Ignite: How to Spark Immediate Growth in Your Church
Overview
Ignite sets forth a step-by-step, biblically grounded, proven plan for creating immediate church growth by utilizing a “Big Day” to mobilize the church for evangelism. This user-friendly guide will show you how to reach the unchurched in your community and break through the debilitating growth barriers that are holding your church back.
You can reach—and keep—modern-minded, unchurched people to create and sustain growth momentum. Ignite shows you how it’s done.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Scripture citations link directly to English translations, and important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
- Offers ways to see church growth utilizing big events
- Provides practical changes that can be implemented immediately
- Discusses how to effectively reach people with the gospel
- Examines what is important vs. what is not so the people can be good stewards of their time
- Introduction
- What a Difference a Day Makes: This Book’s Big Idea
- What Day Is It? Surveying the Options
- The Day of Harvest: The Importance of Prayer and Goals
- Pastor
- Reaching the Boiling Point: Taking Your Evangelistic Temp and Turning Up the Heat
- Setting the Stage: Successfully Leveraging Your Influence
- Carrying the Torch: Igniting Your Church’s Structure
- Personal Evangelism
- Mobilizing for Evangelism: Releasing the Army
- Equipping for Evangelism: Little Tools That Make a Big Difference
- Promotion
- Finding Fertile Ground: The Art of Choosing Wisely
- Sowing the Best Seed: And Trusting God for Big Results
- Reaping the Harvest: The Keys to Effective Promotion
- Preservation
- Preparing the Way: Helping People Take the Next Step
- The Celebration: Let the Fun Begin!
- Conclusion: Keep On Dreaming
Top Highlights
“Evangelism Truth One: God Wants Lost People Found More Than You Do” (Page 16)
“I often tell my congregation that we can easily double on any given Sunday as long as one thing happens: everyone invites an unchurched friend! Just think about that. Your church could double next Sunday if everyone in your congregation got on board. You could immediately double your evangelistic effectiveness if everyone invited one unchurched friend to church.” (Page 14)
“through the stage, (2) through the staff, and (3) through the church’s structure.” (Page 62)
“High Levels of Personal Evangelism = Tools + Training + Timeliness” (Page 89)
“How many of your people are bringing their friends to church?” (Page 55)
Ignite is creative, practical, and interesting. Nelson Searcy, founder and senior pastor of The Journey Church in New York City, provides helpful ideas on growing a church through using Big Days, or what some might call Big Events. Readers will find insights to put into immediate practice in their churches, and they’ll enjoy reading the book. Searcy is one of the two or three top young practitioners and writers on evangelism and church growth for the twenty-first century.
—Outreach
Searcy brings the unique frontline perspective of a pastor who is in the trenches week after week, figuring out how to effectively reach people with the Gospel. Ignite is a very practical manual for any church trying to break through the next barrier to transforming their city for Christ.
—Geoff Surratt, managing director, Exponential
Ignite will help you see things in a clearer, simpler way. It will help you see what’s important and what’s not in our mission to serve others by giving them hope in Jesus.
—Dino Rizzo, founding pastor, Healing Place Church
There’s a big difference between working hard and working smart. In this dynamic new book, Searcy helps readers be good stewards of their valuable time. I was underlining on every page.
—Charles Arn, president, Church Growth, Inc.
Nelson Searcy served as the director of The Purpose Driven Community at Saddleback Church before starting The Journey Church of the City in New York City in 2002. He and his 2,000-member church appear routinely on lists such as The 50 Most Influential Churches and The 25 Most Innovative Leaders. The Journey is a multi-site church with locations across New York City and Boca Raton, Florida. His newsletter for pastors and church leaders, Church Leader Insights, now reaches more than 80,000 subscribers and continues to grow by hundreds each month.
Jennifer Dykes Henson is a freelance writer based in New York City. She has served as a writer/producer and ministry consultant to organizations across the East Coast. Jennifer also worked with Charles Stanley as the manager of marketing communications for In Touch Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.
