Church Growth from an African American Perspective

Dr. Hilliard give great insights in to church growth that will minister the the spirit of the shepherd and defeat the mentality of competition to validate your ministry, the initiatives and pursuit of excellence will help establish your ministry and position you for growth in the 21st century church.

CHURCH GROWTH FROM AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE looks at church growth from a variety of different contexts. In the age of mega-churches which consist of memberships numbering in the thousands, some may view smaller churches as less successful. Author Donald Hilliard quickly dismisses this assumption and emphasizes that qualitative measures of growth are as, if not more, important than simply relying on the size of a church's membership and its revenue. From there, he presents a series of qualitative indicators of growth, such as the quality of Christian Education, having prayer as a top priority among church membership, and having sustained and impactful community outreach programs. As he highlights these and other areas, Hilliard provides scripture references to support his reasoning and countless pearls of wisdom and advice. Donald Hilliard has written a useful, and approachable book that addresses church growth from a number of angles. The book could be considered a vital component of any pastor's toolkit, but in addition it is useful for members of church administration and even people who may be looking for a church home. The author did a wonderful job supporting his opinions on the topic with scripture references and presents numerous ideas that will be useful for churches looking to improve their organizational structure. Reviewed by Stacey Seay of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

"Church Growth From An African American Perspective" is Pastor Donald Hilliard's charge to active church groups to adopt and integrate a healthy Christian/biblical model for congregation growth and development. Senior pastor of Cathedral International in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Pastor Hilliard posits the value of the three basic L's for growth: love, lift, and liberate. The power of the church to love, lift and liberate people through the truth of the gospel will sustain and propel them to become what God intends them to be. Pastor Hilliard differentiates between healthy and unhealthy growth in a church. He advocates purposeful prayer and preaching the whole word of God, not just favorite Scriptures. He believes that people matter more than programs, and that programs exist only to meet people's needs. At the end of each chapter of explanation there are a series of action steps that will lead to a full and healthy development of the practical dimensions of a powerful African American church. "Church Growth From and African American Perspective" has many sound principles to recommend it to all congregations.