The characteristics of an effective church

In my work with hundreds of churches over the past several years I have found that many of them struggle with how they can have a more effective ministry to their communities.  At pastor gatherings and workshops I will be asked by more than one pastor how their church can get out of their ruts and begin to engage their community.  In some cases, they already know the answer but are asking how they can get their congregations on board for the changes that need to be made.  Others really don't know what needs to be different.

In his excellent book, The Fly in the Ointment: Why Denominations Aren't Helping Their Congregations and How They Can, J. Russell Crabtree lists six characteristics of effective organizations.  I believe these apply to churches as well as other organizations.  They are:

1. They recruit, develop, and retain effective leaders.
2. They are externally focused.
3. They are tactically nimble.
4. They engage the whole person.
5. They are relentless learners.
6. They utilize best practices.

Sadly, I've been in churches where none of these things are being done.  Such churches should not be surprised that little ministry is occurring in their churches.  They are doing nothing to intentionally become an effective ministry.  These churches are often made up of some very nice folks who hope each week for a breakthrough that never comes.  Such breakthroughs seldom do come when the church, or other organization, is not ready to handle it, and churches that are not defined by these six characteristics are not going to be ready to handle the kind of breakthrough they desire.

Over the next few posts I want to briefly address each of these characteristics.  Today, we will focus on #1.  As I've, and others, have written many times before: Everything rises and falls on leadership.  Nothing good can happen in an organization if it does not have effective leaders.  In a church that includes both pastoral and lay leadership.

In many of the small churches I visit they are doing nothing to develop leaders.  Often, they have the same lay leadership they have had for years (decades in some cases).  Little is done to offer these folks training and even less thought is given to recruiting and developing future leaders.  For a church to enjoy an effective ministry over many years it must have future leaders filling its pipeline in various stages of development.

At this point, some will object and say their church doesn't have any future leaders.  That is a symptom of a lack of evangelism.  If a church is fulfilling the Great Commission there should be potential leaders coming to Christ and involved in the discipleship ministry of your church.

When I first began my pastoral ministry our church constitution called for six deacons with two rotating off each year.  The church had four deacons who had served for years because they didn't have anyone to take their place.  It took two or three years but we began to have new leaders come into the church, and within a couple of more years we had six deacons and were able to rotate them on and off the board each year.  All it took was doing effective outreach and leadership development.  It didn't happen overnight, but it happened because we were intentional about recruiting, developing, and retaining effective leaders. 

Great leaders will attract other great leaders.  Poor leaders will attract followers.  Which do you think brings the greatest benefit to the church?  As you develop leaders in your church they will attract other leaders, and when this cycle is working well any organization will benefit.  The key here is being intentional about leadership development.

How would you rate your church in this area?  What can you do to improve your recruitment, development, and retention of great leaders in your church?