- Sep 23, 2005
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I am just curious to see how many of your churches are using the Natural Church Development Survey process?
For those who don't know what it is, it is a way to guage your church in 8 key areas. It has been used with thousands of churches across the world. The initial research identified the 8 areas that correlated with growth and church health.
The idea is you
a. take the survey to see where you are at as a church
b. get your results, and analyze them, pray over them, etc.
c. form task groups to formulate and then carry out action plans.
d. Begin the cycle again with a new survey to see how you are doing.
The 8 areas are as follows:
Empowering Leadership
Gift-Oriented Ministry
Passionate Spirituality
Functional Structures
Inspiring Worship Service
Holistic Small Groups
Need-oriented Evangelism
Loving Relationships
The test gives various questions of the 30 most involved members of your church...or as many as you have if your church has less than this. It then breaks them down multiple ways to see how you are doing. The questions are not just opinion, some of them are quite specific about actions. For instance, one question asks how many church members did you invite to your home the last month. The idea is to guage what is happening, not what people want or hope is happening.
Now it may seem sterile and clinical, but it is a good place for a church that already knows they need to turn things around, but need to convince somee people. And it is helpful for knowing what is working so you can use it to help your weaknesses.
Of course, it is just a survey. It won't do anything if you don't come before God in prayer and act in ways that He reveals. But we have found it helpful so far in helping people realize the need for change.
For those who don't know what it is, it is a way to guage your church in 8 key areas. It has been used with thousands of churches across the world. The initial research identified the 8 areas that correlated with growth and church health.
The idea is you
a. take the survey to see where you are at as a church
b. get your results, and analyze them, pray over them, etc.
c. form task groups to formulate and then carry out action plans.
d. Begin the cycle again with a new survey to see how you are doing.
The 8 areas are as follows:
Empowering Leadership
Gift-Oriented Ministry
Passionate Spirituality
Functional Structures
Inspiring Worship Service
Holistic Small Groups
Need-oriented Evangelism
Loving Relationships
The test gives various questions of the 30 most involved members of your church...or as many as you have if your church has less than this. It then breaks them down multiple ways to see how you are doing. The questions are not just opinion, some of them are quite specific about actions. For instance, one question asks how many church members did you invite to your home the last month. The idea is to guage what is happening, not what people want or hope is happening.
Now it may seem sterile and clinical, but it is a good place for a church that already knows they need to turn things around, but need to convince somee people. And it is helpful for knowing what is working so you can use it to help your weaknesses.
Of course, it is just a survey. It won't do anything if you don't come before God in prayer and act in ways that He reveals. But we have found it helpful so far in helping people realize the need for change.