Effective Evangelistic Churches: A Review
by Doug Echols Vol. X, No. 2, February 1997
[Doug Echols is Minister of Youth and Education at Fort Trial BC, Bassett, and a recent graduate of Southeastern Seminary.]
With the vast number of church growth books flooding the market, it is refreshing to read a book like Effective Evangelistic Churches (Broadman & Holman, 231pp). The author, Thom Rainer, professor of evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, takes a look at 576 churches which lead the denomination in conversion growth. While many of the church growth books discuss "total church growth," Rainer focuses his attention on conversion growth. All the churches which he used for the study have a baptism ratio of 20:1 or better. This means that the churches were reaching at least one person for Christ for every twenty members. Another unique aspect of the book is the sizes of churches which he surveyed. The majority of church growth books center on "mega-churches" and their techniques, yet Rainer takes a look at churches of all sizes. In fact 38.2 percent of the churches have an average attendance of 100-299 members. With the use of a ten page survey and personal contacts, much of the book includes quotes from pastors who are on the front lines of winning the lost to Christ.
Rainer begins by discussing the top three most evangelistic methods which these churches use. Leading the list in effectiveness is preaching. These are sermons which are guided by the Bible. Of the various preaching styles which were given, nearly 75 percent of the pastors said they preach expository/textual messages, that is, the content and organization of the sermon are determined by the biblical passage.
The second leading factor in evangelism is prayer. Churches which are leading people to Christ believe in the power of prayer. Rainier discovered that churches which are fervently asking for souls are receiving evangelistic harvests. He also discovered that an upper room ministry is common in many evangelistic churches. This ministry offers organization and accountability to the prayer ministry. Rainer emphasizes: "While prayer was the second most important methodology for reaching people for Christ, in every other methodology -- preaching, Sunday School, ministries, etc. -- prayer was the underlying strength to the methodology."
The third leading contributor to evangelistic effectiveness is the appropriate use of Sunday School. Rainer discovered quality leadership, accountability, organization quality, and evangelistic intention as the keys to effective evangelistic Sunday Schools.
Two other important chapters which should spark interest are the issue of worship styles and the issue of assimilation. In a day which people are experimenting with various styles of worship, Rainer discovered that 44% use a traditional style, 21% use a contemporary/seeker style, and 31% use a blended style of worship. On assimilation, he does an excellent job at explaining how these evangelistic churches are able to keep 70 percent of their new converts. He breaks down the process into three categories: relationships, expectations, and involvement.
In a chapter which surveys the beliefs and attitudes of the pastors of these evangelistic churches, Rainer's survey confirmed Dean Kelley's 1972 book Why Conservative Churches Are Growing. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents described the Bible as the actual Word of God, completely and literally true. He also discovered that the majority of the pastors are mission-minded and are involved in social ministries that reach out to the lost.
There is much more that I could write about this book, but I would rather you read it for yourself. After recently graduating from Southeastern Seminary I have read many of the classic church growth books. I believe that this one will eventually be counted in that category. This should be required reading for all seminary students, pastors, and laymen who desire to see their churches grow. According to Matthew 28:19-20 our churches should be reaching the lost, and this book shows the reader what other churches are doing to be effective. You may not use all the ideas found in the book, but I guarantee you can adapt many of them to your church setting.