Profiles of Successful, Growing Congregations: What Do They Look Like?Why Are They Growing?

Elizabeth AckermanJoyce Battey

Carol BoronkasClint Hilson

Jennifer HudsonRick Johnson

Jackie ParrishBill Traynham

May 13, 2006Leadership UMC Class of 2005-2006Sponsored by the Board of Laity of theNorth Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church

Who the authors are . . .

Represent various churches throughout North Georgia Conference of UMC

Varied occupations and experiences

Called in different ways for different service

Guided by Scripture Committed to impact the UMC laity

and clergy

What do “successful” and “growing” mean?

Size? Membership Worship Attendance

Programming? Programs Education Ministries

Resources? Facilities Finances

Staff? # of Clergy Size of staff

What do “successful” and “growing” mean?

• suc·cess·ful - adjective1 : resulting or terminating in a favorable or desired outcome

• grow - verb1 a : to spring up and develop to maturity

From Miriam-Webster’s On-line Dictionary (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary)

What does a successful church look like to Jesus?

The Bible Guides individual members of the body of Christ

and the Church as a whole New Testament -- guidance for the Church

today, and instructions for specific churches during New Testament times

The Book of Discipline Correlates directly to scripture in many ways Does not conflict with the Bible

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church — Copyright © 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House.

Biblical Direction for the Church

The Church is the light of the world (Matt 5:13-16)

Come together (Matt 18:19-20), love one another (Matt 22:36-40), and spread the Good News

Teach, preach, heal, and love (Matt 9:35)

Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only (Matthew 4:10, Luke 4:8)

Worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23)

www.gospelcom.net New International Version

Jesus’ Expectations of the Church

1) Love one another

2) Make Disciples of Christ throughout the world

3) Equipped and instructed us

4) Promised he will add to our numbers if we remain in Him

Book of Discipline – UMC Purpose

Mission: “to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the good news of God’s grace and by exemplifying Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor, thus seeking the fulfillment of God’s reign and realm in the world.”

Action: “make disciples as we proclaim the gospel, lead persons to God, and send persons in the world to love, heal, and baptize.”

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church — Copyright © 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House

Research and Survey Development Process

Survey group’s churches – all are “growing” in some way

Developed survey

Reviewed literature

Two key texts: Natural Church Development by

Christian A. Schwarz

The Purpose-Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission by Rick A. Warren

Natural Church Development

Eight “quality characteristics” that lead to quantitative church growth:

1. Empowering Leadership2. Gift-Oriented Ministry3. Passionate Spirituality4. Functional Structures5. Inspiring Worship Service6. Holistic Small Groups7. Need-Oriented Evangelism8. Loving Relationships

Schwarz, Christian A. Natural Church Development, ChurchSmart Resources, Saint Charles, IL, 6th ed., 2003.

The Purpose-Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission

Warren’s five purposes of the churchPurpose #1: Love the Lord with all your

heartPurpose #2: Love your neighbor as yourselfPurpose #3: Go and make disciples Purpose #4: Baptizing themPurpose #5: Teaching them to obey

Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995.

Survey Process

Organized around quality characteristics

Surveyed small (<100 in worship), medium (100-500), and large (>500) churches

Spoke with clergy and/or laity

Compared results to NCD key findings for each quality characteristic

For ExampleCharacteristic #2: Gift-Oriented Ministry

NCD Findings/Facts: Use of gifts greatest influence on contentedness of Christians in service; pastors help Christians identify their gifts, then match those gifts to the Christian’s personal ministry

1) How do you help Christians identify the gifts they may use in service to the church?

2) How do you help them develop their gifts?3) How do you encourage them to use their gifts?4) How do you make them aware of development

opportunities?5) How do you connect members with similar gifts?

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #1: Empowering Leadership

NCD Findings: Leaders empower other Christians for ministry; pastors invest time in discipleship and delegation

Leaders identified through relationships A few leaders do the bulk of the work Small churches assign; large match Guided by prayer and Holy Spirit No training programs; rely on UMC training Show appreciation

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #2: Gift-Oriented Ministry

NCD Findings: No factor influences the contentedness of Christians in service more than whether or not they are using their gifts.

Some clergy inform people of their gifts

Growing understanding of aligning spiritual gifts with ministry

Some offer study groups/classes on spiritual gifts

One using assessment tool

Pastors teach spiritual gifts through sermons

Provide personal support/encouragement Large churches

have more ways to keep “fire” going replicate “connectedness” of small churches through small

groups Sharing among believers supported

Growing enthusiasm inside the church Recognize need to spread outside to community

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #3: Passionate Spirituality

NCD Findings: Are “on fire”; live committed lives; and practice their faith with joy and enthusiasm

Structure based on The Book of Discipline Organized into ministry teams: Worship, Nurture,

Outreach, and Witness Written job descriptions for laity & staff Ministries/programs initiated, continued, or ended

on trial-and-error basis

Effectiveness measures not in place

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #4: Functional Structures

NCD Findings: Structures promote increased ministry; produce leaders also develop other leaders

Worship means to glorify, praise, and adore our Heavenly Father

Worship styles vary

More excited about worship than other characteristics

Larger churches use technology; smaller interested in expanding but limited funding

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #5: Inspiring Worship

NCD Findings: Participants in growing churches view worship services as a joyous and inspiring experience.

Bible study main small group Small group connection intentional at one church No formal small group multiplication models No small group leader training programs

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #6: Holistic Small Groups

NCD Findings: Continuous multiplication of small groups is a universal church growth principle. Groups go beyond discussion of Bible passages to focus on applying scripture to everyday life. Members bring up, discuss, and resolve issues of immediate, personal concern. Planned multiplication of small groups requires continual development of leaders.

Outreach based on relationships Desire to grow in knowledge and understanding of

evangelism Curious about steps to take—how? Focused evangelism effort at one church (prison

ministry)

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #7: Need-Oriented Evangelism

NCD Findings: Focus evangelism on the questions and needs of non-Christians; God gifts true “evangelists”; pastors of growing congregations know those who have gift and direct into corresponding ministry; others focus efforts on their friends and family

Love all who walk through their doors Want to know how to bring more people to church Care for needs of church and broader community Respond to community crisis “High” level of happiness and laughter

Survey ResultsCharacteristic #8: Loving Relationships

NCD Findings: Manifest a measurably higher “love quotient”; people want to experience Christian love not just hear about it; spend time with one another outside of official events; pastors aware of laity personal problems

Growing Successful CongregationsMoving from Traditional to Mission-Driven

Traditional Parochial Program-driven Highly

structured Wait for new

members

Mission-driven Reach out to

community Nurture the churched

and unchurched Create Christian

community Guided by God’s

Word Respect church

traditions

Growing Successful CongregationsMission-Driven

1.Clergy and laity are partners in ministry and roles clearly defined

2.All believers called and committed to building God’s kingdom

3.Teaching and decision making based on the Bible

4.Church ministries continually evaluated for effectiveness

Growing Successful CongregationsMission-Driven

5.Strong sense of community among believers, hold each other accountable

6.Passionate, intentional evangelism involving

• Inreach to grow believers to discipleship

• Outreach to drawing others to Christ

7.Members empowered to use their spiritual gifts in ministry

8.Willingness to explore new ways to worship