Innovative Church Growth Strategies That Actually Work

Summary

In this video, Chris Abbott introduces a seven-stage framework for church growth, detailing strategies to progress from early struggle to predictable success. Key points include establishing a visitor system, leveraging social media marketing, and creating an R&D lab for innovation. Abbott also addresses the challenges of each stage, such as the burnout in 'Whitewater' and the stagnation in 'Treadmill,' offering solutions like hiring external consultants and revitalizing with a fresh vision.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video discusses a seven-part framework for church growth, aiming to help churches identify their current stage and what steps to take next.
• 🌱 The first stage, 'Early Struggle', requires establishing a visitor system to attract new attendees and a social media marketing strategy for outreach.
• 🎉 The 'Fun' stage is characterized by explosive growth and a need for a volunteer system to manage the influx of new members and services.
• 🌪 'Whitewater' is a challenging phase where the church has outgrown its ability to function without structure, necessitating the implementation of healthy church systems.
• 🛠️ 'Predictable Success' is achieved by having the right systems and team in place, but it requires continuous innovation to avoid stagnation.
• 🔬 The recommendation to establish an R&D lab within the church to foster innovation and permission to try and fail is highlighted as a strategy to maintain growth.
• 🔄 'Treadmill' is a phase of doing the same things repeatedly without innovation, leading to boredom and a decline in church vitality.
• 🚨 'The Big Rut' signals a clear decline with empty seats and falling giving, indicating the need for significant changes and possibly new staff.
• 💀 'Death Rattle' is the final stage where the church is in a state of inevitable decline, suggesting a complete rebrand and relaunch as a new entity.
• 📚 The presenter offers a free PDF with 101 church growth ideas for further exploration and application in different church contexts.
• 🙏 Encouragement is given to church leaders to seek God's guidance and vision for revitalization, even in the most challenging stages.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Chris Abbott?

The main focus of the video is to discuss innovative church growth strategies that work, specifically outlining a seven-part framework for church growth.

What are the seven stages of church growth mentioned in the video?

The seven stages of church growth mentioned are: Early Struggle, Fun, Whitewater, Predictable Success, Treadmill, Big Rut, and Death Rattle.

What is the significance of the 'Early Struggle' stage in church growth?

The 'Early Struggle' stage is significant because it's where a church is new and needs to attract more people and funds to sustain itself. It's crucial for establishing a visitor system to bring in new visitors.

What is a 'Visitor Growth Engine' and why is it important?

A 'Visitor Growth Engine' is a system that ensures the church's website is optimized for search engines and Google My Business, helping the church to appear on the first page of Google searches. It's important for attracting new visitors.

How does social media marketing play a role in the 'Fun' stage of church growth?

In the 'Fun' stage, social media marketing helps in spreading the word about the church and inviting people to attend. It's a period of explosive growth where every effort, including social media campaigns, seems to be successful.

What challenges does a church face in the 'Whitewater' stage?

In the 'Whitewater' stage, a church faces challenges due to its rapid growth, such as needing more structure and systems to handle the increased size and complexity. It's a rocky patch where the church needs to transition from a small, close-knit community to a more organized institution.

Why is it critical for a church to move out of the 'Whitewater' stage?

It's critical for a church to move out of the 'Whitewater' stage because without implementing healthy systems and structure, the church can become stuck in a cycle of chaos and frustration, leading to burnout and potential decline.

What is the 'Treadmill' stage and what are its dangers?

The 'Treadmill' stage is when a church continues to do the same things over and over without innovating. The dangers include boredom, monotony, and a decline in growth, as the church fails to adapt to changing cultural and technological landscapes.

What recommendations does Chris Abbott give for a church in the 'Big Rut' stage?

For a church in the 'Big Rut' stage, Chris Abbott recommends bringing in an outside consultant or fractional executive pastor to provide fresh eyes and identify issues. It may involve letting go of some staff and hiring new people to revitalize the church.

What does the 'Death Rattle' stage signify for a church?

The 'Death Rattle' stage signifies that a church is in a critical state where decline is inevitable, and significant changes or a complete restart might be necessary to revitalize the church.

What is the final recommendation for a church in the 'Death Rattle' stage?

In the 'Death Rattle' stage, the final recommendation is to seek a new vision through prayer and possibly consider rebranding and relaunching the church as a new entity with a fresh start.