Donald McGavran: Pioneer of Church Growth Movement
Explore the life and journey of Donald McGavran, the visionary behind the Church Growth Movement. From his early days in India to his impactful work as a missionary and educational administrator, discover how McGavran's experiences shaped his perspectives on spreading Christianity and fostering growth within communities.
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Presentation Transcript
The Church Health/Growth Movement Howard Culbertson Southern Nazarene University 20 March 2025 1
Donald McGavran Father of the Church Growth movement MK, born in India in 1897 Grandparents were also missionaries to India 20 March 2025 2
Captured by materialism While a student at Butler University . . . My father has done enough for the Lord. It is time for me to strike out for myself and earn some money. 20 March 2025 3
A change of direction Gave life to Christ Went to Yale Divinity School Would finish Ph.D. in 1937 at Columbia University with a dissertation on Hinduism and Christianity 20 March 2025 4
Back to India Returned to India in 1923 with United Christian Missionary Society (Disciples of Christ) Placed in charge of mission school system at Harda 20 March 2025 5
Missionary administrator Director of religious education Standardized instruction and curriculum Wrote course outlines Established Christian Youth Conferences 20 March 2025 6
Became authority on Hindi language Translated Gospels into Chattisgarhi dialect Superintendent of leprosy home and hospital 20 March 2025 7
1932-- became executive secretary of mission 80 missionaries, 5 hospitals, high schools, primary schools, home for lepers 20-30 small churches growing at 1% per year 20 March 2025 8
It wasnt all office work Fought off a wounded tiger and a wild boar Checked a cholera epidemic single handedly Climbed the Himalayas 20 March 2025 9
McGavrans conclusion Large amounts of money producing relatively small results It offended my Scottish nature. So, what to do now? 20 March 2025 10
Enter: J. Waskom Pickett McGavran said: I lit my candle at his fire. Who was this man? 20 March 2025 11
1910 -- E. Stanley Jones convinced J. Waskom Pickett to apply for missionary service to India Interest aroused in mass movements to Christ 1920 s Controversy over mass conversions piques Pickett s interest 1930-31 Pickett surveys mass movement phenomenon throughout India 20 March 2025 12
1936 Pickett was asked to survey central India McGavran traveled with him 20 March 2025 13
Picketts legacy Pragmatic research-based orientation People movements Awareness of social networks Need to reach the masses Study of converts motives Discipling and perfection as part of evangelism 20 March 2025 14
Pickett is one of us Something not to be overlooked for our theological tradition: McGavran s mentor was a Methodist. 20 March 2025 15
1936 McGavran left administrative position; spent next 18 years in church planting (15 churches/ 1000 converts) 20 March 2025 16
Birth certificate of church growth movement 1955 Published Bridges of God Fostering people movements versus mission station approach Hint of Homogeneous Unit Principle 20 March 2025 17
1959 Published How Churches Grow 1961 Church Growth Institute in Oregon Plan was to educate furloughed missionaries Began with one student, a Methodist missionary to Bolivia. 1964 Church Growth Bulletin 20 March 2025 18
1965 Moved to Fuller Seminary Movement went from global to dominated by North Americans 1970 Published Understanding Church Growth 20 March 2025 19
McGavrans 3 questions When a church is growing, why is it growing? What barriers, obstructions or sicknesses prevent the natural life, vitality and growth of churches? What reproducible principles operative in growing churches can be used elsewhere? 20 March 2025 20
Lessons from McGavran 1. Value of a few close support people Wesley / Whitefield contrast 2. Clear focus 3. Optimism 4. Value of edification and encouragement 20 March 2025 21
Lessons from McGavran 5. Humility 6. Enormous energy Much of his work done after age 65 7. Vision 8. Incredible tenacity 20 March 2025 22
Philosophic Core Material from Elmer Towns Homogeneous units Main barrier to conversion needs to be theological and not something else People movements Focus on receptivity . . . the good soil Use of scientific methodology Wesley s sanctified pragmatism Church planting 20 March 2025 23
McGavrans use of scientific method Identify problem Gather data Construct hypothesis (potential solution) Test hypothesis Establish principle 20 March 2025 24
The Modern Church Health/Growth Movement End 20 March 2025 25
This PowerPoint presentation is available along with related materials and other PowerPoint presentations at http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/ppt.htm 20 March 2025 26
