Abstract
Recent trends in church growth research emphasize the influence of institutional factors in generating organizational growth. However, confusion exists over how internal factors relate to growth and which are most influential. Pitfalls of limited longitudinal data and a lack of attention to both direct and indirect influences limit past studies of church growth. To reduce confusion, this paper distinguishes structural characteristics from more malleable institutional aspects. The basic premise is that congregations grow by creating belonging, which in turn elevates membership participation. A causal, structural equation model is proposed to test seven hypotheses. The model tests relationships of structure, participation, and growth, using three waves of self-reported data from 35,202 Southern Baptist congregations. Findings affirm the primary importance of participation in promoting congregational growth and relegate organizational characteristics of age, size, and staffing to secondary roles of influence.
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