Breakthrough in church apathy Two tools for health and effectiveness subtitle.

Breakthrough in church apathyTwo tools for health and effectiveness

subtitle

CTBI National Stewardship Network Conference 2012: Church Health Review

CTBI National Stewardship Network Conference 2012: Christian Effectiveness Model







G8: STEWARDSHIP – The challenge of faith

Are church members willingly and generously offering for God’s work their time, gifts/experience, and money for the benefit of others?

Sample tests (cf.U7)

1 stewardship viewed in the totality of life, not just for work within the church, so that involvement in community affairs is both encouraged and then prayerfully supported;

2 members giving generous proportions of their income for their church and for those in need worldwide, with the church able to finance all its outgoings without stress; (cf.O8.4, S7.3)

3 a sense of vocation with people offering their lives to God, both those in normal work and activity and with some moving into specific Christian ministry, training;

4 evidence that both time involvement and financial giving come from across the congregation rather than from only a small group, with no strain on finding activity helpers; (cf.U7.1)

5 evidence of Christians seeking to live simply as pilgrims in today’s world, not accumulating wealth but sharing possessions/homes, and mindful of environmental and fair-trade issues. (cf.U2.3, S4.5)


S7: FINANCE – Money to enable ministry

Is church finance seen as a key area of spiritual ministry which serves rather than dictates vision, and is it overseen with wisdom and thoroughness?

Sample tests

1 General Fund income sufficient over time to cover outgoings (without forced cutbacks) and without the need for panic appeals;

2 annual budgets led by the agreed vision, with good controls in place but a willingness to take risks where there is a belief that God is leading;

3 special needs (eg. major projects, global mission giving) handled in such a way that generous sums are provided and people’s faith grows; (cf.G8.2, O8.4)

4 good reporting through management accounts to decision-making bodies and through innovative means of communication to the congregation, so all understand the position;

5 good processes in place so that all bills and salaries/expenses are paid without delay, trading activity is managed to a high standard, significant levels of Gift Aid tax are refunded, methods of collection and offering within services have been chosen well, etc.







V4: THE REALITY OF THE WORLD – Christian involvement

Does the organisation have a clear understanding through practical experience of the physical and spiritual culture in which its beneficiaries live, so that it can work with integrity within that culture?

Sample tests (cf.A8)

1 leaders and staff living within the culture in which the organisation is working, or with recent experience and current understanding of that culture;

2 any activity that researches and monitors the changing environment so that decision-making is informed and trends are predicted;

3 the use of external advisers to help the organisation understand the culture in which its beneficiaries are placed;

4 any placing of offices and staff within the culture being reached, rather than in areas that the organisation might find easier or more conducive to work in; (cf.E2)

5 the testimony of beneficiaries that the organisation understands both them and their needs and works from this basis.


E5: SUPPORTERS – People resources: internal

Are the organisation’s supporters (volunteers, donors, pray-ers) given regular and appropriate information for the part they play, in suitable formats, and regarded as part of the overall team?

Sample tests

1 any readership surveys that show that the organisation’s newsletters/magazines are communicating well and appreciated by those who receive them;

2 evidence that the way that prayer and other information is made available in various media is helpful for and used by supporters;

3 donors impressed at the speed and courtesy in which their gifts are handled and acknowledged;

4 the provision and the regular updating of the database so that waste is reduced and accurate records are kept;

5 an enthusiastic supporter base, with low levels of turnover and appropriate age and gender profiles.



Breakthrough in church apathy Two tools for health and effectiveness subtitle.

Documents

church health review

effectiveness subtitle

church finance

church members

church apathy

church able

church health review

sample tests cf