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When God Builds a Church
Pastor Bob Russell shares the ten principles upon which Southeast Christian Church, one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America, was founded. He shares not only the story of one of the most amazing churches in America, but also what your church can become if you follow the principles and allow God to build your church.
Can the church truly be the "city on a hill that cannot be hidden" that Jesus talked about in the Sermon on the Mount? Can it grow large enough to attract throngs of seekers and yet be loving enough to care for each individual that comes? Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian Church—one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America—says that it most certainly can. But it can only be done when we are submissive to God's will and allow Him to build that church. In the pages of this far-sighted, uncompromising book, Bob Russell and his son Rusty share the ten principles upon which this remarkable church was founded. Throughout the book, you will see God's mighty power at work in a church that began in 1962 with only 50 members and has now grown to over 14,000 and has become a bustling "city on a hill" whose beaming faith powerfully impacts its community and the world. This book shares not only the story of one of the most amazing churches in America but also the story of what your church can become as you follow these ten time-tested principles and allow God to build your church.
Can the church truly be the "city on a hill that cannot be hidden" that Jesus talked about in the Sermon on the Mount? Can it grow large enough to attract throngs of seekers and yet be loving enough to care for each individual that comes? Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian Church—one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America—says that it most certainly can. But it can only be done when we are submissive to God's will and allow Him to build that church. In the pages of this far-sighted, uncompromising book, Bob Russell and his son Rusty share the ten principles upon which this remarkable church was founded. Throughout the book, you will see God's mighty power at work in a church that began in 1962 with only 50 members and has now grown to over 14,000 and has become a bustling "city on a hill" whose beaming faith powerfully impacts its community and the world. This book shares not only the story of one of the most amazing churches in America but also the story of what your church can become as you follow these ten time-tested principles and allow God to build your church.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2000
24 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Bob Russell
68 books12 followersBOB RUSSELL At just twenty-two years of age, Bob became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church. That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired. Now through Bob Russell Ministries, Bob continues to preach at churches and conferences throughout the United States, provide guidance for church leadership, mentor other ministers and author Bible study videos for use in small groups. An accomplished author, Bob has written over one-dozen books.Bob and his wife Judy of 50 years have two married sons, Rusty and Phil. In his leisure time he enjoys playing golf and is an avid University of Louisville football and basketball fan.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 18, 2020
Read for my pastoral ministry class with Dr Hershael York.
Bob Russell brought a gathering of Christians in a basement to a mega church campus of over 16 000 “members”. Southeast Christian Church is in Louisville, KY, USA.
I am quite surprised we had to read this. There certainly were some good nuggets here and there but otherwise it was far too anti-intellectual, overly pragmatic, hints at prosperity theology, and in some places the practices resorted to shaming and guilting.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think you should read this book. It is much easier to get these nuggets elsewhere without the rest of the nonsense one needs to digest in this book.
Bob Russell brought a gathering of Christians in a basement to a mega church campus of over 16 000 “members”. Southeast Christian Church is in Louisville, KY, USA.
I am quite surprised we had to read this. There certainly were some good nuggets here and there but otherwise it was far too anti-intellectual, overly pragmatic, hints at prosperity theology, and in some places the practices resorted to shaming and guilting.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think you should read this book. It is much easier to get these nuggets elsewhere without the rest of the nonsense one needs to digest in this book.
January 20, 2025
If you’re dead set on mega church ministry, this book is solid. It seriously isn’t bad, but my philosophy of church growth and spread fundamentally disagrees with his.
In my opinion, the term “church plant” needs to be added to this book in order to make it a 4 or 5 star review.
In my opinion, the term “church plant” needs to be added to this book in order to make it a 4 or 5 star review.
April 25, 2025
Rating: 3.5☆
Blurb Review: It's refreshing to read a book from a megachurch pastor who hasn't abandoned the Bible or solid doctrine and practice! This book is not revolutionary and likely won't say anything that you don't already know and believe, but it's full of good reminders and practical tips on basic practices for churches hoping to grow.
Theological Accuracy: 4☆
Nothing that I explicitly disagree with, but it's not too risky in any of its claims!
Theological Depth: 3☆
Solid, but not really going for theological depth. This is a good overview of basic biblical principles that contribute to church growth.
Relevance for Life/Ministry: 3.5☆
Many good tips, nothing revolutionary.
Overall Investment/Engagement: 3.5☆
Long chapters made it a bit hard to get through at times - especially for discussion with our leadership board.
Writing/Readability: 4☆
It's very engaging writing with lots of stories, examples, and humour.
***
Nonfiction Review Rubric:
Theological Accuracy Ratings: 5☆ = 3-tier alignment (total agreement) / 4☆ = 2-tier alignment (major agreement) / 3☆ = 1-tier alignment (agreement in essentials) / 2☆ = problematic / 1☆ = false teacher/heresy
Theological Depth Ratings: 5☆ = rich treasure / 4☆ = greatly rewarding / 3☆ = solid teaching / 2☆ = spiritual basics / 1☆ = inch-deep
Relevance Ratings: 5☆ = transformative / 4☆ = genuinely practical / 3☆ = informative / 2☆ = eat the meat, spit the bones / 1☆ = not applicable at all
Engagement Ratings: 5☆ = captivating / 4☆ = drew me in / 3☆ = neutral / 2☆ = pretty dry / 1☆ = downright boring
Readability Ratings: 5☆ = masterful / 4☆ = really good / 3☆ = average / 2☆ = mediocre / 1☆ = awful
Blurb Review: It's refreshing to read a book from a megachurch pastor who hasn't abandoned the Bible or solid doctrine and practice! This book is not revolutionary and likely won't say anything that you don't already know and believe, but it's full of good reminders and practical tips on basic practices for churches hoping to grow.
Theological Accuracy: 4☆
Nothing that I explicitly disagree with, but it's not too risky in any of its claims!
Theological Depth: 3☆
Solid, but not really going for theological depth. This is a good overview of basic biblical principles that contribute to church growth.
Relevance for Life/Ministry: 3.5☆
Many good tips, nothing revolutionary.
Overall Investment/Engagement: 3.5☆
Long chapters made it a bit hard to get through at times - especially for discussion with our leadership board.
Writing/Readability: 4☆
It's very engaging writing with lots of stories, examples, and humour.
***
Nonfiction Review Rubric:
Theological Accuracy Ratings: 5☆ = 3-tier alignment (total agreement) / 4☆ = 2-tier alignment (major agreement) / 3☆ = 1-tier alignment (agreement in essentials) / 2☆ = problematic / 1☆ = false teacher/heresy
Theological Depth Ratings: 5☆ = rich treasure / 4☆ = greatly rewarding / 3☆ = solid teaching / 2☆ = spiritual basics / 1☆ = inch-deep
Relevance Ratings: 5☆ = transformative / 4☆ = genuinely practical / 3☆ = informative / 2☆ = eat the meat, spit the bones / 1☆ = not applicable at all
Engagement Ratings: 5☆ = captivating / 4☆ = drew me in / 3☆ = neutral / 2☆ = pretty dry / 1☆ = downright boring
Readability Ratings: 5☆ = masterful / 4☆ = really good / 3☆ = average / 2☆ = mediocre / 1☆ = awful
September 23, 2024
This was another seminary read!
Bob Russell is a good brother that led Southeast Christ Church through one of the most beautiful revitalization stories I have ever seen.
If you love church revitalization; this volume may be worth your bookshelf for the little paragraph stories about the members of the church.
Bob Russell is a faithful Christian, but not likeminded ecclesiologically. If someone is looking to see how God builds a church, they should not read this book.
Bob Russell is a good brother that led Southeast Christ Church through one of the most beautiful revitalization stories I have ever seen.
If you love church revitalization; this volume may be worth your bookshelf for the little paragraph stories about the members of the church.
Bob Russell is a faithful Christian, but not likeminded ecclesiologically. If someone is looking to see how God builds a church, they should not read this book.
November 16, 2023
A truly, worthwhile, amazing read! So much great advice - well documented, well presented and full of scriptural advice on how to build a church with people wholly and completely "all in".
Bob Russell, with Rusty Russell, sets out an Bible-inspired, easy, clear, understandable guide for leaders in all areas of worship to build a church with excellence - a church which 'exists to evangelize the lost, edify the saved, minister to the needs of others, and be a conscience in the community'.
I would recommernd this book to each and every member of any church body, as each and every member is an integral part of the body.
Bob Russell, with Rusty Russell, sets out an Bible-inspired, easy, clear, understandable guide for leaders in all areas of worship to build a church with excellence - a church which 'exists to evangelize the lost, edify the saved, minister to the needs of others, and be a conscience in the community'.
I would recommernd this book to each and every member of any church body, as each and every member is an integral part of the body.
September 25, 2012
Bob Russell's book, When God Builds A Church is just what you're hoping it will be. The story of Southeast Christian Church is a pretty surprising one: an unlikely group - a basement congregation of fifty that explodes to over 16,000 members today, an unlikely place - in Louisville, Kentucky of all places, and unlikely leaders a country boy preaching in a city church, elders who are CEOs and farming men. These are the unlikely odds that make the title read true. Only God can do what's been done at Southeast.
In his book, Bob offers 10 principles that will lead to a dynamic church, one that grows with enthusiasm and maturity. Thankfully, none of the 10 principles are trendy, personal invention or habits that only fit certain traditions. Instead, all 10 are basic Bible-based principles of the church as God intended. Each principle is laced with scripture, and when Bob gives opinions, he is quick to point out that's what it is, not trying to fool you that he's god.
Published in 2000, some of the illustrations and quips are dated. Even some of the practical suggestions sound dated, but dated is not outdated. With each principle, Bob offers a handful of practices that should be applicable to all churches (red flag if they aren't!), including suggestions for protecting the church from embezzlement, how to structure the leadership, how to recruit volunteers and how to write a great illustration that communicates the truth.
When God Builds A Church should be required reading for all staff and leadership. In addition, it's a good book to revisit from time to time as you check up on your church's Biblical health. Be inspired. Be encouraged. Be accountable. Be the church.
In his book, Bob offers 10 principles that will lead to a dynamic church, one that grows with enthusiasm and maturity. Thankfully, none of the 10 principles are trendy, personal invention or habits that only fit certain traditions. Instead, all 10 are basic Bible-based principles of the church as God intended. Each principle is laced with scripture, and when Bob gives opinions, he is quick to point out that's what it is, not trying to fool you that he's god.
Published in 2000, some of the illustrations and quips are dated. Even some of the practical suggestions sound dated, but dated is not outdated. With each principle, Bob offers a handful of practices that should be applicable to all churches (red flag if they aren't!), including suggestions for protecting the church from embezzlement, how to structure the leadership, how to recruit volunteers and how to write a great illustration that communicates the truth.
When God Builds A Church should be required reading for all staff and leadership. In addition, it's a good book to revisit from time to time as you check up on your church's Biblical health. Be inspired. Be encouraged. Be accountable. Be the church.
August 8, 2015
Church leaders go to conferences hoping to discover some unique gimmick that will jump-start their church. But what works in one culture may not work in another. What one church adapts as positive change may be a source of division in another. You cant fight Goliath wearing Saul's armour. You cant minister with someone else's style. You have to be yourself and adapt to the culture around you. Remember the secret ingredients are the principles themselves, not the applications (p6).
Proclaiming God's word as truth and applying it to people's lives (CHAP 1) is of the utmost importance: Balance strong stands with God's grace (p27-30), apply the truth not just for Sunday ministry but for Monday's work (p31-32), illustrate the application with real life anecdotes (p33-35).
CHAP 2 Greg the worship leader was hired not because he could sing but because of his integrity, sincerity and personality qualified him in a special way to lead people to worship God (p40).
This controversy over the format and style of worship service causes more division than all other possible issues - doctrine, philosophy of ministry, character of the leaders, finances - combined. It is a misunderstanding about 2 legitimate and biblical sides of worship - formal, liturgical backgrounds used to an emphasis on the "reverence and awe" side of worship; charismatics more accustomed to the emphasis on the joy of worship (p45).
Authentic worship is characterized both a spirit of awe and a spirit of joy (p46). 4 expectations from worship (p48-51):
1. A sense of God's presence
2. A conviction of our sinfulness
3. A joyful reminder of God's grace
4. The inspiration to serve
Volunteers in the worship department were asked to take a sabbatical while working through personal problems or discontinue serving because of character issues (if a person doesn't have his personal life in order, he shouldn't be in front of 100s of people trying to lead them to worship a holy God; p53-4).
People who want to share their testimony in church are required to submit a written draft (p60). This boosts their confidence with encouragement and ensure that what they plan to say is doctrinal, authentic (not exaggerated), dignified (not crass) and reverent.
Worship leaders are reminded not to manipulate (p61-62): most people feel comfortable turning to the people around them, shaking hands, and saying hello. But it becomes awkward to rub some stranger's shoulders and say a cute phrase like "you look like Jesus today," or "I love you in the Lord". The fact that people feel uncomfortable doing such things, or going through a "repeat after me" routine, doesnt mean they're unspiritual. To them, such behaviour is inauthentic. Nobody likes to be forced into doing something that's uncomfortable. Similarly for pastors, it takes the form of manipulating people into walking down the aisle; if you have to have to beg them to join, you'll have to beg them to stay (p62-63).
(Half-joking) If we do not like singing new songs, we are going to have a hard time enjoying heaven (p65; God has commanded us to sing a new song; Ps 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Rev 5:9; 14:3).
CHAP 3 Leaders are to watch out for the dangers of Boyle's Law: If not controlled, work will flow to the most competent person until he is swamped. Small leaders will feel threatened by a loss of power but distinctive leaders trust their colleagues and rely on Christ to be the head of the church. They realise that it's impossible to reach maximum growth potential without responsibility (p87-88).
When the Senior Pastor retires and the church does better, that would be a tribute to the foundation he had helped to lay (p90).
Develop a quality ministry staff by:
A. Hiring the right person (p91-92) - Nothing will take more of your time and energy than hiring the wrong person. It's easier to train a person of character to do the job you want him or her to do than to turn a talented person into someone who is trustworthy.
B. Demand purity (p92) - Ministry guidelines - (1) No repeated counselling sessions with a member of the opposite sex. (2) No travelling alone with a member of the opposite sex. (3) No lunch meetings with member of the opposite sex. (4) Beware of "holy hugs" and careless touching.
C. Deal with a poor worker wisely (p92-93) - If the problem is a moral issue, it must be dealt with immediately. But if a staff member simply has a lack of ability or a poor work ethic, be wise. Think first of the minister's future. If possible, allow the staff to continue working for several months while he looks for a new position. Be gracious and give him every opportunity to leave with dignity.
D. Have an annual staff retreat (p93)
E. Encourage family commitment (p94) - Ministry is never done; it's a 24h/day commitment. If you win dozens of people to Christ and your marriage falls apart or your kids fall away, then you have neglected your primary ministry and harmed your effectiveness for the future. In 2 Tim 5:8, Paul was not talking solely about financial provision, but that we have a spiritual obligation to our family. Encourage staff to take proper breaks for family time and remind them that family is a priority and be understanding when they need family time.
F. Develop esprit de corps (p95) - Not much gets accomplished in meetings and most of them are a waste of time. Perhaps the greatest benefit of regular staff meetings is fellowship. Just as children are impacted by the way their parents treat one another, church members are affected by how their ministers treat each other. Do what you can to develop a sense of harmony and camaraderie among the staff.
Encourage leadership among the leaders by:
A. The NT elder was supposed to do 5 things (p96): preach (1 Tim. 5:17); teach (3:2); shepherd, guiding and protecting of the flock (Acts 20:28); pray effectively, especially for the sick (Jas. 5:14); provide for the needy, with special attention to the widows and orphans (Acts 4:35; Jas. 1:27). However, the modern church asks elders to do 5 things: attend church Sunday morning, attend church Sunday night, attend church Wednesday night, give a generous offering, and attend board meetings. A person shouldn't be ordained as an elder simply because he's paid his dues for a number of years and you feel obligated to reward him with a leadership role.
B. Encourage elders to get to know one another (p97) - if elders see each other only in meetings, they see the worst or the most intense side of each other. Your elders need to get to know and love one another. That happens much more naturally if they are spending time together on a casual basis.
C. Find tangible ways for the eldership to support the staff (p98) - at nearly every monthly elder's meeting, staff are invited to come to the meeting and share what is happening in their ministry. Elders listen to the report, rejoice together over what God is doing, encourage them, ask them if they have any prayer requests and then lay hands upon in prayer. Staff walk away lifted up instead of beaten down. The elders are given a different perspective from which to view each ministry.
Develop your own leadership qualities by:
A. Living an authentic life (p99) - St Francis, "preach the gospel; if necessary, use words." Your life and the lives of the leaders of your congregation preach a much louder sermon than anything said from the pulpit. People want to know if who you are is consistent with what you say.
B. Take time off for spiritual development and rest (p100) - Take vacation time that your church has offered. Don't abuse the privileges that the church has given, be serious about spending time "sharpening the saw," revitalising yourself physically and spiritually.
C. Be accountable to someone (p100-1) - Charles Swindoll polled ministers he counselled who had ruined their ministries because of moral failure and without exception the men were accountable to no one. Find someone who loves you enough to ask the difficult question: How is your marriage? Are you growing spiritually? Is the ministry going well? Is there anything you need to confess?
D. Love your family (p102) - You have the opportunity to personally grow in Christ and to set a wonderful example for your church by genuinely loving your closest neighbours - your family. People in ministry think they have the most important job in the world. but there is a job that's more important - a role that only you can fill - the role you have in your own family.
E. Stretch yourself (p102) - People reach the pinnacle of success by the world's standards and become bored because the challenges over. If you are stagnating spiritually, perhaps God is preparing your heart for a new challenge. Consider what it could be that God is leading you to do: start a new ministry, go on a mission trip, start a building project, take a staff retreat, enroll in seminary.
CHAP 4 Russell paints a painfully cringe-worthy but accurate picture of enduring church services run with a spirit of mediocrity (p110-1). A survey showed that almost half of 14000 Southeast members came at the invitation of a friend - that reason alone outweighed all the other reasons combined (p113).
When mistakes happen, it becomes the leaders' job to constantly hold people accountable and remind them why we are striving for excellence, that someone shouldn't be a church member who just likes to complain. Longtime employees/volunteers should be given some space to make some corrections on their own, but carelessness shouldn't be tolerated. New employees/volunteers need to be tactfully but clearly confronted the first time the standard of excellence is not achieved. They are more likely to step up their efforts when they realise the standard that is expected of them before they get into the habit of doing things haphazardly (p118).
If you strive for excellence, be prepared for disappointment. Being committed to excellence doesn't produce pride - it breeds humility, because there is a frequent sense of failure. You never measure up to the picture of perfection that you have in your mind (p119).
If a new program wont help us with our primary mission or that we couldnt do it with excellence, we won't do it. Don't do an activity simply because you've always done it. Sometimes if you give an idea a decent burial, somebody more capable may resurrect it later and have more success (p121).
It is not easy to communicate the truth to people who think they're gifted when they're not. Someone in leadership has to be decisive and bold. People who need to hear the truth need to have the proper amount of humility or their ego is bound to be wounded. If they have an ego problem, you didn't want them leading the congregation anyway. Gently and lovingly explain your desire to help them evaluate their gifts and help the church do things with excellence. Channel them to another ministry where they can be more effective in helping the Body of Christ. Members appreciate leaders' wise stewardship of the church's resources, even though they also appreciate seeing God's work done with class and excellence (p123).
CHAP 5 Visionaries vs Administrators (p140-141) - Strong tendency in most churches to let the administrator have the most influence. He sounds practical, warns of failure, promises security if we just keep the status quo, knows all the horror stories of those churches that tried it and later regretted it. The visionary can eventually get smothered and become discouraged and fade into the shadows as the administrator confidently leads the church into mediocrity. If your church is going to step out in faith, you must have visionaries among your leaders, and they must be encouraged to keep dreaming. The visionary has a sense of timing, momentum, and available resources. If the church is to make any progress, the administrator has to be willing to go along at some points, to take the risk, and step out in faith. Then it is usually the administrator who takes the action, organizes the work, and sees that commitments are fulfilled so that the vision is successfully realised.
Results of walking by faith:
A. Generates enthusiasm (p142) - "let's try something so big that if God isn't in it, we will fail. Big goals create excitement. Can God do it through us? The enthusiasm mounts as we near the goal. Everyone wants to be a part of accomplishing something that's never been done before.
B. Stimulates prayer (p143) - If your goal is to move a molehill, you won't have much incentive to pray. You can do that with human effort. but mountainous goals will motivate you to go to your knees and seek an outpouring of God's grace (Matt 17:20). A bold faith produces big challenges, stimulate prayer and results in miracles.
C. Motivates sacrifice (p143) - People respond to an inspiring challenge. I've seen people sacrifice hours of their time and thousands of dollars to help the church reach its goals.
D. Produces harmony (p145) - Soldiers in the barracks will bicker and fight with one another. but soldiers on the battlefield stand united because they need each other. One of the reasons Christians often bicker among themselves is that there is no challenging goal that binds them together. A church that is arguing over traditions has forgotten its vision.
CHAP 6 In Jesus' prayer the night before he was crucified, he prayed for harmony (John 17:21). It's a farce for the church to tell the world we have the solution to strife when we are fighting among ourselves (p150).
Threats to harmony:
1. False teaching (p151) - liberal theology that disregards biblical principles
2. Legalistic spirit (p153-6) - the legalist has no tolerance for disagreement. Every proposed change is seen as a threat to stability and will be vehemently opposed. He imagines he is standing for truth, when he is usually guarding his precious traditions. It is wrong to allow the legalist to dictate the direction of the church, to bind the church in slavery to traditions by claiming that certain activities or styles or music are sinful when they are clearly not (cf. Rom 14; Gal 5). Accommodate them without allowing them to run the church by: (i) understanding people's natural resistance to change, (ii) determining if issue is scriptural or traditional. Russell cites the example of an old lady making a fuss about a Saturday night service (when the Sabbath is actually Sat in Scripture), (iii) change slowly but consistently (eg. instead of throwing out all hymns and sing all choruses, keep the hymns and introduce a chorus); adopt a long-range plan and be patient, (iv) realistically count the cost (how many people are likely to get offended or leave as a result of the change; beware that your own spiritual pride or desire for change to become a stumbling block by causing division in the church)
3. Criticism (p156-7) - Constant, vicious criticism dampens the enthusiasm, stifles creativity, discourages leadership, quenches the spirit of the church. Know when to confront criticism and when to ignore it. Even Jesus couldn't keep everybody happy and warned against those who worked too hard to please everyone.
4. Uncontrolled ego (p158-60) - The no. 1 cause of division in churches today is pride. People become proud of their influence and status, so when you threaten their little seat of power, they will come out fighting. Unity requires humility. It doesnt matter who gets the credit as long as the job gets done. That takes gentleness, patience and effort.
Steps to harmony:
1. Be flexible (p160) - The older people dont demand, "we're not going to do it that way because we've done it that way before."
2. Develop a sense of humour (p163) - A healthy, genuine sense of humour can smooth over hurt feelings, relax tense moods, and make bitter pills of confrontation easier to swallow.
3. Respect the leaders (Heb 13:17; p164-5) - Staff and congregation must submit to the elders' authority; as long as shepherds are consistent with Scripture, the flock is to respect their guidance; elders must trust the staff's leadership.
4. Avoid controversy (Ti 3:9; p165-7) - Eg. Millennial views; sovereignty and free will. They accomplish nothing and are potentially divisive.
5. Confront divisive people (Ti 3:10; Matt 18:15-17; p168) - Be willing to take dramatic action not only because it is the loving thing to do for the individual, but also because the harmony of the church is so crucial.
6. Practice servanthood (p169) - Get the congregation to think more of others than they do of themselves.
7. Be quick to forgive (p170-1)
CHAP 7 In a small church, the preacher and a handful of volunteers do most of the work, often exhausted and near the point of burnout. If you dont learn to motivate and hand over responsibility to others effectively, you might be able to oversee more than 200 people (p176).
New-member minister Les Hughes teaches a 4h course several times a year called "Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts." Les discusses the spiritual gifts listed in the NT, has class members take a personality profile, write about their spiritual journey, answer questions about their spiritual passion, and take a test to discover their own spiritual gifts. Two reasons to involve people in their area of giftedness (p180-1):
1. The ministry will be more effective - Whom would you rather have teaching your 5year-old - the person who loves kids and has the spiritual gift of teaching or the person who begrudgingly agreed to do it because someone laid a guilty trip on him? Would you rather have as your song leader the only person brave enough to get up there or the person who is gifted at music?
2. The chance for burnout is greatly reduced - When we are doing a task we hate, we get easily tired, count the days until it's over, and are relieved when we can quit. When we are doing a task we love, we're energized, the time flies by, and we hate to see it end.
Volunteer Recruitment Day: In the weeks leading up, sermons are preached on the topic of service. On recruitment Day, Spiritual Gifts Test is printed along with description of service opportunities, then a special prayer time, after which we encourage everyone to fill out a card for a 1 year service commitment. Every ministry is then responsible for contacting, enlisting, and training the volunteers. This approach has several obvious benefits (p181-3):
1. People realise the need - when each ministry need is presented at the same time, it's easy to see how many volunteers are needed, and people are more likely to respond.
2. Volunteers can choose the ministry that best utilises their gifts - a potential volunteer is less likely to sign up for a ministry and then discover they were better suited for something else.
3. Volunteers are more likely to commit to a 1 year task - church leaders often make the mistake of recruiting someone for a challenging task and then expecting them to perform it indefinitely. Volunteers doing the same tasks for years are asked to recommit each year. Then they now they're still needed and feel more appreciated. They're less likely to feel taken for granted if they know they can release themselves for the responsibility at the end of the year.
4. The entire congregation gets involved - it unites the congregation in an effort to accomplish something, much like a fund drive or attendance drive. The information about each department reaches the entire congregation. A grandmother who seldom pays attention to the nursery because she no longer has children there may suddenly be made aware of a need for nursery workers and willingly volunteer.
Offer different levels of responsibility (p183)- The new member with little knowledge of the church needs some opportunities to serve. And so does the person who just became part of your church after moving from another state where he was an elder.
First decide the objectives, then recruit
Proclaiming God's word as truth and applying it to people's lives (CHAP 1) is of the utmost importance: Balance strong stands with God's grace (p27-30), apply the truth not just for Sunday ministry but for Monday's work (p31-32), illustrate the application with real life anecdotes (p33-35).
CHAP 2 Greg the worship leader was hired not because he could sing but because of his integrity, sincerity and personality qualified him in a special way to lead people to worship God (p40).
This controversy over the format and style of worship service causes more division than all other possible issues - doctrine, philosophy of ministry, character of the leaders, finances - combined. It is a misunderstanding about 2 legitimate and biblical sides of worship - formal, liturgical backgrounds used to an emphasis on the "reverence and awe" side of worship; charismatics more accustomed to the emphasis on the joy of worship (p45).
Authentic worship is characterized both a spirit of awe and a spirit of joy (p46). 4 expectations from worship (p48-51):
1. A sense of God's presence
2. A conviction of our sinfulness
3. A joyful reminder of God's grace
4. The inspiration to serve
Volunteers in the worship department were asked to take a sabbatical while working through personal problems or discontinue serving because of character issues (if a person doesn't have his personal life in order, he shouldn't be in front of 100s of people trying to lead them to worship a holy God; p53-4).
People who want to share their testimony in church are required to submit a written draft (p60). This boosts their confidence with encouragement and ensure that what they plan to say is doctrinal, authentic (not exaggerated), dignified (not crass) and reverent.
Worship leaders are reminded not to manipulate (p61-62): most people feel comfortable turning to the people around them, shaking hands, and saying hello. But it becomes awkward to rub some stranger's shoulders and say a cute phrase like "you look like Jesus today," or "I love you in the Lord". The fact that people feel uncomfortable doing such things, or going through a "repeat after me" routine, doesnt mean they're unspiritual. To them, such behaviour is inauthentic. Nobody likes to be forced into doing something that's uncomfortable. Similarly for pastors, it takes the form of manipulating people into walking down the aisle; if you have to have to beg them to join, you'll have to beg them to stay (p62-63).
(Half-joking) If we do not like singing new songs, we are going to have a hard time enjoying heaven (p65; God has commanded us to sing a new song; Ps 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Rev 5:9; 14:3).
CHAP 3 Leaders are to watch out for the dangers of Boyle's Law: If not controlled, work will flow to the most competent person until he is swamped. Small leaders will feel threatened by a loss of power but distinctive leaders trust their colleagues and rely on Christ to be the head of the church. They realise that it's impossible to reach maximum growth potential without responsibility (p87-88).
When the Senior Pastor retires and the church does better, that would be a tribute to the foundation he had helped to lay (p90).
Develop a quality ministry staff by:
A. Hiring the right person (p91-92) - Nothing will take more of your time and energy than hiring the wrong person. It's easier to train a person of character to do the job you want him or her to do than to turn a talented person into someone who is trustworthy.
B. Demand purity (p92) - Ministry guidelines - (1) No repeated counselling sessions with a member of the opposite sex. (2) No travelling alone with a member of the opposite sex. (3) No lunch meetings with member of the opposite sex. (4) Beware of "holy hugs" and careless touching.
C. Deal with a poor worker wisely (p92-93) - If the problem is a moral issue, it must be dealt with immediately. But if a staff member simply has a lack of ability or a poor work ethic, be wise. Think first of the minister's future. If possible, allow the staff to continue working for several months while he looks for a new position. Be gracious and give him every opportunity to leave with dignity.
D. Have an annual staff retreat (p93)
E. Encourage family commitment (p94) - Ministry is never done; it's a 24h/day commitment. If you win dozens of people to Christ and your marriage falls apart or your kids fall away, then you have neglected your primary ministry and harmed your effectiveness for the future. In 2 Tim 5:8, Paul was not talking solely about financial provision, but that we have a spiritual obligation to our family. Encourage staff to take proper breaks for family time and remind them that family is a priority and be understanding when they need family time.
F. Develop esprit de corps (p95) - Not much gets accomplished in meetings and most of them are a waste of time. Perhaps the greatest benefit of regular staff meetings is fellowship. Just as children are impacted by the way their parents treat one another, church members are affected by how their ministers treat each other. Do what you can to develop a sense of harmony and camaraderie among the staff.
Encourage leadership among the leaders by:
A. The NT elder was supposed to do 5 things (p96): preach (1 Tim. 5:17); teach (3:2); shepherd, guiding and protecting of the flock (Acts 20:28); pray effectively, especially for the sick (Jas. 5:14); provide for the needy, with special attention to the widows and orphans (Acts 4:35; Jas. 1:27). However, the modern church asks elders to do 5 things: attend church Sunday morning, attend church Sunday night, attend church Wednesday night, give a generous offering, and attend board meetings. A person shouldn't be ordained as an elder simply because he's paid his dues for a number of years and you feel obligated to reward him with a leadership role.
B. Encourage elders to get to know one another (p97) - if elders see each other only in meetings, they see the worst or the most intense side of each other. Your elders need to get to know and love one another. That happens much more naturally if they are spending time together on a casual basis.
C. Find tangible ways for the eldership to support the staff (p98) - at nearly every monthly elder's meeting, staff are invited to come to the meeting and share what is happening in their ministry. Elders listen to the report, rejoice together over what God is doing, encourage them, ask them if they have any prayer requests and then lay hands upon in prayer. Staff walk away lifted up instead of beaten down. The elders are given a different perspective from which to view each ministry.
Develop your own leadership qualities by:
A. Living an authentic life (p99) - St Francis, "preach the gospel; if necessary, use words." Your life and the lives of the leaders of your congregation preach a much louder sermon than anything said from the pulpit. People want to know if who you are is consistent with what you say.
B. Take time off for spiritual development and rest (p100) - Take vacation time that your church has offered. Don't abuse the privileges that the church has given, be serious about spending time "sharpening the saw," revitalising yourself physically and spiritually.
C. Be accountable to someone (p100-1) - Charles Swindoll polled ministers he counselled who had ruined their ministries because of moral failure and without exception the men were accountable to no one. Find someone who loves you enough to ask the difficult question: How is your marriage? Are you growing spiritually? Is the ministry going well? Is there anything you need to confess?
D. Love your family (p102) - You have the opportunity to personally grow in Christ and to set a wonderful example for your church by genuinely loving your closest neighbours - your family. People in ministry think they have the most important job in the world. but there is a job that's more important - a role that only you can fill - the role you have in your own family.
E. Stretch yourself (p102) - People reach the pinnacle of success by the world's standards and become bored because the challenges over. If you are stagnating spiritually, perhaps God is preparing your heart for a new challenge. Consider what it could be that God is leading you to do: start a new ministry, go on a mission trip, start a building project, take a staff retreat, enroll in seminary.
CHAP 4 Russell paints a painfully cringe-worthy but accurate picture of enduring church services run with a spirit of mediocrity (p110-1). A survey showed that almost half of 14000 Southeast members came at the invitation of a friend - that reason alone outweighed all the other reasons combined (p113).
When mistakes happen, it becomes the leaders' job to constantly hold people accountable and remind them why we are striving for excellence, that someone shouldn't be a church member who just likes to complain. Longtime employees/volunteers should be given some space to make some corrections on their own, but carelessness shouldn't be tolerated. New employees/volunteers need to be tactfully but clearly confronted the first time the standard of excellence is not achieved. They are more likely to step up their efforts when they realise the standard that is expected of them before they get into the habit of doing things haphazardly (p118).
If you strive for excellence, be prepared for disappointment. Being committed to excellence doesn't produce pride - it breeds humility, because there is a frequent sense of failure. You never measure up to the picture of perfection that you have in your mind (p119).
If a new program wont help us with our primary mission or that we couldnt do it with excellence, we won't do it. Don't do an activity simply because you've always done it. Sometimes if you give an idea a decent burial, somebody more capable may resurrect it later and have more success (p121).
It is not easy to communicate the truth to people who think they're gifted when they're not. Someone in leadership has to be decisive and bold. People who need to hear the truth need to have the proper amount of humility or their ego is bound to be wounded. If they have an ego problem, you didn't want them leading the congregation anyway. Gently and lovingly explain your desire to help them evaluate their gifts and help the church do things with excellence. Channel them to another ministry where they can be more effective in helping the Body of Christ. Members appreciate leaders' wise stewardship of the church's resources, even though they also appreciate seeing God's work done with class and excellence (p123).
CHAP 5 Visionaries vs Administrators (p140-141) - Strong tendency in most churches to let the administrator have the most influence. He sounds practical, warns of failure, promises security if we just keep the status quo, knows all the horror stories of those churches that tried it and later regretted it. The visionary can eventually get smothered and become discouraged and fade into the shadows as the administrator confidently leads the church into mediocrity. If your church is going to step out in faith, you must have visionaries among your leaders, and they must be encouraged to keep dreaming. The visionary has a sense of timing, momentum, and available resources. If the church is to make any progress, the administrator has to be willing to go along at some points, to take the risk, and step out in faith. Then it is usually the administrator who takes the action, organizes the work, and sees that commitments are fulfilled so that the vision is successfully realised.
Results of walking by faith:
A. Generates enthusiasm (p142) - "let's try something so big that if God isn't in it, we will fail. Big goals create excitement. Can God do it through us? The enthusiasm mounts as we near the goal. Everyone wants to be a part of accomplishing something that's never been done before.
B. Stimulates prayer (p143) - If your goal is to move a molehill, you won't have much incentive to pray. You can do that with human effort. but mountainous goals will motivate you to go to your knees and seek an outpouring of God's grace (Matt 17:20). A bold faith produces big challenges, stimulate prayer and results in miracles.
C. Motivates sacrifice (p143) - People respond to an inspiring challenge. I've seen people sacrifice hours of their time and thousands of dollars to help the church reach its goals.
D. Produces harmony (p145) - Soldiers in the barracks will bicker and fight with one another. but soldiers on the battlefield stand united because they need each other. One of the reasons Christians often bicker among themselves is that there is no challenging goal that binds them together. A church that is arguing over traditions has forgotten its vision.
CHAP 6 In Jesus' prayer the night before he was crucified, he prayed for harmony (John 17:21). It's a farce for the church to tell the world we have the solution to strife when we are fighting among ourselves (p150).
Threats to harmony:
1. False teaching (p151) - liberal theology that disregards biblical principles
2. Legalistic spirit (p153-6) - the legalist has no tolerance for disagreement. Every proposed change is seen as a threat to stability and will be vehemently opposed. He imagines he is standing for truth, when he is usually guarding his precious traditions. It is wrong to allow the legalist to dictate the direction of the church, to bind the church in slavery to traditions by claiming that certain activities or styles or music are sinful when they are clearly not (cf. Rom 14; Gal 5). Accommodate them without allowing them to run the church by: (i) understanding people's natural resistance to change, (ii) determining if issue is scriptural or traditional. Russell cites the example of an old lady making a fuss about a Saturday night service (when the Sabbath is actually Sat in Scripture), (iii) change slowly but consistently (eg. instead of throwing out all hymns and sing all choruses, keep the hymns and introduce a chorus); adopt a long-range plan and be patient, (iv) realistically count the cost (how many people are likely to get offended or leave as a result of the change; beware that your own spiritual pride or desire for change to become a stumbling block by causing division in the church)
3. Criticism (p156-7) - Constant, vicious criticism dampens the enthusiasm, stifles creativity, discourages leadership, quenches the spirit of the church. Know when to confront criticism and when to ignore it. Even Jesus couldn't keep everybody happy and warned against those who worked too hard to please everyone.
4. Uncontrolled ego (p158-60) - The no. 1 cause of division in churches today is pride. People become proud of their influence and status, so when you threaten their little seat of power, they will come out fighting. Unity requires humility. It doesnt matter who gets the credit as long as the job gets done. That takes gentleness, patience and effort.
Steps to harmony:
1. Be flexible (p160) - The older people dont demand, "we're not going to do it that way because we've done it that way before."
2. Develop a sense of humour (p163) - A healthy, genuine sense of humour can smooth over hurt feelings, relax tense moods, and make bitter pills of confrontation easier to swallow.
3. Respect the leaders (Heb 13:17; p164-5) - Staff and congregation must submit to the elders' authority; as long as shepherds are consistent with Scripture, the flock is to respect their guidance; elders must trust the staff's leadership.
4. Avoid controversy (Ti 3:9; p165-7) - Eg. Millennial views; sovereignty and free will. They accomplish nothing and are potentially divisive.
5. Confront divisive people (Ti 3:10; Matt 18:15-17; p168) - Be willing to take dramatic action not only because it is the loving thing to do for the individual, but also because the harmony of the church is so crucial.
6. Practice servanthood (p169) - Get the congregation to think more of others than they do of themselves.
7. Be quick to forgive (p170-1)
CHAP 7 In a small church, the preacher and a handful of volunteers do most of the work, often exhausted and near the point of burnout. If you dont learn to motivate and hand over responsibility to others effectively, you might be able to oversee more than 200 people (p176).
New-member minister Les Hughes teaches a 4h course several times a year called "Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts." Les discusses the spiritual gifts listed in the NT, has class members take a personality profile, write about their spiritual journey, answer questions about their spiritual passion, and take a test to discover their own spiritual gifts. Two reasons to involve people in their area of giftedness (p180-1):
1. The ministry will be more effective - Whom would you rather have teaching your 5year-old - the person who loves kids and has the spiritual gift of teaching or the person who begrudgingly agreed to do it because someone laid a guilty trip on him? Would you rather have as your song leader the only person brave enough to get up there or the person who is gifted at music?
2. The chance for burnout is greatly reduced - When we are doing a task we hate, we get easily tired, count the days until it's over, and are relieved when we can quit. When we are doing a task we love, we're energized, the time flies by, and we hate to see it end.
Volunteer Recruitment Day: In the weeks leading up, sermons are preached on the topic of service. On recruitment Day, Spiritual Gifts Test is printed along with description of service opportunities, then a special prayer time, after which we encourage everyone to fill out a card for a 1 year service commitment. Every ministry is then responsible for contacting, enlisting, and training the volunteers. This approach has several obvious benefits (p181-3):
1. People realise the need - when each ministry need is presented at the same time, it's easy to see how many volunteers are needed, and people are more likely to respond.
2. Volunteers can choose the ministry that best utilises their gifts - a potential volunteer is less likely to sign up for a ministry and then discover they were better suited for something else.
3. Volunteers are more likely to commit to a 1 year task - church leaders often make the mistake of recruiting someone for a challenging task and then expecting them to perform it indefinitely. Volunteers doing the same tasks for years are asked to recommit each year. Then they now they're still needed and feel more appreciated. They're less likely to feel taken for granted if they know they can release themselves for the responsibility at the end of the year.
4. The entire congregation gets involved - it unites the congregation in an effort to accomplish something, much like a fund drive or attendance drive. The information about each department reaches the entire congregation. A grandmother who seldom pays attention to the nursery because she no longer has children there may suddenly be made aware of a need for nursery workers and willingly volunteer.
Offer different levels of responsibility (p183)- The new member with little knowledge of the church needs some opportunities to serve. And so does the person who just became part of your church after moving from another state where he was an elder.
First decide the objectives, then recruit
May 21, 2024
As others have stated in the reviews, I read this for a Southern Seminary class. Overall, the content will be of little help to pastors in general and certainly to new pastors. While the ten principles listed in the table of contents are necessary markers of a church seeking to be faithful to God, the explanations and examples that the author uses to exemplify the principles are unhelpful, wholly dependent on numbers, and at times sound eerily close to prosperity gospel ideology. The author does little to no biblical exegesis for any of his arguments but relies heavily on stories as an affirmation of faithfulness and obedience.
The principle that lies at the foundation of the entire book is the idea that an increase in the size of the congregation and an ever-increasing financial ability is the evidence that God has "blessed" the work. This is a Western idea of the church and is divorced from the biblical concept of a "healthy" church.
Other books will be far more profitable for helping pastors understand what the church is and how to faithfully shepherd the people God puts under him.
The principle that lies at the foundation of the entire book is the idea that an increase in the size of the congregation and an ever-increasing financial ability is the evidence that God has "blessed" the work. This is a Western idea of the church and is divorced from the biblical concept of a "healthy" church.
Other books will be far more profitable for helping pastors understand what the church is and how to faithfully shepherd the people God puts under him.
July 29, 2019
Bob Russell has delivered an easy to read and straight forward book for Evangelical pastors that are wanting to comb through their values and consider what areas can be changed for the health of their church. The ten principles given throughout the book are what anyone would expect from a disciplined Evangelical pastor. The beauty, however, is found in the real-time examples of Russell's principles working within his Mega-church context. I type this review sitting within the Ministry Resource Center (that is, the church offices for the Southeast Christian Church Blankenbaker campus), having walked past the image of the church that one can find on the back of the book everyday I come to work. The wild thing is reading about what was done then and how it has changed since 2000. I respect the influence of Bob Russell and the impact of his wisdom. Would not personally recommend this book to anyone who is not specifically interested in the ministry of Bob Russell. That being said, was still a well written book with valuable lessons.
November 25, 2020
Outstanding resource. It must be viewed as a testimony of what God did in one church and not be seen as a sure fire way to reproduce the same results in another setting. The overall practical help, however, is in the reproducible, Biblical principles shared that can move a church toward health and growth as God blesses.
November 21, 2023
I read this book for a class I am taking. The book is filled with stories of people who illustrate the principles laid down in each of the ten main chapters. If the many stories were taken away, the book would shrink from 284 pages to less than 50 - but, the stories are interesting nonetheless.
May 4, 2024
I agree with the main principles this book gives for what makes a healthy church. However a lot of the book felt like it was all about turning the church into this big corporate machine and a Disneyland type experience, which I didn’t like.
May 13, 2024
Oof. While not as seeker-sensitive as I had anticipated, this book is unapologetically focused on how amazing the attendance, finances and real estate are at his church. There are way better books out there on healthy church dynamics. Skip this one for sure.
February 21, 2024
This is a must read for any pastor or church leader.
February 16, 2025
"How to Build a Megachurch on Your Own Experiences, Laurels, and Strategies"
Gigantic swing and a miss. 1/5.
Gigantic swing and a miss. 1/5.
April 21, 2025
A seminary read that I enjoyed!
December 16, 2015
Excellent book with inspiring stories from Southeast Christian Church. Bob Russell focuses on ten specific issues of church growth: truth, worship, leadership, excellence, faith, harmony, participation, fellowship, stewardship, and evangelism. There is a chapter devoted to each area. I particularly liked principle 4, excellence. Russell describes a hilarious yet painfully realistic look at the average small church worship experience. Ouch. We have got to focus more on doing things with quality.
July 9, 2012
Up until he retired, Bob Russell pastored one of the larger independent Christian Churches in the United States. He looks over his ministry and the work at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky and shares how it has grown. His principles can be applied to any church, large or small, to help them become more effective in what God has called them to do.
July 7, 2016
An amazing journey of how Southeast Christian Church - Louisville, KY, came from nowhere to become a Great Beacon set on a Hill Top. Every church leader should read this book and apply the simple, but transforming truths that Bob Russell presents -- Remember we are the tools HE is the craftsman that builds His church!
February 5, 2017
The 10 principles for growing a Dynamic Church that Bob Russell shares are biblically sound and do seem to make the foundation a church should grow out of. Highly recommend reading and applying these principles - not to mimic Southeast Christian Church, but to let God work in your situation.
December 2, 2008
Great church growth book from a leader I really admire.
December 29, 2012
Just pick out the bones.
June 20, 2013
This was a book that was required reading for one of my classes for my MDiv. It gave some good points and lots of practical illustrations.
October 28, 2012
Good book.
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