Abstract
Over the last two decades, interest in congregational studies has increased. Recently, this increased pursuit has become more than an exercise in social science research, data gathering for comparative analysis, and forecasting trends in the religious life in our nation. Among recent studies, note Wind and Lewis, Ammerman, Franklin, Ammerman, Miller, Becker, Billingsley, Frank, Carroll, Wilkes. Those texts, which have dealt exclusively with African-American congregations, have largely been narrative accounts of the story of the congregations. Notably among books in this category are Williams and Freedman. Others have shared stories of particular strategies that pastoral leaders have used with varying levels of achievement.