outreach postcards

Church Health Assessment

HealthyChurch.net - the CHAT assessment tool, related to Becoming a Healthy Church (Stephen A. Macchia, Baker Books, 2005)
Natural Church Development - the NCD assessment tool, related to the work of Christian Schwarz

Finding New Movers/New Residents
(Note: New Life Ministries does not endorse any of these service providers)

M1 Data & Analytics
New Neighbor List
New Residents
Welcome Card

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40 Ways to Increase Baptisms - Rick Warren
A Place of Welcome - good idea! (Spring 1999) Interview with Ed Dallow
A Visitor's Experience: The First Five Minutes - OnlineRev.com
Aim Young - Rev.org/Tim Stevens
All in the Family Is Now Grey's Anatomy - LeadershipJournal.net/Chad Hall
An Artful Approach to Sharing God's Truth - Outreach (Fall 2002)/Bob Newman
Are We Overweight or Pregnant? - Vineyard Central/Kevin Rains
Authentic Church Membership Assessment - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Ken Sande
Barna Research Online's "Top 40" Data Categories"
Becoming a Healing Community - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Margaret Josephson Rinck
Betty's Secret Ingredient - Leadership (Summer 2008)/Mark Labberton
Big Events, Small Budget - Outreach/Debra Akins and Lindy Warren
Bigger Buildings? – purposedriven.com/Rick Warren
Big Sunday - LeadershipJournal.net/Elizabeth Diffin
Building a Baptism Culture in Your Church - Pastors.com/Kristine Noelle
Building Healthy Church Esteem - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Dave Owen
Building Lifestyle Circles - Pastors.com/Dave Holden
Characteristics of Healthy Churches - various authors
Church Facilities Facts Sheets - Baptist General Convention of Texas
Church Growth: State of the Art - C. Peter Wagner, editor, with Win Arn & Elmer Towns (complete book online)
Church Health: Second- and Third-Opinions - OnLineRev.com
Church Hopping - FaithWorks/Amanda Phifer
Churches on the Cutting Edge: Five Innovative Approaches to Ministry - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Eric Reed
Churches Responding to the Age Wave: Ministry to Retirees by Retirees - Leadership Network/Amy Hanson
Community Needs Assessment Process - North American Mission Board (SBC)
Countdown to Summer Festival - LeadershipJournal.net/Warren Bird
Coming Home: Report on a Study of the "De-Churched" - Outreach (July/August 2007)/Thom Rainer & Sam Rainer
Discerning Your Church's Hidden Core Values - Leadership/Angie Ward (also see 9 Clues to Secret Core Values)
Does the Vision Really Come First? - next-wave (Aug 2003)/Dave Ferguson
Do Pastors Exaggerate Attendance Figures? - Crosswalk.com/Ray Pritchard
Do's and Don'ts of Adding a New Service - Outreach & Evangelism Today/Charles Arn
Dorothean Charisma: Strategy for Congregational Renewal - Ministry Health/Thomas F. Fischer
Easter - Capturing the Attention of Your City - pastors.com/Steve Sjogren
Easter - Emerging Generation Church Looks to Old Classic for Easter Outreach - pastors.com/Stephen Alligood
Easter - 10 Outreach Ideas - pastor.com/Brad Lewis
Eastertime Outreach - Change of Pace - OnlineRev.com
Eight Ways to Maximize Your Space - Your Church (November/December 2000)/Rick Bettilyon
Evaluating Your Church on Purpose Part 1 - Pastors.com/Tom Holliday
Evaluating Your Church on Purpose Part 2 - Pastors.com/Tom Holliday
Event Evangelism: Demanding the [Right Kind of] Attention of a Fidgety Society - OnMission.com (Jul-Aug 2002)/Toby Frost
First Impressions of Your Church - Rev.com/Todd Rhoades
Five Key Characteristics of Thriving Congregations - Richard Webb
Five Kinds of Christians - study by Leadership (Fall 2007)/Helen Lee
Four Marks of a Deeper Church - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Peter Larson
Free 2008 Demographics Report - from the Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth
Gateway Country: 4 Myths about Reaching the Unchurched - Leadership (Summer 2001)/James Emory White
Getting Beyond the Numbers Game - Christianity Today (August 7, 2000)/James F. Engel . . . and read this reasoned response: The Right Use of Statistics 2 - Network for Strategic Missions/Justin Long 
Getting the Unchurched from the "Street to the Seat" - Pastors.com/Kerry Mackey
"Great to Good" Churches - Leadership (Spring 2003)/Eric Swanson
Growing Pains: Overcoming the Top Five Growth Barriers - Outreach/Nelson Searcy
Help Your Pastor Build a Better Church - Titus Ministries/Andrew L. Acquistapace
How Full Is Your Net? - Article/Dan Reiland
How to Get Your Community's Attention - Pastors.com/Rick Warren
How to Increase Baptisms at Your Church - Pastors.com/Rick Warren
How to Recognize Spiritual Receptivity in Your Community - Pastors.com/Rick Warren
I Like Jesus, Not the Church - Book Excerpt/Dan Kimball
If You Build It, Will They Come? - Your Church (Jan-Feb 2000)/John R. Throop
Impact in a Changing Community: Finding People Who Need Good News the Most - Grow
Intervention in Dysfunctional Organizations - Ministry Health/Thomas F. Fischer
Invite Them into the Kitchen - Leadership (2000)/Andy Stanley
Is Your Church a Good Neighbor? - Leadership (Spring 2002)/Eric Swanson
Is Your Church "Externally Focused"? - Rev.org/Todd Rhoades
Is Your Church Too Busy? Pastors.com/Thom Rainer
Jammin' at the Jail - Grow
Lessons Learned from the Past Twenty-Five Years of Church Growth - GlobalPastorsNetwork.org/Elmer Towns
Lifecycle of Too Many Churches - Titus Ministries
Making Worship Visitor Friendly - Christianity Today/Don Cousins
Meet Donna and Joe - a case study from Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them - Thom S. Rainer
Megachurch Database - Hartford Institute for Religion Research
Megachurch Research: New Research Debunks 11 Myths - Hartford Institute for Religion Research
Membership Matters - PastorResources.com/Chuck Lawless
Ministering with "My Generation" - Leadership (Fall 2000)/Eric Reed
Ministries among Today's Women - Leadership Journal/Naomi Gaede Penner
Multi-Site Churches Links
Nine Clues to Secret Core Values (follow-up to Discerning Your Church's Hidden Core Values)
Nine Habits of Churches that Reach and Keep the Unchurched - Baptist Press/pastors.com/Michael Foust.
On the Verge - Leadership (Summer 2008)/an interview with David Gibbons
One Megachurch's Manifest Destiny - Regeneration Quarterly (Spring 2000)/Jenny Staff Johnson
Open the Doors, Let 'em In: Ten Ways to Open Your Doors to the Community - onlineRev.com
Preparing Your Church to Evangelize - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Doug Murren & Mike Meeks
Religious Congregations and Membership Study 2000 – Glenmary Research Center & RCMS/Dale Jones
Restarting a Dead Church - The Planter (Aug 1990)/Ralph F. Wilson
Restored to Life - Your Church (November/December 2000)/John Stahlman
Resurrecting the Lazarus Church - Outreach (Mar-Apr 2005)/Amy Eckert
Revitalization: Barriers and Foundations - rca.org
Second Impressions - Leadership (Summer 2002)/Charles Arn
Seven Ways to Keep Church Hoppers from Staying - Brian Jones
Seven Ways to Rate Your Church - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Leith Anderson
Share-a-Dozen-Long-Stemmed-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies-with-a-Friend Sunday - Net Results/Kathi L. Heim
Should We Fret the Back Door? - Leadership Journal/Adam Hamilton
Simple, Inexpensive Ways to Reach New Families - OnLineRev.com/Scott Evans
Social Action as the Foundation for Outreach - Outreach
Ten Common Barriers to Growing Your Church - pastors.com/Rick Warren
Ten Questions to Evaluate Outreach - Rev.org/Lynne Marian
Ten Surprises about the Unchurched - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Thom Rainer (also available in two parts: Part 1 and Part 2)
Ten Ways Prison Ministry Promotes Church Growth - Growing Churches (Winter 1998)/Phil Van Auken
The Church as Subversive Community - next-wave (May-June 2002)/Mike Bishop
The Complete Book of Church Growth - Elmer Towns (entire book online)
The Health Sequence: Five Questions, Asked in the Right Order, Will Boost Your Church's Vitality - Leadership (Winter 2003)/Roger Jenks
The Most Overlooked Key to Growing a Church - Rick Warren
The Parent Factor: Arrival of Children Opens the Door to Church - Outreach (Mar/Apr 2006)/Melissa Hambrick
The Principle of Big Sunday - missionevangelism.org/David S. Thornhill
The Prodigal-Hugging Church – Strategies for Today’s Leader (1^st Quarter 2002)/Tim Wright
The Reproducing Church - BuildingChurchLeaders.com/Dave Ferguson
The Right Use of Statistics 2 - Network for Strategic Missions/Justin Long
The Visiting Team - OnLineRev.com
This Way of Life—A Rethinking of Acts 2:42 - next-wave magazine (Jan 2003)/Mike Bishop
Three Church Growth Myths - Leadership Weekly Newsletter (Feb 21 2001)/John C. LaRue, Jr.
Too Little or Too Much Room for Growth - Flavil Yeakley
Transforming Our Nation: Empowering the Canadian Churches for a Greater Harvest - Various Authors (1998; a new edition is in preparation for publication in 2004; this is the original version) (pdf)
Transforming the Local Church–Article or Outline - Dave Loughery
Turning Attendees into Part of the Family - Pastors.com/Rick Warren
Unchurched in America: A Profile - George Barna
Unpacking a Ministry to Disabled Persons - Pastors.com/Joni Eareckson Tada
Video Cafes - VideoCafes.org
Ways to Make Your Facilities Practical - OnLineRev.com
We Aren't about Weekends - ChristianVisionProject.com/interview with Bob Roberts
Whatever It Takes Churches - OnMission.com (Jan-Feb 2003)/Connie Cavanaugh
When Your Church Hits a Plateau - Pastors.com/Rick Warren
Why Seekers Come to Church - Leaderhip (1998)/James Emery White
Will the Circle Be Broken? - Leadership Journal/Lyle Schaller
Will They Find You? - BreakthroughChurch.com

This page last updated December 31, 2008

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