The #1 Reason Why Theories Won’t Fix Our Churches

I’ve been doing church redevelopment work and culture shifting for a while.  I’ve participated in lots of training in theories and movements.  The big theorists’ names are familiar to many of us.

I’ve worked with congregations and mid-councils who have tried multiple programs and used a variety of consultants and spent lots of money on it all. But usually nothing changes and often things become worse.  Trust is diminished and impact is minimal.  And it’s all because of a single thing that Community Organizing has taught me this week.

Relationships are everything.  Our relationships with each other and with God make or break our best efforts.

If we do not have have authentic relationships, every theory we try and every movement we join will fail.  If we do not choose healthy leaders who have healthy followers, if we do not lift up leaders with strong emotional intelligence, whatever efforts we make leave our people anxious and frustrated.

Healthy relationships = healthy churches and systems. That’s pretty much where effective ministry begins and ends.