Insight 036: FaithSoaring Churches Focus on Generosity
A significant barrier for congregations who desire to become FaithSoaring is that they have a fear of failing and falling. One evidence is that they hoard resources and focus them on the survival of their congregation as they have known it. These resources include their money, time, and leadership. For congregations to become FaithSoaring they […]
Insight 034: FaithSoaring Churches Affirm Significant Collaboration Among Leadership Groups
FaithSoaring congregations make the best use of their people resources. Too often committees in congregations function in isolation from one another. They appear as silos rather than as an integrative network of teams or leadership communities. As such they are inefficient and at times stumbling blocks to any forward progress. It is not coordination that […]
Insight 033: FaithSoaring Churches Reaffirm Their Church is God’s Church
It may seem like a no-brainer that every congregation is God’s Church. This is not always true from the perception of congregational participants. They often refer to the congregation as being their congregation. Therefore, future choices need to follow the guidelines of how their church is intended to operate. This becomes a significant challenge when […]
Insight 032: FaithSoaring Churches Focus on Vision Plus Intentionality
FaithSoaring Churches are about three words. Vision Plus Intentionality. That is it. Saying these words is really very simple. Living into these words is a mountain few can climb, and a summit that eludes many congregations. Vision is about a clear sense of God’s spiritual and strategic direction for your congregation. Intentionality is about aligning […]
Did You Know Your Church Owns the CMBA Churches-in-Association?
No one expects you as a busy and committed leader of your congregation to think every day about the fact that you are the owner of an association of almost 100 congregations committed to starting and strengthening churches to serve as vital and vibrant missional communities from the base of the Midlands of South Carolina. […]
Insight 031: FaithSoaring Churches Walk by Faith Rather Than by Sight
2 Corinthians 5:7 admonishes us to walk by faith rather than by sight. Isaiah 40:31 challenges us to mount up with wings as eagles and soar. Thus, walking by faith is FaithSoaring. One aspect of walking by faith is viewing congregations in terms of long-term potential rather than short-term urgencies. Another is always imagining the […]
Insight 030: FaithSoaring Churches May Refocus on Their Neighborhood or Community
Many congregations lose touch with their community context. This does not happen suddenly. It is a gradual transition. The congregation is successful enough and comfortable enough that it does not sufficiently notice the geographical context slipping away from it. Such congregations must rediscover their context. They must reposition themselves psychologically and strategically as a new […]
Insight 029: FaithSoaring Churches May Becoming a Church@50+
It is a common fantasy for many congregations that they need to reach young families with children. However, there is a demographic of congregations whose chances are slim and none at being successful. These are congregations where less than 20 percent of the active adults are less than 50 years old, These congregations should consider […]
Insight 028: FaithSoaring Churches May Relocate to a More Promising Location
The location of a congregation can create tremendous barriers to vitality. This occurs when the land uses around the facilities change from residential to commercial or industrial. This can also occur when the demographics of the context changes faster than the congregation can adapt. Unfortunately, there are also times the congregation chooses not to adapt […]
Insight 027: FaithSoaring Churches May Merge With Other Congregations
Historically the merger of one congregation with another has occurred out of weakness. Its purpose has been to create a merged congregation to live longer than the two might have. Many congregations continued their decline until within five years they were the size of the larger of the two at the time of merger. In […]