Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn from America's Largest Churches: 21 (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) - Tapa dura

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Dr. Scott Thumma is a researcher in the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and a faculty member of Hartford Seminary.

Dave Travis is the executive vice president of Leadership Network, the premier church networking organization for innovative churches. He is the author of Beyond the Box: Innovative Churches That Work.

De la contraportada

Praise for Beyond Megachurch Myths

"Crow is not my favorite dish to eat, but as this book pointsout, I've had to eat one of the myths so artfully debunked byTravis and Thumma. This book is the most definitive work done todate on the megachurch."
—Bill Easum, senior consultant, Easum, Bandy &Associates

"In this groundbreaking book, Scott Thumma and Dave Travis sharetheir keen insight and unique understanding of the megachurchphenomena in one accessible volume. This book is a significantaddition to the literature and knowledge of megachurchstudies."
—Ed Stetzer, Ph.D., senior director and missiologist, Centerfor Missional Research, North American Mission Board

"Megachurches are here to stay and will attract continuinginterest. Thumma and Travis have done us all a great service bysetting the record straight."
—Robert Wuthnow, Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor of SocialSciences and director, Center for the Study of Religion, PrincetonUniversity

"This is the most thorough, insightful, and helpful book everwritten on megachurches."
—Mark Driscoll, pastor, Mars Hill Church, Seattle,Washington

"One of the major transformations in American Christianity isthe emergence of hundreds of megachurches in the latter part of thetwentieth century. This is the first book to be published that isbased on close empirical research and yet is written in a mannerthat is easily understood by individuals attempting to assess thistrend."
—Donald E. Miller, professor of religion and executivedirector of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, Universityof Southern California

De la solapa interior

"Beyond Megachurch Myths shows us that we don't know what wedon't know about megachurches. Dave Travis and Scott Thumma do agreat job on this timely work to put an end to the hearsay andspeculation to tell us the truth about what's really happening intoday's megachurches."
—Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church and NewThingNetwork

Drawing on extensive, broad-based, and well-designed research,as well as stories and anecdotes, Beyond Megachurch Myths dispelspopular myths about megachurches while highlighting the diversitywithin the megachurch phenomenon. Defining a megachurch as aProtestant church that averages at least 2000 total attendees intheir weekend services, Scott Thumma and Dave Travis reveal whatthese churches are and are not, why they are thriving, what theirmembers say about their experiences, and why they have manyvaluable lessons to teach smaller churches.

Beyond Megachurch Myths draws a clear picture of megachurches'sunique characteristics and how they are changing the landscape ofAmerican religion. The book debunks seven common myths, includingthat they

• Are just too big to be good

• Are driven by personality cults and will fade away

• Are selfish and only concerned with their own needs

• Water down faith

• Are bad for the overall religious economy

• Serve people of the same race, class, and political views

• Grow because of the "worship show"

Beyond Megachurch Myths is filled with practical insights andsuggestions for pastors and leaders of other church organizationsthat can be applied to their own organizations and ministries nomatter what their size.