have no doubt that Jesus could have juggled if he wanted to, but instead he chose to stretch out his arms in a loving embrace that brings life and new ways of living and being.
I share with my editorial colleagues a great sense of the privilege that we have experienced in compiling these 101 Great Ideas. We are privileged now to share these with you as you seek to build your own strategy for embracing the world as whole and healthy churches.
A Business Perspective on 101 Great Ideas for Growing Healthy Churches
MICHAEL LOFTHOUSE
Get ready or go under! Those leading and managing a church now work in an environment that is dominated by secularism, where the authority of religion and religious organizations is declining. A destructive and threatening marketplace exists in which potential customers switch their allegiance to rival providers and where effective leadership and management is not an option, it is a necessity.
This competitive environment creates customer mobility and the related pressure that congregations are now consumers. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain or grow the customer base. This places on clergy added marketplace pressures regarding the content and structure of their religious services and organizations. Is the environment inviting? Are their products attractive? Is this what customers are prepared to ‘buy’?
Leading and managing a church now also brings with it added challenging personal contemporary secular job demands. These pressures can lead to role conflict, isolation and a lack of professional autonomy. Ministry alone cannot guarantee a successful church. As secularization tightens its grip, religious organizations typically respond by attempting to replicate secular management, structures, practices and strategies, often with little understanding of consequences. They often fail to adequately prepare those who are to operationalize this ‘new way’ of working.
In today’s church clergy must lead and manage with diminished institutional and personal legitimacy, while simultaneously dealing with a work context characterized by high expectations and congregational change, often without the necessary leadership and management skills and competencies.
That is the bad news. The good news is that it is possible and many have thrived and prospered in this challenging environment; which has meant that their churches and congregations have thrived and prospered. This book is a testament to this assertion.
What do I recommend to meet these challenges? I have a simple prescription. Adopt an internal personal and organizational orientation towards good leadership and management practices; learn from successful competitors and peers, including those from the secular world; be prepared to get your leadership and management hands dirty, be adaptable, adventurist and honest, especially with yourself and be prepared to fail; find and refine your own leadership and management style; and, importantly, accept that ministry alone is no longer sufficient to sustain your church.
Remember, there is only one measure of effective church leadership and management and that is a profitable church.
Great Idea 1: Agree a Vision
JAMES NEWCOME
I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven
Matthew 18.19
Top Tip: Listen hard before saying too much.
Business Perspective: The successful organization understands the necessity for creating a vision as it becomes the unifying force for the organization. Without a vision an organization creates a disparate set of individuals who all like to pursue their own agendas.
Agreeing a vision is one of the most important things any church leader can do. It contributes directly to the growth of a healthy church. Consider these three key questions:
With whom should you agree?
Any vision needs to be agreed with:
God: The vision should be his.
A leadership team: The vision should be ‘ours’, not just ‘mine’.
The congregation: Not everyone will agree, but all should be involved in the process.
Why should you agree?
Agreeing the vision with God, a leadership team and the congregation is essential because if the vision and its timing does not come from God it is unlikely to get very far. If the process isn’t shared and worked on by other leaders there is a real danger of missing the point as well as alienating vital colleagues. If people don’t ‘own’ the vision they simply won’t follow where you try to lead.
How can you agree a vision?
No vision gets wholehearted agreement without a careful and sometimes lengthy process of preparation. This involves:
Locating areas of dissatisfaction in the life of the church. This could be anything from uncomfortable pews to lack of local outreach. Listening carefully to people’s hopes, fears and longings as well as their deepest frustrations provides a starting point for discussion as well as an initial source of energy.
Holding evenings and perhaps whole days of prayer for listening to God. These could sometimes be accompanied by fasting. They should always include written feedback.
Working with a small group at articulating a clear picture of ‘where we want to go’. The picture needs to be realistic about the current situation as well as specific about the ‘preferred future’.
Identifying individuals and groups who may be opposed to the developing vision. Some may be complacent about the status quo and averse to change of any kind. Others might not understand or they might misunderstand what is going on. Others still might feel threatened by the direction in which they sense the church is heading. It matters that leaders should spend time with these people, listening to their concerns and explaining what is going on and why.
Gathering all necessary information. For example, if the vision includes a building project the leaders will need to know what it will cost in time and effort as well as money.
Creating a plan of action or strategy so that when the vision is finally presented people will know when they will start and how they can get from where they currently are to where they are going.
Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of those who will lead and manage the change.
Living the vision with infectious enthusiasm so that others will be drawn in and want to share what excites and motivates you.
The overall aim of this whole process of preparation is that when the right moment comes to present the vision formally, people will say not just ‘I know what you mean’ but rather ‘how can I be involved?’
For reflection and discussion
1 What is the current vision for your church?
2 What areas of church life should be developed or dropped in order to fulfil the vision?
3 What opportunities are there ahead which will enable the spiritual growth of your church?
4 What obstacles need to be considered and
