Congregational Health
Our Board of Directors and Churchnet Staff are organized into a series of ministry teams. These teams allow us to better focus on our strategic initiatives and respond to requests from churches. One of several ways we seek to serve churches is by providing them with resources, encouragement, and assistance as they seek to become healthy, vital congregations.
The large majority of churches in America, in all main-line, established denominations, are plateaued or declining. These churches are filled with wonderful, dedicated, concerned Christian people, but as congregations they are not growing and flourishing. That is tragic, and it is contrary to the desires of church members (in most cases) and contrary to the will of God.
We talk about “church health” rather than “church growth” because people, in the past, have sometimes understood church growth as simply getting bigger numbers on the annual church report. Numerical growth alone does not indicate that a church is healthy.
The Congregational Health Team works to assist churches in several ways:
1. Assessment of congregational health. We will utilize two primary tools to help churches assess their level of health.
a. The NCD (Natural Church Development) process provides an excellent way of evaluating the functioning of a church in eight vital areas: Empowering Leadership, Gift-oriented Ministry, Passionate Spirituality, Functional Structures, Inspiring Worship, Holistic Small Groups, Need-oriented Evangelism, and Loving Relationships. This evaluation deals with the FUNCTIONING of the congregation.
b. The CWI (Congregational Wellness Inventory) assesses the viability and effectiveness of the congregation as a system. This tool helps a church see its strengths and short-comings in eight areas that have to do with the ATMOSPHERE and character of the church. These areas of evaluation on the CWI are: vision, anger management, self-esteem, passion, sense of humor, self-correcting ability, openness to change, learning growth, networking skills, risking, decision-making, and communicating. You may contact the convention office to request copies of the CWI assessment tool or download a printable copy from our online Resource Center.
2. Once these assessments are done at the invitation of a congregation, we will work with the church to develop a correction plan for how to strengthen the congregation, correct areas of need, and move proactively into a more productive future. We will work with the church to find resources to acquire whatever new skills or changed approaches are needed. Where we do not have the required resource locally, we network with partners who can help.
3. After dealing with a plan to address impediments to health and growth, the church will be ready to engage in a full process of strategic planning, utilizing one of several models available through the Churchnet Congregational Health Team. Healthy congregations have a clear vision for their future, and they are intentional about where they are going and what they plan to accomplish.
4. We will be developing a network of leaders and consultants in several regions of the state to assist churches as they request help in the area of congregational wellness.
Bob Perry is the Congregational Health Team Leader. He has extensive experience as a pastor and director of missions in Missouri and Virginia. He also served as a missionary to Mexico. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education, from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield and Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He has broad denominational experience and is the author or co-author of five books including: Models for Multifamily Housing Ministry, Values-based Tactical Planning for Religious Organizations, Pass the Power, Please!, Futuropting - Multiple Scenario Planning for Churches, Congregational Wellness: Help for Broken Churches, and Find a Niche and Scratch It.
Please contact the Churchnet office or our Congregational Health Team if we can be of assistance to your church.
Dr. Robert L. Perry (Bob)
Congregational Health Team Leader
Springfield Office:
P. O. Box 3
Willard, MO 65781
Phone: (888) 420-2426 Ext. 706
E-mail: bperry@thechurchnet.org
