Leadership in the Life Cycle Source: George Bullard The Columbia Partnership

Congregational Passages Congregations have a Life Cycle just like people do Theology and Reality Church vs. church(es)

Leadership Tasks Smart leaders diagnose the congregation’s place in the Life Cycle … and lead accordingly

Life Cycle Diagnostics Four things in congregational life to determine what is going on Vision Inclusion (Relationship Experiences) Program Management

The Big Four I P V M

Visionary Leadership The current understanding of God’s spiritual strategic direction for a congregation that is cast by leadership and owned by the people connected with the congregation.

“V” -- Vision Mission Dream Energy Purpose Leadership

Inclusionary Experiences The relationship process by which people are brought to faith in God through Jesus Christ, become connected to a congregation, are assimilated into the fellowship life and care ministry of that congregation, have opportunities for spiritual growth and leadership development, and utilize their gifts and skills through Kingdom involvement.

“I” -- Inclusion “Relational” structures Evangelism and Outreach How do people connect with each other and God? Celebration/congregation/cell Evangelism and Outreach Assimilation Discipleship

Programmatic Emphases The functional attempts to provide ministries, services, activities, and learning experiences for people connected with a congregation by membership, attendance, fellowship, or staffing.

“P” -- Programs Ministries Services Activities Training

Accountable Management The administration of the resources of the congregation, the decision-making structures of the congregation, the formal and informal culture of the congregation, and the openness of the congregation to transition, change, and transformation.

“M” -- Management Administration Policy Structure Resources Decision-making

Life-Cycle Model - Descriptive PROGRAMS: Ministries Services Activities Training INCLUSION: Relational Structures Evangelism/Outreach Assimilation Discipleship The relationship process by which people are brought to faith in God through Jesus Christ, become connected to a congregation, are assimilated into the fellowship life and care ministry of that congregation, have opportunities for spiritual growth and leadership development, and utilize their gifts and skills through Kingdom involvement. (inclusion) The functional attempts to provide ministries, services, activities, and learning experiences for people connected with a congregation by membership, attendance, fellowship, or staffing. (program) MANAGEMENT: Administration Policy Structure Resources Decision-making VISION: Mission Dream Energy Purpose Leadership The administration of the resources of the congregation, the decision-making structures of the congregation, the formal and informal culture of the congregation, and the openness of the congregation to transition, change, and transformation. (management) The current understanding of God’s spiritual strategic direction for a congregation that is cast by the leadership and owned by the people connected with the congregation. (vision)

The Stages of Congregational Development Birth Infancy Childhood Adolescence Prime (Adulthood) 6. Maturity 7. Empty Nest 8. Retirement 9. Old Age 10. Death

Congregational Life Cycle Prime (adulthood) Adolescence Maturity Empty nest Childhood Retirement Infancy Old age Birth Death

Relational Structures Life-Cycle Model INCLUSION: Relational Structures Evangelism/Outreach Assimilation Discipleship PROGRAMS: Ministries Services Activities Training YOUNG ADULT MATURE ADULT ADOLES- CENCE EMPTY NEST CHILD- HOOD RETIRE- MENT MANAGEMENT: Administration Policy Structure Resources Decision-making VISION: Mission Dream Energy Purpose Leadership INFANCY OLD AGE BIRTH DEATH EARLY GROWTH LATE GROWTH EARLY AGING LATE AGING PRIME

Birth Vipm Birth is that stage when Vision is dominant, but relationships, programs, and management are not.

Infancy VIpm Infancy is when Vision is dominant, and has been joined by inclusionary relationships, but programs and management are not dominant.

Childhood ViPm In Childhood, Vision is dominant, but instead of inclusionary relationships, now Programs are dominant. Management remain underdeveloped.

Adolescence VIPm During Adolescence, Vision, Inclusionary relationships and Programs are all three dominant. Only management is not fully developed.

Prime VIPM The church is at full Kingdom potential All four dominant and appropriately aligned.

Maturity vIPM In Maturity, for the first time, Vision is diminished. Inclusion, Programs, and Management remain fully developed.

Empty Nest vIpM Programs become diminished, joining vision, when a congregation enters Empty Nest. Inclusion and Management remain as the dominant factors.

Retirement viPM Retirement is organized around the lead roles of Programs and Management. Vision and Relationships are passive, even wounded.

Old Age vipM Only Management remains dominant in the Old Age stage. Vision, inclusion, and programs are all passive.

Death vipm At Death, only essential structural management is even present. Vision, Relationships, and Programs are disappeared.

Relational Structures Life-Cycle Model INCLUSION: Relational Structures Evangelism/Outreach Assimilation Discipleship PROGRAMS: Ministries Services Activities Training YOUNG ADULT MATURE ADULT ADOLES- CENCE EMPTY NEST CHILD- HOOD RETIRE- MENT MANAGEMENT: Administration Policy Structure Resources Decision-making VISION: Mission Dream Energy Purpose Leadership INFANCY OLD AGE BIRTH DEATH EARLY GROWTH LATE GROWTH EARLY AGING LATE AGING PRIME

V I P M Who’s Driving? Prime (adulthood) Adolescence Maturity Empty nest V M Childhood Retirement Infancy Old age Birth Death

“Driving” in Post-prime churches Vision Management Relationships Programs

“Driving” from Birth to Prime Management Vision Programs Relationships

The Big Question How do I get my congregation from where we are to where we want to be? How do we get the right ones in the front seat?

From “fix”-based to “solutions”-based The first and principal leadership task is to replace what was lost last in the congregation (V, I, P, M)

Leadership on “Growth” Side On the “growing” side of the curve, church growth happens through emphasizing the characteristics of the next stage i.e. teach infants to act like children, children to act like adolescents, teens to act like adults

On the younger half of the curve … During the birth-infancy stages, the master story of the congregation is formed A major leadership task on the “growth” side is to help shape and consolidate this story

Leadership at Prime (adulthood) At adulthood, multiple visions surface, and leadership is a matter of developing consensus in the master story

Leadership tasks on the “right side” of the life cycle Principle: Deal with what you lost latest Principle: Determine whether change strategies can be continuous, or must be discontinuous or even radical Principle: The further down the curve, the longer it will take and less likely it will work

Leadership at “Maturity” – Revision Deal with what you lost latest: “vision” From vIPM to VIPM Sometimes a simple change of pastors works here (though not at other places!) Takes 6-18 months to redevelop at this stage Continuous (not radical) change works best

Leadership at “Empty Nest” - Revitalization Deal with what you lost latest: “P” Program vitality Move from vIpM  vIPm Takes 18-36 months First stage is nostalgia, then disappointment, then “try harder,” then anger

Revitalization at “Empty Nest” Stages: Nostalgia Disappointment “Try harder” Anger If caught at “nostalgia,” can do incremental change If at “disappointment, anger, or beyond,” must lead via introducing discontinuous or radical change

Leadership at “Retirement” – Renewal From viPM  vIPM Inclusion first, then vision Must create lots of new ways for new people (not malcontents) to be reached and included in the life of the church Takes 3-5 years

Renewal at “Retirement” This is no place to use continuous change strategies If it is 1st or 2nd leap at trying to redevelop, leadership can use discontinuous change If 3rd -4th time, leadership must use radical change to leap forward to new adolescence

Leadership task at “Old Age” - Reinvent From vipM  Vipm Very difficult to initiate without 3rd party consultant or intentional interim type Takes 18-36 months (a shorter time frame but violently different)

Reinventing at Old Age This is no place to use continuous change strategies And it must happen within 18-36 months “Let’s turn the page, begin with a blank, start from ground up” Reinventing, not revising

Leadership Task at “Death” – Resurrection From “m”  Vipm First V, then I 18-36 month time frame Relocations, annexations, bequeathings

What to aim at … Maturity: redevelops toward adulthood Empty nest  adulthood or adolescence Retirement  adolescence or childhood Old age  childhood or infancy Death -> infancy or birth Staying between adulthood and maturity is maintaining “Prime” in church life Ichaka Diaz “The Pursuit of Prime” In empty nest, if the change is continuous, then it redevelops to adulthood; if change is discontinuous, the redevelopment is toward adolescence

Redeveloping: Targets Prime (adulthood) P Adolescence Maturity Empty nest V M Childhood Retirement Infancy Old age Birth Death

What to expect Any successful “solutions-based” leadership approach to redevelopment lasts 7-9 years After a decade, it’s time for another redevelopment Any congregation can be a decade from death!

The key at all points right of center: You don’t have to have the same dream as before; what matters that the current congregation owns the vision passionately At every point of leadership on the “right” side of things, a goal is to diminish the controlling aspects of management Reducing management increases energy for ministry

Where to Learn From someone who is doing it! A practitioner is better than a book or conference Your Virginia Baptist family can help to connect you with Learner to leader Peer to peer Mentor to protégé

Leadership at the Life Cycle www.rasnet.org John.chandler@vbmb.org