Critics of the church growth movement have often emphasized the need for quality congregations. We should not focus on numerical growth, but rather, we should concentrate on qualitative growth. Christian Schwarz has done extensive research world-wide and found that healthy, growing churches seem to share eight quality characteristics. These characteristics are: Empowering leadership Gift-oriented ministry Passionate spirituality Functional structures Inspiring worship service Holistic small groups Need-oriented evangelism Loving relationships Schwarz uses the illustration of a barrel with eight staves to symbolize the eight quality characteristics. The barrel can only hold water to the height of the lowest stave. So too, Schwarz argues, a church can only grow as far as their 'Minimum factor,' which is the lowest of the eight quality characteristics in their church. He challenges churches to resist the temptation to work on improving areas in which they already excel, for by doing this they do not increase their minimum factor or their church quality. This revised version of Natural Church Development now includes Schwarz's "3 Colors" teaching.

Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches

Christian A. Schwarz

Religion & Spirituality

ChurchSmart Resources

Pastors are quitting! Some leave for what they hope will be greener pastures in another church. Some drop out of ministry altogether. Why? The pressures of ministry are such that many pastors spend their days off simply trying to recover. When a fellow pastor was asked how thing were going in his ministry, his wry answer was 'It only hurts on Monday.' Evidence suggests pastors are moving or dropping out at an increasing rate. The Barna Research Group found that the average pastorate twenty years ago was about seven years in length but had dropped by 1993 to about four years. The authors have researched over 60 ex-pastors and their churches to discover some of the causes of this crisis in pastoral leadership. Topics include: burnout, professional isolation, inadequate education, unrealistic expectations, resistance to change, poor pastoral accountability, tight finances, personal loneliness, and spiritual warfare. Each chapter concludes with helpful and practical suggestions on what you can do to help your pastor have a longer and more fruitful ministry in your church.

It Only Hurts on Monday: Why Pastors Quit and What You Can Do about It

Gary L. McIntosh

Robert L. Edmondson

Christian Books & Bibles

Detailed implementation guide for the Natural Church Development Process.

Implementation Guide To Natural Church Development

The ABC's of Natural Church Development

Paradigm Shift in the Church speaks about nothing less than a reformation. Some critics suggested that this term sounds rather lofty. That may be true. But Christian Schwarz is convinced that we will make no significant progress in our churches without changes as radical as those of the Reformation. In the Introduction to this book Schwarz says, 'Every reformation movement is confronted with an opposing force known as 'orthodoxy'. This was true in the days of the 16th century Reformation (when the opponent was Roman Catholic orthodoxy); it was true in the days of the Pietistic revival in Europe (which was opposed by orthodox Protestants); and the same seems to apply to the different movements that fight for a reformation of their churches today.' This book presents the theological paradigm that is the foundation of the practical tools and concepts behind natural church development. Natural church development is not just one church growth method among many, it is a different theological paradigm altogether. It introduces a different way of thinking for Christians. You may be wondering, can we really experience something like a new reformation in our days? Yes, in many churches around the globe there are signs that this is far more than a vague hope.

Paradigm Shift in the Church: How Natural Church Development Can Transform Theological Thinking

Discovering your ministry identity: For teams, groups, or individuals : learning to be who you already are (Mobilizing spiritual gifts series)

Ford, Paul Richard

Empowering Leaders Through Coaching

Steven L. Ogne & Thomas P. Nebel

Releasing Your CHurch's Potential

Robert E. Logan & Thomas Clegg

The threefold art of experiencing God: The liberating power of trinitarian faith

Schwarz, Christian A.

Would you like to use your spiritual gifts to their full potential? The 3 Colors of Ministry presents a holistic approach to identifying and developing your spiritual gifts. It is based on the three dimensions of God's nature, for which the author has chosen the colors of green, red and blue. In addition to emphasizing the critical importance of using your gifts in an authentically trinitarian way, this book shows you where you most need to focus your energies in order to bring this kind of balance to your Christian service. The natural result will be increased effectiveness. A gift test is included with this resource.

The 3 Colors of Ministry : A Trinitarian Approach to Identifying and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the ChurchSmart Resources publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by ChurchSmart Resources