Scrappy Church By Thom Rainer, A Review


“We see about seven of ten churches losing ground. Declining, and frustrated.  We see about 7000 North American churches closing their doors every year. We see infighting, conflicts, and contentious business meetings. We see strained budgets, strained attitudes, and strained relationships.”  Churches that recognize these problems often become scrappy churches.  “Scrappy churches don’t see limitations, they see possibilities.”
Scrappy churches are tenacious.  Cue Rocky Balboa running with little strength left but doggedly determined to achieve his purpose. 
Thom Rainer offers this book as motivation and encouragement to show what God is doing with feisty churches in places where most have given up. 
He has succeeded.
With illustrated clarity, he reminds doubting churches that God put their church at that address for a purpose. God has given your church all the resources you need to move forward. Four distinct characteristics are the current in which these resources flow.
Rainer draws from years of research experience to illustrate the pattern these churches follow.  It is a continuous cycle from Outward Deluge to Welcome Readiness to Backdoor Closure to Outward Deluge, etc.
Most of the book describes how an outpouring of outward activity, a ready welcome and closing the backdoor foster unity and restore growth in churches that are losing ground.
If you are looking to lead The Next Scrappy Church, chapter 6, be a leader who loves your church, your church members, your community, and other churches in your community.
Scrappy Church provides hope and direction for churches who are wondering if there is any hope or direction.

Disclosure: I received this book free from B&H Publishing through the B&H/Lifeway Bloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.

Comments

Popular Posts