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Introducing the Church Health Check

Introducing the Church Health Check. Agenda for the session. Introduction to the Church Health Check Rationale and purpose Values and ethos Overview of the process What happens at a Health Check Planning and practicalities Promoting the event. Growing Healthy Churches.

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Introducing the Church Health Check

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  1. Introducing the Church Health Check

  2. Agenda for the session • Introduction to the Church Health Check • Rationale and purpose • Values and ethos • Overview of the process • What happens at a Health Check • Planning and practicalities • Promoting the event Growing Healthy Churches

  3. Church Health CheckWhat is it? • A response to the needs of the Church: • Remit from the 2007 Synod Review • to enable every church to develop a credible mission strategy • After District Pastoral Consultations • a new way of exercising oversight by the wider church is required Growing Healthy Churches

  4. Purpose • Maintenance: • to check the health of the local churchas a body or organisationready to represent God in the world • Ministry & Mission • to encourage and enable the local churchto develop its understanding of, and participation in, the work of God in the world • Both are pastoral work Growing Healthy Churches

  5. Church Health CheckBasis • Healthy Churches Handbook • a health-check for the body • based on researchamong growing churches Its emphasis: changed thinking from Church = Building + Minister + Sunday services to CHURCH = COMMUNITY + FAITH + ACTION Growing Healthy Churches

  6. Values • Context of prayerful reflection • What is the Spirit saying to my church? • Church self-appraisal • not inspection by outsiders • Facilitators enable a process to happen • not there to impose their own views • Church reports on its own life & health • Facilitators do not make judgements • Church makes its own decisions about the way forward • Facilitators respect confidences Growing Healthy Churches

  7. Summary • In the Church Health Check • the local church conducts a self-appraisal • led by outside facilitators • as part of the pastoral responsibility of the wider church Growing Healthy Churches

  8. Overview of the Process • 1. Identification of the church– SPAs • 2. Elders Preparation– Facilitator team ldr • 3. Church Health Check– Facilitators • Bible study • Logical & creative exercises • Action planning • 4. Report by the church– to their SPA • 5. Follow-up Growing Healthy Churches

  9. Bible exposition Church Profile Exercise & related exercises Angel of the Church exercises Video material Overview of theChurch Health Check • Four different strands: Growing Healthy Churches

  10. Bible exposition • offers biblical basis of church review • introduces the concept of the Angel of the Church (in Revelation 1-3) • promotes worshipful attitude to whole event Overview of theChurch Health Check • Church Profile Exercise • church self-appraisal using 7 signs as criteria • suits the more logical personality • leads to action planning Growing Healthy Churches

  11. Church Health Check • Criteria of health in Church Profile Exercise: • Energised by faith • Outward-looking focus • Seeks to find out what God wants • Faces the cost of change and growth • Operates as a community • Makes room for all • Does a few things and does them well Growing Healthy Churches

  12. Overview of theChurch Health Check • Video material • stimulates imagination about mission • encourages thinking ‘outside the box’ • provides relief from us talking! • Angel of the Church exercises • view church as single personality • suits the more creative personality • invoke church-God relationship Growing Healthy Churches

  13. Reporting • Proforma report sheet supplied • for self-reporting • after the event • Page 1: • what did the church decide about itself ? Growing Healthy Churches

  14. Reporting • Page 2: • what does the church intend to do ? Growing Healthy Churches

  15. Overview of the Process • 1. Identification of the church– SPAs • 2. Elders Preparation– Facilitator team ldr • 3. Church Health Check– Facilitators • Bible study • Logical & creative exercises • Action planning • 4. Report by the church • 5. Follow-up– SPAs have watching brief Growing Healthy Churches

  16. Pattern A Growing Healthy Churches

  17. Pattern B Growing Healthy Churches

  18. Pattern C Collating Collating Growing Healthy Churches

  19. A word about language something others do (perhaps overseas) what my church pursues a natural (joyful) outworking of church life (if church is healthy) a duty all about giving (eg. to M&M) what we do an ongoing journey of faith something we’ve done already something we decide upon(eg. because Synod tells us to) a response to God’s call

  20. To decide • What venue to use? • we need one room big enough for group work • we need plenty of display space • What arrangements need to be made for Saturday/Sunday lunch and refreshments? • people may welcome a provided lunch • but preparing it may compromise involvement • Provision for children and young people • older teenagers can do the Health Check Growing Healthy Churches

  21. Promotion • Why? • More people to discern what God is saying • Reformed principle: God’s gathered people best discern what God is saying • Maximum involvement gives confidence to decisions made as a result • How? • Pray for God’s assistance Growing Healthy Churches

  22. Promotion • How? • Adequate notice - give out date early • Clear information • Enthusiastic support of the leadership team • Personal invitation - proforma letter supplied • Get people to sign up • Pray for God’s assistance Growing Healthy Churches

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