vitality and renewal in cascades life cycles of a congregation

Vitality and Vitality and Renewal In Renewal In CascadesCascades

Life Cycles of a CongregationLife Cycles of a Congregation

What Are We After?What Are We After?

Numbers?Numbers?More Money?More Money?

Security?Security?Power?Power?

Prestige?Prestige?


POTENTIAL!POTENTIAL!


POTENTIAL!POTENTIAL!*Keeps the challenge *Keeps the challenge

before us.before us.


POTENTIAL!POTENTIAL!*Allows for *Allows for

individuality of size, individuality of size, mission and mission and expressionexpression


POTENTIAL!POTENTIAL!*God needs all *God needs all

shapes, sizes, and shapes, sizes, and styles for the styles for the

Kingdom of God to Kingdom of God to impact the worldimpact the world


So…So…What is God’s potential What is God’s potential for your congregation?for your congregation?

What is your potential What is your potential impact in the Kingdom of impact in the Kingdom of

God?God?

Are you Ready?Are you Ready?

This may be the number This may be the number one question that needs one question that needs to be answered before a to be answered before a transformation profess transformation profess

can begin.can begin.

Urgency ReadinessUrgency Readiness

This is the presence of feeling This is the presence of feeling positive urgency to do something positive urgency to do something

different in the congregation. different in the congregation. There exists a strong commitment There exists a strong commitment to take action and do something to take action and do something that will empower the future of that will empower the future of

the congregationthe congregation

Spiritual ReadinessSpiritual Readiness

This is the conviction that the This is the conviction that the best future is God’s future for the best future is God’s future for the

congregation. It must involve congregation. It must involve spiritual discernment of the spiritual discernment of the

direction in which God is pulling direction in which God is pulling the congregation and a the congregation and a

willingness to engage deeply in willingness to engage deeply in this discernment processthis discernment process

Leadership Leadership ReadinessReadinessThis is the presence of capable This is the presence of capable

pastoral leadership, people of pastoral leadership, people of passion, and people of position in passion, and people of position in

a congregation to form an a congregation to form an enduring visionary leadership enduring visionary leadership

community who provide broad-community who provide broad-based leadership for continual based leadership for continual congregational transformationcongregational transformation

Strategic ReadinessStrategic Readiness

This is the state of having This is the state of having knowledge and the willingness to knowledge and the willingness to

act in strategic ways that will act in strategic ways that will increase the faithfulness, increase the faithfulness,

effectiveness and innovation of effectiveness and innovation of the congregation in areas where the congregation in areas where intentional action is needed to intentional action is needed to

live into God’s future story for the live into God’s future story for the congregation.congregation.

Financial ReadinessFinancial Readiness

This is the ability to reallocate or This is the ability to reallocate or generate new income to fund the generate new income to fund the transition and change actions that transition and change actions that lead to transformation. Too many lead to transformation. Too many congreagtions do not think about congreagtions do not think about this until late in their preparation this until late in their preparation for transition and change. This for transition and change. This needs to be addressed earlier.needs to be addressed earlier.

Generative Dialogue Generative Dialogue IssuesIssues

Visionary Leadership (V)Visionary Leadership (V)Relationship Experiences Relationship Experiences

(R)(R)Programmatic Emphasis Programmatic Emphasis

(P)(P)Accountable Management Accountable Management

(M)(M)

Visionary LeadershipVisionary LeadershipA strong, clear and passionate A strong, clear and passionate

sense of our identity (who we are), sense of our identity (who we are), our core values (what we believe or our core values (what we believe or highly value), our vision (where we highly value), our vision (where we

are heading), and our spiritual are heading), and our spiritual strategic journey as a congregation strategic journey as a congregation

(how we are getting there)(how we are getting there)


Relationship ExperienceRelationship ExperienceWe do well at attracting people into a We do well at attracting people into a

Christ-centric faith journey (evangelism) Christ-centric faith journey (evangelism) and at helping people who are connected and at helping people who are connected

with our congregation to be on an with our congregation to be on an intentional and maturing Christ-centered intentional and maturing Christ-centered faith journey (discipleship development) faith journey (discipleship development)

and developing a willingness for people to and developing a willingness for people to get involved both within and beyond the get involved both within and beyond the

congregations (lay mobilization)congregations (lay mobilization)



Programmatic EmphasesProgrammatic EmphasesOur congregation has outstanding Our congregation has outstanding

programs, ministries and activities for which programs, ministries and activities for which we are well known throughout our we are well known throughout our

congregation and our community. Our congregation and our community. Our programs, ministries and activities seem to programs, ministries and activities seem to

be growing in numbers and quality. Our be growing in numbers and quality. Our programs are meeting real, identified, programs are meeting real, identified,

spiritual and emotional needs of people.spiritual and emotional needs of people.

Accountable ManagementAccountable ManagementOur congregation has excellent, flexible Our congregation has excellent, flexible

management systems (teams, committees, management systems (teams, committees, councils, boards) that empower the future councils, boards) that empower the future direction of our congregation rather than direction of our congregation rather than seeking to control the future direction. seeking to control the future direction.

Decision making is open and responsive to Decision making is open and responsive to congregational input. The management congregational input. The management systems are supportive of the visionary systems are supportive of the visionary

leadership.leadership.


The Life Stages of a The Life Stages of a ChurchChurch

VRPMVRPMOne can determine the life stage of One can determine the life stage of

a church by simply rating the a church by simply rating the above 4 generative dialogue issues above 4 generative dialogue issues

of congregational life.of congregational life.

The Life Cycle and The Life Cycle and Stages of Stages of

Congregational Congregational DevelopmentDevelopment

BirthBirth VrpmVrpmInfancyInfancy VRpmVRpmChildhoodChildhood VrPmVrPmAdolescenceAdolescence VRPmVRPmAdulthoodAdulthood VRPMVRPMMaturityMaturity vRPMvRPMEmpty NestEmpty Nest vRpMvRpMRetirementRetirement vv rPMrPMOld AgeOld Age vrpMvrpMDeathDeath mm

29

Phase Fiv e: La te Aging

V: Vision/Leadership/Mission/Purpose/Core Values R: Relationships/Experiences/Discipleship P: Programs/Events/Ministries/Services/Activities M: Management/Accountability/Systems/Resources

Death (m)

Old Age (vrpM)

Phase Four: Ea rly Aging

Phase One : Ea rly Grow th

The Life Cycle and Stages of Congregational Development

Growth

Birth (Vrpm) 6 mo- 2 years

Infancy (VRpm) 3- 5 years

Childhood (VrPm) 6- 10 years

Phase Tw o: La te Grow th Adolescence (VRPm)

11- 17 years

Adulthood (VRPM) 18- 25

Prime

Maturity (vRPM) 22- 27 years old

Redevelopment

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Aging

Retirement (vrPM)

Phas e Th ree: Prime/Pla teau

Rates of ChangeRates of ChangeContinuousContinuous

Doing same or similar things in same or Doing same or similar things in same or similar way with same or similar leadershipsimilar way with same or similar leadership

—incremental and long term—incremental and long term

DiscontinuousDiscontinuousDoing new and different things with new a Doing new and different things with new a

different methodologies for new and different methodologies for new and different target groups with new and different target groups with new and

different leadershipdifferent leadership

RadicalRadicalStarting with a clean slate - basically from Starting with a clean slate - basically from

zerozero

The Life Cycle and The Life Cycle and Stages of Stages of

Congregational Congregational DevelopmentDevelopment

Maturity Revisioning Continuous 6-18 months

Empty Nest Revitalization

Continuous 18-36 months

Revitalization

Discontinuous

18-36 months

Retirement Renewal Discontinuous

3-5 years

Renewal Radical 3-5 years

Old Age Reinvent Discontinuous

18-36 month

Reinvent Radical 18-36 months

Death Resurrection

Radical 6-18 months

Vitality and Vitality and Renewal In Renewal In CascadesCascades

Life Cycles of a CongregationLife Cycles of a Congregation

Phase Fiv e: La te Aging

V: Vision/Leadership/Mission/Purpose/Core Values R: Relationships/Experiences/Discipleship P: Programs/Events/Ministries/Services/Activities M: Management/Accountability/Systems/Resources

Death (m)

Old Age (vrpM)

Phase Four: Ea rly Aging

Phase One : Ea rly Grow th

The Life Cycle and Stages of Congregational Development

Growth

Birth (Vrpm) 6 mo- 2 years

Infancy (VRpm) 3- 5 years

Childhood (VrPm) 6- 10 years

Phase Tw o: La te Grow th Adolescence (VRPm)

11- 17 years

Adulthood (VRPM) 18- 25

Prime

Maturity (vRPM) 22- 27 years old

Redevelopment

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Aging

Retirement (vrPM)

Phas e Th ree: Prime/Pla teau

vitality and renewal in cascades life cycles of a congregation

Documents

congregation slide

expression slide

world slide

discernment process

leadership readiness

gods potential

strategic readiness

spiritual readiness