5-page paper synthesizing the 3-5 ideas from the readings that made the greatest impact on you, and how those ideas apply to yo

Address Vision Limiters

When a church leader does not have a vision, goal, or dream for his or her church, that leader will accomplish very little. The Apostle Paul spoke of the importance of being obedient to the vision that God had given him (Acts 26:19). When a church leader has limited vision, he or she settles for less than great. Jim Collins indicates that “good is the enemy of great is not just a business problem. It is a human problem. If we have cracked the code on the question of good to great, we should have something of value to any type of organization. Good churches might become great churches.”⁰ George identifies the following ten vision limiters that can create a barrier to church growth.⁰

Problem Solving Emphasis

When the church leaders’ primary responsibility focuses on solving problems, most of their energy is consumed with keeping the aquarium clean rather than serving as a fisher of men. If evangelism does not remain at the forefront of the church’s mission, growth will not be sustainable. Peter F. Drucker describes the importance of problem solving, but also realizes that once the leaders had solved the problem, things return to the status quo, which ultimately inhibits one’s ability to take advantage of new opportunities.⁰

I’m Busy Enough Now

Church leaders can easily become exhausted, which leaves minimal interest in ministry expansion or new projects. The current ministry feels so overwhelming and tiring that envisioning additional outreaches or ministry seems like a burden. Delegation cures this problem; as a leader delegates responsibilities and trains others, the entire church benefits through numerical as well as spiritual growth.

Lockstep Vision

A church leader can limit the growth of his or her church by adhering to a lock step mentality. This type of leader chooses to imitate what other church leaders do. When this pastor hears about a new program at another church, he or she will implement the same program. While this approach may produce some success, ultimately, it obscures the church leaders’ own talents and abilities. Comparing oneself with another is futile; both the church leader and the congregation suffer with this approach. The Apostle Paul succinctly warns church leaders and believers regarding this common error: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12).

Grow Until You Can Survive

Sometimes a church leader wants his or her church to grow so it can enjoy financial comfort. Initially, this seems like a noble goal and many church boards fall into this trap. Once they reach “comfortable” they simply focus on maintaining their current status. George says that a “church with a sizeable endowment account is almost impossible to motivate to grow.”⁰

Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko provide a very tangible illustration of this concept in their book, The Millionaire Next Door. Oftentimes, wealthy families give their adult children money so as to make their lives more comfortable. Stanley and Danko’s study indicates that eight out of ten times, adult children of affluent parents had less annual income and fewer assets when measured against their peers because they no longer felt the need to save or to work hard. Parents’ good intention of making their children’s lives more comfortable actually compromised both the integrity and initiative of their children, as summarized by Stanley and Danko:

What is the effect of cash gifts that are knowingly earmarked for consumption and the propping up of a certain lifestyle? We find that the giving of such gifts is the single most significant factor that explains lack of productivity among adult children of the affluent. All too often such ‘temporary’ gifts affect the recipient’s psyche. Cash gifts earmarked for consumption dampen one’s initiative and productivity.⁰

Churches that fall into this trap look for ways to meet the church budget by encouraging staff members to work for abnormally low wages, asking the pastor to work a second job, or encouraging the pastor’s spouse to work outside the church. At times, the church will rely on generous relatives or outside donors to ensure that the normal church staff expense places a smaller drain on the church budget. While extra income seems good, in the end, it permits the church to survive by being smaller.

Generic Stand-Alone Church

Initially, the generic stand-alone church appears to be the ideal. It can afford a pastor and part-time secretary, a part-time custodian, a part-time music minister, and a part-time children’s minister. Building debt is small and well managed. In this situation, the church leader must identify and avoid the danger of “having arrived.” Church leaders who become too comfortable with their current situation often forget that change is part of the growth cycle. They must purposefully place themselves in uncomfortable positions so as to make the necessary changes for church growth. James Collins and Jerry Porras, organizational experts, speak of ways to “put thorns in our laurels.”⁰ When tempted to sit back and relax when action is required, the thorns in the laurels create pain and move the leader to action. “Researchers abide by the principle that if it is real, you can measure it.”⁰ Churches, in like manner, must experience measureable growth. If the church is not growing, the pastor must lead the church into a path for growth.

“No Vacancy” Sign

When the parking lot and sanctuary are full, church leaders can easily justify putting out the “No Vacancy” sign. Although the church enjoyed a growth spurt and increased momentum for a season, the church can choose to reject new occasions for evangelism. Former growth causes the church to miss new opportunities to fulfill the Great Commission, the very purpose of the church. Collins and Porras state: “Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. Is the disease of ‘just being good’ incurable?”⁰ These authors clearly believe the disease is curable, but in order to accomplish greatness within the church, a pastor must become intentional and focused on moving the church from good to great.

Fortress Mentality

Church leaders who espouse the fortress mentality believe they are the pastors of the only true church. These leaders draw a tight circle around themselves, and the groups they pastor, by teaching a gospel that excludes most people. While it produces a fierce loyalty, people who need help cannot join. Only a correct understanding of the message of Christ can cure this mentality.

The Restoration of Our Golden Era

Living in the glory of the past, often called the “good old days,” can be most detrimental. John F. Kennedy said: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past are certain to miss the future.”⁰ People often experience difficulty in letting go of certain aspects of the past. Older people, in particular, face greater difficulty letting go of the past because they have so much to let go. Anatole France summarizes the problem of letting go: “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”⁰

All church leaders encounter the challenge of letting go of the past. After Ezra rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem, they dedicated the new temple to the Lord (Ezra 3:10-13). While many people rejoiced on that dedication day, another group of people remembered the glory of the previous temple and wept (v. 12). Church leaders need all of God’s wisdom to keep people from weeping over the loss of the past so that they can rejoice over the present victories.

Closing the Back Door

People who have purposely dropped out of church are one of the most difficult groups to get back in the church. Church leaders should identify and monitor the church’s visitor-retention ratio and the visitors to total attendance ratio in order to keep people from quietly slipping out the back door.

Visitor retention and assimilation represents a major aspect of church growth. Jonathan Gainsbrugh states: “The Back Door War can only be won through a thorough understanding of assimilation.”⁰ Gainsbrugh identifies seven back doors that church leaders can close through assimilation: (1) the pre-visitor, (2) the visitor, (3) new converts, (4) the new member, (5) the regular member, (6) the inactive, and (7) the drop-out. Each first time guest who lives in close proximity to the church could potentially come back and find a place in the church community. Consequently, the church leadership must construct means by which each newcomer can become a part of the local church.

High-Visibility Event

Some church leaders focus solely on special events to increase attendance. This could include events such as a revival, a Halloween alternative, or a Christmas pageant. Although special events increase attendance temporarily, the gain does not produce long-term growth. Usually, churches do not provide adequate follow-up after a special event; therefore, first-time guests never assimilate into the church. If a church hosts a special event, but does not implement a means of following up on newcomers’ attendance, the church can assume that the visitors saw it as a one-time event. Based on a survey of more than 500 churches, Thomas Rainer, in High Expectations: The Remarkable Secret for Keeping People in Your Church, determined that special events rated 2.9, which equaled “Only Slightly Important.”⁰ While special events hold some value, without proper assimilation systems, they do not present the most effective means for making disciples of Christ.