Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the Worldthe Transformation of the World

How do we How do we know if our know if our

congregation congregation is doing what is doing what Jesus asks usJesus asks us

to do?to do?

• Keeping members happy• Keeping the institutional

powers-that-be happy • Counting nickels & noses

What is the average number of one-legged, left-handed, blonde Lithuanians worshiping in your congregation every third Sunday last year?

# 1 # 1 What is our What is our

mission?mission?

Making Disciples Making Disciples of Jesus Christ of Jesus Christ

for the Transformationfor the Transformationof the Worldof the World

# 2# 2 What does What does

fulfilling our fulfilling our mission mission

look like? look like?

The Five Practice of The Five Practice of Fruitful CongregationsFruitful Congregations

________ __________

The United Methodist The United Methodist Way of DisciplingWay of Discipling

# 3# 3How can we How can we

measure missional measure missional fruitfulness?fruitfulness?

One measurement One measurement for each practice which for each practice which

gives us the best indication gives us the best indication of our effectiveness of our effectiveness

• Jesus cares about fruitfulness

• Measuring keeps us focused on what’s important

• A congregation’s trends help leaders know if they are becoming more fruitful

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)

• The average number of persons worshiping at primary weekly worship services

• Percent of change from last year

• The total number of persons received into membership by either profession of faithor reaffirmation of faith

• Number of persons in worship per profession of faith

• The number of persons involved weekly in face-to-face discipling groups

• Percent of worshipers involved in discipling groups

• The number of persons in worship who say that they have been Salty Servants to persons outside their congregation for at least one hour last week

• Percent of worshipers who say they have been Salty Servants weekly

• Total amount of congregational giving weekly for budget capital & missional concerns (excluding memorial funds, rental income and equitable compensation funds)

• Amount given per average worshiper

Four out of five of these Four out of five of these Missional Vital Signs Missional Vital Signs every congregation every congregation

already reports already reports annually!annually!

We now have a website We now have a website with the last ten years with the last ten years

graphed for every graphed for every congregation!congregation!

http://www.flumc2.org/yearly.asp

• Click on Missional Vital Signs logo on either the conference or congregational transformation website. • Select the district and church • Select the data range and click “Get Report Data”

• Each of the five practices has both a graph and a data chart

• The blue line graphs the primary data.

• Click here. The orange line graphs the comparison data.

• The graph and chart can be printed by clicking here.• A PowerPoint slide can be created by using “Alt,”

“Print Scrn,” paste image into Paint, save and paste it into PowerPoint.

What is an What is an Intentional Discipling Small Group?Intentional Discipling Small Group?

• 2 to no more than 15 persons• They meet at least monthly• They share a commitment to

training to follow and to be more like Jesus.

• They read and reflect on Scripture. • They discuss how to apply God’s

Word in their everyday lives. • They share honestly and openly,

giving and receiving feedback. • And they pray for one another,

both during their meeting time and while apart.

• Organizations get what they measure

• Declining congregations are self-preoccupied

• Salty Service facilitates spiritual growth

• We have to earn back community credibility

This last week, I joined Jesus

as a Salty Servant to persons beyond our

congregation for at least one hour

in one of the following ways:

Mercy MinistryRelationship Building

Justice MinistryEarth-Care

Monthly, an email will be sent to a designated person.

5 figures are plugged in for each week of the previous month

Year-to-date trends can seen @: http://www.flumc2.org/yearly.asp

Gathered Weekly, Reported Gathered Weekly, Reported MonthlyMonthly

• In February, 2009 every congregation will begin reporting the previous month’s weeklyattendance, professions of faith and offering.

• Before July, 2009 all congregations will begin tracking and reporting Intentional Discipling and Salty Service.

It’s about It’s about congregations being congregations being

faithfulfaithful to Christ’s to Christ’s mission and mission and

becoming more becoming more missionally missionally fruitfulfruitful

Suggestions for Using the MVS to Suggestions for Using the MVS to improve ministry effectivenessimprove ministry effectiveness

• Share the MVS in your bulletin, perhaps focusing on one practice each week.

• During staff and congregational leader meetings, print off graphs from the MVS website, identify trends and discuss implications.

• In addition to the MVS, what information might help you evaluate how your congregation is living into the 5 discipling practices?

• How might you celebrate positive trends and address declining trends?

Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the Worldthe Transformation of the World