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The Twelve Laws of Building a Healthy Growing Ministry

The Twelve Laws of Building a Healthy Growing Ministry. The Law of Structure. The Law of Structure.

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The Twelve Laws of Building a Healthy Growing Ministry

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  1. The Twelve Laws ofBuilding a Healthy Growing Ministry The Law of Structure

  2. The Law of Structure • Growing churches understand the role of various size groups (large, medium, small) within the church and have learned to recognize predictable plateaus within each size and how to break through those sociological barriers to growth. • Text – Acts 2:42-47

  3. I. Objective of this Session

  4. I. Objective of this Session • To help pastors to see there is great variety and diversity in church structure but some structures are God-ordained. We want to teach pastors that there are predictable growth barriers and how to break through these barriers.

  5. II. Major Teaching Points

  6. II. Major Teaching Points • Acts 2:42-47

  7. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)

  8. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)

  9. II. Major Teaching Points • a. The practice of the early church: • - Committed to the Word. • Committed to making Christ the focal point of their celebrations. • Committed to one-another relationships. • Committed to deeply praying.

  10. II. Major Teaching Points • b. Two main structures within the early church: • - The large group where there is inspiration, instruction from the Word and worship. • - The small group where there is accountability, sharing, deep relationships and life change. • - The large group met in the temple courts and the small groups house to house.

  11. II. Major Teaching Points • c. Jesus made it clear that new wine demands new wine skins. • - Truth can never change. • - Methods must always be open to change. • - Traditions that are not from the Bible limit our structure.

  12. III. Research

  13. III. Research • There are predictable documented growth patterns in churches of all backgrounds and theological persuasions. (The High Impact Church, chapter 18-19)

  14. IV. Practical Implementation

  15. IV. Practical Implementation • a. The pastor and church leadership must identify the purpose for each of the specific group sizes. • LARGE group are where we inspire and instruct people (100 or more). • MEDIUM-sized groups are for identity and to develop leaders, and teachers (20-80).

  16. IV. Practical Implementation • a. The pastor and church leadership must identify the purpose for each of the specific group sizes. • SMALL groups are where life change, deep personal relationships, application, accountability and caring occur (3-10 but can be sub-grouped between 10 and 20).

  17. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 1. The House Church (10 to 25 people) • The extended family feel. • Having a vision and strategy for the lost.

  18. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 2. Single Cell Church (25 to 85 people) • Feeling of closeness. • Sub-grouping.

  19. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 3. Small Church (85 to 100 people) • The family feel, and a pastor to do the ministry. • Make a love for the community more important than the family feel.

  20. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 4. The Mid-Size Church (150 to 250 people) • Lack of staff. • Take the initiative in hiring the right staff.

  21. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 5. The Large Church (250 to 750 people) • Lack of awareness of spiritual gifts and the need for every member to be a minister. • Review the pastoral role to train/equip the members to do the ministry

  22. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 6. Very Large Church (750 to 2,000 people) • The senior pastor has usually grown a church beyond his leadership capabilities. • Gets outside help

  23. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 7. Mega-Church (2,000 to 10,000 people) • Go inside each division an do the same thing as if it were a church of 100

  24. IV. Practical Implementation • b. Common barriers or plateaus to church growth: • 8. META Church (A Church organized for UNLIMITEDGROWTH) • Membership, pastoral care, counseling, and teaching on spiritual gifts and doctrine happen through the life of the small group. The small group even becomes the agency for evangelism.

  25. IV. Practical Implementation • c. In summary, the four types of barriers are: • SPIRITUAL barriers. • SPACE – when a room is 80 percent full growth is impeded. • SOCIOLOGICAL barriers – 100 barrier, 200 barrier, 800 barrier, 1,500 barrier and 3,000 barrier.

  26. IV. Practical Implementation • c. In summary, the four types of barriers are: • STRUCTURAL barriers. There have to be large group meetings of inspiration, instruction and meeting with God where there is critical mass. There have to be small groups where people are really trained so that life change can happen.

  27. V. Key Questions

  28. V. Key Questions • 1. How can you structure so that the spark ignited through the teaching in the large group can fan into the flame of life change in the small group?

  29. VI. Helpful Resources/Tools

  30. VI. Helpful Resources/Tools • The High Impact Church, chapters 18-19 • Natural Church Development, chapter 3 • Seizing This Divine Moment, audio series and notes from Walk Thru the Bible

  31. VII. Questions and Answers

  32. Martin Deacon • Senior Vice President, Global Church MinistriesWalk Thru the Bible

  33. www.walkthru.org

  34. Jay Mitchell • Director of ProgrammingChurch Communication Network

  35. Chip Ingram • President & CEO, Walk Thru the BibleTeaching Pastor, Living on the Edge

  36. Jason Garcia • Lead PastorThe Bridge Church Atlanta

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