Monday, September 28, 2015

How Does Your Church Flourish?



Is your church flourishing?

Maybe a better question would be, “What do you understand by flourishing?”

Most dictionaries give about a half dozen meanings for the word flourish. One meaning is an embellishment, a decorative addition either to one’s handwriting or a literary or musical piece. An extra. It’s not necessary, but it adds to the beauty or enjoyment.

Another meaning is prosperous, with prosperous usually defined as growing in wealth, honor, comfort, or “whatever is desirable.”

The meaning that is closest to Ascending Leaders’ understanding and intent of flourish as we use it in our tagline—helping churches, leaders and disciples flourish—is thriving. Some dictionaries identify it as blossoming and use agricultural illustrations to explain. “The crops flourished in the rich soil.” (American Heritage Dictionary). 

Christians are often admonished to “bloom where they are planted,” with scripture references like 1 Corinthians 7:20 used to support this advice.

I want to be careful about giving the impression that when we talk about flourishing we are only suggesting or encouraging people to make the best of a less-than-optimum situation. It is true that life this side of Jesus’ return is marred with the frustrating results of sin—life is not fully as it ought to be in God’s eyes. And we are not to fall into an escapism, but rather to live as Jesus’ salt and light, as his redemption present, in less-than-desirable circumstances. 

Yet what we envision when churches and their congregants flourish are conditions that make it possible for the church as Christ’s bride and the individual members to grow more deeply in love with Jesus and as a result to better love others—that is become more like Jesus. We’re talking about churches, disciples and leaders of increasing spiritual, emotional and physical health.

Plants that thrive have the right soil pH, adequate sunlight and moisture for their unique needs. Just as not every plant thrives in loamy soil, not every church or follower of Jesus thrives in the same environment. In healthy churches, leaders are attentive to the health of the church members, the church as a body and the broader community within which God has placed them. They discern together how best to encourage vitality.

This fall I have been blessed to lead multiple DiscipleForward workshops in California, west Michigan, and here in Houston. Together with pastors and ministry leaders we talk about the best ways for them to help the folks in their churches, especially adults, flourish. 
What kind of soil (environment) do they need? 
What types of actions will best feed and water (nourish) disciples? 
What interferes with their spiritual growth? 
What can we do to make our church a healthier place so that everyone thrives, keeps moving forward with Jesus and produces fruit?

Perhaps that sounds like an overwhelming task to you. Let me encourage you to impress upon your leaders that this is a team effort. The church is a body that needs to work together for the benefit of the whole. 

We have workshops coming up in Arizona, central Iowa, west Michigan and Houston yet this fall. Churches that have come with multiple staff and leaders are finding great advantage to a team approach to seeing their church flourish. I hope you live near one of those locations and can join us to learn together about effective discipleship.