Healthy and Missional Congregations

Rev. Ruben Duran

EOCM-ELCA

Assumptions

• It is GOD’s mission

• God does not want to work alone

• We are invited to participate

• It is still God’s mission

• We have God’s promise:

• “I will build my church”

• “I will be with you always”

Healthy Churches

• Our response to God’s salvific initiative

• Our participation in God’s mission and ultimate goal: Reign of God in history

• A church is like an arrow that points to God’s Reign

• It is part of God’s “conspiracy” to overcome evil and establish God’s gentle and just Reign. Church=means not end.

As the world changes, the constant of God’s purpose remains

God’s work to bring about the Reign

Reign of God

Church called to participate in God’s work

The Changing World

Witness and engagement

Church

Challenge/Opportunity of Context

• 1. GEOGRAPHICAL: balance

• 2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC: a church for all

• 3. GENERATIONAL: emergent church

• 4. ETHNIC- specific: 5 communities

• 5. MULTICULTURAL: a church from all

• KEY: acting/reflecting out of our missional identity (Lutheran lenses).

The Changing Church

“Communities of care” “Missionaries of grace”

Dr. Alicia Vargas

Laity infiltrate through vocation

ITS ABOUT HEALTH

• HEALTHY LEADERS CAN DEVELOP HEALTHY COMMUNITIES OF FAITH.

• HEALTHY ORGANISMS DO NOT GROW FOREVER, BUT THEY REPRODUCE.

• THE GOAL OF AN APPLE TREE IS NOT AN APPLE, BUT ANOTHER APPLE TREE.

HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS GROW AND REPRODUCE NATURALLY.

Signs of a Healthy ChurchSigns of a Healthy Church

KEY: Congregational HealthKEY: Congregational Health

• What does it mean to have a healthy What does it mean to have a healthy congregation?congregation?

• What are some vital signs of a healthy What are some vital signs of a healthy congregation?congregation?

• 1……………………………………………..1……………………………………………..

• 2……………………………………………..2……………………………………………..

• 3……………………………………………….3……………………………………………….

• 4………………………………………………4………………………………………………

2 Key Studies regarding Congregational Health

• 1. ELCA Study on Evangelism (1993-03)

• 2. The Natural Church Development

Three Keys to Transformation(From an evangelism study of the ELCA)

• Leadership – a culture of team leadership where clergy and laity work together as a team. Leaders help congregations develop the following:– Purpose – a clear sense by the congregation

of what God is calling them to do– Willingness to change – a spirit of openness

that is willing to initiate change to be faithful and effective

As the world changes, the constant of God’s purpose remains

God’s work to bring about the Reign

Reign of God

Church called to participate in God’s work

The Changing World

Witness and engagement

Church

Church:Identity as body of Christ

Assets and giftsGod’s hands/voice in world

Purpose/Vision

Willingness to change

Kingdom/Reign of God

God’s work in Christ

World’s Context

Engage God:Discern and call

Engage context:Relationships ofMission and ministry

RE-TOOLING for Increasing Capacity in Evangelical Outreach

• 1. Missional Theology: grounding

• 2. Leadership Development: equipping lay and clergy

• 3. Reading the audience: understanding the emerging context

• 4. Congregational Ministry: assessing congregational health

Research: Natural Church Development

• 49.000 churches so far

• Worldwide

• 18 languages

• Inter-denominational

• Looking for signs of healthy congregations

• Looking for principles that propel the church to grow naturally

Growth Forces (Biotic Principles)

• Interdependence = connecting• Multiplication = reproducing• Energy transformation = harnessing• Sustainability = sustaining• Symbiosis = cooperating• Fruitfulness = evaluating

• (From the Natural Church Development)

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Growth Forces

1. Interdependence (Connecting): Individual units are connected to each other in a larger system. Changes in one ministry will affect other ministries in the church and community.

2. Multiplication (Reproducing): Healthy organisms do not grow endlessly, but reproduce themselves.

3. Energy Transformation (Harnessing): Momentum or energy already flowing, whether positive or negative, can be redirected to accomplish God’s purposes.

4. Sustainability (Sustaining): Resources used should increase the capacity for ongoing growth and development, as well as serve multiple purposes.

5. Symbiosis (Cooperating): Different ministries can cultivate cooperative relationships so the mutual benefit is greater than operating separately.

6. Fruitfulness (Evaluating): Each ministry needs to produce discernible results in line with its intended purpose.

Quality Characteristics

• Empowering leadership• Gift-oriented ministry• Passionate spirituality• Functional structures• Inspiring worship• Holistic small groups• Contextual evangelism• Loving relationships

The Quality Characteristics &

Growth Forces

The Quality Characteristics &

Growth Forces

How the Quality

Characteristics are developed

How the Quality

Characteristics are developed

What a church needs to developWhat a church needs to develop

Quality Characteristics

Growth Forces

Example:Leadership according to

= Leadership

Example:Leadership according to

= Leadership

Growth ForcesGrowth Forces

Empowering

Empowering

An ELCA Example

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1 Year Later….

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Healthy and Missional Congregations

Jesus Christ

Purpose Willing to Change Ecclesiology

`

8 NCD Quality Characteristics

Eye for Justice

Foundation forMinistry

Basic Building Blocks

“8.5” Quality Characteristics – 8 from NCD augmented with an eye for justice

Mission clarityFlexible/ResilientConnected

A WISE MAN ONCE TOLD ME

• Direction first, then speed

• Foundation first, then height

NEW CONGREGATIONS

• Healthy: capacity to act and grow

• Missional evangelical orientation

• Evangelizing making new disciples

• Multiplying churches starting churches

Multiplicatio

n

RENEWAL OFEXISTING MINISTRIES

STARTINGNEW CONGREGATIONS

HEALTHYCONGREGATIONS

Redevelopment Process(es)

Development Process(es)

(Entry Point)

(Entry Point)

(Entry Point)

Multiplication

HISTORY

• The trend has been to transfer the responsibility for new starts to the church structures.

• RESULTS?

• 1. More centralized decisions

• 2. Less local ownership/participation

• 3. Less new starts

EMERGING VISION

• TO ENGAGE LEADERS IN THE FORMATION OF EVANGELIZING CONGREGATIONS THAT MAKE DISCIPLES FOR JESUS CHRIST WHO USE THEIR GIFTS FOR GOD’S REIGN IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD.

3 ENTRY-POINTS

• 1. Renew existing congregations with ministry potential

• 2. Start new mission congregations

• 3. Invite healthy congregations to start a satellite or a second campus ministry.

1. RENEWING CONGREGATIONS

• EQUIPPING CONGREGATIONS INTO HEALTHY SYSTEMS

The Changing Church

“Communities of care” “Missionaries of grace”

Dr. Alicia Vargas

Laity infiltrate through vocation

EOCM: RENEWAL

• 1. Ministry Adjustments

• 2. Turn-around congregations

• 3. Re-developments

• 4. Transformational Process

• 5. Fast-Growth congregations

• 6. Re-alignments: mergers, consolidation

• 7. Synodical Administration of churches

2. NEW CONGREGATIONS

In 2005, 38 new ministries started• In 2006, 41 new ministries started.• In 2007, 56 new proposals approved.

• Synodically Authorized Worshipping Communities.

• Churches starting Churches.• Traditional Starts (strategic contexts).

ITS ABOUT HEALTH

• HEALTHY LEADERS CAN DEVELOP HEALTHY COMMUNITIES OF FAITH.

• HEALTHY ORGANISMS DO NOT GROW FOREVER, BUT THEY REPRODUCE.

• THE GOAL OF AN APPLE TREE IS NOT AN APPLE, BUT ANOTHER APPLE TREE.

HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS GROW AND REPRODUCE NATURALLY.

Other Key Studies

• 1. The Evangelizing Congregation, Richard Bliese and other theologians(AF)

• 2. Healthy Churches, Pr. Ron Qualley, Lord of Life in Fairfax, VA. (in progress).

• 3. Biblical Principles for New Starts, ELCA

• 4. Living Lutheran, David Daubert; AF

Healthy and Missional Congregations

Jesus Christ

Purpose Willing to Change Ecclesiology

`

8 NCD Quality Characteristics

Eye for Justice

Foundation forMinistry

Basic Building Blocks

“8.5” Quality Characteristics – 8 from NCD augmented with an eye for justice

Mission clarityFlexible/ResilientConnected