From The Workshop

FROM THE WORKSHOP We’re moving through the hottest week of the summer but cooler is on the way. And school, and football, and all the seasonal events. Opening up a long-closed office storage box, I “just happened to find” an autographed copy of a book I read and forgot about. It re-opened my eyes. The author, Russell Crabtree, began as an engineer with a degree in physics. Somewhere along the path he followed the call to ministry (Presbyterian) but he didn’t leave his past life at the door. With his background in the gospel and engineering, his ministry eventually led him to consulting. His target is congregations who want to thrive. Like the family physician, his beginning point is listening and measuring. 
 
From his consulting with hundreds of congregations, he shares some stunning insights. Here are a few.

• Theological perspective contributes less than 1% to the energy level of the congregation. We tend to think that more conservative/fundamentalist congregations are on the rise. Maybe they have something going we should look into? In reality, the data shows that being conservative or progressive does not affect the church’s growth. Progressive churches grow and they also decline. Conservative churches grow and they also decline. 
• Leaders and members are not always seeing the same church. Bill Hybels (Willowcreek, Barrington IL), an early megachurch developer, spent thirty years and millions of dollars breaking new ground in church growth. In spite of all the investments he made in programming, music, and technology, he found that some of his basic assumptions of what people needed to grow were false. Leadership needs to know more about the perspectives, aspirations, and beliefs of the members.
• Walking in the door (or the pulpit) with the latest idea, burning issue, or belief often blinds leaders and pastors to the experience people have when they walk in the door. This includes both the “regulars” and the “newcomers.” 

To bring it all down on my level, before leaders/pastors start throwing lines in the water, it would help to know what the fish are looking for! The fisher-people who do a little checking before they go out fishing might have a better day. I’ll be spending some more time (in a cool place) checking on what’s really going on out in the river!

 
See you Sunday, 
Pastor Tom