Ten Questions Growing Churches Should Ask
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, January 17, 2005
- Viewed 214
- (10) comments so far
In addition to the foundations like Christ-centered teaching, prayer and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, I strongly believe that there are some strategic questions growing churches can address to more effectively impact the communities around them. It takes more than faith to grow a church. In fact, James 2:17 confirms it, suggesting "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." That?s not only a personal challenge but also a corporate challenge for the local church. Sometimes it?s not about the size of our faith as much as it is the barriers that need to removed in our ministries in order for us to be effective in our mission.
Here are Tony's top ten questions:
1. Is your ministry strategy creating buzz in your community?
2. Do volunteers own the ministry of the church?
3. Do you exceed the expectations of your first-time guests?
4. Are you attracting the very best talent to your team?
5. Are people having fun?
6. Does your team know, embrace and champion the church?s established vision and values?
7. Do people accept change as normal?
8. Are you addressing the real issues of real lives?
9. Are you committed to developing effective systems as you are to innovation?
10. Have you built a church of leaders?
At the end of the article, Tony writes, "What are you doing to multiply and release the leadership potential in your church? And, are you creating an environment where high-capacity leaders are welcomed?"
Recruiting, training, and releasing leaders to do the work of the ministry is something that happens all too rarely in today's 'staff-driven' churches. If your church is growing, how are you doing in this area? Are you creating an environment that is 'leader-friendly'? What frustrations do you find as you try to let go and have your lay leadership 'take the reigns' of ministry programs? Let's discuss this today at the MMI Blog. Feel free to answer any of Tony's questions above with how your church is doing? (Feel free to cut and paste the questions above and give us an honest appraisal of what you're doing that could be helpful to others).
Let's hear your comments...
In the most recent issue of The Church Report, Tony Morgan from Granger Community Church shares an article titled "Ten Questions Growing Churches Should Ask". Tony writes… I read an article in Fast Company magazine about a year ago that really challenged my thinking about the ministry of the local church. The brief article included a list of the 10 make-or-break questions businesses needed to address in order to be successful in a competitive marketplace. As I read through the list, I began to ask myself, "What are the questions growing churches should be asking to reach people in today?s fast-paced culture? What are some of the key questions that churches need to address in order to build growing, innovative ministries that transform lives?
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Ed Dodds on Mon, January 17, 2005
Does your church require poeple to come to the building to be church (so that the pulpit person is assured the opportunity to appeal to make certain his|her salary is paid) or do you use P2P technologies, streaming, instant messaging, email, wikis, blogs, etc. to communicate globally?
WJM on Mon, January 17, 2005
I love these kinds of questions re: churches. It puts a fire in my spirit. I’d love to say that all churches and leaders could say the same and say “yes” in response to all questions listed…..or at least have the questions on the table to challenge staff and leaders. If these are the kinds of things discussed and dealt with in re: to Pastoral staff, I don’t believe there wouldn’t be as much turn over and staff firings as mentioned in another blog on this site.
I believe answering these questions will bring discussion and then give a game plan for a church and staff if church leaders will address them and put it all into action. Excitement, if you will. Purpose. Causes us to be a bit creative in the little corner of the world where we live. As usual, though, it’s easier on paper than in reality….but it does help set direction or at least attempts to re-direct.
Great stuff. Let me know where it’s happening and I’m there! I’m interested in seeing comments of others.
Bill Bruneau on Mon, January 17, 2005
Thanks for making my morning. I asked our church administrator to review the top ten list and then evaluate our effectiveness based on the list. Her comment; “That’s us. We’re on the right track.” Over that last 7 years, we have employed strategies to effectively change the status quo of our church family. Casting a new vision to a church that has been around since Moby Dick was a minnow has been a real challenge. But we have doubled in size in the last two years. Our leadership and congregation embrace that fact that a healty and growing church is a body of believers that who are learning to put aside personal agendas and focus instead on the great commission and the great commandment. Okay…that sounds like Purpose-Drive stuff. Yes it is. And it has changed the face of ministry at Penn Friends Church. Again, thank you for the article. It was an encouragement
Bernie Dehler on Mon, January 17, 2005
Some of these may be bad questions, putting on the wrong focus:
1. Is your ministry strategy creating buzz in your community?
Jesus told us to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit those in prison… would those things create “buzz?” In trying to “create buzz,” would you miss the primary goal of being salt and light to the community, because it sounds like boring, dirty, work?
4. Are you attracting the very best talent to your team?
This sounds like worldly wisdom. Do you want talent, or people “called” to a ministry? If you seek simply those with talent, their heart may not be in it, or may be in it for the wrong reason (guilt, fame, etc.). If people are “called,” God can develop their talents and equip them as necessary.
Some are very good, such as:
10. Have you built a church of leaders?
This shows a focus on discipleship, for a chance to grow exponentially. This would ensure “body building” rather than “cult celebrity preacher” building.
...Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247
Bart on Mon, January 17, 2005
I agree with Bernie that these questions may be helpful, but are not be the only answer to our growth and effectiveness. Each of these questions can be turned or interpeted incorectly. Bernie asks if feeding the hungry, clothing the naked would create the “buzz” in question #1. Doing this in most communities would certainly create a buzz because most churches don’t do them. As far as question 10. Have you built a church of leaders? Where does God tell us to create leaders? Arn’t we suppossed to be creating disciples? Even the twelve men that Jesus trained, only a few could be looked at as leaders. A church of leaders would never survive because most leaders make poor followers. Everyone cannot be a leader but everyone can be a disciple. Yes we need leaders in ministry positions, but we also need workers and followers. This is just an example of how any question can be interpeted differently. Use the questions as a guide to examine your church, not as a hard and fast rule to follow.
Cindy Brown on Mon, January 17, 2005
I think these are excellent questions every church should be asking. This process will get the focus off of ourselves and our own opinions and preferences for the church. As for creating a “buzz,” no one in history ever created a buzz like Jesus did!!! We should be, too. We’re also called to create disciples of Christ who can in turn lead others to become disciples of Christ. . . we’re to be leaders, and no one can effectively lead without knowing how to effectively follow. We must continually ask ourselves these questions (and others) to assess our effectiveness as Christians and as ministry leaders. Too many church leaders are more concerned with keeping people comfortable or protecting their positions to ask these types of questions, or maybe they’re just too convicting. . .?!
Jesse on Mon, January 17, 2005
As I read the comments on today’s discussion peice, I found myself drawn to what Ed Dodds had to say. In my church we have a deficit in people aged 18-25 and I think part of our problem may be that we are speaking the wrong language. There are other ways to communicate than the pulpit. I think it may be time for the church to embrace these new communication mediums. After all, we are not so much in the preaching business and in the get-the-gospel-out-any-way-we-can business.
Daniel McMillan on Tue, January 18, 2005
A little insight from one of my favorite little books entitled: “How to help people reach their potential” by Dr. Jack Hyles. In the section entitled: “The key to everything is choosing properly” with regard to choosing leaders, we read “Be sure that the person is loyal, pliable and a hard worker. Hire men who have been good followers before they became leaders. In other words, don’t choose a natural leader; choose a natural follower who has been loyal to his leader.”
The paragraph goes on to be accountable for such a statement, by listing the people whom had worked with Dr. Hyles for so many years.(About 6 pages worth!)
I am convinced that when we approach the world around us with the attitude to help people reach their potential, and stick to that approach (not rethink it) we demonstrate cultivating the hidden fruits within each of us. The fruits yeilded after the seed of this kind can become like a great tree where many birds come to inhabit the branches!
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Paul Porter on Mon, January 31, 2005
Great leaders are great followers. Jesus was the by far the best example of a great leader. Think about it. Tony’s right on.
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