your church’s life cycle - transformcma.ca · your church’s life cycle and stages of...

Your Church’s Life Cycle

and Stages of Congregational

Development

2

Congregations Go Through Life-Cycles

Like the Life-Cycle of a Human Being

Birth Death

Growth

Prime

Aging

3

The Life-Cycle Stages of Congregational Development

V. Vision/Leadership/Mission/Purpose/Core Values

R: Relationships/Experiences/Discipleship

P: Programs/Events/Ministries/Services/Activities

M: Management/Accountability/Systems/Resources

Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)

And then it just keeps getting

better and better? … Not in real life!

Plateau … and decline

Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging

Phase Three: Prime/Plateau

Denial

Phase 1: nostalgia Phase 2: disappointment Phase 3: anger

Desperately try to regain past glory…

Call Pastors to bring “change”

After 16-18 months pull the “choke-chain”…

Because the change is either not working … or it is

Spin through several cycles of this

Looking for a “savior” … a programmatic fix

2-5 years, on average

Relationships with God and each other are high, deep, and strong.

5-6 years:

Focus shifts:

From relationships

to doing things

From people in

relationship to

getting things done

6-18 years:

Take a break from the frenetic energy of the early stages.

Shift of focus to developing management

There are often competing good priorities: they need a way to sort them out and decide from among them.

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Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


The Growth curve

takes 22-27 years on

the founding cycle

On subsequent

growth cycles it plays

out in 7-9 years

5






Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


If there is Arrested Development:

The church will shift to

the other side of the life-cycle

6






Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)

… and decline

Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


If a congregation undergoes a significant pastoral trauma:

• There will be a “side-track” cycle of dealing with the effects

• The congregation will behave as if it one level “lower” in the life-cycle

• When the congregation heals, it will quickly show its true level of vitality

7






Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


Denial

Phase 1: nostalgia Phase 2: disappointment Phase 3: anger

•Call Pastors to bring “change” •After 16-18 mos., pull “choke chain” •Spin through several cycles of this

Where is your

church?

What parts of the cycle have

you seen play out in your

time in your church?

Adulthood (VRPM)

Adolescence (VRPm)

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Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


The Life-Cycle Does Not Have to Result in Death!

Anywhere on the decline side … a congregation can move forward into a new life-cycle

ReVisioning

Revitalization (P)

Renewal (R)

Reinvent

Resurrect

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Congregational Redevelopment





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


This is the optimal point from which to launch into a new vision-cycle.

ReVisioning

Revitalization (P)

Renewal (R)

Reinvent

Resurrect

But this requires an “intentional revolution” every 7-9 years.

10






Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


ReVisioning

Revitalization (P)

Renewal (R)

Reinvent

Resurrect

But it is a particular challenge to motivate a church to move into a new vision-cycle from this point.

11






Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


ReVisioning

Revitalization (P)

Renewal (R)

Reinvent

Resurrect

The difficulty is:

•Things seem to be going so well, congregations are in denial about the need for a new vision-revolution

•Congregational leaders are satisfied with their progress, and weary from the effort of the last vision-cycle

•Sometimes Pastors hold onto their last vision revolution past its effective life

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Movement is always forward … into a new cycle

There is no “going back” in congregational redevelopment

Movement is never backward …

Where redevelopment begins from, determines

where the new life-cycle begins.

The history of a congregation is the history of

the succession of partial life-cycles over time.

Churches are tempted to say that they need to

“go back” to the way it used to be…

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Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging


From Maturity…


Process Theme: Revisioning (V)

Rate of Change: Continuous

(incremental changes

over a controlled period

of time)

Time Frame: 6-18 months

Destination: Adulthood

14





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging



Process Theme: Revitalization (P)

Rate of Change: Continuous


Destination: Late Adolescence

From Empty Nest –

Nostalgia…

15





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging



Process Theme: Revitalization (P)

Rate of Change: Discontinuous

(significant change)


Destination: Adolescence

From Empty Nest –

Anger…

16





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging



Process Theme: Renewal (R)

Rate of Change: Discontinuous

Time Frame: 3-5 years

Destination: Adolescence From Retirement:

Within first couple

of spins

17





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging



Process Theme: Renewal (R)

Rate of Change: Radical (doing things

that have never been

done and getting rid of

things that have always

been done)

Time Frame: 3-5 years

Destination: Childhood

From Retirement: After three or four

unsuccessful

attempts

at change

18





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging



Process Theme: Reinvent

Rate of Change: Radical


Destination: Infancy

Old Age: Usually Only Possible

With significant

Outside help

19





Birth (Vrpm)

Infancy (VRpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)


Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

Death (m)

Growth

Phase One:

Early Growth

Phase Two:

Late Growth

Prime

Phase Four:

Early Aging

Aging

Phase Five:

Late Aging



Process Theme: Resurrection

Rate of Change: Radical


Destination: Birth

From Death

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Stage Process Theme Rate of Transition and Change

Time Frame To bridge to a new Growth/Vision Cycle

Destination

Maturity Revisioning (V) Continuous (incremental change over a period of time)

6-18 months Adulthood

Empty Nest – Nostalgia Phase

Revitalization (P) Continuous 18-36 months Adulthood

Empty Nest –

Anger Phase

Revitalization (P) Discontinuous (significant change)

18-36 months Adolescence

Retirement

(within the first couple of retirement spins)

Renewal (R) Discontinuous 3-5 years Adolescence

Retirement

(after 3 or 4 failed attempts at change)

Renewal (R) Radical

(doing things that have never been done and getting rid of things that have always been done)

3-5 years Childhood

Old Age:

(Usually possible only with significant outside help)

Reinvent Radical 18-36 months Infancy

Death Resurrection Radical 6-18 months Birth

21





Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)

The Redevelopment “Bridge”

Infancy (VRpm)

Birth (Vrpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)

Death (m)

Re -Vision

22





Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)


Infancy (VRpm)

Birth (Vrpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)

Death (m)

Strategic

Program “Wins” Re -Vision

23





Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)


Infancy (VRpm)

Birth (Vrpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)

Death (m)

Strategic Program

“Wins”

Re -Vision Rekindle

Relational/Spiritual

Vitality

24





Maturity (vRPM)

Empty Nest (vRpM)

Retirement (vrPM)

Old Age (vrpM)


Infancy (VRpm)

Birth (Vrpm)

Childhood (VrPm)

Adolescence (VRPm)

Adulthood (VRPM)

Death (m)

Reinvent

your church’s life cycle - transformcma.ca · your church’s life cycle and stages of...

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