Flourishing Congregations

The recent Flourishing Congregations – Moving from Dreams to Reality event featured processes and tools for achieving positive change.  At the event, participants learned three separate but complimentary processes that contribute to positive change. Appreciative Inquiry is the process of uncovering what gives life to a congregation when it functions at its best.  Rather than view a congregation as a “problem to be solved”, each participant was encouraged to view his or her congregation as a “mystery to be embraced”.  The principles of positive image, positive words, and positive emotions underpin the entire process of Appreciative Inquiry.  World Café is a creative way of having deep and meaningful conversations on topics that matter to congregations.  It is a way to exchange information and seed ideas from other sources. Asset Mapping is the process of looking at a congregation’s resources from the perspective of abundance and then creatively matching assets in new ways. 

For additional resources, see the Flourishing Congregations Resource Guide or call the Center.

Participants soon realized that each of these processes can be adapted to a variety of congregational settings.  In reviewing the written feedback from participating congregations we noted a number of creative ways that congregations will use what they learned at the event back home.  Here is a sampling of what we heard:

Sue Weber, 4/12/07

            Using Appreciative Inquiry:

·         Evaluating the effectiveness of church ministries using Appreciative Inquiry;

·         Using Appreciative Inquiry for an upcoming leadership transition;

·         Using the provocative statement exercise (from Appreciative Inquiry) as a way of communicating a congregation’s strategic plan;

·         Using the interview process of Appreciative Inquiry for a visioning process that will occur simultaneously in church members’ homes;

·         Beginning meetings using Appreciative Inquiry questions regarding what we appreciate about our work together, our church and/or our lives;

·         Applying Appreciative Inquiry to expedite fundraising for a new facility and attain better committee participation by members;

·         Posting provocative statements and inviting congregation members to include their input or ideas for improving the statement;

·         Evaluating youth ministry activities;

·         Intentionally thinking about new ways to think positively about what’s right with our church and build from there.

Using World Café:

·         Encouraging intergenerational dialogue using the World Café process;

·         Conducting a yearly World Café before the congregational board plans programs and ministries for the following year.

Using Asset Mapping:

·         Conducting a fellowship meeting using Asset Mapping to discover our collective gifts and assets;

·         Using the “vote with your feet” step in Asset Mapping to take ownership in a ministry;

·         Using Asset Mapping for a church wide retreat.

For additional resources, see the Flourishing Congregations Resource Guide or call the Center.