The American Church in Crisis Book

Foreword     8
Acknowledgments     9
List of Figures     10
List of Abbreviations     14
Introduction: Why Examine the American Church?     15
Observation
How Many People Really Attend Church?     23
The Trajectory of the American Church     33
The Millennium Effect     47
The Church's Remarkable Regional Landscape     61
"Poor, Uneducated, and Easy to Command"     81
Denominational Winners and Losers     92
Evaluation
The Survival of the Species     117
Why Established Churches Thrive or Decline     129
In the Birthing Room of the American Church     142
Introspection
Cultural Change in America     161
Sober Reflections on the Future of the American Church     174
What Is the American Church to Do?     185
Action
The Message of Jesus     193
The Mission of Jesus     200
The Message and Mission of the Church     208
The Restoration of the American Church     220
Notes     225