The Law of the Harvest

Practical Principles of Effective Missionary Work

 

 

David G. Stewart, Jr., MD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

© 2007.  All rights reserved.

 

Cover Photo courtesy of Reuben Dunn.  Used with permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Contents

 

Introduction. 4

 

Section I. Trends in LDS Church Growth. 8

Natural Growth. 13

Congregational Growth. 16

Trends in LDS Member Activity and Convert Retention. 19

Evaluating Growth and Retention. 27

 

Section II. Church Growth Solutions. 33

The Member-Missionary Miracle. 34

Witnesses of Christ 38

Principles of Member-Missionary Work. 47

Mission Preparation. 54

Goal Setting. 62

Planning and Time Management 65

Language Learning. 68

Contextualizing the Gospel to the Culture. 71

Principles of Finding. 74

Teaching for True Conversion. 96

Teaching Points from the Discussions. 111

Convert Retention. 117

The Cost of Inactivity. 122

Growth and Standards. 125

Understanding the Conversion Process. 131

Achieving Full Convert Retention. 134

Special Cases in Convert Retention. 147

Understanding Inactivity and Reactivation. 149

 

Section III. Principles of Leadership. 158