Nine Ways to Make Your Church Ineffective

from Carey Nieuwhof:
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1. Don't dream

The church should be the place where dreams are born and where dreams soar.

In far too many cases, churches have become the place where dreams die.

2. Focus on yourself

Ineffective churches are almost always self-focused.

The natural mission of the church (and almost every healthy organization for that matter) has an
outward thrust to it.

But many unhealthy organizations lose their focus on outsiders and instead focus on insiders.


3. Try to keep everybody happy

Trying to keep everyone happy is a recipe for misery. Yet so many churches serve dinner from that cookbook everyday.

You can't keep everybody happy. You won’t keep everyone happy.

4. Squabble

I really want to walk into a great church fight. Said no unchurched person ever.

5. Make mediocrity your standard

So solve a few problems and you’ll be more effective.

But as long as you’re mediocre, you'll never reach your potential.

And for some strange reason, churches seems to love mediocrity.

6. Treat every Sunday like just another Sunday

If you're bored heading into next Sunday, why wouldn't everyone else be?

In the church, every Sunday is resurrection Sunday. The same power that was at work to raise Jesus from the dead is the same power that is at work in us.

7. Never articulate a strategy

Passion is one thing…and you've got to have passion.

But passion combined with an effective strategy is explosive.

Many churches are afraid to articulate a strategy because it's divisive. Leaders are afraid that not everyone will like it. And that's true. But see point #3 above.

8. Avoid all risk

Christians teach their kids stories like David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lions Den, and then spend all their time trying to make sure no one gets hurt, nothing gets lost, and everyone is 'safe' in the end.

The disconnect is profound if you think about it.

9. Decide you don't like unchurched people

Too many churches have defined themselves by what they’re against, not what they’re for.

If you really don’t like the people you're trying to reach, why would they hang out with you Seriously.
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The details of each one are here.