"You cannot mass produce Christians the way you make cars and sausages"-this is how Elliott characterizes many of the success techniques recommended by the church growth movement. His evaluation of the pitfalls a church can encounter when caught up in the "success-at-any-cost" syndrome will help pastors take a fresh look at their own standards for successful ministry. Viewing the movement objectively, Elliott readily admits there are some positive aspects. His concern is with the biblical and theological inconsistencies which pose questions that delve deeply into the interpretation of Christ's commission and the nature of the church itself.... Should success be measured in terms of building ca-thedrals and gathering the largest media constituencies? Is cre-ating a successful institution the church's prime concern? Does the homogeneous group approach to growth ignore the needs of urban churches? Should the church sow only where it can reap the most success or where God is calling men and women to minister? Is the desire for numerical growth giving the church more significance in our thinking than the kingdom of God? El-liott's answers and his suggestions for church growth that really counts, offer new directions for every city or suburban church. "There are no scientific techniques which can guarantee church growth. There is a call of Christ and an inspiration of the Spirit which are beyond any success techniques.

Ralph H. Elliott is Senior Pastor of the North Shore Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of The Message of Genesis, Reconciliation and the New Age, The Bible and Worship, and a study book The Gospel of St. Matthew.