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How Churches Grow and Change (and how ours will…) January 8, 2007 Rev. Dr. Matt Tittle Bay Area UU Church Houston, TX. Visioning the future….
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How Churches Grow and Change(and how ours will…)January 8, 2007Rev. Dr. Matt TittleBay Area UU ChurchHouston, TX
Visioning the future… • Looking at your entire experience at BAUUC, remember a time when you felt most alive, most fulfilled, or most excited about your involvement in the church… • What made it exciting? • Who else was involved? • Describe how you felt about it? Source: Campbell, Congregations as Learning Communities, Alban, 2000
Visioning the future… • Without being humble, what do you value most about yourself as a person and as a member of BAUUC? • What do you value most about BAUUC? • What is the most important thing this church has contributed to your life? Source: Campbell, Congregations as Learning Communities, Alban, 2000
Visioning the future… • What is the core ingredient in BAUUC’s make up, without which it just wouldn’t be BAUUC? • Make three wishes for the future of BAUUC… Source: Campbell, Congregations as Learning Communities, Alban, 2000
BAUUC Vision • The vision of the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church (BAUUC) is to be a vibrant liberal religious home respecting all people and advocating our principles in the community and the world. Adopted by the congregation in 2005
BAUUC Mission • Our mission is to improve our community and our world by: • encouraging spiritual growth in a diverse congregation which respects the free and responsible expression of ideas; • covenanting compassionate fellowship; • providing a joyful environment that nurtures creativity; • collaborating with others to promote our values; • providing a vibrant life span program; • and promoting environmentally sustainable practices. Adopted by the congregation in 2005
Why grow and change? • Remember, growth is multifaceted: • Quantitative, qualitative, spiritual, psychological, relational, etc. • Because we are under-serving our community. • Because someone in our local area will benefit from being here. • Because our mission and vision call for us to serve. • Because many people come looking for something that is currently missing in their lives (members and visitors). • Because it is what human beings do… • Because our theology/values require it. • Because it would be selfish not to.
Research shows… • Congregations fall into distinctive size categories, and congregations of different sizes organize in different ways. Each has its own recognizable way of “being church.” Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Research shows… • Average sabbath attendance--all ages all worship services combined, over the whole year--is the best single indicator of size. • BAUUC average attendance is 250+. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Research shows… • Congregations do not grow or decline smoothly, but tend to “plateau” at certain predictable levels of attendance. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Research shows… • In order to break through an attendance plateau, a congregation must deliberately relinquish familiar patterns of behavior and begin to act as larger congregations act. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Family (0-50) Extended family(s) Everybody knows everybody Organized around 1-2 individuals or a family (primary leaders) Part-time clergy in chaplain role (secondary leader) Pastoral (51-150) 2-3 networks of families/ friends unified around pastor Clergy in direct relationship with each member Clergy does everything Board operates like a committee concerned with daily ops Members recognize faces, new and old, and know most people Church Types Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Program (151-400) Known for quality and variety of programs Separate programming for different ages and interest groups Pastor recruits, equips, and inspires a small group of leaders (paid and volunteer) Decision making is distributed in wider circle (50ish) Pastoral care is shared Corporate (401+) Known for excellence in worship, music, and for range of programs Specialized ministries for narrowly defined groups (known outside of cong.) Subcongregations form around various worship services Senior pastor concentrates on worship and staff leadership (sometimes a CEO) Decision making is multi-layered structure of Board, staff, councils, and committees Pastor provides crisis ministry. Other pastoral care done in small groups or lay pastoral care teams. Church Types Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
BAUUC is… • A program size church with, • A pastoral personality and expectations, • A corporate governance structure, and • A strong family heritage!
Perceived (and real) barriers to growth • Being unclear about having a vocation to make room for more of our neighbors in order to serve a growing community. • Being unclear about size plateau concepts or realities. • When space is effectively “filled up.” Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Perceived (and real) barriers to growth • Not being staffed for growth. • When the perceived “adequate” budget does not permit growth. • When ministry infrastructure is inadequate for movement to the next size. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Necessary Infrastructure • New member incorporation • Member ministry development • Lifespan faith formation • Pastoral care • Small-group ministries • Board and staff development Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001
Strengths & Growth Areas “An unexamined faith is not worth having”- Rev. James Luther Adams • Ministry(s) Prophetic, membership, social justice, music, small-group, pastoral care, health • Worship • Governance • Lifespan Religious Education • Stewardship • Fellowship • Physical plant • Daily operations
Imagine… • 3 Sunday worship services • 1-2 other vespers/worship services each week • Weekly dinner for 100+ • Monthly coffeehouses, speakers, etc. • 24+ covenant groups
Keep imagining… • Multiple support groups (grief, mental health, life transitions, etc.) • Continuous new member and adult faith development classes • Leadership training • Lay pastoral care teams
Keep imagining… • More (maybe double) staff in admin, custodial, support, RE, music… • 400-500 worship attendance every week • $500,000 operating budget • 350+ voting members
Stop imagining… • Everything in these “imaginary” slides is either already, will be, or needs to be happening within two years, with… • 1 minister (and maybe a student) • 1 building sized for about 300 members • 1 sanctuary sized for seating 150 • 1 UU congregation serving a community of 500,000 people… • Now, imagine 5 or 10 years out…..
Size Transition “N-Curve” Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001 Pastor- Centered Group- Centered Organism Organization
Tangibles • Before the building opens: • Settled DRE and Youth Director hired • Long-range planning process • Volunteer recruitment • Lay pastoral care training • More publicity • When the building opens: • Double sexton staff • New worship service structure • Vespers service • More robust fellowship and RE
Tangibles • Soon after the building opens: • Three Sunday services • Robust programming, membership integration, and fellowship activities • Near Future (2-3 years): • Ministerial interns • Additional staff • Collaboration and growth of UUism throughout Houston
Strategic Planning • Comprehensive five and ten year plans (including membership, staff, budget, building, programming, etc.) • Staff and volunteer division of labor • Re-evaluate governance structure • New missioning/visioning/purposing process • Simultaneously strengthen small group and large group ministries • Looking forward to Phase II of building project (new sanctuary)
