The Life Cycle of a Church

The results of the survey, that over 140 of you took, shows that the church is generally in a healthy place. Perhaps you recall in biology class the concept of a Life Cycle Growth Chart in which animal or human growth may have been illustrated with the use of what they call a Bell Curve. I like to visualize this as climbing a hill with birth at the bottom of the hill, followed by infancy, childhood, adolescence, culminating with adulthood at the top of the hill. Then the journey down the hill begins with various stages of empty nest, retirement, old age and, finally, death.

The Ministry Insight Tool survey uses this bell curve to illustrate where churches fall in this growth cycle. A few churches are on the upward side whereas many more are on the downward side. SRBC is near the top which is good news. Our Transition Team’s job in light of this news is to establish a new bell curve to prevent the common slide down the descent to death. It is likely that SRBC has had to do this several times in its 149 year history, whether they were aware of it or not, to get to where we are today.

In order to prevent this descent, the Transition Team will analyze and evaluate 12 Church Health Characteristics in order to give recommendations that will be valuable in assessing what the church needs to focus on and what characteristics will be valuable in selecting a new Lead Pastor.

Next month I will give you an overview of these 12 Church Health Characteristics. In the meantime, please, be praying for your Transition Team; for their serious focus on God and His wisdom and guidance in working through this important process.