leadership in the life cycle source: george bullard the columbia partnership
TRANSCRIPT
Leadership in the Life Cycle
Source: George BullardThe Columbia Partnership
Congregational Passages
Congregations have a Life Cycle just like people do
Theology and Reality– Church vs. church(es)
Leadership Tasks
Smart leaders diagnose the congregation’s place in the Life Cycle … and lead accordingly
Life Cycle Diagnostics
Four things in congregational life to determine what is going on
– Vision– Inclusion (Relationship Experiences)– Program– Management
The Big Four
V
I P
M
Visionary Leadership
The current understanding of God’s spiritual strategic direction for a
congregation that is cast by leadership and owned by the
people connected with the congregation.
“V” -- Vision
Mission Dream Energy Purpose Leadership
Inclusionary Experiences
The relationship process by which people are brought to faith in God through Jesus Christ,
become connected to a congregation, are assimilated into the fellowship life and care
ministry of that congregation, have opportunities for spiritual growth and leadership development, and utilize their gifts and skills through Kingdom
involvement.
“I” -- Inclusion “Relational” structures
– How do people connect with each other and God?– Celebration/congregation/cell
Evangelism and Outreach
Assimilation
Discipleship
Programmatic Emphases
The functional attempts to provide ministries, services, activities, and learning experiences for people
connected with a congregation by membership, attendance,
fellowship, or staffing.
“P” -- Programs Ministries Services Activities Training
Accountable Management
The administration of the resources of the congregation, the decision-making
structures of the congregation, the formal and informal culture of the congregation, and the openness of the congregation to transition, change, and transformation.
“M” -- Management
Administration Policy Structure Resources Decision-making
Life-Cycle Model - Descriptive
The current understanding of God’s The current understanding of God’s spiritual strategic direction for a spiritual strategic direction for a congregation that is cast by the congregation that is cast by the leadership and owned by the people leadership and owned by the people connected with the congregation. connected with the congregation. (vision)(vision)
The relationship process by which people are The relationship process by which people are brought to faith in God through Jesus Christ, brought to faith in God through Jesus Christ, become connected to a congregation, are become connected to a congregation, are assimilated into the fellowship life and care assimilated into the fellowship life and care ministry of that congregation, have ministry of that congregation, have opportunities for spiritual growth and opportunities for spiritual growth and leadership development, and utilize their gifts leadership development, and utilize their gifts and skills through Kingdom involvement. and skills through Kingdom involvement. (inclusion)(inclusion)
The functional attempts to The functional attempts to provide ministries, services, provide ministries, services, activities, and learning activities, and learning experiences for people connected experiences for people connected with a congregation by with a congregation by membership, attendance, membership, attendance, fellowship, or staffing. (program) fellowship, or staffing. (program)
The administration of the resources of The administration of the resources of the congregation, the decision-making the congregation, the decision-making structures of the congregation, the structures of the congregation, the formal and informal culture of the formal and informal culture of the congregation, and the openness of the congregation, and the openness of the congregation to transition, change, congregation to transition, change, and transformation. (management)and transformation. (management)
VVISION:ISION:
MissionMissionDreamDreamEnergyEnergyPurposePurpose
LeadershipLeadership
IINCLUSION:NCLUSION:
Relational StructuresRelational StructuresEvangelism/OutreachEvangelism/Outreach
AssimilationAssimilationDiscipleshipDiscipleship
PPROGRAMS:ROGRAMS:
MinistriesMinistriesServicesServices
ActivitiesActivitiesTrainingTraining
MMANAGEMENT:ANAGEMENT:
AdministrationAdministrationPolicyPolicy
StructureStructureResourcesResources
Decision-makingDecision-making
The Stages of Congregational Development
1. Birth
2. Infancy
3. Childhood
4. Adolescence5. Prime
(Adulthood)
6. Maturity
7. Empty Nest
8. Retirement
9. Old Age
10. Death
Congregational Life Cycle
Birth
InfancyChildhood
Adolescence
Prime (adulthood)
Maturity
Empty nest
RetirementOld age
Death
Life-Cycle Model
VVISION:ISION:
MissionMissionDreamDreamEnergyEnergyPurposePurpose
LeadershipLeadership
IINCLUSION:NCLUSION:
Relational StructuresRelational StructuresEvangelism/OutreachEvangelism/Outreach
AssimilationAssimilationDiscipleshipDiscipleship
PPROGRAMS:ROGRAMS:
MinistriesMinistriesServicesServices
ActivitiesActivitiesTrainingTraining
MMANAGEMENT:ANAGEMENT:
AdministrationAdministrationPolicyPolicy
StructureStructureResourcesResources
Decision-makingDecision-making
LATELATEGROWTHGROWTH PRIMEPRIME
EARLYEARLYGROWTHGROWTH
EARLYEARLYAGINGAGING
LATELATEAGINGAGING
INFANCYINFANCY
BIRTHBIRTH
ADOLES-ADOLES-CENCECENCE
CHILD-CHILD-HOODHOOD
EMPTYEMPTYNESTNEST
RETIRE-RETIRE-MENTMENT
OLD OLD AGEAGE
DEATHDEATH
YOUNGYOUNGADULT ADULT
MATUREMATUREADULT ADULT
BirthVipm
Birth is that stage when Vision is dominant, but relationships,
programs, and management are not.
Infancy VIpm
Infancy is when Vision is dominant, and has been joined by
inclusionary relationships, but programs and management are not
dominant.
Childhood ViPm
In Childhood, Vision is dominant, but instead of inclusionary
relationships, now Programs are dominant. Management remain
underdeveloped.
Adolescence VIPm
During Adolescence, Vision, Inclusionary relationships and
Programs are all three dominant. Only management is not fully
developed.
Prime VIPM
The church is at full Kingdom potential
All four dominant and appropriately aligned.
Maturity vIPM
In Maturity, for the first time, Vision is diminished. Inclusion,
Programs, and Management remain fully developed.
Empty Nest vIpM
Programs become diminished, joining vision, when a
congregation enters Empty Nest. Inclusion and Management
remain as the dominant factors.
Retirement viPM
Retirement is organized around the lead roles of Programs and
Management. Vision and Relationships are passive, even
wounded.
Old Age vipM
Only Management remains dominant in the Old Age stage. Vision, inclusion, and programs
are all passive.
Death vipm
At Death, only essential structural management is even present.
Vision, Relationships, and Programs are disappeared.
Life-Cycle Model
VVISION:ISION:
MissionMissionDreamDreamEnergyEnergyPurposePurpose
LeadershipLeadership
IINCLUSION:NCLUSION:
Relational StructuresRelational StructuresEvangelism/OutreachEvangelism/Outreach
AssimilationAssimilationDiscipleshipDiscipleship
PPROGRAMS:ROGRAMS:
MinistriesMinistriesServicesServices
ActivitiesActivitiesTrainingTraining
MMANAGEMENT:ANAGEMENT:
AdministrationAdministrationPolicyPolicy
StructureStructureResourcesResources
Decision-makingDecision-making
LATELATEGROWTHGROWTH PRIMEPRIME
EARLYEARLYGROWTHGROWTH
EARLYEARLYAGINGAGING
LATELATEAGINGAGING
INFANCYINFANCY
BIRTHBIRTH
ADOLES-ADOLES-CENCECENCE
CHILD-CHILD-HOODHOOD
EMPTYEMPTYNESTNEST
RETIRE-RETIRE-MENTMENT
OLD OLD AGEAGE
DEATHDEATH
YOUNGYOUNGADULT ADULT
MATUREMATUREADULT ADULT
Who’s Driving?
Birth
InfancyChildhood
Adolescence
Prime (adulthood)
Maturity
Empty nest
RetirementOld age
Death
V
I P
M
“Driving” in Post-prime churches
Vision
Programs
Management
Relationships
“Driving” from Birth to Prime
Managemen
tVision
ProgramsRelationships
The Big Question
How do I get my congregation from where we are to where we
want to be?
How do we get the right ones in the front seat?
From “fix”-based to “solutions”-based
The first and principal leadership task is to replace what was lost last in the congregation (V, I, P, M)
Leadership on “Growth” Side
On the “growing” side of the curve, church growth happens through emphasizing the characteristics of the next stage
– i.e. teach infants to act like children, children to act like adolescents, teens to act like adults
On the younger half of the curve …
During the birth-infancy stages, the master story of the congregation is formed
– A major leadership task on the “growth” side is to help shape and consolidate this story
Leadership at Prime (adulthood)
At adulthood, multiple visions surface, and leadership is a matter of developing
consensus in the master story
Leadership tasks on the “right side” of the life cycle
1. Principle: Deal with what you lost latest
2. Principle: Determine whether change strategies can be continuous, or must be discontinuous or even radical
3. Principle: The further down the curve, the longer it will take and less likely it will work
Leadership at “Maturity” – Revision
Deal with what you lost latest: “vision”– From vIPM to VIPM– Sometimes a simple change of pastors works here
(though not at other places!)
Takes 6-18 months to redevelop at this stage
Continuous (not radical) change works best
Leadership at “Empty Nest” - Revitalization
Deal with what you lost latest: “P”– Program vitality– Move from vIpM vIPm
Takes 18-36 months
Revitalization at “Empty Nest”
Stages: – Nostalgia– Disappointment– “Try harder”– Anger
If caught at “nostalgia,” can do incremental change
If at “disappointment, anger, or beyond,” must lead via introducing discontinuous or radical change
Leadership at “Retirement” – Renewal
From viPM vIPM– Inclusion first, then vision– Must create lots of new ways for new
people (not malcontents) to be reached and included in the life of the church
Takes 3-5 years
Renewal at “Retirement”
This is no place to use continuous change strategies
If it is 1st or 2nd leap at trying to redevelop, leadership can use discontinuous change
If 3rd -4th time, leadership must use radical change to leap forward to new adolescence
Leadership task at “Old Age” - Reinvent
From vipM Vipm
Very difficult to initiate without 3rd party– consultant or intentional interim type
Takes 18-36 months (a shorter time frame but violently different)
Reinventing at Old Age
This is no place to use continuous change strategies– And it must happen within 18-36 months
“Let’s turn the page, begin with a blank, start from ground up”– Reinventing, not revising
Leadership Task at “Death” – Resurrection
From “m” Vipm– First V, then I
18-36 month time frame
Relocations, annexations, bequeathings
What to aim at …
Maturity: redevelops toward adulthood
Empty nest adulthood or adolescence
Retirement adolescence or childhood
Old age childhood or infancy
Death -> infancy or birth
Redeveloping: Targets
Birth
InfancyChildhood
Adolescence
Prime (adulthood)
Maturity
Empty nest
RetirementOld age
Death
V
I P
M
What to expect
Any successful “solutions-based” leadership approach to redevelopment lasts 7-9 years
After a decade, it’s time for another redevelopment – Any congregation can be a decade from death!
The key at all points right of center:
You don’t have to have the same dream as before; what matters that the current congregation owns the vision passionately
At every point of leadership on the “right” side of things, a goal is to diminish the controlling aspects of management– Reducing management increases energy for ministry
Where to Learn
From someone who is doing it!– A practitioner is better than a book or conference
Your Virginia Baptist family can help to connect you with – Learner to leader– Peer to peer– Mentor to protégé
