 |
|
|
|
|
Refresh
 |
|
| |
|
 |
By J. Randy Grimes
Church Health Consultant
937-254-2761
|
| |
|
|
The Church Health Consultation training in Louisville, Kentucky in July proved to be very rewarding and beneficial for both Randall Bach and myself. The training enhanced and fueled both our passions to be more proactive in helping the churches in the Eastern Region to be more fruitful and successful. Pursuing church health is a process that requires one to be challenged and stretched.
Where does one start in addressing the health issues our churches are facing? What tools are available to assist a church in pursuing goals for church health and fruitfulness? These questions and more were answered in the Church Health Consultation training.
|
| |
|
| THE PROBLEM |
|
| |
|
|
There exists a problem of declining church growth in many of our churches in North America. Phil Stevenson says, “To evaluate the vitality of a business, consultants often ask two questions: What is your business? And, how is business? The answers always reveal the state of the company’s health. Two similar questions zero in on the condition of the church. Are we going? And, are we making disciples?” What is the state of church health in North America today?
In Thom Rainer’s book, “Breakout Churches,” he states that eighty percent of the approximately 400,000 churches in the United States are either declining or at a plateau. Rainer says, “All of the breakout churches and their leaders experienced a time we call the ABC Moment. The A represents “awareness” that something is not right in the church they serve, that it is not being the church God intended it to be. The B, or “belief,” stage takes place when the leader becomes willing to seek out and confront the brutal facts about the church’s inadequacies. The leader then believes that a wide gap exists between what is and what God intends. The C is the “crisis” that ensues in the leader’s heart because of this gap. It typically leads the leader to seek help in understanding the church’s purpose and in getting the right people and structures in place so the church can move to greatness.”
|
| |
|
| THE PROCEDURE |
|
| |
|
| In our training in Louisville, we also learned about the Church Health Survey. The Church Health Survey is an effective tool a church can use to measure and discern its health in areas key to fulfilling its mission. These areas are worship, evangelism, discipleship, ministry, prayer, and fellowship (see Acts 2:42-47). Tested on over 4,000 churches, the Church Health Survey focuses on attendees’ perceptions about the church in these areas. Why? It is because perceptions are the basic driver of peoples’ actions (or lack thereof) as it relates to their faith within the church.
Churches participating in the Church Health Survey generally seek to accomplish one or more of the following:
|
| |
|
- Understand problems that may exist in the church and reasons they exist, e.g. no growth, loss of new members, etc.
- Determine fitness for major new effort, e.g. facility expansion, new ministries
- Learn how to build on strengths and improve on weaknesses
|
| Once church attendees complete the Church Health Survey, response forms are returned to Church Central Associates. Responses are then entered into a database and analyzed. Finally, a 50-page Church Health Analysis provides an overall health score for the church and health scores within each of the six categories previously mentioned. In areas where the church scores reveal any unhealthiness, specific improvements and actions are recommended. This can help lead a church to become healthier and make a greater impact in their community. |
| |
|
| THE POWER |
|
| |
|
|
What does a healthy church look like? Would we be able to recognize a healthy, growing and ideal church? My assessment of a healthy church, pleasing in the sight of the Lord, is found in Acts 4:33 & 34. Actually the scripture tells us this was a great church. In verse 33, it says, “And great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” This church had great fellowship and also great resources. It is my desire not only to see Open Bible Christian a healthy and fruitful church, but every church in the region.
In the Eastern Region, our desire is to help our churches be more committed to church health and fruitfulness. The Church Health Survey, with the help of a consultant who has both hands-on ministry experience and training on church health related issues, will be very beneficial to a local church body. Any pastors and churches desiring to improve church health and fruitfulness and are interested in the Church Health Survey and Consultation Ministry, can contact me at churchhealth@openbibleeast.org or 937-254-2761.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
