Principles for Developing a Church Growth Vision

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Principles for Developing a Church Growth Vision

• By James A. Cress

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Vision More Than Sight!

• Some people see things as they are and ask why?
• Other see things as they could be and ask why
  not!
• -- Robert F. Kennedy

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1. Intentionality

• God expects the church to grow (Acts 2).
• Growth is not a numbers game!
• But God is interested in numbers
• Church is not the church if it is not
  growing!

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2. Dissatisfaction with Status Quo

• If all is okay, why still here?
• A great heritage and marvelous history
• 1949 1 million members worldwide
• 2009 20 million members worldwide
• But we are still here!
• What should we be doing differently?

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3. Analytical Analysis

• Not salvation by number-crunching
• Who have you got?
• What is working?
• What is not working?
• 1. Unconscious ineffectiveness
• 2. Conscious ineffectiveness
• 3. Unconscious effectiveness
• 4. Conscious effectiveness
• 5. Naturalized effectiveness

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4. Target Best Potentials Positioning

• Youth vs. aged
• Win a youth, win a multiplication table
• No one power group controls
• On-going repositioning is essential
• Population demographics determine mission tactics
  (i.e. Pauls different approaches).

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5. Build on Strengths

• Slogan The Caring Church
• Nobody believed not even the members
• Seventh-day Adventists . . .
• When youre looking for answers!
• ADRA - You can trust gt than they care
• Build on strengths
• Adventists not charismatics

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6. Pastoral Tenure

• 21 years experience
• Live through and resolve problems vs. escape

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7. Emphasize Spiritual Growth

1. Bible Study
2. Prayer
3. Fellowship
4. Witnessing
5. Obedience

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8. Consistent Preaching

• Christ-centered
• No surprises
• Listener-focused
• Take home value
• Certainty preach as if
• Study your questions, of course.
• Dont take your questions into the pulpit!

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9. Invitations

• Response cards
• Pew card summary
• Spiritual business
• Public invitations
• Invite an appointment
• Easy to say Yes

I would like to be baptized I request a
pastoral visit
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10. Big Deals

• Baby Dedications
• Baptismal Services
• Anniversaries
• Friends Day
• Honor Teachers
• Visitor Recognition

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11. Advertise

• Sabbath Worship Service
• Advertise Weekly newsletter, paper, radio,
  television
• Sermon series
• Best evangelistic opportunity
• Complimentary advertising
• Pastoral business cards for your leaders
• Announce
• Open Communion
• Public Baptism
• Annual Homecoming
• Free Lunch

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12. Dynamic Worship

• Creatively Dynamic
• Need not be radical!
• Timeliness
• Cut extraneous
• Time Czar
• Emphasize essentials
• Mail bulletins

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13. Inclusive Reckoning as Outreach Method
Believers Attending
Non-Believers Attending
Believers Non-Attending
Non-Believers Non-Attending
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14. Small Group Ministries

• Pastors Work work the members
• Pastors Method lead the leaders!
• Small Group Effectiveness Factors
• Word
• Worship
• Fellowship
• Service

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15. Leaders Who Lead!

• Not an enabler who says, Here I am, What do you
  want me to do?
• Not a facilitator who says, Figure out what you
  want to do and Ill help you get there.
• Rather . . . A leader who says, This is where
  God wants us to go . . . Follow me as I follow
  Christ!
• Assume responsibility for growth
• Work hard
• Share ministry
• Not paralyzed by pessimists some members cannot
  be pastored
• Invest time, energy and money in training
• Self continuing education
• Leaders for responsible service
• Members increased world view

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16. Followers Who Follow

• Willing to follow the leader.
• Expect pastoral ranchers more than shepherds
• Pay the price for following
• Readjust fellowship patterns assimilate new
• Open up leadership opportunities
• Intentionally include youth and newcomers
• Rather youth not attend than sing

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17. Administrators who value local congregation
more than structure

• Tip ONeill -- All politics is local
• Resource sharing
• Key Result Areas (KRA) as base for
  appropriations
• Performance Standards

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18. Global Worldview Mission