Where Have All the Church Members Gone

Oliver, lead pastor of Connection Church, couldn’t put his finger on why he felt so unsettled. Everything seemed to be going right at Connection—that was until he asked a task force what had happened to one church member: Jill. Oliver couldn’t have known how his one simple question could lead to an unraveling of what was really happening within the church.

In this book, respected church consultant, founder and CEO of Church Answers, and author of several church leadership books, Thom S. Rainer, shows how the trend of low church attendance is slowly undermining churches and sending many to the grave. With this leadership parable, Thom illustrates the five key dysfunctions that plague congregations and block healthy church growth. He demonstrates why church leaders need to pay more attention to core issues like unbelief, membership, and dedication to evangelism.

Where Have All the Church Members Gone? will give you hope. The book will give you a plan on how to identify dysfunction and put your church on a path to renewal.

A story that illustrates common church dynamics: Follow Oliver and his Connection Church task force as they uncover the true reason for dwindling attendance. A plan that uncovers the real reasons: Don’t let appearances deceive you. Discover ways to pinpoint the key causes of apathy in congregations. A guide to the five typical dysfunctions: Find out why people are quietly quitting church and what you can do about it.

1. Opening Credits
2. Dedication
3. Foreword by Carey Nieuwhof
4. Introduction
5. Chapter 1: A Nagging Uncertainty
6. Chapter 2: Has Anyone Seen Jill?
7. Chapter 3: What Do We Really Believe?
8. Chapter 4: The Low Bar of Expectations
9. Chapter 5: The Membership Thing
10. Chapter 6: The Uprising
11. Chapter 7: The No-Go Church
12. Chapter 8: Sorting It All Out
13. Chapter 9: Where Does Your Church Go from Here?
14. Closing Credits