Congregational and Diocesan Development Issues

The purpose of this blog is to promote discussion of some ideas which I think will promote the development of first world churches, and through debate to improve those ideas. To follow the flow of my logic, read forward from the first entry; entries which form the cornerstones of my thought are flagged with "KEY--", and are listed below with a short summary of the key idea. Kindly share your suggestions and improvements with me, and I will adjust the contents accordingly. Thank you for your participation! (Direct email contact is also welcome.)

• KEY--Why are congregations weak?
  (Mostly due to defects in the culture of the judicatory: unclear mission/vision, ineffective structures, misaligned incentives, and lack of support, all of which lead to a low quality "product".)
• KEY--Correcting diocesan weaknesses
  (A summary explanation of what is involved in correcting those defects.)
• KEY--Correcting the weakness of congregations
  (How to move away from a "laisser faire" leadership style at the diocesan level in a way that has organisational legitimacy.)
• KEY--Setting Targets (Overview)
  (Dioceses now measure mostly finances and attendance, if they measure anything. Some suggestions on better measures which should have a cause and effect relationship towards wholistic growth, a Balanced Scorecard.)
• KEY--Sample Benefits from a Balanced Scorecard
  (Illustrating what wholistic growth would look like: much more than just more money or more people in church!)
• KEY--Cause and Effect for Laurentian Congregational Revitalisation
  (Shows the linkage between the different strategic activities in Laurentian churches, and growth in organisational, spiritual, financial and participatory health.)

When the time comes to implement a strategic plan, or simply to faithfully perform the work of a diocese, this is how I believe the different actors should perform their roles and invest their resources.

The Role of Management, and especially of the Bishop is to constantly preach the Strategic Plan or its equivalent, that is to say the diocese’s incarnation of the Gospel; to teach the leaders and members of the diocese how to implement the plan, and to transmit what has been learned so far; and to provide encouragement, hope and inspiration.

Diocesan Resources: These should all be channelled to reinforce and accomplish the mission of the diocese as defined by the Strategic Plan. They should be used exclusively for these purposes. All of the rewards and incentives of the organisation, and all of the investments and disinvestments which are made, should be calculated to reinforce the accomplishment of the Strategic Plan.

Leadership: This is the responsibility of all members of the diocese, each in different ways and using their different gifts in different contexts, from the youngest Sunday School member of the smallest congregation to the Bishop. Everyone must exercise their own leadership in their own place, according to their ability.

Learning must be continuous and oriented to strengthening the accomplishment of the Strategic Plan. Everyone responsible for the Plan should share in this learning, but especially Diocesan Council, Management, the front-line clergy and the members of congregations.

The Bishop, the Diocesan Executive Officer and the rest of Management must not get too far ahead of the rest of the clergy and members of the diocese. In other words, the Plan must be implemented fast enough without being so fast that we create resistance, and slow enough without being so slow that we lose momentum.

Currently, nobody knows how to revitalize a diocese except God alone; all of the best and the brightest are only just collecting clues and indicators; therefore we must try to learn from everyone with something to teach, and decide how to apply those tools (or not) in our own context, to the best of our informed judgment. We will often fail, but that will not defeat us!