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    Church Growth Manual
    Church Growth Manual
    Church Growth Manual
    Ebook217 pages3 hours

    Church Growth Manual

    By Dr. Martin G Tharp PhD

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Interested in church growth? This book will challenge and encourage you by common sense application and sustainable results. Although there is no magical formula for church growth, it can be achieved by anyone who will apply the principles encapsulated in these pages.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDr. Martin G Tharp PhD
    Release dateFeb 26, 2013
    ISBN9781301102181
    Church Growth Manual
    Author

    Dr. Martin G Tharp PhD

    Dr. Martin Tharp has been an avid student of the Bible for many years and holds a Bachelor, Master and eight Doctorates, one honorary and seven earned, including a Doctor. of Literature and two PhDs. He has been in full time ministry for over fifty-seven years and has authored forty-nine books to date, many of which are being used as curriculum in Bible colleges around the United States and abroad. He has also penned a number of gospel songs and recorded thirty-three albums as well as being actively involved in a school ministry to Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom for the past thirty-eight years, and Dr. Tharp has been honored twice by members of parliament in Ireland for their work in the Protestant and Catholic schools. He and his wife, Sharon, along with Maranda Howells, travel extensively across the USA and the whole of the British Isles holding evangelistic crusades in the churches of both countries.

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      Book preview

      Church Growth Manual - Dr. Martin G Tharp PhD

      Church Growth Manual

      By Martin G. Tharp, Ph.D.

      Copyright 2013 Martin Tharp Ph.D.

      Smashwords edition

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes; This ebook is licensed for your own personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.. Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, King James Version. Copyright 1984, 1991 by AMG International, INC and the Living Bible Copyright 1971,1986 by Tyndale House Publishers INC

      Acknowledgment

      Many of the books I have written were either the result of an unexplained revelation, or because of the urging of one or more of my colleagues. This book came about because of the latter. The greatest privilege of any minister is to be blessed with friends. That privilege heightens when many of those friends are also your spiritual children.

      My wife and I have been blessed abundantly because of our own children and their spouses, Karen, Terri and Kevin, Marty and Nannette, Tony and Dalene, Kathleen and Bucky (Kathleen died suddenly from a blood clot in November of 2009).

      One of the greatest privileges of my life was organizing and taking part in the ordination of our son Tony who is following in my footsteps. No father could be prouder or more pleased than I am at his steady growth into a dedicated man of God.

      As if that blessing is not enough, the Lord has given me several spiritual sons and daughters for which I am eternally grateful. When it comes to spiritual children, Gordon Brown was the first, then Pastor Mickey Ellis, Dr. Dan and Debbie White (Dan has gone on to his Heavenly reward in 2007). His son, Pastor Daniel and Paula White, who call me their spiritual grampa, Dr. Robert and Linda Brogdon, Rev. Gary Tanner.

      There are others who might not claim me as their spiritual father, but I claim them. Travis Skelton from Northern Ireland, Pastor Trevor Pimlott, Pastor Graham Dacre, both from Norwich England, Pastor, Bishop Darrel Gooden, who is one of my best advertisements and close friends, as well as Pastor Randy Locke, Jim Connolly and Pastor Freddy Parham who are also some of my best friends.

      Then there is Jackie Sanders who served faithfully as my associate Pastor for five and a half years and in spite of me turning in my resignation and installing him as Pastor with no advance notice whatsoever, thirty-one years later, we are members of the Church which I saddled him with and we have remained close friends of he and his wife Beverly.

      As far as spiritual children are concerned, Dr. Vernon and Dr. Helene Beavers hold a very special place in our heart. Their dedication to the task made our special event in Northern Ireland this past year a tremendous success. Dr. Helene and her team also took the responsibility for organizing our special 50 year Ministerial anniversary event in February 2011, with tremendous success, with Ministers and friends coming from over twenty states and two foreign countries!

      Their sons, Tad and Jeremy, their wives and children are like our own. The covers on nearly e very book I have in print is because of the expertise of Dr. Helene and Tad. There are many reasons why they are at the head of the line, but the main reason has been their constant demonstration of love and concern as well as their influence which has served as the catalyst which ultimately resulted in my decision to write this particular book.

      Since this is an acknowledgment, I cannot leave out Maranda, a young lady that has been an indispensable part of our lives and ministry for nearly twelve years! My wife Sharon and I feel that Maranda was a gift from God who stepped in where Kathleen left off, to help us in the continuation of an integral part of our ministry in the school systems of the British Isles. We have jokingly remarked that it is slowly becoming Maranda and the Tharps, rather than the Tharp Family Ministries, but who knows?

      Since she joined us she has written two very good theology books and earned her Ba, Ma, and Doctorate of Ministry from Southern Bible. In 2007 her grandparents, Henry and Betty Howells, her father and mother David and Toni Howells, my wife Sharon and I had the privilege of ordaining Maranda in her home Church which Henry founded and where her father and mother now serve as Pastors, it was an honor she richly deserves.

      Dedication

      There are many friends who have had a very special place in our lives and ministry. My wife Sharon and I have been extremely blessed by a number of Pastors and Churches here in America, so I would like to include them in the dedication of this book.

      Thirty years ago we began our Schools Ministry in the British Isles and there are a number of Churches in England and Northern Ireland whose Pastors have also become like family to us. In the past few years our Ministry has also expanded into Southern Ireland.

      Although a few of our Pastor friends are fairly new acquaintances, most are those we have known and Ministered in their Churches for over a period of thirty-five years or more!

      My wife and I want to thank you all for so many wonderful years of friendship.

      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      1. Organize and Delegate; ABC’s of Church Growth

      2. First Things First

      3. Are You Serious?

      4. Staff Meetings

      5. Making Hard Decisions

      6. The Time Warp

      7. Communication Tools

      8. Text Messaging

      9. Time Is Of The Essence

      10. Sunday School

      11. To Bus Or Not To Bus?

      12. The Value Of Vacation Bible School

      13. Utilizing Valuable Lessons

      14. The Drawing Power Of Special Events

      15. Practice! Practice! Practice!

      16. Monday Night Rap Sessions

      17. Choirs And Orchestras

      18. Men and Women’s Clubs Or Fellowships

      19. Proper Attire; Just Old Fashioned, or Ordained?

      20. Keep in Contact; Do Not Assume, Communicate!

      21. A Sunday School Contest; Golf, Hospitals And

      Funeral Homes

      22. Senior Citizens; Does Anybody Care?

      23. Welcome Wagon; Home-baked Pies =New Members?

      24. Sacred Cows? Night Services

      25. 12 Church Growth Statistics To Help You Grow

      About the Author

      Introduction

      Contrary to popular belief there is no magical formula which will insure Church growth! It is an intangible quantity which is dependant on a wide spectrum of variables, not the least of which is often predicated on desire, dedication, hard work, patience and perseverance. Although there are instances in which personality has been the prime factor, unfortunately, Church growth through the means of a magnetic personality is much like the vapor that appears for a little season then vanishes away.

      Real Church growth cannot be successfully achieved and sustained without a hard-headed determination by all who are involved and a complete dedication to the task by the leaders who have been chosen or volunteered to assume the responsibility.

      Although Church growth has been relatively uncomplicated and extremely productive during the entire tenure of our own ministry in virtually every Church where I have served as the Senior Pastor, yet to undertake the writing of a Church growth manual is certainly not an easy task for a wide variety of reasons.

      For a start, it may seem a bit presumptuous of any Author, Minister or Pastor to suggest that they are capable of giving advice to someone else on the pathway or method which will achieve the desired results of Church growth. Since it seems that everybody has their own ideas of what is the most fruitful means to achieve success in building a thriving congregation, I have personally had misgivings about writing this book.

      However, if you are holding this book in your hand it will be extremely obvious to you that I have acquiesced to the urging of several Pastors and friends with whom I have had long term relationships, who not only encouraged but finally persuaded me to embark on this journey. It is certainly not because I think I have all the answers, but for the benefit of those who have found themselves in a quandary in regard to the need to find and explore new avenues and ideas which will help them along the pathway of achieving sustainable growth.

      If however, the concepts put forth in this manual fail to produce fruit for your particular circumstances, you have lost nothing but a few hours of consideration which will be required for you to peruse the pages of this book and a twenty dollar bill.

      Chapter 1

      Organize, Delegate And Equip!

      THE ABC’S OF CHURCH GROWTH

      The primary reason for the title to this opening chapter is simple, unless you are capable of trusting others with responsibility, you will place serious, debilitating limits on what you will be able to achieve. There are no successful Churches, youth groups, orchestras, choirs, men or women’s fellowships without trusting someone else to shoulder a portion of responsibility for the work load.

      A. The Church Office

      To begin with, there are no large or growing Churches on the planet who does not employ at least one full time secretary! The Pastor who attempts to program their own schedule, field and screen unnecessary and time wasting calls, create and keep a workable itinerary without a secretary for a buffer zone? Will also be the Pastor of a small, struggling congregation for the entire duration of their ministry!

      An efficient, godly, dedicated secretary will be of far more benefit to a Pastor than an associate Pastor, youth minister, or any other ministerial position you can imagine! Speaking from personal experience, the best and wisest investment a Pastor can make in the future growth of the Church is the acquisition of an efficient secretary!

      B. Six Absolutes

      1. NEVER consider someone who is simply a willing volunteer to assume that very important position, it would be a wiser and far less painful decision to simply take a gun and shoot yourself in the foot!

      2. NEVER hire a Church secretary who is not a dedicated Christian, or who is not a faithful member of the Church

      3. NEVER hire or use the dear sister who has nothing better to do, they should never be considered.

      4. NEVER hire a novice! The Church and the Church office is not a learning center, it requires professionalism.

      5. NEVER hire anyone who needs to utilize the Church office as a nursery or play ground for their children!

      6. NEVER hire a person simply to provide an activity for someone who feels the need to make better use of their time!

      Although there are a myriad of activities and programs in any growing Church which is dependant on the spirit of volunteerism, the Church office is not one of those places.

      C. The Pattern Set By The Early Church

      There is an unfortunate misnomer in many religious circles whose intent is to pattern themselves after the New Testament Church in the book of acts, assuming that everything was done strictly by the anointing or by divine directives.

      However, a closer study will create a far different picture than that. The early Church grew so rapidly that the Disciples quickly discovered the necessity to delegate;

      "And in those days, when the number of the Disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the Apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:1–7).

      D. Organize

      There are far too many people in the Church who are convinced that Christians become very un-Christian when they get organized! That kind of logic and attitude crystallizes one side of the long-running debate over Church polity. One extreme is someone who while affirming the power of Christ in the Church, would agree with that sentiment. Its proponents argue that the Church should reject formal organizational structure and just flow with the Spirit. They insist that whatever is organized cannot emanate from God!

      Although there is a number of Churches who would soundly reject the concept of Church membership, such a loose, disorganized model of the Church underestimates the weakness of the flesh and is totally inconsistent with the character of God.

      "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:33).

      Since all creation reflects the highly organized nature of its Creator, do you think it is possible that a disorderly concept is consistent with the thoughtful New Testament teaching on how the Church is to function?

      Some would structure the Church like a Fortune 500 corporation, complete with detailed organizational charts, job descriptions, boards, committees and subcommittees. I am certain that they sincerely hope the Holy Spirit will operate within the rigid framework which they have constructed.

      The very real problem which often accompanies that highly organized concept is that they will reject any bold, new proposals because; We have never done it that way before. This concept tends to underestimate the strength of the new nature and the power of the Spirit.

      For what it is worth, in my opinion both extremes are wrong! The Church is neither a highly contrived corporation nor is it a loose commune simply comprised of members of humanity, but it is an organism. It has both a systematic unity and an operative life principle! All members are connected to its living Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, yet just as living organisms require structure and organization to function, so does the Church.

      The early Church set the example of a living, interdependent organism. Their unity and power gave them a testimony that swept Jerusalem. Multitudes had come to faith in Jesus Christ and much to the chagrin of the religious leaders, no persecution or opposition from those Jewish authorities could stop the spread of the gospel. The love of the believer for each other, expressed in the sharing of material goods, had made a profound impact on the community. As a result, even unbelievers held the Church in high regard.

      "And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them" (Acts 5:12-13).

      The ability of the Apostle to delegate the responsibility of caring for the widows and orphans as well as waiting on tables and overseeing the finances, brought about an explosive growth of the Church! Surprisingly, that growth brought with it the need for further organization. The Church was apparently already somewhat organized for the Scriptures inform us that they knew the number of converts;

      "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).

      Obviously someone must have been keeping count because in Acts chapter four we are given what is for all practical purposes, the number of members who were in the fledgling Church at that moment in time;

      "Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand" (Acts 4:4).

      They not only met together in specific places and at specific times, we are informed that the believers met together for meals in private homes.

      "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness

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