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"What happened to the tried and true ideas that worked so well before?" "Why isn't our church attracting new members?" "Should we target our worship services to believers or to the unchurched?" To keep pace with rapid changes in the twenty-first century, pastors and leaders are being forced to take a close look at the programs and ministries of their churches.

According to church grown specialist Gary L. McIntosh, effective long-range planning should always involve careful examination of the church's basic mission. He reveals how studying core values from the past will encourage the development of creative vision for the future. McIntosh offers simple, usable methods to stop the trend of declining effectiveness in the church, including:

• Using core values to tie mission and vision together
• Assembling a "present team" and a "future team"
• Controlling finances while leaping forward
• Developing mission goals, not survival goals

In Look Back, Leap Forward we are introduced to Wendy, the chairperson of her church's vision planning team, and we learn along with her how to built a cutting edge ministry on the values of the past. The practical guidance is invaluable for all pastors, church leaders, and lay members who want to create an effective future for their church.