Dan Smith & Mary K. Hucyke: CourageousSpace Newsletter

Where to Begin?

Do you feel at a loss about where and how to start and lead in congregational transition and development? Is so, you are not alone. Much is written about the subject, but where and how do you begin given the uniqueness of your particular setting and the uniqueness of who you are?

Congregational development is more of an art than a science. Were it a science, someone else’s process could be duplicated with predictable results. A packaged program precisely followed would produce what a congregation wanted. Leading congregational development, however, is the creative work of an artist - in conjunction with a congregation of artists – not a paint by numbers game.

Some might argue that artists are born not made, and we agree that some people are born with a tremendous amount of inherent skill and the innate knowledge of how to use their skill. But, we believe that God has gifted all of us with the ability to create. And that's what leading congregational development is - co-creating with the people of a faith community for the purpose of helping that church be a place that does an excellent job of introducing people to and nurturing them in Christian discipleship.

Knowing how, where and when to begin the creative dance…that's where many pastors report that they freeze-up. We'd encourage you to begin by talking with your parishioners. One-on-one and in small grouping, begin having conversations with your laity about church. Your laity, both those who are active leaders and those who attend irregularly have wisdom and a unique experience and perspective that you need to hear. What does church mean to them? Why do they come? And to turn it around, they may hear you preach each Sunday, but do they know why you come to church? Are you open and authentic with them?

Servant leadership, as well as the dance that is creativity, happens only through relationships – relationships marked by qualities that foster Christian community. Central among those qualities are: respect, authenticity, openness, curiosity, love, commitment, collaboration, and playfulness. Relationships marked by those qualities are not established merely in a Sunday morning worship service or through newsletter articles, but through conversations and working alongside someone on projects.

For those looking for how to start leading transition and congregational development, we'd suggest you start the artful creative dance through the art of conversation - by talking with your parishioners and neighbors. To that end, we offer you a list of conversation starters. Use them at the beginning or end of a meeting, as part of a one-on-one conversation, a bulletin-board or blog, in a retreat setting, etc. Remember that relationships need to flow two ways - your people need to hear your answers, as well as have you hear theirs.

~ Why did you start going to church? Why do you go to church now?
~ What is the one thing that your church does so well, that you think every church should do it this way?
~ What's the most important part of church to you?
~ What's it like coming here on Sunday morning?
~ Describe your 3 all-time-favorite worship services?
~ If you could give a piece of advice to a new pastor, what would you tell them?
~ If someone new moved in next door to you and asked you about churches in town, what would you tell them about yours?

~ During what part of church life do you feel closest to God? Furthest from God?
~ T he most confusing thing about faith is….
~ What do you think the purpose of church is?

Relationship is central to every step and process of leading congregational development. A good place to start then - and a specific place – is with relationship-building conversations about church. Conversation marked by respect, authenticity, openness, curiosity, love , commitment, collaboration, and playfulness is holy conversation. In such conversations relationships form and the co-creative, artistic dance begins.

Back to the Newsletter page

Email us to subscribe to our free monthly newsletter on leadership and congregational development