Thom S. Rainer, who is nationally recognized for his groundbreaking research on the unchurched, is holding the second conference in September on his latest research on churches that experienced decline because of poor leadership, conflict, building of space issues, or a moral failure, as part of the three-part series of Church Health Conference hosted by Church Central.

After gaining much success in the first conference, Rainer is expected to present his new research at the second conference, which takes it's title from his new book, "Breakout Churches: Discover How to Make the Leap” -- on Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. Rainer will mainly speak of the 13 churches that made the leap to break out from mediocrity without change pastors, based on his research of 52,000 churches.

Prominent church leaders who were part of Rainer’s research will also speak at the conference. Dr. T. Vaughn Walker, professor of black church studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and senior pastor of First Gethsemane Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., and Bob Russell, senior minister of one of the top five largest churches in America, Southeast Christian, will be present.

Rainer, who is Dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, has received the high acclaim for his work in 2003, "The Unchurched Next Door." The book was nominated for a Gold Medallion Book Award by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and was chosen as a finalist from among 471 books from 58 publishers submitted this year for providing answers to church leaders in regards to winning the hearts of the unchurched Christians.

For more information about the conference call (866) 515-0520 or email assistance@churchcentral.com or bob@churchcentral.com.

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