Developing a Structure for Growth Dr. John P. Chandler The Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership

4 Sizes of Churches zPatriarchal/Matriarchal (<50) zPastoral (50-150) zProgram( ) zCorporate(350+)

Growing Into a New Size zPatriarchal -> Pastoral: pastoral tenure zPastoral -> Program: restructuring interpersonal life of the church zProgram -> Corporate: restructuring decision-making mechanisms

“C-C-C” z“Celebration” (100+) z“Congregation” (25-75) z“Cell” (12 max)

Celebration (100+) zMain purpose: corporate worship ysecondary purposes: mutual identity, counseling, youth development, Bible study zAnonymity is necessary for abandon ybeyond 75 names we can call y% of people we do not know zA venue for … prophetic preaching and teaching

Congregation (25-75) zMain purpose: social fellowship ysecondary: Bible study, Christian growth, gift discernment/utilization zSmall enough to know names, large enough not to confront publicly zA venue for … intercessory prayer

Cell (<12) zMain purpose: interpersonal discipleship ysecondary: prayer, Bible study, personal healing, pastoral care zInformality (i.e. home) allows for depth zA venue for … personal transformation and decision

Purposes of Church Structures z Celebration y“face to face” z Congregation y“hand to hand” z Cell y“heart to heart”

Growth from patriarchal or pastoral church to a program church requires… zCreating multiple congregations zCreating multiple cells –within the celebration-sized church

The Price for Growth z“Intimacy” xyet a church can be more intimate by rightly matching purpose with structure x“can get bigger as long as we keep getting smaller” zControl (diffusion of power)

Celebration Congregation Cell

Developing a Structure for Growth Dr. John P. Chandler The Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership Copy right John Chandler, 2000