Acts 1:8

Church Growth Workshop

UNIT 1

Where are we?

Where is your Church?(What is the state of the church?)

• Where are we?• Not compared to another church but compared to

what God wants for your particular church.

• Where do we need to go from here?• A vision from God (results)

• What changes/key steps need to be made?

ChurchLIFE

Leadership TeamLIFE

FamilyLIFE

PersonalLIFE

LEADER’S

WHERE ARE YOU?

Where are you as a Pastor?

ProclaimProclaim

CareCareLeadLead

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

A pastors work is never done

The word Pastor(s) is used 9 times in the Bible. (KJV)

_8_ times in Jeremiah

_1_ time in Ephesians

Our Calling ‘Jeremiah’• JER 1:4 Then the word of the LORD came

unto me, saying,

• JER 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Our Calling ‘Jeremiah’• JER 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I

cannot speak: for I am a child.

• JER 1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Our Calling ‘Jeremiah’• JER 1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am

with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.• JER 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand,

and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

• JER 1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Our Calling• JER 3:15 And I will give you pastors

according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledgeknowledge and understandingunderstanding..

• JER 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

Our Calling• JER 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed

my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

• JER 12:11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

Our Calling• JER 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy

and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

• JER 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

Church Leadership table

Leadership tablePastor JesusJesus

Influential Leader

_______

Influential Leader

_______

Influential Leader

_______

Positional Leader

_______

Positional Leader

_______

Positional Leader

_______

Positional Leader

_______

Changing the Status Quo• Two ways or avenues we have as leaders to

change the status quo.• Position• What are some issues that you would use your

position to change? (Example – Doctrinal)

• Personal Influence & sharing of knowledge• What are some issues that you would use your

Personal Influence & sharing of knowledge to change?

Changing the Status Quo

TimeDegree ofDifficulty

1.Change in Knowledge

2.Change in Attitude

3.Change in Individual Behavior

4.Change in Group Behavior

Power of Personal Influence

Power of Position

Changing the Status Quo

• Jeremiah 3:15 “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart,

• which shall feed you • with knowledge and understanding.”

• Is this positional or personal influence & the sharing of knowledge?

• I Peter 5:3 “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.”

Where is your Church?(What is the state of the church?)

• Where are we?• Not compared to another church but compared to

what God wants for your particular church.

• Where do we need to go from here?• A vision from God (results)

• What changes/key steps need to be made?

Where is your church?

– Growth– Numbers– Health– Fellowship– Reproduction– ___________?

Church History?

Pastors - Church ACP report

BT II Planters - please work the evaluation handout. (It will be covered and discused in unit 6)

SO, Where is your Church in light of the facts?

Surveys

• Characteristics of a Growing Church?

• Faith Formula for Growth

• Evangelism – Engel’ scale – are you moving folks along down the scale?

• How do you choose a church?

• Bell curve (Next slide)

Dream

Goals

Beliefs

Structure

Polarization

Questioning

NostalgiaMinistry

DropoutRobert Dale

InTo Dream Again

Characteristics of a Church

Dream

Belief

Goals

Structure

MinistryNostalgia

Questioning

Polarization

DropoutCreative

Child

RationalAdult

NurturingParent

CriticalParent

Refocusing

Restructuring

Reenergizing

Restarting

Large internal changes & refocus on outreach

Deal with some internal issues & refocus on outreach

On Evangelism and outreach

Ed StetzerIn

ComebackChurches

Where are we as a Church?

Every Church ought to be a healthy, soul winning,

caring, reaching, teaching reproducing church!

Would you agree or disagree?

Discipler’sRole

Task

Unbeliever

WitnessWitness

Evangelism

1Cor 1:181Cor 2:1-5

Spiritual

Babe

1Cor 3:1-3

Parent

Nurture

Spiritual

Disciple

Discipling

1Cor 3:5-6

Servant

. . .. . : .. : . .

Multiplying

Lead

er

1Cor 4:11Cor 3:10-16

Equipping

Steward

A Healthy Reproducing Church

.::.::.::::. :::::

.:.:..…. ...

1Cor 3:7-91Cor 4:6, 17

Co-la

bore

r

Encourager

Supporting

.:.:.:.:.:.:::.::.:.:::

Em

phas

is

Par

tner

ship

Lea

ders

hip

Dis

cipl

eshi

p

Lor

dshi

p

Fri

ends

hip

Master Builder

Every Church ought to be reaching the Lost.

• The Bible has told us so . . .

WHY?

Psalm 119:105

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet

and a light unto my path”

• If this is true…

‘what do the following passages tell us?’

“When they saw him they worshiped him …Go ye therefore, and teach all nations (Ta Ethne- ethnic groups), baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have

commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

A-men.” KJV

Matthew 28:17-20

Five mandates

WorshipWorship When they saw him, they worshiped him… When they saw him, they worshiped him… (28:17)(28:17)

Ministry/MissionsMinistry/MissionsGo ye therefore, and teach all nations (ethnic groups)Go ye therefore, and teach all nations (ethnic groups) ......

EvangelismEvangelism...Baptizing them......Baptizing them...

DiscipleshipDiscipleshipTeaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you...commanded you...

FellowshipFellowshipAnd remember, I am with you always And remember, I am with you always (28:20)(28:20)

ACTS 1:8

" But you will receive power,

when the Holy Spirit comes on you;

and you will be my witnesses

in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

What must we do? Acts 1:8• We must seek to understand our communities• We must focus on reducing lostness• Effective evangelistic churches will operate as

missionaries• Missional evangelistic pastors lead their flock of

99 to reach the 1• Missions and evangelism can no longer be two

separate disciplines in Oklahoma• Churches must seek to bring transformation to

their community rather than grow in numbers by transfer.

Scan US – demographics Focus Group• Population Change?

– Population growth or decline Treads– Racial Trends

• Male-Female balance? • Age trends?• Households?

– Family– Non-family

• Income trends?– Work sheet

8.1%Sequoyah

8.6%Wagoner

9.4%Le Flore

14.2%Adair

15.1%Cleveland

15.4%Logan

15.8%Rogers

16.1%Cherokee

16.9%McIntosh

17.0%Osage

17.2%Creek

18.1%Pawnee

18.2%Kay

18.2%Okfuskee

18.3%Coal

18.4%Canadian

19.3%Craig

19.4%Grady

19.5%Latimer

19.8%Payne

20.0%Pottawatomie

20.0%Nowata

20.1%Bryan

20.1%Okmulgee

20.2%Murray

20.4%Comanche

20.5%Marshall

20.6%Choctaw

20.7%Mayes

20.8%Atoka

21.0%Lincoln

21.2%McClain

21.9%Seminole

22.0%Noble

22.5%Tulsa

22.7%Pittsburg

22.7%Love

23.0%McCurtain

23.0%Ottawa

23.0%Hughes

23.4%Garfield

23.4%Beaver

23.9%Pontotoc

24.0%Jackson

24.2%Johnston

24.3%Muskogee

24.6%Carter

24.6%Jefferson

25.0%Greer

25.0%Washington

25.2%Garvin

25.3%Caddo

25.3%Pushmataha

25.4%Delaware

26.2%Ellis

26.3%Woodward

26.4%Stephens

26.7%Kiowa

26.9%Roger Mills

27.2%Tillman

27.4%Blaine

27.7%Washita

27.7%Woods

28.0%Alfalfa

28.1%Oklahoma

28.1%Beckham

30.2%Kingfisher

30.5%Custer

30.6%Harper

30.6%Haskell

31.0%Cotton

31.2%Cimarron

32.2%Harmon

33.9%Major

34.0%Texas

40.6%Grant

45.3%Dewey

0.0% to 20.5%20.5% to 25.3%25.3% to 46.3%

Oklahoma Counties % of Population in 2000 at Christian churches on any Given Weekend

Acts 1:8

• Who are the unchurched people in my community?• Who are the people groups in my community?• Do the people in my community know that we love

them?• Why would a lost person come to my church?• Who am I counting on to not show up at my church?• What are some of the reasons my church may be

becoming distant from its communities• What ministries is my church doing to show our

love to our community?

What has happened?

Our churches have set wrong priorities.

A lot of churches look like they are hunting for souls but are a lot like this guy.

A lot of churches are

fishing in dry holes!

A lot are not fishing at all!

Sometimes we stick our nose into others business. I Peter 4:15

Some of our Churches are fussing and fighting

Some Churches...Any ole way will work!

Some Church leadersare Lazy!

Have you seen churches do something like this?

• How could they have prevented this?• Planning?•This is why were are in this meeting.

So.... Where are you?

• After looking at your ACP report?

• After working the surveys?

• In relation to the great commission?

• In relation to your community and focus group

The Process of Planning

Out of God’s Great commission (BIBLE) comes the Church’s PurposePurpose

Out of the church’s Purpose comes our dreamdreamOut of our dream come our goalgoal (expected results, FAITH) (expected results, FAITH)Out of goal comes Action PlansAction PlansOut of Action Plans comes a need for a

CalendarCalendar of Activities, of Activities, PeoplePeople to work and to work and a BudgetBudgetOut of Work come God’s given results

– James “Faith without works is dead”

From these scriptures:“What is the PurposePurpose of the Church?”

My church exists to:

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Original Dream

Dreaming New dreams With the ability to Change

Out of God’s Purpose comes a Dream

• What kind of Christians do I dream of?• What kind of Church program must I develop to grow that

Christian?• What kind of leadership team – volunteer and/or paid must

I develop to produce my dream?• What kind of minister must I become to gather my dream

team• What kind of support system do I need… family, peers• WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH

Proverbs 29:18Proverbs 29:18

Out of God’s Purpose comes a Dream

• My dream (VISION) for my church is ...

• OR -- Next year I see my church ...

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________