Leadership Workshops
Bruce Scott, President of Church Growth Resources and author of Healthy Church Tools, conducts Strategic Planning Workshops designed to analyze the church's health comprehensively and suggests solutions to issues that keep getting in the way.
Seeing Tomorrow Today
George Barna said: "One of the most popular and devastating barriers to true vision is the notion that God would never cause you to do something other than what you've always done before."
Missional Statements summarize the aspirations and attitudinal framework from which the church approaches ministry. In other words, Missional Statements should define who you are and what you want to be. Is it really of value to have clear ministry statements? Only if it will make a difference in how you do church. It is not enough unless the implications are driven home through all you do, from creating primary church statements to detailed action steps.
Let us help you ... see tomorrow today.
The Slow-Death Trap
Only 10-15% of Protestant churches in North America can be deemed highly effective.
Some churches grow, while others seem to stay the same for years. We know that churches should grow. But the fact is that many don't, and the reason why poses complex questions. However, some symptoms run through the life of a church approaching the slow-death trap.
These sessions give insight that will help your church avoid the unthinkable.
Current Trends
A couple of generations ago, only three television networks in the United States and two in Canada were playing US re-runs. Three major automobile manufacturers and a limited selection of periodicals were at the corner drug stores.
Today, the choices are mind-boggling. Magazines are highly specialized, with separate publications for everything from computers to skiing and soap operas. Televisions come with hundreds of channel capacity with 24-hour weather reports and 24-hour news channels. The number of major automobile manufacturers has quadrupled.
What are the implications? While much of the protestant ethic remains, other alternatives (pluralism) have significantly increased. Secularism has won numerous battles to replace Christian values in schools. New Age religious notions have popularized non-Christian doctrines seldom heard a generation ago. Eastern religions are competing strongly today, and some are winning. And there has been a devastating move from absolute values to relative values. In other words, "what's right or wrong for me" differs from "what is right or wrong for you"—the ultimate expression of individualism.
What are the implications for the church?
Managing Change for Church Growth
"If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you have been getting." We use this expression frequently in workshops and seminars on congregational change because we believe the call for transformation is clear and emphatic. And so, the underlying theme of this workshop is that congregational transformation is essential.
Managing change involves taking some calculated risks. An analogy from baseball applies to how we manage change for church growth. 1) Decide to pick up the mitt and get into the game. You can never contribute significantly to winning the game unless you are on the field. 2) Watch other teams. Visit a church that is hitting the ball out of the park in an area where you need help. Everywhere you look, there is something that can be learned. 3) Read the playbook. That's right. Read Scripture and secular magazines, books, and websites. Read the Bible daily, but reading materials that can prepare and equip you to manage change for church growth is essential. 4) Use and develop the farm system. The church must plan to develop the leaders of tomorrow. Continue to create leaders that understand and support what you are trying to accomplish. Fuel the pioneering spirit. Often, a church loses that pioneering spirit as it ages and settles in.
This workshop will help you to learn how to swing at more first pitches.
Developing a Ministry Road Map
Healthy Church Tools provides a conceptual framework for the missional development of church ministry and forms the basis of the organizational structure for a healthy church Management System. It embodies a strategic ministry planning process and extensive adaptable text. It was developed by Bruce Scott and the ministry staff at Church Growth Resources.
Specifically, the Healthy Church is a unique set of powerful ministry tools and an "idea warehouse" to help you articulate your ministry philosophy, set priorities, and implement strategic programs that meet your ministry objectives. This is accomplished by creating direction with precise missional statements (personality), mobilizing the congregation who understand their ministry environment (perspective), and using the most appropriate action plans (planning) to fulfill the great commission (performance).
Learn how to manage your ministry road map because where you are going is far more important than how many stops you make along the way.
