Paul Nixon stresses that “a growing number of people will associate with organized churches only when those places ‘WORK FOR THEM’ in their personal quests for meaningful theology, community, and service.” [Paul Nixon, I REFUSE TO LEAD A DYING CHURCH (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2006), 10 ] He keeps affirming too
that the pastor and laity of growing, thriving Churches must be people who have “had a LIVING EXPERIENCE OF MEETING THE RESURRECTED CHRIST PERSONALLY, SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW!” [Nixon, 14 and 20]