Thom Rainer, The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles. B & H Academic, 1998.
Referenced in: Church Growth Philosophy
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Church growth methodology is often criticized as being overly pragmatic and often ignoring theology in the interest of numerical growth. While this is probably an overstatement, it also contains some element of truth. Probably the most theologically astute advocate of the church growth philosophy is best-selling author, Thom Rainer. While perhaps not intentionally, this volume functions not only as an academic overview, but also as an apologetic in defense of church growth.
Rainer begins with a historical overview of the pre-1950 forerunners of the church growth movement, and then traces its history from 1955 until the date of publication (1998). From there, he presents a theology of church growth through the lens of the classic categories of systematic theology: bibliology, christology, pneumatology, angelology, anthropology, hamartiology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Next, Rainer discusses the principles of church growth, including prayer, leadership, lay ministry, church planting, evangelism, worship, finding people, receptivity, planning and goal setting, physical facilities, assimilation, reclamation, small groups, and signs and wonders.
Those from mainline Protestant or more recent missional/emergent perspectives will not agree with much of Rainer’s presentation. But since most of us are more reactionary than we suppose, it makes sense to read from those who emphasize what one may minimize. Rainer is a good one to read for that purpose. His volumes reflects a heart of one who sincerely aches over people who do not know Christ, and agonizes over how to create churches that reach the lost more effectively. This is a very good thing.
From the Publisher
The Church Growth Movement has divided devout Christians. Even though Rainer is an advocate, his aim here is to present an objective view of the movement—its history, the theology associated with it, and the principles which seem to separate churches that grow from those that don’t.
About the Author
Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest Christian resource companies in the world. He has consulted with more than five hundred churches, served as pastor of four churches and interim pastor in seven churches, and spoken in hundreds of venues worldwide. Among his publications are hundreds of articles and nineteen books including the national bestseller Simple Church as well as Essential Church?, Raising Dad, and The Bridger Generation. Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, have three grown sons and live in Nashville, Tennessee.
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