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ABBREVIATIONS S.M.A.R.T. Goals Goals must be: S - Specific; M - Measurable; A - Achievable; R - Relevant; T - Timed not available
ABBREVIATIONS O.H.I.O. Time-management & Administration Guideline: OHIO Only Handle It Once If you touch it, either: 1) Do it 2) File it 3) Trash it Why is this important? Because of this: "An average person handles about 300 sheets of paper per day including catalogs, magazines, flyers, newspapers, notes, junk mail, faxes, and school papers. In five days, a family of five can accumulate 7,000 pages. In a month, this figure jumps to 45,000 pages. Americans annually handle 660 pounds of paper, and we save a lot of it. The average four-drawer filing cabinet holds 18,000 sheets of paper." (from Recognizing and Coping with Stress) not available
ASSIMILATION 2nd Time Visitors An incorporation strategy that focuses on these second-time visitors specifically will result in 70 to 75 percent of these visitors joining within a year. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 101.
ASSIMILATION Non-Growing Churches Our studies indicate that typical nongrowing churches see only 10 to 12 percent of their first-time visitors join. Win Arn, 'How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth', in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 102.
BIBLE Great Commission Great Commission is given in 5 locations in the NT: Matthew 28:18-20 --- Key Idea: Strategy Mark 16:15 --- Key Idea: Recipients Luke 24:46-48 --- Key Idea: Content John 20:21 --- Key Idea: Commission Acts 1:8 --- Key Idea: Geography not available
CAREER 10 Golden Rules for Career Success 1. Specialize in a very small niche; develop a core skill. 2. Choose a niche that you enjoy, where you can excel and stand a chance of becoming an acknowledged leader. 3. Realize that knowledge is power. 4. Identify your market and your core customers and serve them best. 5. Identify where 20 percent of effort gives 80 percent of returns. 6. Learn from the best. 7. Become self-employed early in your career. 8. Employ as many net value creators as possible. 9. Use outside contractors for everything but your core skill. 10. Exploit capital leverage. Richard Koch. The 80/20 Principle. New York: Currency/Doubleday, 1998. P. 194.
CHRISTIANITY Weekend Worship Totals According to the Barna Research Group, on a typical Sunday more than 75 million adults attend worship services at Christian churches. That is more than triple the number of adults who will tune in to football games on a typical Sunday during the regular season.î (Evangelical Press News Service, September 6,1998) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000.
CHRISTIANITY POPULATION More than 2 billion people worldwide -- about one-third of the world's population -- claim allegiance to Christianity in the year 2000, according to researchers David Barrett and Todd Johnson. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 222.
CHRISTIANITY CHURCHES Today, ... six million churches worldwide. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 223.
CHRISTIANITY Number of Clergy There are 537,379 clergy persons of all different faiths in the United States, according to The National Council of the Churches of Christ. An estimated 325,000 of these are serving churches or synagogues. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 80.
CHRISTIANITY Number of Churches "There are an estimated 375,000 churches in the United States, and most of them are small." Leith Anderson, Dying for Change, (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1990), p. 50.
CHRISTIANITY 50% attend 14% However, a corresponding fact is that the majority of the church- going populace attend the larger churches. ... Another way of saying this is that 50% of the people are in the 14% of the churches that are largest.î not available
CHRISTIANITY Evangelism Scorecard "Wordlwide, Christian baptisms are running at 12,740 every day on average, but churches lose 53,151 who die and 19,178 who defect every day. Each day, some 234,247 unevangelized persons become evangelized. But unevangelized persons are increasing every day though birth by 257,808 persons. So, overall we are losing the battle to evangelize at a rate of 23,561 every day." AD2000 Global Monitor (1992 stats)
CHRISTIANITY Church Attendance "...(64 percent) of our respondents said yes when asked, 'Do you happen to be a member of a church, synagogue, mosque, or other organized religious group?' George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 99.
CHRISTIANITY Church Attendance Frequency "Fourty-four percent said they attended at least once a week." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 99.
CHRISTIANITY 3,000 New Churches every week "According to Missions Frontier magazine... -- 3,000 new churches are opening ever week worldwide LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY The Church in Africa "According to Mission Frontier magazine... -- the Church in Africa is increasing by 20,000 per day on the average. LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY Worldwide Christian Growth "According to Mission Frontiers magazine... -- worldwide, Christianity is growing at the rate of 90,000 new believers every day." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY Muslims "According to Mission Frontiers magazine... -- more Muslims in Iran have come to Christ since 1980 than in the previous thousand years combined." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY INDONESIA "According to Mission Frontier magazine... -- in Islamic (Muslim) Indonesia, the percentage of Christians is so high the government won't print the statistic -- which is probably nearing 15 percent of the population." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY RUSSIA "According to Mission Frontier magazine... -- after 70 years of oppression in Russia, people who are officially Christians number about 85 million -- 56 percent of the population." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY INDIA "And Religion Today notes that, every day in India, 15,000 people become Christians." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 26
CHRISTIANITY 24 Hours of Growth/Loss "In the part of the world that stretches west from Poland across western Europe, crosses the northern United States and Canada, and includes Japan, 'there are 3,000 fewer Christians now than twenty-four hours ago, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa, there are 16,000 more Christians than twenty-four hours ago.'" LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 28
CHRISTIANITY Non-western Missionaries "'In fact, there are more missionaries at work today than ever before in history,' he pointed out. 'What has changed,' Anderson says, 'is at least 100,000 of these missionaries are being sent out by Protestant churches in non-western countries.'" LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 28
CHRISTIANITY Atheists & Non-Religious "Justin Long notes that in North America, 'Christianity's two biggest competitors are not religious at all. From one million in 1900, the nonreligious have grown to 26 millioin today... Even more startling, atheists have grown from 2,000 in 1900 to 1.4 million today... Neither one of these groups shows any sign of slacking off in the near future." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 30
CHRISTIANITY Progress compared to 1900 Compared to 1900, today we: - have nine times more churches; - distribute almost eleven times more Bibles; - have five times more vocational Christian workers; - have nearly seven times more missionaries; - have one hundred and sixty times more Christian books; - spend thirty-six times more hours evangelizing; - have cut the proportion of unevangelized people in the world in half; - are broadcasting the Great Good News of Jesus Christ via television, radio, and the Internet, and the media to every city, county, country, and continent; and - are seeing our young people poised to do a dramatically better job in reaching the world than we have done. Caldwell, Kirbyjon & Walt Callestad. Entrepreneurial Faith. Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2004. pp. 130-131.
CHURCH GROWTH 25,000 Small Groups Seven of the twenty largest churches report a combined total of nearly 25,000 cell groups being operated among themselves. John N. Vaughn, "Trends Among the World's Twenty Largest Churches," ch. 12 inWagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, p. 132.
CHURCH GROWTH Pastoral Tenure Long pastoral tenure is not a panacea or the single answer to struggling churches across America, but I believe that long tenure is one of the key requisites for churches to move from mediocrity to goodness to greatness.- Thom Rainer, p.58 Tom Rainer. Breakout Churches. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
CHURCH GROWTH Reasons for Choosing a Church How do Christians choose a new church? Christians today choose new churches based on the following priorities: First: FUNCTION - the style of worship Second: FORM - the quality or philosophy of ministry Third: DOCTRINE - the beliefs that influence lifestyle (from Elmer Towns, Putting an End to Worship Wars (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1997), 11-12) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000.
CHURCH GROWTH NEW CHURCHES Worldwide, three thousand new churches are opening every week. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 222.
CHURCH GROWTH IRAN More Muslims in Iran have come to Christ since 1980 than in the previous one thousand years combined. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 222.
CHURCH GROWTH KOREA In 1900, Korea had no Protestant church; it was deemed impossible to penetrate."Today Korea is 35 percent Christian with seven thousand churches in the city of Seoul alone." Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 222.
CHURCH GROWTH HISTORY In A.D. 100, only one in every 360 people in the world was an active believer. Today one in ten people is an active believer. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 222.
CHURCH GROWTH Impact of 30% Change Herb Miller notes "...a frequently observed but seldom anticipated human behavior: the negative reaction of people in any organization whose size grows or shrinks by 30 percent or more." "Many pastors report approximately eighteen months of unpleasant readjustment each time their church's size changes 30 percent or more." Miller, Herb. "The Parish Paper" Vol, 11, No.2, August 2003. "Resisting Church Resistance"
CHURCH GROWTH Denominational Loss During the last ten years combined communicant membership of all Protestant denominations has declined by 9.5% (4,498,242), while national population has increased by 11.4% (24,153,000). Arn, Charles. Journal of The American Society for Church Growth. Vol. 6, 1995, p.74.
CHURCH GROWTH Counties No county in America has a greater percentage of churched persons today than a decade ago. Arn, Charles. Journal of The American Society for Church Growth. Vol. 6, 1995, p.74.
CHURCH GROWTH 250 Attendance ... 95% of America's churches have 250 or less at worship on Sunday morning. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 177.
CHURCH GROWTH 50% < 100 people ... about half of all churches in America are made up of fewer than 100 people...î quoting Barna Research Group in Evangelical Press News Service on March 1, 1991. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 180.
CHURCH GROWTH 80% + Rule for Growing Churches Despite the rule of thumb that a worship service in which more than 80 percent of the seats are filled is too full, such is the norm among large growing churches. In fact, in a survey of growing, plateaued, and declining Southern Baptist churches, it was found that the worship services in slightly over 80 percent of the growing churches with large total memberships... were more than 80 percent full. According to Lyle Schaller, there is no question but that when all teh pews or chairs are filled, this has a positive impact on the morale of the worshippers, and especially on the preacher. Church Growth Principlesî, C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 63.
CHURCH GROWTH Diffusion of Innovation This 20 percent minimum reflects the research of social scientists studying innovation and diffusion, who have found that this is the critical number of members in any group which must endorse a new idea before the majority will accept it. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 103.
CHURCH GROWTH Congregational Attitude ... the pastors of 54 percent of growing churches said their members lean towards dreaming about the future" rather than "living in the past as compared to only 21 percent of plateaued churches... "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 96.
CHURCH GROWTH Distinctiveness Eighty-nine percent of growing church pastors said "yes" to the question is it easy to describe for visitors how your congregation differs from other congregations in the area? as compared to 66 percent of the pastors in both plateaued and declining churches. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 157.
CHURCH GROWTH Flakes Formula This popular principle in some Southern Baptist circles was stated according to Arthur Flake, We must know our possibilities; enlarge the organization; provide the space; enlist and train the workers; and go after the people. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 38.
CHURCH GROWTH Goal Setting Survey results ... indicate that 69 percent of growing churches set membership goals, as compared to only 42 percent of plateaued churches... "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 120.
CHURCH GROWTH Mass Mailings 53% of growing churches have recently done a mass-mailing to community residents, compared to 28% of plateaued churches. Church Growth Principlesî, C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, chart on p. 130.
CHURCH GROWTH Mission Evaluation & Planning Survey results show that 85 percent of churches which have grown off the plateau have reevaluated their programs adn priorities during the past five years, as compared to 59 percent of churches whch have remained on the plateau. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 120.
CHURCH GROWTH New Member Classes 63% of growing churches have a new member orientation class compared to 44% of plateaued churches. Church Growth Principlesî, C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, chart on p. 143.
CHURCH GROWTH Pastoral Tenure - Breakout At the time [2005] of the writing of this book, the average tenure was 21.6 years. That tenure is six times greater than the tenure of the typical American pastor. -- Thom Rainer Thom Rainer. Breakout Churches. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
CHURCH GROWTH Population Growth Factors ...60 percent of growing churches are located in zip codes where there is a high proportion of new housing, as compared to only 24 percent of plateaued churches... Plateaued and declining churches tend to be located in areas with older housing stock. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 179.
CHURCH GROWTH Prayer ...71 percent of breakout churches report an increased emphasis on prayer over the past several years as compared to only 40 percent of churches which continue on the plateau.î "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 164.
CHURCH GROWTH Spirituality ...63 percent of breakout churches are rated by their pastors as 'excellent' or 'good' in the spiritual growth of their members as compared to only 34 percent of churches which continue on the plateau. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 163.
CHURCH GROWTH Change Adopters 2% of people are Innovators 18% of people are Early Adopters 60% of people are Middle Adopters 18% of people are Late Adopters 2% of people are Laggards Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986. P. 86.
CHURCH GROWTH Willingness to Change Churches which have experienced breakout growth on the order of 50 percent or more over a four- year period have all been characterized by either an openness to change or at least by the passive permission for limited change. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 156.
CHURCH GROWTH 1-5-4 Principle THE 1-5-4 PRINCIPLE One Driving Force of Church Growth The Great Commission Five Essential Growth Functions for Church Growth: Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry, Fellowship, Worship Four Results: Numerical Growth, Spiritual Growth, Ministry Expansion, Mission Advance. not available
CHURCH GROWTH 150 people per pastor Today the rule of thumb is one full-time pastor for every 150 people. (based on average Sunday morning worship attendance)." Anderson, Leith. Dying for Change. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1990, p.55.
CHURCH GROWTH Churches over 600 In fact, something less than 3 percent of all churches ever grow to 620. Wagner, C. Peter. Spreading the Fire. The Acts of the Holy Spirit Series, Vol. 1. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1994, p. 17.
CHURCH GROWTH Marketing In a television commercial, we're told, the sale is made or lost in the first three or four seconds. In a print ad, tests have shown, 75 percent of the buying decisions are made at the headline alone. In a sales presentation, data have shown us, the sale is made or lost in the first three minutes. Gerber, Michael E. The E-myth Revisited. New York, Harper- Collins, 1995, p. 22
CHURCH GROWTH Potential "Approximately 40 percent of the world's population is nineteen or younger. The number of children and youth alive today exceeds the entire world's population in 1950." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 113.
CHURCH GROWTH Church Sizes "According to 'Faith Communties Today' (the largest survey of churches ever conducted in the United States), at the turn of the century [2000] one-half of congregations have fewer than one hundred regularly attending adults and a full quarter of congregations have fewer than fifty regularly participating adults. ... According to the same survey, less than 10 percent of churches have more than one thousand people..." Aubrey Malphurs. "Leading Leaders". Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005. P. 12.
CHURCH GROWTH Churches Founded Before 1960 Randy Frazee and Lyle Schaller write that 66-75 percent of congregations founded before 1960 are plateaued or shrinking. Malphurs, Aubrey. Leading Leaders. Grand Rapids: Baker 2005.
CHURCH GROWTH Parking Lot On average, 1.8 persons use one parking spot. ... there should be enough parking to handle full capacity in the auditorium and the education space (including children and youth). Rainer, Thom S. & Eric Geiger. Simple Church. Nashville, TN: Broadman, 2006.
CHURCH GROWTH 5% a year for 3 years Sadly, less than 2 percent of all churches in America experience that type [5% a year for 3 years] of consistent growth. Rainer, Thom S. & Eric Geiger. Simple Church. Nashville, TN: Broadman, 2006.
CHURCH GROWTH 65-70% New Sanctuary Guideline Building a new sanctuary and combine services? The new sanctuary probably should be no less than 65 to 70 percent filled when the services are consolidated. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 64.
CHURCH GROWTH Mega-church Stats Check out these 2008 mega-church stats from Outreach magazine's annual survey: Attendance of the largest 103: 1,128,451 (average size= 10, 956) Growth from 2007 to 2008: 111,525 (9.9%) Greatest percentage gain: 72% (Church of The Highlands, Birmingham) Smallest church of the top 100: 7000 Average number of sites per church: 2.42 Oureach Magazine, 2008 Annual Survey
CHURCH GROWTH 10% Attrition Rate ¡°I keep reminding pastors that the normal attrition rate for most churches is about 10 percent each year. ... because of elderly people dying, career transitions, and people moving to new neighborhoods alone, you¡¯ll lose ten out of every 100 attenders each year.¡± Hybels, Bill. Axiom. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008., p. 57.
CHURCH GROWTH New People in Growing Churches Fact: One-third of worshipers are new in the last five years; in fast-growing churches one- half are new. US Congregations (http://www.uscongregations.org/growth.htm), 2009.
CHURCH GROWTH Poor Follow-up Fact: Too many new people (38%) report no follow-up from the congregation after their first visit. In Catholic parishes, 53% of new people report no follow-up. US Congregations (http://www.uscongregations.org/growth.htm), 2009.
CHURCH GROWTH Why People Return to a Church Fact: People return because of the quality of the sermon (36%), the friendliness of the people (32%), and the overall worship experience (30%). US Congregations (http://www.uscongregations.org/growth.htm), 2009.
CHURCH GROWTH Reasons for Choosing a Church Fact: Many new people (47%) visit for the first time because someone invited them; only 6% came for the first time due to advertising. US Congregations (http://www.uscongregations.org/growth.htm), 2009.
CHURCH HEALTH Assimilation into Leadership How long does it take for someone to make it to a committee, board, or other position of influence in the church. In healthy churches the answer will typically be one to four years. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 137
CHURCH HEALTH Definition For a church it might be that health for us is an annual growth rate of 5%, with half of that growth coming through evangelism, annual offerings of $1,000 per person (based on average Sunday morning worship attendance), 40% of adults in small-group Bible studies, and average pastoral tenure of at least nine years. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 128.
CHURCH HEALTH Assimilation into Leadership How long does it take for someone to make it to a committee, board, or other position of influence in the church. In healthy churches the answer will typically be one to four years.î Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 137
CHURCH HEALTH Prayer Increasing "The percentage of Americans who "completely agree" that "prayer is an important part of my daily life" rose from 41 percent in 1987 to 53 percent in 1997, an incrase of twelve percentage points." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 25.
CHURCH HEALTH Biblical Illiteracy "In polls on biblical illiteracy, half of those descrbing themselves as Christians are unable to name who delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Many Americans cannot name the reason for celebrating Easter or what the Ten Commandments are. People think the name of Noah's wife was Joan, as in 'Joan of Ark'." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 30.
CHURCH HEALTH Witnessing at Work "...in another question, we asked, 'Did you have occasion to talk about your religious faith in the workplace?' Fourty-eight percent said they had - almost half!" George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 72.
CHURCH HEALTH Long-term Health Thom Rainer's research bears this out: One significant study done by and for mainline denominations found that in-depth teaching and preaching of orthodox Christian belief was the single best predictor of church participation. Strong Sunday Schools and scripturally- authoritative preaching engendered long-term health for the church. Hunt, Josh. Double Your Class in Two Years or Less. Loveland, CO: Vital Ministry, 1997, p. 30.
CHURCH HEALTH Gift of Mercy Our research indicates that 13 percent of all Christians have the gift of mercy as a part of their gift mix. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p. 108.
CHURCH HEALTH Gift of Shepherding Our research indicates that the gift of shepherding is relatively widespread, appearing in 12 percent of the gift mixes of all Christians. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p. 121.
CHURCH HEALTH Gift of Interpretation Our research indicates that 82 percent of all Christians with this [Interpretation] gift also have the gift of prophecy. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p. 129.
CHURCH HEALTH Closings vs. Openings "Almost three times as many churches in America are closing (3,750) a are opening (1,300) each year." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 30
CHURCH HEALTH Closings vs. Openings "Almost three times as many churches in America are closing (3,750) a are opening (1,300) each year." LOST IN AMERICA, Tom Clegg & Warren Bird, p. 30
CULTURE CULTURE Isolation Is Common in America A trend toward isolation surfaced in the last U.S. census figures, showing that one-fourth of the nation's households--27.2 million of them--consisted of just one person, compared with 10 percent in 1950. LEADERSHIP NETWORK E-NEWSLETTER, AUG. 2006;
CULTURE Teenage Smoking Teens who smoke are 14 times more likely to try marijuana than their non-smoking peers. CASA, 2003.
CULTURE CULTURE Alcohol-related car accidents are the leading cause of death among 15 to 19 year olds. Pride, 2004.
CULTURE Teenage Alcoholism 47% who started drinking before age 14 became alcoholic within 10 years. Reuters, 2000 AD.
EVANGELISM 85 People per Decision It now takes 85 church members a year to reach one person for Christ.-- Thom Rainer, p.74 (Based on a sampling of 1,337 churches in America in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Research by the Rainer Group.) Thom Rainer. Breakout Churches. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
EVANGELISM Population Growth World Population: 1 AD -- 200 million 1650 AD -- 500 million 1804 AD -- 1 Billion 1927 AD -- 2 Billion 1960 AD -- 3 Billion 1974 AD -- 4 Billion 1987 AD -- 5 Billion 1999 AD -- 6 Billion (For more information contact UN Population Fund, Information & External Relations Division, 220 E. 42nd Str, New York, NY 10017, 212-297-5020; www.unfpa.org Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000; p.184.
EVANGELISM Christian Populations World Population -- 6 Billion 1. Roman Catholics -- 1 Billion 2. Pentecostals/Charismatics -- 540 million 3. Anglicans -- 73 million 4. Baptists -- 60 million 5. Lutherans -- 58 million 6. Presbyterians -- 50 million 7. Assemblies of God -- 35 million 8. Methodists -- 33 million (Figures come from researchers David Barrett & Vinson Synon, " Pentecostal Trends of the 90s", Ministries Today, vol. 17, no.3, May/June 1999, 64) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000; p.185.
EVANGELISM Number of Missionaries In 1975 Anglo-Saxon missionaries outnumbered others 100,000 to 85,000, Bertuzzi said. By the year 2000 there will be 120,000 Anglo-Saxon missionaries and 150,000 missionaries from other backgrounds. The United States continues to field the largest single-country missionary force with 50,000. (From Rev. Jesus M. Huertes, "Religious News," Alliance Life, 27 January 1999, 7.) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 221.
EVANGELISM Little Conversion Growth Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through ëconversion growth. Arn, Charles. Journal of The American Society for Church Growth. Vol. 6, 1995, p.74.
EVANGELISM Friendship Relationships are also a major reason people affiliate with churches in our culture. In our own studies we have confirmed what McGavran originally called the bridges of God. Namely, that 75% - 90% of all people come into Christian faith and active church involvement as a result of a relationship with a trusted friend, neighbor, or relative. Arn, Charles. Journal of The American Society for Church Growth. Vol. 6, 1995, p.76.
EVANGELISM 5.79 Contacts Seekers need a number of contacts with Christians in normal circumstances before making a commitment to Christ: Research, in fact, bears this out. In comparing active and inactive church members, it was found that those who continued as active church members had been exposed to an average of 5.79 different Christian influences prior to their commitments. Dropouts, by comparison, had seen or heard the Christian message only 2.16 times before their decision. Yeakly Flavil research quoted in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986. P. 60
EVANGELISM Budget In most inward churches it [budget for evangelism] is less than 1%. In some outward churches it is 10% or higher. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 200.
EVANGELISM 8 Greek Words 8 Words Relating to Evangelism: Witness, martureo, Acts 1:8 Speak, laleo, Acts 4:1 Evangelize, evangelizo, Acts 8:4 Teach, didasko, Matt. 28:20 Reason, dialagomi, Acts 17:2 Announce, katangello, Acts 17:3 Proclaim, keruso, Acts 8:5 Make Disciples, matheteusate, Matt. 28:19 Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986. P. 46
EVANGELISM Greek Meaning of Evangelist  The word's root means to tell the good news of victory in battle. Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986. P. 61.
EVANGELISM How People Get to Church By Advertisement -- 2% By the Pastor -- 6% By Organized Evangelistic Outreach -- 6% By Friends & Relatives -- 86% Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986. P. 53.
EVANGELISM Initial Attraction to the Gospel From the Jews for Jesus newsletter: A person -- 47% Search for truth -- 11% Bible -- 8% Book or other literature -- 8% Supernatural intervention -- 6% Group of believers -- 5% Conviction/Holy Spirit -- 4% Life crisis -- 3% Radio/TV/Movies -- 2% Curiosity -- 2% Afterlife/Fear -- 1% No answer -- 4% Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986. P. 73.
EVANGELISM Decisions before 18 years old "George Barna has found that more than two-thirds of all adults who have accepted Christ as their Savior made their decision to do so before the age of eighteen." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 144.
EVANGELISM Reasons People Join a Church "Those who come because of the Sunday School: 3 to 6 percent; Those who walk in of their own initiative: 3 to 8 percent; Those who come because of a particular minister: 10 to 20 percent; Those who come because of an evangelistic program: 10 to 20 percent; Those who come at the invitation of a friend or relative: 60 to 80 percent. George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 163.
EVANGELISM Number of Unevangelized According to Barna Research about 100 million Americans of all ages are unchurched. Stanley, Andy. Seven Practices of Effective Ministry. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah, 2004.
EVANGELISM Unchurched Population George Barna claims, If all of the unchurched people in the United States were a nation of their own, they would be the eleventh most populated country on Earth. Stanley, Andy. Seven Practices of Effective Ministry. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah, 2004.
EVANGELISM Thoughts on Hell Asked to rate their chances that you might go to hell, 46% of self- identified conservatives said not a chance - compared with 28% of liberals. Born-again Christians were the most upbeat about their odds: 55% said not a chance compared with 21% of Roman Catholics. "BeliefNet" survey, 2006
EVANGELISM Gift of Evangelism Our research confirmed the thesis held by C. Peter Wagner that exactly 10 percent of the Christians in each local congregation have the gift of evangelism. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p. 116
EVANGELISM Gift of Missionary Gift of Missionary Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p.119.
FINANCES Tithe = 2.6%? The State of Church Giving through 1996 shows that "...members gave only 2.58% of their income in 1996. This is a 17 percent decrease from the 3.12 percent average in 1968..." The report is based on "data from twenty-nine Protestant denominations, representing more than 100,000 congregations." (From John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, Behind the Stained Glass Windows (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996, 36). Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 203.
FINANCES Tithing "Researcher George Barna found that less than 5 percent of the U.S. churchgoing population tithes in this way."(10% of income) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 204.
FINANCES Indebtedness As of 1998, Americans are collectively $1.3 trillion in debt. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 210.
FINANCES $1,000 - $2,000 - $2,200 Guideline Average church member in America gives $1,000/yr. But if they are in a small group, the average giving is $2,000/yr. And if they are leading the small group, the average giving is $2,200/yr. Jeff Edwards, LifeTogether, coaching host; LifeTogether.com conference training call, Dec. 7th, 2004
FINANCES Rich donate 2% But, on average, the nation's richest 1%, who own two-fifths of U.S. wealth, donate just 2% of their incomes each year. †Philanthropy 2004, Provided by BusinessWeek Online, Dec. 21st, 2004
FINANCES Gift of Giving vs. Gift of Poverty It is true that almost everyone who has the gift of voluntary poverty also has the gift of giving (92 percent having 'giving ' among their five most prominent gifts). The inverse is not true, however. Our research states that only 15 percent of the Christians with the gift of giving also have the gift of voluntary poverty. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p. 111.
FUN not available "Each day, 5 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter." - The National Confectioners Association (www.candyusa.org/)
LEADERSHIP Pace-Setters The pastors in 26 percent of growing churches said that they were pacesetters to a very great extent, as compared to only 10 percent of the pastors in plateaued churches and 7 percent of the pastors of declining churches. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 84.
LEADERSHIP Primary Catalyst Peter Wagner's statement, in America, the primary catalytic factor for church growth in a local church is the pastor. Lyle Schaller notes, pastoral leadership is a critical factor in church growth." "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 74.
LEADERSHIP Vision For instance, 40 percent of growing church pastors say that vision is one of their traits to a very great extent as compared to only 16 percent of plateaued church pastors... "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 83.
LEADERSHIP Hope "Hope is not a strategy." -- Gen. H.Norman Schwartzkopf not available
LEADERSHIP Secular Leadership Development Stats "Trouble is, most companies aren't very good at leadership development. Look at all the companies that just lately have gone outside to find CEOs - Boeing, Hewlett-Packard twice, Sara Lee, 3M twice. The leadership pipeline is broken," says Noel Tichy, a University of Michigan business school professor and former chief of GE's Crotonville leadership development program. ... To their credit, companies increasingly realized their pipelines is broken: In that survey from Right, 77% of companies say they don't have enough successors to their current senior managers. Yet they have a miserable time doing much about it. The reason isn't mysterious. At companies that are lousy at leadership development, they think it's HR's job. Successful companies know it' s actually the job of all the managers. Those companies deeply believe that their real business is developing leaders. Leadership from the top is key. ... "when a company says it's getting serious about management development, I [Noel Tichy] say great - just let me see the CEO's calendar." Not many bosses will match the 70% of his time that Jack Welch says he put into development when he was running GE. Colvin, G. "Rising Stars" p. 50. FORTUNE Magazine, February 6th, 2006.
LEADERSHIP Strategic Planning According to a survey of 156 companies by Marakon Associates, businesses which implement the traditional strategic planning process were found to average just two-and-a-half major decisions a year. By contrast, those who opt for a more frequent strategy session were found to make more than six big decisions each year. "News from Christian Management Association", Oct. 2006, Issue No. 103.
LEADERSHIP Gift of Leadership It is interesting that 68 percent of all Christians with this [leadership] gift also have the gift of organization. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p. 118.
LEADERSHIP Internal vs. External Staff Hires Granger Community Church: ¡°In our seventeen-year history, 95 percent of our inside hires have been successful. That is, they are still on staff, or they left without difficulty. On the other hand, only 50 percent of our outside hires have been successful.¡± Morgan, Tony & Tim Stevens. Simply Strategic Volunteers. Loveland, CO: Group, 2005.
MEGA-CHURCHES Four Largest in the World According to Vaughn, in 1995 the four largest churches in the world were located in three other continents: 730,000-member Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea, pastored by David Yonggi Cho; 350,000-member Jotabeche Methodist Pentecostal Church in Santiago, Chile, pastored by Javier Vasquez; 150,000-member Anyang Assembly of God in Seoul, South Korea, pastored by Yong Mok Cho; 145,000- member Deeper Life Bible Church in Lagos, Nigeria, pastored by William Kumuyi. (Megachurches and America's Cities, John Vaughn) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 180.
MEGA-CHURCHES More than 10,000 In 1999... the following North American churches averaged attendance of ten thousand or more adults and children in weekend services (listed by approximate size): Willow Creek, Chicago, IL, Bill Hybels Saddleback, San Diego, CA, Rick Warren Southeast Christian Church,Louisville, KY, Bob Russell Calvary Chapel, Santa Ana, CA, Chuck Smith, Sr. Second Baptist, Houston, TX, Ed Young, Sr. Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, CA, Greg Laurie First Baptist, Hammond, IN, Jack Hyles Cornerstone, San Antonio, TX, John Hagee Salem Baptist, Chicago, IL, James Meeks New Birth Missionary Baptist, Decatur, GA, Eddie Long Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, Diamond Bar, CA, Raul Ries Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 179.
MEGA-CHURCHES Doubled in 1990's The number of extra large churches -- congregations numbering 2,000 or more -- nearly doubled during the 1990s to an estimated five hundred today, The Los Angeles Times reported in its June 9, 1999 issue. Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000, p. 186.
MEGA-CHURCHES Geographic Spread But, on average, the nation's richest 1%, who own two-fifths of U.S. wealth, donate just 2% of their incomes each year. USA Today.com Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:53 AM ET http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/2 0051223/cm_usatoday/ shouldchurchescloseonchristmassund ay
MEGA-CHURCHES Definition Megachurches have 2,000 or more people at worship services each weekend. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 54.
MEGA-CHURCHES 200 vs. 2,000 The primary difference between a church of 200 and 2,000 is not the number of people, but how they relate to one another and the complexity of the system. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 176
PREACHING & TEACHING Key Attitude Apparently the specific content and quality of preaching is less important than its use in imparting a vision, a sense of urgency, and an expectation of spiritual growth. "Church Growth Principles", C. Kirk Hadaway, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991, p. 81.
PREACHING & TEACHING Stand-alone Messages Sermons in series wont make sense to listeners who attend every other week. In a nonsequential world every sermon will have to stand alone as a complete communication unit. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 45.
PREACHING & TEACHING Explanation vs. Application Rick Warren ... gives wise advice for preachers when he says, "Tell them why; show them how. Most modern churchgoers require both explanation and application.... The ratio could be 50/50, maybe 60/40, but it rarely ought go beyond a 70/30 distribution." Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 208.
PREACHING & TEACHING Need-oriented Sermons One Third More Service Attendance with Need-Orientated Sermons There may have been times when people came to church regardless of the quality of worship and sermon, but today it is not true anymore. The quality and relevance of your sermon can make a difference of 33-38% in the size of your church attendance. "Research TidBit" by Petr ?in ala , eNCDine, December 2004, (the Natural Church Development on-line magazine)
PREACHING & TEACHING Practical How-to Sermons It is not enough for us to simply proclaim that 'Christ is the answer.' We must show the unchurched how Christ is the answer. Sermons that exhort people to change, without sharing the practical steps of how to do it, end up just producing more guilt and frustration." - Rick Warren Rick Warren, Ministry ToolBox Email Newsletter, Issue #183, 12/1/2004
PREACHING & TEACHING Gift of Teaching & Knowledge Sixty-six percent of those with the gift of knowledge also have the gift of teaching - a particularly useful gift mix. Schwarz, Christian. The Three Colors of Ministry. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2001, p.107.
RATIOS Board Ratio -- 1:5 One of every five board members should have joined the church within the last two years.  Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 100.
RATIOS Churches to Population The churches to population ratio is also declining. In 1900 there were 27 churches for every 10,000 Americans. In 1950 there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans. Today there are fewer than 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans. Arn, Charles. Journal of The American Society for Church Growth. Vol. 6, 1995, p.74.
RATIOS Churches Starting vs. Ending ... between 3,500 and 4,000 churches close their doors each year for the last time; while only 1,100 - 1,500 churches are started. Arn, Charles. Journal of The American Society for Church Growth. Vol. 6, 1995, p.74.
RATIOS 100 People per Acre A very general rule of thumb is that suburban churches may grow to an average Sunday morning worship attendance of one hundred times the number of acres of land. A church with a five-acre campus probably will not exceed five hundred in attendance. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 91.
RATIOS Friendship Ratio - 1:7 Each new convert or new member should be able to identify at least seven friends in the church within the first six months. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8., p. 97.
RATIOS "Great Commission Conscience" At least three of every five elected officers (a voting majority) should have a Great Commission conscience. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 102.
RATIOS Groups Ratio - 7:100 There should be at least seven groups in a church for every 100 members.î Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 99.
RATIOS Leader Group Size -- 1:14 A study of both Yoido Full Gospel Church and Young Nak Presbyterian Church, both in Seoul, also indicates that, as teacher-pupil ratios are relaxed and small groups become larger, the growth plateaued. When, however, the ratio was reduced, growth continued. The teacher-pupil ratios tend never to exceed 1:25, and most average 1:14 or even smaller for the individual congregations. John N. Vaughn, "Trends Among the World's Twenty Largest Churches," ch. 12 inWagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, p. 132.
RATIOS New Groups Ratio -- 1:5 Of the groups that now exist in a church, one of every five should have been started in the past two years. Win Arn, 'How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth', in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 99.
RATIOS Role/Task Ratio -- 60:100 There should be at least sixty roles and tasks available for every one hundred members in a church. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 98.
RATIOS Staff Ratio -- 1:150 A church should have one full- time staff member for every 150 person's in worship. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 100.
RATIOS Vistor Ratio -- 3:10 Of the first-time visitors who live in the church's ministry area, three of every ten should be actively invovled within a year.An incorporation strategy that focuses on these second-time visitors specifically will result in 70 to 75 percent of these visitors joining within a year. Win Arn, "How to Use Ratios to Effect Church Growth", in Wagner, C. Peter, ed. Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1986, ch. 8, p. 101.
RATIOS not available not available not available
RELIGION 30 Largest U.S. Religious Groups 1. Roman Catholic -- 60,300,000 2. Baptist -- 36,400,00 3. Pentecostal -- 10,450,000 4. Methodist -- 8,730,000 5. Lutheran -- 8,200,000 6. African (& Christian) Method. Episc -- 5,450,000 7. Mormon -- 4,890,000 8. Eastern Orthodox -- 4,080,000 9. Presbyterian -- 3,940,000 10. Jews -- 3,140,000 11. Churches of Christ -- 3,130,000 12. Episcopal Church -- 2,540,000 13. Evangelical Church -- 2,540,000 14. Christian Churches --- 1,070,000 15. Jehovah's Witnesses -- 970,000 16. Disciples of Christ -- 930,000 17. Seventh-Day Adventists -- 790,000 18. Church of the Nazarene -- 600,000 19. Islamic -- 530,000 20. Reformed Churches -- 520,000 21. Unitarian Universalist -- 500,000 22. Salvation Army -- 450,000 23. Armenian Church -- 410,000 24. Buddhist -- 400,000 25. Christian & Missionary Alliance -- 310,000 26. American Orthodox -- 300,000 27. Polish National Catholic -- 280,000 28. Community Churches -- 250,000 29. Evangelical Free Church -- 240,000 30. Hindu -- 230,000 (US Bureau of the Census, 1997) Towns, Elmer & Warren Bird. Into the Future. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000.
RELIGION Belief in God "The New York Times Magazine recently reported a Gallup survey that indicated that 96 percent of the population said they believed in God." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 27.
RELIGION Desire for Spiritual Growth "From two surveys, then, we find that eight out of ten Americans, not just 'religious' people, express desire for spiritual growth." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 45.
RELIGION Spiritual Experience "One-third of Americans claim to have had a spiritual experience that touches them deeply." ... "Research from the Barna organization found that less than a quarter of respondents say they have had an experience of God in worship services." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 53, 55.
RELIGION America's Teenagers "Less than half of America's teens (43 percent) believe it is important to have a deep religious faith." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 115.
RELIGION Religious Ideology "Eighteen percent of adults are conservatives in terms of their religious ideology; 47 percent moderates; and 19 percent liberals." George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 179.
RELIGION Teenage Faith "Teens who say they believe in God - 95% Teens who say God loves them - 93% Teens who believe in heaven - 91% Teens wo pray when alone - 74%. George Gallup, THE NEXT AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY, 2000, p. 179.
RELIGION Fastest Growing in America, 1990-2000 Two of the fastest growing religions in the United States are Buddhism and Hinduism. The number of adherents in these religious communities increased by nearly 200 percent in just ten years -- from 1990 to 2000. In contrast, the number of Americans who call themselves Christians increased a mere 5 percent during the same decade. In the same period, the number of Americans who no longer consider themselves religious in any way increased 110 percent. Caldwell, Kirbyjon & Walt Kallestad. Entrepreneurial Faith. Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2004. p.4.
RELIGION 'Nones' are Increasing Today [2009], 15% of Americans say they are "unaffiliated," up from 8% in 1990. It's an even more pronounced change among young people -- 46% of people ages 18 to 34 consider themselves to have "no religion," according to the American Religious Identification Survey by the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society & Culture at Trinity College. Advertising Age. ¡°Churches Get Religion on Marketing.¡± Beth Snyder Bulik. (www.adage.com). May 15, 2009.
SMALL GROUPS 50% Limit Small groups are not for everyone. Even those churches that heavily promote them often do not exceed 50% of their overall constituency who regularly participate in small groups. Anderson, Leith. A Church for the 21st Century. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1992, p. 36.
SMALL GROUPS Small Group Members Stick ...new Christians who immediately became active in a small group are five times more likely to remain in the church five years later than those who were active in worship services alone. Rainer, Thom. Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), p.120.
SMALL GROUPS 80% Participation! "Without cutting the competition so severely, there is no way we could have reached an 80 percent participation rate in our small group program. And without keeping things trimmed back, we wouldn't have been able to sustain it, either." Larry Osborn, in "Sticky Church" (2008: Zondervan), p. 94.