Vital Church Resources

Healthy Practices

Church Wellness: A Best Practices Guide to Nurturing Healthy Congregations by Tom Ehrich (2008, Church Publishing)

The Emotionally Healthy Church by Pete Scazzero (2003, Zondervan)

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase (2007, Abingdon)

Growth by Accident, Death by Planning: How NOT to Kill a Growing Congregation by Bob Whitesel (2004, Abingdon)

Intentional Ministry in a Not-So-Mega Church: Becoming a Missional Community by Dennis Bickers (2009, Beacon Hill)

It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It by Craig Groeschel (2008, Zondervan)

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever (2004, Crossway)

The Power of a Praying Church: Experiencing God Move As We Pray Together by Stormie Omartian and Jack Hayford (2009, Harvest House)

Seven Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley, Lane Jones and Reggie Joiner (2004, Multnomah)

Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger (2006, B&H)

So Beautiful: Divine Design for Life and the Church by Leonard Sweet (2009, David C. Cook)

Sticky Church by Larry Osborne (2008, Zondervan)

Together in Prayer: Coming to God in Community by Andrew R. Wheeler (2009, IVP Connect)

Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (2009, Crossway)

What Is a Healthy Church Member? by Thabiti Anyabwile (2008, Crossway)

What Is Your Church’s Personality? Discovering and Developing the Ministry Style of Your Church by Philip D. Douglass (2008, P&R)

Expect to Be Different

Avoiding interaction with the world will ensure not only that the world dies but that your church will too. This is the way salt works: it is either used proactively or it becomes destructive to the one who has it.

The Strengths of Smaller Healthy Churches

Small churches can create a family environment for disconnected people if they lean into the built-in intimacy they already have.

Dave Ferguson: Multiplying Leaders

Every leader needs to have an apprentice. Even the lead pastor, as you're thinking about what's next, you need to have an apprentice so you can put that person in that role and you can commission them to go.