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| Dr. Win Arn Father of American Church Growth |
I have decided to dedicate this blog article to Dr. Winfield Arn. I first met Dr. Arn at a Pastors conference in Banff Alberta while I was a young pastor. That meeting led to his coming to my hometown of Winnipeg to visit and help our church and the churches of our province. At his encouragement and using resources of films books seminars etc that he had written I was introduced into the role of helping churches in the wonderful task of making disciples. I set out in faith and founded the Canadian Institute for Church Growth as an extension of the Institute for American Church Growth, which he had founded.
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| Dr. Win Arn |
In 1983 at his invitation I came to the United States and worked hand in hand with him for the next 20 plus years of my life. Together we travelled around the world training pastors and laity.
He can rightly be called the father of American Church Growth and the contribution he has made in resources of books, films, seminars, training kits and many other tools is unequaled to this day anywhere in the world.
I am proud to have had him as my boss, colleague, mentor and friend.
Dr. Arn has gone home to be with the Lord he loved and served and I know a welcome with “well done good and faithful servant awaited him.
He has left the legacy of his work in the hands of his son Charles Arn.
I know he would say that our best tribute to him would be to be busy about our Masters business of making disciples. I remember that virtually every time he heard of someone coming to the Lord as a result of helping a church, tears of joy would fill his eyes. He loved the Lord, loved his church and loved the world for which Christ died. Oh that we would carry on with that passion!
The Denominational Growth Development Scale
“Creating the Environment…So God Can Give the Increase”
Developed By:
Drs. Win Arn, Charles Arn, Robert Orr
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| Dr. Bob Orr |
We would like to share with you a unique attempt to identify and quantify the factors that influence a denomination’s or regional growth and/or decline. To our knowledge such an analysis has never been developed. We hope this “Denominational Growth Development Scale” (DGDS) is a useful tool to help identify the critical ingredients in a denomination’s growth strategy, so that the efforts of its leaders may be focused on the influential issues of the church body’s health and growth. This Scale grows out of the experience, observations, and research of the authors.
To read this Scale:
There are five stages in the DGDS, which are identified on the charts below. (“Resistance to Growth,” “Indifference to Growth,” Interest in Growth,” “Infusion of Growth,” and “Committed to Growth.”) They are in sequence from “least conducive” to “most conducive” for denominational/regional church growth, evangelism and new church development. Denominational Growth Development
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| Dr. McGavran |
With so many Denominations and Regional Judicatory struggling to find a way to reverse their decline, reach the next generation, plant churches or train leaders it is useful to look at what Dr. McGavran had observed. "If you want to see God's blessing look at what God's blessing and do that."
Drs Win and Charles Arn and myself evaluated our years of experience in observing, and consulting with over 70 denomination and with hundreds of Regional Judicatories and thousands of local churches and tried in this document to find a way to look at what effective denominations and regions did that set them apart from those that continued to struggle. This chart looks at one particular issue in the life and health of a denomination or region and weakness in this area does not mean weakness in every area. However a denomination or region that does not take seriously the task of helping it's churches accomplish their mission in seeking to reach persons with the gospel, and plant churches will find itself struggling as it seeks to have a fruitful future.
Another favorite McGavran “isim” is "We can be in the midst of a great harvest but we don't receive its blessings. We are like a farmer in a ripe field of wheat with a corn picker."
With approximately 80-85% of churches either in plateau or in decline and according to a Southern Baptist Study almost 50% of churches not having a single conversion in the past 12 months. It would seem obvious that the leaders of these movements would want to look at everything they are doing and seek to learn all they could about how those regions or denominations that are effective in mission are doing it.
A hard copy of this document including the Power Point can be emailed to you if needed. We hope it stimulates productive discussion on how to move your churches forward in the pursuit of the call to “…go and make disciples.” Please feel free to email me if I can be helpful in supporting your important leadership and ministry. My friend Dr. Charles Arn has spent most of his life helping regions and denominational bodies and either he or myself would be honored to help you if we can Feel free to email Dr. Charles Arn at chiparn@aol.com or me at bob@cscu.edu
There are five stages in the DGDS, which are identified on the charts below. (“Resistance to Growth,” “Indifference to Growth,” Interest in Growth,” “Infusion of Growth,” and “Committed to Growth.”) They are in sequence from “least conducive” to “most conducive” for denominational/regional church growth, evangelism and new church development.
There is a description of 13 factors that influence a denomination’s culture and consequently its growth and future. These factors are cross-referenced to the five stages of the DGDS and describe the scenario that is commonly found when a denomination is at each stage.
Throughout this post the term “EV/CG” is used as an abbreviation for “Evangelism/Church Growth.”
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| Dr. Charles "Chip" Arn |
The Charts
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| Purpose |
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| Budget |
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| Convictional & Theological Base |
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| Seminaries & Bible Colleges |
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| Resource Personnel |
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| Power and Decision Making |
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| Published Curriculum |
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| Publications |
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| Pastors: Attitude Towards EV/CG |
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| Pastor:Placement |
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| Pastor:Training |
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Denominational Growth Development Scale
“Creating the Environment…So God Can Give the Increase”
SELF-RATING CHART
Place an “X” at the stage where you feel your denomination is at this moment, with regard to the 13 factors previously. The purpose of this exercise is to encourage discussion among denominational leadership concerning the present situation, and the future priorities for denominational growth and vitality. If you are using this DGDS in a group, consider asking each person to complete the “Self-Rating Chart” independently, then compare answers and discuss. May God bless your important leadership endeavors.Concerning the “Factors in Denominational Growth,” I believe we are at the following stages:
PURPOSE
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growth
BUDGET
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growth
CONVICTIONAL & THEOLOGICAL BASE
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growth
NEW CONGREGATIONS
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growt
SEMINARIES & BIBLE SCHOOLS
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growt
RESOURCE PERSONNEL
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growth
POWER & DECISION-MAKING
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growth
PUBLISHED CURRICULUM
| | | | | Resistance Indifference Interest Infusion of Committed To Growth to Growth in Growth Growth to Growth
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