Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church
Friday, September 10, 2010
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.
Natural Church Development activities are currently suspended.  Other measurement tools and specific approaches are being evaluated.


2009 Church Conference adopted Goals and Tactics.  
 
PowerPoint presentation of Natural Church Development. Click HERE
(You must have Microsoft PowerPoint to view this slide show.)
 
Natural Church Development
Developed by Christian A. Schwarz
 
Natural Church Development (NCD) is a set of principles which have been developed based on the input of over 40,000 churches worldwide. The basic premise is that only God can provide growth. “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (I Corinthians 3:6). Just as the farmer can enhance growth of his crops by providing water and nutrients, we too at Mt Pisgah can enhance our growth by focusing on the 8 Quality Characteristics of Growing Churches shown below. The farmer also removes barriers to growth; he removes weeds, he sprays for insects. We too can remove obstacles which block natural growth. First and foremost, we at Mt Pisgah need to build spiritual momentum; our enthusiasm is for the Lord and these NCD principles are a practical means of unlocking natural growth. Christian Schwarz of the Institute for Natural Church Development has shown that if a church is doing well in all of the characteristics below, they will absolutely grow naturally. 
 
8 Quality Characteristics of Growing Churches
 
  1. Empowering Leadership: Leaders who equip, support, motivate, and mentor individuals to become all that God wants them to be. God has a unique calling for each individual. Notice this is the opposite of one superstar leader. If churches are looking for one superstar to lead them, something is definitely wrong in that church.Are the leaders focused on equipping other Christians to serve?
 
  1. Need-Oriented Evangelism: Pushy, manipulative methods of evangelism represent the exact opposite of what growing churches are doing. Growing churches share the gospel in a way that meets the questions and needs of non-Christians.Is the evangelism of the church driven by a genuine desire to meet people at their point of need?
 
  1. Functional Structures: Structures are always only a means to an end, not an end in themselves. The most important criterion for forms and structures in the church is if they fulfill their purpose or not. The biggest resistance to functional structures is the human tendency to traditionalism: systems that people have become used to and want to remain the same. Functional structures must lay aside everything that is a hindrance to fulfilling the purpose of the church, such as inconvenient worship times or programs that do not reach their audience effectively. Traditionalism is the greatest hindrance to church growth.Is the church committed to continually adapting its structures to support ongoing healthy growth?
 
  1. Inspiring Worship Service: The style does not matter. The sole criterion is whether or not the worship service is an inspiring experience for those who attend it. The greatest opposition to this quality is those who attend worship out of a sense of Christian duty. Are people encountering God in a life-changing way during worship services?
 
  1. Loving Relationships: Growing churches have a high “love quotient,” which is found through questions such as: How often do church members invite one another over for meals or a cup of coffee? How much time do they spend with one another outside church-sponsored activates? How generous is the church in doling out compliments? To what extent is the pastor aware of the personal problems of the laity? How much laughter is there in the church?Are the relationships in the church characterized by genuine love and encouragement shown in both word and deed?
 
  1. Gift-Oriented Ministry: The role of leadership is to help members identify their gifts and integrate them into ministries that match their gifts. No factor influences the sense of joy in living the Christian life more than if we are living it according to our spiritual gifts.Do those in the church know their spiritual gifts and are they using them effectively?
 
  1. Passionate Spirituality: It does not matter how this spirituality is expressed, but rather that the faith is lived out with commitment, fire, and enthusiasm. The degree of spiritual passion is demonstrably the point that sets growing churches apart from non-growing ones. Method does not matter. A church that lives out its faith with passionate fervor will experience success with any method. Yet, we often invent strategies to avoid this spiritual passion.Is the spiritual life of those in the church characterized by prayer, enthusiasm and boldness?
 
  1. Holistic Small Groups: Growing churches have developed a system of small groups where individual Christians can find intimate community, practical help, and intensive spiritual interaction. Such groups apply biblical insights to everyday issues of the participants.Are the small groups consistently growing in their worship of God, their nurture of members and their mission focus?
 
 
NCD Health Team: No current members
For historical information please contact George Adams.