American Society for Church Growth - Book Review
Rocking the Church Membership Boat:
Counting Members OR Having Members Who Count
We rejoice when we find immediate help that resolves deep concerns. Rocking the Church Membership Boat provides answers to "Why other churches have a larger attendance of young adults than we do," "Why people leave our church after attending one or two New Members Orientation class sessions," and "What are we doing wrong?"
"Covenant Membership" is the term Jan Linn uses to define churches that put a high premium on one's relationship to God and to others in the fellowship. Covenant Membership disdains the "country club" mentality, or "get them any way you can," or attitudes that value church membership over discipleship.
Rocking the Church Membership Boat points to the socio-political paths that lead us from New Testament commitment to 21st Century cultural adaptations.
I was so impressed with the potential for revolutionizing our church's ministry that we have secured 150 copies for our deacons, unit leaders, church council, and ministerial staff. A retreat later this spring is designed to help us lead our entire church to a new level of spiritual faithfulness. I am thankful we are the kind of "covenant church" Linn describes.
Reviewed by Emmanuel L. McCall, Pastor of the Christian Fellowship Baptist Church, College Park, Georgia.
This review was originally published in Strategies for Today's Leader.