Removing Barriers to Growth
Session Agenda
1. Reconnect with your coaching group (if applicable).
2. Share a devotion and prayer.
3. Strategic Plan Evaluation
Review where you are in the process of implementing and executing your strategic plan. Discuss your progress with the rest of your coaching group (if applicable).
If you’re using Recharge as a solo effort, find a trusted ministry friend or key leader with whom you can review your strategic plan.
Use the “Ministry & Event Evaluation” to review initiatives, events and ministries you’re using in your strategic plan. Consider your original objective and measure outcomes based on your ministry goals for the event. Are you accomplishing what you set out to do?
List 5 positives about this ministry/event.
List 5 areas to improve this ministry/event next time.
Briefly outline the follow-up or follow-on plan.
Rate the event—quality, objective, prospects, member participation.
Provide budget, attendance and setup details.
4. Stop, Start, Continue Exercise
As you evaluate your plan’s effectiveness consider what you need to stop, start or continue.
Visualize the idea of making ministry adjustments as a traffic light:
Stop. At the top sits a red light, signaling the question: What do you need to STOP doing? If a ministry plan isn’t working or measuring up, then it’s something you need to stop doing. Recognize that doing something new can’t happen until you stop doing something else.
Start. At the bottom sits a green light, representing the question: What do you need to START doing? This is the question to ask when needs aren’t being met, when people can’t find a place or can’t get connected or when current ministry falls short with your church or community.
Continue. The middle light is yellow, asking the question: What do you need to CONTINUE doing? As you review your action plans, look for ministry that’s doing what it’s supposed to do and reaching the people it’s supposed to reach.
Evaluate ministry methods, strategies and plans with the stop, start or continue exercise:
5. Breaking Growth Barriers by Rich Burch (unSeminary Podcast)
“Carl George & Warren Bird on How Your Church Can Break Growth Barriers” by Rich Birch, unSeminary Podcast (May 25, 2017), https://unseminary.com/carl-george-warren-bird-on-how-your-church-can-break-growth-barriers/.
Watch for these key moments:
6. How to Break Growth Barriers Discussion
How to Break Growth Barriers by Carl F. George and Warren Bird is an updated version of a classic book on church growth. Did you pick up on a central point of their work? As leaders, we are often the greatest barrier to growth and vision.
Discuss the key issues in breaking through specific numerical barriers to growth:
7. Read the “5 Barriers to Church Growth” by Nelson Searcy (from Outreach Magazine, November 14, 2012). What growth barriers are most significant for your church? What can you do to address them?
Growth Barrier 1: Space
Growth Barrier 2: Self-Development
Growth Barrier 3: Sharing
Growth Barrier 4: Worship
Growth Barrier 5: Staff
8. Church Leadership Team Check In
Lead your Church Leadership Team to evaluate and review your strategic plan. Celebrate wins, progress and success as you evaluate the plan. Use the “Ministry & Event Evaluation,” the Stop, Start, Continue Exercise or other tools to provide a basis for your review. How will you lead your team in the evaluation process? Discuss with your coaching group (if applicable).
9. To Do Items
Meeting 10 Prep
(to be completed in preparation for Meeting 10)
Read Hero Maker by Dave Ferguson and Warren Bird. Prepare to discuss how a Hero Maker mentality can accelerate exponentially your church’s growth and effectiveness.
“6 Ingredients to Create Continuous Growth in Your Church” by Gavin Adams
“13 Senior Pastor Mistakes That Flatline Growth” by Brian Jones
“7 Internal Barriers to Growth in a Church” by Thom Rainer
“30 Barriers to Growth” by James Emery White
“8 Reasons Most Churches Never Break the 200 Attendance Mark” by Carey Nieuwhof
Growth Themes by MinistryActionPlans.com
How to Break Growth Barriers by Carl F. George and Warren Bird
We provide open access tools to help ministry teams lead, grow and serve.