'How can you shift more of your church from sitting toward serving, and from being spectators toward engaging more deeply? Would doing so help more people to grow and develop spiritually?'-From the Preface
The Other Eighty Percent is a practical guide for church leaders written by respected researcher Scott Thumma and noted author Warren Bird. The authors draw upon new research across a broad range of Protestant attenders and churches of all sizes.
Thumma and Bird listened to thousands of church members' voices to discern what motivates less connected, inactive members to move toward a life of discipleship and of living out the faith in community.
The authors explore societal norms influencing involvement and identify distinctive qualities of churches that shape patterns of better volunteer participation. They also examine the sometimes faulty and limiting perspectives leaders have about ways to increase involvement. The book proposes practical steps to develop listening and learning teams to assist church leaders in uncovering membership patterns, cultural norms and leadership blind spots common to Evangelical and Mainline congregations alike.
The Other Eighty Percent includes a wealth of creative ideas that can expand what it means for people to engage more fully with their church. The authors reinforce the idea that spiritual growth is directly related to participation and involvement and that spiritual nurturance of the entire congregation should be at the heart of this effort.
About the Authors
Scott Thumma, Ph.D., is professor of sociology of religion at Hartford Seminary and researcher at Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Scott is recognized as a leading researcher and writer on congregational studies. He is also editor of the Lilly Endowment funded website Insights into Religion. Warren Bird, Ph.D., is director of research and intellectual capital development for Leadership Network. An ordained minister, he serves as an adjunct faculty member at Alliance Theological Seminary. Warren has co-authored 22 books including Culture Shift and Viral Churches, both from Jossey-Bass.
