Mathematical modeling of church growth

The possibility of using mathematics to model church growth is investigated using ideas from population modeling. It is proposed that a major mechanis m of growth is through contact between religious enthusiasts and unbeliever s, where the enthusiasts are only enthusiastic for a limited period. After that period they remain church members but less effective in recruitment. T his leads to the general epidemic model which is applied to a variety of ch urch growth situations. Results show that even a simple model like this can help understand the way in which churches grow, particularly in times of r eligious revival.