View Urban Healthy Church Formational Stages
Urban Healthy Church Formational Stages
Urban church ministry has many challenges that other church ministries in other areas do not have. This is particularly true in central and inner urban city ministries. The important factor to realize in church development is that we are building for the next 100 years or 5 generations with 10 years each in increments. Each of the developmental stages indicated below should repeat every 10 years to create a ministry foundation to maintain freshness and vitality. All of these levels below should be overlapping to a certain degree but without negating the essential focus that is necessary for each stage. You may note that there isn’t any specific membership size mentioned but in many cases the attendance of non - members of a church may be at least 25% to 50% larger or less than the actual membership.
Ministry Foundation
Years 1–3 Infancy and Identity
Membership/Attendance (Small size) Key: Organization
1 Corinthians 3:10-13
Acts 2:45-47
Critical questions – Do they have a strong core of leaders and partnerships?
What is our identity in our community/denomination?
Danger – Impatience
Years 4-7 Integrity and Influence
Membership/Attendance (Midsize) Key: Credibility
John 1:14
Acts 4:32 -35
Critical question - Will we make a difference?
Are we consistent with our values?
Are we relevant?
Danger – Isolation
Years 8-10 Interdependence and Impartation
Membership/Attendance (Mid to large size) Key - Life Giving
Acts 11:26
Factors
1. Pastoral Giftedness
2. Financial stability
3. Leadership development
4. Facility stability
5. Reproduction: leaders and ministry
Critical question – Are all 5 of the major factors in balance?
Is VISA in place in the Pastor’s life?
Hebrews 5:11-14
Danger: Immaturity
8/06/07 Dr. Donald Davenport