tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306378782640780675.post6865351615380082628..comments2023-11-28T12:21:53.986-08:00Comments on Kevin on Congregations: Readiness for RevitalizationDean Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10900463973040820047noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306378782640780675.post-10219030025215544992010-05-29T10:05:55.558-07:002010-05-29T10:05:55.558-07:00Kevin....
The real question is to revitalize into ...Kevin....<br />The real question is to revitalize into what. <br /><br />"Time is running short for mainline churches to change direction." <br /><br />A recent article stated that churches reach about 40% of the population so what about the other 60%?<br /><br />Seth Godin wrote once: Change comes almost always, from the outside.<br /><br />Several years ago, I encountered a young guy trying to make that change in TEC. The mission was called "Quest" and was in Bakersfield, CA. I can't remember his name.<br /><br />I don't believe incremental change will make a big difference. From my perspective, the Quest effort was trying to create something quite different. <br /><br />Preservation seems to be the TEC game plan.<br /><br />I would hope that there are some leaders that can create significant change.<br /><br />Jim Baker<br />Cary, NCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306378782640780675.post-28038985568843419242010-05-13T17:31:18.502-07:002010-05-13T17:31:18.502-07:00My very first Sunday here (not even officially as ...My very first Sunday here (not even officially as interim at that point) happened to be the annual meeting where one woman said they should have a discussion about whether to close now or to muddle along until they had to close.<br /><br />I allowed as there was another option.<br /><br />Three plus years on, as the newly minted incumbent, I often refer back to that to make a point about how far we've come. But it occurred to me this week that there was another important thing about that comment.<br /><br />As a certain candidate for bishop in an American diocese once remarked about church revitalization, "Of course we believe in resurrection - but first you have to realize you;re dead."<br /><br />That woman's remark 3.5 years ago was an unequivocal acknowledgement of real crisis - and opened up the possibility of looking to a resurrection future as opposed to a merely resucitated reliving of the past.Malcolm+https://www.blogger.com/profile/08469936715413110334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306378782640780675.post-12852172294819113502010-05-13T15:19:19.080-07:002010-05-13T15:19:19.080-07:00Kevin
That's RIGHT on target, point by point. ...Kevin<br />That's RIGHT on target, point by point. <br />Bullard's material is excellent as well, but if a congregation is willing to do the difficult work of translating from a business model, Ichak Adizes' material on Life Cycle is the Ur-Text on Life Cycles - especially see "Managing Corporate Lifestyles" Prentice Hall 1999. The title says it all; there are things that you can actually DO at each stage to keep or get an organization to a higher degree of vitality. <br />I'd be happy to talk more if you want!<br />John KeydelUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16538170050355254514noreply@blogger.com