Book Review: Overcoming Growth Barriers

I started and finished Overcoming Growth Barriers by Michael Fletcher today. This is what happens when you spend 3 hours in a waiting room to a Doctor's office. Anyway, the book looked interesting so I picked it up. I didn't like the title, because I think a lot of the church growth stuff is crap. It's usually written by guys who've never lead, planted, or Pastored anything in their lives. So I'm a bit weary about books like this. Michael Fletcher on the other hand, is a practitioner who is reaching people in his area.

What I liked most about this book was the focus on the inward organizational leadership structure that's key for a church to continue to reach people with the Gospel and see them discipled. It wasn't a book about how to put on a dog and pony show to get people in the door. It was about how to align your leadership with your God-given vision, get believers involved in ministry, and see unchurched people come to faith. It's a short read (144 pages), but it's worth it. Some stuff didn't apply in our context, but that's true with most books.

I take the chicken wing approach with my reading...eat the meat and throw out the bones.

Comments

[Darren]

YOU'RE A BEAST, DUDE!!!! One thing I like about your posts is that I'm often convicted to PICK BACK UP a book I started reading, but set down... I picked this one up (did I refer it to you??) a couple of weeks ago, read a couple of chapters, and set it down to start something else. I'm the ultimate ADD MAN OF VORACIOUS READERS... I'm like the dude that eats chicken wings all the time, but doesn't eat all the meat off the bones... CRAZY!!!!

Of course, this doesn't apply to your book... :-)

[chris g]

id like to steal some of your reading skills.....ithink i "got the a.d.d."
if i read 2 books a month im doing good. props to u bro. i look forward to reading your book reveiws.

[Chad Miller]

I used to work in a church under Michael Fletcher's leadership. It is kind of a scary thing. Very much a don't mess with a APOSTLE, kind of place. He hangs with a lot of heavy hitters, and very much believes in the business and CEO side of church. I have found him to be divisive and unbiblical. But just my two cents.