Transcript Document

The UMC
Vital Congregations Project
A collaborative project of
The United Methodist Church
VITAL CONGREGATIONS
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THE VISION:
o To
fulfill the Mission of The United
Methodist Church by equipping
and empowering congregations
to become vital and healthy
congregations in their
communities and in our world.
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Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 22:36-40
Romans 12 – “The Body of Christ”
Call to Action Report
The Critical Adaptive Challenge:
To redirect the flow of attention, energy, and
resources to an intense concentration on
fostering and sustaining an increase in the
number of vital congregations effective in
making disciples of Jesus Christ for the
transformation of the world. (p. 14)
Metrics Research Study Found:
• 16 Ministries/Strategies that were common among the 16% of
churches noted as having indicators of vitality (growthengagement-generosity)
• 4 Primary areas of effectiveness:
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Engagement of disciples in small groups (which include children
and youth ministries)
High % of congregation who serves as lay leaders who are
effective, demonstrate personal faith, and rotate leadership.
Lead pastors who focus on developing, coaching and mentoring
lay leaders, are influential, goal-setters that inspire the
congregation through preaching and have a longer tenure in that
congregation.
Worship that is contextual, mixed and relevant.
Four Key Observations
• Our denomination is in need of more “turn-around”
leaders.
• Our denomination has an adverse reaction and fear
of metrics as a means of accountability.
• There is a serious lack of trust across the
denomination.
• Our denomination has not been effective in
reaching marginally churched and non-churched
people.
Setting Goals to Becoming Vital!
• The Call to Action Research indicated that there was a lack of
measures and accountability within The United Methodist
Church.
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“The primary elements that drive structure and process
effectiveness are: clarity of responsibility (goal and role clarity),
authority to carry out responsibility and accountability for results.”
(CTA Report p. 167)
“the lack of a Church-wide strategic plan or Church-wide strategic
plans focused on the Church’s mission objectives are a symptom
of the structures and cultural behaviors that “get in the way.” (CTA
Report p. 174)
A Vital Congregation IS:
• GROWING (Over the past 5 years have shown
statistical data of growth in Average Worship
Attendance and Professions of Faith.)
• ENGAGING PEOPLE (Over the past 5 years
have shown congregational engagement in
multiple ministries including small groups,
mission and outreach.)
• GENEROUS (Over the past 5 years have shown
increases in stewardship and giving within and
beyond the local church.)
Data from Call to Action research collected in 2010 by Towers Watson, Inc.
A Vital Congregation HAS:
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Inviting and inspiring worship
Engaged disciples in mission and outreach
Gifted, equipped and empowered lay leadership
Effective, equipped and inspired clergy
leadership
• Small groups that include children and youth
designed to encourage, support and hold
disciples accountable in their Christian walk.
Data from Call to Action research collected in 2010 by Towers Watson, Inc.
The Metrics
• Set goals to reach the vision of becoming a more vital and
healthy congregation based upon 5 measurable indicators of
vitality:
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Disciples in Worship (Average Worship Attendance)
Disciples making new Disciples (Professions of Faith)
Disciples growing in their faith (Number of Small Groups =
Groups that meet together regularly in order to support,
encourage and hold one another accountable in their relationship
with Christ.)
Disciples engaged in mission (Number of Disciples doing
outreach in the community and in the world.)
Disciples sharing their resources for mission (Amount of
financial resources given to mission – including World Service,
etc.)
Strategic Planning for vitality!
• “Although structural change may be prerequisite to broader
strategic planning, best practices at the Agency, Annual
Conference and Local Church levels could at least be shared
and disseminated.” (CTA Report p. 174)
• The Vital Congregations Project is designed to EQUIP Annual
Conference Leadership (Directors of Connectional Ministries,
Conference Staff and Cabinets)
• The Vital Congregations Project is designed to EQUIP clergy
and lay leadership in local congregations to reach their goals
and fulfill the vision!
The Strategic Plan
• Assess baseline health of every congregation. (Church Health
History – Community History and Needs – Stories or
circumstances that have affected the congregations health.)
• Current health assessment. (How is the church today? Clergy
Leadership – Lay Leadership - # of Small Groups – Average
Worship Attendance-Mission Participation-Missional Giving)
• Set GOALS that lead to future health and vitality for each
individual congregation.
• Goals collected and reported by Annual Conferences.
• Goals collected and reported at General Conference 2012!
Vital Congregations are everywhere!
UMCvitalcongregations.org
• Website resource designed to equip and empower leaders as
they foster, sustain and nurture vital congregations in our
denomination.
• SIMPLE
• USER-FRIENDLY
• EASILY ACCESSIBLE
Our Story:
Know your church’s story
• Each congregation has a history – a past that has affected
where they are at today. Even the denomination has a history
that has affected our health and vitality today. This webpage
uses GBGM church profiles research to help a congregation
see its historical report.
• Questions to consider when looking at historical reports:
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Pastoral Leadership – Was there a change in the lead pastor?
How long did the lead pastor stay?
What significant events in the church may have affected the
worship attendance?
What significant events in the community may have affected the
data of the congregation?
GOAL-SETTING
• Set goals to reach the VISION based upon the 5 measurable
indicators of vitality:
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Disciples in Worship (Average Worship Attendance)
Disciples making new Disciples (Professions of Faith)
Disciples growing in their faith (Number of Small Groups =
Groups that meet together regularly in order to support,
encourage and hold one another accountable in their relationship
with Christ.)
Disciples engaged in mission (Number of Disciples doing
outreach in the community and in the world.)
Disciples sharing their resources for mission (Amount of
financial resources given to mission – including World Service,
etc.)
The Goal-Setting Card for
Each Congregation
People and Ministry
Disciples worship
Average worship attendance
Disciples make new disciples
Number of people who joined by profession of
faith
Disciples engage in growing as a
disciple
Number of small groups, Sunday school
classes and Bible studies.
Disciples engage in mission
Number of people from the congregation
engaged in local, national and international
mission/outreach activities
Disciples give to mission
The total amount given by local church to
other organizations for support of benevolent
and charitable ministries (this amount includes
apportionments paid and support for all United
Methodist and non-United Methodist
organizations active in work such as
advocacy, education, health, justice, mercy,
outreach, and welfare anywhere in the world)
2008
2009
2010
2012
2013
2014
2015
Districts, Conferences and General
Conference
• A report of every congregation’s goals will be compiled by
District and by Conference.
• Conferences will be invited to set goals based upon the
congregational goals.
• The Conference’s Goals will be offered at General Conference
as a gift to God to fulfill the vision of more healthy and vital
congregations throughout our denomination that “Make
Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the world.”
VitalSignsUMC.org
• http://vitalsignsumc.org/
• DASHBOARD – Allows congregations to track progress
towards their goals for health and vitality.
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Congregations receive a weekly email to record their metrics.
Weekly recording of data that will be directly linked to GCFA.
Everyone in the connection can view data.
There will be a place for congregations to share weekly success
stories via the website.
Leaders can celebrate milestones for the congregation regularly!
PROPOSED TIMELINE
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The UMCVitalCongregations.org website will be a resource available to all
congregations beginning July. We believe you will find this to be a great resource for
congregations and conferences. It will have the following tabs:
a.
Our story – a brief history describing how the Wesleyan tradition began as a
movement to help Christians live their faith through the means of grace and spreading
scriptural holiness. It describes that today we are living in paradoxal times, some
congregations highly vital and growing some congregations declining.
b.
The Call to Action – We are called to grow vitality and address our adaptive
spiritual challenges. This tab will describe vital congregations, our adaptive spiritual
challenges and the Call to Action report.
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Setting Goals – This tab will have everything a congregation needs to set goals.
A planning guide, information on goal setting, why these goals are critical to vitality,
past statistics for the goal areas for each congregation, district and conference, a chart
for churches to input their goals, and a site for district superintendents and conference
staff to review if a church has completed their goals and how their goals compare to
their track record.
Timeline continued for
UMCVitalCongregations.org
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Reaching Goals – This tab will be live in the fall and will provide processes
and resources to help churches of all sizes reach their goals, including
modules for reaching goals for “Worship – Small Groups – Missions –
Generous Giving.”
Best Practices – Resources and stories of how vitality has been achieved by
congregations and conferences. Churches will learn about ministries and
programs of other churches and conferences as well can learn about what
other conferences are doing to increase vitality in congregations. This tab will
be live in November 2011.
Church Dashboard – A site in which churches can enter their weekly progress
and conference staff can follow the weekly progress of their churches. This
site will be live January 1, 2012.
2012-2016 Timeline
Culture Shifting…
• Between January 2012-2015 leadership (including Bishops,
District Superintendents, Conference Leaders, Clergy, Laity
and congregations) will work together using resources, sharing
resources and developing resources to help every
congregation REACH their goals for becoming healthier and
more vital congregations.
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Each year congregations can evaluate their goals, celebrate their
successes and re-adjust goals as needed at each charge
conference.
Leaders will highlight and celebrate successes, offer
congregations challenges to continue to move towards vitality and
strive towards health in each congregation.
Your church’s health and vitality
Depends on YOU!
• Church vitality can not happen without YOU!
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Acts 2 – The outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the
Church.
1 Corinthians 12 – The healthy church is one body and it is the
body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:10-13 – Christ has gifted the church through a variety
of gifts.
Galatians 3:28 – All are welcome in the body of Christ.
Luke 10:25-37 – We are called to be like the Good Samaritan.
Micah 6:8 – Righteousness and justice are the expectation for
God’s people.
Luke 4:17-21 – Jesus announces his ministry, which is a calling
for the body of Christ TODAY!