Waksom Pickett. It also tells of McGarvan's understanding of Christian Ministry, in regards to how his belief is two-fold and includes the conversion of the lost, as well as a church-centered strategy for discipleship. .
In chapter three of the text the reader is given a real look into the life of McGarvan and how the church growth movement is born. A detailed account of his life is given, beginning with his birth in 1897 to missionary parents. This chapter really allows the reader to "get to know" McGarvan and see that he was a real person, rather than just some missionary you read stories about in a book. He was a real person just like you and me, and reading his background and getting to know him through reading this chapter is something that really connects the reader with the ideas of McGarvan on a more personal level.
The remaining chapters (four, five and six) within part one of this text deal with how this movement goes through times of both struggle and growth. New people and groups are introduced within these chapters, including the "Pasedena Gang," the group most clearly identified with church growth, and C. Peter Wagner, the chief spokesperson for American church growth. It also talks about the changing shape of the church and how the church growth movement is growing more and more acceptance. .
The second part of this text is "A Theology of Church Growth." It begins with chapter seven discussing the systematic approach to theology and defines both theology and systematic. In this chapter the concepts and ideas of earlier church growth theology is introduced. On page seventy-five of this text the "Addendum - The Lausanne Covenant" begins. It has an Introduction and then is divided into twelve parts, and ends with a conclusion. This is vitally important in understanding the basics of church growth. The Lausanne emerged from the International Congress of World Evangelization in 1974.