The Church Must Grow or Perish

“A master salesman in his innovative approach to ministry, famed positive-thinking mega-church founder Robert Schuller was at heart a small-town pastor whose obsessions with church growth grew out of the affinities and tragedies of his youth, and enduring fears that American Christianity (and society) was in sharp decline. In this beautifully crafted, smartly argued biography, esteemed sociologists Mark Mulder and Gerardo Martí explain the complexities of his intentions and thought, as well as the market-driven ambitions that made him a ‘how to’ model for many of his peers and young pastors nationwide. In the process, they open up a remarkably fresh rendering of late modern American religious culture that should be deemed a must read.” –Darren Dochuk, University of Notre Dame

“Mulder and Martí have crafted a masterfully nuanced biography of Robert Schuller. They trace how his spiritual ambition for influence and expansion transformed his beloved Crystal Cathedral empire into a gilded iron cage, ultimately leading to his downfall. This compelling book not only sheds light on a fascinating and complex figure but also serves as a poignant cautionary tale for all clergy.” –Scott Thumma, Hartford International University

“These days when negativity prevails in many houses of worship, it is refreshing to recall Robert Schuller’s positive ‘possibility’ messaging. But Mulder and Martí have done much more than that. They challenge us to see in Schuller the origins of a business model through which American faith communities have adapted to the marketization of American culture. Whether readers are wholly convinced or not, they will find much here of value for understanding contemporary faith communities.” –Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University

Mark T. Mulder is professor of sociology at Calvin University, where he directs the urban studies program and also holds an appointment in the department of congregational and ministry studies. Author of several books, his writing has won awards from the Evangelical Press Association and the Associated Church Press, and his research has been published in journals such as Social Problems and The Journal of Urban History.

Gerardo Martí is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology at Davidson College. He currently serves as president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Author of several books, his work has been published widely in venues such as Social Forces, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Religion and American Culture, and Sociology of Religion.