Growing a Healthy Church: Complete With Study Guide

"Sheep swapping." "Shuffling of the saints." Whatever you call it, many churches are growing only because Christians transfer from one church to another. What's more, many churches aren't growing at all.

The problem, according to Dann Spader and Gary Mayes, is that too many church calendars are filled with outdated, mediocre programs that have become more of a burden than a blessing. That, coupled with the fact that these programs minister almost exclusively to Christians, leaves little for the non-Christian "seeker" to get excited about.

Growing a Healthy Church is not a list of trendy new programs for your church agenda. It is a journey of rediscovery.

Spader and Mayes look closely at the four stages of spiritual growth in relation to outreach. Using the innovative "M-level" system, these gifted men show how a church can minister to all individuals, regardless of their levels of maturity in potential service.

Proven successful through SonLife and churches who have used this system, this resource will help you focus on the simplicity of Christ's ministry, enabling you to build an effective discipling strategy for your church.

DANN SPADER (Moody Bible Institute, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) has dedicated his life to disciple-making, teaching others how to take someone from seeker to making disciples themselves. More than 750,000 people in 90 plus countries have been trained to make disciples through organizations he has led. He is the Founder of Sonlife ministries and currently serves as President of Global Youth Initiative, an alliance of organizations in 95 countries committed to "equipping young leaders for movements of multiplication." He is also author of Walking As Jesus Walked and co-author of Growing a Healthy Church and The Everyday Commission, among other titles. For free online videos visit disciplemovement.com.

GARY MAYES is a former pastor of Faith Community Church in Santa Ana, California. He has also served as consultant and trainer with SonLife Ministries. He is co-author of the book Economic Evangelist: Helping People to Become Financially Literate!, How to Trust God, and Growing a Healthy Church. He and his wife, Margaret, have two children and reside in Santa Ana, California.