Introduction to resources for Congregational vitality

Welcome! Obviously you are here because you are interested and/or curious about congregational vitality. That’s encouraging. Before going any further, let me remind you of Theodore Roosevelt’s famous line, “Nothing worth having, comes easy.” Leading a congregation towards health and vitality takes time and commitment. You could spend anywhere upwards of 3 years to build a culture of lifelong learning and a growth mindset. Expect one-degree increases, not huge leaps and soon you will begin noticing changes. On the other hand, if you’re not in it for the long haul, don’t even bother going any further.

Here is a 10 minute read that helps lay a framework for thinking about congregational health and vitality. The DNA of a healthy congregation: four essentials for growing healthy communities of faith | by Chris | Medium
https://medium.com/@ChrisPVST/the-dna-of-a-healthy-congregation-four-essentials-for-growing-healthy-communities-of-faith-3c245c12617b

The resources that you will find below are arranged within this framework. As you navigate your way through the site, you will begin to understand the inter-connectedness of these four strands but also be able to pick out resources that are specific to each strand. This site is being refreshed regularly so lookout for new resources that will be posted.

Unfortunately, growing a healthy congregation is not a 1-2 year project. It takes time, much like growing a tree. But fortunately, there are ways to get there as long as there is the motivation and determination to do so. The following is a pathway forward. There will be bumps and barriers along the way for sure but, if we can stay the course, we will see God@work.

1. Take a self-inventory: This is where it begins. With you, yes you, the minister or designated leader. For a self-inventory tool, see Attachment 1. If you are spiritually dry or dry-ing out, you need to be refreshed first, before you can lead anyone else into spiritual maturity and health. Using the airplane oxygen mask metaphor: you need to put one on before helping anyone else. And, in the words of Byron Brazier, “if you don’t know how God is leading you, you won’t know how to lead others”.

2. Determine the status of your own spiritual health and whether you are in a reasonably good position to lead your congregation on a journey of health and vitality. If yes, go to point (3). If not, check out the book, “Strengthening the soul of your leadership” by Ruth Hayley Barton and then proceed to (3). As an afterthought, even if you think you’re in a good place, you should still read the book. It’s good for your soul! Take enough time to go though the “practices” at the end of each chapter. Growing healthy is not a hurried exercise so settle in for the long haul.

3. Make a case for growth to your council. You need to “sell” the critical-ness of congregational health and why this can determine your sustainability and growth as a congregation. Test it with the leadership. For you to make some headway, you need some “cache” and the approval of most of your leadership. People don’t know what they don’t know but that’s OK. For a start, it is enough to have them excited or at least interested in exploring what growth and health might look like. For how to make a case, see Attachment 2

4. Once you have made a case for congregational health and obtain a “green light” from the council (may take months), identify your core team who will drive this effort. For “how to create your core team”, see Attachment 3 and skip to step (8)

5. If you don’t get an affirmative or worse still, receive an apathetic response from the council, go to step 6 instead.

6. Find 2-3 (or more) people in your congregation whom you could approach to talk about your aspirations. Refer to Attachment 4 for further instructions.

7. If you still cannot find anyone who is interested, it’s time to re-evaluate your ministry with your congregation. If no one in your congregation is ready for this journey and all they want is for you to “entertain” them on Sunday morning and be “on call” as pastor, I suggest you take a step back and re-evaluate your own sense of purpose and calling and discern if this is the place God wants you to be and spend your time. It’s a difficult process but a necessary one that will help you to decide between spending and investing your time. There’s nothing worse than spending/wasting your time flogging a dead or dying horse. Or perhaps, God has called you to be a chaplain for this congregation that needs geriatric and/or hospice care: not growing or healthy but dying. If so, do that well (unfortunately there are no resources here for that).

8. See Attachment 5 for further instructions.