Churches are growing. This prophetic and inspirational handbook by church growth expert Bob Jackson explores a variety of growing churches to identify what is making the difference between them and churches which are static or declining. In addition to numerical growth, it asks how we measure spiritual growth and identifies the signs of spiritual vitality. Bob Jackson relates inspiring stories of effective mission with families, children and young people but also issues pertinent challenges about praying for growth, training leaders, diocesan strategies, spending money effectively, multi-church leadership, the future of the parish model, discipleship in fresh expressions and more. Earthed, practical and inspirational, What Makes Churches Grow lays a practical and theological foundation for continued growth into the future.

Based on his consultancy experience with churches and dioceses over the last three years and further research on the causes of church growth, Bob Jackson's new book shows how the Church at parish, diocesan and national level can overturn its old cycle of decline and begin a new cycle of growth. At its heart this book is about how local churches can thrive and grow in the early twenty-first century. Part 1 outlines the current context, offering a sharp analysis behind the reasons for church growth and decline. Part 2 describes churches which are already experiencing growth both in numerical and ministry strength. It looks at lessons learnt and what is at the heart of a resurgent, thriving Church. Parts 3 and 4 set out workable strategies and unpacks ways in which human and financial resources can be deployed to support and sustain the growth of the local church. This is not about glib, short-term solutions promising quick results. The goal of this book is to help transform fragile signs of hope for the Church into a solid road to growth.

Deck Apprentice at 17 in the prestigious Port Line, Bob Jackson's life at sea began with a voyage to Australia. By 37 he was Skipper, trading to the Middle East. In the intervening twenty years he survived the deep freeze of a Canadian winter, wild Atlantic storms and Christmas beach barbecues in Melbourne. From a year on a tramp vessel to a stint on a vast bulk carrier, Bob's experiences are of a world that no longer exists.

What are the thoughts of the enemy of God concerning the entire human race?

His thoughts are to steal, kill, and destroy; he is the ultimate thief in human history. He will steal your possessions, your loved ones, your parents, your family, and your friends. He will steal your health, steal your wealth, steal your reputation, steal your means of making a living, and steal your joy of life. He is the unseen ruler of this world.

How does the enemy kill? How does he slay, murder, slaughter, execute, destroy, exterminate, eradicate, and assassinate? How does he massacre and dispatch members of the human race? He and his demons accomplish this by continuously attacking God's creation, especially humans, by promoting every form of deceit and everything that God disapproves of with the intent of destroying life, especially the lives of those who refuse to love the truth.

How does the enemy destroy? How does he defeat, crush, subdue, demolish, annihilate, overcome, overthrow, and wipe out the unbelieving populations of adults and the innocent on planet earth? He does this through hate. The enemy hates God, and he hates what God loves; he hates integrity, he hates creation, and he hates Zion, and he especially hates those who love God, because God is love.

This book is a series of short, descriptive essays on the thoughts and plots of the enemy who wants to destroy Love and all of His creation. On the last page of each essay are comments. Think about each essay; what are your thoughts? Let these essays remind you to take on the whole armor of God and be ready to stand against the evil one, by knowing, understanding, teaching, speaking, and applying the Word as you go about your everyday life.

Anyone attending church should be made to feel welcome, not just by the clergy but by every member of every church. Everybody Welcome is the complete course to transform your church by improving your approach to newcomers. Believing that welcoming is a ministry for every member of the church, it offers guidance for your entire congregation and will help every individual play their part. Based on principles universal to every church, Everybody Welcome's five interactive sessions will help every individual in your church to have a welcoming approach to newcomers, help you identify priorities for decision and practical change, and show how to set up a specialist Welcome Team. To get the most out of the Everybody Welcome course, the leaders' manual can be used alongside the members' manual and DVD.

Washington is Divided, Broke, Broken, and Dysfunctional This book is a plan that you, the reader, can actually take action to improve your government. The country is already politically divided between Blue States and Red States with a small number of swing states that are sometimes Red and sometimes Blue. The book describes the problems with the federal government and why most people believe that our federal government will only deteriorate further with time. Total collapse of the government is considered a major possibility. I suggest in the book that there is a peaceful and workable plan that acknowledges the great national division. The separation of the country along philosophical lines producing two new sovereign countries is detailed. "Live and let live" is a main theme of this book. It is proposed that the states call for a constitutional convention in accordance with the US Constriction's amendment process. This convention would draft an amendment that would divide the United States into two new sovereign countries, one with Red priorities and one with Blue priorities. Each new country would start with the current US Constitution, national laws and precedents. After ratification of the amendment each new country would modify laws and make new laws without the objection or concurrence of the other new country. The book discusses how the proposed amendment would be implemented along with how the change would affect most of the current federal issues. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Obama Care, Immigrations, Taxes, education and many other issues are all presented. This book is a guide not to fix Washington but actually to make it irrelevant This book is truly written for you and your friends - Pass it on.

Anyone attending church should be made to feel welcome, not just by the clergy but by every member of every church. Everybody Welcome is the complete course to transform your church by improving your approach to newcomers. Believing that welcoming is a ministry for every member of the church, it offers guidance for your entire congregation and will help every individual play their part. Based on principles universal to every church, "Everybody Welcome" is for every church-going Christian who believes that belonging to their church is good for others as well as themselves. The members' manual is needed by every person taking part in the course and provides an overview and introduction to the 5 sessions in the leaders' manual and DVD.