Breakout Churches

Friday, December 16, 2005

Thom Rainer's most recent book, Breakout Churches, profiles thirteen congregations that moved from decline to significant growth. He got the idea from reading a book by Jim Collins, Good to Great. Collins' book was about companies that had struggled and broken out.

A dear friend, an elder in a church in California, has asked for my advice as they are searching for a new preacher. I think that church and every church looking for a new preacher needs to read Thom Rainer's book.

Rainer was asked to describe some of the factors that he found characterize the thirteen breakout churhes he profiled in his book. He said, "The number one characteristic that jumps out is that a Breakout Church had a breakout leader. ...We didn't find a breakout church unless we also had a breakout leader. ...I have found that the role of preaching is the number one correlated factor related to the evangelistic growth of the church, the conversion growth of the church."

I love preachers. I am a friend of preachers. But that love and friendship does not keep me from being truthful about them. The truth is that many of them can't "preach their way out of a paper bag." And they couldn't "lead a thirsty horse to water." It's sad, but true. Members find themselves leaving church on Sunday asking, "So what?" So my advice to elders is, pray a lot and go slow. God has the man out there for your church. Make sure he is God's man and not just yours.

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