Built to Last

Jim Collin’s book Built to Last is an informative look at what companies have done to make their place in the ling run. Many of his insights can be applied to the church. On that thought, the question is raised about approaching the church as an organization, and the members and potential members as consumers. Is embracing that concept selling out or facing reality?

Innovation in the new church plant:

The challenge in a new church plant is that everything is new – you probably have to innovate just to get a place to meet! The lure of this constant innovation draws a certain personality type both in the pastor and the members. The change junkies can be great fun early in the life of a church, but it can cause significant challenges down the road. I remember reading about a church that started by doing everything different from the normal concept of “church”. The new concepts and methods were very appealing. That church eventually grew into a mega church, and now struggles to be innovative. Why? Because people liked what they experienced when they joined the church. Or in traditional terms “we have always done it that way”. So how does a new church plant keep the innovative flames alive?

1. Pray (here we go again!)
2. Establish the core values and guiding principles and teach them repeatedly!
3. Commit to an annual review of the methodologies of living out those core values
4. Change the things that are not effective in meeting those values.
5. Reteach the core values regularly, based on your growth rate.