The Other 80 Percent Turning Your Church's Spectators into Active Participants

by Thumma, Scott; Bird, Warren

• ISBN13: 9780470891292
• ISBN10: 0470891297
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-05-24
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

A research-based approach to developing more active and involved congregationsIn this practical resource, well-known and respected researcher Scott Thumma and professional co-writer Warren Bird draw upon new and heretofore unpublished research across a broad range of Protestant churches of all sizes and show how to create more active members. Offers solid information of what church leaders need to know about the factors and practices that create church members who are more actively and passionately involved in their congregations. Offers a first of its kind resource for developing engaged congregations Lead author Scott Thumma is a noted researcher and writer on congregational studies Warren Bird is coauthor of Culture Shift and Viral ChurchesThis book offers advice for moving church members from being spectators to living a life of discipleship and faith.

Author Biography

Scott Thumma, Ph.D., is professor of sociology of religion at Hartford Seminary and researcher at Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Scott is recognized as a leading researcher and writer on congregational studies. He is also editor of the Lilly Endowment funded website Insights into Religion.

Warren Bird, Ph.D., is director of research and intellectual capital development for Leadership Network. An ordained minister, he serves as an adjunct faculty member at Alliance Theological Seminary. Warren has coauthored 22 books including Culture Shift and Viral Churches, both from Jossey-Bass.

Table of Contents

About the Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Introduction: Wandering Sheep	p. xix
Listening
What Do You Hear from the Committed 20 Percent?	p. 3
What Do You Hear from the Less-Committed 80 Percent?	p. 23
How to Create a Listening Team	p. 39
Learning
Cultural Causes of the 80/20 Problem	p. 59
Comparative Patterns in Churches	p. 75
Misinformed Efforts to Build Participation	p. 97
How to Create a Learning Team	p. 117
Leading
Start with What You Do Well	p. 127
Create More Ways for People to Participate	p. 143
Reach Toward Spiritual Growth and Development	p. 165
Afterword: The Sheep Who Came Back into the Fold	p. 173
Appendixes
Resources	p. 175
Methods and Description of the Datasets	p. 181
Sample Survey Questions	p. 189
Annotated Bibliography	p. 197
Acknowledgments	p. 201
The Authors	p. 203
Index	p. 205
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