George G. Hunter, III, The Apostolic Congregation: Church Growth Reconceived for a New Generation. Abingdon Press, 2009.
- Change Concepts and Theories
- Church Growth Philosophy
- Strategies for Church Renewal – Strategic Planning, Leader/Participatory
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is an excellent recasting of the church growth philosophy in the missional era. Hunter offers a healthy defense of principles such as attraction, relevance, reaching receptive people, target evangelism, change, strategic planning, etc. Also, the last chapter is a good discussion of change theory.
Hunter defines church growth, and then describes six types of growth it seeks to measure: internal, expansion, extension, bridging, catalytich, and proliferation. He offers two cases studies, Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan (Tim Keller) and Intuit Christian Movement of Northern Canada. He then surveys the kind of churches that are most effective in reaching pre-Christian people, highlighting their practices of cultural and emotional relevance, small groups, lay ministries, social network outreach, social conscience, etc. He expands on the emotional relevance principle, whereby churches convey “a religion of the heart,” supporting his insights with human emotion theory. This is followed by a description of the principles and practices of target evangelism, and the four practices that are effective in reaching pre-Christians: community, compassion, connections, and conversations. The final chapter discusses principles of leading change and strategic planning.
This is a substantive, well-researched volume, full of reference notes, etc. It is the new standard in understanding the principles of church growth.
From the Publisher
A church in the heart of Manhattan and a congregation among the Inuit people of Northern Canada would seem to have little in common with one another. Yet in one way they are surprisingly similar: They are both apostolic congregations, churches whose every program exists for the purpose of presenting the gospel to non-Christians, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.
What is the secret of churches like these; how have they learned to make evangelism central to everything they do? In studying apostolic congregations around the world, George G. Hunter III has discovered a set of perspectives and practices that they all share. With the passion and insight for which he is so well known, Hunter demonstrates how your congregation can learn to focus on the one thing that most matters: bringing people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
About the Author
George G. Hunter III is Distinguished Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He served as the founding dean of Asbury’s E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism. A sought-after speaker and workshop leader, he is one of the country’s foremost experts on evangelism and church growth. Professor Hunter is the author of To Spread the Power, How to Reach Secular People, Church for the Unchurched, Leading and Managing a Growing Church, Radical Outreach, Christian, Evangelical, and … Democrat?, and The Apostolic Congregation, all published by Abingdon Press.
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