Centered in the earthquake zone of northern California, the American Baptist Churches of the West have demonstrated that a plateaued and declining region of mainline congregations can become a model of healthy and growing congregations. They have overcome the usual excuses that "our churches are too small," "we have too many older people and congregations," and "property here is too expensive." They followed a powerful formula of biblical strategies, courageous leadership, and much hard work. What is most amazing is that the turnaround took less than five years.

from the foreword by Leith Anderson, author of Dying for a Change.

Denominations in the United States were started to assist congregations. Local churches realized that often they could do more together than they could separately. For many years denominations provided invaluable services to congregations in missions, education, and church life. This is no longer the case. As many congregations diminish in size, they find themselves with aging constituencies and experience a decline in mission dollars. They also find denominations impotent in producing change, health, and growth. Denomina-tions respond in various ways to this situation. This book offers three key strategies for change: training, recruitment of outside leaders, and pastoral mentoring