Rating: 
Summary: Marketing Oriented Answers to Spiritual Disease
Review: Barna has made a fortune by addressing from a marketing analysis what inhibits the church's growth. He proceeds by investigating churches that have made a turn-around what they did.The answer is become more market oriented: people oriented rather than God oriented. As Paul addresses in Galatians 1:6-10, the Apostle was not marketing oriented, no matter what Barna claims. All he ever provides with Biblical support for this is I Cor. 9:19-22. However, his application to the message is not what this text teaches. Good, solid commentators on this, e.g. see Lockwood or Fee, disagree. Paul accomodates his life, not his message. Gathering and presenting the data of what churches and preachers did to turn-around congregations doesn't show at all that the Lord is behind such growth. Way too much is assumed by Barna and this cases he sights. With all the principles, obtacles and wisdom he cites, unless the truth is preached and taught and believed there is no growth, there is no turn-around. Why are we so enamored with change? Because many have never and likely will never confess and adore the truth's handed down to them from the believers from the past, who contended for the faith so valliantly against opponents too who sided with the people rather than the Lord. Do we norm our faith on pragmatism or Scripture? Although I have great respect for marketing, let it stay where it belongs in the world of business and corporate life. Until I am shown clearly from God's Word that marketing is of His blessing, I cannot change, I will stand on the Word and speak out against turn-arounds which ignore its admonitions and warnings as Barna and these practioners do. "A time will come when people will not listen to sound teachng but, craving to hear something different, will get more and more teachers whom they like." 2 Timothy 4:3
Rating:
Summary: Marketing Oriented Answers to Spiritual Disease
Review: Barna has made a fortune by addressing from a marketing analysis what inhibits the church's growth. He proceeds by investigating churches that have made a turn-around what they did. The answer is become more market oriented: people oriented rather than God oriented. As Paul addresses in Galatians 1:6-10, the Apostle was not marketing oriented, no matter what Barna claims. All he ever provides with Biblical support for this is I Cor. 9:19-22. However, his application to the message is not what this text teaches. Good, solid commentators on this, e.g. see Lockwood or Fee, disagree. Paul accomodates his life, not his message. Gathering and presenting the data of what churches and preachers did to turn-around congregations doesn't show at all that the Lord is behind such growth. Way too much is assumed by Barna and this cases he sights. With all the principles, obtacles and wisdom he cites, unless the truth is preached and taught and believed there is no growth, there is no turn-around. Why are we so enamored with change? Because many have never and likely will never confess and adore the truth's handed down to them from the believers from the past, who contended for the faith so valliantly against opponents too who sided with the people rather than the Lord. Do we norm our faith on pragmatism or Scripture? Although I have great respect for marketing, let it stay where it belongs in the world of business and corporate life. Until I am shown clearly from God's Word that marketing is of His blessing, I cannot change, I will stand on the Word and speak out against turn-arounds which ignore its admonitions and warnings as Barna and these practioners do. "A time will come when people will not listen to sound teachng but, craving to hear something different, will get more and more teachers whom they like." 2 Timothy 4:3
Rating: 
Summary: He gets to the point
Review: George Barna has done an excellent job of pointing out what it takes to turn around a plateaued or declining church. What he writes I find to be true but sometimes it may be tough to hear. He does clarify what kind of pastor it will take and that most of these kinds of churches have a pastor that is not gifted for the task. It has been my personal experience that what he says works. I came to the conclusion after reading this book that many churches are not willing to pay the price to follow a pastor that is gifted to turn a church around. As a pastor this book caused me to take a closer look at churches and why they fail.
Rating:
Summary: He gets to the point
Review: George Barna has done an excellent job of pointing out what it takes to turn around a plateaued or declining church. What he writes I find to be true but sometimes it may be tough to hear. He does clarify what kind of pastor it will take and that most of these kinds of churches have a pastor that is not gifted for the task. It has been my personal experience that what he says works. I came to the conclusion after reading this book that many churches are not willing to pay the price to follow a pastor that is gifted to turn a church around. As a pastor this book caused me to take a closer look at churches and why they fail.
Rating:
Summary: Right On!
Review: George Barna has written some excellent books, but this is not one of his best. It is very much like many books about church growth. If you are not well-read on this subject, you might enjoy this book more than I. Barna's strength is his diagnosis of trouble. His solutions are,in my view, weak. When dealing with church growth in general, one has to ask the question, "If I have to do such and such and have a church that is such and such, is it worth having this kind of church at all? Is this a Christianity WORTH reproducing?"
Rating: 
Summary: A Few Good Insights
Review: George Barna has written some excellent books, but this is not one of his best. It is very much like many books about church growth. If you are not well-read on this subject, you might enjoy this book more than I. Barna's strength is his diagnosis of trouble. His solutions are,in my view, weak. When dealing with church growth in general, one has to ask the question, "If I have to do such and such and have a church that is such and such, is it worth having this kind of church at all? Is this a Christianity WORTH reproducing?"
Rating:
Summary: Right On!
Review: I believe Barna has done an excellent job at pointing out what it takes to turn a church around that is plateaued or declining. He points out the kind of pastor and leaders that it will take also. From my personal experience the advice he gives is tough but accurate. The advice he gives is not just his personal advice but from pastors that have actually turned churches around.
Rating:
Summary: A study of declining churches who made a comeback.
Review: The Turn-Around church is a study of declining churches who made a comeback from the jaws of death. Barna tell us "This book is a modest attempt to provide a systematic study of why churches fail and how some of these dying ministries were revived and brought back to a glorious state of health." The book examines the cycles of growth and decline that face any ministry and the symptoms of decline. Eleven factors are identified that were present when a dying church was restored to wholeness. The type of pastor who turns-around a declining church is examined. Strategies for growth and ways to avoid a decline are also presented. The book would be a terrific resource for a dying church who wanted to reverse the cycle. Also for a pastor who is considering assuming the role of a turn-around leader. I also thought much of the insight applied to pastors wanting to transition a church before decline sets in. I like reading Barna but didn't consider this one of his better books. Much of the material seemed like a repeat. But it would be invaluable to those considering a turn-around.
Rating:
Summary: I was afraid to read this book
Review: This is a very unique book. It doesn't look for churches that are success stories and then Barna writes why they have made it. Rather this a book that the author looks for churches that are "failures" and he tells us why and what it took to turn them around. He states that it takes a special (or different) type of pastor to turn a church around. It takes a pastor that can exude confidance and strong leadership. He writes: "Leadership without strong management results in theoretical, idea-heavy, pastor driven churches. Management without visionary leadership leads to ministry that is mechanical, passionless. predictable and limited". Also states that it will take a new pastor to turn a church around. The Pastor who is on watch when the church takes a dive will not be able to cause this major change as the church is ready to give its last gasp. It is easy to see that Maxwell's leadership laws are being implemented. The difference in this book is that time lines and time deadlines are given. I said I was afraid to read this book because I have been involved with 3 turn around churches (all have made it)and this last one was on the bankruptcy doorsteps as well as facing civil lawsuits and a possible criminal investigation. It simply doesn't get worse. Today, 4 years later, there has been a complete turn around. I was afraid because I read the book with an eye to judge myself according to Mr. Barna. He writtings are exactly what my wife and I have experienced. This definitely is NOT a book on theory. These are actual case studies and I can personally attest to its accuracy. I only wish that I have read this book 20 years ago so that I could have gone into these situations with a bit more confidance. The only way not to rate this book highly, is to only experience a turnaround by reading and not by doing.
Rating:
Summary: I was afraid to read this book
Review: This is a very unique book. It doesn't look for churches that are success stories and then Barna writes why they have made it. Rather this a book that the author looks for churches that are "failures" and he tells us why and what it took to turn them around. He states that it takes a special (or different) type of pastor to turn a church around. It takes a pastor that can exude confidance and strong leadership. He writes: "Leadership without strong management results in theoretical, idea-heavy, pastor driven churches. Management without visionary leadership leads to ministry that is mechanical, passionless. predictable and limited". Also states that it will take a new pastor to turn a church around. The Pastor who is on watch when the church takes a dive will not be able to cause this major change as the church is ready to give its last gasp. It is easy to see that Maxwell's leadership laws are being implemented. The difference in this book is that time lines and time deadlines are given. I said I was afraid to read this book because I have been involved with 3 turn around churches (all have made it)and this last one was on the bankruptcy doorsteps as well as facing civil lawsuits and a possible criminal investigation. It simply doesn't get worse. Today, 4 years later, there has been a complete turn around. I was afraid because I read the book with an eye to judge myself according to Mr. Barna. He writtings are exactly what my wife and I have experienced. This definitely is NOT a book on theory. These are actual case studies and I can personally attest to its accuracy. I only wish that I have read this book 20 years ago so that I could have gone into these situations with a bit more confidance. The only way not to rate this book highly, is to only experience a turnaround by reading and not by doing.
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