The Life Cycle of an Organization

This is a long blog, but it is extremely important. After you have read it pray for discernment as to where we are as a church. I would appreciate knowing what stage you feel our church is in right now. We are not looking at what stage we would like to be in, but where God is showing us that we are now. Then I would like for you to do one thing, write down stage you believe we're in and on Sunday you will find a basket on the front corner of my desk. Place your answer in that basket. Don't sign it. When I went through this with the class, I had them write down their answers and not sign their names to it, too. I look forward to hearing from you.

STAGES OF CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Every congregation has a life cycle into which the 4 organizing principles fit. Think of this life cycle as the journey of the congregation in the vehicle. Looking at congregations according to their life cycles assists in developing the ability to see, understand, and pursue opportunities and choices available to a congregation at a particular stage of development.

Congregations will journey along this life cycle many times. If you’ve been here long enough, you will be able to see where the church has repeated stages over and over again. Our purpose here is not to see how many times this church has been at different stages, but to determine where we are now and how that impacts our future together right now. We will be able to recognize tendencies we have and this will help us to acknowledge them and perhaps even confess them and repent from them, if needed.

PHASE ONE: EARLY GROWTH

This phase involves the life cycle of Birth and Infancy and is preceded by a Gestation period.

Gestation: Gestation involves the time frame during which a church planting effort is getting ready to launch into life through the Birth of a new congregation. Gestation is a period of a couple of months to a couple of years before the Birth of a congregation, when the idea of a new congregation is being developed through prayer, planning, and preparations that emanates from a strong, positive sense of spiritual passion. Phase One is the time during which a congregation develop deep roots and early growth around the issues of Vision and Relationships. They walk by faith rather than by sight.

Birth: Birth is that period when Vision is dominant, and relationships, programs, and management are not. Vision is the fuel or energy that drives a new congregation forward.

Congregations at Birth are living out the mission, purpose, core values, and vision that God has given them for a new congregation that ought to be present in a certain place or among a specific target group of people. Leadership is expressed through Vision and assists in fueling the forward progress of the congregation. This leadership is God’s leadership, which empowers congregational leaders to seize the day. The period of Birth only lasts about 6 months to two years. It is characterized by a passion to fulfill the spiritual strategic vision of the congregation.

Infancy: Infancy is that period when Vision and Relationships are dominant, but programs and management are not. The period of Infancy lasts 3 to 5 years. Congregations in Infancy are continuing to live out the Vision that God has given them for a congregation that ought to be present in a certain place or among a specific target group of people. Vision is the fuel or energy that will drive the congregation forward throughout the growth side of the life cycle. Discipleship patterns are expressed through the Relationships factor and assist in flavoring the congregation. These patterns hardwire the congregation’s qualitative and quantitative growth patterns.

PHASE TWO: Late Growth

This phase involves the life cycle stages of Childhood and Adolescence. Phase Two is the time during which a congregation develops and grows its Programs. They begin to walk by sight rather than by faith. This causes confusion in Adolescence.

Childhood: Childhood is that period when Vision and Programs are dominant, but relationships and management are not. The period of Childhood lasts 5 to 6 years. The Childhood stage of a congregation is characterized by an urgency to build programs (things we do for us), ministries (things we do for others), and activities similar to a full-service congregation. Energy and resources that were dedicated to an intentional disciple-making system during Infancy are now dedicated to program development. (According to family systems theory, the program church generally runs over 100 in worship. Very often, churches in the aging phases will want to “return” to the good old days when there were lots of good church programs such as a strong youth group and Sunday School. These churches will invest money in order to staff these desires by hiring a youth pastor/Christian Ed minister.)

During the Childhood phase significant emphasis is given to broadening the scale and deepening the scope of the programs and activities for the chosen high-priority target groups.

Adolescence: Adolescence is that period when Vision, Relationships and Programs are dominant, but management is not. The period of Adolescence lasts 6 to 8 years. The Adolescence stage of a congregation is characterized by a passion to fulfill the strategic spiritual vision of the congregation. Because fulfillment of this Vision may be in sight, the congregation presses for a higher quality and quantity of programs and activities.

Competition is evident in the Adolescent congregation. Two visions of the future seem to be dominant in the congregation. People who affiliated with the congregation during Birth or Infancy hold one Vision. This is a Vision of a strong worshiping community with intimate fellowship and care, and meaningful, corporate spirituality. People affiliated with the congregation during Childhood and Adolescence hold the other Vision. The programs and activities of the congregations that met specific needs of the family or household attracted them. Their Vision of one of a full service, family-focused congregation with opportunities for meaningful, individual spirituality.

PHASE THREE: Prime/Plateau

This phase involves the life cycle of Adulthood and Maturity. Phase Three is the time during which a congregation reaches its prime. In Adulthood they have a balance of walking by faith and by sight. This balance begins to weaken in Maturity.

Adulthood: Adulthood is that period when Vision, Relationships, Programs, and Management share dominance. The period of Adulthood lasts 3 to 5 years. Adulthood is characterized by a congregation that is in its prime. It is relaxed. It is successful. It has a positive spirit. It is focused. It is clear about its Vision, and its Vision shares broad ownership in the congregation. It is positive about its future. It feels that it can accomplish anything to which it sets it mind, as long as it matches the will of God for the congregation.

A crucial characteristic is that the congregation may not be aware that this may be as good as it gets. It may not know that this is Adulthood. Having never been there, if this is the first life cycle of the congregation, they do not recognize Adulthood.

Often the high morale of the congregation parallels the strong sense of mission, purpose, core values, and vision. The congregation feels that it is contributing significantly to the work of the Kingdom. High levels of satisfaction are expressed related to the role and function of the staff.

Maturity: Maturity is that period when Relationships, Programs, and Management are dominant. Vision is no longer dominant. Management is controlling the direction of the congregation. A congregation that is past its prime characterizes Maturity. It is more passive than active. It is still successful in many areas. For the most part it has a positive spirit. The quality of what happens in Maturity is the highest of any stage in the life cycle. In fact, a crescendo of quality programs and activities occurs during this stage.

It is no longer focused. It is no longer clear about its vision. The success culture of the congregation keeps it moving forward. It is blind to the fact that it no longer has an empowering vision that is fueling it forward. The feeling is that what the congregation is currently doing is working. There is no felt need to change. Besides, the finances of the congregation have never been better. In selected portions of the congregation the morale of the members and regular attendees is beginning to decline. At the same time the congregation feels that it is contributing significantly to the work of the Kingdom.

PHASE FOUR: Early Aging
This phase involves the life cycle stages of Empty Nest and Retirement. Phase Four is the time during which a congregation diminishes, first in programs and then in relationships. They begin to hardwire a pattern into their congregational life of walking by sight more than by faith.

Empty Nest: Empty Nest is that period when Relationships and Management are dominant. vision and programs are no longer dominant. Management is controlling the direction of the congregation. Empty Nest has 3 phases: Nostalgia, Disappointment, and Anger.

The Nostalgia phase is when a congregation hopes that tomorrow will bring a return of yesterday. Most of the stories told in the congregation are stories of remembrance. The Disappointment phase is when the congregation realizes that neither the quality not the quantity of what the congregation is doing is what it once was. The result is that in the Disappointment phase some congregational leaders push the commitment button and urge people to be more committed to the work of the congregation.

The next phase is when a congregation seeks to focus blame on the things and persons who are keeping them from being what they once were and what they desire to be. The Anger phase can end up being a time of great conflict in the life of many congregations.

The congregation in Empty Nest may telescope its time focus to the age group it wants to target with the most efforts. Congregations who want to target teenagers want to focus on yesterday. Those who want to target senior adults want to focus on today. Congregations who want to target ages 25 to 45 and their children want to focus on tomorrow.

Retirement: Retirement is that period when Programs and Management are dominant. Management is controlling the direction of the congregation. Many long-term members and attendees decided at the end of Empty Nest that this is no longer a good place to invite people to come and be members and attendees. Existing members and attendees may feel that new people will be disappointed in the congregation. Or new people may want to change the congregation, and if it does not work, then the congregation may be weaker than it is already. Simultaneously they want the congregation to be alive and vital long enough to help them with various life passages, including their own deaths.

The stakeholders in the congregation who are 60 years of age or more have been professing Christians for 40 years or more and have been members for 20 years or more. They give permission for the newer, younger members and attendees to try new programmatic directions. At times this takes the form of an appeal made to a prospective pastor. The pastor search committee urges the new pastor to come lead them into a new era of transformation.

Transitions, changes, and new ideas are said to be welcomed and supported. About 18 to 24 months into the transitions and changes initiated by a pastor or newer, younger lay leaders, the stakeholders may realize that things are not working the way they thought they would. If so, they seek to stop the change efforts, and – if necessary – get rid or discourage the leaders of the transitions and changes.

PHASE FIVE: Late Aging

This phase involves the life cycle stages of Old Age and Death. Phase Five is the time during which a congregation institutionalizes its Management and loses sight of vision and relationships. They walk by sight only.

Old Age: Old Age is that period when Management is the only one of the 4 organizing principles that is dominant. Vision, relationships, and programs are no longer dominant. Management is the only thing left to control the direction of the congregation. Old Age is that stage of a congregation’s life cycle when it is functioning on fumes rather than being fueled by Vision. The habit or pattern of gathering for worship and fellowship is the primary factor keeping the congregation going.

The congregation is now a chaplaincy ministry. Death is not necessarily nearby, but proactive meaningful congregation life that is generating new energy is gone. Death is not necessarily imminent or inevitable for Old Age congregations. It is not imminent if that Old Age congregations generally have the ability and resources (think large endowments) to survive long past any viable proactive ministry life.

Death: Death is that period when none of the 4 organizing principles is dominant. Management is the only organizing principle left, and its role is brief and confined. At Death, a congregation ceases to exist as a community of worship, and fellowship.

Death is not inevitable for any congregation. The life cycle and stages of development are not deterministic; that is, if a congregation has a Birth, it is not inevitable that it will have a Death. Having said that, congregations who are aging, are dysfunctional, and who wait until Late Aging to seek a turnaround are unlikely to experience a positive, successful future. They may not avoid Death.