There are a remarkable number of church growth strategies, but church leaders Christopher Smith and John Pattison suggest a fast-food, industrialized approach isn’t the right path to tread.  They join us to talk quality over quantity in church building.  

•  What is behind this concept of “slow church”?
•  How can we find a path to growth that is more holistic & less pre-packaged?
•  Efficiency and predictability can become shortcuts to following Jesus.

“You can’t franchise the blessings of God!”

•  Be attentive to what God is doing & to what our part is in that.
•  Our following Jesus isn’t about doing what we think we should do, but about paying attention to how Jesus did things.
•  Eating and talking together helps bring about community.

Highlight: Slowing it down

Smith and Pattison’s new book is Slow Church: Cultivating Community In The Patient Way Of Jesus

Then we hear from Architectural Pastor Jim Rodgers, a man experienced in helping pastors and churches address facility issues to enhance ministry and improve church health. 

•  What are we talking about when we say we want to discover our church’s DNA?
•  Having God lead our church where He wants it to go is absolutely essential. The unknown becomes a much less frightening location when He’s the One leading our way through it.
•  He lays out two common scenarios he deals with: 1. Building something new or renovating something old, or 2. Merging with another church or churches.
•  You have to be aware that the dollars involved are impacting the way people are thinking when it comes to a project like this.

“If churches are really going to experience God’s plan for them, they need time to slow down and commune with God” – Jim Rodgers

Church health inspection