Do you love your church and want to see it thrive?  
Are you keen to learn from someone whose own church has grown and started others too?  
Are you ready for the downsides as well as the inevitable joys?  
  
Ray Evans takes us on an interesting and exciting journey. He looks at the barriers to growth, as well as the hurdles of reorganization and structural changes that growing churches face. His findings are anchored in the Bible and the real world which we all inhabit.  
  
'Many have learned how to lead what they have,' says Ray, 'but they don't know how to take it forward. You don't see the glass ceilings until you crash into them, and the splinters bring pain everywhere.'  
  
In Ray, you will find a humble, wise and warm-hearted guide. This book will not only equip your church to grow, but will help prevent unnecessary disasters.

RAY EVANS

Introduction: a dangerous book?

When the going gets...

Right to be wary?

The journey ahead

The big picture

1. Recognize that size matters: the good and bad of small, medium, awkward and large churches

Small is beautiful

Small may not always be beautiful

So what are the negatives of small churches?

Small becoming something else

Medium-sized church bliss

But nothing stays the same

The A-sized church, with a grade 'D' for difficulty

Can big be beautiful too?

Large size, big problems

The takeaway

Discussion questions

2. Seek wisdom: thriving as the church grows and life gets complicated

Jethro's solution to Moses' problem

Wise leadership is good leadership

Three sides to leadership

Power, leadership and common grace

Wisdom about change

Leading change well

3. Act courageously: ensuring your church overcomes deadly peril

A vicious counter-attack on three fronts

Great leadership in action

Being part of the growing church

4. Overcome three practical limits: attendance, buildings and cash

Attendance

Buildings

Money, money, money

Leading through practical challenges

5. Rise to the challenge: handling multiple responsibilities

Learning from others

A mental map for church leaders

Going in the right direction

Individuals and leaders

Ministry and mission

6. Grow to maturity: helping disciples grow up into Christ

Large: growing disciples in growing churches

Small: growing mature by growing in a small group

Specialist help: giving focused encouragement

7. Serve in ministry: getting teams mobilized

The danger of the plateau

Wisdom that prevents plateauing

Organize teams

Train team leaders

Use CARE and SHAPE

Resourcing

Results

8. Reach out in mission: ‘Come and See’ creates wins for everyone

The gospel journey

The importance of an invite

'Come and See'

The journey to faith

Creating an invite culture

Three key lessons

Growth suggestions for churches of different sizes

9. Touch a community: ‘Care and Serve’ changes lives for ever

When good deeds meet evil practice

'Care and Serve'

Developing Deed ministry in a community

Connecting people to the gospel

Questions you may be asking

10. Transform a life: preparing everyone for ‘Go and Tell’

Man to man

Go-and-Tell principles

Preparing for Go and Tell

Go and Tell in practice, and in real life

11. Get ready to grow: the church becoming missional

On your marks

Getting ready...

And...grow!

Notes

Introduction

1. Recognize that size matters

2. Seek wisdom

3. Act courageously

4. Overcome three practical limits

5. Rise to the challenge

6. Grow to maturity

7. Serve in ministry

8. Reach out in mission

9. Touch a community

10. Transform a life

11. Get ready to grow

Ray Evans' wise and warm-hearted guide for churches - equip your church to grow whilst prevent unnecessary disasters

Introduction: A dangerous book?  
1\. Recognizing that size matters  
2\. Seek wisdom  
3\. Act courageously  
4\. Overcome three practical limits  
5\. Rise to the challenge  
6\. Grow in maturity  
7\. Serve in ministry  
8\. Reach out in mission  
9\. Touch a community  
10\. Transform a life  
11\. Get ready to grow

"As Ray talks about the problems that growing churches face I felt like he had been secretly spying on our leaders meetings! He gets it exactly right. As the long time minister of a growing church Ray has spotted accurately the problems that assail churches which grow to an awkward size and what makes them stall. With biblical wisdom and pithy insights from his own experience and plenty of practical advice that is driven and rooted in grace of Jesus, Ray suggests an actual system that you can use to plan for and navigate your church growing. My guess is that any leader of a church which is growing or wants to grow will think Ray has written this book for their exact problems." - Maurice McCracken, leader of Christ Church Liverpool since it began 10 years ago.

"Ray Evans rescues the issue of church growth from the 1980s and puts it firmly on the agenda of the third millennium church! It is biblical and practical, with lots of helpful insights for churches of all sizes. All readers interested in seeing gospel growth in their communities should read this book." - Stephen Gaukroger, Director of Clarion Trust International and author.

Ready Steady Grow

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