HUMAN LIFE CYCLE STAGES

BIRTH INFANCY CHILDHOOD ADOLESCENCE ADULTHOOD

BUSINESS LIFE CYCLE STAGES

Lifecycle of a Business

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE STAGES

TECHNOLOGY LIFE CYCLE STAGES

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PASTORAL LIFE CYCLE STAGES

Yrs 1-5 Yrs 8-13 Yrs Yrs 25+ MINISTERIAL LIFE CYCLE FORMATIONAL STAGES Years 5 – 8 What am I doing? ATTRITION SPIKES Years How do I finish well? Years Do I want to keep doing this?

The research is still coming in concerning this life cycle, and the jury’s verdict is still out, but one can easily recognize what happens when a leader neglects or refuses to reinvent himself every ten years. For information on this cycle and its effects, go to: 14/long-pastoral-tenure-can-harm-your-church/ 14/long-pastoral-tenure-can-harm-your-church/ or oting-the-rapids-the-cycles-pastoral- ministry?page=full

This Was Not the Original Vision

THE LIFE CYCLE AND STAGES OF CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MUSEUM MISSION MINISTRY MAUSOLEUM The Vision is fading

Copyright 2009 Dr. George Bullard, D.Min. Provided by the Columbia Partnership at or (Consult Dr. Bullard’s book, Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation)

IN TEXAS, 70-80% OF CHURCHES ARE PLATEAUED TO DYING (According to the BGCT and SBTC)

IS DEATH INEVITABLE?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NASB) 1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— 2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.

5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

WE MUST REINVENT OURSELF & THE CHURCH

Ecclesiastes 3:7a ( Paraphrase ) 7a A time for remediation (tearing apart for the purpose of improving) and a time for renovation (rebuilding and remodeling to be more innovative and productive).

If I were recreating this church today, given what I know and given current technology, what would it look like?

Would anybody miss us if we were gone?

TWO TOOLS FOR REINVENTING THE CHURCH A CASE FOR ACTION – a brief, clear and powerful argument that influences people why a church should be different or recreated. A VISION STATEMENT – What we “want to be, what are we seeking to become, how do we intend to operate, and what kind of results are we expecting to achieve.”

CHURCH LIFE CYCLE HUMAN, BUSINESS, PASTORAL LIFE CYCLES WHAT PARALLELS CAN WE DRAW?

WHAT ARE WE BELIEVING GOD FOR?

Ezekiel 37:1-11 (NASB) 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.

3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." 4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.' 5 "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.

6 'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.'" 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'" 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.'

How BIG is Your God?