Planted a church 21 years ago with the following values. The church now has 10 on staff and averaging nearly 1,000.
Church = Ekklesia = “gathering” of people, not a building, but a purposeful gathering of people, “called out ones.” – a congregation.
Practice Christian stewardship. Encourage new people to start by giving a percentage of their income on a regular basis. Many will not start at giving a tithe of ten percent.. Give people time to prepare to give their offering.
Encourage nonbelievers to get involved in a small group. The majority of new volunteers come out of small groups.
Community groups of 12 or less people are encouraged to stay together for 2 years to build relationships.
New member classes of 12 adults are started on a regular and after the class members are encouraged to continue in a small group.
Baptism – Video testimonies are given by baptismal candidates. Videos are edited as needed for time flow
Children’s ministry group leaders stay with their students as they move from one age to another age.
Present helpful messages: marriage, money, parenting, generosity, greed, sexual purity, forgiveness, decision making.
Engage = Pre-service, opener, welcome (What needs to be on the screen to make first time guests comfortable)
1) Does my approach to preach facilitate my desire to see unchurched people attend, come back, and then come back with a friend?
6) Let new comers know you are happy they are present. Make statements so they know they are welcome.
“When a church fails to distinguish between it’s current model and the mission to which it has been called and mistakenly fossilizes around its model, that church sets itself up for decline.”
Model – the framework a church chooses or creates to advance its specific vision. For Andy Stanley – Small Group Model
•	David Olson in The American Church in Crisis says, “Less than 20 % of the population attends church on any given weekend.”
•	David Olson notes that based on current trends, church closures will nearly equal the number of church plants between 2005 and 2020. “Approximately 55,000 churches will close between 2005 and 2020, while 60,000 new churches will open, producing a net gain of 4,500 churches. However, to keep pace with population growth, a new gain of 48,000 churches will be needed.”
pastors and church leaders. They were asked their views on the decline and changes needed to turn around churches.
Gordon E. Penfold, pastor of First Baptist Church, Holyoke, Colorado, presented a paper focusing on the characteristics of turnaround pastors
He declared that two requirements are needed to develop turnaround churches; first a capable pastor and second, a willing congregation. Both elements must be present for turnaround to take place.
In 2009 Gordon Penfold gathered information from evangelical pastors in the Rocky Mountain States of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. His research used the DiSC to better understand turnaround pastors apart from non-turnaround pastors. The DiSC profile measures leadership characteristics: Dominance (D), Influence (i), Steadiness (S) and Conscientiousness ©).
Twenty-seven pastors completed the DiSC profile and one pastor participated in the survey but did not fill out a DiSC profile. Worship attendance in the churches ranged from 20 to 5,500.
Penfold used the baseline of a gain in worship of 2.5 % per year for a minimum of five years to qualify as a turnaround church. Twenty-one of the churches met the criteria for turnaround with a minimum of 2.5 % gain in worship for a least five years. Seven churches did not meet the average attendance gain of 2.5% for five years.
DiSC Profile average scores for all pastors, Turnaround Pastors and Non-turnaround Pastors were as follows:
Two strong differences were noted between turnaround pastors and non-turnaround pastors. Turnaround pastors were more heavily weighted toward the mid to high D and mid to high I range. Non-turnaround pastors scored in the high range in the S and C, while turn around pastors were low to mid-range in S and C.
Only one of the turnaround pastors had a low D and I score. Also one non-turnaround pastor had a high D and I score. God can use anyone to give leadership to a growing church, but the trend for turnaround pastors is a mid to high D and I scores on the DiSC profile.
Penfold gathered information from both pastors and lay leaders in the 28 congregations that participated in the survey. The outcomes of six questions revealed that Turnaround Pastors scored higher in responses to the six vision questions.
4.	The people in the church had a clear understanding of where they wanted to be in two, five and ten years.
Penfold asked the 28 pastors in his study two questions. 1) “In the first five years of my ministry, I had someone whom I regarded as a mentor/coach.” 2) “I currently have someone who mentors or coaches me in ministry.”
Thirteen of the Turnaround Pastors said they had a coach or mentor at the beginning of their ministry. Four Non-Turnaround Pastors said they had a coach or mentor at the beginning of their ministry.
Thirteen Turnaround Pastors said they currently had a coach or mentor. While only one Non-Turnaround pastor currently had a coach or mentor.
Penfold gave the following summary from his survey of the twenty-eight pastors. Turnaround pastors are:
•	Better than average communicators. This communication includes not only great preaching and teaching skills, but communicating vision and direction with passion.
•	Develop boot camps for Turnaround Pastors similar to boot camps that have been developed for church planters. Provide tools for turnaround to these pastors including at a minimum mentor/coaches, conflict reconciliation skills, envisioning skills, leadership development tools, and delegation skills.
•	In order to facilitate change, provide church assessment for strategic churches to establish “a sense of urgency.” Leading Change by John Kotter, is recommended reading for pastors interested in turnaround ministry.
•	Begin to use Turnaround Pastors as coaches and mentors with pastors who have a good set of pastoral skills.
•	Turnaround Pastors need to intentionally train pastoral interns so these interms will be imprinted with turnaround DNA for their future ministries.
5.	Dead churches require new and compelling vision and new and renewed people who will buy in to give it new life and hope.
9.	Actively build trust because distrust of pastors and board members takes years of leadership integrity to overcome.
Dr. McIntosh says it normally takes some level of coercion, initiation, intervention, or mediation, to get a church moving. From his observations in working with congregations it takes two forces – one internal and the other external – working simultaneously to turn around a local church. The internal force is most often the pastor who desires to see a church reach a new level of vitality, while the external force is often a church consultant. The external consultant may be an independent contractor or a denominational leader from outside the client church. However, change mediated from inside and outside a church is a powerful force to initiate a turnaround.
When a church is less than fifteen or twenty years old, turnaround is reasonably easy to bring about since the basic culture remains pliable. However, by the time a church is over sixty-years old, the culture is deeply embedded, which takes more effort and time to change.
All things being equal, a small church may turn around in a relatively short space of time, but a larger church takes much more time.
The essential key to all turnarounds is the presence of a leader who not only knows the way to go, but more important has the courage to move forward. Sam Chand a consultant says, “Leaders only grow to the threshold of their pain.”
Turnaround begins as the church collectively wrestles with its strengths and weaknesses. For strategies Dr. McIntosh suggests using his book, Taking Your Church to the Next Level as a guide.
One key strategy for churches in this size and age category is to identify which sub-ministries are doing well and are in house models of where the leaders want the church to move in the future. Change toward the future is then empowered as people from these successful ministries are systematically promoted to positions of influence in the church.
Bringing about a turnaround in an older church normally takes five to fifteen years as leaders gradually introduce change into the static system. A pastor wishing to bring about change will need to build a new coalition – lead staff, board, and leadership team – comprised of global thinkers (people who think widely about ministry). The practice of new pastors bringing along staff members from another church is one way to begin rebuilding a new coalition.
Turnaround in Older/Smaller churches takes place when a crisis is identified or created by some leader, usually the pastor. Pointing to the crisis of survival, the pastor convinces the remaining church members that “something has got to change.”
Turnaround in older/smaller churches only takes place when people are willing to make the hard decisions, which allows them to leave a legacy for their future.
Here are Nelson Mandela’s eight lessons of leadership with some comments by Doug Lawrence, a Church Consultant. As I read through them recently I was reminded that these are truths that work well for world leaders, and also pretty well for church leaders.
1. Courage is not the absence of fear—it is inspiring others to move beyond it. Having worked with many leaders over the years, I’ve always been exceedingly aware that there are really only two kinds—those who appear to have everything in control and, and those who actually spend very little time controlling anything, because they’re too busy moving people forward by example.
2. Lead from the front—but don’t leave your base behind. One leader I know (inspired by Steve Jobs) always tells his students to, “Connect the dots, but don’t forget any of the dots that are behind you—they are just as important as the ones that are in front of you.” How many leaders do you know who focus all their attention on the future and completely forget about what got them to where they are. This is one of the most dangerous mistakes that a leader can make, and I have been both guilty of it, and the victim of it. You too! Admit it!
3. Lead from the back—and let others believe they are in front. Humility is at the core of good leadership. People are usually willing to follow someone who they believe has their back—someone more interested in them, than in themselves. I love the affirmation model. You can never affirm enough, and, no, you won’t spoil people by saying you think they’re wonderful! The more you are the affirmer, the more the affirmed will take the initiative and move the initiative forward. If this doesn’t work—move them on to someplace else—but, please, not to my church.
4. Know your enemy—and learn about his favorite sport. Remember the old saying, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing?” Well, the truth is that a little knowledge can be an exceptionally helpful thing. Here’s a short list of stuff you might want to know in order to undermine potentially negative relationships:
—What’s your enemies favorite sport and how much do you know about that activity that might break up conversational deadlock. Mandela didn’t like Rugby, but he knew all about it because South African elitists and political enemies all seemed to love the game.
5. Keep your friends close—and your rivals even closer. I’m opposed to this kind of thinking, but have utilized it most of my life. If you don’t want to get run over by a big, honkin’ SUV, run next to it—not in front of it!
6. Appearances matter—and remember to smile. Why is it that some leaders don’t think the rules apply to them? Well, in addition to blatant narcissism, leaders sometimes forget that they were given leadership, they didn’t just wake up having it one day. Earn respect by showing respect! Remember, it was others who placed you in charge. Dress and carry yourself as though you appreciate that fact.
7. Nothing is black or white. So, if things are really shades of gray, and you spend a lot of time there, does that mean you’re not a Christian? No, God gave us shades of gray so we would have real choices to make. He’s not a cosmic school teacher or traffic cop who is ready to slap our hand if we make a mistake. He came to earth because he expected us to make mistakes. Own those, and let the rest of it go.
8. Quitting is leading too. Would you be offended if I quoted Kenny Rogers here? You absolutely need to know when to “fold ‘em!” Here are some responses to leave conflicting projects. They might also tick people off, so be careful!
EZEKIEL 22:30 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.”
When we work with churches as a coach or consultant we are charged to stand in the gap of unrighteousness and lethargy. Our task is to be a bridge builder for the church to find gaps where the church is not carrying out the Great Commission and encourage the congregation to prayerfully seek new initiatives to be faithful to the harvest.
Colossians 4:5-6 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsider; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
As Church Consultants we coach congregations to take initiatives in developing effective ministries to reach pre-Christians.
As a Consultant and coach we help the church take a reality check and realize where the church will be in the next 5 to 10 years if current trends in the church continue.
Our goal is to build multiple-bridges to non-Christians in our ministry area. We look at the local churches context. We consider their weaknesses and strengths and target individuals and families the church can best minister to and meet their needs.
If we are working with a church that has been declining for the pat several years our task is to help the congregation diagnose what ministries and programs they have ministering to those already involved in the church family and what ministries and programs are focusing on those who are not yet part of the church fellowship.
We have the opportunity to challenge the church ministry staff and lay leadership to seek a renewal for a passion for souls a passion to save the lost.
One of the questions I ask the pastoral staff in one-on-one interviews is: “Do you have the opportunity to share your faith with others? If the answer is yes, “Tell me about the last person you shared the plan of salvation with?”
We constantly need to rekindle and renew our passion for lost people. We dare not lose our first love as we hunger and thirst after the newest church growth program out on the market.
I agree with the authors of Marketing for Congregations – Norman Shawchuck, Philip Kotler, and Bruce Wrenn: “The best marketing plan in the world cannot compensate for spiritual lethargy or confusion, so that none are able to listen in the silent closets of the heart where God awaits to communicate with us. Nor can a marketing plan counterbalance a lack of vision.”
I would add, a marketing plan can not compensate for a lack of passion and love for people who are not yet members of the Family of God.
The Apostle Paul reminds us: “If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making a meaningless noise like a loud gong, or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love, I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.” I Cor. 13:1-3
If we are culturally relevant, but have not love, it profits us nothing. If we preach great sermons, but have not love, we are making noise like a loud gong. If we take mission trips and pay out tithe, but have not love, we are like clanging cymbals.
For many churches it Same O Same O year after year. We talk about prayer and evangelism, but do little praying or outreach. We need to take the initiative in building bridges to non-Christians.
After we build a bridge we ask for a decision: “Is there any reason why you shouldn’t accept Jesus at this time?”
The reason we want to come to training like this is to sharpen the sickle for a greater harvest. We want to partner with Jesus in using all means to open the eyes of those who are spiritually blinded by Satan.
“Using the name of God peppers a speech with authority. It serves as a ‘closer and final word in the throes of debate. It’s the lion’s roar in an impressionable jungle.’
The word angels or Angelic – imparts a sense of safety, freedom and good will, as do the words heaven, paradise, prayer and blessing.
However the Wall Street Journal drew the line at one biblical word. The paper strongly cautioned against its use in any business situation. The word is JESUS. Apparently it is the corporate counterpart to fingernails on a chalkboard, a foghorn in the concert hall. “For whatever reason.” The Wall Street Journal argued, “Using Jesus name excites some and angers others.” The writer concluded, “There’s something about that name.”
“At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:10
The Consulting Network FMCNA provides Growth Planning services to enable local congregations to have a trained church growth consultant make an on site visit to analyze and diagnose the total church program. The planning process is designed to provide the pastor and church leaders with a clear picture of their present strengths and make recommendations for long range health and vitality.
Prior to the consultant’s visit to a church, a packet of materials will be sent for the church to complete and return at least two weeks before the visit. These include: 1) A 10-year growth history, 2) a church background questionnaire, 3) a volunteer worker analysis profile, 4) community analysis information and 5 ) various staff worksheets and questionnaires, along with such other data-gathering instruments as may be deemed helpful in light of the church’s unique circumstances.
The consultant will interview both paid and volunteer staff during the on site visit. The consultant will discuss the preliminary materials completed by staff members and get information on the life and ministry of the local church, as well as dreams and aspirations for the future of the church.
A cross section of the congregation involving 10 to 20 lay leaders and members meet with the consultant for a 90 minute dialogue on their perspective of the life and ministry of the local church. The consultant may also meet with several other local church boards and committees, depending upon the size of the congregation.
This analysis of the church, including activities and facilities, occurs throughout the visit in preparation for the consultant’s verbal report at the close of his/her time there. While the analysis varies from church to church, depending on specific requirements of the situation, the following areas are typically examined for problem diagnosis and recommendations:
This setting provides an opportunity for others in the congregation to hear the consultant’s initial observations and to give the consultant additional information or responses before he/she writes the final report.
A full written report follows within four to six weeks of the on site visit by the consultant. The report included the observations and reflections of the consultant and is used as a tool for the local church to develop a long range master plan. Specific recommendations and alternatives are made for the church to take correcting in areas of weakness and maximize areas of strength.
The cost varies according to the size of the congregation, travel expense, and length of time spent at the church.
This personalized service is designed to provide a clear and helpful analysis of your church, with specific recommendations for taking future actions. (It is not intended to give the process for implementing each suggestion, or to become your five year mater plan.) It will present you with the necessary data for formulating and launching an effective master plan during a subsequent phase.
The Growth Planning Consultation Service is intended to answer the following basic questions concerning the health and vitality of your church
The growth planning service provides you with a sufficient data base to carry our realistic long range planning and goal setting.
You will be able to develop “Church growth Eyes”; you will see more and understand more of what is happening in your church.
The growth planning process will provide a new awareness for many concerning their place in His church.
11. The consultation will assist you in aligning your present resources (time, talent, treasure, facilities, etc.) with:
12. You will receive professional support and clarification for what you have been attempting to communicate.
15. The consultation will help you to clarify your present “people flow” (why people come, stay, leave, or increase their involvement) strengths, and how to build upon these.
Matthew 28:16-20 – Jesus gives the command to make disciples and promises to give us His power and authority to carry out His command.
The primary focus of God’s Word is to make disciples. Disciples do not become part of the church community automatically. Disciples are not born; they are made.
2.	Through prayer the church sought God’s guidance in making decisions for leadership. Acts 1:24-26, 6:3-4
Acts 3 – Lame man was healed – Peter and John were arrested –they were ordered to stop speaking about Jesus and his resurrection.
“When the church shuts itself up to the power of the prayer closet, and the solders of the Lord have received on their knees, power from on high: then the power of darkness will be shaken and souls delivered.” Andrew Murray, The Believer’s Prayer Life