A Note from Dave Argue ...
Hello!
…and thanks for checking out this site!
In our district fellowship of 160 churches (Utah and Colorado), we have churches of size – like 1,000 - 6,000+ and we have very small churches…like the church of 12, perched near Coors Stadium that regularly gives away socks to kids on the street – they have come to call it Sox Place.
We have a church that runs full on Sundays, though when you stand on the front steps you can look for miles in all directions and see only a few farms. One church estimates that they have about 300 that “attend” every week by IPod.
Our churches come in all shapes and sizes. Some are modern…and some are pretty traditional. Some are in growing areas and some in small towns that are struggling to stay alive.
Environment, history, gifts, creativity, and tradition--all mark the uniqueness of churches and affect their growth and health.
Our ambition is to see that every church in our fellowship is developing along lines that are consistent with all these factors and more. We believe that a healthy, developing church will be a place full of the presence of God and will be producing people who are growing into tangible Christ-likeness. There will be stories to tell in those places on a really regular basis--stories of the adventure of walking through life with Jesus.
A developing church will likely be growing numerically and financially, but that is not where we start. We start by getting in touch with where we are right now, who are we, what are we up to, and how it is really going. It is all about assessment and the right positioning of the team so that their current status is maximized. Then its about vision and sharing Christ’s truth and love with the local community. The growth (or not) is of God.
When pastors and people are ready to move to the next level, a call to the office usually leads to an on-site visit to evaluate what is happening and to meet the leadership personnel. A written (and confidential) report is drawn up and a plan begins to be drafted to lead in whatever direction seems right and possible. The Natural Church Development’s incredible insights and tools are available to every church, upon request.
Our hope is that each church will revitalize and experience new life. In some situations (especially where the community is dying or the past history of the church has been especially challenging) it can be appropriate to consider a point of conclusion for the work. It is important to leave a legacy so that the devolopments continue in a God-honoring manner into the future.
If you are reading this and your interst is piqued, we invite you to call and get acquainted. We will do our best to be a blessing to you and your church. That’s why we’re here.
And it’s easy….
719-522-0195 or 719-339-7746
Also, check out my blog--growing since July 2008.
God bless you!
Dave Argue
Director of Church Development