Life Cycle of a Healthy Church BY Dr' Gerald Kraft Executive Director Outreach Canada Ministries

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Life Cycleof a Healthy ChurchBYDr.
Gerald Kraft Executive Director Outreach Canada
Ministries
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Church Life Cycle
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Church Life Cycle
The natural, normal goal of churches is to
reproduce themselvesand church planting is the
most effective way to evangelize a community.
Just like babies naturally grow into childhood,
adolescence, adult maturity and family hood,
churches should follow a similar life cycle.
  Churches, like people, dont start out as
full-grown entities. They have to develop and
mature through four main life stages to be
healthy. This ideal life cycle moves from birth
(Plant) to healthy growth (Grow), equipping for
service (Mobilize) and multiplication
(Reproduce).
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PLANT
New churches or congregations are similar to
newborn babiestheyre dependent, need lots of
nurture and support, and they are fragile.
Primary tasks in this stage are development of
personality, building of primary support
structures (nurturing, discipling, team-building,
vision-casting) and building a solid base of
knowledge. In this initial formation stage
churches are focused on the basic, foundational
tasks that will build a strong body for the
futurejust like a young childs personality and
capacity for learning are determined before the
age of five.
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A Reproducing Family
Conversion
Assimilation

• EVERY
• INDIVIDUAL
• TRAINED TO
• REPRODUCE

Discipling
Equipping
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GROWING
Growing children are active, curious learners,
constantly pushing past boundaries and grow out
of their clothes. Churches in the grow phase are
also concerned with developing their systems and
structures to accommodate and allow for continued
growth and health. Churches, again like children,
develop greater independence and
self-sufficiency. Primary tasks in the grow stage
include formalization of leadership structures,
strengthening of systems to assimilate and
disciple newcomers, and continuing change to
achieve growth (numerical and spiritual).
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MOBILIZE
Young adults spend their time preparing
themselves for work, career, family and having
fun at the same time. Churches in the mobilize
stage are equipping themselves and their people
for serving, outreach and future parenthood.
Primary tasks include ongoing discipleship,
empowering of new leaders, multiplication of
workers and ministries, and increased focus on
areas of giftedness. Vision and direction are
enhanced and refined. Teamwork, communication and
sharing the workload is critical to success,
paralleling the real-world tasks of early
adulthood.
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A Reproducing Family
ATTRACTING
ASSIMILATING
EQUIPPING
EDIFYING
Why They Come
Why They Stay
Why They Reproduce
Why They Grow
Commitment Bridge
Trained To Be
Small Groups
Discipleship
Disciplers
New Members
Trainers
Fellowship
New Believers
Trainers
Doctrine
Visitor Follow-up
Callers
Evangelism
Worship Services, Sunday School
Teachers
"Side-Door" Ministries
Worship
Participants
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Church Entry Exit Process
C R I S I S Z O N E
DROP OUT ZONE
DROP IN ZONE


REGULAR
IRREGULAR
ATTENDANCE
INVOLVEMENT
MEMBER
MEMBER
MEMBER
Disappointment
Crisis Event
Friendship
Acceptance
Involvement
Questioning
ENTRY
EXIT
Over-ruled
Lack of
Discontent
Invitation
Appreciation
Agreement

DOOR
BODY
Judgment
Appreciation
DOOR
Stress
Feel
LIFE
Burnout
Kinship
Belonging
Stewardship
Inactivity
Unwanted
MINISTRIES
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REPRODUCE
One of the most joyous times in life is for a
couple to have a baby. Similarly with churches,
parent churches are filled with anticipation and
excitement to see the vision fulfilled, the life
cycle complete. Main tasks in the reproduce
stagebirthing a spiritual babyinclude
identification of a target community, raising up
of a planting team, securing of financial and
emotional support, and planning for the
adjustments of parenthood. These processes mimic
the preparations for natural birth by the parents
of a human baby.
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Outreach Canada MinistriesOur Vision Renewal
manual is a great tool to help you develop a
process to become a healthy reproducing
church.2-7201 72nd Street, Delta, BC V4G 1M5
604-952-0050