Pruning: Introducing the 2023 Unstuck Church Get Healthy Again Challenge - Episode 278
Jan 4, 2023
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Tony and Amy introduce the 2023 Unstuck Church Get Healthy Again Challenge, emphasizing the importance of church health goals. They discuss the negative impact of poorly managed church finances and introduce Belay, a church staffing organization. They explore the concept of pruning in churches and businesses, empowering individual callings and maximizing returns. They discuss the importance of pruning for church health and growth, addressing fear of negative repercussions and emphasizing the need for leadership and courage. They encourage pastors to take bold action and invite assistance from the Unstuck Group.
Pruning is essential for church health and growth, requiring intentional shedding of unhealthy patterns and excess ministries.
Pruning, a practice used by healthy businesses, involves regularly reviewing and refining vision, eliminating non-essential elements, and making tough decisions about team members for long-term growth and effectiveness.
Deep dives
The Importance of Pruning for Church Health
In this podcast episode, Tony and Amy kick off a new series focused on helping churches get healthy in 2023. They emphasize the need for churches to assess their health and make resolutions for the new year. Using the analogy of physical health, they discuss the importance of shedding unhealthy patterns and excess ministries, programs, and events. They explore the significance of having an accountability partner, knowing the vital signs of the church, engaging in core exercises, and embracing pruning as essential steps in the journey towards church health.
Pruning in the Business Context
The episode also highlights how healthy businesses practice pruning as a key to their success. They regularly review and refine their long-term vision, eliminating products or services that do not yield the highest returns. Additionally, they are not hesitant to make tough decisions about their team, letting go of good individuals to build great teams. The parallels between pruning in businesses and churches are drawn, emphasizing that the practice of intentional and strategic pruning is crucial for long-term growth and effectiveness.
Challenges and Benefits of Pruning in Churches
The hosts acknowledge that many churches struggle with embracing pruning due to fear of negative consequences, such as people leaving and a decline in giving. However, they assert that pruning is a biblical principle necessary for church health and growth. They explain that pruning involves intentionally cutting back on vision, ministry programs, and even people who may be hindering the church's potential impact. While pruning can be difficult, the episode encourages church leaders to courageously lean into this practice, recognizing that it is necessary to produce long-term fruit and health in their ministries.
The beginning of a new year means new goals, dreams, and resolutions. This year, The Unstuck Group wants to help you get your church as healthy as it's ever been, too!
This week, Tony and Amy are kicking off a new series on Pruning and introducing the “2023 Unstuck Church Get Healthy Again Challenge.” In this episode, they'll start by explaining why pruning matters and start to identify things that need to be stopped or shed in order to get healthy.
Poorly managed church finances can hurt a pastor’s ability to lead church members and reach the local community. To help you figure out where to start, BELAY is offering its resource, 4 Costly Financial Mistakes for Churches, to our listeners for free to help you identify the four biggest things that wreck churches when it comes to their finances—and what you can do to avoid them. To learn more, visit belaysolutions.com.
For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode277.
Join the Live Conversation on Social Media
If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook.
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