Insight 345: FaithSoaring Churches “Call the Doctor”
Congregations seeking to transform nurture a culture where is it is appropriate to “call the doctor” when you are sick. When your heart is sick, you let your congregational community know it. You do not wait to see if they will respond to a need you have for spiritual and social support. You realize they […]
Insight 344: FaithSoaring Churches Do Not Slip Into an Internal Focus
Congregations seeking to transform realize a natural tendency is to incrementally slip into an internal focus and away from an external focus. The desire to be missional is strong, but the desire to huddle with people with whom they have had a deep relationship is stronger. Congregations may have a short-term crescendo of missional engagement […]
Insight 343: FaithSoaring Churches Focus on Healthy Progress
Congregations seeking to transform are not satisfied with simply being healthy. They are also not satisfied with simply making progress. They desire to focus on healthy progress. Too often being healthy takes a congregation only to neutral. It may be a quality congregation, but it is not on a journey. It is not making progress […]
Insight 342: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Perspectives
Congregations seeking to transform are often composed of people with multiple perspectives. At the core may be differing theologies as people come to the congregation from various denominational backgrounds and special interest groups from within their denomination. People bring to the congregation differing political views that emphasize the need for the separation of church and […]
Insight 341: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Affiliations
Congregations seeking to transform may have multiple affiliations. They are not always affiliated with just one denomination as they seek to address the diversity and complexity of ministry particularly in urban areas. They may also be affiliated with various parachurch organizations who provide inspiration, collaboration, and resources. Community-based organizations are also an important part of […]
Insight 340: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Cultures
Congregations seeking to transform must be aware of their community context and be relevant to it. If there are multiple cultures within their context, they may have a missional imperative to address directly or in collaboration with others the spiritual needs of these cultures. Being multi-cultural differs from being multi-ethnic. Multi-cultural means the ability to […]
Insight 339: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Ethnicities
Congregations seeking to transform must be aware of their community context and be relevant to it. If a congregation is located in an area where there are multiple ethnic groups they should seek to have the type of worship, fellowship, spiritual formation, and missional engagement that appeals to a slice of the ethnicity within its […]
Insight 338: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Worship Services
Congregations seeking to transform should give strategic consideration to having multiple worship services. There is no clear answer on this. Over the modern life of congregations one strategic suggestion has been that starting a second worship service is a way to move beyond certain growth barriers. Also, it is a way to reach a different […]
Insight 337: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Sites
Congregations seeking to transform should give consideration to the development of multiple sites. While this may seem like a dividing of resources for smaller membership congregations, it is a form of launching a new congregation particularly if there is a clear target group that God has inspired a congregation to address. A myth is that […]
Insight 336: FaithSoaring Churches Address Multiple Expressions
Congregations seeking to transform address multiple expressions of the presence of the Church. This is not necessarily about church planting, but it is about a missional expression of the Church that moves beyond an attractional focus that seeks to grow the base congregation. The focus is on target groups generally beyond the reach of a […]