Listening to GodNatural Church Development
 

Healthy Congregations

Are you a pastor or a lay member of a church interested in how your congregation might become a healthier place in which to do ministry? If your congregation is just like a family, then why does it sometimes drive you nuts?!! Whenever two or more are gathered, not only is the Lord present, but there are emotional processes at work. Understanding these processes is essential to congregational health.

As congregations face opportunities and challenges in the 21st century, they will need to work on health. Healthy Congregations uses the insights of family systems theory (Bowen Theory) to help church leaders work on the health of their congregations. The workshops in Healthy Congregations were developed by Dr. Peter Steinke, utilizing especially the work of Dr. Edwin Friedman, author of Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue.

Since the publication of Generation to Generation, many have recognized the importance of understanding family systems theory as it relates to congregations. Healthy Congregations helps clergy and lay understand how their congregations function as emotional systems and how health is necessary for mission. Healthy Congregations helps them recognize the triggers of anxiety in a congregation and how leadership is exercised in an emotional system.  Regional Staff have been trained by Dr. Steinke as facilitators of Healthy Congregations.

 
Workshop One: Creating Healthy Congregations

 

Healthy Congregations (HC) accept differences (rather than deny); HC focus on their strengths (rather than weaknesses); HC focus on mission (rather than "getting along", the past, survival, "the minister", or some other thing or issue);

 

Workshop Two: Healthy Congregations Respond to Anxiety and Change

 

HC respond to anxiety and change (instead of reacting). HC manage conflict (instead of deny it).  HC act flexibly and creatively (instead of rigidly)

 

Workshop Three: Leadership in A Healthy Congregation

 

In HC, leaders promote health through their presence and functioning (instead of techniques or skills); In HC, leaders challenge people (instead of comforting); In HC, leaders provide immune capacities (instead of enabling disease processes);

 

Workshop Four: Relationships in A Healthy Congregation

 

In HC, people respond graciously and truthfully (rather than judgmentally or secretively); In HC, people develop caring relationships (rather than willful transactions);

In HC, people empower others (rather than dominate them or cure them);
 

Workshop Five: Healthy Congregations Develop Generous People

 

HC recognize the Creator's interdependent design of life (rather than isolated, unrelated parts); HC practice stewardship gratefully and willingly (rather than begrudgingly); HC combine money and the Christian Life (rather than separate the one from the other);

 

Workshop Six: The Spiritual Care of Healthy Congregations

 

In HC, people share their lives (instead of each living for oneself); In HC, hospitality is offered to all (instead of favoritism for the few or like-minded); In HC, beginning again is a way of life (instead of staying stuck)
 

Listening to GodNatural Church Development

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