 | | |
| Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of Christ | 
 enlarge | Author: George Barna
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Category: Book
List Price: $21.99
Buy New: $12.39
You Save: $9.60 (44%)
Buy New/Used from $11.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  (11 reviews)
Sales Rank: 117631
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9
ISBN: 1578564239
Dewey Decimal Number: 253
EAN: 9781578564231
ASIN: 1578564239
Publication Date: October 16, 2001
Release Date: October 16, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Decent but doesn't deliver November 21, 2005
6 out of 11 found this review helpful
While I very much valued the objective data presented in this book, I really felt disappointed at the depth of content. It took me a mere hour and a half to read and honestly felt that much of that were simply flowered sentences that left you wanting for content.
It was helpful to be pointed toward congregations that seem to be doing a good job of "growing true disciples," but for me there seemed to be a competing thought in this work. On one hand, you've got Barna talking aobut the organic dynamics present in the early church, but then goes on to recommend profiles and documentation to attempt to measure spiritual growth.
So, definitely some value here as a reference, but not as a book for strong practical content, in my opinion.
Survey of Christian Beliefs vs Practice worth the price April 28, 2005
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Barna didn't invent the idea of growing disciples. Instead, Barna's surveys and statistics, amply provided and discussed in Growing True Disciples, provide the EVIDENCE and CLOUT needed to move leaders in any church off their programming butts and toward a more vital disciple-building ministry.
In many ways, Barna's books are like the TV show "Mythbusters." The myth is that "the program church" was getting the job done.
 Nothing new about this July 3, 2004
0 out of 27 found this review helpful
I was dissapointed that many of the practices and strategies Barna says in this book is almost identical with strategies of the church I know. Regrettably, he fails to mention about the church.
There is nothing new or surprise about the standard of disciple Barna says in the book as it is same standard required to the church where I belong to.
Barna did not mention anything about this nor listed in bibliography. I am sure he has researched the church before he wrote this book and I would like to know the reason he did not mention it.
Not One of Barna's Best March 10, 2004
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've read several of George Barna's books, and have great respect for him as an author. He brings integrity and fresh insight into all he writes. Having made those statements, Barna has had much better showings than he makes in this volume.Barna shines when he gathers statistical data regarding the church in America and presents it in eye-opening fashion. In this work, he tells us what we already know -- the church needs to do a better job at making disciples. He does offer some helpful insights regarding Christian nurture and development, insights that are described better in other titles. I give this book a "three" because it is Barna. If you're a Barna fan, read it and you won't be disappointed. If you are wanting a volume that is truly more "how to" rather than "this is the way things are", your money would be better invested elsewhere.
 A Refreshingly Practical Book on Discipleship for Churches April 30, 2003
25 out of 25 found this review helpful
The case for discipleship is made clearly by Dallas Willard and Robert Coleman, among others. The day-to-day implications of discipleship's importance for churches is not so obvious. George Barna provides an invaluable service by, first, establishing via a survey of spiritual maturity that there is little spiritual growth happening in American churches and, second, profiling many churches that have been effective at discipleship.Did you know that the majority of Christians believe that the Bible says, "God helps those who help themselves."? It's true. And did you know that, according to Barna's survey results, the only issues on which Christians hold a statistically significant difference of opinion from non-Christians are alcohol, profanity and homosexuality. Therefore, we (Christians) are rightly perceived by others as gay-bashing prudes who can't have a good time. Discipleship, Barna makes clear at the beginning, is focussed on having only one goal in life: to become more like Jesus, to grow into Christlikeness. And churches that are effective at discipleship produce Christians that are light and salt in the world, not mean-spirited critics. Barna then assesses the programs used by those churches that are intentional about discipleship, and are effective at it. Pantego Bible Church is a very interesting example. Their pastor, Randy Frazee, wrote The Connecting Church, which lays out their philosophy of ministry in more detail. This book is essential reading for those on church staffs and boards.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| | |