Small, Strong, Congregations: Creating Strengths and Health for Your Congregation

by Kennon L. Callahan

Create a small, strong congregation that is dedicated to advancing God's mission The twenty-first century is the century of small, strong congregations. More people will be drawn to small, strong congregations than any other kind of congregation. Yes, there are mega-congregations; Their number is increasing greatly. Nevertheless, across the planet, the vast majority of congregations will be small and strong, and the vast majority of people will be in these congregations. With uncommon wisdom Kennon L. Callahan--today's most noted church consultant--moves ahead of conventional thinking and in Small, Strong Congregations offers his unique vision of the church of the future. This important book chronicles the emergence of a vast number of congregations that are questioning the bigger-is-better notion in church membership. These congregations are deliberately small, active, and happy in their dedication to creating strong church communities that advance God's mission. Step by step, Kennon Callahan shows pastors and other church leaders how they can develop the values and specific qualities helpful to shape and strengthen their own small congregations.Written to be a hands-on guide, Small, Strong Congregations offers practical suggestions for creating mission and service, compassion and shepherding, community and belonging, self-reliance and self-sufficiency, worship and hope, teams and leaders, space and facilities, and giving and generosity. This wise resource is filled with illustrative examples that show clearly how myriad small churches have created solid, vigorous congregations.

Genres: Christianity, Church, Leadership

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Steven Fouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small, Strong Congregations by Kennon Callahan is a guide for small congregations on how to stay strong (and still small) or how to become strong, written from an ecumenical perspective. This is not a book that instructs on how to build a megachurch - it is a book about health and mission and intentionally being small and strong.

The Good: the first two chapters, introducing his philosophy and mission and service, are quite good. I will probably refer back to them.

The Bad: this book seems to devolve into anecdotes after the first few chapters. What once served as examples seem to overwhelm and bury the rest of his guidance.

The Ugly: it's ecumenical, so some divisive congregations will ignore the advice on that alone.

Small, Strong Congregations starts strong, and should be smaller. A good book, even though the later chapters are only skim-worthy.