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The Healthy Church

Introduction

BEFORE WE PRAY

1. ABOUT ME

– My concern
– Not impressed with large churches
– Impressed with healthy churches
– My history & what doing now
*Life on Life
*Consulting
*Ask questions
*Give alternatives to answer questions
*Be a practitioner
– I’m your two-day employee

2. ABOUT THEM

– Want from me
– Needs of church
– How much grace from them?
– Zach’s & my talks
* His advice
* Committees
* Invite me?
– You’re the boss

3. PRAYER

4. Healthy Church

5. LOOK AT CHOICES/FACTORS (Strength & Effectiveness)

– Your requests
– My Recommendation
    *Example of Briarwood & Eastern Shore, etc
          1) Choice of identity
          2) Choice of leadership structure
          3) Choice of governance
          4) Choice of pastor
– Others
          5) Choice of ministry plan
          6) Tools for making/training disciples
– Handouts of most of the others (80)
      *randypope.org/healthychurch

List of Choices and Table of Contents

List of Choices

Choices Determining the Strength of a Church

1. The Choice of “Head” – Theological Beliefs

2. The Choice of “Heart” – Worship

3. The Choice of “Hands” – Justice and Mercy

Choices Determining the Effectiveness of a Church

4. The Choice Of “What Matters Most”

5. The Choice Of Healthy Church Description

6. The Choice Of Faith Orientation

7. The Choice Of Ministry Target

8. The Choice Of Identity

9. The Choice Of Senior Pastor

10. The Choice Of Ministry Plan

11. The Choice Of Leadership Structure

12. The Choice Of Leadership Job Descriptions

13. The Choice Of Governance

14. The Choice Of Disciple Making Tools

15. The Choice Of Disciple Training Tools

16. The Choice Of Culture Development Plan

17. The Choice Of Target Audience

18. The Choice Of Worship Style

19. The Choice Of Staff Selection

20. The Choice of Prime Time Usage

21. The Choice of Membership Process

22. The Choice of Ministry Pathway

23. The Choice of Spiritual Gifts Equipping

Table of Contents

1. Intro

2. Overview and Table of Contents

3. Choices Determining the Strength of a Church

1. The Choice of “Head” – Theological Beliefs

2. The Choice of “Heart” – Worship

3. The Choice of “Hands” – Justice and Mercy

4. Choices Determining the Effectiveness of a Church

4. The Choice Of “What Matters Most”

5. The Choice Of Healthy Church Description

6. The Choice Of Faith Orientation

7. The Choice Of Ministry Target

8. The Choice Of Identity

9. The Choice Of Senior Pastor

10. The Choice Of Ministry Plan

11. The Choice Of Leadership Structure

12. The Choice Of Leadership Job Descriptions

13. The Choice Of Governance

14. The Choice Of Disciple Making Tools

15. The Choice Of Disciple Training Tools

16. The Choice Of Culture Development Plan

17. The Choice Of Target Audience

18. The Choice Of Worship Style

19. The Choice Of Staff Selection

20. The Choice of Prime Time Usage

21. The Choice of Membership Process

22. The Choice of Ministry Pathway

23. The Choice of Spiritual Gifts Equipping

5. Miscellaneous Handouts

6. Quotes

7. List of All Handouts

8. Conclusion

 

1. Choices Determining the Strength of a Church

1.1 The Choice of "Head" - Theological Beliefs
1.2 The Choice of "Heart" - Worship
1.3 The Choice of "Hands" - Justice and Mercy

2. Choices Determining the Effectiveness of a Church

2.1 The Choice of "What Matters Most"

Choice of Purpose 

What should the Pastor’s/Church’s Priorities Be? His “One Thing”?

The One Thing – Bishop J.C. Ryle

A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, wholehearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies, –whether he has health, or whether he has sickness, –whether he is rich, or whether he is poor, –whether he pleases man, or whether he is thought offensive, –whether he is thought wise, or whether he is through foolish, –whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise, –whether he gets honour, or whether he gets shame, — for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God’s glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it, –he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work which God appointed him.

Example of 3-legged Table

Download The One Thing

Sermon Sunday

*Danger of Church Growth Movement

*Illust. Gaining 200 lbs

*Stool Illustration

2.2 The Choice of Healthy Church Description

12 Characteristics of a Healthy Church

  1. They embark on a journey of faith.
  2. They choose influence over success.
  3. They embrace ministries of the head, heart, and hand.
  4. They are intentional about making mature and equipped followers of Christ, who make mature and equipped followers of Christ.
  5. They equip their people to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit.
  6. They emphasize the marriage of grace and duty.
  7. They destroy the ministry idols of tradition and preference.
  8. They don’t compromise spiritual nutrition for the sake of simplicity and growth.
  9. They provide healthy environments for worship and feeding rather than environments for entertainment and self-help inspiration.
  10. They correctly steward the keys to the Kingdom and the sacraments.
  11. They underscore all their teaching with the realities of the authentic gospel and of Christ as the only hope of glory.
  12. They allow their pastor and elders to focus on shepherding through their teaching, leading, and equipping.

Download 12 Characteristics of a Healthy Church

Download Healthy Church Notes

2.3 The Choice of Faith Orientation
2.4 The Choice of Ministry Target

The Problem

(Within The Modern Church)

The present day church (for the most part) has embraced an ineffective plan for making and training disciples.

 *Part 1 of our story (up to 5 ingredients)

Mature and Equipped Followers of Christ

  1. are living consistently under the control of the Holy Spirit, the direction of the Word of God, and the motivation of the love of Christ,
  2. have discovered, developed, and are using their spiritual gifts,
  3. have learned to effectively share their faith, in a winsomely engaging way,
  4. give evidence of being

 a faithful member of God’s church

 an effective manager of life, relationships, and resources,

 a willing minister to others, including “the least of these”, and

 an available messenger to non-Kingdom people, and

  1. demonstrate a life characterized as

 gospel driven,

 worship-focused,

 morally pure,

 evangelistically bold,

 discipleship grounded,

 family faithful, and

 socially responsible.

*Story of 5 bet offering

*Hybrid story “How would you do that today?”

*Next the Gifts???

 Download this file

2.5 The Choice of Identity

Which One of the Following Would You Choose for your Church’s Identity?

1. Preaching, Teaching, Education (Feeding the Congregation)

2. Shepherding Identity (Caring for the Flock)

3. Outreach Identity (Winning the Lost)

4. Mercy & Justice Identity (Caring for the Needy)

5. Equipping Identity (Training the Saints for Ministry)

Download 12 Questions Related to Addressing the Concerns of Many Within the P.C.A.

Download The P.C.A.’s Neglected Priority 

2.6 The Choice of Disciple-Making Philosophy and Tools

Choice of Tools for Making Disciples

M

H                  Luke 15

The Typical Omission
(Training Disciples to Make Disciples)

Unless Life-on-Life Discipleship is missional in its focus and training, we run the risk of producing weak believers at best and impotent believers at worst.

Discipleship is missional when equipping and training the participant to have 3 things:

1. To have a Kingdom mindset where they live, work & play.

2. To have a missional toolset which is both biblically based and culturally relevant.

– Toolbelt (Importance Of Tools)

    • 4 Types of Tools

1) Introductory Tools

2) Primary Tools

3) Support Tools

4) Follow-Up Tools

    • A 3 Step Strategy (G.B.I.)

1) Greet

2) Befriend

3) Invite

    • 3 Types of Invitation

1) Read

2) Attend

3) Investigate

a. Tools designed with the belief that God does the converting using His tool, the Bible.

b. Tools which created a forum to address the questions that nonbelievers are asking (and do so by allowing for multiple appointment conversations rather than single appointment presentations).

        • How can Christians believe that the Bible is God’s Word without error?
        • How can Christians believe that all people, including moral, religious people who are not Christians, deserve to be separated from God for all eternity?
        • How can Christians believe that of all the religious leaders who have ever lived, that Jesus is the only way to God?
        • If there is merit to Christianity’s answer to these first three questions, then what does Jesus say is required to have eternal life?

c. Tools which are relevant to the culture in which they live.

        • tract (1-D)
        • monologue (2-D) – Single appointment presentation designed for prepared people.
        • dialogue (3-D) – Multiple appointment conversations designed for unprepared people.

d. Tools which respect the two greatest desires of an interested seeker:

        • brevity
        • privacy

3. To have intentionality about identifying their most fruitful workshop.

 

Download The Typical Omission

Download The Typical Omission with Notes

Download The Lifelong Effective Discipler

Download Making Disciples

Download The Lifelong Discipler

Becoming A More Outward-Facing Church

 

©Randy Pope. 2025

2.7 The Choice of Disciple-Training Philosophy and Tools

Download The Solution

The Lifelong Disciple Trainer

3 Necessities

1)    A Life-changing, Leadership Paradigm

 – T.E.A.M.S.

– Ken Blanchard – Situational Leadership Paradigm

2)    A Single, Gospel-centered Curriculum

– 1 Curriculum

– 3 years

 

3)    A Repeatable, Multiplying Strategy

– 5 8 h

– If elder had ever said …

– lifeonlife.org (2 booklets)

– “Making Disciples”

– “Training Disciples”

Download The Lifelong Disciple Trainer

 

Training Disciples

1) The options

  • Sermons, etc.

2) Not working

  • Pastor conferences

3)  Introduce Life on Life

  • (as old as the hand of God)
  • “laboring in the lives of a few with their God of making mature and equipped followers of Christ who make mature and equipped followers of Christ

4)     Our church story

  • T. E.A.M.S. (more than small groups)
  • Ken Blanchard

Direct   –>  Coach  –>  Support  –>  Delegate

     T                 E                   A                    M

 5)     The goal = multiplication

  • My group question – “number you might impact in ten years?”
  • Paul F story

Cohort training

Download Training Disciples for Notes

 

Commonly Asked Questions

About Making and Training Disciples

  1. What is the difference between a Journey Group and a traditional small group?

 

Small Group Journey Group
1.  Leader moderates / teaches 1. Leaders labor in the lives of members to take to maturity & equipping
2.  Members can come without preparation 2. Members must show up prepared
3.  Members don’t have to come if inconvenient 3. Members show up, prepared, even when inconvenient
4.  Members come to get 4. Members come to get in order to give away to others
5.  Members don’t have to be missional 5. Members are held accountable to me missional
6.  Members have no obligation when they leave the group 6. Members are expected to lead others when they leave the group
7.  Members can be in a group as long as the group exists 7. Members are in a group up to three years max
8.  Group uses ever changing curriculum 8. Group uses the same curriculum repeatedly

 

2. How does the pastor find the time to make and train disciples?

*Story of Jai                                *Story of Dana

3. What should the ultimate goal be for our church’s discipleship ministry?

Traditional Discipleship Ministry
(a preaching/program-focused ministry)

A church with many important ministries but no
identifiable equipping and coaching of people to
make and train disciples.

Life-on-Life Discipleship Ministry
(a heavy emphasis on Life-on-Life discipleship)

A church with a well thought-through, identifiable
life-on-life discipleship ministry which is one
ministry among many other important ministries
within the church (but it does not equip & coach its
people to make and train disciples).

Life-on-Life Discipleship Ministry As The Central
Focus of the Ministry
(an equipping ministry supported by gospel-centered
preaching and programs)

A church which uses its foundational centerpiece
ministry (LOLMD) to shape, influence, and fuel all of its
other ministries. It equips its people to make and train
disciples, who make and train disciples

 

4. What is the best plan to get our church from where we are to where we want to be regarding Life-On-Life Missional Discipleship?

 

5. What does Life-On-Life coaching and support look like?

 

6. Where do I find other Life on Life resources?

What Is Life-On-Life Missional Discipleship? (video)

https://lifeonlife.org/

Life on Life Resources: https://lifeonlife.org/resources/

Discipleship Foundations

The Journey

The Answer

Life Issues Booklets

INsourcing: Bringing Discipleship Back To The Local Church

Express Your Faith Kit

The Journey – Gospel Living

Next Step Booklets

The Intentional Church

Finding Your Million Dollar Mate

 

Life On Life Training Process (video & link for info call)

https://lifeonlife.org/training/

 

The Journey (testimonies & resources)

https://lifeonlife.org/resources/the-journey/

 

Express Your Faith: (https://lifeonlife.org/resources/express-2/)

The Diagram video

Randy Pope Interview with The Gospel Coalition:

Deep Before Wide: A Vision For Returning Discipleship To The Church

 

Download Commonly Asked Questions About Making and Training Disciples

Download Commonly Asked Questions with Notes

 

 

2.8 The Choice of Senior Pastor

*Story of Rainbow

* What if Sr. Pastor is not primarily a leader/equipper by giftedness?

– Jeff Norris

2.9 The Choice of Ministry Plan

* “People not serving” illustration

*Business venture – discretionary money for investment

* Advil story

* Analogy of constructing a building (1 Peter 2)

  • Owner = God
  • General Contractor = Elder
  • Project Manager = Pastor
  • Sub-contractor = Staff & Laity

Download Perimeter Church Ministry Plan

Constructing a Healthy Church

  1. Determining which is most important
  • Church growth or church health?

 

  1. Embracing two building criteria (1 Peter 2)
  • Christ is our cornerstone
  • God’s people are the building stones

 

  1. Selecting the architect
  • God or man?
  • Empowering the lead draftsman (pastor)
  • Listening to the architect (hearing God)
  • Embracing a journey of faith

 

  1. Choosing the contractors
  • Who they are (elders, deacons, staff, & members)
  • What they do (job descriptions)
  • How they organize (form of government)
  • How they make decisions (a congress or a family?)
  • How you choose them (qualifications for each)
  • Replacing the general contractor (succession planning)

 

  1. Value engineering to assure healthiness
  • Hoping for health or defining health and intentionally pursing it
  • Characteristics of a healthy church

1)    Healthy churches underscore all their teaching with the realities of the authentic gospel and of Christ as the only hope of glory

2)    Healthy churches correctly steward the keys to the kingdom and the sacraments

3)    Healthy churches equip their people to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit

4)    Healthy churches emphasize the marriage of grace and duty

5)    Healthy churches have a mature understanding of, and focus on, discipleship – being intentional about making mature and equipped followers of Christ, who make mature and equipped followers of Christ

6)    Healthy churches have an effective plan and contemporary tools for making disciples, training disciples and developing leaders

7)    Healthy churches equally embrace ministries of the head, heart and hand

8)    Healthy churches refuse to compromise spiritual nutrition for the sake of simplicity and growth

9)    Healthy churches provide healthy environments for worship and feeding rather than environments for entertainment and inspirational, self-help Bible instruction

10)  Healthy churches destroy the ministry idols of tradition and preference

11)  Healthy churches fight against the promotion and practice of pastor celebrity

12)  Healthy churches allow their pastor to focus on shepherding through his teaching, leadership and equipping

  • Additional characteristics addressed elsewhere

1)    Healthy churches embrace a continual, God-given journey of faith (see #3)

2)    Healthy churches embrace healthy Kingdom models (see #6)

3)    Healthy churches have a strategic and inspiring ministry plan and pathway which are consistent with the characteristics of a healthy church (see #6)

4)    Healthy churches have healthy boards and wise leadership structures (see #4)

 

  1. Deciding on a building style, blueprint and pathway
  • Style options (ministry models)
  • The blueprint (ministry plan)
  • The sequence of construction (ministry pathway)
  • Who has the responsibility to decide?

 

  1. Raising capital for construction
  • Casting vision before raising money
  • Raising donors before raising money
  • How to determine the budget
  • Choosing between staff, programs, facilities and benvolences

 

  1. Maintaining quality of construction
  • Identifying harmful mindsets (belief & thinking patterns) and determining what they should be
  • Describing the desired outcomes
  • Listing the non-negotiable behaviors
  • Implementing structures of accountability

 

  1. Keeping updated construction documents
  • Ministry plan
  • Ministry pathway
  • Officer election process
  • Officer orientation
  • Elder commission (EMT) orientation
  • Officer covenants
  • Staff coaching (“The Big Win”)
  • Membership Training
  • Membership Covenant
  • Staff Policy Manual
  • Staff evaluation
  • Shepherding training

Download Constructing A Healthy Church

2.10 The Choice of Leadership Structure

Deciding on Your Leadership Structure

Who has the responsibility to do what regarding leadership decisions?

There are 3 primary functions of leaders in the church:

1) ruling
2) leading
3) executing

There are 2 primary leadership positions within the church:

1) elders
2) staff

Most all would agree that elders rule and that staff executes (programs of the church).

There are 2 primary options for a church’s leadership structure:

1) elders rule and lead – staff executes
2) elders rule – staff leads and executes

An abbreviated summary of ruling responsibilities:

Approving and overseeing the church’s ministry plan, pastoring, policies, budget and health, while guarding the church’s theological purity and gospel centrality.

An abbreviated summary of executing responsibilities:

Directing the ministries, programs and procedures which have been chosen to fulfill the church’s ministry plan.

An abbreviated summary of leading responsibilities:

Deciding on the personnel, ministries, programs and procedures the church will use to fulfill the church’s ministry plan.

I suggest the best option for a church’s leadership structure is:

Elders rule – Staff leads and executes

Examples of responsibilities when staff are responsible for both leading and executing:

●assisting the elder leadership in equipping of the saints and the shepherding of the flock

●deciding how to successfully fulfill the church’s ministry plan (purpose, vision, mission and values & goals) in a timely manner

●hiring and supervising the staff allotted in the budget

●presenting a ministry plan (new or updated) for approval by the elders

●creating and maintaining a healthy morale and culture among the staff, officers and members of

Many, if not most, PCA churches use a hybrid of these two structures (which in my opinion is very unwise).

●They do so by having a committee run church, putting staff, elders and laity on the committees of the major ministries of the church (i.e., missions, youth, worship, etc.)

It is important that no committee or ministry team have an elder placed on the leadership team as a representative of the session. It is fine for an elder to join a ministry team as merely a church member.

For any leadership structure to work, 2 things are critical:

1) The pastor must be a man who both desires and invites his ideas and advice be challenged before a final controversial decision is made.

* story of Gordon Moore

2) During and after every decision is made among both staff and elders, each person must embrace the values of honesty and loyalty.

* Story of my disloyalty with Rod Lee

* Story of elder being distant (said nothing)

Download Deciding on Your Leadership Structure

2.11 The Choice of Leadership Job Descriptions

Officer, Staff, and Congregation
Job Descriptions

1. OFFICERS

1) Elders

Men who are duly elected as the elders of the church have the authority and responsibility to oversee the fulfillment of the church’s ministry plan and to oversee the pastoring of the church, which includes:

• shepherding a small flock of approximately 10 families in one’s parish
• to be on shepherding care teams and reconciliation teams for those who are in times of crisis and/or grievous sin
• to disciple a handful of men
• to “equip the saints to do the work of ministry”
• to serve in performing membership interviews and exit interviews
• to assist teaching pastors in the offering of communion and the performing of baptism

2) Elder Commission (Elder Ministry Team – EMT)

The EMT is comprised of the pastor and 9 elders who have the authority of a commission of the elders at large to perform on their behalf the responsibility of overseeing the fulfillment of the church ministry plan, which includes establishing policy and approving of budget. (See EMT Orientation document for details of responsibilities.)

3) Deacons

Deacons serve under the authority of the session (EMT) to care for the physical and emotional needs of the flock, distributing available resources of the church, designated by the session. As modelled in Scripture, the deacons are available to take any responsibility deemed necessary by the session to free them to their God-given responsibilities (Acts 6).

4) Deacon Commission (Deacon Ministry Team – DMT)

The DMT is comprised of 8 deacons plus a church staff member who serves as a liaison to the staff. In addition to one deacon chosen to serve as chairman of the DMT, the remaining seven serve as a team leader of one of seven teams of deacons. Those seven teams are:

(1) Deacon Care
(2) Stewardship
(3) Widows
(4) Communion preparation
(5) Communications and technology
(6) Audit
(7) Building and Grounds

2. STAFF

1) Staff At Large

The staff serve under the authority of the EMT to give primary leadership to the equipping of the saints and the shepherding of the flock. It is their job to create and maintain effective processes, programs and culture to make the Bride of Christ as beautiful as she can be. (See Staff Big Win document for creating cultures, etc.).

2) Senior Pastor

The Senior Pastor is responsible to lead the staff to successfully fulfill the purpose, vision, mission, values and goals of the church on schedule, as approved by the elder commission (EMT). He is responsible for the hiring of all staff (though delegated through other staff depending on the level of staff). It is his job to work, seeking the counsel of the staff of his choice, to bring a ministry plan (updated annually as needed) to the EMT for approval. He is responsible to create and maintain a healthy morale among the staff and membership of the church (with the support of the EMT).

3 options for his use of time

 

Requirements for him to be an effective leader-equipper

(1) He must be faithful to focus only on his agreed-upon responsibilities.

(2) The membership must be willing to be equipped and be the ministers.

 

3. CHURCH MEMBERS

Church members have a threefold job description:

1) to get equipped to do the work of ministry

• this involves a willingness to discover their spiritual gifts and get equipped to use their natural talents and spiritual gifts

2) to seek God as to where they can best use their natural talents and spiritual gifts in the service to God and His Kingdom

3) to be available and faithful to pursue use of these talents and gifts as God places an opportunity before them

Summary Analogy

All seem to agree that the owner of the church is God. Beyond this, there is often much confusion about the job responsibilities of elders, staff, and members. To use a business analogy, the elders and staff do the work of the employer. They look to God for direction through His Word and prayer. It is their job to equip the employees (the members, who do the work of ministry), These members are responsible to minister one to another, as well as the unchurched (the primary customer).

Owner = God

Employer = Elders & Staff

Employee = Members

Customer = Unchurched (and members)

Job Descriptions

EMT Orientation

Church Staff Orientation

Perimeter Church Membership Covenant

Elder Covenant

Deacon Covenant

2.12 The Choice of Governance

What Form of Governance Do You Want Your Church To Use?

– Two Options

1) A Traditional Presbyterian Governance

    • All elders vote on all important church issues and perhaps shepherd and lead
    • Either have all elders permanently “on session” or if a very large church, rotate a certain number each year to “off session”

2) An Elder Commission

    • The elders elect a commissioner of elders, which rotate through the Commission. The only staff on the Commission is the pastor who acts as Moderator, voting only in the case of a tie. 

– Let’s look at the Elder Commission (6 questions)

1. Is it biblical?

    • If not unbiblical, it is deemed as acceptable
    • In fact, most larger churches that use a traditional session allow their Sr. Pastor to focus on certain areas and not others (such as preaching, but not counselling). They focus on their strength.
    • Some say inappropriate not to have all elders vote on all issues, and then rotate many off each year & they don’t vote on any issues for several years until they rotate back on.

2. Is it acceptable according to the BCO?

    • Yes – Commissions can be formed by a session to make decisions for the larger body or elders whenever they deem it helpful.
    • Roy Taylor, PCAs previous Stated Clerk for many years was asked if a governing Commission meets the Spirit of the BCO.
      He replied, 

“Yes. As long as the Commission reports back to the full session at least annually.”

    • Charles Donohoe, in response to being questioned about the appropriateness, said “I basically authored the BCO and I not only see it governing commission as permitted, but I see it as more and more wise for many churches.”

3. What are the benefits of an elder commission?

1) It frees a majority of the elders to focus more and better on shepherding, teaching, etc.

2) It maintains a small enough body for everyone to give their input so as to more quickly make the best decision.

* Call from Tom Leopard

* Travis’ visit to an elder commission

3) It better stewards different strengths and spiritual gifts – some making decisions (wisdom, etc) and other’s preaching or teaching.

4) Keep the decision-making board fresh re: perspective and history (1 old, 2 new) and enables to more easily achieve greater diversity in age, culture, and ethnicity.

5) Allow the Commission to function as a family news that versus that of a congress

        • examples
        • Robert not invited in

6) Allow the pastor to be both held accountable and shepherded.

* our 1st hour

7) Allows shorter meetings

        • 2 committees (Business & Finance, and Pastoral)

8) Enable all men who aspire to the office of elder and who are sp. qualified, to become elder (never too many)

        • Over 300 and seeking more

 

4. What is the Best Size of a Commission?

    • No less than 5, no more than 12, plus Sr. Pastor
    • Perimeter has 9 plus our Sr. Pastor
    • Odd number is preferable
    • 3 year terms
    • John Carver, author of Policy Gevernance, says
      • “The rule of thumb is that you should have to justify any number
        over 7.”  Our reason for 9 + pastor- because of travel, a few are
        usually gone
    • One survey study says that for every # of a team over 7, the decision-making effectiveness goes down by 10%.
      • Interesting – Supreme Court = 9

 

5. What is the history of using a governing commission?

    • Perimeter in early 1980s
    • Tell story

6. What other PCA churches are using an Elder Commission?

    • John Purcell
    • Perimeter = 300 elders
    • Covenant Church, Naples 1000
    • Westminster, Rock Hill (Shelton S.) 1000
    • Oak Mtn 2500

What Form of Governance Do You Want Your Church To Use?

2.13 The Choice of Culture Development Plan

Developing Leadership and a Culture of Leadership

Leadership Culture

1. Leadership Culture is not achieved by programs but rather by environments.

 

2. Leadership Culture environments are not developed by spontaneity but rather by intentionality.

 

3. Intentional Leadership Cultural transformation is only as effective as the plan to do so.

 

3 words

Environments

Intentionality

Plan

 

Leadership Development

1. The most critical building block for spiritual leadership development is spiritual maturity.

 

2. There is a proven process for developing spiritually mature leaders.

Truth –> Equipping –> Accountability –>Mission

(all in an environment of prayer)

3. Environments of only truth and mission produce disillusioned, ineffective leaders.

 

4. The biblical process of leadership development is best accomplished in a life-on-life environment.

* one person laboring in the life of another

Developing Leadership and a Culture of Leadership

 

Our Big Win 

Making The Bride Of Christ As Beautiful As She Can Become Before The Lord Returns.

To win, our staff must model being:

generous
missional
dependent
life on life

WINNING KINGDOM TEAMS

1. Winning Kingdom Teams have an intentional & healthy culture which everyone embraces, and high standards of performance which everyone keeps.

2. Winning Kingdom Teams operate as a family, willing to make sacrifices for the good of their teammates as well as for the good of the team’s mission.

WINNING MINDSETS

1. Regarding the capability of volunteers
– Many important ministries can be led by volunteers.

2. Regarding recruitment of volunteers
– Effective recruitment of volunteers is accomplished best by life on life invitations to “sample, see & pray” on a weekly basis, with terms of service beginning and ending throughout the year.

3. Regarding weekend worship
– Weekly family worship is critically important and possible for every staff member.

4. Regarding the specialization of job descriptions
– Staff can be effective with moderately broad job descriptions and must be available to serve in any staff capacity asked by one’s supervisor.

5. Regarding time management
– Staff function more effectively with on-going accountability of one’s use of time.

6. Regarding expectations of leadership responsibilities
– Believing that good leaders do not lead by what they say, but rather by what they tolerate, staff should expect honest feedback from their leaders including expressions of frustration, disappointment, correction and admonition as well as encouragement, praise and appreciation. Staff should expect accountability and consequences for poor performance as well as praise and reward for outstanding performance.

 

WINNING CULTURES

1. Dependence – dependence on the Holy Spirit
2. Worship – sincere worship of God
3. Discipleship – faithful making and training of disciples
4. Stewardship – efficient use of time and resources
5. Innovation – creative and innovative thinking
6. Family – strategic family building activities

 

WINNING BEHAVIORS

1. Dependence on the Holy Spirit (a culture of dependence)
– Appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of each day and throughout each day as needed (KCP)

2. Sincere Worship of God (a culture of worship)
– Daily personal worship
– Weekly corporate worship (family worship)

3. Faithful Making and Training of Disciples (a culture of discipleship)
– Routine encounters of GBI
– Diligently seeking to sponsor a minimum of four new families or singles per year into the membership and life of Perimeter
– Leading an approved Journey Group (unless permitted to be a participant in another leader’s Journey group)

4. Efficient Use of Time and Resources (a culture of stewardship)
– Maximizing an approved work week (worship not included unless leading)
– Volunteering your time for service to the church over and beyond regular work hours
– Tithing (giving at least 10% of gross income) to the Lord. Perimeter Church recognizes that supporting other ministries may be a portion of your tithe.

5. Creative and Innovative Thinking (a culture of innovation)
– Spending a minimum of 1 hour per work week dreaming how our ministries could make the Bride of Christ more beautiful

6. Strategic Family Building Activities (a culture of family)
– Engaging in monthly relationship building activities (games, meals, etc.)

 

OUR MANTRA

Embracing Our Culture. Keeping Our Standards.

Our Big Win – Staff 

 

Culture

Definition: “What most of the people do most of the time”

– A healthy church is not created by programs.

  • rather by creating environments (includes programs)
  • doesn’t happen spontaneously
  • requires intentional plan

– Culture changes for the better by

1) redirecting improper mindsets,

2) insisting on proper behaviors,

3) sticking to an excellent plan,

4) focusing on equipping, and

5) providing excellent tools.

 

1) Mindset

– Identifying bad mindsets that need to be changed and those which should replace present mindsets

– Illustrate with “Winning Cultures”

– Mindset must always be co-joined with “behaviors”

2) Behavior

– Determined not by what is required but by what is tolerated

– Must choose discipline now or disappointment later

– See “Winning Cultures”

3) Plan

– For life, family, ministry, & business

– Required for significant investments

illust. (investment opportunity)

– Story of Jim Alexander’s employees

– My meeting w/ church leadership

– 5 components

1) Purpose

2) Vision – “Strategic planning is worthless unless there is first a strategic vision – John Nawbitt

3) Mission

4) Values (later)

5) Goals

** Show Perimeter’s Ministry Plan

** Show my Life Plan

4) Equipping

– Operating System (???)

– Ken Blanchard (situational leadership)

*My Story

 

5) Tools

– must be culturally relevant

– tools to make disciples (Express)

(see “Making Disciples”)

– tools to train disciples (Journey)

( see “Training Disciples)

 

Developing a Leadership Cultures

1. Environments

– not programs

– life-on-life environment

– laboring in lives of a few

 

2. Intentionality

– not spontaniety

 

3. Plan

– only as effective as the plan

– goal – spiritual maturity

– 5 building blocks

1) Truth

2) Equipping (coaching)

3) Accountability (support)

4) Mission

5) Supplication

– leave E&A out –> ineffective leaders

* Our Story

2.14 The Choice of Target Audience
2.15 The Choice of Worship Style
2.16 The Choice of Staff Selection
2.17 The Choice of Prime Time Usage
2.18 The Choice of Membership Process
2.19 The Choice of Ministry Pathway
2.20 The Choice of Spiritual Gifts Equipping
2.21 The Choice of Shepherding Plans
2.22 The Choice of Facilities

4. Quotes

Randy Pope journaled thoughts
Lofty ideals are rarely experienced without an outstanding, well thought through plan comprised of intentional practices which support the intended “one thing.”

Herman Bavinck, 1854-1921, Dutch Reformed Theologian
The faith that does not confess becomes shy, timid, retracts, begins to pine away, or is sometimes even discovered in its falseness and unfaithfulness. And the confession without faith is nothing more than a flower without a stem, it withers and falls to pieces. On the other hand, by and through confessing, faith gains in strength, power, and vitality, becomes more firmly founded, and shoots its root deeper and deeper into the ground of the heartland. By and through faith, confessing receives its animation and fire, gains in courage and freeness, and as by a secret, invisible flame, it is constantly preserved and fed.

Randy Pope journaled thoughts
Training to help disciples become mature and equipped followers of Christ, absent of the admonition and training to make new disciples of Christ, is a failure in the process to make mature and equipped followers of Christ.

Randy Pope journaled thoughts
We have no idea how wrong we are regarding the impact of the Word (truth/directing) without being coupled with coaching and support.

Richard Baxter
I frequently meet with those that have been my hearers (for) 8 or 10 years, who know not whether Christ be God or man…I have found by experience, that an ignorant man that hath been an unprofitable hearer so long, hath got more knowledge and remorse of conscience in half an hours close discourse, then they did from ten years hearing public preaching. I know that preaching of the Gospel publicly is the most excellent means, because we speak to many at once: But otherwise, it is usually far more effectual to preach it privately to a particular sinner.

Randy Pope journaled thoughts
To what degree are you, as a leader, championing the process of equipping and coaching disciples to win the lost?

Henry Hammond (English Theologian, 1600s, Puritan)
Private instruction is “a more likely way to fill narrow mouth’d bottles (and such are the most of us) to take them [individually] in the hand, and pour water into them, than to set them altogether, and throw ever so much water upon them.”

Individually applying God’s Word is imperative for effective discipleship.

Randy Pope journaled thoughts
“Event” must always be coupled with “process”. Today, our western education has convinced us that power is in knowledge and, thus, feeling satisfied even though the “process” is left behind.

Randy Pope journaled thoughts
There are no life skills which are adequately taught without coaching (equipping).

The One Thing – Bishop J.C. Ryle
A zealous man in religion is preeminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, wholehearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies, –whether he has health, or whether he has sickness, –whether he is rich, or whether he is poor, –whether he pleases man, or whether he is thought offensive, –whether he is thought wise, or whether he is through foolish, –whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise, –whether he gets honour, or whether he gets shame, — for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God’s glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it, –he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work which God appointed him.

© Randy Pope 2025.

 

PDF of Quotes

 The Healthy Church

25 Determining Choices

Choices Determining the Strength of a Church

1. The Choice of “Head” – Theological Beliefs

2. The Choice of “Heart” – Worship

3. The Choice of “Hands” – Justice and Mercy

Choices Determining the Effectiveness of a Church

4. The Choice Of “What Matters Most”

5. The Choice Of Healthy Church Description

6. The Choice Of Faith Orientation

7. The Choice Of Ministry Target

8. The Choice Of Identity

9. The Choice of Disciple-Making Philosophy and Tools

10. The Choice Of Disciple-Training Philosophy and Tools

11. The Choice Of Senior Pastor

12. The Choice Of Ministry Plan

13. The Choice Of Leadership Structure

14. The Choice Of Leadership Job Descriptions

15. The Choice Of Governance

16. The Choice Of Culture Development Plan

17. The Choice Of Target Audience

18. The Choice Of Worship Style

19. The Choice Of Staff Selection

20. The Choice of Prime Time Usage

21. The Choice of Membership Process

22. The Choice of Ministry Pathway

23. The Choice of “Spiritual Gifts” Equipping

24. The Choice of Shepherding Plan

25. The Choice of Facilities