The DNA Update for United Methodists
Dr. Don Nations, March 2016
In This Issue:
- Do Something New?
One of my sons is currently on a five week trip backpacking through southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia and wherever else he ends up) by himself. This trip has already been full of firsts for him – first 17 hour plane flight, first time sleeping in a youth hostel, first overnight train ride to get to a new city, first time hiking into a canyon and jumping into a lake, first time eating squid on a stick from a street vendor, first time renting a motor scooter and driving 400 km on his own, first time in Thailand, first time attending a Muay Thai fight, first time seeing a Buddhist monk buying lottery tickets and more. His trip is one new thing after the other . . . and those are just the stories he has told us so far (you know, the ones you can tell your mom before you get home)!
- Most churches in the US are the opposite of my son’s trip. They do the same things over and over again – same order of worship, same color of paint, same Spring craft sale, same Fall BBQ, same committee structure, same church calendar, same guest follow-up process, same brand of coffee, same church conflicts, same downward trend in attendance. The few things which are new tend to look a lot like what has been done in the past and or do not threaten the status quo.
- Most people in most churches are fairly happy with the state of the church. Sure they may wish there was a little more money or a few more people but they are basically content with what they have. There is little push coming from the leaders of stagnant and declining churches to do something really new and almost no desire to do a lot of new things. Most church people are “content enough” to resist significant change. Most church people are so used to their declining system that they really do not know what it would take to turn things around.
- If these churches do agree to do something new they often make one or more of the following mistakes.
- Not doing enough new things. They may update a website, paint a building, collect canned goods for the food pantry, advertise a new class, replace the church sign, etc. but they usually only do one or two of these things. It is nearly impossible to turn a church around just by tweaking one or two things.
- Not doing enough important things. Making the bulletin look nicer while not addressing controlling church bosses will be of little help. Sprucing up the grounds while not addressing a poor worship experience will not lead to growth. Cleaning out a closet while not fixing the culture is like ordering two Big Macs with fries and asking for a Diet Coke – it is a nice sentiment but it really does not make the meal any better for you.
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The DNA Update for United Methodists
Dr. Don Nations, Mid-February 2016
In This Issue:
- Partnering with a Church of a Different Tribe
Partnering with another church offers advantages and challenges. All too often, however, the arrangement goes south, feelings are hurt and money is lost. In this article I want to share summaries of two pathways to partnership with a church of a different denomination/association. The first is what has often happened and why it usually does not work. The second is an alternative path which maximizes the positives and minimizes the risk.
Path #1: Buy a Congregation
The denomination finds out about a congregation in the area which is reaching people it is not. This congregation is often serving a racial/ethnic/language minority group and typically has under 100 people in worship. Often a pastor or member of the denominational church knows someone in the other church or the other church has approached the denominational church about renting space. The denominational church approaches the pastor about joining the denomination and bringing his/her church into the fold. Conversation is shared, the appropriate denominational leaders are approached and some funding is made available. There are some miscommunications due to language and or culture differences but the pastor takes some steps towards joining the denomination. At some point in the process the pastor decides to not join the denomination or the small church falls apart or the pastor and key leaders move away. The denomination has lost its investment of time, energy and money and becomes more wary about working with churches outside of itself.
Why does this happen so often? Here are a few reasons:
- The denomination was seeking a long-term change by offering a short-term solution. The denomination wanted the pastor and church to change their theology, structure, alliances, allegiances, government and more in exchange for a few years of funding.
- The outside congregation was fragile. Often much of the leadership comes from one or two families. Finances are typically already tight. Any blip in the economy or interpersonal relationships can spell doom.
- The denomination did not have anyone “on the inside”. A liaison of some sort is usually established but this person is not attending staff meetings, regularly participating in worship and being part of the day-to-day ministry of the church. When there is a challenge the denomination is often the last to learn about it.
- The arrangement was accepted by the target congregation based on need, not kingdom vision. Often these congregations need the financial assistance the denomination (or large church) can offer. The partnership is not entered into based on the kingdom vision of the target congregation.
The denomination sees a church which is growing and reaching people in an area where it is not doing so. In fact, most of the denominational churches are stagnant or declining in worship attendance and experiencing the downward direction common to most mainline churches. Someone in the denomination gets to know the pastor of the church and hears the heart story of the church. Common elements of theology are discovered and relationships are built. The growing church, often filled with children and or young adults, shares that it is outgrowing its current space and or is seeking to launch one or more satellite campuses. The denomination works to help one of its declining churches (or an empty church building) become a satellite campus of the growing church. A pastor from the denomination joins the pastoral team of the growing church and the denomination invests some money for a very limited period of time. The property continues to belong to the denomination but ministry is held there under the name of the growing church.
Why is this more likely to work? Here are a few reasons:
- The denomination is not asking the growing church to fundamentally change what it is doing. Instead it is offering to partner with it and invest in something which is already working.
- The growing church is not fragile. It is financially self-supporting, producing new leaders and focused on reaching the community. It has good systems and processes in place and is striving to improve.
- The denomination has a pastor on the staff who is involved in planning, decision-making, worship and more. Lines of communication are open and positive.
- The growing church already has a vision for reaching the community and has proven that it can do so. The denominational church may or may not have a vision for the community but has not been nearly as successful in its efforts. Both parties join together for the sake of the Kingdom and both parties benefit from the relationship. The growing church gets a new staff member, one or more venues in which to project ministry and perhaps some new people to join them in serving. The denomination gets great practical experience for the pastor who joins the staff, an influx of good DNA to help transform the denominational people who remain in the new site, a training ground in which others can learn what the church is doing and take it back to their church and the opportunity to make a significant difference in the community.No plan is fool-proof and there will always be some challenges. The agreement needs to be put in writing and not all potential partners will pan out. But if the first model usually produces poor results, why not try a new approach?
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The DNA Update for United Methodists
Dr. Don Nations, February 2016
In This Issue:
- Who Is Your Strategic Partner?
- So We Might Have to Close
Most rapidly growing churches have identified one or more strategic partners. These are individuals or organizations which provide significant resources, coaching and guidance, new opportunities, networking and connection and or specific assistance to perform at a higher level. These are healthy, productive relationships which go far beyond fancy mission statements, denominational pronouncements, feel-good support groups or reading the latest books.
For example, the Association of Related Churches is committed to planting and growing life-giving churches. It provides planters with training, screening, funding, coaching, support, resources and connections with other planters and those who support them.
Another example is the movement related to starting satellite churches. Many churches are struggling and have declined even while some churches in the community are growing. When a good match is identified and the church is willing to do the hard work of merging, a larger church adopts that site as a satellite campus and usually ends up reaching many new people.
A third example is a church which embraces working with a coach/consultant and agrees to implement even the difficult recommendations. I have seen churches do this well and the results can be amazing – increased worship attendance, more professions of faith, better connection with the community, etc.
Churches need great strategic partners. If you have one, celebrate it. If you do not, then let’s talk and see which might be available to you.
So We Might Have to Close
While there are many growing churches, the majority of churches have declined over the past decade. The trajectory of many of these churches point to them needing to make serious decisions about their future very soon. What has all-too-often happened is that declining churches spend years cutting the budget, overworking volunteers, deferring maintenance, going from a full-time to a part-time pastor and generally circling the wagons until they finally reach the point that they just cannot pay their bills. Instead of going through this difficult downward spiral, there are some other options which could be considered.
- Choose to close before the bitter end so that the resources of the church (facility, fixtures, cash, etc.) can be invested in a new church start or other ministry. This is a great act of grace and legacy.
- Decide to sell the property and rent an appropriate size space instead. Invest the difference in operating expenses in starting new ministry.
- Partner with a healthy, growing church and become a satellite campus. You give up a lot of control but gain a ministry partner with a track record of reaching new people. Isn’t it more important to make new disciples than to retain control of a declining system?
- Become a new church start. The church would close and a church planter would be located. Those attending the church would be invited to join the launch team for the new church. The style of ministry will likely be significantly different and the planter will set the direction for the ministry. Often there will be many who choose to not be part of the new church start but there can be a blessing in being part of something which changes the lives of others . . . and it is an act of generosity to value the preferences of others over our own.Want to talk about these in greater depth and how to introduce them to a congregation? Let’s get together –don@dnacoaching.com
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Twitter - @DNACoaching
Linkedin – Don Nations
DNA Coaching: http://www.dnacoaching.com
Email Don: mailto:don@dnacoaching.com
Our mailing address is:
DNA Coaching
6339 Sturbridge Court
Sarasota, Florida 34238, United States
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