Congregational Development

The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Local churches are the primary way of accomplishing this. Ongoing congregational development is essential to multiplying kingdom impact. In fact every 2-3 years we recommend that churches do an assessment and focus on taking their next faithful step toward God’s preferred future either through new faith expressions to create new places for new people and/or renewal and revitalizing of existing congregations.

By being relevant and vital, United Methodists will touch more lives and draw more people to Christ. Our primary purpose is not to help churches grow, but rather we seek to help them reach more people with the good news of the Gospel, to grow more people as gifted and called disciples of Jesus, and to send more people into the world to love and serve God and their neighbors in all they do. 

We provide tools, resources, and training to help congregations more effectively make disciples for the transformation of the world. If you are feeling stuck or want to focus on building momentum toward relevance, we recommend one of three vitality pathways:

• Readiness Initiative for churches who are unsure of their readiness and/or capacity to create and lead a community focused ministry.
• Catalyst Initiative for churches who who want to discern and experiment with where God is uniquely calling them to meet a tangible need in the community.
• A Diverse Church By Design for churches who want to be equipped for stronger multicultural ministry.

While each are unique, they have a similar goal; to help you discern and implement your next faithful step. This type of work is messy, complicated, and challenging for those who want a quick fix. Rather than a quick fix, you are invited to join us on a journey toward the vitality God is offering you, your neighbors, the congregation and community.