Developing Healthy Congregations

1. Developing Healthy Congregations Dr. Paul D. Borden

2. Health and Growth Related Growth – Indicates Health No Growth – No Health

3. God created the church to be missional • God is a missionary God • He picked Israel to bless so they would bless the nations • Israel failed in its mission • Jesus came to build His church

4. God created the church to be missional • The purpose of the church is to frustrate the Evil One • The church as a mystery is to build from all nations a people for God • God’s goal is that one day people from all over the world will stand before Him.

5. Lifecycles Are Indicators of Health Adulthood Death Birth

6. Living Organisms (Biological/Sociological) • Grow-Up, Mature and Die • People – Get One Lifecycle • Congregations – Can Have Multiple Lifecycles

7. Four Key Elements Determine Place on Life Cycle • V-Vision (Changing the World) • R-Relationships (People connecting with people) • M-Ministries • S-Structure (Management)

8. V s R m

9. r v S M

11. Vision ( Changing the world) Three key issues: • Purpose ( Mission) • Vision (Itself) • Values

12. Vision-Purpose (Mission) • Purpose – Mission • List All Congregational Activities (Ministries) • Then ask the question WHY? Only 3 possible answers to the question, WHY?

13. Vision-Purpose (Mission) ….the question, WHY? We conduct our ministries (primarily) for ourselves!

14. Vision-Purpose (Mission) ….the question, WHY? We conduct our Ministries (primarily) for those not here yet!

15. Vision-Purpose (Mission) ….the question, WHY? • We conduct our ministries • (primarily) for both: • Ourselves • Those not here yet Crucial Question must then be asked ????

16. Vision-Purpose (Mission) ….Who gets served first??? If the answer is those not here yet – OUTWARD FOCUS If the answer is ourselves – INWARD FOCUS

17. Vision-Purpose (Mission) No need for a mission statement ! Just one question ! Are you as a congregation focused: INWARD Or OUTWARD ?

18. Vision-Itself Vision is the answer to the question: What will it look like in five to ten years if we implement our mission well?

19. Vision-Itself Key question: Is your vision expressed in relation to your: CONGREGATION? Or COMMUNITY ?

20. Vision-Itself • Congregation – Selfish – Non-Motivating • Community – Outward Focus – Fuels the soul

21. Vision-Values Values – Our most basic beliefs that affect our everyday behavior And Govern how we do ministry as a congregation.

22. Vision-Values • Most congregations do not know their real values. • Real values revealed under stress !

23. Vision-Values For a congregation to move to: An OUTWARD focused mission and A Vision of a changed community They must go through stress !

24. Going up the lifecycle means: Adulthood Death Birth OUTWARD focused Mission Vision of a changed community Values consistent with such a mission and vision

25. Relationships (People connecting with people) • People are NOT looking for friendly congregations • People are looking for friends (People need to be able to develop meaningful and sustained relationships as quickly as possible).

26. FIVE KEY CONCEPTS

27. Relationships • Full legos are people with saturated relationships (can have no more) • Partially full legos are people with unsaturated relationships (can have more) People are like LEGOS

28. Relationships Everyone is seeking a place where they are valued for who they are not what they do. THIRD PLACES

29. Relationships GROUP DYNAMICS • Large groups-Unity around worship and mission • Mid-sized groups-Fellowship and teaching • Small groups-Intimacy and accountability

30. Relationships • What was comfortable • Provided status • Enabled them to have influence • Made them significant TRANSITIONS: People do not resist change, they resist the loss of:

31. Relationships • Each congregation is unique (gifts, talents, abilities, backgrounds, etc.) • Each congregation is designed to reach different people. • Healthy congregations remove cultural barriers and build cultural bridges to the GOSPEL! UNDERSTANDING YOUR NICHE

32. FIVE KEY CONCEPTS Relationship: People Connecting with People • Legos • Third Places • Group Dynamics • Transitions • Niche

33. Ministries (Programs) • Ministries are designed to help disciples mature and make more disciples. • Ministries that do not grow (which means they are no longer meeting needs for the entire congregation) must either be: Changed Discontinued

34. Ministries (Programs) 1. How does any ministry contribute to an outward focused mission? TWO MAJOR QUESTIONS MUST BE ASKED - Is it growing by attracting un-churched people? - Do those leading the program understand that programs strategic significance in relation to the congregation’s mission?

35. Ministries (Programs) - Does the implementation of ministry reflect missionary thinking? - Do ministries start where people are to move them on to discipleship? - How are the ministries helping the congregation to grow? 2. How does a congregation develop an overall strategy for their programs?

36. Ministries (Programs) ONE STRATEGY MODEL FOR PROGRAMS • Why? Convert consumers into committed disciples of Jesus Christ. • Which ones? Meet culturally determined expectations.

37. Ministries (Programs) • Worship and Music • Relationships/Groups/Friends (Legos and Third Places) • Care: Newcomer care Congregational care • Meet family needs: Infants/children/youth/adults • Education: Training and personal development • Preaching • Well-kept facilities • Financial stability

38. Ministries (Programs) LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: This ministry is not culturally assumed but if not implemented well the congregation will not be healthy and grow!!!

39. Ministries (Programs) How are these ministries developed and conducted? • Meet cultural expectations (Missionary thinking) • Must occur, even if people must be paid to make them happen • Are staff led (staff people can be volunteer, part-time or full-time)

40. Structure (Management) Management is like the skeleton in the body • If it can be seen the body is in trouble. • If there is too little the body is in trouble. • If it does not grow and develop the body is in trouble.

41. Structure (Management) Healthy congregational management systems require the implementation of three concepts. 1- The pastor must be developing as a leader and developing other leaders. • Congregational growth is in proportion to the development of leaders • The pastor develops three groups of leaders: • The Staff • The Board • Key leaders in the congregation

42. Structure (Management) 2- Leadership marries three key ideas: • Authority: The power to conduct ministry tasks. • Responsibility: The ministries that enable the mission to occur. • Accountability: Evaluating how well leaders accomplish ministry (Note: Groups cannot lead or be held accountable, therefore the focus in on INDIVIDUALS!)

43. Structure (Management) 3- The pastor(s) must turn the ministry over to the laity and the laity must give the leadership of congregation to the pastor. • The board governs through policies • The Pastor leads • The staff leads and manages • The congregation ministers

44. Conclusion Healthy growing congregations are always ascending the life-cycle (even if they have to create new ones) • Vision: Mission--Outward • Vision: Views the Community • Vision: Values--What we really believe – must be consistent with the mission and vision

45. Conclusion • Legos • Third Places • Group Dynamics • Transitions • Niche Relationship: People Connecting with People

46. Conclusion Programs: One strategy • Converting Consumers into Committed Disciples of Jesus Christ

47. Conclusion Structure: Management • Board-Governs • Pastor-Leader • Staff-Lead/Manage • Congregation-Ministry

48. Going up the lifecycle means: Adulthood Death Birth VRMS vrms