Natural Church Development Flashcards
What did NCD researchers require of the survey participants?
At least 30 church members must complete a survey.
How many and what kind of churches were surveyed by the Institute for Natural Church Development?
From 1994 to 1996, more than 1000 churches from six continents were surveyed. These churches come from all kinds of churches in all kinds of sociocultural environments.
What are the eight quality characteristics of growing churches?
(1) Empowering leadership
(2) Gift-oriented ministry
(3) Passionate spirituality
(4) Functional structures
(5) Inspiring worship service
(6) Holistic small groups
(7) Need-oriented evangelism
(8) Loving relationships
What percentage of pastors in low quality and declining churches have graduated from seminary?
85%
What percentages of pastors in high quality and growing churches have graduated from seminary?
42%
What percentage of pastors in low quality and declining churches say, “I regularly seek counsel from a trusted outside source”?
12%
What percentage of pastors in high quality and growing churches say, “I regularly seek counsel from a trusted outside source”?
58%
Which one of the eight quality characteristics showed the most positive influence on personal and church life?
Gift-oriented ministry
What percentage of pastors in high quality and low churches say, “The volunteer workers of our church receive training for their tasks”?
63%
What percentage of church members in high quality and growing churches say, “My personal ministry involvements match my gifts”?
68%
What percentage of church members in high quality and growing churches say “Times of prayer are an inspiring experience for me”?
71%
What percentage of church members in high quality and growing churches say “I am enthusiastic about my church”?
76%
What percentage of church members in low quality and declining churches say “I am enthusiastic about my church”?
33%
What percentage of church members in high quality and growing churches say, “I consider our church to be tradition-bound”?
8%
What percentage of church members in low quality and declining churches say, “I consider our church to be tradition-bound”?
50%
Based on the Institute of NCD’s research, are worship services that primarily target non-Christians statistically impactful on a church’s quality and/or growth?
No.
What percentage of church members in high quality and growing churches say, “Attending our worship services is an inspiring experience for me”?
80%
If the Institute of NCD had to choose one principle as the most important to church health and growth, what would it be?
The multiplication of small groups
What percentage of pastors in high quality and growing churches say, “Our church consciously promotes the multiplication of small groups through cell division”?
78%
What percentage of pastors in low quality and declining churches say, “Our church consciously promotes the multiplication of small groups through cell division”?
6%
What percentage of pastors in high quality and growing churches say, “I know which members of our church have the gift of evangelism”?
70%
What is the average number of non-Christian contacts that a single Christian in a growing or declining church has?
8.5
What percentage of church members in high quality and growing churches say, “There is a lot of laughter in our church”?
68%
What is the one rule that the Institute for NCD did not find a single exception to in its research?
Every church in which a quality index of 65 or more was reach for each of the eight quality characteristics is a growing church.
