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Developing Healthy Congregations

Developing Healthy Congregations. Dr. Paul D. Borden. Health and Growth Related. Growth – Indicates Health No Growth – No Health. 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

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Developing Healthy Congregations

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  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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  17. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

  24. 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).

  25. FIVE KEY CONCEPTS

  26. 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

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

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

  29. 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:

  30. 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

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

  32. 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

  33. 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?

  34. 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?

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

  36. 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

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

  38. 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)

  39. 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.

  40. 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

  41. 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!)

  42. 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

  43. 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

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

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

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

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

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