Implement an Effective Strategy
Starting Out
When lost in London a few years ago I eventually overcame my embarrassment to ask directions from a local. The joking reply came, “Well I wouldn’t start from here” – not very helpful!
An initial task is to honestly assess where we really are in our church life and mission. Knowing where we are means we can then plan simple achievable steps.
Try Mapping Our Galilee Exercise:
On the linked map list all the people and organisations that your church has regular contact with.
What Do You Mean By Growth?
Many people find counting numbers – in services, congregations etc – demoralising and difficult. Are Numbers Important?
Q&A: “What is God’s favourite number?” “One; because every-one counts”
Every-one is a precious human, created and loved by God, who could be experiencing His blessing and wholeness – so numbers are important, but they are not everything. In LyCiG we long to see growth in the number of ‘ones’ (Numerical Growth), but also growth in every-one’s depth of relationship with God (Spiritual Growth), and growth in every-one’s impact in our world (Missional Growth).
The 4 Ps of an Effective Strategy
Most churches already do some of these. Establishing a combination of all four is a very effective path to realising growth in your church.
- Prayer (for growth);
- Presence;
- Proclamation;
- Persuasion.
Each P is a marker in someone's faith journey.
A really helpful exercise is the Eggs In a Basket exercise at the end of this section – it will help you see how you are currently spending your time and resources and spot any gaps in your church's evolution. But first, find out what each P really means:
Prayer:Praying for growth in lots of different ways in your church. See Step 1: Prayer |
Examples of Prayer
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Presence:Events, services and being present in our community. Church buildings are often prominent physical presences frequently hosting activities such as foodbanks, toddler groups etc. Presence is a lot about building relationships and caring for people who may not come to church on Sunday! See Step 5. Exercise: List the ways your church has ‘presence’. |
Examples of Presence
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Proclamation:At Easter in our services we proclaim “He is Risen.” As well as reminding ourselves of the good news of the Resurrection, we are informing others of the amazing truths of the Christian faith. Christmas, Harvest, All Souls, even funerals, can incorporate appropriate proclamation. |
Suggested proclamation events
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Persuasion:Respectful conversation with people who have expressed a genuine interest in faith. It can happen one-to- one but is often most effective in a group setting. |
Suggested persuasion events
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Complete the following exercise: You have 12 eggs and 4 baskets representing Prayer for Growth, Presence, Proclamation, and Persuasion. Divide the eggs into the baskets according to how your church currently devotes its time, energy and resources. No Half-Eggs!