From church closures to growth: Lessons from 133 presbyteries by David Bonnema, a 9/2025 article from the Presbyterian Outlook on NWCs
Fostering Relationships: A Key to Meaningful Church Engagement, a 3/2025 Barna article
How Do Congregations Grow, a 6/2024 article from Convergence
Does your church need a sabbatical? 3/2022 PRC webinar, Explore how you can use the sabbatical concept through the next year as a way to build momentum for what’s next?
Growth and Renewal resources from PRC
The Reclaimed Leader podcast with Jason Tucker & Jesse Skiffington
The Unstuck Church Report on church staffing trends, 5/2024
How Does Church Photography Help You Reach People? Photography could be the breakthrough your church needs to reach more people. A Church Marketing University 2024 article
10 Ways to Grow Your Church Through Engagement, 7/2023 article by Carey Nieuwhof
What Is Your Why, 4/2023 article by Debi Nixon of The Resurrection Church
Planning Center software – a set of software tools to help you organize information, coordinate events, communicate with your team, and connect with your congregation
Manual for Developing the Seven Marks of Congregational Vitality from the PC(USA)
Fresh Expressions, a website helping pastors and leaders equip their church to reach more people for Christ
Hemorrhaging Faith: Why and When Young Canadian Adults are Leaving, Staying, and Returning to the Church, a Family Faith Formation Research Project
Starting Small Groups… Connection before Content, an 8/2023 blog article from Sharechurch
7 Ways To Build Teams of Great Leaders(when you feel like your team is lacking), 6/2021 (Carey Nieuwhof article)
The ‘Great Realignment’: Pastors come and go, 6/22/2022 PC(USA) article with stories of several congregations and church leaders who have successfully navigated transitions and offers guidance on how to survive and even flourish in these trying times
8 Steps 4 Change: Steps Required to Transition a Church, Bob Whitesel (article)
“Becoming a Future-Ready Church” featuring Adelle Banks, a 3/2025 podcast from The Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Leading Faithful Innovation, a free PRC on demand webinar, 2/2024
Using the assets we have: Innovation in ministry, A 3/2023 Outlook on-demand webinar
Church Growth Barriers: How to Break Through the 4 Most Common Plateaus, 5/2023 webinar from the Unstuck Group: Click here, and the workbook
Discipleship Pathways: Common obstacles of faith formation, a recorded PRC webinar
Fun and Meaningful Ideas to Reinvigorate Your Community Outreach, 5/2022 PRC webinar
Thriving in a Decade of Accelerating Change, 6/2022 PRC webinar
Strategic Ambiguity: 5 things every church can do in times of uncertainty to move towards health, 5/2022 PRC webinar
Good Futures Accelerator – from the PC(USA)’s Office of Innovation and Rooted Good, an instrument that helps congregations take proactive steps before they face major crises or irreversible decline. $
AE Sloan Leadership
Convergence Group, strategic planning, resources, online learning
Cyclical – Founded by Presbyterians, it is an organization working to pave the way for churches to innovate in new ways, and to see what is possible for the future
Project Regeneration from the Presbyterian Foundation walks alongside congregations as they work to discern their path into the future, free
Pneumatix – provides adaptive change leadership skills for congregational transformation
Center For Healthy Churches
The Unstuck Group – helps equip churches to grow their impact and effectiveness
Holy Cow Consulting & Data
Broken Sheep – helping churches reach the lost in their community, welcome them into the church and introducing them into a life long relationship with Christ
CCG (Congregational Consulting Group)
Church Marketing University
Why Guests Aren’t Coming Back & What You Can Do About It, a 2025 article from Text in Church, shared by Church of the Resurrection
Open Network videos: 3 Steps for Engaging First Time Visitors, Create a welcoming Environments For New Guests, and Practical Strategies For Recruiting New Volunteers
Seven Reasons Your Guests Aren’t Returning, a ShareChurch article (UMC)
Three Characteristics of Excellent Follow-up, a ShareChurch article (UMC)
Getting First Time Visitors to Come Back, a 10 minute video from Church Marketing University with some great ideas to try
Three Characteristics of Excellent Follow-Up (with visitors), a blog article from ShareChurch (UMC) 11/2023
Operations page (think hospitality & events) of Open Network church
Plan a visit blueprint from Text At Church
Secret Shopper Form – Hand this to someone so they can give unfiltered feedback on your church experience
A Fresh Start at Strengthening Relationships in Your Church, 6/2021 PRC webinar on getting to know people who are new to your congregation and reaching out to include people on the “fringes” of congregational life
The Senior Pastor’s Guide to Reaching More People – Lots of ideas and best practices on how to reach new people PDF from Church Juice
Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving—Is Your Church Ready? 9/2025 article from the UMC
Walking with Young Adults in Faith: Finding Belonging in Seasons of Becoming, a 2025 article from the CRC (Christian Reformed Church)
Strategies for Reaching and Developing Gen Z, an on-demand webinar from PRC
5 Things You Need to Know About Gen Z in 2024, a 9/2024 Barna article
Strategies for Reaching and Developing Gen Z, a PRC recorded webinar from May, 2024
Not Done Yet with Beth Seversen, a webinar from Therefore Go Ministries – A conversation focused on best practices for the church as we seek to connect with emerging adults
Returning to ritual: Gen Z and religion, 2/2024 Outlook article
A Sneak Peek into 5 Characteristics of Gen Z Church, Carey Nieuwhof 3/2023 article
Who Teens Really Listen To, Why Adults Fail to Connect with Gen Z, and Creating a Better Soundtrack for the Next Generation, 11/2022 Carey Nieuwhof podcast
Renegotiating Faith: The Delay in Young Adult Identity Formation and What it Means for the Church in Canada, a Family Faith Formation Research Report
3 Ideas For Increasing Your Influence With Gen Z, 5/2022 article from Carey Nieuwhof
What does the next generation actually want from your church? 8/2021 (Carey Nieuwhof podcast episode)
Articles on Millennials from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Articles on Reaching Younger People from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership
5 Surprising Characteristics of Churches That Are Actually Reaching The Next Generation, a Carey Nieuwhof article
What Millennials Want When They Visit A Church, 3/2015 (a Barna Group article)
5 Things Millennials Are Looking For in A Church, a Carey Nieuwhof article
Reaching Millennials: Proven Methods for Engaging a Younger Generation by David Stark, Bethany House 2016
The Colossian Forum: Lead Through Conflict, free and paid
Church Answers, Tom Rainer resource page
Carey Nieuwhof resources on Leadership, (articles, podcast, & more) free & paid
Lewis Center for Church Leadership (articles & podcasts)
Fresh Expressions with Michael Adam Beck, resourcing church leaders to serve the present age (UMC)
Getting and Keeping Talented, Engaged Volunteers, 10/2021 PRC webinar
Getting Volunteers To Say Yes, a 1/2024 article by Susan Beaumont of The Congregational Consulting Group
Is Your Volunteer Recruitment Working, a ShareChurch article
Five Ways To Show Volunteers Appreciation, a ShareChurch article
Building Up A New World: Congregational Organizing for Transformative Impact, edited by Ann Dunlap & Vahisha Hasan, 2023 The Pilgrim Press
Click here to preview
Neighborhood Church: Transforming Your Congregation into a Powerhouse for Mission by Krin Van Tatenhove & Rob Mueller, 2019 – and it’s study guide
Sailboat Church: Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission and Practice by Joan S. Gray, 2014
Part-Time Is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, 2020
The Art of Hospitality: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome by Yvonne Gentle, Abingdon 2020
Flow; Growing a Spiritual Yoga Practice in Church by Susan Springer, a 3/2023 review
The Adept Church: Navigating Between a Rock and a Hard Place by J. Douglas Powe, Jr., 5-week study, 2020 Abingdon, Paid
What Next? A creative tool from the PC(USA) to help ministries and communities of faith re-imagine our programs and life together. This tool will help you identify and discern creative new approaches, new ministries and new ways of being the big C church in a post-pandemic age.
CULTURAL COMPETENCY: Partnering with your neighbors in your Ministry Expedition (The Greatest Expedition), by Paul Nixon, 2021 $14.95
Our Connectional Church: The Hopeful Future of the PC(USA) by Gradye Parsons, Westminster John Knox Press 2018, $15
Part-Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy, 4/2020 by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, recommended by Rev. Deborah Wright of Pneumatrix. $19
Six Questions About the Future of the Hybrid Church Experience, State of the Digital Church Series from Barna, $18
We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry by Mark Elsdon, 2021
100 Days to a Healthier Church/Worksheets, Karl Vaters, free downloads
The Seven Pillars of Church Revitalization & Renewal by Tom Cheyney (2016, $12.99)
From Embers to a Flame: How God Can Revitalize Your Church by Harry L. Reeder III (2008, $12.99)
