To what extent does the simplicity of the process affect the growth of the church. To what extent does aligning all ministries around the process affect the growth of the church. LifeWay Christian Resources maintains attendance records for the majority of churches in the SBC.
While some passages deal with the universal nature of the church (Matthew 16:8), the majority of Scripture points to embodiments of God's church in local congregations (1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2). A process-driven church ensures that the same process design is implemented in all areas of the church. The first phase consisted of conducting a comprehensive review of the literature in church growth and process design.
Of the 400 churches in the non-growing church stratum, 153 completed the survey in full for a 38% non-growing church response rate (Table 2). There was a significant difference in mean comprehension score based on strata growth status, t p <.001. Similarly, there was a significant difference in mean ease score based on strata growth status, t(317).
There was a significant difference in the mean score for item 2 based on the growth status of the strata p <.001 with growing churches scoring. There was a significant difference in the mean score for item 4 based on the growth status of the strata P <.001 with growing churches scoring. There was a significant difference in the mean score for item 7 based on the growth status of the strata, t p <.001 with growing churches' score.
There was a significant difference in the mean score for item 10 based on the growth status of the strata, t p < .001 with growing churches scoring. There was a significant difference in the mean score for item 14 based on the growth status of the strata, t p < .001 with growing churches scoring. There was a significant difference in the mean score for item 19 based on the growth status of the strata, t p < .001 with growing churches scoring.
There was a significant difference in mean comprehension scores based on growth status for the strata p < .001.
Item 1
Among growing churches, 4.8% strongly disagree (SD) with this statement compared to 13.7% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 7.2% strongly disagreed (MD) with this statement compared to 18.3% of non-growing churches. Among growing churches, 3.6% strongly disagree (SD) with this statement compared to 10.5% of non-growing churches.
Of the growing churches, 0.6% strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement compared to 8.5% of the non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 1.8% strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement compared to 11.1% of the non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 29.5% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 14.4% of the non-growing churches.
Among growing churches, 1.2% strongly disagree (SD) with this statement compared to 12.4% of non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 34.3% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 19.0% of the non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 27.7% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 24.2% of the non-growing churches.
Of the growing churches, 6.6% disagreed (D) with this statement compared to 21.6% of the non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 1.8% strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement compared to 9.8% of the non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 33.7% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 19.0% of the non-growing churches.
Of the growing churches, 31.3% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 18.3% of the non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 16.9% strongly agreed (MA) with this statement compared to 22.9% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 4.2% strongly disagree (SD) with this statement compared to 11.1% of non-growing churches.
Item 14
Of the growing churches, 8.4% disagreed (D) with this statement compared to 10.5% of the non-growing churches. None (0.0%) of the growing churches and 4.6% of the non-growing churches strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement. Of the growing churches, 39.2% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 20.9% of the non-growing churches.
Of growing churches, 9.6% strongly disagreed (MD) with this statement compared to 22.9% of non-growing churches. Among growing churches, 0.6% strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement compared to 6.5% of non-growing churches. Of the growing churches, 20.5% strongly agreed (MA) with this statement compared to 37.3% of non-growing churches.
Among growing churches, 8.4% strongly disagreed (MD) with this statement compared to 11.8% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 11.4% agreed (D) with this statement compared to 9.8% of non-growing churches. Three percent of growing churches and 3.3% of non-growing churches strongly disagreed with this statement (SD).
Of growing churches, 6.6% of churches on average disagreed (MD) with this statement compared to 14.4% of non-growing churches. None (0.0%) of growing churches and 7.2% of non-growing churches strongly agreed (SD) with this statement. Of the growing churches, 30.1% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 15.7% of the non-growing churches.
Of growing churches, 27.1% strongly agreed (MA) with this statement compared to 26.8% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 14.5% disagree (D) with this statement compared to 27.5% of non-growing churches. Among growing churches, 1.8% strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement compared to 7.8% of non-growing churches.
Item 13
Of the growing churches, 17.5% strongly agreed (MA) with this statement compared to 28.8% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 14.5% strongly agreed (SA) with this statement, while 2.6% of non-growing churches strongly agreed (SA) with this statement. Of the growing churches, 39.2% agreed (A) with this statement compared to 27.5% of the non-growing churches.
Of the growing churches, 25.9% moderately agreed (MA) with this statement compared to 31.4% of the non-growing churches. Twelve percent of growing and 19.6% of non-growing churches moderately disagreed (MD) with this statement. Of the growing churches, 7.8% disagreed (D) with this statement compared to 13.7% of the non-growing churches.
Fifty-four percent of growing churches agreed or agreed with item 16 compared to 30% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 16.9% moderately agreed (MA) with this statement compared to 26.8% of non-growing churches. Of growing churches, 14.5% moderately disagreed (MD) with this statement compared to 19.0% of non-growing churches.
Of the growing churches, 0.6% strongly disagreed (SD) with this statement compared to 4.6% of the non-growing churches. Fifty-five percent of growing churches strongly agreed or agreed with item 19, compared to 31% of non-growing churches. The percentage of growing church leaders who agreed or strongly agreed that their church has a visual illustration of their process (i.3) was more than double that of non-growing church leaders.
The percentage of growing church leaders who agreed or strongly agreed that their church leadership team often discusses their process (i.4) was more than double that of non-growing church leaders. The proportion of growing church leaders who agreed or strongly agreed that their programs are placed in their strategic process (i.7) was almost double that of non-growing church leaders. The percentage of growing church leaders who agreed or strongly agreed that their church intentionally moves people from one program to another (i.12) was more than double that of non-growing church leaders.
