Dr. Paul D. Borden

The Need

Christianity – The Number One Faith in the World Christianity – The Fastest Growing Faith in the World The Church of Jesus Christ is Declining – Continents Most Identified Historically with the Protestant Reformation:  Europe  North America  Australia and New Zealand

 Less than 20% (17.7%) of the population attend church regularly ▪ 9.2% Evangelical ▪ 5.5% Catholic ▪ 3.1% Mainline  Average congregational worship attendance is 124 people  Loss ▪ 3000 congregations a year die ▪ 3800 new congregations a year are started ▪ 10,000 new congregations a year are required to equal population growth

 Declining as a Denomination  Regions Dying  Congregations Dying  Losing Dollars

God is Still Performing Miracles

 The Region Began to Decline  Congregations of in Worship became Congregations of 100 or less in worship  The average age of congregations increased years of age  The average age of pastors increased  Mission dollars decreased as congregational incomes decreased  Region was cannibalizing itself (Selling properties to pay current bills)

 Went from 37 growing congregations to 153  Went from 30,000 in worship to 42,000 in worship  Went from decreasing mission dollars to a 25% increase in mission dollars THE KEY STAT: Went from 800 baptisms a year to 2000 baptisms a year

 Planted almost 80 new congregations (12 states – 3 foreign countries)  Many new congregations start with in worship  Now have close to $6 million for congregational reproduction THE KEY STAT: Have gone from 2000 Baptisms a year to 4000 baptisms a year

The Reason (for dying denominations)

Christendom Has Influenced the Western World for 1000 Years

 Society’s Institutions Christianized People  Society’s Language – Christian Language – the Same  Society’s Institutions Stigmatized Non-Christian Behaviors  Society Took Christian Positions on Good and Evil

 People Were Cultural Christians  Challenge for the Church  Help People Become Regenerate Christians not Cultural Christians

 Morality without Regeneration Leads to Hypocrisy and Cruelty  Individuals  Communities  Nations

The Church was often Silent on Sins Related to Power and Greed

 Cruelty and Hypocrisy  Two World Wars (Cruelty in the Name of God)  Racial Injustice (Often in the Name of God)  Recent History – Media Coverage of Sinful Church Leaders  Sexual Abuse (Often by Religious People)

 Misplaced Power and Greed  The Depression  Denominational Wealth  Religious Leaders in Bed with Politicians

 The Western World Has Changed – Christendom is GONE  The Western Church has NOT Changed – Still Lives in a Christendom World

 Leslie Newbigen – Missionary to India from Great Britain – 1950’s  Observed Missional Churches in a Non- Christendom World  ALL Congregational Activities Designed to Achieve the Mission (A Missional Congregation)  Returned to England  Observed Non-Missional Churches in a Non- Christendom World

Preparing for the Answer

 Three Basic Assumptions (These Three Assumptions Build a Theology)

That which is healthy grows and reproduces

God created the church to attack the Gates of Hell Matthew 16:18

The Gospel never changes but the church must be constantly changing

If these three assumptions are true than the Church of Jesus Christ is: A living reproducing constantly morphing missional entity that has one goal, the continual making of new disciples.

The Church of Jesus Christ in the USA has become an inflexible organization catering to consumer Christians at the expense of making disciples.

The Answer: Make Two Fundamental Choices

 Choose to be a Missional Entity or an Organization with a Mission Statement (This is really a choice between obedience or sin)

 Choose to implement your decision to be missional or continue business as usual (This is really a choice between becoming obedient or remaining disobedient)

This second choice will impact your perspective on:  History  Order and Information  Organizational Structure and Politics (Control and Recognition)  Agendas  Significance and Survival

Success for Congregations that Make the Right Fundamental Choices (A Well Tested Strategy that Works)!!!

Key Assumptions Behind the Strategy  Most Pastors Cannot Lead A Congregation to Make the Right Choices – Alone  Most Congregations Cannot Make the Right Choices without Outside Help.  Making the Right Choices Involves Truth Telling and the offer of Hope

Key Assumptions Behind the Strategy (cont)  The Right Choice will Not Occur Without Pain (Usually Significant Pain)  Without Accountability Nothing Happens  People Must Be Attracted to Accountability  Learning Occurs As it Happens Repeatedly at Different Levels

 Denominational Groups Employing the Strategy with Success (50%)  Baptists  Church of God, Anderson  Methodists  Open Bible  Presbyterians  Lutherans  Salvation Army  Pentecostals and Charismatics

 Covenant Based  Pastors Covenant with Each other  Denomination Covenants with the Pastors  Meet One Day a Month for a Minimum of Twelve Months – Focus:  Leadership  Congregational Health  Spiritual Formation  Leader Must Have More Knowledge and Effective Experience Than any Pastor in the Cluster

 The Part of the Strategy that Actually Produces Change  Two Parts:  Week End Line in the Sand Event  One Year Coaching with Someone on the Church Campus Each Month

 Begins Two Months Before – Congregational Self-Study  Interviews and Focus Groups on Friday  Evaluation and Training with Leaders on Saturday  Preaching and Congregational Report on Sunday  Deadline Provided to Accept or Reject the Consultation Report

 Top Five Strengths  Top Five Concerns  Top Five Prescriptions with Deadlines (Addresses Each Concern)  Deadline to Accept or Reject with Consequences

Someone on the Congregation’s Campus Each Month  Purpose:  Implement the Consultation Report  Provide Resources for Health and Growth  Help Leaders/Congregation Learn New Habits and Stop Old Habits  Confront Stubborn Power Brokers  Provide Accountability

 Consultant Must Have More Knowledge and Effective Experience Than the Pastor  Coach Should Have More Knowledge and Effective Experience Than the Pastor

 During the 12 Month Period – Two Lay Training Events for Congregations Represented in the Cluster  First Lay Training Event – Describing a Healthy Congregation and how to Become One  Second Lay Training Event – Making the Great Commission THE value that Drives all the Congregation Does  Assumes Trainers Have More Knowledge and Experience than the Pastors Leading the Congregations

An Overview of a Week End Consultation

Adulthood Birth Infancy Childhood Adolescence Maturity Empty Nest Retirement Old Age Death Vrmss vrmS vRMS VRMs VRms vrMS vRMS VRMS V  Vision…………Where are we going? R  Relationship…Who is going with us? M  Ministry………How do we get there? S  Structure……..What do we control?

R V m s

S M r v

 Mission  Vision

 Legos  Third Places

 Staff Led Congregations  8-10 Basic Ministries

Marry Responsibility, Authority and Accountability  Board/Council Governs  Pastor Leads  Staff Manages  Congregation Does Ministry

 God is Blessing Across Four Nations and over 30 Denominations  Transformation is Occurring  New Congregations are being Planted  A New Stream of Disciples are Entering the Kingdom Every Day