Sermon Series as Church Growth Tool?

So, I was quietly eating my lunch the other day, catching up on some reading when I ran across this statement and I had to find out what you all think.  

In the March-April 2015 edition of Worship Arts, Carol A. Cook Moore (Assistant Professor of Worship and Preaching at Wesley Theological Seminary) and Sarah Cobb (student at WTS) wrote the following: 

“...the use of themes and sermon series is the new wave in twenty-first century congregational worship.  Church growth specialists stress this approach as one of the primary tools for increasing participation in worship.”

Never heard that before. In your experience is that a trend? If so I can’t help but feel that the Christian Reformed Church is well-positioned to lead the pack.  Though an increasing number of our congregations make use of the lectionary it seems to me that the majority of our churches function with themes and sermon series. Sometimes the series is based on the Heidelberg Catechism or another confession, sometimes it is an exegetical working through of a book of the bible or even God’s whole story from creation to redemption, from Genesis to Revelation. Other times we are blessed by the work of another pastor and congregation and utilize their work. However we plan our worship it seems that in the CRC we naturally gravitate towards series.

But then I wondered. Are all series or themes equal? I suppose not. But what makes for a good series? What kind of series is getting the attention of Church Growth specialists? I’d like to hear what you think.

And speaking of sermon series...

Reformed Worship is looking for series and other resources around the following topics:

1. Mission (think Home Mission’s theme about God moving into the neighborhood)
2. Spiritual disciplines, discipleship, and faith formation,
3. Lordship and reign of Christ
4. Prayer

If you have anything email us at [email protected]