an idea whose time has come… congregational transformation

AN IDEA WHOSE TIME

HAS COME…

CONGREGATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

ITS FOUNDATION…ITS FOUNDATION…1 John 4:191 John 4:19

First we were loved, now we First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.love. He loved us first.

(The Message)(The Message)

We love because heWe love because he first loved us!first loved us!

(RSV)(RSV)

Office of Office of Congregational Congregational TransformationTransformation

Rev. Kendall TaylorRev. Kendall TaylorDirectorDirector

Some things to Some things to remember...remember...

Jesus gave us, the Church, Jesus gave us, the Church, one primary command:one primary command:

““Make Disciples!Make Disciples!””

Matthew 28:16-20Matthew 28:16-20Acts 1:8Acts 1:82 Corinthians 5:16-212 Corinthians 5:16-21


Faithful, obedient congregations Faithful, obedient congregations seek God in seek God in prayerprayer... ...

cultivating the relationshipcultivating the relationship...to identify and connect with ...to identify and connect with the people to/with whom God the people to/with whom God calls them to minister.calls them to minister.

Some things to Some things to remember…remember…

Healthy congregationsHealthy congregations

express what they discern express what they discern through prayer in…through prayer in…

CONCISECONCISE

VISION & MISSIONVISION & MISSION STATEMENTSSTATEMENTS

QUESTIONS TO SHAPE QUESTIONS TO SHAPE VISION…VISION…

Why do people need Jesus?Why do people need Jesus?

Why do people need Church?Why do people need Church?

Why do people need Why do people need this this Church?Church?

Some things to Some things to remember…remember…

The five ”P’s” … in this order… The five ”P’s” … in this order… guide planning/decision makingguide planning/decision making

PrayerPrayer

PurposePurpose

PeoplePeople

ProgramProgram

PropertyProperty


Healthy congregations are Healthy congregations are communities of communities of

““MIRACULOUS MIRACULOUS EXPECTATION!”EXPECTATION!”

SomeSome things to things to remember...remember...

Healthy congregations…Healthy congregations…

FALL IN LOVE WITH FALL IN LOVE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS!THEIR NEIGHBORS!


Healthy congregations make Healthy congregations make sure the sure the love and friendshiplove and friendship shared with their communityshared with their communityare genuine and are genuine and Christ-motivated.Christ-motivated.


Ministry motivated by Ministry motivated by lovingloving your neighbor looks very your neighbor looks very different from ministry different from ministry motivated by motivated by survivalsurvival of your of your congregation. (ref Mark 8:35)congregation. (ref Mark 8:35)

The Difference The Difference Between Between “Survival”“Survival”

and and “Mission”“Mission”

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it.

But whoever loses his life for me

and for the Gospel will save it.

Mark 8:35 (NIV)


Worshiping is connecting people Worshiping is connecting people to personal to personal experiencesexperiences of God. of God.

EXCELLENTEXCELLENT

INDIGENOUSINDIGENOUS

Style is Style is notnot the critical issue! the critical issue!


Healthy congregations strive Healthy congregations strive constantly for constantly for excellenceexcellence and and quality.quality.


Healthy congregations Healthy congregations measuremeasure and and evaluateevaluate the the effectiveness of their effectiveness of their ministry.ministry.

……Their Disciple Making!Their Disciple Making!

Characteristics of Characteristics of Healthy CongregationsHealthy Congregations

11 .. Empowering leadershipEmpowering leadership

22 .. Gift-oriented ministryGift-oriented ministry

33 .. Passionate spiritualityPassionate spirituality

44 .. Functional structuresFunctional structures

55 .. Inspiring WorshipInspiring Worship

Characteristics of Characteristics of Healthy CongregationsHealthy Congregations66 .. Holistic small groupsHolistic small groups77 .. Need-oriented evangelismNeed-oriented evangelism88 .. Loving relationshipsLoving relationships

from:from:

NATURAL CHURCH NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTChurch Smart ResourcesChurch Smart Resourceswww.churchsmart.com

Categories of Categories of CongregationsCongregations

Categorías de Categorías de CongregacionesCongregaciones

Tips de Tips de KongregasyonKongregasyon


BeginningBeginning- chronological infancy, clarifying chronological infancy, clarifying

and adopting its missionand adopting its mission oror - in decline, rediscovering its in decline, rediscovering its

mission mission


TransformingTransforming

- primary mission: making disciplesprimary mission: making disciples

- in their community in their community

- devotion to and growth in Jesusdevotion to and growth in Jesus

- congregational life is lovecongregational life is love


ReproducingReproducing

- a transforming congregation - a transforming congregation choosing to initiate the choosing to initiate the formation of new faith formation of new faith communitiescommunities


MaintainingMaintaining- primary ministry orientation:primary ministry orientation:

care for memberscare for members- inward focus of congregational inward focus of congregational

life processlife process- no foreseeable changeno foreseeable change


DyingDying

- process of congregational process of congregational decline is irreversibledecline is irreversible- District Superintendent may District Superintendent may

so designate with or without so designate with or without agreement of the agreement of the congregationcongregation

Demands of the Demands of the times...times...

Healthy congregations accept Healthy congregations accept and embrace the reality of and embrace the reality of inevitable, rapid and inevitable, rapid and unpredictable changeunpredictable change..


There is a basic There is a basic irreducible core irreducible core processprocess that defines Church. that defines Church.

A. Inviting/WelcomingA. Inviting/WelcomingB. Worshiping/EducatingB. Worshiping/EducatingC. EquippingC. EquippingD. Sending (deploying)D. Sending (deploying)

MAKING DISCIPLESMAKING DISCIPLESA.A. INVITE / WELCOMEINVITE / WELCOME

- intentional with specific people- intentional with specific people

- inclusion in the church family- inclusion in the church family

- hear and see what a relationship - hear and see what a relationship with Jesus can be and dowith Jesus can be and do

MAKING DISCIPLESMAKING DISCIPLESB.B. NURTURENURTURE- worship is connecting with God in worship is connecting with God in

public worship and private devotionpublic worship and private devotion

- education is teaching how a disciple education is teaching how a disciple believes and behavesbelieves and behaves

- a major goal is a decision to follow - a major goal is a decision to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior Jesus as Lord and Savior

MAKING DISCIPLESMAKING DISCIPLESC.C. EQUIPEQUIP

- God calls Disciples to a ministry- God calls Disciples to a ministry

- they prepare to fulfill this calling- they prepare to fulfill this calling

- disciples bring to ministry:- disciples bring to ministry: Talent… Personality… Talent… Personality… Passion…Spiritual giftsPassion…Spiritual gifts

MAKING DISCIPLESMAKING DISCIPLESD.D. SENDSEND

- disciples minister with excellence to - disciples minister with excellence to people in many kinds of needpeople in many kinds of need

- ministry flows from hearts of love and is- ministry flows from hearts of love and is not manipulativenot manipulative

- gains privilege of inviting people to a - gains privilege of inviting people to a relationship with Jesus.relationship with Jesus.


How do we keep faithful to what How do we keep faithful to what the Church is while adapting to the Church is while adapting to the inevitable changes?the inevitable changes?

Remember the main thing…Remember the main thing…

Making DisciplesMaking Disciples

Move ministry focus from…Move ministry focus from…

InwardInward …to Outward!…to Outward!


The process of The process of

Transforming (Adapting)Transforming (Adapting)

is is normal and on-goingnormal and on-going for a for a faithful obedient congregation.faithful obedient congregation.

What is What is Congregational Congregational Transformation?Transformation?

Congregational Transformation is Congregational Transformation is people… people…

moving evermore completely…moving evermore completely… to embraceto embrace with clarity and passion… with clarity and passion… the mission Jesus gave the Church!the mission Jesus gave the Church!

MAKING DISCIPLES!MAKING DISCIPLES!

TThe Role of the Office of he Role of the Office of Congregational Congregational Transformation Transformation

Helping congregations discern their Helping congregations discern their way forward as faithful followers of way forward as faithful followers of JesusJesus

Assisting congregations in deciding Assisting congregations in deciding what to do and what to do and thenthen helping them do helping them do it.it.

We do We do NOTNOT dictate to dictate to congregations or try to control congregations or try to control them. Initiative always remains them. Initiative always remains with the congregation.with the congregation.

Congregational Transformation

It is not a program…

It is fundamental change in the congregation’s lifestyle…

Its CORE PROCESS!

A DNA TRANSPLANT!

Some things to do...Some things to do...

See to your personal spiritual See to your personal spiritual growth and devotional habits.growth and devotional habits.


Make practice of spiritual Make practice of spiritual growth disciplines a growth disciplines a congregational core value congregational core value

Expected of all…Expected of all…


Be zealous in assessing your Be zealous in assessing your personal faithfulness and your personal faithfulness and your congregation’s faithfulness to congregation’s faithfulness to the Great Commission and the the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Great Commandment.

Are new directions called Are new directions called for in either case? for in either case?


Study and learn from:Study and learn from:

•booksbooks

•audio resourcesaudio resources

•video resourcesvideo resources

• internet resourcesinternet resources

Books to readBooks to read

““Reclaiming the Great Reclaiming the Great Commission” by Bishop Commission” by Bishop Claude PayneClaude Payne

““Natural Church Development” Natural Church Development” By Christian A. SchwarzBy Christian A. Schwarz

More books…More books…

““The Purpose Driven Church” The Purpose Driven Church” ““The Purpose Driven Life”The Purpose Driven Life”

By Rick WarrenBy Rick Warren

““Church for the Unchurched” Church for the Unchurched” ““The Celtic Way of Evangelism” The Celtic Way of Evangelism” By George HunterBy George Hunter

Some things to do...Some things to do...LearnLearn

• • about the worldabout the world • • about your about your communitycommunity

GBGM:GBGM: http://research.gbgm-umc.orghttp://research.gbgm-umc.org

PERCEPT:PERCEPT:www.link2leadwww.link2lead.com.com

Some things to Some things to do…do…

Learn skills necessary to lead Learn skills necessary to lead your congregation in a your congregation in a new direction.new direction.

THREE IMPORTANT THREE IMPORTANT SKILLS…SKILLS…

- Effective vision casting- Effective vision casting

- Leading and training leaders- Leading and training leaders

- Dealing creatively with conflict- Dealing creatively with conflict

GUNG HO!GUNG HO!

Spirit of the SquirrelSpirit of the Squirrel““worthwhile work”worthwhile work”

Way of the BeaverWay of the Beaver““in control of achieving the goal”in control of achieving the goal”

Gift of the GooseGift of the Goose

““cheering others on”cheering others on”

By Ken Blanchard & Sheldon BowlesBy Ken Blanchard & Sheldon Bowles

Surfing the Edge of Surfing the Edge of ChaosChaos

Understand Church as organism…Understand Church as organism…

Its response to stimuli is non-linear…Its response to stimuli is non-linear…

Prolonged equilibrium is dangerous…Prolonged equilibrium is dangerous…

by Richard Tanner Pascaleby Richard Tanner Pascale & Mark Milleman& Mark Milleman

A Last Thought...A Last Thought...

What have What have you you experienced of Jesus experienced of Jesus that the world cannot do that the world cannot do without?without?

Office of Office of Congregational Congregational TransformationTransformation

Rev. Kendall TaylorRev. Kendall TaylorDirectorDirector

Contact usContact usP.O. Box 3767P.O. Box 3767Lakeland, FL 33802Lakeland, FL 33802

1-800-282-8011, ext 1091-800-282-8011, ext 109

863-680-1912 (fax)863-680-1912 (fax)

[email protected]@flumc.org

http://www.flumc.orghttp://www.flumc.org

an idea whose time has come… congregational transformation

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