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One of the most crucial changes in North American life, Schaller explains, has been the shift from small to large institutions. These changes, Schaller contends, mean that the rules have changed for everyone involved in organizational life, and this applies to leaders of congregations as much as to anyone. Very large churches--often called mega churches--will increasingly embody the new rule book for congregations. Extending their mission far beyond a single local neighborhood, they will draw large numbers of visitors, helping them move from skeptic or seeker to believer to learner to disciple to apostle. This book is written for those congregational leaders, both volunteer and paid staff, who recognize that their old rule book is obsolete and who are eager to learn how to participate effectively in the very large church in context that is defined by the culture, the societal contex,clearly defined expectations, a theological belief system, passion for evangelism, a high level of competence, creativity, innovation, and a new and different set of rules rather than by local tradtions or geographical boundaries or yesterday's stereotypes.
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