Welcome to the First Baptist Church of Detroit
 
  The Natural Church Development (NCD) process has concluded the first step of an ongoing effort to strengthen the life of FBC-D.  The NCD tool is a research based program that has examined over 50,000 congregations throughout the world.  The study indicated 8 primary characteristics in church life critical for congregational health and mission.  The eight characteristics are:  Empowering Leadership, Gift-Oriented Ministry, Passionate Spirituality, Functional Structures, Inspiring Worship Service, Holistic Small Groups, Need-Oriented Evangelism, and Loving Relationships.  Thirty FBC-D people representing young and old, male and female, Euro-and African-American, andlong time members; as well as, recent members were giving a survey.  The lowest minimum factor that appeared in the survey results was Inspiring Worship; a group was formed to work on worship.  Some results are already evident on Sunday mornings.

 

The NCD theory is that by strengthening the lowest minimum factor you will also strengthen the other seven:  a rising tide lifts all boats.  The group has finished this step of the process and will now become part of a worship planning team in the Worship Committee.  (If you are interested in becoming a part of this planning ministry, contact Pastor Bill.)

 

A second survey was administered and the results are in.  Guess what?  Inspiring Worship moved up but remained the lowest common factor.  I am not surprised given the multi-racial character of the congregation.  There are many expectations at any given time.  Passionate Spirituality remained the same and the others all reveal significant stronger findings.  I have presented these findings to Church Council.

 

We have consulted with Tucker Gunnemann, ABC Region staff who is trained in NCD, and we will now begin to work on Passionate Spirituality.  What exactly is Passionate Spirituality, you ask?  Good question!  We will discover this together.

 

If you are interested in being a part of this next step in the NCD, contact me.  I will be contacting some folks—about 4-6—to undertake this critical ministry.  Passionate Spirituality is related to Inspiring Worship.  But these are all subjective terms and we now need to find a common place where everyone can stand together and allow the Wind of the Spirit to blow through the hearts of the church.  I am excited about this next step and look forward to sharing more with you as time goes by.

Peace

 

 

 

Pastor Bill
 


Comments


Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply

FBC-Detroit 2010