Transforming Church

Furthermore, the average ELCA congregation is shrinking in size. By way of example, we’ll share the experience of one relatively healthy ELCA Synod. This synod of the ELCA, located in the heartland of the country, has the largest number of congregations increasing in worship attendance. Yet, despite this sign of comparative health, the hard numbers of the last 15 years are not good. The number of large-sized congregations (351 to 800 in worship) has declined 20%. The number of program-sized congregations (151-350 in worship) has declined 20%. The number of pastoral-sized congregations (50-150 in worship) has declined 15%. The number of congregations with less than 50 in worship has grown by 65%. ELCA congregations under 50 in worship are commonly understood to be at risk of closing. The state of the church, despite our overall strength and many notable exceptions, is not good. The trends are certainly unhealthy. While there are many other measures of health; the number of congregations, the size of our congregations, the number of active members, and our overall worship attendance are all in decline.

The State of our Leaders
Our seminaries often say that they are preparing men and women for ministry in the 21st century. While seminaries do a good job of training theologians and chaplains, the average pastor feels ill equipped to lead their congregation. Most students with an M. Div degree have taken only one course with leadership in the course title; and most of the course content tends to do more with institutional management than church leadership. Pastor’s are taught little, if anything, about how to lead change, how to clarify organizational values, how to articulate vision, how to shape an organization to fulfill its mission, how to build leadership teams, and other needed leadership skills.

We are failing to reach the people who live in our communities. The average age in our country is about 36 and the average age in most ELCA congregations is one full generation older: in the mid 50’s or older (58 at last count). Church observer and author Lyle Schaller says the ELCA is posed for explosive growth - if 1950 ever comes again! We are facing increasingly diverse populations and a larger than ever number of people with little or no church background. The challenges facing church leaders in the local congregation are daunting. Leaders need new skills and increased knowledge to lead churches effectively in the 21st century.

We envision a resource and catalyst for the whole church. The partnership will focus on developing leaders in the church who are anchored in the grace of Jesus and passionate about Helping God’s Vision Become Reality. We are convinced that everything rises and falls on leadership. It is imperative we have healthy pastors and lay leaders in the local congregation.

We anticipate resistance. Some will argue that there is no need for new wine or new wineskins. Jesus told us making disciples is our job (Matthew 28) and that fruit bearing (Matthew 7) is a significant measure. While there is much good fruit and many pockets of growth - the overall picture in the church is “directionally incorrect”.

What is different about the TransformingChurch.org Leadership Learning Community?
Almost every pastor reads new books and attends conferences. They subscribe to magazines and hear new information on how to lead our churches and strengthen our ministries. Yet we continue to see the vast majority of our congregations stagnate or declining. Our influence on society continues to shrink. Worse yet, we close our congregations and lose our pastors to early resignations and worse. Why? We believe at least four things are in short supply.

ASSESSMENT – Church Leaders have an inaccurate picture of ourselves and our own congregation & community. We fail to measure things that matter – our definitions of success are unbiblical.

PLANNING – Church Leaders fail to put together a coherent mission-focused structure and a concrete vision to succeed. We do not understand how to lead change. We are more concerned about the costs of short-term change than long-term failure.

RESOURCES – Church Leaders often lack the necessary skills to lead. Pastors are trained as chaplains and theologians, but we are not trained as leaders. Church leaders fail to utilize appropriate resources that will enable us to achieve our goals in our current ministry context.

ACCOUNTABILITY – Church Leaders are often better at talking than following through. We fail to keep the main thing the main thing – we concentrate on side issues. We fail to take actions consistent with our long-term plans.

Our basic approach puts in place a process that will build on the best of these four elements. As we put the Assessment/Planning/Resourses/Coaching process in place we will measure and chart progress in each church. For churches and leaders that begin this process with us, we anticipate that it will be an ongoing cycle of increased effectiveness, rather than a linear one aimed at a goal or set of goals. While there will certainly be goals, it will be less about destination, and more about a continuing journey of deepening spiritual leadership, discerning God’s call, fully utilizing the gifts present to achieve God’s plan to reach out and serve our communities.

Can This Work?
One of the things we were concerned about is whether this will work in the real world. If we can find success somewhere, the idea moves from the theoretical to the possible. The American Baptists have experienced a miracle turnaround in northern California. Paul Borden is the Executive Minister (he was the “synod” “bishop”) there. Paul has written a book titled, “Hit the Bulls Eye”. They have 226 churches in a similar mainline church in a judicatory similar in size than many ELCA synods. They went from 15% of their congregations growing to 72% of them growing. Growing is defined as a 5% increase in worship attendance in a year. They also went from an average worship attendance of 100 to 188 in a five-year time frame. Income in this one district to the denomination increased $1.5 million in a five year time period thanks to this growth. They made huge investments in their leaders over five years – and it has made a miraculous difference. Paul Borden is a true churchman, offering his resources, support, materials, and counsel to us. Their website is http://www.abcw.org/ and there are some great articles on the Seedlings link.

Pastoral Leadership Institute
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is several years into a similar program call the Pastoral Leadership Institute. The top pastors in their denomination are admitted to a four-year program with a fixed curriculum. They have one large conference annually at one of their leading churches, and two small conferences per year, with significant outside reading, writing, and homework. PLI has completed some early longitudinal studies that have demonstrated some pretty remarkable impact on participating congregations. 215 congregations participated in the program the first four years, about 50 in each year. These statistics were gathered when the first group of 50 had completed the four years, another group of 50 had only completed three years, and so on.

Those participating churches have increased aggregate worship attendance over 10,000 and had over 13,000 adult baptisms/confirmations. The entire denomination (over 6000 churches) only saw 18,000 adult baptism/confirmations, with over 72% of them from these 215 churches. If PLI can do it in the Missouri Synod, we can do it in the ELCA. To get another perspective on Pastoral Leadership, look at Luther's Kingdom on the Left. Read about the actions we are taking to make this learning community a reality in this article, Founding Board creates the TransformingChurch.org Leadership Learning Community.

Supporting Data from the Ministerial Health and Wellness Study funded by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Division for Ministry and Board of Pensions. Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D., MBA, Project Director, 2002. Listed below are some quotes we may want to consider for inclusion.

This situation in which many of the ELCA’s leadership is overweight, inactive, depressed, and therefore prone to diseases such as heart disease in the context of a church with the challenges of declining membership, smaller and fewer congregations, increasing age at ordination, and decreasing numbers preparing to serve congregations is an urgent situation. (Pg 6)

In recent interviews bishops were asked how they would describe a healthy pastor. The responses relate to all aspects of health and include good self-care, routine exercise, and good sleeping habits. Healthy pastors are described as having good relationships, including good marriages, supportive spouses and family structures, and good relationships with their congregations. They have a passion and a vision for ministry, the ability to handle stress and seek balance in life, the recognition of boundaries both personal and professional, and an ability to manage and be accountable. They are alive spiritually with a significant prayer and devotional life and a Lutheran sense of being called. Healthy pastors have mentors and collegial relationships, pursue lifelong learning, and feel valued. They take vacations and sabbaticals. Finally, they have a good sense of humor. (Pg 10)

Related to mental health, researchers studied 250 religious professionals and found that Protestant clergy had the highest overall work-related stress and were next to the lowest in personal resources to cope with the occupation strain. (Pg. 18)

76% of clergy reported their general health as excellent or very good. On the other hand, 10% report being depressed, 40% report feeling at times depressed or worn out some or most of the time, and 76% reported being overweight or obese (by BMI). The problem of weight is greatest for male clergy, 79% compared to clergywomen, 52%. (Pg. 20)

During a one-year period, 6% of U.S. men and 12% of women suffer from depression, while 16% of male clergy and 24% of female clergy complained of problems with depression. (Pg. 21)

The U.S. Congregational Life Survey is the largest and most representative profile of worshipers and their congregations ever developed in the United States. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is one of a dozen denominations that has participated in the survey. Listed below are some quotes & stats we may want to consider for inclusion.

From the ELCA Study of leader completed in 2001

Some Final Questions - Q 49 (asked of lay leaders)
Does this congregation have a clear vision, goals, or direction for its ministry and mission?
12.9% I am not aware of such a vision, goals, or direction
15.5% There are ideas but no clear vision, goals, or direction
30.5% Yes, and I am strongly committed to them
33.7% Yes, and I am partly committed to them
7.3% Yes, but I am not committed to them

Q 54 (asked of pastors)
Which of the following most accurately describes your congregation?
4.5% Our congregation no clear vision, goals, or direction
46.4% We have some ideas but no clear vision
25.9% We have a clear vision but not enough commitment to achieving it.
23.2% We have a clear vision and a strong commitment to achieving it.

Survey of Leaders – Q 34
As you look back over the list of pastoral tasks and other demands on you as a pastor, which three of the tasks do you do best?
84.7% Preaching (including sermon preparation)
56.6% Worship and sacramental leadership
42.6% Visiting members and their families, including sick and shut-in

Low Areas
1.0% One on one time working to convert others to the faith
3.8% Training people for ministry and mission
5.3% Involvement in community organizations and issues beyond the
congregation
5.5% Visiting or calling on prospective members
14.0% Thinking about and promoting a vision and goals for the
congregation’s future

In what 3 areas do you think you most need to improve?
51.8% Training people for ministry and mission
44.0% Thinking about and promoting a vision and goals for the
congregation’s future
38.1% Visiting or calling on prospective members
32.6% One on one time working to convert others to the faith
22.5% Involvement in community organizations and issues beyond the
congregation