Article: Turnaround Congregations

Pastor Merv Thompson shares his thoughts on what is pivotal for a congregation to turnaround from dieing or stable to growing....
These include:

1. The only way a stable or stable and declining congregation can become a „turn-around‟ church is through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
2. Inspired Leadership
3. A new vision, clear and compelling vision which can energise and capture the members of the congregation.
4. Enhancing worship.
5. New ideas.

To read the article in full visit here

Conference: Thriving in change

Thriving in Change Conference

19^th – 20^th August: Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 745 Rochedale Rd, Rochedale, Brisbane, Qld.

26^th – 27^th August: Immanuel Lutheran Church, 32 Morphett Rd, Novar Gardens South Australia.

Session Leaders

Steen Olsen:       WE DWELL IN THE WORD

Brett Kennett:     WE DWELL IN THE WORD

Patrick Keifert:   THE CONGREGATION IN A NEW MISSIONAL ERA

                             SIX DISRUPTIVE MISSIONAL HABITS 

                             CORPORATE SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT 

                             THRIVING IN CHANGE

Dean Eaton:        MISSIONAL LEADERSHIP

   

Patrick Keifert is a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Professor and Olin S. and Amanda Fjelstad Reigstad Chair of Systematic Theology at Luther Seminary St Paul, Minnesota, USA (where missiology is part of the systematics department rather than the pastoral theology department). He is also President and Director of Research of Church Innovations Institute, a church-related not-for-profit group, seeking to "innovate your church's capacities to be missional."

Dean Eaton is the LCA Board for Local Mission’s Church Planting Mentor and Mission Facilitator.

Steen Olsen is the LCA SA/NT District Director for Mission and a member of BLMiss.

Brett Kennett is the LCA Vic/Tas District Pastor for Congregational Support and a member of BLMiss.

For more information contact:

Dean Eaton

Book: The Passionate Church

It’s good to talk about ministry. It’s better to do it, and do it passionately.
In 2008, the United Methodist Church lifted up “Four Areas of Focus” for ministry, and churches have responded. But at Ginghamsburg Church, in the rust-belt town of Tipp City, Ohio, the church has been doing exciting and effective ministry in those four areas for 35 years and more.

• Engaging in Ministry with the Poor
• Improving Global Health
• Developing Principled Christian Leaders
• Creating New and Renewed Congregations

The work has led to a host of creative ministries and organic growth…because they were meeting the needs of their community and their world as the hands and feet of Christ.

The book comes with a built-in facilitator Guide to encourage pastor peer groups and other leadership groups interested in deepening the discussion.

 

Book: Reclaiming the Great Commission

Reclaiming the Great Commission:  a practical guide for transforming denominations and congregations..describes a biblically based model that can restore the missionary power of first-century Christianity to twenty-first century denominations and their congregations. Based on shared vision and mission, the model can guide the members of any congregation or denomination into deeper and broader evangelism, an enhanced experience of community, and a renewed hope of personal and spiritual transformation.

What others are saying about Reclaiming the Great Commission

Imagine your congregation transformed. Imagine it as a place of profound community, of spiritual growth, of miraculous expectation, and of personal transformation. Imagine it with other congregations as part of one church living the Great Commission to make disciples and the Great Commandment to love, a place in which faithful pilgrims journey together with a shared vision that leads them to embrace the unchurched and each other and, in the process, to find immense fulfillment and meaning for their lives.
Imagine this congregation, and then bring it into being. Reclaiming the Great Commission describes a biblically based model that can restore the missionary power of first-century Christianity to twenty-first century denominations and their congregations. Based on shared vision and mission, the model can guide the members of any congregation or denomination into deeper and broader evangelism, an enhanced experience of community, and a renewed hope of personal and spiritual transformation.
Developed and implemented in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, the model has significantly increased attendance, baptisms, and stewardship in the five years since its implementation. It has led to greater lay participation, stronger support for outreach programs, and an increased awareness of the miraculous. It has made the Church more relevant to the unchurched and more meaningful to its members. It has changed the lives of the faithful, fortifying their commitment to discipleship, deepening their faith, and strengthening their experience of the Gospel even as it has brought in new disciples and touched the spiritually hungry.
Reclaiming the Great Commission describes a model that capitalizes on the strengths of the denominations and offers hope for their renewal and growth. It provides a vision of denominational transformation and a case study that describes how that vision came to be lived by the members of the Diocese of Texas. It is for judicatory and denominational leaders, clergy and congregational lay leaders, and others who wish to reclaim the power of first-century Christianity for the contemporary Church and its members. Imagine your congregation transformed. And then discover how to do it in this inspiring book.
A Powerful Way to Transform Denominations and Congregations into Communities of Miraculous Expectation and Spiritual Transformation
"A model for all Christian churches...an uncomplicated and doable plan of evangelization that can revitalize listless and moribund congregations." —The Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza, Bishop of Galveston-Houston, president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops

"Reclaiming the Great Commission offers a message of hope and a plan of action for those who are concerned about the future of the Church. It chronicles the success of a biblically based vision of mission and community that has the potential to bring about the much-needed transformation of all churches at all levels. An inspiring and important read for clergy and laity alike." —The Most Reverend and Right Honorable George L. Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury

"This is a truly important book. Those who want to transform their mainline congregations and denominations from maintenance to mission will find a game plan concrete enough to implement. Passionately argued, solidly grounded, battle-tested in real life-here's real cause for hope!" —Bob Buford, founding chairman, Leadership Network

"Comprehensive and compelling.... I highly recommend this as a resource for those striving to build up the Body of Christ." —Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church

"Which is the higher priority-taking care of today's members or reaching the unchurched? If you choose the second, this book explains how your denominational regional judicatory can be transformed to make that happen." —Lyle E. Schaller, parish consultant

"The Episcopal Diocese of Texas has done a 180! Attendance, membership, giving, and mission are all on the upswing. What is proposed in this book is not a new paint job but a major renovation that is remarkably aligned with the first-century church. —The Rev. Dr. David G. McKechnie, Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston


"An inspiring gift.... The exciting expectations described in this book have given me a new sense of hope." —Bishop John Wesley Hardt, Bishop-in-Residence, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

Other resources
Reflection and Questions...ELCA Eastern Washington Idaho Synod
Study Guide  ELCA Eastern Washington Idaho Synod

What is common with turn around churches

Thom Rainer interviewed pastors of turnaround churches...churches that have bucked the trend of decline...and this is what he discovered:

• They led the church to become highly intentional about starting new groups. 
• They led the church to a culture of inviting people. 
• They began new member classes. 
• They began a major community ministry. 
• They began to pray for the lost and unchurched by name. 
• The leaders began to focus less on negative people and circumstances and more on God’s possibilities.

To read his article and discover more visit here

Ebook: The Growing Church - a biblical historical and pastoral perspective

Carl Erik Sahlberg is a Swedish pastor has been a missionary, professor and more recently a pastor.   
His first service at his last congregation had 3 old ladies, one of whom suggested the church building be turned into a pool.   Some 11 years later 400 people were worshiping regularly at the congregation and it was serving a further 700 in compassion ministries.  

In this book he explores the biblical, historical and pastoral perspectives of a growing church, in the following chapters:
Ecclesia - a church that wants to grow is open to all
Diaconia- a church that wants to grow cares for people
Koinonia -  a church that wants to grow has a loving fellowship
Kerygma -  a church that wants to grow preaches Christ
Praxia- a church that wants to grow lives a clean life
Martyria - church that wants to grow is ready to suffer
Liturgia - a church that wants to grow seeks God in prayer
Mission - a church that wants to grow uses lay people
Dynamis- church that wants to grow is open to the power of the Holy Spirit

This free ebook is available here 

Myths and facts about evangelism and church growth

The US congregational life survey has uncovered the following information about evangelism and church growth...

1. There are three strengths that will lead to growth. They are being a congregation that cares for Children and Youth, Welcomes New People, and where a majority of people participate in the congregation.
2. The following do not predict growth; denomination or faith group, congregational size, income levels of worshipers, average age of worshipers, and population growth around the church.
3. More than half of the fastest growing congregations were established before 1960.
4. Around 40% of small congregations are growing
5. 1/3 of worshippers are new to the congregation in the last five years, whilst 1/2 of worshippers are new in the fastest congregations.
6. Most new people are not new to the faith, but people transferring from another congregation of the same denomination (around 57%), returnees (around 18%), come from another denomination (around 18%)., with only 7% new to the faith
7. Of the new people 73% say the denomination was important in their search. However it is less important for people under the age of 25 (48%)
8. Many new people (47%) visit for the first time because someone invited them; only 6% came for the first time due to advertising.
9. Most new people will visit between 1 and 3 congregations before choosing their new home.
10. Advertising helps raise awareness of the congregation and can make current members feel proud of their congregation (and help them to talk to others about their congregation.)
11. People return to a congregation because of the quality of the sermon (36%), the friendliness of the people (32%), and the overall worship experience (30%).
12. Too many new people (38%) report no follow-up from the congregation after their first visit. In more traditional congregations 53% of new people report no follow-up.
13. Growing congregations use multiple methods to attract new people.
14. Growing congregations are more likely to hold events to meet new people or to add members, advertise in the newspaper or telephone book, use email, have a church Web site, and send materials to or telephone first-time visitors.
15. Growing congregations use multiple methods to integrate new worshipers.
16. Growing congregations are more likely to have a specific group for newcomers and to invite such people to take part in small groups or service opportunities.
17. New people are less involved in their congregations than those who have been there for longer.
18. Almost all worship services in growing Presbyterian churches (89%) include some traditional hymns.
19. Services in growing congregations are more likely to include contemporary music and laughter.
for more information visit http://www.uscongregations.org/growth.htm

Challenging Growing churches: Theological Affirmations

This report was written to encourage congregations to keep on growing...and to keep following the Great Commission. It highlights:
Mission begins in the heart of God
God's Mission is necessary because of sin
God's Mission centres in Jesus Christ
God's Mission is for and to everyone
God's Mission is our mission
God's Mission is my mission
God Mission is urgent

Take a few moments to read Challenging Growing Churches: Theological Affirmations

The need to change for growth

Some congregations God has blessed with the opportunity to grow, eg. growing population, people coming to an area, better accessibility, yet for some reason they do not grow. Some suggest that is because different size congregations require a different approach to structure, administration, etc. .

Alban institute has dedicated part of their web page to this very topic...it is called Raising the roof

In one section they have identified 4 essential leadership qualities for growth and change:
Excavating the congregation’s religious culture(s)
Creating a foundation of authority for change using the congregation’s own cultural materials
Enriching the congregation’s practices of democracy and discernment
Locating the congregation on an organizational “System Change Index”
These are explored in more detail at: http://www.alban.org/raisingtheroof/foundations.asp

5 things that are common in fast growing Lutheran congregations

hey.....as we have said before we can always learn from others...especially those who are doing well...

In 2005 the ELCA undertook some research that highlighted 5 things that were common in fast growing congregations (no matter whether they were traditional, contemporary or any other type of worshippers, and no matter whether they were seen as conservative or liberal in theology)

Here they are....
God was REAL in these places.
There was a deep and real commitment to the priesthood of all believers.
The Bible mattered.
People, especially the leaders, were pragmatic (my dictionary says that this means they were more concerned with practical results than theories or principles).
They expected something to HAPPEN!

ummmm...if you want to read more then skip (click) across to Reclaiming the F word....http://reclaimingthefword.typepad.com/reclaiming_the_f_word/5_keys_to_church_renewal.html