Dr. Elmer Towns, Co-founder of Liberty University and now Dean of the School of Religion, stopped by the Auxano booth this afternoon. In a fascinating conversation spanning only a few minutes but covering decades of church growth and health, one comment stands out. When asked about the founding of Liberty along with Jerry Falwell, he said:

Everybody wanted to know how to grow a big church. The answer is simple:

Go where the pulpit was hot!

He went on to explain that it meant preaching about the Gospel and how it changed lives. Chapel speakers weren’t faculty members – they were local pastors who came in and preached on what they did in ministry last week. He would give the same advice today to pastors and church planters – learn by doing from people who are doing it.

-from the SBC floor