I’ve been rereading a great book from the Alban Institute called, “More than numbers: the ways churches grow.”

Author, Loren Mead, lays out four different ways churches grow, or don’t grow, as the case may be.  Those ways are:

• Numerical Growth – membership, attendance, participation, financial support, and budgets
• Maturational Growth – spiritual growth in maturity of faith and living as disciples of Jesus Christ
• Organic Growth – organizational growth, the structures, discipleship and leadership processes, and even facilities meeting missional needs
• Incarnational Growth – missional growth in serving the needs of people in the community and around the world (this includes Evangelism, which is also connected to Maturational Growth).

While numbers, or the bottom line, are the things we focus on the most, as we have been taught by our culture, that is only one indicator of growth, or even health in a church.  All four aspects of church health and growth are needed for a truly growing and vibrant congregation.

The information and discussion questions in Mead’s book line up nicely with the research and the international ministry of Natural Church Development .  They take a holistic and principle based approach to church growth and health.  Churches need to look honestly at all aspects of their ministry, identifying both their strengths and weaknesses.  Then they can address steps to improve and strengthen those areas that are hindering the whole ministry of the church.

In preparing for and reviewing the accomplishments and goals of the many committees of the church, looking at the church budget and our stewardship trends, reflecting on the faithful work of those council members stepping down, and on the new council members stepping up as servant leaders of our church, I am struck by the fact that we are a work in progress at Christus Victor.  God has done, and continues to do, wonderful things through the ministries of our church and in the faith and life of members and those we serve in our community and around the world.  And yet, we are called to follow Jesus, which means being open to change and being changed for the sake of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God.  One of my goals this coming year is to take stock of where we are and where we need to grow, change, and improve for the sake of the whole ministry of the church, that we may listen to God and follow where the Spirit leads.