Diocesan Strategy Diocesan Strategy No Quick Fix Longterm

Diocesan Strategy

Diocesan Strategy No Quick Fix! Long-term (5 -10 -15 Hard years application) work!

Diocesan Strategy Diocesan Mission Purpose 8 Quality Areas Simple Focus!

Diocesan Strategy Worshipping God Making New Disciples 8 Quality Areas Transforming Communities Simple Focus!

Diocesan Strategy Worshipping God Making New Disciples Transforming Communities Gift-oriented Leadership Ministry Passionate Spirituality Inspiring Worship Small Groups Empowering Holistic Loving Outreach Relationships Functional Structures Need-oriented Simple Focus!

Christian Schwarz’s research • 1000 churches • 32 countries • 5 continents • 4. 2 million answers • Natural Church Development (NCD) 6

Good quality: Soil Water Temperature Sunlight Tree has no choice!…. It cannot do anything else but…. g ro w Created healthy environment for growth

BUT…… REMOVE any ONE Soil item…. . Water Temperature Sunlight Tree has no choice!…. It cannot do anything else but…. D i e Need ALL the qualities! Miss one out and you will not sustain growth

A barrel can only hold as much water as the LOWEST stave. So work out our WEAKEST (Minimum) quality and improve it! And at the same time ensure we use all the other qualities whilst improving the one weakest, so that ALL qualities improve together.

8 Essential Qualities in Healthy Growing Churches 1 Empowering Leadership 2 Gift-oriented Ministry 3 Passionate Spirituality 4 Inspiring Worship 5 Holistic Small Groups 6 Need-oriented Outreach 7 Loving Relationships 8 Functional Structures When all qualities were consistently above a certain level all churches in research were growing.

Bottom line? . . . You might not like some of the qualities but if you don’t have them you won’t grow!

EMPOWERING Leadership Atmosphere in whole church…. . (not just the vicar/‘leader’!)? The ‘see-saw’ effect…. People start off ‘lower’ than you, and you raise them up above you. ‘Our ceiling, their floor’. Every leader intentionally identifies, inspires, recruits, trains, supports and releases others into leadership responsibilities and rejoices that they do role better than you!

EMPOWERING Leadership The ‘see-saw’ effect…. Have the same people been doing the same jobs for umpteen years? Are people exercising an unhealthy level of control over ‘their’ area, or even the church itself? ! These will be a barrier to growth. How do people feel after they have been talking with you as a leader? Do they leave feeling you are better than them, or that they are/can be better than you? Do they feel ‘lifted up’ or ‘put down’?

L 1 L 2 I do, you watch I do, you help Select team You do, I watch L 4 You do, I help L 3 L e a d er T ra I n g

GIFT-ORIENTED Ministry Most churches. . . . ? ! This is what we do……. will you please help us?

GIFT-ORIENTED Ministry What do you want to achieve for God before you die…? And is the local church helping you achieve it? What would you like the vicar to say about you at your funeral service? And are you doing it now? People with passion achieve more than people with just ability…. so what are you passionate about? What gifts can you apply to that passion? How can the church support you in that?

PASSIONATE Spirituality Authenticity of faith? Is it real? ! Prayer life of church and individuals? Are all fruit of the Spirit in evidence in congregation? ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is among you’…. so do people get a taste of heaven when they meet members of the congregation individually and collectively? Levels of self-sacrifice (inc giving)?

PASSIONATE Spirituality Age and fruit of Spirit? (Young) people are not put off by age… but they are by attitude!

INSPIRING Worship Style irrelevant…. it’s the quality (inspiring) that counts! High point of your week Connect with God there. So inspiring you want to invite your friends who have no faith along to it to experience it. No ‘cringe’ factors for guests You’ll have a regular stream of visitors coming to see what it’s like (if they come and don’t come back that’s another question!)

HOLISTIC Small Groups Small within big Do everything a church does, but smaller scale: Worship (but different to ‘main’ church as smaller), Bible application, pastoral support, prayer, outreach, use of people’s gifts, transforming community, g r o w, multiply, etc.

NEED-ORIENTED Outreach 2 aspects: Meet people’s practical needs (ie serve the poor, transform communities) Meet people’s faith exploration needs as they journey towards Christian faith.

LOVING Relationships 3 key aspects: FUN! WELCOMING! FORGIVING!

LOVING Relationships 3 key aspects: FUN! Growing churches have a lot of laughter in them. Who would want to be part of something miserable? ! Ability to laugh at oneself is a sign of humility

LOVING Relationships 3 key aspects: WELCOMING! If Jesus did all of that (!)…. the LEAST we can do is walk across the room to somebody we do not recognise and say, ‘Hi, it’s lovely to see you. ’ Being shy is NOT an excuse! Remember…. no second chance at a first impression! And open circles! How welcoming in atmosphere for BOTH men AND women!

LOVING Relationships 3 key aspects: FORGIVING! Christian churches should be the most forgiving places on the planet! So why aren’t they? ! No excuses NOT to forgive (people, Diocese, etc) Especially important in serving the poor. Let go of the nets!

FUNCTIONAL Structures Exist to enable all of the 8 qualities to flourish throughout the whole life of the church! Need to be flexible and adapt as growth occurs. Just reflect how much damage you/PCC can potentially do to a person/organisation and God’s Kingdom by operating outside of these qualities!

8 Essential Qualities in Healthy Growing Churches 1 Empowering Leadership 2 Gift-oriented Ministry 3 Passionate Spirituality 4 Inspiring Worship 5 Holistic Small Groups 6 Need-oriented Outreach 7 Loving Relationships 8 Functional Structures Which are your best 2 qualities? Which is your weakest?

8 Essential Qualities in Healthy Growing Churches 1 Empowering 2 Gift-oriented 3 Passionate 4 Inspiring 5 Holistic 6 Need-oriented 7 Loving 8 Functional What 3 or 4 ideas do people have to Ministry improve our Spirituality weakest area over the next Worship year, making Small Groups sure that we use our best 2 in doing it, and Outreach ensuring we Relationships also use all the other qualities Structures too? Leadership

Diocesan Strategy Worshipping God Making New Disciples Transforming Communities Gift-oriented Leadership Ministry Passionate Spirituality Inspiring Worship Small Groups Empowering Holistic Loving Outreach Relationships Functional Structures Need-oriented Simple Focus!

Diocesan Strategy Worshipping God Making New Disciples Transforming Communities Gift-oriented Leadership Ministry Passionate Spirituality Inspiring Worship Small Groups Empowering Holistic Loving Outreach Relationships Functional Structures Need-oriented Simple Focus!

Diocesan Strategy No Quick Fix! Worshipping God Making New Disciples Transforming Communities Gift-oriented Leadership Ministry Passionate Spirituality Inspiring Worship Small Groups Empowering Holistic Loving Outreach Relationships Functional Structures Need-oriented Focus on Mission 8 Purpose Qualities Appropriate and Relevant Equipping