The Nehemiah Process

1. The Nehemiah Process Diocese of Chicago June 29, 2010

2. Introduction to the Nehemiah Process • Our Purpose Today: • How can some of the Nehemiah Process Applications be adapted to fit into your local diocesan or regional setting?

3. Nehemiah ProcessResults • Happy Easter from St. James, Hollywood! We had a record attendance this year at our three Easter services.  Praise the Lord! 2008     2009     2010 • 8:00           57        50        62 • 9:30         149      146      153 • 11:30         95        76      163 • Total 298 272 378 21%/28%

4. Nehemiah ProcessResults • Palm Sunday: St. James-the-Fisherman, Islamorada! We had a record attendance this year at our two services.  Praise the Lord! 2009     2010 • 8:00          22        55 • 10:00        55      82 (+44%) • Easter: 20%

5. Introduction to the Nehemiah Process • Our Purpose is to challenge, enrich, educate, & expand the Parish’s Ministry Culture. • W. Edwards Deming, • “Your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you’re getting.” • Our system was not enriching the diocesan ministry to the degree that we desired.

6. Introduction to the Nehemiah Process • It’s a Process NOT a Program • Tools (Modules) will help but won’t get you where you are called to go! This is Culture Change! • Ezra & Nehemiah = Prophet & Strategist! • Ezra in Jerusalem 13 years before Nehemiah

7. Nehemiah’s “Marks of Leadership” that Lead to Healthier Churches Nehemiah

8. “ I sat down and wept…” Nehemiah 1:4 Nehemiah Passion For My People

9. “ For several days I mourned and did not eat…” Nehemiah 1:4 Nehemiah Fasted

10. “ I prayed to God…” Nehemiah 1:4 Nehemiah Prayer!

11. “ One day four months later…” Nehemiah 2:1 Nehemiah Wait!

12. “ Let’s rebuild the city walls…” Nehemiah 2:17b Nehemiah Strategy!

13. “ The men of Jericho built…” Nehemiah 3:2 Nehemiah Teams!

14. “ Sanballat, Tobiah, and the people…became angry…” Nehemiah 4:7 Nehemiah Dealing with Conflict!

15. “Give them back their fields…” Nehemiah 5:11b Nehemiah Corruption & Injustice!

16. “After 52 days the entire wall was finished…” Nehemiah 6:15 Nehemiah Rejoice!

17. “…all the people of Israel-settled in the towns and cities of Judah…”Nehemiah 7:73b Nehemiah The Covenant Is grounded & Walls are Permeable!

18. Nehemiah Process:What can we do? • Growing Healthier Parishes • It’s not impossible or easy! • Like Remodeling a Kitchen • Takes far longer • Costs lots more • Messier than imagined • Renewing a Parish’s Ministry & Culture takes from 6-8+ years

19. Nehemiah Process:What 8 years has taught us! • Persevere – It’s a MARATHON not a Dash • Ministry is an PRAYERFUL ART FORM • Ministry is CONTEXTUAL: Adjust, Adjust, Adjust • Ministry is SELF-Motivated • Ministry is a TEAM

20. Nehemiah Process:How Does It work? • First, • “It begins with the recognition that something is wrong – that congregational life, while adequate, is missing something.”Smith & Sellon, Pathway to Renewal, p. 28. • Second, • “No pastor, no program, no resource can make renewal happen. On the other hand, almost any pastor, program, or resource can help renewal…The hard part can be developing the desire.”Ibid. p. 8

21. Nehemiah Process:How Does It work? • Third, • Grace & Prayer • Strategies are useless without God!!! • Wanna: Our desire • WIT: Determination

22. Nehemiah Process:How Does It work? • Summary: • Spirit/Prayer Driven • Culturally Relevant • Regular Gatherings • Interactive: Shared Successes & Failures • Learning from one another • Critical Mass: 30 to 60 (Clergy & Lay) • Consistent Reinforcement

23. Nehemiah Process:Structure • Meet Monthly + 2 Two-Day Retreats • Time: 10 am – 3 pm • 2/3rd Leaders are “mandated” to attend • Diocesan Investment: Aid or Assessment Reduction • 1/3rd Leaders are volunteer • 37+ Congregations involved • All size parish: smallest to largest • Ethnic Diversity

24. Nehemiah Process:Structure • Sessions are interactive workshops on a variety of relevant topics. • Process requires leaders to translate the principles presented into their ministry context. • Primary Learning Process: • Best Practice Sharing • Case Study • Weak Links: Many!

25. Nehemiah Process:Structure • How can the Nehemiah Process Principles be developed into a viable ministry structure within your diocese or region setting?

26. Nehemiah Process:Structure • Work in diocesan or regional groups to develop a structure. • Do no be concerned about content. • You have 20 minutes to Dream.

27. The Nehemiah Process Diocese of Chicago June 29, 2010

28. Nehemiah Process:Structure • Leaders participate in Groups: • Hispanic & Haitian • Small Churches • Pastoral Churches • Large Churches

29. Nehemiah Process:What to Expect! • Clergy & Lay Leaders • Build on your Gifts ( Strength Finders) & Manage your weaknesses • Develop a Personal Ministry Plan • Recruit & Train a Leadership Team • Develop a Parish Ministry Plan • Establish Goals: AWA, Plate & Pledge, Ministry Groups, Renewal Events, etc. • Create a 12/24 month calendar • Increase Administrative Skills • Dealing with CHANGE & CONFLICT!

30. Nehemiah Process:Leadership Development tools! • Clergy & Lay Leaders • No Low Sunday! • HII-BHAG • Creating a Ministry Council • Social Media • Webinar Bible Studies & Meetings • Spiritual Development Events • Parish Leadership Retreats • Learning Fundraising Tools from Nonprofits • Domestic & Foreign Missions • Discerning the Parish Life Cycle

31. Nehemiah Process:Workshop Modules! • Modules: 10 Systems of the Church • Prayer & Discernment • Assimilation: HII Process • Worship & Sunday Morning • Renewal Events • Small Groups/Ministry Groups • Developing a Parish Ministry Plan • 12-24 month calendar • Stewardship • Youth • Administration • Dealing with CHANGE & CONFLICT!

32. Nehemiah Process:Ministry tools! • Clergy & Lay Leaders • S.W.O.T. Process: Parish Ministry Plan (PMP) • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • S.M.A.R.T. Process: Event Planning • Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Realistic • Time - Line

33. Nehemiah Process: Additional Resources

34. Beauty of Ministry Groups Vestry Ministry Council Volunteer & Paid More Leaders: More Ministry Groups: More Growth!

35. Nehemiah Process:Life Cycle!

36. Brutal Facts • The reality is that for the average parish to stay above the STRESS level, it takes approximately: • AWA: 125 - 200 or • Budget: $230,000+ • How do we reach and grow past these barriers?

37. Vision Intersection Profile Leaders Passion J I M C O L I N S Community Needs Passion/Gifts Of Parish VISION Vitality in Parish Ministry Plan

38. Diffusion of Innovation Dr. Everett Rodgers (the ability of any given group to accept innovative change) 32% 32% 16% 16% 2% 2% 2% 16% 32% 32% 16% 2% Innovators Early Adapters Early Majority Late Majority Laggards Resisters

39. Dynamics of Change 60% 20% 10% 8% 2% 2% Visionaries 10% Leaders Who Will Catch Vision 60% Most Will Follow Leaders

40. Leadership Transitions

41. The Nehemiah Process Diocese of Chicago June 29, 2010

42. Nehemiah Process:Reality! • First, • “Everyone is in the midst of trying to find a way to be faithful to the Gospel while adapting to the cultural norms.” • Second - Leaders are… • “Learning what no one can teach.”Gil Rendle • Third – What are the barriers? • “Most churches don’t like to be rocked; they prefer to lie at anchor rather than go places in stormy seas.” William Sloane Coffin, Credo, p. 140-141.