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Healthy and Missional Congregations

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Dr. Alicia Vargas. Laity infiltrate through vocation. ITS ABOUT HEALTH ... Three Keys to Transformation (From an evangelism study of the ELCA) ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Healthy and Missional Congregations


1
Healthy and Missional Congregations
  • Rev. Ruben Duran
  • EOCM-ELCA

2
Assumptions
  • It is GODs mission
  • God does not want to work alone
  • We are invited to participate
  • It is still Gods mission
  • We have Gods promise
  • I will build my church
  • I will be with you always

3
Healthy Churches
  • Our response to Gods salvific initiative
  • Our participation in Gods mission and ultimate
    goal Reign of God in history
  • A church is like an arrow that points to Gods
    Reign
  • It is part of Gods conspiracy to overcome evil
    and establish Gods gentle and just Reign.
    Churchmeans not end.

4
As the world changes, the constant of Gods
purpose remains
Gods work to bring about the Reign
Reign of God
Church
Church called to participate in Gods work
Witness and engagement
The Changing World
5
Challenge/Opportunity of Context
  • 1. GEOGRAPHICAL balance
  • 2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC a church for all
  • 3. GENERATIONAL emergent church
  • 4. ETHNIC- specific 5 communities
  • 5. MULTICULTURAL a church from all
  • KEY acting/reflecting out of our missional
    identity (Lutheran lenses).

6
The Changing Church
Laity infiltrate through vocation
Missionaries of grace
Communities of care
Dr. Alicia Vargas
7
ITS ABOUT HEALTH
  • HEALTHY LEADERS CAN DEVELOP HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
    OF FAITH.
  • HEALTHY ORGANISMS DO NOT GROW FOREVER, BUT THEY
    REPRODUCE.
  • THE GOAL OF AN APPLE TREE IS NOT AN APPLE, BUT
    ANOTHER APPLE TREE.
  • HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS GROW AND REPRODUCE
    NATURALLY.

8
Signs of a Healthy Church
9
KEY Congregational Health
  • What does it mean to have a healthy congregation?
  • What are some vital signs of a healthy
    congregation?
  • 1..
  • 2..
  • 3.
  • 4

10
2 Key Studies regarding Congregational Health
  • 1. ELCA Study on Evangelism (1993-03)
  • 2. The Natural Church Development

11
Three Keys to Transformation(From an evangelism
study of the ELCA)
  • Leadership a culture of team leadership where
    clergy and laity work together as a team. Leaders
    help congregations develop the following
  • Purpose a clear sense by the congregation of
    what God is calling them to do
  • Willingness to change a spirit of openness that
    is willing to initiate change to be faithful and
    effective

12
As the world changes, the constant of Gods
purpose remains
Gods work to bring about the Reign
Reign of God
Church
Church called to participate in Gods work
Witness and engagement
The Changing World
13
Gods work in Christ
Kingdom/Reign of God
Engage God Discern and call
Purpose/Vision
Willingness to change
Church Identity as body of Christ Assets and
gifts Gods hands/voice in world
Engage context Relationships of Mission and
ministry
Worlds Context
14
RE-TOOLING for Increasing Capacity in Evangelical
Outreach
  • 1. Missional Theology grounding
  • 2. Leadership Development equipping
    lay and clergy
  • 3. Reading the audience understanding
    the emerging context
  • 4. Congregational Ministry assessing
    congregational health

15
Research Natural Church Development
  • 49.000 churches so far
  • Worldwide
  • 18 languages
  • Inter-denominational
  • Looking for signs of healthy congregations
  • Looking for principles that propel the church to
    grow naturally

16
Growth Forces (Biotic Principles)
  • Interdependence connecting
  • Multiplication reproducing
  • Energy transformation harnessing
  • Sustainability sustaining
  • Symbiosis cooperating
  • Fruitfulness evaluating
  • (From the Natural Church Development)

Page 7
17
Growth Forces
  • Interdependence (Connecting) Individual units
    are connected to each other in a larger system.
    Changes in one ministry will affect other
    ministries in the church and community.
  • Multiplication (Reproducing) Healthy organisms
    do not grow endlessly, but reproduce themselves.
  • Energy Transformation (Harnessing) Momentum or
    energy already flowing, whether positive or
    negative, can be redirected to accomplish Gods
    purposes.

18
  • 4. Sustainability (Sustaining) Resources used
    should increase the capacity for ongoing growth
    and development, as well as serve multiple
    purposes.
  • 5. Symbiosis (Cooperating) Different ministries
    can cultivate cooperative relationships so the
    mutual benefit is greater than operating
    separately.
  • 6. Fruitfulness (Evaluating) Each ministry needs
    to produce discernible results in line with its
    intended purpose.

19
Quality Characteristics
  • Empowering leadership
  • Gift-oriented ministry
  • Passionate spirituality
  • Functional structures
  • Inspiring worship
  • Holistic small groups
  • Contextual evangelism
  • Loving relationships

20

The Quality Characteristics Growth Forces
Growth Forces
How the Quality Characteristics are developed
Quality Characteristics
What a church needs to develop
21
An ELCA Example
Page 22
22
1 Year Later.
Page 22
23
Healthy and Missional Congregations
8 NCD Quality Characteristics

Eye for Justice
Basic Building Blocks
Mission clarity
Flexible/Resilient
Connected
Purpose
Willing to Change
Ecclesiology
Jesus Christ
Foundation for Ministry
8.5 Quality Characteristics 8 from NCD
augmented with an eye for justice
24
A WISE MAN ONCE TOLD ME
  • Direction first, then speed
  • Foundation first, then height

25
NEW CONGREGATIONS
  • Healthy capacity to act and grow
  • Missional evangelical orientation
  • Evangelizing making new disciples
  • Multiplying churches starting churches

26

Multiplication
RENEWAL OF EXISTING MINISTRIES
Multiplication
(Entry Point)
Redevelopment Process(es)
HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS
(Entry Point)
Development Process(es)
STARTING NEW CONGREGATIONS
(Entry Point)
27
HISTORY
  • The trend has been to transfer the responsibility
    for new starts to the church structures.
  • RESULTS?
  • 1. More centralized decisions
  • 2. Less local ownership/participation
  • 3. Less new starts

28
EMERGING VISION
  • TO ENGAGE LEADERS IN THE FORMATION OF
    EVANGELIZING CONGREGATIONS THAT MAKE DISCIPLES
    FOR JESUS CHRIST WHO USE THEIR GIFTS FOR GODS
    REIGN IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD.

29
3 ENTRY-POINTS
  • 1. Renew existing congregations with ministry
    potential
  • 2. Start new mission congregations
  • 3. Invite healthy congregations to start a
    satellite or a second campus ministry.

30
1. RENEWING CONGREGATIONS
  • EQUIPPING CONGREGATIONS INTO HEALTHY SYSTEMS

31
The Changing Church
Laity infiltrate through vocation
Missionaries of grace
Communities of care
Dr. Alicia Vargas
32
EOCM RENEWAL
  • 1. Ministry Adjustments
  • 2. Turn-around congregations
  • 3. Re-developments
  • 4. Transformational Process
  • 5. Fast-Growth congregations
  • 6. Re-alignments mergers, consolidation
  • 7. Synodical Administration of churches

33
2. NEW CONGREGATIONS
  • In 2005, 38 new ministries started
  • In 2006, 41 new ministries started.
  • In 2007, 56 new proposals approved.
  • Synodically Authorized Worshipping Communities.
  • Churches starting Churches.
  • Traditional Starts (strategic contexts).

34
ITS ABOUT HEALTH
  • HEALTHY LEADERS CAN DEVELOP HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
    OF FAITH.
  • HEALTHY ORGANISMS DO NOT GROW FOREVER, BUT THEY
    REPRODUCE.
  • THE GOAL OF AN APPLE TREE IS NOT AN APPLE, BUT
    ANOTHER APPLE TREE.
  • HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS GROW AND REPRODUCE
    NATURALLY.

35
Other Key Studies
  • 1. The Evangelizing Congregation, Richard
    Bliese and other theologians(AF)
  • 2. Healthy Churches, Pr. Ron Qualley, Lord of
    Life in Fairfax, VA. (in progress).
  • 3. Biblical Principles for New Starts, ELCA
  • 4. Living Lutheran, David Daubert AF

36
Healthy and Missional Congregations
8 NCD Quality Characteristics

Eye for Justice
Basic Building Blocks
Mission clarity
Flexible/Resilient
Connected
Purpose
Willing to Change
Ecclesiology
Jesus Christ
Foundation for Ministry
8.5 Quality Characteristics 8 from NCD
augmented with an eye for justice
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