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How to Break Growth Barriers: Capturing Overlooked Opportunities for Church Growth

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This practical book describes one of the best ways to provide a system of nurture, discipleship and care for church members in the shortest amount of time, and with the greatest number of resources. As described by George, "Shepherds" care individually for the flock, and those type of leaders are spread too thin and burn out quickly. Instead, George suggests becoming "Ranchers" who delegate and oversee teams of shepherds who care for the flock in all areas of church life and faith.

George takes a very biblical approach (as modeled by Moses and his father-in-law Jethro), resulting in ongoing leadership development that multiplies itself. Current leaders are taught to train, mentor, and coach others to do ministry -- to give ministry away, like Jesus did. George applies his strategies toward breaking membership growth barriers at the 200, 400, 800 levels and beyond -- not for numbers' sake, but as a way of striving toward healthy kingdom advancement!

Brief Excerpt: "The question for a rancher to ask himself or herself is, `Am I doing the ministry myself, or am I committing others to do it?' I would go so far as to propose that you should not be doing ministry unless you are modeling or training someone else how to do it. Otherwise, you are merely producing care; you are not increasing your production capabilities. Modeling is legitimate ministry as long as it is witnessed by someone who is going to take responsibility for doing it next. That principle applies to virtually every activity, from fixing the church photocopier to praying for the flock." (p. 105)

The price of this book is well worth the investment. Purchase a used copy if nothing else. Also, be sure to check out George's books called *Prepare Your Church For the Future* and *The Coming Church Revolution*. If you're leading or wanting to build a small group ministry, then you will also want to buy copies of *Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership* for all your leaders!

This is a must-read for church leaders who want to grow their church through the barriers of size and expectations of the congregation. Each increment poses its own problems for growth, but George helps us understand the expectations of the congregation and gives suggestions on how to help the church grow rather than stay the same. He also gives examples of leadership styles that will enable the pastoral leader to know what works best in different situations. Read it and decide if you want your church to grow!

This book has help me to stop thinking that effective ministry is my personal availability, and the first person to deal with in church growth was myself. one lesson learn was shifting from doing all the caring to seeing to it that people get care for. this book transform my thinking about growing the chruch
Pastor P. Ratliff, Holy Trinity Outreach, New Orleans, La.

What has happened to repent and believe? This is Jesus' way of saving! His Words of grace and forgiveness in the gospel purely preached and the right administration of the Sacraments of baptism and communion --- these are how Jesus says the church grows!

George wants to alter this to what the people want. They certainly don't want this means of grace stuff going on. No, they would rather have the "helpful, practical prescriptions, both spiritual and numerical" that George offers here.

Bogged down at a number of attendees? 100? 200? 400? 800? George has slick answers from marketing and sociology and church growth experts, but not much from God's Word that I can find. Oh, there are Biblical quotes, but check them out carefully, noticing context and other places the Bible speaks on this and you'll find like me that there are very suspect as being anywhere near what God wants to say. For example, does God want the church to be run like the discovery and manufacture of aspirin? (page 58-59)

This is more of Church Growth desire to have the church be relevant and successful in a culture which it seems more and more deplores the truth (see 2 Timothy 4:3ff) which is not at all that bad of desire. But to let the desired results drives the means without God's saying so is unbiblical, unchristian, and dangerous.