Life Cycle Stages of Congregational Development

At Retreat 1, teams are invited to complete a short assessment based on their perspectives of their church's current reality. Team members complete the assessment individually. The results of the assessment will determine where each team member sees the church on its life cycle. 

Results of the assessments may differ, even among members of the same team. For instance, those on the team who recently experienced life transformation at the church or who have been mentored by the pastor through a difficult time might see the church in a different light than a team member who has been at the church for decades.

The life cycle exercise has at least three purposes:

• To generate discussion among team members about their perspectives on the church without assigning fault or blame (with the pastor present and listening)
• To help the team reach a consensus about the church's place on the life cycle and understand the dynamics present in the particular life cycle stage
• To help the team see the contrast between when vision and relationships (ascending side) are driving the church and when programs and management are driving the church (descending side).

Ultimately, the facilitator's goal is to help the team see that regardless of where the leadership sees the church on its current life cycle, building a new life cycle is possible through the infusion of fresh vision and the development of new relationships.

Facilitators should possess a working knowledge of each life cycle stage. However, the overarching sense that teams must clearly understand and articulate together at the conclusion of this exercise is simply this: We know where we are, and we know that we can't stay here.