Jeffrey H. Patton, If It Could Happen Here: Turning the Small Membership Church Around. Abingdon, 2002.
Referenced in: Small Church Leadership
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Patton relates his experience of being called to a ministry in a declining rural Pennsylvania setting, and experiencing amazing congregational transformation. He acknowledges that his account of turnaround is particular to one place, but believes much of what happened is universally applicable. He discusses the six levers that were instrumental in the turnaround: prayer, discerning a clear vision, indigenous worship, growth groups, membership that means something, and lay pastoring. He says:
“One lever changed our attitude. One changed our understanding of what it means to be the church. One changed our celebrations. One changed how we cared for people. One changed the way we worked. And one made leaders out of disciples. Together, the levers turned around man y lives and, in the process, changed the future of this congregation. So if your church is struggling, attendance is dropping, the building is out of date, programs are boring, or you have people who do not want to change, but you know there is more to life in Jesus and you want to experience it, this book is for you.” (pp. 13-14)
From the Publisher
In this informative book, Jeff Patton describes six “levers” for transforming a small-membership church: prayer, discerning a clear vision, indigenous worship, growth groups, membership that means something, and lay pastoring. Filled with solid insights on how the principles Patton has developed can be applied in different contacts, this book will offer hope to all leaders of small-membership congregations who know that there is more to life in Jesus and want to experience it.
About the Author
Jeffrey H. Patton is director of Christian Counseling Clinic, Inc. in Williamsport, PA, and Associate Consultant with Easum, Bandy and Associates, a church consulting and futuring firm. An ordained United Methodist elder, he formerly served as pastor of congregations in rural north-central Pennsylvania.
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