Ken Swatman
“Dying on the vine,” it seems to be the new catchphrase among leaders of struggling churches. Often I hear from these ministers and leaders that they do not want to “die on the vine.” Here are some key issues/questions that need to be addressed in order for a church to grow.
I do not believe churches just die on the vine. Branches of a vine die because they are either diseased, malformed, infested with parasites, or somehow choked off from their source of nutrition and health.
This is also true for churches. Churches wither and die because of a similar list of reasons: sin, improper motivations, personal or corporate agendas, stagnation caused by apathy, or just simply being unaware of how to assess needs or use.
God plants churches because he wants them to be healthy, living vines of redemption that reach deep into a community”s soil. For that to happen, churches need to be anchored in vision and purpose, and firmly grafted to the vine of God”s will and leading.
Questions
For a church to regraft, grow, and became a viable vine, it must first answer a few foundational questions.
“¢ Why do we want to change? A question of perspective
Many church leaders rightly believe that “not dying on the vine” is a positive thing, but wanting to change in order to stave off death is not a healthy or biblical reason for change. Vision drives change, not crisis or ego. True and lasting change comes from a passionate desire to create a healthy place for people to be changed by the truth of Jesus in their lives.
Before beginning any regrafting process, prayerfully consider your motivation. Then, when the uncomfortable moments of change and the difficult steps of faith arrive, and they will, you will have the willingness and strength to face them with peace, hope, and even joy.
“¢ Does our church need to exist? A question of purpose
If your church suddenly ceased to exist, would your community even notice? I will ask the question a different way: Why does your community need your church?
It is the foundational question of purpose: What does your church bring to the community that it is either not already providing or can”t provide? Leaders often answer, “My church exists to tell people about Jesus.” While this is true, it”s not enough. How will your church share the good news of Jesus to your community?
Why does your community need your church? Several avenues will give you the answer to this question: prayer, community assessment, communication with other church leaders, and a willingness to listen to the needs of current members of your congregation and community. Consider all of these as you seek your church”s unique niche for sharing the good news of Jesus.
“¢ Is the church able to change? A question of willingness
I recently spoke with a minister from a small Midwestern town who said his church was on the verge of dying and he couldn”t see any way for it to change. Through our discussion I learned the church leadership had developed an “us vs. them” mentality with the community. They were unwilling to change their out-of-date methods and traditions to meet the needs of new people, had few if any programs focused on outreach, and believed that instead of becoming all things to all men (1 Corinthians 9:22), all men should become like them. In essence, they had lost the willingness and ability to change with their community.
How well do you know your church? How does it approach change? Are the people excited or threatened by new ideas and approaches to ministry? What about you as a leader? Can you humbly ask the same questions of yourself?
Clear and honest answers to these questions may be painful, but they will help identify whether regrafting is even possible
“¢ Does your church have a vision?
Vision is a term that many ministers use””yet few truly understand. Having a vision for the church is simply about seeing the destination and planning the journey to reach that destination.
Vision
When identifying a vision for your church there are some important things to consider.
“¢ God”s Plan
Often we ask God for solutions to our church”s problems, resources to help us make budget, or new people to fill the pews, but how often do we seek God”s unique vision for our church?
God”s church exists for God”s purpose. God has a plan for your church in your community (Jeremiah 29:11). Your job is not to manufacture the outcome of the church you have been entrusted to lead, but to faithfully follow God”s leading to a healthy outcome and future.
Begin the vision development process with a few powerful questions: God, what do you see for the future of our church? God, whom do you see us reaching in the future? God, what needs can we meet in our community? God, who do you want us to be?
Once you have asked the questions, look for the answers. Maybe a successful special event will point you to a niche. Maybe a service project will touch the heart of your congregation. The wise words of a congregant or community leader might help you define your vision. Or it may stem from a passion already burning inside of you. A Scripture passage, a song, a book or TV commercial””all these could help.
Just keep looking, and the answer will come. When it does, prayerfully move forward clearing a way that will lead you farther down the road of your vision. Don”t be afraid to tweak and change along the way, but never stop moving.
“¢ Do you know your church”s DNA?
Your church has a unique DNA (Disposition, Narrative, Aptitude). An important part of the regrafting process is understanding the blessings and barriers inherent in your church”s unique DNA.
Disposition””Each church has a unique personality, or disposition. Some churches are very relaxed and easygoing, and others are more formal and traditional. Some churches are open and welcoming to new people, and others tend to see new people as suspects rather than prospects.
The point here is not to make a judgment or to condemn, but simply to assess your church”s unique disposition and understand how it can help or hinder the regrafting process.
There are multiple quick and easy resources online to help you assess your church”s unique disposition, but here are a few questions to help you get started.
As a pastor or church leader, what is my unique disposition? Let”s face facts, as goes the leader, so goes the church.
How do people in my church dress? Dressing up is not bad, but is there an underlying expectation that if broken causes concern or complaint?
How do people in my church relate to each other? Do you see a lot of deep relationships being formed or tight circles and cliques without much crossover?
How do people in my church relate to members of the community outside of the church walls? What do our people compliment? What do they complain about? What does the signage and flow of our building say about our personality and priorities?
Spending some time observing and evaluating your church”s personality will go a long way in helping you identify and reach your vision.
Narrative””Each church has its own unique story. To move a church into a healthy future you must understand the story it has written so far. Appreciating your church”s past may help you redefine an original vision or point out areas that need to be changed and refocused. You can build on the past to write a new chapter in God”s plan for your congregation.
Consider these questions as you study your church”s story: Why was the church started? What was the ministry motivation of the original members? Historically, what successes and failures has the church experienced? How have the church and community changed over the years? What is the church accomplishing today?
You will be better prepared to write the next chapter in the life of your church once you understand the unique narrative of your church.
Aptitude””Each church has its own unique aptitude or set of skills and gifts. Congregational aptitude can be broken down in two main areas, vocational and spiritual aptitude.
As you survey your congregation, what vocational skills are present? Do you have an abundance of carpenters, plumbers, techies, businessmen, educators, or medical practitioners? All of these skills can be used to help determine the programs and ministries that will define your vision.
As you survey your congregation, what spiritual skills are present? Some churches have the gift of giving and hospitality. Others are incredible prayer warriors. Some are naturally good at evangelism, while others are great at discipleship and going deeper with people.
Be encouraged, God has placed those skill sets in your church for a reason; identifying and understanding them will go a long way in helping you chart a new vision.
As always, each step of the regrafting process should be bathed in prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit for discernment. Inviting God into the process of your regrafting/vision setting should always be the first step. Then, patiently walk with the Lord through your unique DNA and see the story of your vision begin to unfold.
Ken Swatman is lead pastor of Oregon City (Oregon) Christian Church.
0 Comments