I'm Jon L. White, a 71 year old 200 pound 5"6" Cajun built for power not speed who was born and raised in South Louisiana. I can't speak Cajun French but I can cook the food and tell the jokes so I call myself a a Cajun, sha! By the age of 30 I was completely lost and saw no point to life. In Daytona Beach, Florida I happened upon a big white tall-steepled church that turned out to be a Presbyterian church. I was baptized in a Presbyterian church at age seven but since my parents rarely went to church, I didn't either. As an adult I suspected GOD existed but I wasn't sure about that fellow Jesus so I wasn't a Christian. But I stuck with Presbyterian churches because they seemed to offer some hope and a few years later I had a conversion experience. Suddenly life made sense....there was a plan and GOD was in charge! And I was on fire for Jesus! I wanted to tell every one about what a wonderful thing he had done for us. I wanted to work in the Church but couldn't figure out how to do that. Then GOD revealed to me that I could go to seminary and become a pastor. Who wudda thunk it!? So, I went to Louisiana State University and got a Bachelor of Science degree in1983 and then on to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and got a Masters of Divinity in 1987. Like the first twelve disciples, I "followed Jesus" around for 3 years because I wanted to be well trained when I was called to a small church. (I owe my salvation to Jesus and small churches!) Despite an excellent seminary education when it came to worship, sermon preparation, and preaching....I found it hard to grow my small churches. So I went about the process of educating myself about church growth. As a result I wrote many small pamphlets for my congregations but I never put "it" all together and I struggled to grow my small churches. Then when I "semi-retired" my wife and I moved to Springfield, MO "it" all came together and my book just sort of tumbled out of me. What I wrote is not taught in seminaries which is why I had such a hard time growing my small churches. If you want your small church to grow, to become alive again, I hope you will not only read my but put what I have written to use. This advice also goes for anyone you know who belongs to a dying or stagnant church. Blessings.....HIS! Jon L. White, Pastor
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