Good advice from Fulton Sheen?

Richard John Neuhaus in First Things seems to think so:

A priest on Long Island tells me that, when he was newly ordained, he had the chance to visit with the legendary Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who was famed for, among other things, winning many converts to the Catholic Church. Sheen was in the hospital and, as it turned out, on his deathbed. “Archbishop Sheen,” my friend said, “I have come for your counsel. I want to be a convert-making priest like you. I’ve already won fifteen people to the faith. What is your advice?” Sheen painfully pushed himself up on his elbows from his reclining position and looked my friend in the eye. “The first thing to do,” he said, “is to stop counting.”

A third group of growing churches...

This from GROW magazine, a publication of the Nazarenes:

For many years, our Research Center has known that new churches and large churches grow faster than the res of the denomination. But recently, a third group of growing Churches of the Nazarene was discovered.

Three groups...routinely exceed the average denominational growth rate in the U.S. Churches organized less than ten years (or not yet organized), churches reporting at least 500 in worship the previous year, and those churches reporting no more than 50 in worship the previous year....In seventeen of the past twenty years these smaall churches have grown faster than the denominational average. As recently as 2000, their growth rate was higher than that of our largest churches.

Comeback churches

Turning a significantly declining church into a growing one (particularly one growing by conversion) is a rarity. But it can be done. Take a look at "Comeback Churches."

HT: smartpastor.com (great website)

Comeback churches...how churches can return to evangelistic effectiveness. A good read from Ed Stetzer and Mike Dobson:

When we undertook our study of churches that went from decline to stagnation in a 5 year period, about 1% of churches qualified. Ten denominations shared their data for this research project and an average of 1% of their churches qualified. Moving a church to evangelistic effectiveness is hard work and takes wisdom, courage, and insight. Hopefully these resources will help you know how... and in 2007 ComebackChurches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and How Your Can Too! will be published. Until then, you can consult some recent books, read the articles from On Mission Magazine, and learn from other organizations involved in church revitalization. -Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson