No Slide Title

•Tools for Systematic Leaders

•Congregations a= re open systems:

• everything in them aff= ects everything else.

comprising four connected layers: events, trends, structure and mental models.

1. = Events are at the surface level. Ev= ents include all of congregations’ routine and special activities. Worship, disciple making, care giving, social gatherings,= and community ministries - when looked at independently - are all events. Events are where the congregation’s mission is liv= ed out. The church benefits or suffers immediately based on the outcome of each event. What kind of programs do you have? = ;

2. = Trends describe a current direction of a congregation, or a specific aspect of the congregation, over time. A trend may occur over weeks or years. Example: in the past three months children’s church attendance has increased by 20%. What are you running?

congregational system. These interrelated parts include the = congregation’s history, context, ministries, leadership, identity and vision. “It’s just the way we do things around here!”

4. = Mental Models are our perce= ptions and assumptions concerning the world in which we live. = We may be conscious of some or our models, but they primarily function below our level of awareness.

<= /u>

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•Tools for Systematic Leaders

•Worksheet=

Lay= ers of a Congregational System

Fill in t= he blanks.

•Leverage

•Fill in the blanks.

What are = some examples of events, trends, systemic structures, and mental models from your congregation?

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•Bringing Sys= tems Home

• What the Bible has to say about systems = ;

•
•Acts 17:24-30
heaven and earth and does = not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by h= uman hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives= all men life and breath and everything else. •26 From o= ne man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact pl= aces where they should live. •27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not = far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' 29&nbs= p; "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-- an image (or machine) made by man's design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked s= uch ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
• <= /i>

•Congre= gations are not machines, they are Alive!

•
•Rev 2:1-2
him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
• <= /i>

•Congre= gations have personality.

• <= /u>

•1 C= or 12:26

1	"Tools for Systematic Leaders" Tools for Systematic Leaders Congregations are open systems: everything in them aff= ects everything else. To help us understand this concept let’s visualize the congregation as comprising four connected layers: events, trends, structure and mental models. 1. Events are at the surface level.= Events include all of congregations’ routine and special activities. Worship, disciple making, care giving, social gatherings, and community ministries - when looked at independently - are all events. Events are where the congregation’s mission is lived o= ut. The church benefits or suffers immediately based on the outcome of e= ach event. What kind of programs do you have? 2. Trends describe a current direction of a congregation, or a speci= fic aspect of the congregation, over time. A trend may occur over weeks = or years. Example: in the past three months children’s church attendance has increased by 20%. What are you running? 3. Systemic Structure is the pattern of relationships throughout the congregational system. These interrelated parts include the congregation’s history, context, ministries, leadership, ident= ity and vision. “It’s just the way we do things around here!= ” 4. Mental Models are o= ur perceptions and assumptions concerning the world in which we live. We may be conscious of some or our models, but they primarily function below our level of awareness.
2	"Tools for Systematic Leaders" Tools for Systematic Leaders Worksheet Layers of a Congregational System Fill in the blanks. Leverage Fill in the blanks. What are some examples of events, trends, systemic structures, and mental models from your congregation? With which layers do you spend the majority of your time? What are t= he implications?
3	"Bringing S= ystems Home" Bringing Systems Home What the Bible has to = say about systems Acts 17:24-30 24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord= of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And= he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the ex= act places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for= him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in h= im we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' 29&nb= sp; "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not t= hink that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-- an image (or machine) made by man's design and skill. 30 In the past God overlook= ed such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.= Congregations are not machines, they are Alive! Rev 2:1-2 1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the w= ords of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among t= he seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you h= ave tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found th= em false. Congregations have personality. 1 Cor 12:26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is hono= red, every part rejoices with it. Every change changes everything. 1 of 3
4	"What the B= ible has to..." What the Bible has to say about systems (continued) Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.<= /li> The past is always present. 1 Cor 1:11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there= are quarrels among you. Congregations talk their walk. Rev 3:13-18 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churc= hes. 14 "To the angel = of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faith= ful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.&= nbsp; 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not nee= d a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you= can see. Congregations change in order to stay the same. Luke 11:46 46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, beca= use you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. Solving a problem can make things worse. Strategic points of leverage exist within the systems or body life.<= /li> These points are can be found if we view the congregation as: 1Thes 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through a= nd through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at t= he coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 of 3
5	"What the B= ible has to..." What the Bible has to say about systems (continued) Congregations are complex. Rom 7:4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from= the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. Congregations are connected. Col 1:10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, Congregations are changing. 3 of 3
6	"Exploring = Mental Models" Exploring Mental Models Personal Reflection Identify 4-5 key mental models that you are working on in your own l= ife and leadership at this time.
7	"Exploring = Mental Models" Exploring Mental Models Personal Reflection Identify 6-8 important mental models that are affecting your congreg= ation.
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12	"Congregat= ional Bodylife" Congregational Bodylife Congregational Self-Assessment Objective: To develop a comprehensive, shared awareness of the status of the congregation Process: 1. Thinking about your own congregation, complete the Congregational Self-Assessment. 2. After completing the Congregational Self-Assessment survey highli= ght the ten traits with the highest score in green and the ten traits wi= th the lowest scores in pink. 3. Complete the following questions: What areas of your congregation seem to be the strongest? What areas seem to need the most attention at this time? In what ways does the survey confirm or challenge your perceptions?= How would you communicate this information and your conclusions to = the congregation? Adapted from Leading Congregational Change Workbook, Activity 5-A, p= g. 22
13	"Congregat= ional Bodylife" Congregational Bodylife High-Leverage Intervention Objective: To develop a plan that will have positive, widespread imp= act throughout the congregation. Process: This activity= is designed to build on awareness generated by the Five Why’s technique and any other congregational systems diagnosis. It uses a = force field analysis to identify the high-leverage points for making chang= es. High leverage refers to actions that have the most appropriate and m= ost significant impact for a given level of effort. It is generally more effective to “tip the balance” in a situation by first decreasing the resisting forces and letting the supporting forces increase naturally. Follow the steps listed below: 1. Identify a change that the congregation needs to make. 2. For any change, there will be sources of support and resistance, = both current and potential. The sources may be individuals, groups of peo= ple (formal or informal group or the entire congregation) structural patterns, mental models, resources, or other factors. Identify the sources for the desired change and list in the appropriate box on th= e High-Leverage Intervention Worksheet provided. 3. Summarize the key reason why each source is a factor in the desir= ed change. The reasons may be attitudes, feelings, or beliefs of the participants or the current status of a situation or resource. 4. Rate the strength or power that each source has in this decision.= 5. Determine the importance of influencing each source. 6. Determine which sources you will attempt to influence and state specifically what you plan to do and who will do what.
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16	"Tools for Systematic Leaders" Tools for Systematic Leaders Worksheet The Five Why’s Refer to the case study. Identify a problem. Pick out what you see as a symptom of the problem. Then ask why is such and such taking place? You will probably come up with at least three of four answers. Then place each statement or an= swer on a separate sheet of paper and ask why about each answer. PROBLEM/Symptom _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Why? 1. _________________ 2. _________________ 3. _________________ 4. _________________
17	"Tools for Systematic Leaders" Tools for Systematic Leaders Worksheet Bridge Diagram Identify an issue of concern Write it in middle of page On the left, list 4-5 factors that contribute to the issue On the right, list 4-5 factors to which the issue contributes ISSUE _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________