By all appearances, the congregation where I preach (Highland) has rarely been healthier. We’ve completed a ten year journey to a new location and new facility. We’ve launched several significant new missional ministries like a neighborhood prayer ministry, the adoption of a local elementary school, and a partnership with the newly expanded LeBonheur Children’s Hospital. In addition, God’s added more new members this year than any year since 2001 and brought more baptisms than any year since 2005.
This is the perfect time to go see the doctor, I thought. Really. I did. And not an Internist. But a Church Doctor. Our leadership wants to do all we can to maintain the current momentum and ride the wave of God’s activity. So we brought in a highly recommended consultant often called “the Church Doctor” within our tribe, the Churches of Christ.
Dr. Charles Siburt from Abilene Christian University spent Thursday – Saturday with us. He focused on two major areas. First, he spent Thursday and Friday in 1 on 1 meetings with ministry staff members regarding the Minister Growth Review. Prior to these meetings, each of us had selected 8-12 people (elders, other staff members, volunteers) to whom was sent an online evaluation called the Ministry Growth Review. Each person completed the evaluation about a specific staff member. Dr. Siburt brought the results of the online evaluations and in each meeting with a staff member, he walked through the top 3 strengths and the top 3 growth areas which the MGR revealed. He gave specific recommendations regarding how each staff member might address growth areas.
Friday night through Saturday night were devoted to the Natural Church Development survey. Prior to Dr. Siburt’s arrival, about sixty Highland leaders filled out a survey which evaluated Highland in the eight areas which Natural Church Development believes are critical to a healthy and growing church. On Friday night Dr. Siburt presented the results of that survey. It showed that Highland was doing well in 5 of the 8 areas, but in need of some attention in 3 of the 8 areas. On Saturday morning Dr. Siburt met with our elders, then with our deacons and ministry leaders, and then with the ministry staff to discuss the NCD findings and receive feedback. Finally, on Saturday evening, Dr. Siburt presented specific recommendations which we should consider for Highland’s long-term growth and stability.
One remarkable thing about our doctor: he is legally blind. He gave up his driver’s liscense in 1996, cannot read menus at a restaurant, and has to identify people by general shape and voice. In spite of this, he was able to see things about Highland with greater clarity than any of us. It was spooky how quickly and accurately he saw both our weaknesses and our strengths. His insight and vision were amazing.
We are still processing his diagnosis, but we look forward to implementing many of his recommendations. Without reservation, I believe all of us involved in this “check-up” would highly recommend Dr. Siburt specifically and the experience generally. No crisis led us to the doctor. But taking some time even in our healthy state to have a trained and godly doctor give us a comprehensive once-over will result, I believe, in a longer season of growth and stability.
[image]
