Taking Your Church to the Next Level What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

Ways to Understand Churches Theology Denomination Location Distinctives

Two Most Helpful Aspects Size Age

Two Aspects Size Age

Part One: Age Dynamics Living Organisms Go Through Life Cycles

Natural Church Life Cycle Churches Go Through A Natural Life Cycle

Church “A”

Church “B”

Church “B”

Stage One: Emerging Church Birth

Stage Two: Growing Church Rapid Growth

Stage Three: Consolidating Stage Maturity / Plateau

Stage Four: Declining Church Maintenance / Decline

Stage Five: Dying Church Stagnation / Death

Life Cycle Questionnaire Answer the questions on the Life Cycle Questionnaire to discover where your church is located.

Locate Your Church Mark an X on the line for your church.

Growth Point

Leading Through the Life Cycle Choice Points

Leading through the Life Cycle Continuous Renewal

Follow Gary L. McIntosh at . . . Twitter – @drgmcintosh Internet – www.churchgrowthnetwork.com

Taking Your Church to the Next Level What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

How Churches Grow

Basic Principles Research has discovered regular PLATEAUS in the growth of churches.

Plateau Points

Plateau Points

Four Basic Principles Plateaus function like floors in a building: the floor offers SUPPORT and the ceiling offers RESISTANCE.

Resistance & Support

Four Basic Principles Breaking through resistant ceilings requires a GROWTH ENGINE.

Pass Valley Pass Valley

Four Basic Principles Growth happens in cycles of THREE actions: expand the base, increase mass, and stabilize.

Four Basic Principles Growth happens in cycles of THREE actions: expand the base . . .

Four Basic Principles Growth happens in cycles of THREE actions: expand the base, increase mass . . .

Four Basic Principles Growth happens in cycles of THREE actions: expand the base, increase mass, and stabilize.

Follow Gary L. McIntosh at . . . Twitter – @drgmcintosh Internet – www.churchgrowthnetwork.com

Key Points of Transition Level 85-125: Minimum ministries: worship, children, women, men, maybe youth. Three adult ministries beyond worship. Adequate facility. Half-time secretary. Full-time pastor

Key Points of Transition Level 200: Add a second pastor and a Full-time secretary. Add new groups (1 group for every 15 adults). Pastor focuses on managing the church ministry. Release people into ministry. Expand facilities. Keep structure simple. Add second worship service.

Key Points of Transition Level 400: Pastor shifts to a focus on leadership and training. Shift administration to pastoral and support staff. Begin shifting pastoral care to others in the church. Add third staff person and another secretary. Multiple Services or sites. Build on your best ministries.

Key Points of Transition Level 800: Shift care giving to lay persons. Identify niches to reach new people. Develop team of multiple staff specialists. Focus on leadership development. Use facilities multiple times or use various sites.

Key Points of Transition Level 1,200-1,500 Separate board functions from staff functions. Define the senior pastor’s role as that of a leader rather than a manager. Delegate staff management to an executive pastor. Move to multiple level staff.

Smaller Church

Medium-Sized Church

Larger Church

Plan Ahead Size Green Zone Red Zone Age

Follow Gary L. McIntosh at . . . Twitter – @drgmcintosh Internet – www.churchgrowthnetwork.com