How Did We Get Here? by Todd Wilson — book cover
Courtesy of RightNow Pastors+

You’ve felt the weight of a system
you didn’t design and can’t quite escape.

Download the free book that finally gives you the language and the history to understand why.

Discover how decades of church growth philosophy reshaped pastoral ministry, church leadership, and the expectations placed on pastors today—creating a system that often measures success by visible growth rather than lasting transformation.

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By Todd Wilson Founding CEO, Exponential
The Question Most Pastors Are Asking

Why does leading a church
feel harder than it should?

Something is off—and most leaders sense it. Churches are working harder, spending more, and reaching fewer people. The models that powered growth for decades are losing steam. And yet the system keeps spinning, because no one fully understands how it was built, or why it’s so difficult to change.

How Did We Get Here? is the first single volume to trace the full 70-year arc of the American Church Growth Movement—from Donald McGavran’s original missionary vision to the consumer-driven system most churches now operate on. It doesn’t assign blame. It provides understanding. And understanding, it turns out, is exactly what leaders need to move forward.

“
I’ve served in ministry for two decades and always sensed something was fundamentally off. I just couldn’t name it—until this book gave me the framework.
— Senior Pastor
What You’ll Discover

One story. Finally told in full.

The seeker-sensitive movement, the Purpose-Driven era, the megachurch explosion, the multisite revolution—most leaders experienced these as separate chapters. They were always one story.

I
The History

Six Eras. One Connected Arc.

A clear narrative from McGavran’s 1955 missionary breakthrough through Willow Creek, Rick Warren, and the disruption era—assembled in one place for the first time.

II
The Diagnosis

How a Good Vision Got Co-opted

McGavran’s original ideals were evangelistic and multiplication-focused. This book traces—without blame—how they gradually became a consumer-driven system optimized for crowds, not disciples.

III
The Framework

Why It’s So Hard to Change

Twelve interconnected dilemmas function like a flywheel. Understanding this mechanism explains why even aware, willing leaders find the system nearly impossible to escape.

IV
The Hope

What Comes Next

The disruption of 2015–2025 was painful—but necessary. The next movement is already emerging: decentralized, relational, and multiplication-focused. This book equips you to recognize and shape it.

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Todd Wilson, author of How Did We Get Here?
About the Author

Written from the inside.

Todd Wilson didn’t observe this movement from a distance—he helped build it.

As the founding CEO of Exponential and a personal strategic advisor to Bob Buford, he had a front-row seat in many of the conversations that shaped the modern church growth movement.

That practitioner’s vantage point, combined with research across hundreds of primary sources and 100+ hours of interviews, produces something rare: a comprehensive account that honors the genuine fruit of the leaders who built this movement while naming the unintended consequences honestly. Understanding, not blame, is the goal throughout.

Voices From Across the Movement

What leaders are saying.

“This should be required reading for every Bible college and seminary student, and every practicing church leader. You can’t effectively navigate the future without first understanding how we got here.
Carey Nieuwhof
Author & Host, The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
“This book hands you both a mirror and a map: “Here’s how we got here. Here’s where the road now divides. Here’s the kind of leader the future demands.”
J.D. Greear
Pastor & Author, Everyday Revolutionary
“How Did We Get Here? is the kind of book every pastor, leader, and follower of Jesus needs right now—a courageous, grace-filled look at the history that shaped the American church. Todd is uniquely qualified to tell this story.
Derwin L. Gray
Co-Founder & Lead Pastor, Transformation Church
“This book helped me connect the dots and better understand why the American church is the way it is today. At its core, it asks us to reflect on the lessons from the past so that we can chart a meaningful and impactful future for the church in America.
Brian Mosley
President, RightNow Media

It’s yours—
completely free.

RightNow Media is pleased to offer this important book at no cost to church leaders. Download the book instantly and share it freely with your team.

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 Free · No credit card required
How Did We Get Here? cover

For more information about How Did We Get Here?, distribution partners, and additional resources, please visit church-growth.org.