Why Should Churches Work On Transformation?
The simplest and most straightforward answer is, "Because it is needed!"
80% of all congregations in all denominations in North America are in the last half of their lifecycle, and 60% are in the final quadrant of their lifecycle. With almost 400,000 church congregations in North America, this represents a big need because many of these congregations are NOT ready to see the institution of their church die!
Everything has a lifecycle, even churches. The simplest proof of this statement is that not a single church mentioned in the New Testament exists today. A simple single-phase lifecycle of a church congregation means it is born, grows, flourishes, peaks, declines and dies as an institution. Members of dying congregations disburse into other churches continuing their personal faith journeys in new church families; often bringing new life and new resources to their new church homes.
Many congregations often have multi-phase lifecycles where somewhere in their post-peak periods; churches are reinvigorated through transformation and begin fresh lifecycles with renewed vigor and congregational health. Congregations that have been around for any lengths of time usually have gone through many of these cycles in their histories; each time emerging with renewed vigor and new life. In other words, the outcomes of congregations' lifecycles are not inevitable; congregations can be transformed!
Why do some congregations transform and other don't? Why is it possible that members of dying congregations leave only to bring vigor and new resources to their new church homes?
For many congregations in need of transformation, just exactly how other churches successfully transformed is a mystery or why their church is struggling isn't clear. No congregation wants to see their church institution die but many (perhaps most) don't know what to do to change the apparent negative outcome. Almost all know that some other churches have transformed but exactly how to transform is unknown. Many congregations needing transformation want transformation but don't know how to make it happen. Many only see that something isn't working like it once did in their church and didn't understand why.
Within, is the mission of TransformingTheChurch.org.
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