Keywords
history, church growth, Great Commission Research Network, Consulting, Academics, Research
Abstract
This article surveys the 40‑year history of the Great Commission Research Network, originally founded in 1985 as the American Society for Church Growth. It traces the Society’s origins in the vision of C. Peter Wagner, its early development alongside emerging academic and consulting roles in the Church Growth Movement, and its subsequent evolution through changing leadership, themes, and institutional partnerships. The narrative outlines major milestones, including organizational restructuring, name changes, expanding conference formats, and increasing collaboration with seminaries, denominations, and the Society for Church Consulting. Across four decades, the Society has produced significant research, cultivated key leaders, supported academic scholarship, advanced church consulting, and reinforced its core commitment to disciple‑making and evangelistic effectiveness. The article concludes by highlighting the Society’s enduring influence on churches, leaders, and institutions, and expresses hope for continued impact in the decades ahead.
Recommended Citation
McIntosh, G. (2025). A Brief History of the American Society for Church Growth and Great Commission Research Network. Great Commission Research Journal, 17(2), 41-76. Retrieved from https://place.asburyseminary.edu/gcrj/vol17/iss2/4
Included in
Christianity Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, Practical Theology Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons
