Breakthrough in church apathy Two tools for health and effectiveness subtitle

Breakthrough in church apathyTwo tools for health and effectiveness

subtitle

CTBI National Stewardship Network Conference 2012: Church Health Review

CTBI National Stewardship Network Conference 2012: Christian Effectiveness Model







G8: STEWARDSHIP – The challenge of faith

Are church members willingly and generously offering for God’s work their time, gifts/experience, and money for the benefit of others?

Sample tests (cf.U7)

1 stewardship viewed in the totality of life, not just for work within the church, so that involvement in community affairs is both encouraged and then prayerfully supported;

2 members giving generous proportions of their income for their church and for those in need worldwide, with the church able to finance all its outgoings without stress; (cf.O8.4, S7.3)

3 a sense of vocation with people offering their lives to God, both those in normal work and activity and with some moving into specific Christian ministry, training;

4 evidence that both time involvement and financial giving come from across the congregation rather than from only a small group, with no strain on finding activity helpers; (cf.U7.1)

5 evidence of Christians seeking to live simply as pilgrims in today’s world, not accumulating wealth but sharing possessions/homes, and mindful of environmental and fair-trade issues. (cf.U2.3, S4.5)


S7: FINANCE – Money to enable ministry

Is church finance seen as a key area of spiritual ministry which serves rather than dictates vision, and is it overseen with wisdom and thoroughness?

Sample tests

1 General Fund income sufficient over time to cover outgoings (without forced cutbacks) and without the need for panic appeals;

2 annual budgets led by the agreed vision, with good controls in place but a willingness to take risks where there is a belief that God is leading;

3 special needs (eg. major projects, global mission giving) handled in such a way that generous sums are provided and people’s faith grows; (cf.G8.2, O8.4)

4 good reporting through management accounts to decision-making bodies and through innovative means of communication to the congregation, so all understand the position;

5 good processes in place so that all bills and salaries/expenses are paid without delay, trading activity is managed to a high standard, significant levels of Gift Aid tax are refunded, methods of collection and offering within services have been chosen well, etc.







V4: THE REALITY OF THE WORLD – Christian involvement

Does the organisation have a clear understanding through practical experience of the physical and spiritual culture in which its beneficiaries live, so that it can work with integrity within that culture?

Sample tests (cf.A8)

1 leaders and staff living within the culture in which the organisation is working, or with recent experience and current understanding of that culture;

2 any activity that researches and monitors the changing environment so that decision-making is informed and trends are predicted;

3 the use of external advisers to help the organisation understand the culture in which its beneficiaries are placed;

4 any placing of offices and staff within the culture being reached, rather than in areas that the organisation might find easier or more conducive to work in; (cf.E2)

5 the testimony of beneficiaries that the organisation understands both them and their needs and works from this basis.


E5: SUPPORTERS – People resources: internal

Are the organisation’s supporters (volunteers, donors, pray-ers) given regular and appropriate information for the part they play, in suitable formats, and regarded as part of the overall team?

Sample tests

1 any readership surveys that show that the organisation’s newsletters/magazines are communicating well and appreciated by those who receive them;

2 evidence that the way that prayer and other information is made available in various media is helpful for and used by supporters;

3 donors impressed at the speed and courtesy in which their gifts are handled and acknowledged;

4 the provision and the regular updating of the database so that waste is reduced and accurate records are kept;

5 an enthusiastic supporter base, with low levels of turnover and appropriate age and gender profiles.



Documents

Breakthrough in church apathy Two tools for health and effectiveness subtitle