There are few surprises in the final section, Part 5, of Christian Schwarz book. He puts everything together by suggesting "10 action steps." Basically his final proposal is the logical application of the arguments that are the foundation of the book. These can be summarized as:
1.Use the tools he has developed to identify the minimum factors (step 2 and step 7)
2. Set goals to improve the minimum factor (step 3)
3. Use the biotic principles and the strengths to improve the minimum factor (step 5 and step 6)
4. Monitor results and make adjustments as the minimum factors change. (step 8 and step 9)
The 10th step that he proposes may not be a logical consequence of his research, but it should not surprise us. Schwarz says that we should attempt to reproduce our healthy church. Schwarz does not argue that his research shows that congregations that reproduce themselves are more likely to be healthy or growing. Rather he makes the argument that every church was planted at some point, so it is important to plant new churches. Without offering any evidence, Schwarz claims, "If a church is healthy, it will reproduce." (Pg. 124) This opinion should not surprise us. On page 33 he says that the research shows that having reproducing small groups is more highly correlated with quality and growth than any other single factor. And on pages 46-48 he presents an argument that greater growth can be achieved by dividing to multiply rather than just growing bigger.
I am not sure it is that simple. It seems to me that the biblical perspective is that a healthy church will be in mission to share the Gospel beyond its own walls. Planting new congregations is one way to be in mission, but there are many other ways. I believe that a congregation that prayerfully considers how God is calling it to faithful mission may not reproduce itself. It may enter a partnership with a congregation in a distant city or country. It may become involved in supporting a local ecumenical ministry effort. It may establish a ministry to respond to the needs of the poor.
Step 1 and step 4 might be called the "Natural Church Development escape hatches." In these two steps Schwarz identifies the things that may make it impossible for everything that he is proposing to work. They are the necessary foundation for any strategy that hopes to develop a healthy congregation. To make things even more complicated, Schwarz does not believe that these items can be addressed by applying the principles of natural church development.
Simply put, Schwarz says that natural church development will not work if there is not a passion for Jesus Christ (step 1) and an openness to the philosophy of natural church development (step 4): if people in a church are not motivated to make changes, then it will be impossible for them to become a healthy congregation. Whole books have been written on how to build spiritual momentum and how to get congregations unstuck. But natural church development is not a program to create spiritual momentum. Schwarz says bluntly, "natural church development is not a strategy to create spiritual momentum." (Pg. 107)
So now that we have come to the end of this study, before attempting to apply the principles of natural church development, every congregation must first ask: "Does the congregation have a passion for the Gospel?" and "Is the congregation ready to make changes and adopt the perspective of natural church development?"
Ken Bedell
February 21, 2005