The Habits of a High-Impact Church

Authors Crutchfield and Grant researched the 12 most powerful nonprofits of the last decade and then wrote a book about it: Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits

Exactly when was it that all of the hottest business books got stacked onto pastoral “must-read” lists? Somebody somewhere realized that the corporation and the congregation had the same need: leveraging leadership in order to peddle a product.

Now the commonalities between churches and companies end quickly: the product, the purpose, the power behind the pedal. And it’s always easier to claim that we are oceans apart instead of seeking out common ground.

But the growing trend among clergy is to glean inspiration for excellence in the pages of Scripture first and in The New York Times Bestseller list next.

Good to Great told us to get the right people on the bus. Freakonomics made us audit our preaching and leadership in search of the capital of incentive. Blink encouraged us to trust our gut instincts. Tipping Point inspired us to expand kingdom ideas through viral marketing — utilizing the connectors and promoters of our congregations.

Then there are the...