Welcome to
Transformational
Ministry!
1991 Churchwide Evangelism
Strategy
ELCA Decade of Evangelism
1991 Churchwide Evangelism
Strategy
ELCA Decade of Evangelism
• Overwhelming Support
1991 Churchwide Evangelism
Strategy
ELCA Decade of Evangelism
• Overwhelming Support
• Millions of dollars invested
1991 Churchwide Evangelism
Strategy
ELCA Decade of Evangelism
• Overwhelming Support
• Millions of dollars invested
• Nearly 300 resource programs,
conferences, books and manuals
1991 Churchwide Evangelism
Strategy
ELCA Decade of Evangelism
• Overwhelming Support
• Millions of dollars invested
• Nearly 300 resource programs,
conferences, books and manuals
• Membership and attendance dropped by
over 100,000
Effects of Evangelism Programs
Effects of Evangelism Programs
• Congregations that used evangelism
programs initially showed some growth
Effects of Evangelism Programs
• Congregations that used evangelism
programs initially showed some growth
• When programs ended, increases leveled
off and decline generally happened
Effects of Evangelism Programs
• Congregations that used evangelism
programs initially showed some growth
• When programs ended, increases leveled
off and decline generally happened
• After 5 years, congregations using an
evangelism program were smaller than
when they started and smaller than those
that did nothing!
Effects of Evangelism Programs
• Congregations that used evangelism
programs initially showed some growth
• When programs ended, increases leveled
off and decline generally happened
• After 5 years, congregations using an
evangelism program were smaller than
when they started and smaller than those
that did nothing!
• Programs do not grow the church!
Effects of Evangelism Grants
• In 1994 the ELCA awarded 160 outreach
grants to existing ministries ($2.3 million)
Effects of Evangelism Grants
• In 1994 the ELCA awarded 160 outreach
grants to existing ministries ($2.3 million)
• After 5 years, 10% of them closed
Effects of Evangelism Grants
• In 1994 the ELCA awarded 160 outreach
grants to existing ministries ($2.3 million)
• After 5 years, 10% of them closed
• After 5 years, worship attendance declined
by 1950 worshippers per week
Effects of Evangelism Grants
• In 1994 the ELCA awarded 160 outreach
grants to existing ministries ($2.3 million)
• After 5 years, 10% of them closed
• After 5 years, worship attendance declined
by 1950 worshippers per week
• Money does not grow the church!
The Good News Among the Bad
• In studying this, we learned a lot!
The Good News Among the Bad
• In studying this, we learned a lot!
• Emphasizing programs and money is a
mistake
The Good News Among the Bad
• In studying this, we learned a lot!
• Emphasizing programs and money is a
mistake
• Not all congregations shrunk
The Good News Among the Bad
• In studying this, we learned a lot!
• Emphasizing programs and money is a
mistake
• Not all congregations shrunk
• Healthy, growing congregations did reveal
some common traits
What We Learned
• Growing and shrinking congregations DO
the same things (there are no “magic
bullets” or best practices)
What We Learned
• Growing and shrinking congregations DO
the same things (there are no “magic
bullets” or best practices)
• However, growing congregations have a
clear sense that God is active and using
them and shrinking congregations lack
this same sense
More Specifically Growing ELCA
Congregations Have:
More Specifically Growing ELCA
Congregations Have:
• Purpose: A contextual sense of what God
wants them to do discerned through
reading scripture, prayer and discussion
More Specifically Growing ELCA
Congregations Have:
• Purpose: A contextual sense of what God
wants them to do discerned through
reading scripture, prayer and discussion
• Willingness to Change: Congregations
are willing to make the changes necessary
to accomplish the purpose
More Specifically Growing ELCA
Congregations Have:
• Purpose: A contextual sense of what God
wants them to do discerned through
reading scripture, prayer and discussion
• Willingness to Change: Congregations
are willing to make the changes necessary
to accomplish the purpose
• Leadership: Laity and clergy work
together to accomplish the purpose
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Purpose:
• Discerning God’s Will
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Purpose:
• Discerning God’s Will
• Spiritual Change Precedes Mechanical
Change
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Purpose:
• Discerning God’s Will
• Spiritual Change Precedes Mechanical
Change
• Use Principles and Facilitate Process
Rather than Techniques or Models
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Purpose:
• Discerning God’s Will
• Spiritual Change Precedes Mechanical
Change
• Use Principles and Facilitate Process
Rather than Techniques or Models
• Bathe the Process in Worship, Bible Study
and Prayer
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
• We Often Don’t Like Change
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
• We Often Don’t Like Change
• Holy Spirit Driven Change
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
• We Often Don’t Like Change
• Holy Spirit Driven Change
• Pain Can Cause Us To Change
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
• We Often Don’t Like Change
• Holy Spirit Driven Change
• Pain Can Cause Us To Change
• The Declining Church is Painful
ELCA 2008 Trend Report
From 2002 to 2008
• Number of Congregations
• Baptized Membership
• Worship Attendance
• Child Baptisms
• Adult Baptisms
-3%
-8%
-13%
-16%
-21%
ELCA 2008 Trend Report
From 2002 to 2008
• Number of Congregations
• Baptized Membership
• Worship Attendance
• Child Baptisms
• Adult Baptisms
-3%
-8%
-13%
-16%
-21%
• Lost 500,000 members in last 15 years
• Mainline Churches have dropped 25%
since 1958
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
• We Often Don’t Like Change
• Holy Spirit Driven Change
• Pain Can Cause Us To Change
• The Declining Church is Painful
• Need An Action Plan to Change
Dissatisfaction + Vision +
Concrete Action=
TRANSFORMATION
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Willingness to Change:
• We Often Don’t Like Change
• Holy Spirit Driven Change
• Pain Can Cause Us To Change
• The Declining Church is Painful
• Need An Action Plan to Change
• Asset Based Change
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Leadership:
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Leadership:
• The Team Approach
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Leadership:
• The Team Approach
• Equipping Leaders
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Leadership:
• The Team Approach
• Equipping Leaders
• Modeling Christian Community
The Transformational Ministry
Process
Leadership:
• The Team Approach
• Equipping Leaders
• Modeling Christian Community
• Coaching
The Purpose of the Church
Please take a few moments and jot on a
piece of paper what comes to mind when
you think of “the purpose of the church.”
St. James Lutheran Church Model
Mission Statement
Six Practices
Six Characteristics
Following Jesus
Discipleship (Adult & Child)
We
Congregational Community
Love God
Worship
Worship
Prayer
Scripture
and Neighbor!
Giving of Gifts
Giving of Gifts/Leadership
Luke 10:25-28
Serving
Serving
Matthew 22:34-40
Sharing Faith
Evangelism
Mark 12:28-34
Called by God