As the testimony given at the 2010 Annual Conference showed, when churches engage the Natural Church Development process seriously, it works. So far, churches that have completed a cycle of NCD in the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference average a 12% increase in worship attendance and increase their overall health as measured on the NCD when they take it for the second time.
When it comes to passionately embracing our calling as Christians, indifference is the devil’s tool. Whether we call it apathy, lack of interest, or boredom, ‘indifference’ saps energy and sucks life out of the mission of the church. And yet, when asked to identify the root causes of a passionless spirituality, church members have given responses that point to indifference.
It is as if there is an ecclesiastical take on the popular book and movie, He’s just not that into you. In the case of the church, it would be, “We’re just not that into Him.” Why should we get excited about church when church is just one item clamoring for attention in our lives? There are a myriad of demands on our lives that at any given time trump church: the kids’ soccer game, for instance, or staying up the night before and just wanting to sleep in on a Sunday morning.
Something else more troubling gnaws at our insides: the dissonance between belief and action. I’m not talking about sin. I am readily aware that the community of faith called church has always been an amalgam of saints and sinners and whether inside or outside of its purview, sin abounds. I have been and continue to be one who falls short of the glory of God. I refer to a deeper discord where our everyday actions are indistinguishable from those who do not profess faith. We are not out there enough getting our hands and feet dirty dealing with the pain of our communities. We are not out there loving the marginalized or touching the lepers or dining with the ones least likely to get an invitation to our next party.
And what is particularly troublesome: the inability to be honest enough with ourselves and with our brothers and sisters in the faith to engage in serious conversation about it.
To not discuss matters of passion around the faith we profess is to fall into the devil’s hands, it is to allow indifference to win. And, it is killing the church as we know it. Younger people looking from the outside in at the inauthenticity of passionless spirituality move on to the other side of the street. We’re dismissed. No amount of programs or marketing will overcome the chasm we have built.
Jesus said, “Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37b NRSV). Jesus will sustain us even in the moments when energies wane. All we need do is come to him in our brokenness and vulnerability. Can we begin such a conversation with him and with our brothers and sisters to address the issue of passionless spirituality?
Across the United States 85% of United Methodist churches that have completed at least one cycle of the Natural Church Development process have improved their overall health and have increased average worship attendance. These results are bearing out in Greater New Jersey as well. Trouble is, most churches want the quick fix–the immediate magic turn around. Truth is, it cannot be done without engaging in a process and getting down to the work that the process entails. Natural Church Development, or “NCD” involves a commitment of time and energy. So far, empirical evidence points to the fact that when people follow the process they will achieve good results.
Last night I met with the Church Health Team from one of the many churches in the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference that has engaged the Natural Church Development process. NCD measures the strengths and weaknesses of a church along the lines of eight quality characteristics (for more information, see the NCD page on this website). I felt privileged to be part of the conversation as this church began to address issues, perhaps long neglected, on how to become healthier. The church is trying to discover why they lack passion about their spirituality. Why don’t people in the church enjoy reading the Bible? Why don’t they pray? As the conversation grew around the table, I felt so grateful that the conversation itself was taking place. I am confident that they will indeed address the concerns and unleash potential to grow.
The ‘model’ approach, sometimes called ‘mechanistic,’ focuses on what the church does. Books like The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Bishop Robert Schnase help churches improve what they do. In the case of Schnase’s book, we improve five essential practices: hospitality, worship, faith development, mission and service, and generosity. Schnase challenges church leaders to examine each of these practices (what they are doing) and urges them to ramp up. Our hospitality should be radical in its impact, for instance. Our generosity extravagant.
The organic approach starts with whom we are as a church. We ask questions related to the very nature of the church. We take a look at ourselves and ask, “Who are we and what is God calling us to be?” Organic approaches to church development include Natural Church Development and The Discovery Church Journey. These are processes that help a church be honest with itself and to make changes in the way they are which then leads them to change what they do.
The church needs both organic and model approaches. We need to look honestly at ourselves and we need to focus on what we do to bring about a greater measure of health and vitality to our congregations. Both approaches underscore that we cannot continue to do business as usual if we are to be faithful stewards of the gospel in the twenty-first century.
This is a busy time of year to take two days for training. I give thanks to God for the 30 pastors and laity who gave of their precious time to complete coach training in Natural Church Development. I also give thanks to our National Trainer, the Rev. Dr. Jack Stephenson, pastor of the Anona United Methodist Church in Florida for leading and supervising us. Our own Rev. Varlyna Wright and layman, Jack Scharf, also led units of the training. I led part of the training as well. There was great interaction among the participants. Those who completed the two-day training are now fully certified Natural Church Development coaches.
At the Phase II training for Natural Church Development coaching, we learned about our own personal minimum factors. That is, what is our personality type? How do we deal with conflict? What is our listening style? What part of the trinity of God do we most emphasize? As we gain greater self-knowledge and as we understand better those with whom we work, we learn how to complement one another. We learn how to live out the complimentary gifts of the Spirit that God gives to each of us and thus work together more harmoniously as the Body of Christ. We learned that as coaches of the Natural Church Development process, we need to begin with personal transformation–knowing our strengths, being aware of our weaknesses so that we can move forward. How else could we possible be about the business of helping a church address its corporate minimum factor?
Effective roll out of Natural Church Development in the Greater New Jersey Conference is linked to the success and effectiveness of our coaching clusters. Presently there are 8 clusters for our nine districts. The clusters help coaches stay in touch with the principles of Natural Church Development. They also serve as conduits for churches in their area. A church that is interested in engaging the Natural Church Development process need only be in communication with the cluster closest to it. This cluster will provide an orientation to church leadership about the Natural Church Development process and provide a coach to accompany them through it. For more information, call the Office of Congregational Development at 732-359-1046.
Learn the 8 quality characteristics that will help your church get healthier and position your church to grow.