SIZING UP A CHURCH or DIOCESE

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SIZING UP A CHURCH(or DIOCESE)

• USING A MODEL FROM ARLIN ROTHAUGE

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ALL PARISHES HAVE FIVE BASIC FUNCTIONS...

• Worship
• Social Service (outreach)
• Christian Formation
• Evangelism
• Pastoral Care

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FAMILY CHURCH - 0 TO 50 Average Attendance

• A ONE CELL ORGANIZATION OPERATING LIKE A BASIC
  FAMILY
• GATEKEEPERS OPEN THE DOOR TO THE FAMILY
• MATRIARCH AND PATRIARCH SANCTIONS NEWCOMERS AND
  LEADERS

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FAMILY CHURCH -- continued

• THE PRIEST SERVES AS A CHAPLAIN
• SUCH A PARISH HAS A FAMILY-LORE TELLER WHO
  REMEMBERS THE HERITAGE.

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PASTORAL CHURCH 50 TO 150 Average Attendance

• ENCOMPASSES 2 OR 3 CELLS OF INTENSE RELATIONSHIPS
• LEADERSHIP CIRCLE REPLACES MATRIARCH AND
  PATRIARCH
• NEWCOMERS EXPECT ATTENTION FROM CLERGY AND
  BECOMES THE NOBLE SHEPHERD IN CHARGE OF THE
  FLOCK.

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PASTORAL CHURCH - continued

• GOOD COMMUNICATIONS IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVENESS
  OF THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE.
• MEMBERSHIP LOOKS AT THE CENTRAL LEADER RATHER
  THAN THE PASTOR FOR INSPIRATION AND DIRECTION.

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PROGRAM CHURCH150 TO 350 Average Attendance

• NO LONGER POSSIBLE FOR CENTRAL LEADERSHIP TO
  MAINTAIN PASTORAL CONTACT WITH ENTIRE PARISH.
• TEAM LEADERSHIP REPLACES CENTRALIZED LEADERSHIP.
• NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND PROGRAM LEADERS GROW.

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PROGRAM CHURCH continued

• NEW MEMBERS DRAWN BY VISIBILITY AND QUALITY OF
  PROGRAM AND MINISTRIES.
• ROLE OF PRIEST SEEN AS COORDINATOR AND FORMULATOR
  OF DREAMS.

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RESOURCE CHURCHRESOURCE
CHURCH(Previously known as Corporation
Church)Over 350 Average Attendance

• CHARACTERIZED BY COMPLEXITY AND DIVERSITY.
• RECTOR SEEN AS THE PRESIDENT OVER A MASSIVE
  COMMUNITY.
• RELATIONSHIP FORMS AROUND SMALL GROUPS.
• NEWCOMERS ATTRACTED BY GRAND BUILDINGS AND
  IMPRESSIVE WORSHIP STYLE.

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NOW, WHERE WOULD YOU PLACE YOUR PARISH?

• Two of the points of tension in any parish is
  when the parish begins to approach the next level
  of parish size or when the parish sees itself at
  one level and the rector sees him/herself at
  another level.

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DISCUSSION TIME
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Looking at the Diocese of Alabama
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IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE THE PATTERN OF THE RESOURCE
CHURCH WITHIN THE DIOCESE.
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EVOLUTION OF A DIOCESE INCLUDES CHARACTERISTICS
OF APOSTOLIC CHURCH FROM FAMILY ? TO PASTORAL ?
TO PROGRAM ? TO RESOURCE.
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FAMILY DIOCESE

• POST RESURRECTION CHURCH CENTERED AROUND
  PATRIARCHS -APOSTLES AND MARY AND WOMEN IN
  PAULINE LETTERS.

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PASTORAL DIOCESE

• RAPID GROWTH REQUIRED COUNCIL OF PATRIARCHS -
  COMPLAINTS THAT PASTORAL CARE NOT HANDLED WELL.

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PROGRAM DIOCESE

• DEACONS NAMED AS PASTORAL SERVANTS AND SACRED
  TEACHINGS RECORDED AND MISSIONARIES SENT OUT.

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RESOURCE DIOCESE(Previously known by the term
Corporation Diocese)

• BY 2ND CENTURY, MULTI-CELL GATHERINGS.
• CENTRAL PASTOR AS BISHOP AND BEGINNING OF SYSTEM
  OF DIOCESES.
• PRIESTS TAKE CHARGE OF SMALLER UNITS AS DEPUTIES
  TO CENTRAL PASTOR.

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17 YEARS IN THE LIFE OF THE DIOCESE OF ALABAMA

• 1985
• 25,771 Members
• 124 Clergy
• 81 Parishes or Worship Sites
• 0 FT Youth Ministers

• 2002
• 36,000 Members
• 168 Clergy
• 91 Parishes or Worship Sites
• 16 FT Youth Ministers

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17 YEARS IN ALABAMA .continued.

• 1985
• 1.4 million Budget
• 1 Deacons
• 317 Convention Attendance

• 2002
• 2.51 million Budget
• 16 Deacons
• 568 Convention Attendance

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DISCUSSION

• WHERE DO YOU SEE OUR DIOCESE IN THIS MODEL NOW?
  AND WHY???
• A FAMILY DIOCESE?
• A PASTORAL DIOCESE?
• A PROGRAM DIOCESE?
• A RESOURCE DIOCESE?

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DISCUSSION

• WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU OBSERVED OR
  KNOWN ABOUT IN THE DIOCESE
  SINCE 1985?
• WHAT ARE OUR STRENGTHS/ WEAKNESSES AT THE
  CURRENT TIME WITHIN OUR DIOCESE?
  HOW DO THEY IMPACT THE
  DEVELOPMENT OF MINISTRY?