Another book I recommend for those considering church consulting is “The Unstuck Church: Equipping Churches to Experience Sustained Health” by Tony Morgan. It offers a comprehensive guide for the church consultant to help churches grow and remain vital. Morgan utilizes his extensive experience in church leadership to dissect the lifecycle of churches and provide strategies for each stage of this lifecycle. The book is a valuable resource for established and emerging church leaders, encouraging them to evaluate their current situations and prepare for the future.
Morgan starts the book by exploring the concept of a church’s lifecycle, breaking it down into seven stages: Launch, Momentum Growth, Strategic Growth, Sustained Health, Maintenance, Preservation, and Life Support. He emphasizes the natural progression of organizations through these stages but underlines the significance of understanding where your church is to apply appropriate growth strategies.
In the ‘Launch’ stage, churches are typically focused on surviving and creating their community. The ‘Momentum Growth’ stage sees the church growing rapidly, often associated with dynamic leadership and clear vision. ‘Strategic Growth’ is characterized by implementing effective structures and systems to manage the growing church. ‘Sustained Health’ is the optimal stage where churches balance the influx of new believers with developing existing members into leaders.
In contrast, the final three stages—’ Maintenance,’ ‘Preservation,’ and ‘Life Support’—reflect declining phases. The ‘Maintenance’ stage is a plateau phase where growth stagnates, while ‘Preservation’ is a declining phase where traditions overshadow the mission. Finally, churches risk closure in the ‘Life Support’ stage if significant changes are not implemented.
Tony Morgan guides leaders in identifying their church’s current stage and what to expect in the following stages. He provides practical advice, tools, and strategies to propel the church toward sustained health. For instance, in the growth stages, he emphasizes the need for a clear vision and mission, good leadership, and efficient systems to manage growth. Conversely, he offers solutions for declining churches that involve challenging the status quo, reviving the mission, and focusing on outreach.
The author also stresses the importance of measuring church health not just by the number of attendees but also by the church’s ability to fulfill its mission, make disciples, and impact its community positively. He argues that a church in ‘Sustained Health’ can have as much impact if not more, than one in ‘Momentum Growth,’ given that it successfully balances attracting new members and nurturing existing ones.
Morgan encourages leaders to take risks and innovate. He emphasizes that churches must constantly adapt to the changing cultural landscape to remain relevant and vibrant. This may involve adjusting their messaging, updating their ministry methods, or changing their physical settings.
Throughout the book, Tony Morgan combines his extensive knowledge of church leadership with a genuine passion for helping churches flourish. He consistently underlines the importance of relying on God’s guidance and the necessity of prayerful decision-making.
“The Unstuck Church” is a valuable resource for church leaders of all types and sizes. It is rich in practical advice, backed by solid theological understanding, and designed to help leaders evaluate their current situations and prepare for the future. Its wisdom transcends denominational boundaries, making it relevant and applicable to any church seeking to navigate the ebbs and flows of its lifecycle effectively.
In conclusion, “The Unstuck Church” by Tony Morgan is a roadmap for churches that want to maintain sustained health and vitality in their mission and ministry. It provides valuable insights into the stages of church growth and the strategies to help maintain momentum, tackle challenges, and ensure continued growth. A church consultant can help churches remain unstuck and vibrant for years by reading and implementing its principles.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
