Growth and Change

For many years, evangelical church leaders have been told that the key to seeing gospel growth is to “just be faithful”. In Growth and Change, Andrew Heard challenges this misconception head-on with wisdom from decades of ministry experience and deep theological reflection.

Richly biblical and heartfelt, this ground-breaking book confronts sacred cows, rejects easy answers and addresses the tensions felt by every leader who wants to proactively work for change while remaining absolutely committed to the word of God.

This is a must-read for every church leader committed to seeing the gospel of Jesus grow and bear fruit.

“I honestly believe this could prove to be one of the most important books (after the Bible, of course) for church leaders in our time.”—Richard Coekin

“How can we care about growing a church and not lose our theological moorings in the process? Andrew Heard shows us the way.”—Ed Stetzer

“Andrew Heard is well known and well trusted in Australia, his homeland. Now we pray that his influence may multiply exponentially around the world.”—D.A. Carson

“A stirring call to radically rethink our trellises for the sake of growing the vine.”—Tony Payne

“Every leader of a church or Christian organization should read this.”—Robert S. Kinney

• Foreword by DA Carson
• 1. Change and the unchanging God
• 2. The danger of a passion for growth
• 3. The necessity of a passion for growth
• 4. The importance of numbers
• 5. Rethinking our priorities
• 6. Tying together the threads (so far)
• 7. Bearing the weight of responsibility
• 8. Living with the tensions
• 9. Theologically principled pragmatism
• 10. Freedom and boundaries in church life
• 11. Freedom and boundaries for pastors
• 12. Leading with outcomes at the centre
• 13. Dealing with the pressure of ministry
• Conclusion: Do not stoop
• Appendix: Five foundations for ministry

Andrew Heard has been involved in Christian ministry for nearly 30 years. In 1996, together with his wife Cathie, he established a new church on the Central Coast of NSW, now called EV Church, where he serves as Lead Pastor. In 2005 he was elected as founding President of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. This association contains churches in most states of Australia, with more being added each year. In 2009 he became a founding director of Geneva Push, a church planting network that aims to see hundreds of new churches started around Australia. He is now Chairman of Reach Australia.