Recharge Session 1

Introduction and Research

Session Agenda

1. Introduce members of the coaching group (if applicable).

2. Share a devotion and prayer.

3. Establish ground rules. Each participant covenants with the equipper/leader and coaching group (if applicable) to make each session a priority in their schedules, to read all required materials and to complete prep work between sessions.

  • Be open minded and respect other people’s points of view.
  • Be open and honest.
  • Avoid dominating the conversation.
  • Keep everything shared in the group confidential.

4. Discussion

  • Share your most disappointing experience in ministry and what you learned from it.
  • Share your most rewarding and productive experience in ministry and what your learned from it.
  • What are the three major concerns that must be addressed at your church so it can move forward and become an Acts 1:8 congregation? Write them down for future reference.

5. Pray (for yourself and each other) as you begin the task of recruiting a Church Leadership Team.

6. Review the Church Leadership Team job description and then select 5-8 people to serve on the team. Recommended characteristics for this group are:

  1. Growing and maturing Christians who are sensitive to God’s leadership in their lives and aware of church and community needs.
  2. Recognized and/or emerging leaders within the church.
  3. Supportive of pastoral leadership, though not necessarily “yes” people.
  4. In covenant with the team and pastor. This team may struggle with issues, but once a decision is made, all members must enthusiastically support the decision.
  5. Strategic and futuristic thinkers (at least some of them).

Your Church Leadership Team could be an existing group, such as a Church Council or Long-Range Planning Committee. It’s sometimes useful to create a new group for the purpose of strategic planning.

Church Leadership Team Job Description

1. Pray for God’s vision.
2. Review the church’s current health.
3. Write mission, vision and core values statements.
4. Develop a strategic plan.
5. Lead the church to implement the plan.
6. Communicate with the church body.
7. Overcome roadblocks as a team.

7. Review church health indicators to reveal where ministry is working and where it isn’t. Research helps you know precisely where your church is at this moment. And it helps you answer important questions about the people who populate your church:

  • What is the age breakdown in your church?
  • How many families with children are there?
  • Is the average age of your church on the rise? Or is it falling?
  • What specific needs do people have?
  • How can the church meet them?

Questions like these tell you who your church has reached in the past and who you are reaching now. It indicates that you’re doing a good job ministering to many people in your church and community. But you might discover that something—or someone—is being missed.

Complete the Internal Trends Assessment to gain further insight into your church’s internal trends. Compile additional church metrics with the Church ACP History (Word Document) and Internal Trends Worksheet (Excel Document) below.

Read “Understanding Church Culture” by Everett Anthony.

Internal Trends Assessment

Describe how church members perceive your church.
Give approximate baptisms last year.
How many small groups were started last year?
What percent of members became leaders in the last five years?
Church ACP History (Word Document)
Internal Trends Worksheet (Excel Document)
"Understanding Church Culture" by Everett Anthony (PDF)

8. Learn more about the people in your community. While internal trends provide a snapshot of ministry to people inside the walls of the church, community research starts the process of understanding your community. Gathering information about your community will confirm things your already know and reveal new insights that might have gone unnoticed.

The purpose in learning more is not to remake your church in the image of your environment, but rather to develop ministry in ways that connect with real and felt needs of local residents. Community research is simply a tool to help you understand more clearly what those needs are.

Complete the Community Research Assessment to begin processing how well the church matches up with its community.

Read “Understanding Community Context” by Everett Anthony.

Community Research Assessment

Describe how your community perceives your church.
What quick ideas can bridge any church/community age gaps?
What quick ideas can bridge any church/community lifestyle gaps?
"Understanding Community Context" by Everett Anthony (PDF)

9. Discuss why churches grow. Read “Biblical Principles for Church Growth” by Everett Anthony and discuss the takeaways. Do you agree with the ideas presented here? What would you add or subtract?

Complete “Evaluating Our Church’s Commitment to the Commission” on the final page. Rate each area for effectiveness using 1 as ineffective and 5 as very effective. Then, write a statement about the church’s strengths and weaknesses in each of the five areas.

Biblical Principles for Church Growth

1. Evangelism
2. Discipleship
3. Fellowship
4. Ministry
5. Worship

10. Begin a discussion of personal and corporate spirituality. Reflect on where you are and where you want to be a year from now. Ask and answer these questions:

  • What spiritual qualifications have to be met by church leaders?
  • What does it mean to live and lead with personal spiritual discipline?
  • How does this lifestyle translate to the church as a whole?
  • What can you do to build corporate spiritual discipline in your church?

11. To Do Items

  • Set the calendar for the coming year.
  • Review your Church Profile data (SBC) or other ministry or denominational sources of information on your church.
  • Order a MissionInsite Profile for your community.
  • Recruit your Church Leadership Team.
  • Complete the “Vital Signs of a Healthy Church” Assessment.

Vital Signs of a Healthy Church

Evangelism Checkup
Sunday School/Discipleship Checkup
Fellowship Checkup
Mission/Ministry Checkup
Worship Checkup
Leadership Checkup
Stewardship Checkup

Meeting 2 Prep

(to be completed in preparation for Meeting 2)

Read Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. Prepare to discuss the implications for your life and your church at the next meeting.

Begin the church assessment by reviewing the Church Profile material of your church for the past five years. Chart the graphs of attendance, baptisms, giving and mission activity (such as community ministry, mission trips or mission projects). Contact your equipper, speak with us or reach out to a church leader if you need help obtaining these statistics.

Analyze the demographic data for your church area from MissionInsite. Go to the local planning commission office in your town or city and talk with them about their future plans. Are there new schools, roads and businesses being built? How is your church planning to address these new opportunities for ministry and evangelism?

Begin praying about people who can serve on your Church Leadership Team.

Resources

   Research Resources by MinistryActionPlans.com

   ExecutiveInsite Report by MissionInsite

   “Vital Signs of a Healthy Church” Assessment

   Church Health Assessment by The Unstuck Group