Best Books on the Small Church

1. Help for the Small-Church Pastor by Steve R. Bierly (Zondervan, 1995). An overview of how the small church operates. Gives key insights into how family orientation affects the ministry.
2. Activating Leadership in the Small Church by Steve Burt (Judson, 1988). Candidly deals with small-church characteristics and the effects on leadership. Focuses on volunteers and the process for selecting a pastor.
3. Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church by Ron Crandall (Abingdon, 1995). Must reading for all small-church pastors, especially those dealing with churches in decline. Provides key insights on how the small church can become effective.
4. Developing the Small Church Ministry by Glenn C. Daman (Available from the Institute of Small Church Health, 1997). Helps develop direction and goals. A guide to assess and develop relevant ministries.
5. Developing Your Small Church’s Potential by Carl S. Dudley and Douglas A. Walrath (Judson, 1988). Explains how small churches can be effective by adapting to sociological changes.
6. Making the Small Church Effective by Carl S. Dudley (Abingdon, 1978). Lyle Schaller refers to this as the best book on the topic.
7. The Rural Church: Learning from Three Decades of Change by Edward W. Hassinger, John S. Holik, and J. Kenneth Benson (Abingdon, 1988, out of print). A study in Missouri, focusing on statistical analysis of rural churches. Dispels prevalent myths.
8. No Little Places by Ron Klassen and John Koessler (Baker, 1996). Focuses on small-town churches, exposing many myths about rural, small town, and “rurban” ministries.
9. Leading the Small Church by Doran McCarty (Broadman, 1991, out of print). Must reading for those who are frustrated by the power structure in the small church.
10. The Big Small Church Book by David R. Ray (Pilgrim, 1992). A comprehensive overview.
11. Rural Evangelism by Kevin E. Ruffcorn (Augsburg, 1994). Evangelizing the rural community is different from reaching the city. This book addresses those differences.
12. The Small Church Is Different by Lyle E. Schaller (Abingdon, 1982). Shows why what is effective in the larger, suburban church is not productive in its smaller counterpart.
13. The Small Membership Church by Lyle E. Schaller (Abingdon, 1994). A sequel. While writing on the small-church’s long life expectancy, he challenges it to move forward in ministry.
14. Making It Work: Effective Administration in the Small Church by Douglas A. Walrath (Judson, 1994). Addresses two critical problems and how to overcome them; not having enough people and enough money.
15. Preaching and Worship in the Small Church by William H. Willimon and Robert L. Wilson (Abingdon, 1980). Examines the roles of various worship styles and preaching.
16. Growing the Small Church by C. Wayne Zunkel (Cook, 1983, out of print). A helpful book for those who are in a situation where growth is possible.

—Glenn C. Damaneditor, Mikros newsletterPortland, Oregon

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