May/June 09: Vital Church

For those whose passion is the health and the growth of the Church, the words of Jesus are enduring comfort: “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Generations have come and gone, facing challenges unimagined by their predecessors, and still the Church stands—Christ’s primary agent of transformation in each succeeding time and culture.

 

And yet by some estimates, as many as 4,000 American churches will shutter their doors this year. What is true of the eternally prevailing Church is not borne out in the experience of thousands of congregations that are ailing or worse, dying.

 

So that are the signs of health, the symptoms of sickness, the causes of death—and what is the prescription for strength? To find out, we talked with church-health experts, and we spoke with those living the challenges—sometimes in congregations that found their most significant measure of strength only after facing the worst.

 

The May/June issue brings their counsel—and for all who seek the Vital Church.

 

 

In This Issue

 

Vital Church

The Symptoms of a Struggling Church … and the Way to Recovery

 

Leaders Who Have Assisted Ailing Congregations Discuss How Churches Can Regain their Health—and Stay That Way

 

Vital Signs: This Is What a Healthy Church Looks Like

 

Stories of New Life: Pastors Share How Their Churches Rebounded from Hard Times

 

Missional Mergers: International Church Consultant Tom Bandy Explains the Essentials of Mission-Driven Mergers

 

Resource for Health: Books and Ministries to Help Your Church

 

The Outreach Interview: Dave Gibbons Is Convinced: The Way to Reach the Masses Is to Begin with the Marginalized

James P. Long
James P. Longhttp://JamesPLong.com

James P. Long was formerly the editor of Outreach magazine and the author of a number of books, including Why Is God Silent When We Need Him the Most?

Unbroken Faithfulness

As we face challenge and opposition in our contexts, let’s be encouraged to keep going with consistency, moral courage and confidence in the Scriptures as God’s Word for all time—including our time.

Derwin Gray: 4 Ways to Refill

If we attempt to provide for others without first being nourished ourselves, we burn out. We wound ourselves and others.

4 Foundations for Successful Church Planting

Fueled by the passion of a calling, having committed themselves in prayer, and by playing a long game of patience and persistence, successful church planters establish effective churches by walking in a manner worthy of the purpose to which they’ve been called.