A Note from Dave Argue ...
Hello!
…and thanks for checking out this site!
In our fellowship of 160 churches (Utah and Colorado), we have churches of size – like 1,000 - 6,000+ and we have very small churches…like the church of 12, perched near Coors Stadium that regularly gives away sox to kids on the street – they have come to call it Sox Place.
We have a church that runs full on Sundays though when you stand on the front steps you can look for miles in all directions and see only a few farms. One church estimates that they have towards 300 that “attend” every week by IPod. Another runs bull-riding camps for kids…the Pastor?...a national champion bull rider! Now there’s a gift!
Churches come in all shapes and sizes. Some are on the cutting edge…and some are pretty traditional. Some are in growing areas and some in small towns that are struggling to stay alive.
Environment, history, gifts, creativity, tradition….all mark the uniqueness of churches and affect their growth and health.
Our ambition here is to see that every church in our fellowship is developing along lines that are consistent with all these factors and more. We believe that a healthy, developing church will be a place of the presence of God and will be producing people who are growing into tangible Christ-likeness. There will be stories to tell in those places on a really regular basis…stories of the adventure of walking through life with Jesus.
A developing church will likely be growing numerically and financially, but that is not where we start. We start by getting in touch with where we are right now…who are we, what are we up to, how is it really going? It is all about assessment, and the right positioning of the team so that their life together just as they are is maximized. Then its about vision and sharing Christ’s truth and love with the community around. The growth (or not) is of God.
When pastors and people are ready to move to the next level, a call to the office usually leads to an on-site visit to evaluate what is happening and to meet the leadership personnel.
A written (and confidential) report is drawn up and a plan begins to be drafted to lead in whatever direction seems right and possible. Access to Natural Church Development’s incredible insights and tools is available to every church.
Our hope is that every church will revitalize and experience new life. In some situations (especially where the community is dying, or the past history of the church has been especially challenging) it can be appropriate to consider a point of conclusion for the work, and the planning of how to leave a legacy so that what has happened over the years does go on in a God-honoring manner into the future.
If you are reading this with interest, we invite you to call and let’s get acquainted. We can share much more and we’ll do our best to be of some help to you. That’s why we’re here.
And it’s easy….
719-522-0195 or 719-339-7746 or use this site to begin.
God bless you!
Dave Argue
Director of Church Development