Autopsy of a Deceased Church

ByThom S. Rainer

Release Date: 2014-05-01
Genre: Christianity

Score: 4.5

4.5

From 157 Ratings

Description

No one wants to see a church die. And yet, far too many churches are dying. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died. From this experience, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died. Yet, it’s not gloom and doom because from those twelve themes, lessons on how to keep your church alive have emerged.

Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ’s Kingdom!

Reviews

Relevant…
5
By Bradsf
Relevant for churches that are struggling - but also very meaningful for leaders of churches that consider themselves healthy so as to not lose sight of their purpose.
Helpful insights!
4
By Psquare#2
Great book, that get’s right to the point!
Outstanding Ministerial Resource
5
By ESCM iMAC
I would highly recommend this book to Pastors and church leaders who are looking for ways to recapture the truth in ministry and to grow for the glory of God.
Autopsy of a deceased church
5
By TheConnectionButler
Excellent analysis and suggestions for help and improvement.
A hard read, but totally worth it.
5
By Rock4Jesus777
This was a hard read. Not due to how it was written, but what it is written about. One never wants to read of any church, that supposedly sit under the authority of Jesus, going through such hard times. But this is a reality. Churches are made of imperfect people, so there are bound to be errors.

This book was so informative, with a very unique perspective, with the mentality of a medical examiner, trying to discover better ways to live by observing the causes of death of a subject. With The Church being alive in Christ, it needs to remain healthy throughout its existence and Thom Rainer, based on research and personal involvement has offered great tools to churches, whether healthy or sick or on its death bed, to help them through.

Definitely recommended to any pastor at any level, in any church.
Great Read
5
By Sakwonali
This book painted a clear picture of the signs to look for in a dying church. For those who really love their church and want to see it stay Kingdom minded this book helps you to stay mindful of the traps and warning signs.
Excellent!
3
By PraiseDrums
This book is a real eye opener and is a great resource not only for churches, but all ministries, and a personal spiritual walk as well!
Every Healthy Church Must Read
5
By TheBull05
As a pastor of a growing congregation, the last thing I would have thought to read was this book. We're not dying we're thriving! However to my amazement, just because a church is growing doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. Thom Rainer is a man before his time. He has a temperature on the church that is amazing. I found my church in a couple of these stories and was challenged to make sure we don't fall into sickness. Our pastoral, deacon and leadership staff are reading this book together. So far it has been an eye opener that is bringing us to repentance. So if you think you don't need to read this, those thoughts in itself is proof that you must read this book!
Informative observations
5
By Xtreme4ce
When reading this I recognized a lot of similarities in churches I've attended. I appreciated the examining but not condemning look at dying churches. I also appreciated the helpful suggestions for how to pray for the different situations. I think the best part of this book was that it was written with church members as the audience more so than the pastor.
Autopsy of a deceased church
5
By N7nn
I just finished this book. I must have highlighted 50% of it. A must read for pastors, elders, and deacons. It is not a pleasant read and that is why it is so important to read it all.
Written in a caring confrontative fashion that gets the message across.