If It Could Happen Here

by Patton, Jeffrey H.

• ISBN13: 9780687030330
• ISBN10: 0687030331
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-07-01
• Publisher: Abingdon Pr

Summary

Are small membership churches--as the conventional wisdom says--simply places where pastors bide their time while they wait for something better to come along? Are they places where long-standing family relationships are maintained, but little else? Are they places where attendance is dropping, the building is out of date, the programs are boring, and people don't want to change? If you believe this conventional wisdom, then this book is not for you. But if you see small-membership churches, especially those in rural areas, as opportunities for the radical message of Jesus to transform lives and communities, then this is a book you want to read.Jeff Patton knows from firsthand experience as pastor of a small-membership congregation whose life turned around under his leadership that small, rural churches can become explosive centers of witness and mission. In this informative book he describes 6 "levers" for transforming a small membership church : prayer, discerning a clear vision, indigenous worship, growth groups, membership recruitment, and lay pastoring.Includes a foreword by Bill Easum.

Author Biography

Jeff Patton is director of Christian Counseling Clinic, Inc. in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. 7
Introduction	p. 9
Then and Now	p. 15
"Light for Those in Darkness, Safety for Those in Storms"	p. 27
The End of "Pastor Fetch" and the Beginning of "People Go"	p. 41
Lever 1: Prayer	p. 51
Lever 2: Discerning a Clear Mission	p. 59
Lever 3: Indigenous Worship	p. 71
Lever 4: Growth Groups	p. 81
Lever 5: Membership That Means Something	p. 91
Lever 6: Lay Pastoring	p. 99
The Drive for Quality and the Difference Excellence Can Make	p. 111
If It Could Happen Here, It Could Happen Where You Are!	p. 119
Notes	p. 125
Bibliography	p. 131
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