If this is your first visit to this blog, welcome! There's a group of at over 30 people around the country who have told me they are reading The Healthy Small Church by Dennis Bickers. I'm sure there are more who haven't let me know. Each week we're reflecting on one of the chapters. You're welcome to get the book and jump in any time.I noticed that "small church" isn't in the title of chapter two. I appreciate that. Churches of all sizes have problems with their health. Small churches have no monopoly on unresolved or poorly handled conflict, or struggling to overcome the idea that "church is for us" and focusing outward. It's not only small churches that show indifference to the culture to which they have been called as missionaries, are held back by poor leadership, or that struggle with clarity of vision/purpose, or lack a sense of worth. Ron Crandall's convicting words about churches needing a turnaround also apply to serious symptoms of unhealth: "churches...needing a turnaround...are not now experiencing and manifesting to the world the life of Jesus Christ. Survival has probably become a topic of conversation more than once." (Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church, Abingdon Press, 1995, p. 9)
I've heard people speak who make the assumption that a church is small because it is unhealthy. Just like the idea "bigger is better" (see the Sept. 16 posting), the corollary "small is unhealthy" is an unhelpful over-generalization. Size, by itself, is not an indicator of health or unhealth. Small churches can be strong and healthy. Churches of all sizes may exhibit symptoms of poor health, and when they do, the underlying causes need to be addressed. If a church has reached the point of "not now experiencing and manifesting to the world the life of Christ" (Crandall) is it still a church?
Take some time to do a basic diagnosis of your church's health. Are the symptoms Bickers identifies showing themselves? If so, to what degree? What is it in your church system (not programs) that needs to be addressed? What strengths are there to build on? Are you willing to commit for the long haul to see the Lord bring transformation?
Please add a comment and join the conversation. If your church has experienced a transformation, or if you're in the middle of it, let us know your story. If you've used a diagnostic tool, what was it and how did you use it? How did it help? Did you build on your strengths, as this chapter suggests, or did you focus on addressing weaknesses as "Natural Church Development" advocates? How did it go?
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Our church has seen consistent, steady growth, but it's still one family, one inividual at a time. We have used Natural Church Development twice, spaced two years apart, with similar results. we tried focusing somewhat on the weak areas, but we celebrated our strengths and without much effort worked to make them better.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated Bickers mentioning the whole "systems" approach without trudging us through all the stuff that's been written on systems - the same with assessing a church.
One caution from my own experience has to do with bringing in an outside consultant. I like the model of this person being someone who has a long-term relationship with the church, someone who has a vested interest, who is going to be there. I've seen "consultants" come in a do more damage than good. I like his "check up" in the back of the book.
On the long-term pastorate - I'm an advocate. As a "P.K." (preacher's kid) I remember moving twice only. The long-term pastorate is healthier for the pastors family AND the church. When we think we're ready to move on we have to ask ourselves is this really the Lord, or are we simply trying to avoid a difficult situation.
A "quick" response that itself reflects one of our great challenges, time. The "problem" of an unhealthy church is more then academic, you would agree. It can be deadly in it's affect on those who observe us. Jesus said, "Woe" to those who are a stumbling block. As I regularly ask my kids, "You hear me say a lot about God and Jesus. Does it make sense to you to live my kind of life?" That is, can you see Jesus in me? Do I make God look attractive? Unhealthy churches are less likely to reveal Jesus.
ReplyDeleteFollowing a great VBS week, we now have Wednesday night church. A group of 12-15 folks. Many have socially unacceptable addictions, e.g. drugs, alcohol. They are struggling, and celebrating victories. Each week the reality of the hymn "I need Thee every Hour" is testified to.
Sundays, we have the socially acceptable addiction folks. They bring, envy, resentment, even racist type of addictions. We mumble confession and repentance till....the next week. (Of course I do not speak of all -we have many committed folks) Striving to live with authenticity and transparency, shared by an amazing wife, we seek to become a healthy church. But, as (also) Jesus discovered, "Not all want to get well".
Let me end my random, spontaneous reflections. I essentially wanted you to know that there are some of us out there reading "your stuff" at various speeds!
Because of Jesus....ruined for the ordinary
jerry
Ed,
ReplyDeleteI hope I can join in a little without reading. I just can't add another book to my pile right now. But as you know I have an interest in small congregations. My entire 8 years as a pastor have been at one small church starting with 25 in worship!
Thanks to all of you who are doing the reading I hope to learn from your comments.