What Every Pastor Should Know

101 Indispensable Rules of Thumb for Leading Your Church

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The answers you need to plan, run, or grow your church

Pastors and church leaders are constantly faced with tough questions. What size staff does the church need? How many workers are needed in the nursery this month? When is the right time to start a second worship service? How many people should we train for evangelism this year? How does seating and parking impact worship attendance?

What Every Pastor Should Know offers 101 valuable rules and time-tested wisdom to help answer real-life ministry questions. From advertising to facilities to visitation, this valuable book offers the practical help you need, just when you need it most. This comprehensive guide will become one of the most valuable books in your library.

“This book is fantastic! There is no doubt that it will be on my shelf as a reference for years to come.”—Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO, LifeWay Christian Resources

“An incredible reference guide . . . the practical information in these pages is essential knowledge for those of us who want to lead growing, effective churches.”—Nelson Searcy, lead pastor, The Journey Church; founder, www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com

“Every pastor should read this book.”—Elmer Towns, cofounder, Liberty University

“Well researched, comprehensive, specific, and practical.”—Eddie Gibbs, professor emeritus, Fuller Theological Seminary

“A wealth of insights for pastors on the day-to-day issues of leading an effective church.”—Ed Stetzer, author, Subversive Kingdom

"This is one of the most practical and useful books I have ever read from two of Christianity's long-standing giants. I dog-eared so many pages I soon realized it would have been simpler to dog-ear the less important ones. Keep this book on your desk and refer to it before taking any ministry step. It's that good!"--Clay Jones, Outreach Magazine


Endorsements

"I love pastors. I am humbled by the fact that pastors often come to me for advice and wisdom. Now I have a resource that answers so many of their questions. This book is fantastic! There is no doubt that it will be on my shelf as a reference for years to come. Great work Gary McIntosh and Charles Arn!"

Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO, LifeWay Christian Resources

"A wealth of insights for pastors on the day-to-day issues of leading an effective church."

Ed Stetzer, author of Subversive Kingdom

"Gary McIntosh and Charles Arn are friends of mine, and I am thrilled that they have prepared this book. Both of these writers have an excellent history of research as well as a heart commitment to the church and the ministry of Jesus Christ. When they write What Every Pastor Should Know, they mean it, and every pastor should read this book to find out what they must know."

Elmer Towns, cofounder, Liberty University

"What Every Pastor Should Know is an invaluable reference book. Its value lies in being well researched, comprehensive, specific, and practical. It is also 'user friendly' in listing so many guidelines and rules to help church leaders keep on course and not become sidetracked."

Eddie Gibbs, Professor Emeritus, Fuller Seminary

"Drawing on their combined church leadership wisdom, my friends Gary McIntosh and Charles Arn have created an incredible reference guide that reflects their passion for helping local churches fulfill the Great Commission. What Every Pastor Should Know is aptly named; the practical information in these pages is essential knowledge for those of us who want to lead growing, effective churches."

Nelson Searcy, lead pastor, The Journey Church; founder, www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com


The Authors

  1. Gary L. McIntosh

    Gary L. McIntosh

    Gary L. McIntosh (PhD, DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) is president of the Church Growth Network and distinguished affiliate professor of Christian ministry and leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is an internationally known...

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  2. Charles Arn

    Charles Arn

    Charles Arn (EdD, University of Southern California) is professor of Christian ministry at Wesley Seminary, Indiana Wesleyan University, and president of Church Growth, Inc., where he is responsible for research, design, and development of instructional materials. He...

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Reviews

"This is one of the most practical and useful books I have ever read from two of Christianity's long-standing giants. It's so good that I wish I had written it. I dog-eared so many pages I soon realized it would have been simpler to dog-ear the less important ones. What makes this book so valuable is that it covers the waterfront of ministry. I can't think of any important principle for growing a church that is left out of this book. It is also useful for any theological persuasion. Keep this book on your desk and refer to it before taking any ministry step. It's that good!"

Clay Jones

Outreach Magazine

"With real life examples, scriptural backing, and hard research, McIntosh and Arn show what it takes for a church to grow, welcome guests (not visitors), and start and maintain classes, groups, and more. They cover financial issues such as building campaigns and address what portion of the budget should go to different expenditures. The book provides a wealth of information and data to help churches make the most of their efforts. The title might give the impression that this is a book of ministry maxims and inspirational quotes. It's not. The book is built on data, observation, and the Bible. Every church will run up against the challenges and questions the book addresses. It also contains helpful metrics for different areas of ministry and timely tips for correcting weak areas. What Every Pastor should Know lives up to its title. Any church leader will benefit from having this volume within reach."

Leadership Journal


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