Written in 1976, *Your Church Can Grow: Seven Vital Signs of a Healthy Church* by C. Peter Wagner provides timeless strategies for fostering church growth, even in challenging contexts such as post-pandemic recovery. Wagner defines church growth as "all that is involved in bringing men and women, who do not have a personal relationship to Jesus Christ, into fellowship with Him and to responsible church membership" (p. 14). While understanding why some churches thrive and others do not is complex, Wagner identified seven vital signs that contribute to a church’s health and growth: the pastor, the congregation, church size, structure and functions, homogenous units, methods, and priorities. According to Wagner, these indicators can reveal a church’s growth potential.
**Vital Sign #1** is a pastor who is a "possibility thinker" with the dynamic leadership to galvanize the church into action for growth. Wagner observed that thriving churches consistently had pastors highly regarded by their congregations. **Vital Sign #2** is an active, mobilized laity. Wagner emphasized that "activating laypeople for church growth has become more essential than at any other time in recent church history" (p. 78), and the ability to motivate laypeople is crucial. **Vital Sign #3** considers church size. While Wagner doesn’t equate size with success, he recognizes both large and small churches' unique strengths. Large churches often have greater capacity to host community events, provide evangelistic opportunities, and hire skilled staff, while small churches offer intimate, family-like environments, which many people find appealing.
**Vital Sign #4** is the church’s structure and functions. Wagner suggests that in smaller congregations, newcomers should be easily identifiable. Larger churches, however, face the challenge of helping individuals avoid feeling lost in the crowd. **Vital Sign #5** is the homogenous unit principle, where Wagner argues that growth often occurs more effectively in churches that serve people with shared backgrounds and experiences. **Vital Sign #6** addresses church methods. While Wagner found no single method common to all growing churches, he noted that successful churches adopt methods that meet people's needs. **Vital Sign #7** is setting church priorities. Wagner encourages churches to prioritize their mission in meeting spiritual needs, despite people’s hunger for other essentials like food, housing, and companionship. Ultimately, he argues that the church’s unique purpose is to draw people into closer relationships with God (p. 174).
*Your Church Can Grow* offers pastors and church leaders practical guidance to assess their current standing, set future goals, and chart a course for growth. In a time when church growth often falls to the pastor, Wagner’s insights provide frustrated leaders with direction, offering awareness of the possibilities, challenges, and strategic priorities that can lead to effective church growth.