Link: Congregational Resource Guide Article: How to Minister Effectively.

The Alban Institute  has been helping churches learn how to deal with transitions for a long time.  In the article listed below, Roy Oswalt, an Alban Institute consultant, outlines the corporate dynamics of four types of churches based on their worship attendance.  The first, the family church, averages less than 50 persons per week in worship and their ministries are centered around the matriarch/patriarch of this small faith community.  The pastoral church, which averages 50-150 persons in attendance centers its ministry around the pastor who navigates among the several matriarchs and patriarchs of that church.  The next size church finds ministry based on the programs that nurture the 150-350 persons in worship each week.  Finally, the corporate sized church returns to a central figure around which ministry extends … this time the figure is often the pastor (for good or bad!).  Pinehurst UMC average between 100 to 150 persons in worship until just before moving into our new building in June of 2002.  Since then our worship is in the 300-320 range and we stand poised to make another leap.  Before we leap we need to gather ourselves and understand a little bit more about who we are.  Read on …

"How to Minister Effectively in Family, Pastoral, Program, and Corporate Sized Churches," by Roy M. Oswald, Senior Consultant, The Alban Institute from Action Information, Volume XVII, Number 2, March/April 1991, pages 1–7 and Volume XVII, Number 3, May/June 1991, pages 5–7.

Continue reading “Roy Oswalt on Church and Ministry Expectations” →