Growing

Growing A
A
Healthy
Healthy Church
Church

by Ed Gilman
 A
A Healthy
Healthy
Church
Church Is…
Is…
 A center of “spiritual reproduction.”
(new believers, new groups & new churches are being born)

 A community of “life transformation.”

(people’s lives are being measurably changed).

…Bob Bumgarner
 Studies
Studies Show
Show
Church health cannot be achieved or
maintained without:

 The work of the Holy Spirit and….

 High caliber pastoral leadership.

Gary Mcintosh- “One Size Doesn’t Fit All”

 A
A Servant
Servant Leader
Leader

“A servant leader is one

who has been called,
transformed, gifted, and
empowered by God, to
serve Him and the needs of
others, before their own
 A
A Servant
Servant Leader
Leader

“Leadership in the church is not like

leadership in any other
place- not like corporate America,
not like the military, not like athletics.
Leadership in the church
is not demanded or commanded.
You get it the old-fashioned way- you
““Nine
Nine Habits
Habits of
of Churches
Churches that
that
Reach
Reach and
and Keep
Keep the
the Unchurched”
Unchurched”
…
… Dr.
Dr. Thom
Thom Rainer
Rainer
1- Habit of Intentionality.
Simply put, for a church to be successful it intentionally must be
trying
trying to reach the unchurched. Examples: Outreach program like
Sunday School’s F.A.I.T.H., friendly greeters, clean restrooms, modern
nurseries, etc.

2- Habit of Cultural Awareness.

Rainer said. "It does not mean they compromised with culture, but
they understood culture. There are some things we can do to be
culturally aware."

3- Habit of High Expectations.

Rainer said there is a direct correlation between how much is
demanded of a new member and how long the new member stays
active in the church.
 “Nine Habits of Churches that
Reach and Keep the
Unchurched” … Dr. Thom
4- Habit of Clear Doctrine. Rainer
Rainer said the formerly unchurched told the researchers, "We want
to hear about the doctrine on the front end. We're not going to make a
commitment to a church where you will tell us about what you believe
later."

5- Habit of Risk Taking.

"The risk-taking attitude of these churches is obvious by their
willingness to lose
lose members," Rainer said. "They do not make
decision based upon who might leave as a result of this. They make
decisions more on: Who will we reach?"

6- Habit of Dynamic Small Groups.

68 percent were involved in Sunday school. Rainer said unhealthy
Sunday schools are inward focused -- healthy Sunday Schools are
constantly looking beyond themselves."
“Nine Habits of Churches that
Reach and Keep the
Unchurched” … Dr. Thom
Rainer
7- Habit of Effective Leadership.
"Once unchurched persons visited churches, they said the pastor and
the preaching were the most important factors in their returning." Among
effective churches, the pastor spent five hours a week involved in
personal evangelism.

8- Habit of Effective Preaching.

“Among effective churches, pastors spent an average of 2020 hours a
week on sermons -- including the task itself. They gained time by
delegating and give away ministry [assignments]."

9- Habit of Prayer.
Rainer said that churches that prayed together and prayed often kept
their new members. Often, he said, church members would call up the
new members and say, "We are praying specifically for you."
 Sizing
Sizing the
the Church
Church

“ Experience continues to say that the

size of a congregation is the most
critical variable in determining how it
behaves, and that congregations of
very different sizes behave in very
different ways.” Gil Rendle…
 Sizing
Sizing the
the Church
Church
 “Groups, like individuals, develop through
predictable stages of growth over time.

 A predictable pattern of group dynamics emerges in

which each stage has certain definable
characteristics.”
 Sizing
Sizing the
the Church
Church

“ All churches, no matter the

size, must deal with certain
organizational issues if they are
to experience the ongoing
quality growth that stems from
Christ’s“ commission”
to “go make
disciples”.”
 Church
Church Size
Size in
in
the
the United
United States
States

SMALLER- size 15 to 200 in Worship- 80%

MEDIUM- size 201 to 500 in Worship- 10%

LARGE- size
size 500+ in Worship- 10%
 Sizing
Sizing the
the Church
Church in
in Florida
Florida
Tier 1: 35 or Less in Worship 328 Churches
15%
1,666
Tier 2: 36 to 75 in Worship 577 Churches 27%78%

Tier 3: 76 to 200 in Worship 761 Churches 36%

Tier 4: 201 to 350 in Worship 255 Churches 11%

35
35 16.5%
3
3
Tier 5: 351 to 500 in Worship 98 Churches 5%

Tier 6: 501 to 800 in Worship 69 Churches 3%

Tier 7: 801 to 1000 in Worship 14 Churches .06%

120
120 5.5%
Tier 8: 1001 to 3000 in Worship 33 Churches 1.5%

Tier 9: 3001 to 6000 in Worship 3 Churches .14%

Tier 10: 6001 to 12000 in Worship 1 Church .04%

 Observations
Observations

 78% of Southern Baptist

churches in Florida have less
than 200 in worship.

 22% of Southern Baptist

churches in Florida have
more than 200 in worship.
 Every church is a bundle of
strengths and weaknesses.
Most weaknesses are strengths
pushed to an extreme.

Every pastor is a bundle of strengths

and weaknesses.
Most weaknesses are strengths
pushed to an extreme.
 Leadership
Leadership Styles
Styles
A good pastoral leader will use many leadership styles over the
course of his day. An effective leader will grow in his ability to use
varying leadership styles.

AUTHORITATIVE Overused COERCING

Instructs, Precise, becomes Dominates,
Initiating Compels

Strengths Weaknesses

CONSULTATIVE Overused MANIPULATING

Persuading, becomes
Control,
Inspiration Exploit
 Leadership
Leadership Styles
Styles

FACILITATIVE PATRONIZING
Overused
Trusts, Shares, becomes Condescending,
Team Member Overbearing

Strengths Weaknesses

DELEGATIVE AVOIDING
Overused
Affirms, Supports, becomes Withdraws,
Coaches Evasion
Five
Five Guiding
Guiding Principles
Principles
of
of Church
Church Growth
Growth
1- The Principle of Visionary Leadership.
A church grows when decisions are made basedbased on the intention
of bringing new people into the church. Churches that make decisions
based only on how it will affect their current members are generally not
growing churches.

2- The Principle of Human Resource Utilization.

A church grows when decisions provide the staff,
leadership, and resources needed to focus on outreach.

(One full-time staff for every 150 worshippers; 60% of the people have a
ministry in the church.)
 Empowerment:
Empowerment:
The
The Growth
Growth “Secret”
“Secret”
“Growth, evangelism, & the expansion of the
church depend as much on a leader’s ability to
develop an expansive infrastructure as on any
other factor except prayer… The church that
grows beyond the 200 barrier is the church
that decides to minister to its people in a
comprehensive organization rather than a
Five
Five Guiding
Guiding Principles
Principles
of
of Church
Church Growth
Growth
3- The Principle of Open Doors.
A church grows when decisions create opportunities for new
new people to enter
into the life of the congregation. Doors can be anything from worship to need-
oriented ministries and programs.

4- The Principle of Incorporation.

A church grows when decisions spawn ways to incorporate new people into
the social circles of the membership. The feeling of being wanted, having a sense
of identity, & belonging to a group are strong pulls for a newcomer’s involvement.

5- The Principle of Finance.

A church grows when decisions adequately finance local outreach activities.
Growing churches spend from 5 to 10 percent of their budget for outreach.
Growth
Growth Barriers
Barriers 200

200 is the most predictable of all growth

barriers.

The most difficult churches to grow

are between 100 and 250 in attendance.

This represents moving from a single-cell to

a multi -cell church.
…Rick Warren
 The
The Pastor’s
Pastor’s Role
Role
 In every church, people place their
trust in what is constant…

Smaller-size: the key family or

long-term leaders.
Medium-size: the programs provide
the continuity.
Large-size: the senior pastor (sometimes staff)

 The longer a pastor’s tenure, (continuity) the more likely the

church will follow his leadership.
 The
The Pastor’s
Pastor’s Role
Role
 The central idea of leadership is “standing before people &
leading them in some direction.”

 Second only to the empowering work

of the Holy Spirit, pastoral leadership
is the most determinative factor in
growing churches.

 Strong pastoral competence is a

decisive factor for the vitality and
outreach of a congregation.
 Empowerment::
Empowerment
The
The Growth
Growth “Secret”
“Secret”
“In a smaller church of up to 200 members the
pastor can do all the work, and many do. But such
a church will not be able to grow past that point
without lay ministry. Pastors of growing churches,
whether they be large or small , know how to
motivate their laypeople, how to create structures
which permit them to be active & productive, &
 Empowerment:
Empowerment:
The
The Growth
Growth “Secret”
“Secret”
“No church can grow beyond the ability of the
pastoral leader to delegate responsibilities to staff
& lay ministers… Lay ministers must become a
mobilized force in the church if significant
growth is to occur… The pastor in a growing
church is always a central figure, but he is careful
to surround himself with gifted, responsible,
 Empowerment:
Empowerment:
The
The Growth
Growth “Secret”
“Secret”

“An effective leader accomplishes the

work through others. The task is too
great for one person. It is more
important for the leader of a growing
church to produce other leaders than to
perform personal ministry.”
 New
New  Born from vision or church split.

Church
Church
Everything is new to the church.


 High expectation and excitement.

Start
Start  Pastor is the key to success.
 Pastor is entrepreneur/risk-taker.
 Pastor/Family burnout high-risk.
 Minimal trained leadership present.
 Financial base is limited.
 Usually dependant on sponsor.
 12
12 Qualities
Qualities of
of Good
Good Leadership
Leadership
in
in Smaller
Smaller Churches
Churches

1- INTEGRITY: it is the quality of being able to be trusted. We don’t lie, we

do what we say, our affection is genuine, & our praise is honest.

2- VISION: a leader is in tune with the future, knows where God wants him to
go, and is focused
focused on a clear purpose.
(“When the pastor doesn’t dream, the church is a nightmare.”)

3- WISDOM: wisdom is different than intelligence, wisdom has to do with

judgment. It is knowing what to do, who to listen to, what to attempt, and
what to leave alone.

4- COMPASSION: if you put their best interest first, they will follow you. If
they sense you are serving your own interests they will turn from you.
From:
From: ““Shepherding
Shepherding the
the Sheep
Sheep in
in Smaller
Smaller Churches
Churches”-
”- Paul
Paul Powell
Powell
  A Family Chapel Church.
Tier
Tier 11
Church
Church
 High ownership by membership.

(Under
(Under35
35  New members adopted into church.
at
atWorship)
Worship)

 Most growth is biological.

 Bi-vocational pastor is the norm.

 Pastor tends to be the chaplain.

 Matriarch/Patriarch usually present.

 Leadership style is relational.

  Pastor is center of everything.

Tier
Tier 22  Pastor recruits most new members.

Church
Church  Pastor’s family easily neglected.
(36-75
(36-75at
atWorship)
Worship)
 Pastor tries to be “all-things” to all.

 High expectations on Pastor/family.

 Pastor ministers/Church leaders administer.

 Church plateaus at the level of the

pastor’s competency, time, energy.

 Pastor must learn to do shared ministry &

raise the quality of all church ministries.
  The 75 Barrier is broken.

Tier
Tier 33  Church becomes more organized.
Church
Church  Lay ministries increase with growth.
(76
(76to
to200
200
at Worship)
at Worship)
 Intentional outreach program starts.

 Pastor still central but roles shifting.

 Near 150, burden great for pastor.

 Pastor must learn to delegate.

 Church staff is added as needed.

 Constitution/bi-laws becomes issue.

 12
12 Qualities
Qualities of
of Good
Good Leadership
Leadership
in
in Smaller
Smaller Churches
Churches
5- COURAGE: you have to the courage to speak & stand for your
convictions, with sensitivity. If you are wishy-washy on hard issues don’t
expect followship. Always remember, leadership, not lordship is the goal.

6- ENTHUSIASM: if you can’t get excited

excited about your dreams and goals,
don’t expect anyone else to either.

7- INITIATIVE: good leaders are proactive, not reactive. They get their vision
from God, develop a strategy for fulfilling it, & challenge the people to go
forward.

8- HUMILITY: every pastor needs a servant spirit like that of Jesus. A pastor
who exercises control over people through fear & intimidation makes a
mockery of Christ’s leadership style.
 12
12 Qualities
Qualities of
of Good
Good Leadership
Leadership
in
in Smaller
Smaller Churches
Churches
9- SENSE OF URGENCY: these are urgent & demanding times. We must
be persons of urgency. We must have a sense of urgency about what we
are doing.

10- PERSISTENCY: a leader must have a tolerance for criticism & rejection.
Leadership is the ability to keep going even when we have little or no
support.

11- SENSE OF HUMOR: don’t take yourself so seriously , relax, enjoy

yourself & enjoy the people & enjoy the Lord. Lighten up, you’ll be a better
leader. (Don’t be like the preacher who thought he was so holy that he
only took St. Joseph’s aspirins)

12- EXAMPLE: leaders lead by example. Practice what you preach. Show
others how to do it. People follow examples
examples.
From: ““One
From: One Size
Size Doesn’t
Doesn’t Fit
Fit All
All,”
,” by
by Gary
Gary McIntosh
McIntosh

General
Characteristics Of
The SMALLER-SIZE
Church.
15 to 200
at Worship
 The
The Church
Church Orientation
Orientation
Is
Is RELATIONAL.
RELATIONAL.
 Each member knows all the other members.

 Meals are a family affair, a time of fellowship.

 Meals are included with almost all occasions.

 It has the feel of a large or extended family.

 There is a high premium on relationships.

 Preferences, decisions, choices, judgments, elections, conclusions,

resolutions, and votes are influenced by this orientation.
 The
The Church
Church Orientation
Orientation
Is
Is RELATIONAL.
RELATIONAL.
 In the relational community a group consciousness provides a framework
of values, beliefs, & commitments, against which the members measure
their lives.

 The past is always present.

 Hence, words like “change” and “creative” are enemies

since they could not imagine doing anything differently.

 Its goal is not so much to change the world as it is to know

each other better.

 On “workday” at the church everyone attends.

 The
The Church
Church Structure
Structure
 The smaller-size church is a single cell church.

 They have a close, face-to-face fellowship that extends beyond Sundays.

 They have the feeling of being a

large, loving family.

 Values, style, history, memories &

concerns are commonly held together.

 They have one or two families that hold

the key positions & make most decisions.

 Newcomers find it hard to be accepted.

ALL
ALL PROGRAMS,
PROGRAMS, MINISTRIES,
MINISTRIES, &
& DECISIONS,
DECISIONS,
ARE
ARE CONNECTED
CONNECTED TO
TO THE
THE KEY
KEY FAMILY(s).
FAMILY(s).

Pastor
Deacons

Missions
Key Family
Choir or Families

Sunday
School
Youth
 Who
Who Sets
Sets The
The Direction?
Direction?
Four Ingredients of Effective Leadership…
1- POSITION : those who are elected & perceived by
the church as “responsible” for getting the job done.

2- AUTHORITY : those who have the power to make

decisions; rarely just one person.

3- INFLUENCE : those who are able to sway people to

follow a proposed direction.

4- CONTROL : those who have the ability to get something accomplished;

they just do it.
Discover
Discover Your
Your Leaders…
Leaders… Work With Them.
 Who
Who Sets
Sets The
The Direction?
Direction?

 For any size church to grow

the Leaders must lead.

 The Leaders Attitude is the

Key…
“If they think the church can
grow or think it can’t, they’re
probably right.”
 Decision
Decision Making
Making
 Decisions are made by the congregation with heavy influence from a
single person, family, or families.

 Sometimes real decisions are made informally in the parking lot or

around the kitchen table.
 The
The Pastor’s
Pastor’s Role
Role
 In a smaller-size congregation people customarily see their
pastor from a relational point of view.

 They may describe him as “loving, warm, caring, etc”

 You may hear some of these phrases used:

“Our minister loves everyone.”

“The kids all like our pastor.”
“He cares for us & knows us all by name.”
“He treats everyone the same.”
 The
The Pastor’s
Pastor’s Role
Role
 A church is most likely to attract a pastor who
fits its perspective. (ie: a relational person. )

 This viewpoint should provide an objective

evaluation when considering a call for a pastor
or when a pastor considers a call by a church.
(does he have strong relational skills?)

 This helps prevent mismatches of pastor and people.

 To lead effectively pastors need to adjust

adjust their ministry skills
to fit the church where they serve.
 The
The Pastor’s
Pastor’s Role
Role
“In the smaller church arena, more than any other, leadership
grows out of relationships. If people know you, love you, trust you,
& are convinced you have their best interest at heart, they will
listen to you & follow you. So, the quickest & surest way to
establish yourself as a leader is to go to work at your pastoral
duties.

Be among the people. Get to know them. Be interested in them. Be

a loving shepherd. That’s the most important things any preacher
can do. We can’t all be eloquent preachers. We can’t all be
dynamic leaders. But we can have caring hearts. We can all be
 Decision
Decision Making
Making
 Driven by tradition & custom, the main concerns are keeping
people happy, keeping building use down, keep expenditures as low
as possible, maintain status-quo of relationships, and minimizing
dissent.

 For the pastor to lead successfully,

he must take initiative & influence
the process by developing trust
through building relationships
one-by-one.
 Decision
Decision Making
Making
 The smaller the church the more likely the decision will be
emotional & subjective.

 Choices are determined on the basis

of the speaker’s popularity & ties to
the main families of the church.

 The larger the church becomes, the more the

probability increases that judgments will be made
rationally and objectively.

 Whether or not the issue has merit becomes the deciding

factor rather than popularity of the speaker.
 Team
Team Ministry
Ministry
 The staffing dynamic is fairly simple when there are only two
parties… pastor and congregation.

 The leadership team is like a “duet.”

 Planning takes place informally.

 A direct line is available to all church members,

which smoothes the communication process.

 This continues to be the best understood form of staffing a church &

one in which many people feel more comfortable.
 Church
Church Growth
Growth
 Church growth is about “making disciples,” not just adding
numbers to the church.

 We must focus on “seeking & saving the lost,” and church growth
with be a natural by-product.

 When a church reaches it’s maximum potential, it can continue to

grow by multiplying new churches.

 Church growth is as much about planting new churches as it is

simply enlarging a single church.

 Older churches can grow, but it is hard to break out of old patterns
to establish a new vision for growth.
 Church
Church Growth
Growth
 Most churches could grow at least
5% a year if they retooled &
refocused their resources on
making disciples.

 Small-size churches grow through

the “attraction model.”

 Growth through attraction occurs when a church exudes so much warmth

& love that newcomers are attracted.

 If relationships in the church are healthy, the church stands an excellent

chance of growing through attraction.

 Usually there is plenty of love & care in the small-size church, the
challenge is to get them to direct it towards new people.
 Obstacles
Obstacles To
To Growth
Growth

1- The small church image.

Sometimes there is a low self-esteem
as a church. (“We Can’t do that.”)

2- An ineffective evangelism.
Sometimes they feel they are too small to be effective, when in reality they
can be extremely
extremely effective.
(have care & loving atmosphere that is difficult in larger churches)

The unchurched have many relationship concerns about “fitting in,

acceptance, etc,” & relationship is the small-size church strength.

To overcome the obstacles the church must develop “a sense of mission,”

“a sense of urgency,” and an “open fellowship.”
 Obstacles
Obstacles To
To Growth
Growth
3- Inadequate programming.
People go to another church who has
a better program in their need area.

4- A downward momentum.
Once a church starts declining, cutting back, turning inward, it is difficult for
the church to focus on anything but survival
survival.

5- Ingrown fellowship.
People tend to develop their relationship skills during their younger years.
The longer a church is in existence the more likely the people are to be
older & ingrown.
Indicators of an ingrown church: more than 50% have been members 12+
years. Fewer than 10% have joined in the last year.
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
 The best way to prevent “fighting fires” in a church is to have an
effective strategy for growth.

 We cannot cause growth; we can only create a climate in

which growth can take place.

 Ultimately only God causes

the growth. (1 Cor. 3:6)

 As workers we are called to

plant & water, God ripens
the crop, then He uses us to
work the harvest.
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
1- Renew a sense of purpose.
The first step is to help the
congregation see that Jesus Christ
passed on His purpose of
“seeking & saving the lost” to His church
church.
Focusing on a renewed sense of purpose restores a healthy, outward-
focused viewpoint.

2- Begin new ministries.

Most people prefer to be in on the ground floor of a new venture, beginning
new ministries attracts & holds newcomers. (1 per year)

Perhaps the number one way that a smaller-size church breaks out of a
single cell orientation is to add a second worship service.
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
3- Cultivate evangelism.
Find 1 or 2 two key lay people who are
interested in reaching new people &
train them in a small peer group to lead
lead
this ministry.
Develop an evangelistic consciousness through sermons, retooling
ministries to be more evangelistic, praying for lost by names, training,
outreach events.

4- Celebrate victories.
One solution to improve self-esteem in the smaller church is to call
attention to positives in the church.
Talk about your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Give God praise
for each victory.
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
5- Start new groups & classes.
New people often leave if after several
years they have not been accepted into
the inner circle of the church.

Rather than trying to fight their way into

being accepted by people who have been
together for years, new people prefer to join a new
new
group, class, etc.

6- Involve new people.

It takes significant involvement in the life of the church before new members
and attenders feel like they belong.

Churches need to focus on involving newcomers as quickly as possible, but

always within six months.
From: ““One
From: One Size
Size Doesn’t
Doesn’t Fit
Fit All
All,”
,” by
by Gary
Gary McIntosh
McIntosh

General
Characteristics Of
The MEDIUM-SIZE
Church.
201 to 500
at
Worship
 Medium-Size Churches
 The 200 Barrier is finally broken.
Tier
Tier 44  Most difficult barrier to break/sustain.
Church
Church  High priority on Worship and Youth.
(201
(201to
to350
350
at
atWorship)
Worship)  Pastor learns delegation skills.

 More time on sermon preparation.

 Multiple staff members added.

 Lay leadership increases.

 Leaders cast vision, generate energy.

 Church council/deacons assume
greater leadership responsibility.
The
The Church’s
Church’s Orientation
Orientation
Is
Is PROGRAMMATIC.
PROGRAMMATIC.

 The medium-size church functions as

a collection of families, classes,
organizations, etc.

 Members know some of the people.

 It is a complex mixture of numerous influential groups.

 The organizing principle is the programmatical orientation attached to the

various groups.

 Influence on decisions is driven by what will perpetuate the program.

The
The Church’s
Church’s Orientation
Orientation
Is
Is PROGRAMMATIC.
PROGRAMMATIC.
 To some extent the medium-size church is in a transitional phase,
moving from a smaller to a large size church.
(It feels like a growing family)

 As they grow, if they don’t make appropriate adjustments to their

ministries, they will either plateau or decline back to a smaller-size.

 Men’s group organizes

and supports workday.

 Meals usually are built

around programs.

 The church focus is on the present.

 The
The Church
Church Structure
Structure
 The medium-size church will become a “stretched cell” if it does not add
new leadership as the church grows.

 If it does add new leaders, & decision-making is spread among a broad

base of groups, committees, etc, it will become a strong medium-sized
church, with a good chance of growing to a large-size church.

 Growth typically comes from new ministries, classes, etc, that have
opened doors for newcomers.

 A “stretched cell” church is like a rubber band,

it can stretch so far it breaks.
(For a church this would mean going down in
size, probably back to smaller-size.)
 Deacons
Missions

Pastor/Staff
Key Family
12- Step Program
or
Youth Families

Sunday
Choir School
Preschool

If a medium-size church becomes a “stretched cell” when it

grows, it means the key leaders are the same as when the church
was small.
 The
The Pastor’s
Pastor’s Role
Role
 The medium-size congregation perceives their pastor from a
functional viewpoint.

 You may hear him described as a good “organizer, administrator,

teacher, etc.”

 Common phrases are used like:

“He is a great planner.”
“Our pastor is a good teacher.”
“He is always well prepared.”
“He has put together a great leadership team.”
 Decision
Decision Making
Making
 In the medium-size church decisions are made by the congregation
after they have been hammered out and agreed
upon by a committee, team, or board.

 Most of the decisions are driven by need

since the church is usually adding volunteers,
hiring staff, motivating stewardship, coordinating
facility use, & establishing policies.

 For the pastor to lead successfully, he must develop trust by building

a relationship with the chairman of his key committees, teams, or
boards, and working through them rather than initiating ideas
himself.
 Team
Team Ministry
Ministry
 The leadership team in a medium-size church is like a complex
“quartet” composed of pastor, small staff, lay leaders, &
congregation.

 Communication dynamics increase sixfold, making it a high

risk stage in staff development.

 Since more parties are involved, there is a greater risk that one
member of the team will not carry through his or her
responsibilities, causing the rest of the team to suffer.
 Team
Team Ministry
Ministry
 Each size has its challenges, but the crucial question is, is the church
staffed for growth, plateau, or decline?

 Churches that place their priorities in the order of staff, programs,

facilities are usually the growing ones.

 Bivocational ministry is an effective way for very small, financially

strapped, & geographically isolated churches to carry on their mission,
but it’s extremely rare to see a bivocational church growing.

 The best way for a church to stay in a growth pattern is to add staff “just
before” the church reaches each 150 attenders mark.
(ie: 150, 300, 450, 600, etc)
How
How Does
Does Change
Change
Take
Take Place?
Place?
 Change in the medium-size church
comes from the “middle-out.”

 It must come from key committees,

boards, or teams.

 If the pastor wants to initiate change

he must work through this key group in the
church.
 Church
Church Growth
Growth
 The medium-size church grows through the “program
model.”

 It grows best as it develops new ministries to meet relevant

needs of the new people they are trying to reach.

 Typically the medium-size church has one or two “star

programs” that effectively reach new people for Christ.

 They should concentrate on their “stars.”

 Remember the “Pareto Principle:” 20% of your programs or

ministries bring 80% of the results.
 Obstacles
Obstacles To
To Growth
Growth
1- Inadequate facilities.
Growth will place pressure on all ministries to fit
everything in a small facility. Funds are often not there
yet to build or remodel the facility.

2- Inadequate staff.
Today’s expectations
expectations for high quality & diverse
ministry will often not be met with adequate staff to lead
them.

A related issue is motivating & recruiting volunteers for

ministry. (women in the work force today)

3- Inadequate finances.
The need for facilities, staff, programs, & resources,
make Christian stewardship crucial for this size church.
 Obstacles
Obstacles To
To Growth
Growth
4- Poor administration.
As a church grows into the medium-size
church, the pastor/staff, and leaders must
care effectively for the increasingly complex
functions of the church.

5- Increasing complexity.
This is one of the factors that may cause a
church to revert
revert back
back to smaller-size, as
leaders recall the “simple” atmosphere of
the past.

After a few years of growth, the medium-size church must make the
necessary adjustments to move to the next size church or it will plateau.
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
1- Develop A Distinct Identity.
Studies have found that healthy churches
of this size usually have at least one ministry
for which they
are legendary in their community
community.

It should highlight this ministry in an

intentional effort to reach even more
people.

2- Add Additional Staff.

Failure to do so will eventually result in plateau or decline.

Call additional staff “before” the church reaches each 150 category. (ie: add 1 at
150, 2 at 300, etc)
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
3- Use Facilities Multiple Times.
This allows the church reach new people without increasing
expenses for new buildings.
This also allows the church to enjoy the advantages of a smaller-
size church of knowing members more intimately & doing church-
wide activities.

4- Offer Multiple Worship Services.

Delay building until the church has 3-4 worship services in the
present building.
This assists the church in developing a multiple cell orientation of
the large-size congregation.
 Strategies
Strategies For
For Growth
Growth
5- Write A Long-Range Plan.
Plans give a church direction & motivate members
with a sense of purpose.
Develop the plan based on the church’s strengths.
Ask: “What do we do best?”

6- Improve the Quality of Ministry.

Most people want to attend a church that is slightly above
their socio-economic level.
They expect good child-care, sound system, facilities,
worship experience, etc.
Sometimes pastor and/or staff who helped the church grow from smaller to
medium-size may not be able to take it any farther.
Why
Why Break
Break Through
Through
These
These Tiers?
Tiers?
The Lord Demands It - Matthew 28:18-20

The Bible Teaches It - Acts 2:41-47

The Lost Depend On It - Romans 10:14

 RECOMMENDED
RECOMMENDED READING
READING

 “Sizing Churches in Florida”- Research done by Jim Chavis

& Bob Bumgarner

 “One Size Doesn’t Fit All”- Gary McIntosh

 “How to Break Growth Barriers”- Carl George

 “Shepherding the Sheep in Smaller Churches”- Paul Powell

 “Pastoring the Single-Staff Church”- D.G. McCoury