320 likes | 466 Views
From Rural to Regional How some Virginia Baptist Churches are moving from family chapels to “destination” ministries. Dr. John P. Chandler John.chandler@vbmb.org. “It takes all kinds.”.
E N D
From Rural to RegionalHow some Virginia Baptist Churches are moving from family chapels to “destination” ministries Dr. John P. Chandler John.chandler@vbmb.org
“It takes all kinds.” • Missionary Reality: different unreached people groups will be reached by different kinds and sizes of churches • Value Judgment: a church’s value is based not simply on its size, but on how completely it is fulfilling its Kingdom potential
“There are plenty of small churches.” • The congregational landscape of the U.S. in general and Virginia in particular is dominated by churches under 100 in average worship attendance (AWA) • Median congregation size in Virginia: 80 on any given Sunday
“Will they come to our small churches?” • Often, yes! • AWA in BGAV churches: 220,000 • Roman Catholic 250k • United Methodist 141k • PCUSA 57k • Episcopal 49k
Church to Populations Ratios-- Lyle Schaller • When AWA exceeds 1% of population, we’re competitive • BGAV: 3% • The membership to population ratio of BGAV: 8.9% • “That is dominant, not simply competitive” • You’ll notice nine pounds of salt in 100 pounds of meat! • For individual congregations, an AWA of 225 is the defined minimum to be competitive (as vs. viable) in most communities • Only 164 BGAV congregations qualify • Only 344 reported growing AWA from 1998-2003 • 604 report decreased AWA
“Will they come to our small churches?” • Often, no. There are over four million lost and unchurched people in Virginia. • Many unreached people will never attend a church where everyone knows everyone’s name • Scope of ministries • Anonymity and sin • S.E.S. factors
Again: “It takes all kinds.” • Virginia needs different types of churches • to reach different kinds of people • who will want to go to different sizes of churches • with different scales of ministries
“Destination” Churches • We need some very large churches that people are willing to drive to get to • Churches that reach more than 1-3 family groups • Churches with a scale and range of ministries not often found in AWA < 200
And some of our churches are doing this! • Vansant (in Grundy) • Salem (Sparta) • New Prospect (Monroe) • Spring Hill (Ruckersville) • Beaverdam (Montpelier) • Effort (Palmyra) • Clifford (Lovingston) • Fairview (Spotsylvania) • … and many others
How are churches doing this? • By changing ministry models • By breaking classic church growth barriers and growing into new sizes
Changing ministry models • Patriarchal/Matriarchal (<50) • Farm family with seasonal help • Pastoral (50-150) • Hub and spoke model • Program (150-350) • From country store to YMCA • Corporate (350+) • Wal-Mart departments
Growing Into a New Size, part 1 • To grow from • patriarchal (<50 AWA) to • pastoral (up to 150) takes: • the right match • pastoral tenure
Matching • Slow to hire: These churches deal well with “chemistry” issues between congregation and pastor • Community, Cause, and Corporation “hats”
Keeping • Catch the pastor doing something right. • These churches do the things that encourage long tenure in well-matched pastorates • Compensation • Affirmation • Role definition • Sabbatical
Growing Into a New Size, part 2 • To grow from pastoral (150 AWA) to program 150-350) takes all of the above plus: • New roles for pastor and pastors • New structures for the group life of the church
New roles and structures • Roles: • From shepherd to shepherd-maker • Structures: • Intentional multiple congregations • Intentional new cellular growth
Growing Into a New Size, part 3 • To grow from program (AWA 150-350) to corporate (AWA 350+) takes all of the above plus: • The Vision Thing • A Re-write?
The Vision Thing • Churches that grow from rural to regional have become clear and honest about who they have been called by God to reach. • They tend to focus on unsaved and unchurched people • And don’t lose too much sleep if that upsets the saved and churched around or within them!
A Constitution re-write? • New structures of decision-making • From democrat to republican (!) • Not political … representative decision-making • To break the next growth barriers (400 & 800) will mean moving toward a staff-led church • Pastors do the leading, people do the ministry
What can we do first to move from rural to regional? • Get the right people on the bus. • Let the leaders lead • Gift-based rather than availability or tradition • Find the right driver • Match pastors and ministry plans • Keep the right driver around!
What can we do first to move from rural to regional? • Start something new! • It’s easier and better to create new structures than to revise or destroy old ones • Bible studies, ministries, worshiping communities
What can we do first to move from rural to regional? • Be ruthlessly fixed on purpose and always flexible on style. • Keep the vision thing the main thing • “The song’s the thing, not the format” • From 78 to MP3
4. Get back to “prime” on the Life Cycle Renewal Inclusion Adulthood Program Maturity Revisioning prime Empty Nest Adolescence Radical Redeveloping Retirement Vision Management Childhood Resurrecting • Old Age Infancy Birth Death
The Call • It takes all kinds • We’ve got lots of family chapels • We need churches fulfilling Kingdom potential • Will you work to move from rural to regional?
“Destination” churches • The main reason we need “destination” churches: • Because eternal destination matters • There are 4 million lost people in Virginia • Will you become the church that will reach your share?
For more help • Talk to us on the “Courageous Churches” team … we will partner with you to advance the Kingdom! • Jesse.ramage@vbmb.org • Wayne.faison@vbmb.org • Bill.alphin@vbmb.org • Tom.ingram@vbmb.org • Glenn.akins@vbmb.org
From Rural to Regional www.rasnet.org