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For many years, evangelical church leaders have been told that the key to seeing gospel growth is to “just be faithful”. In Growth and Change, Andrew Heard challenges this misconception head-on with wisdom from decades of ministry experience and deep theological reflection.
Richly biblical and heartfelt, this ground-breaking book confronts sacred cows, rejects easy answers and addresses the tensions felt by every leader who wants to proactively work for change while remaining absolutely committed to the word of God.
This is a must-read for every church leader committed to seeing the gospel of Jesus grow and bear fruit.
“I honestly believe this could prove to be one of the most important books (after the Bible, of course) for church leaders in our time.”—Richard Coekin
“How can we care about growing a church and not lose our theological moorings in the process? Andrew Heard shows us the way.”—Ed Stetzer
“Andrew Heard is well known and well trusted in Australia, his homeland. Now we pray that his influence may multiply exponentially around the world.”—D.A. Carson
“A stirring call to radically rethink our trellises for the sake of growing the vine.”—Tony Payne
“Every leader of a church or Christian organization should read this.”—Robert S. Kinney
Andrew Heard has been involved in Christian ministry for nearly 30 years. In 1996, together with his wife Cathie, he established a new church on the Central Coast of NSW, now called EV Church, where he serves as Lead Pastor. In 2005 he was elected as founding President of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. This association contains churches in most states of Australia, with more being added each year. In 2009 he became a founding director of Geneva Push, a church planting network that aims to see hundreds of new churches started around Australia. He is now Chairman of Reach Australia.
Growth and Change
This is such a provocative book. The premise is that we need to own some responsibility over the outcomes (not simply inputs) of our ministry. Andrew Heard challenges our idol of ‘just be faithful’ which, he says, is limiting our effectiveness in reaching the lost.
I found the tone of the book gentle but urgent.
This isn’t a how-to book, but a why-to book. Packed full of Scriptural quotations and theological reasoning, Andrew Heard models what he is advocating. This is a manifesto for theologically grounded, mission-minded and pragmatically diligent Christian ministry. Even if you might disagree with Andrew on a particular point of ecclesiological theory or ministry practice, the first-principles approach ensures its relevance and usefulness. A gospel goad to experienced ministers, and a useful training tool for leadership teams and ministry trainees.
—Mikey Lynch, Editorial Director for The Gospel Coalition Australia and AFES Hobart staff team leader.
EV is a direct reminder and demonstration of the power of Christ to work through a ministry team and grow both the number and passion of His disciples.
Very grateful to Andrew, Geoff and the team who brought it to publication. An easy read and very challenging both to lay people to follow and pastors to lead with an expectation of results.
Am sharing it with our pastoral team at an inner-Sydney Anglican church who already have a strong disciple-making focus as I believe it will both encourage existing efforts and help break through some remaining barriers.
May the Lord continue to bless your work and that of Matthias Media in publishing such excellent work.
The main point of this book is "to create a passion for growth and a heart that is willing to bear the pain of change" where "our passion for growth ... must express itself in a humble, sober and appropriate concern for numbers" but not for pride, but since the gospel / church is a lifeboat to a dying world!
Not at all pragmatic (except the last two chapters where he makes a challenging case for a 50 hour work week with one clear day of rest (starting the evening before)) but so helpful anyway. It's refreshing to read even while challenging me. Keen to see its impact in a month's time in how it has made me "change" even as a bible college student, ready for change for the rest of my ministry life.
Also helped me amidst discouragement about lack of fruit in evangelism. Thank God I am not called to be Isaiah, who preaches with no hope of a response. But the new covenant "This salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen. This is the age of reaping."
Highly recommend all Christian ministers / trainees read. Especially chapter 2, 8 & 10 (although all are very readable, doesn't take too long to read the whole book)
Details
ISBN | 9781922980137 |
Format | Book |
Series | |
Chapters | 13 |
Pages |
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