INTRODUCTION

I receive numerous letters from church leaders all over the country concerning the challenges churches face these days. Sometimes the letters are written to share good news about ministry victories; other letters describe the heartbreak and hardships resulting from well-intended but ineffective ministry. There is little doubt in my mind that the Church in America lives in an age that is pregnant with opportunity. But exploiting that opportunity is neither easy nor costless.

Here are a couple of relevant examples of the difficult choices and conditions that church leaders must address everyday. Can you relate to these situations?

Dear Mr. Barna:

I am the pastor of a church that was started 86 years ago. At one time, it was the largest church in the area, attracting more than 1000 worshipers each weekend. The church was known locally for the warmth of its people and the excellence of its ministry programs. The preaching has always been strong biblically. We are a [denomination] church.

Having read your latest book, I figure you are one person who can understand the dilemma I find myself in today. I was hired as the pastor of this declining congregation seven years ago. Attendance is down to around 200 people, and slowly dropping. The “gray-hairs” dominate the pews on Sunday mornings. Our limited efforts to reach younger people have born little fruit. We have tried to update our ministry – the music, the pew Bibles, the signage, our logo, the appearance of our buildings and so forth. While our long-time members are proud of these improvements, very few others would even be aware of the upgrades.

I guess I feel particularly convicted about your views on vision and leadership. I have done what I was taught to do in seminary – preach the Bible, visit those in need, teach Sunday school and a mid-week Bible study, and generally oversee the administrative matters of the church. But frankly, most of our members do not have a compelling sense of a better future, as you would put it, that they see as the driving force behind this ministry and that keeps them excited about the ministry here. I have never really spelled out for them anything different for the future than what we had hoped for in the past.

Specifically, our goal – after hearing you, I cannot truly describe it as our “vision” – is to be a loving and caring group of people who gather regularly to share the sacraments, worship our God, support each other through prayer and encouragement and provide a place where people can learn more about the Christian faith should they desire to do so. I’m just starting to comprehend how much of a “maintenance” ministry we have become. As you say, it isn’t that what we’re doing is bad or wrong, but it may not be appropriate or sufficiently strategic if we are serious about seeing lives changed.

I am indebted to you and a few others who study churches and inform us of where we may have departed from the path, or what some other churches have discovered that has helped them to make inroads in their communities. But to be quite honest, I’m awfully confused. I’m not blaming you for that, I’m just hoping that perhaps you can give me some specific guidance as to what I should do at this point. I’m willing to give this church all the energy I have left – I’m 46 at the moment, this is my fourth pastorate – but I don’t want to squander what energy I have.

In a nutshell, here’s my dilemma. I’ve been to seminary, which taught me how to exegete the Scriptures in their original languages and how to teach people the substance of God’s Word. I’ve attended seminars that have focused on all kinds of additional duties - organizational skills, worship, fundraising, counseling, leadership, service ministries, etc. I report to a board of elders, 12 men who have at least 12 different ideas of where the church should be going and just as many suggested routes to get us there. And I’ve made the obligatory pilgrimages to Willow Creek and Saddleback, only to return frustrated that I don’t have 10,000 plus people flocking to my facilities every week.

The dilemma is this: with all these experiences and so much knowledge, it doesn’t seem to fit together.

Simply put, I don’t understand how to weave all the knowledge and experiences I’ve collected over the years into a coherent package of activities, or maybe a philosophy of church, that would propel me in a viable direction. I can see how bits and pieces of what I’ve learned might be helpful. But I don’t understand how to put it all together.

Have you written something addressing this problem, or do you know of some resource that speaks to this issue? I’m open to new ideas; I’m even open to starting over, from scratch, to make sense of all of this. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in Christ,

John Rowland

Pastor

Dear Mr. Barna:

Your seminar was very stimulating. The lay leaders who accompanied me felt overwhelmed after the opening session, but were quite excited by the end of the day as they considered the great opportunities that lie before us. Thank you for clarifying the issues and giving us common ground to work from as we labor together to honor our Lord.

Would you answer a nagging question for me? During the seminar you described aspects of how certain churches have overcome cultural resistance and made their faith relevant without compromising their beliefs and values. But how do those particular efforts fit into the larger framework of ministry activity?

As the pastor of this church I have to take responsibility for all of the ministry ventures of our congregation. I cannot, of course, focus on one or two dimensions to the exclusion of all else we do. Your seminar did not suggest that course of action, but can you give me some ideas regarding how other churches have put the principles and applications you described into a more comprehensive framework of church? Any information along those lines would be greatly appreciated, especially now that our leaders are anxious to make some changes and see new ideas and programs implemented.

Thank you for your work and for your love for the Church.

Until He returns,

Henry Peterson

Have you ever felt like you were stuck between having great information and opportunities but not having enough of the big picture to make bold ministry moves? Or perhaps you are the type of person who is willing to take chances in ministry, but only after having thought through a long-term plan of action in which all of today’s moves impact (and are impacted by) all of next month’s efforts.

The issue at hand is how to be effective in ministry. And being effective cannot be addressed unless we approach matters strategically. That is what we will discuss in this book: how can you influence your ministry to be highly effective. Significant impact demands a strategic approach to ministry. The objective of this book is to describe how several thousand churches around the nation have learned to think and act strategically, holding fast to their theological beliefs and related values, so that they could become effective agencies of Christian ministry.

To some extent this is a book about church growth – but it is about corporate and personal spiritual completeness, rather than increased attendance. This is also a book about church health – but it addresses this from the perspective of spiritual depth. But more than anything, this is a book about how to have a holistic, church-based ministry in which people’s lives are revolutionized through the assistance of their church. The prescriptions offered are based upon the practical experience of numerous churches across America. Those churches come from a wide variety of denominations, from all geographic regions, across all ethnic and racial lines, and include churches of different sizes and ages.

This is a book for anyone who wants his/her church to be effective in ministry.

What Is “Effective” Ministry?

Before we get into the prescriptions we must understand some of the basic terms. The cornerstone term is “effective.” Throughout this book, I will describe a ministry as being effective when lives are transformed such that people are constantly enabled to become more Christ-like. Effective ministries foster significant and continual changes in how people live. An effective ministry enables people to change intellectually by helping them to understand their faith and its practical applications more deeply. It also helps people to change spiritually by empowering them surrender to God’s Holy Spirit more completely and thus live more obediently and selflessly. When your church is able to consistently facilitate such a holistic personal metamorphosis, then it is operating in the realm of effectiveness.

In our culture it is easy to get confused about what “effective ministry” looks like at the grassroots level. Our interviews with pastors and laity confirm that there is a tremendous degree of confusion about the practical meaning of effective ministry. For instance, we know that many believe that each of the following is an indisputable mark of an effective church:

• having a sanctuary filled with 1,000 (or more) people at the weekend service;
• raising a million dollars a year (or more) for the church’s ministry;
• donating a half-million dollars annually to global missions;
• adding buildings or constructing a new campus with at least 100,000 square feet of ministry facilities;
• sending church choirs to sing in churches, community events and on school campuses throughout the nation or overseas;
• broadcasting the church worship services throughout the region or country;
• offering a wide range of Christian education classes and ministry programs;
• having high name awareness in the community at-large;
• adding 100 (or more) new members in a year.

Contrary to popular opinion, these scenarios do not necessarily reflect a church that is truly effective. If effective relates to personal commitments and activities through which people become more Christ-like, the situations just described do not automatically signal either corporate or personal spiritual health. I have studied large churches that were spiritually dead and tiny churches that were spiritually vibrant. There are many churches that offer a smorgasbord of ministry events and meetings but in which the participants are simply going through the motions. In fact, we have learned that most of the churches that go through a horrendous collapse but eventually regain ministry effectiveness facilitate such a turn around by reducing the number of programs, services, events and other activities available.

Attendance figures, square footage, staff size, annual operating budget and the like are simplistic, sometimes misleading measures that overlook the most important aspect of any ministry: the hearts of the people. I’m willing to bet that when the Lord examines a church His criteria have little to do with attendance statistics, budgeting complexities or program breadth. If His critique of the Pharisees and other religious leaders is any indication, His analysis will hinge on the depth of people’s commitment to making their faith real and pure. Tiny congregations composed of people completely dedicated to being a blessing to God and others will make the grade; churches that have a high profile and earn constant media attention but exhibit limited spiritual growth and depth may be surprised (as in heartbroken) at how they fare in His judgment scheme.

The Next Level: Highly Effective

Some churches have discovered how to become effective in one or two dimensions of ministry. For instance, I frequently encounter churches that are effective in an area such as Christian education or creating intra-church community. In fact, many churches become known for one particular aspect of ministry, such as Christian education or community service, but generally struggle in other core ministry areas. It is very unusual to find a church that has developed a truly holistic ministry – that is, a ministry that is effective in each of the six dimensions of ministry that constitutes the complete church.

What are those six dimensions? They are the very aspects that characterized the early church: worship, evangelism, Christian education, community among the believers, stewardship and serving the needy. These might be considered the six pillars of church ministry. When a church provides these elements of ministry, it is truly being the Church that Christ intended us to be.

Throughout this book, when I refer to being “highly effective” I am alluding to churches that are doing a great job in regard to the six pillars. In other words, these are churches where the people are implementing Christianity more and more deeply, both on the corporate and individual levels. They are people who truly worship God on a regular basis. They are people who are consistently introducing non-Christians to Christ. They are learning and applying principles and truths of the Christian faith to their life. They are developing significant relationships with other believers, befriending, encouraging and holding each other accountable. They joyfully contribute their material possessions to ministries and individuals in need, for the glory of God. And they devote their time and energy to helping disadvantaged people. Cumulatively, these behaviors represent the Church in its fullest manifestation.

The Scope of the Problem

But if being highly effective is defined this way, then the American Church has a serious problem. Bluntly stated, my research suggests that only 10% to 15% of the Protestant churches in our nation today can be deemed highly effective.

The good news is that when that figure is projected nationally it corresponds to 30,000 to 50,000 churches that qualify as effective ministries. That’s a lot of churches, no matter how you slice it! But the other side of the coin must be considered, too: there are more than a quarter of a million churches in America that are not highly effective in ministry – roughly nine out of every ten churches! If you believe, as I do, that the church is the single, most important entity in America, then this situation is of crisis proportions.

Fortunately, as you read through this book, you will discover what my study of effective churches has found time after time: any church that is truly desirous of being highly effective can become such a ministry. Creating (or sustaining) a highly effective church is not rocket science; God has not called a select handful to be highly effective while the rest of us watch in awe and personal despair. Thousands and thousands of churches are doing highly effective work for Christ today – and your church can become one of those bodies, if it isn’t already. All it takes is a commitment to following some basic guidelines, good leadership, the determination to be (and remain) highly effective – and, of course, God’s blessing.

The Role of Habits

Here’s one of the secrets of highly effective churches: highly effective ministry results from reliance upon good habits. Once again, a definition is in order. I will speak of a habit as a repeated behavior. Highly effective churches have a transforming impact on people’s lives because they have developed habits that facilitate specified ministry outcomes – outcomes that are consistent with Scripture and that emphasize life transformation.

My research has clearly shown, however, that although every church has dozens and dozens of habits, all habits are not of equal value. In fact, some habits are detrimental. This is readily apparent outside of ministry. For instance, we speak of someone having a “drug habit” – i.e. the repeated use of harmful drugs – and know that such a habit is potentially lethal. Other habits can be pernicious, too – smoking, overeating, talking too much, spending all of your money, swearing, cheating, lying, stealing, never returning telephone calls, etc.

Take a few minutes to identify some of the many habits that define your church’s ministry. In working with churches I have seen how most churches have little, if any, conscious awareness of their ministry’s habits. For example, most churches that possess the following habits, which are detrimental to their ministry, are unaware of those habits and their impact, and consequently have no expectation of addressing those harmful repeated behaviors:

A Few Examples of Harmful Habits in Churches:

• printing the Bible verses to be used in the sermon in the bulletin or projecting them on a large screen – this has encouraged many people to stop using their Bible during the week, as well as no longer carrying it to church;
• conducting an annual Easter and/or Christmas event – many of these events begin with great intentions but fizzle after a few years, becoming activities for their own sake, attracting few of the outsiders they were originally intended to attract;
• maintaining a rigid order of service in the weekend event – while there is value to some stability and consistency, the predictability of the service has created disenchantment among many, especially Baby Busters, both because it is too routine and the message communicated is one of resistance to change in a world defined by change;
• expecting the pastor’s wife to be the catch-all – thousands of churches continue to pay one (below average) salary, ostensibly for the pastor, but expect output from two full-time employees (the pastor and his wife). This not only creates emotional and financial stress for the pastor’s family but facilitates unrealistic productivity expectations by the congregation;
• requiring the pastor to be the chief fund raiser for the church – as will be discussed later, this undermines the trust people have of their pastor. The congregation never knows why he/she is saying or doing something: is it because it needs to be said or because it will facilitate generous giving?;
• developing an information-laden web site – currently, more than 98% of the church web sites we have examined are designed to download information on people. The individuals most likely to use a church site and to find it useful, however, are those under 30, and they are looking for interactive possibilities, not information;
• setting aside a minute in the weekend service to allow people to shake the hands of those seated nearby – this is not, by itself, a bad thing, but it becomes harmful when the church’s leaders assume that the exercise has anything to do with building community, establishing interpersonal intimacy or creating a friendly atmosphere;
• maintaining a Sunday school class or other program because of internal politics or history – often churches do not have sufficient interest in a class or program to support its retention, or perhaps there is not sufficient expertise available to conduct the activity with excellence. In response to various types of pressure, though, most churches have one or more programs that continue in spite of ample evidence that the program is innocuous, at best, and harmful at worst.

In effect, these habits are harmful because they have become counterproductive. Every one of them was initiated with good intent. Most of them probably had a positive effect for a period of time. Eventually, however, each of these habits has become the antithesis of its original purpose. As a habit, though, it is either beyond our framework of analysis, or has become such an ingrained behavior that we are no longer cognizant of its existence – it just happens because it has always happened.

To avoid creating bad habits in ministry – and frankly, most churches have a number of unfortunate habits – we must be very conscious of what we do, when we do it, why we do it and the outcome of those actions. As we evaluate our ministry behaviors, we should incorporate the positive behaviors into our habit pattern. In seeking to distinguish the positive from the negative ministry habits, realize that there are four elements that make a habit desirable:

1. It is an intentional behavior. The challenge is to think specifically about what we are doing. Aristotle once said that the unexamined life is not worth living. Similarly, the unintentional ministry activity is not worth doing unless we can justify its implementation. A ministry effort that is unintentional is not one that we can rely upon to help people become more Christ-like, or to enable a church to become highly effective.

2. It is a strategic behavior. A habit becomes strategic when it is done purposefully and in relation to a specified desirable outcome. Habits that are not strategic have no place in ministry; they simply consume precious resources for no valid end. To maximize the strategic character of a behavior, it should be consistent with the mission, vision and values of the church.

3. It is a productive behavior. While ministry is not a business, per se, effective ministry requires that we use our limited resources to produce an important product: changed lives. If a habit is not useful in moving us closer to that goal, it is not productive. If it is not productive, it is counterproductive and therefore detrimental. You should be able to identify how a given habit produces benefit to your ministry.

4. It is a biblical behavior. It is possible to be intentional, strategic and productive but to be outside the boundaries provided by Scripture. Every habit must be examined in light of God’s principles and parameters. This is especially imperative for ministries since many individuals take their life cues from the habits of churches.

Highly effective churches have numerous habits, but they are habits that are intentional, strategic, productive and biblical. That is what enables them to be highly effective ministries.

The Nine Habits That Matter

My recent research has discovered that there are nine habits that highly effective churches all possess. They put those habits into practice in different ways, but the essence of those habits is the same across all highly effective churches. Here are those nine habits, in a nutshell.

• Habit #1: Highly effective churches rely upon strategic leadership.
• Habit #2: Highly effective churches are organized to facilitate highly effective ministry.
• Habit #3: Highly effective churches emphasize developing significant relationships within the congregation.
• Habit #4: Highly effective churches invest themselves in genuine worship.
• Habit #5: Highly effective churches engage in strategic evangelism.
• Habit #6: Highly effective churches get their people involved in systematic theological education.
• Habit #7: Highly effective churches utilize holistic stewardship practices.
• Habit #8: Highly effective churches serve the needy people in their community.
• Habit #9: Highly effective churches equip families to minister to themselves.

Each of these habits requires an approach to ministry that is different than the norm. But it is the combination of these nine habits – and the many activities that make up each of those habits – that enable a church to transcend survival to become highly effective. We will address each of these habits in a subsequent chapter.

Get On With It

If God has called your church into existence, then He intends to bless it. If you are serious about becoming and staying highly effective, let me provide one way of understanding what makes a church an agency of significant life transformation. While you cannot imitate everything that a highly effective church does and expect to be similarly life changing, understanding these nine principles of ministry and adapting them to the unique vision and resource base God has given you will enable your church to become highly effective, too. After reading this book, you will understand the habits and how to make them real in your context. The major factor left to your discretion will be the commitment to deploy godly, gifted leaders to facilitate such ministry and an unflagging commitment to strive to become all that God intends for your church to become. Are you willing to make such a commitment?