Church AssessmentDr. Pablo Jiménez * www.drpablojimenez.net

Based on

Robert H. Welch, Church Administration: Creating Efficiency for Effective Ministry, Second Edition. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2011.

And

James D. Anderson & Ezra Earl Jones. The Management of Ministry: Building Leadership in a Changing World. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1993.

Introduction

• Assessing congregations is a tricky business.

• We are used to classify congregations by their denominations or traditions.

• In this occasion will focus on constituencies, relations with the community and size.

Understanding your Congregation

Basic Categories

• Following the 20/80 rule, your congregation is divided between the “People of Influence” and the “Congregation.”

• The People of Influence are, approximately, 20% of the congregation.

• The Congregation is, approximately, 80%.

People of Influence

Three constituencies compose this group:

• The Pastoral Team

• People of Position

• People of Passion

People of Influence

Pastoral Team

• Includes any person involved in Pastoral leadership.

• In small congregations, the team might only include the Pastor & some lay leaders. In larger ones, it may also include associate pastors, church staff & small group leaders.

People of Position• These are formal leaders that occupy

volunteer positions of leadership at church.

• In particular, it refers to those who are currently appointed to and serving in a position, such as deacons, elders, board members, chairs of commissions & committee members, among others.

People of Passion

• These are informal leaders involved in an area of ministry that they are passionate about.

• Although they may be officially appointed to a position, they will always pursue their passion.

The Congregation

Three constituencies compose this group:

• People of Participation

• People of Passivity

• People of Perpetual Care

The Congregation

People of Participation• Church members who attend regularly

and support the church with their offerings, tithes and pledges.

• If asked, they may serve as volunteers, particularly as members of small groups or committees for a short amount of time. They usually reject leadership positions and long-term commitments.

People of Passivity

• Church members who attend with some regularity and support the church with their offerings. They rarely tithe or pledge any significant amount of money.

• They usually reject active participation in any ministry.

• They usually only attend Sunday Worship.

People of Perpetual Care

• Church members who are passive objects of ministry.

• Although some may attend worship with some regularity, this classifycation also includes those who are too frail to attend, particularly shut-ins and bed ridden people.

Beyond the Congregation

Other important constituencies are:

• The “Crowd”

• The Community Art-Large

• Religious Institutions

• NGO’s & Non-Profits

• The Government

The “Crowd”

• People who rarely attend worship, but are known to the pastor and the congregation.

• Includes relatives, friends, neighbors and co-workers of active parishioners.

• This crowd is usually twice the size of the congregation.

The Community At-Large

• The community at-large, as defined in the next section, can and do offer ministerial opportunities to the local church.

• In occasions, the community demand the church’s attention to key issues.

Religious Institutions• The religious institutions that demand

attention from the church fall into two categories:

• Denominational structures (including other congregations and judicatories)

• Interdenominational organizations (such as other congregations, ministerial associations, theological schools, etc.)

NGO’s & Non-Profit Institutions

• The church also interacts with other instructions that serve the public.

• In particular, the church work alongside non-governmental institutions (NGO’s) and non-profits. These organizations may or may bot be religious.

The Government

• Interacting with the government, in its many expressions, is unavoidable.

• If possible, the local church should have a good working relationship with local government officers, such as the mayor, the school council, the city council members, the legislature, etc.

Summary

Assessment by Type

Introduction

• The relationship between the local congregation and its community defines its type.

• How a church defines its community determines how the congregation acts and reacts.

Neighborhood Churches

• This type of congregation is located in a well-defined been contained residential area.

• It is clearly identified with the neighborhood and may share it's name with the community.

Small Town Churches• A church located in a small town of several

hundred to several thousand inhabitants typically serves the people living in the surrounding area.

• It is usually the only congregation of its denomination in town.

• If they belong to a “Mainline Church,” they may be called “First Christian Church”.

Rural Churches

• These congregations serve sprawling rural and semi-rural areas that are usually sparsely populated.

• It may serve communities in unincorporated territories or suburban neighborhoods close to other townships.

Downtown Churches• Sanctuaries of these congregations are

usually located in downtown central business districts of large cities.

• The congregation attracts people from the city and neighboring suburban areas.

• Its membership ranges widely in social class, due to the church’s ability to reach different communities.

Metropolitan Churches• This congregation serves a large part of

a metropolitan area or region. Its members come from different cities, townships and suburban areas.

• It is strategically located in a major thoroughfare, in a visible and accessible site. It is usually accessible through a known street, main avenue or highway.

Special-Purpose Churches

• These congregations are not defined by geography.

• They attract people for their unique theology, ethnic composition, unique worship style, distinct ministries other exceptional quality.

Emerging Congregations

• A congregation passionate to reach new generations and populations that usually do not attend church.

• To reach its goals, it is willing to try new worship styles, meeting times, media technology, meeting places and staffing, etc.

Assessment by Type

Classification

• The Family Church (0-50 members)

• The Pastoral Church (50-150)

• The Transitional Size Church (150-350)

• The Medium Size Church (350-750)

• The Large or Corporate Size Church (750-2000)

• The Mega-Church (2000+)

Family Size• A small congregation which membership

does not exceed 50 people.

• Although many have buildings, this category includes “house churches.”

• It is lead by a bi-vocational minister or a retired ministers that receives little or no compensation. It may also be lead by a team of lay leaders.

Pastoral Size

• A congregation manageable by a one full-time minister.

• However, most are lead by bi-vocational leaders who may receive some compensation for their labor.

• It depends heavily the work of volunteers.

Transitional Size• A congregation too large for one full-time

pastor, but not large enough to support a full-time associate minister.

• It depends not only on lay volunteers but on part-time ministerial staff (such as youth ministers, choir directors, etc.)

• It may revert to Pastoral Size or grow to Medium Size.

Medium Size

• These congregations have enough volume to justify calling a full-time associate pastor, but they rarely do. Therefore, they depend on part-time associate ministers charged with different tasks.

• It faces resistance to change, which explains why it tends to revert to Transitional size.

Large or Corporate Size• This is a multi-staff congregation led by

an influential Senior Pastor. It offers several opportunities for Sunday worship and ministries for all ages.

• The Senior Pastor focuses on preaching, teaching and developing leaders. Pastoral care is delegated on associate pastors and small groups.

The Mega-Church• It shares the traits of the Large Size

congregation, mentioned in the previous slide.

• It has a large main campus, a robust Internet ministry, and even it may even offer worship at other sites—led by associate ministers. The Senior Pastor preaches and teaches at all sites, usually by video (recorded o streamed).

Summary

What is Size is Your Church?

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