In Built By The Owner’s Design, Danny Von Kanel invites you into the drawing room of the Master Designer to examine His blueprints for evangelism and church growth. Employing the plumb line of God’s Word, he makes it clear that God’s way of growth and outreach is most effective.
Built By The Owner’s Design has consumed my thinking over the past three years. Having come to the place of recognizing unaddressed areas in church growth dialogue, I sought to raise some serious questions that needed answers. You will find some room for disagreement in its pages. As we look at the role of Sunday school, the subtle differences with the church growth movement, and the place of evangelism, please consider my rationale. The surveys, other research, and my experiences should weigh in on your conclusions. You may wonder if I’m for or against the Church Growth Movement. Neither. I have found myself somewhere in the middle concerning this movement -- rejecting some but accepting other tenets. I have specifically mentioned Rick Warren, pastor of the great Saddleback Church. Rick is doing a super work. He is a great pastor and man of God. But, being representative of the Church Growth Movement, I use him and his writings to focus our attention on some possible short comings and strengths of this movement. Concerning my experiences, please keep in mind these were growth experiences in the program areas in which I was responsible. Sometimes they impacted the overall church growth, other times not. Built By The Owner’s Design will systematically lead to an examination of your church and to a tailored plan for growth. May God lead and bless on your journey.
Excerpt
"The number one characteristic of most non-growing churches is that they do have a structure in place but it is programmatic and not evangelical. Of the 31% of SBC churches who said they were structured wrong, a whopping 17% came from growing churches. 20% and 22% of United Methodist and Presbyterian USA churches, respectively, characterized themselves this way.
George Barna in User Friendly Churches says,"Jesus did not minister through programs. The early church did not appoint program managers. The Bible never exhorts us to create new programs. Jesus, the apostles, the Bible -- all indicate by word or deed that our focus is to be on people,through meaningful relationships." The greater the embracing of the Great Commission through relationships, the greater the growth.
"Without the driving force of the Great Commission, says Gene Mims, church growth will be little more than a misguided attempt to gain numbers, discover methods, and do something different". Declining or plateaued churches have lost sight of the Great Commission. They are busy with many activities and programs but they are an end in themselves. Instead of offering an aerobics class for the purpose of locating people who are without Christ and following up on the prospects found, they offer aerobics for the sake of aerobics. It may be a service but it's not a ministry. Instead of offering a Mother's Day Out as a way of locating young families with children as prospects for evangelism and church membership, these churches are thinking of themselves; providing a service for its constituents with little thought for outreach.
You have been there. The call goes out one Sunday morning for men to play in the church basketball league. That's great......until you hear the next statement; "But you must be a member of our church to play." If you are serious about fulfilling the Great Commission, that statement cuts to the heart."
Professional Reviews
New Book Helps Church Leaders Rethink Outreach Methods
Danny Von Kanel wants to reach people for Christ! He has little patience with marketing gimmicks or shallow programs, and he is not afraid to take issue with some contemporary ways of doing church while suggesting what he thinks is a more biblical pattern. Built By The Owner’s Design offers “planks” on which to build solid church growth, and includes surveys on evangelism, discipleship, teaching, and spiritual growth. This book will help churches rethink their outreach methods and redouble their efforts.
Don M. Aycock
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church
Palatka, Florida
New Work Addresses True Church Outreach And Evangelism
Built By The Owner's Design is a refreshing and enlighting resource that every pastor will want to read and own. Danny provides
insightful illustrations for concepts presented. Short evaluations at the end of each chapter help the reader move the information to application in his or her specific church setting. The theme of construction, from foundation to completion in discipleship evangelism, provides an excellent backdrop for a fine work that can inspire leaders towards a greater dedication to true discipleship.
Peg Keeley, Project and Web Manager, Asbury Online Institute, Asbury Theological Seminary
New Book Is Very Practical and Useful
"This is a very helpful book which encourages church leaders to pursue biblical principles and concepts under grace, while avoiding traditional, institutional, programmatic methodologies and models. Danny Von Kanel presents a fresh and creative proposal to build churches by God's design, not human engineering. Assistance is given for effectively customizing evangelism efforts. It's very practical and useful. Waldo J. Werning, Director, Discipling/Stewardship Center, Pewaukee, WI
Danny I agree with you. God doesn't want all that hype! We have brought more people to salvation with casual talk around a fire pit, or in our living room, or at the kitchen table. We have brought them to church for baptism but most of the time it was in a bathtub or a swimming pool because the church was not available. We didn't meet unsaved people in the church. They are out in the world because people have a wrong picture of going to church. They think "religion" and not "relationship with God". Folks have to see Jesus in us outside of church, in our daily lives, and when they begin to want what we have, which is JESUS, then we will see them seeking out the churches that "produce" the Christian who shows to be Christ like.
Built By The Owner's Design is a must for all.
Enjoy all your Blessings!
In Christ Love, Elizabeth
All the prophetic pieces are assembling before our eyes. It is time to prepare for Earth's final hour. There is hope for the future as you see that Day approaching.
Finally! Understand and learn from the New Testament Book of James.
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