Simple Church Author's New Book & Event: Essential Church

I featured this in my newsletter (Pastors Today) but wanted to make sure those of you who follow the blog saw it. I've also blogged about Essential Church? before but I have added an extended preview download of the book in our online catalog.

Download a 28-Page Sample of Essential Church ...

Here's an overview of the book:

"Why do so many young adults (ages 18 to 22) leave the church, and what will it take to bring them back?" This important question is examined and duly answered in Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts, a follow-up to Thom S. Rainer's best-selling Simple Church co-written this time with his son, research expert Sam Rainer (check out Sam's excellent blog Church Forward).

Essential Church? is based on a study of one-thousand so-called "church dropouts" who were interviewed about why they left. Their answers are quite surprising, having less to do with "losing their religion" and more about the desire for a community that isn't made stale by simply maintaining the status quo. In turn, Thom Rainer and Sam Rainer offer churches four concrete solutions toward making their worship community an essential part these young people's lives again:
  • Simplify - develop a clear structure and process for making disciples.
  • Deepen - provide strong biblical teaching and preaching.
  • Expect - let members know the need for commitment to the congregation.
  • Multiply - emphasize evangelism, outward focus, and starting new churches.
Thom Rainer and Sam Rainer will also be leading a strategic retreat experience (February 26-28, 2009 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center) to bring pastors and church staff members together to explore the Essential Church message - reclaiming a generation of church dropouts.

Get Essential Church Retreat details now ...

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