THE CHURCH GROWTH
MOVEMENT
Emphasis by Christian to Look
Realistically at How We Do
Missions
Church Growth Movement
• Donald McGarvran – Founder and father of
the Church Growth Movement
– Missionary to India for 30 years
– Saw the lack of long-term results
– Wrote his first book “The Bridges of God” he
evaluated the current methods of missions
and proposed new mission methods
Church Growth Movement
• Donald McGarvran – New way of thinking
of doing missions & methods used
– Importance of numerical growth
– Focus on receptive groups
– People movements
– Science as a valid tool
– Right methods will improve results
Church Growth Movement
Significant Events
Donald McGavran publishes "The Bridges of God"
in 1955
Establishment of the Institute of Church Growth
at Northwest Christian College in 1961.
Publication of the Church Growth Bulletin in 1964
Relocation of the Institute of Church Growth to
Fuller Theological Seminary in 1965.
Establishment of the William Carey Library in
1969 for mass publication and circulation of church
growth books.
Church Growth Movement
Significant Events
Elmer Towns publishes "The Ten Largest Sunday
Schools and What Made Them Grow" in 1969.
First use of scientific principles of social research to
establish church growth principles.
Publication of McGavran's book, "Understanding
Church Growth" in 1970.
Alan Tippett publishes Church Growth and the
Word of God.
Ralph Winter publishes The 25 Unbelievable Years:
1945-1969.
Church Growth Movement
Significant Events
McGavran and C. Peter Wagner instituted the
Fuller Evangelistic Association
Department of Church Growth at Fuller in 1972.
Creation of the Institute for American Church
Growth by McGavran and Win Arn in 1973.
Provides information and research on North American
church growth
Church growth movement grew in significantly
during the 1970s and 80s.
Church Growth Movement
Significant Events
Donald McGavran died in 1990.
C. Peter Wagner carried on the Department
Church Growth at Fuller.
Church Growth Movement
Significant People
Donald McGavran
Elmer Towns
Alan Tippett
Ralph Winter
C. Peter Wagner
Win Arn
Flavil Yeakley (church of christ)
Tim Metheny
 Center for Church Growth/C, P.O. Box 691006,
Houston, Texas 77269-1006
John W. Ellas, Measuring Church Growth, A
Research-Based Tool for Evaluating and Planning