The Characteristics of a Purpose Driven Congregation by Rick Warren

Does your church qualify for a 2006 Church Health Award?


Over the past three decades, I've seen Purpose Driven principles transform congregations such as the ones honored with Church Health Awards.

These churches understand the importance of maintaining a balance between the five biblical purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and missions, and they embrace Purpose Driven characteristics not only to grow in numbers, but also, more importantly, to grow in health.

That's why, through these awards, we emphasize balance, health, and strength over size or shape. There is no correlation between the size and strength of a church.

Being Purpose Driven is not about size; it's about being biblical and eternal. There are Purpose Driven churches all around the world in more than 100 countries and in more than 100 denominations or associations.

There's a huge variety among these churches. Some are post-modern; others are charismatic, multi-sensory, ethnic, language-based, liturgical, traditional, contemporary, or country; others are aimed toward singles, surfers, or prisoners. These churches are found in rural areas, small towns, suburbs, urban areas, and inner cities.

Some of these congregations don't even have a seeker service; instead they do evangelism in some other way, understanding that being Purpose Driven is about seeking the lost and then helping them grow into balanced believers in Christ.

As I've thought about it over the years, here are some of the critical characteristics of Purpose Driven churches:

They have a purpose statement that describes (in their own words) their commitment to building the church around the five New Testament purposes: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry.
They use a Purpose Driven strategy to fulfill their purpose statement. While using a variety of terms, a Purpose Driven strategy brings people to Christ and into membership in his family, then builds them up to maturity, then equips them for ministry in the church, and then sends them out on a life mission in the world in order to bring glory to God.
The Purpose Driven strategy is based on two vital assumptions: People grow best when you allow them to make gradual commitments, and you must ask for commitment in specific ways, such as using covenants.

They organize around a Purpose Driven structure, which ensures balance and gives equal emphasis to all five New Testament purposes. Purpose Driven churches are team-based, rather than hierarchical. They organize around purpose-based teams (at least five-one for each purpose) composed of lay leaders and staff, with each team responsible for a specific purpose and target group (such as the community, the crowd, the congregation, the committed, and the core).
They program by purpose: They have at least one program for fulfilling each of the five purposes and each of the corresponding constituencies. They evangelize the community, gather the crowd for worship, fellowship in the congregation, disciple the committed, and equip the core for ministry and mission.
They staff by purpose: Every purpose has its own champion. Purpose Driven churches begin by finding volunteers to lead and serve on each purpose-based team, and they develop full-time, paid positions as needed.
The pastor preaches by purpose: Messages and series are planned to ensure that the congregation receives a balanced emphasis on each of the purposes.
They form small groups on purpose Purpose Driven DNA is implanted in every cell (group) of the congregation. Each small group helps the members fulfill each of the five purposes in their lives. The goal is to help every believer live a purpose driven life.
They calendar by purpose: The purposes are the determining factor in deciding what events are scheduled. Every event must fulfill at least one of the five purposes or it isn't approved.
They budget on purpose: Every expenditure is categorized by the purpose to which it relates.
They build by purpose: Buildings are seen as ministry tools, not monuments. They must serve the purposes and never become more important than the purposes.
They evaluate by purpose: These congregations regularly ask, "Are we balancing all five purposes? Is there a better way to fulfill each purpose?"

http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/A...ngregation.htm



[Edited on 11-14-2005 by Robin]

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Robin
URCNA
Heidelberg, Ursinus, Belgic Confessions; Canons of Dordt
Revelation 14:2

That would probably mean that each and every one of our congregations are unbalanced and unhealthy...

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Bryan Michael Maes [Blog - Facebook - MySpace]
St. Mark's on the Mesa Episcopal Church
Albuquerque, NM

... asking for commitment in specific ways such as using covenants? Does Rick Warren understand the Biblical definition and usage of "Covenant"? Let's give him a benefit of a doubt, but his statement above seems awfully human centric to me. It is God who establishes His Covenant and places His people, the Church, in the Covenant!

Faithfulness to His Covenant is a matter of our first of all being truly regenerated in a monergistic salvific work of God alone, with the evidence following in a life-long process of sactification ... which may be painfully slow or even retrogress at times.

Is it sound Biblical understanding to say that anyone can "make a covenant" to purse a "purpose driven life"?

[Edited on 11-14-2005 by BrianBowman]

I would not criticize them on the covenant thing, unless there is a problem with their specific ovenant. Reformed churches make covenants with their members. Here is an example from the PResbyterian Church in America. Book of Church Order 57-5 provides:

. . . The minister may then address those making a profession in the following terms: (All of) you being here present to make a public profession of faith, are to assent to the following declarations and promises, by which you enter into a solemn covenant with God and His Church.
1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?
2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?
4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?
5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?

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Scott Roberts
Ruling Elder, Lakeside Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Southlake, Texas

Thanks Scott,

As a member of a PCA church, I've taken the oath you list above. My point, which I did not make clear, was the basis of that oath is understanding The Covenant we are already in. I believe this is different from the "Purpose Driven Live".

[Edited on 11-14-2005 by BrianBowman]

Can the purpose be to not have a purpose beyond the prescriptions of a Biblical Church in Scripture?

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Mr. Matthew Johnson
Bethlehem Baptist Church, BGC (Mlps, MN)
Burnsville, MN

Before we criticize the details or engage in reflexive "Warren bashing", let's begin with the basics. Does anyone disagree with Warren on his 5 purposes of a church: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry? Doe anyone disagree with the proposition that you can diagnose the health of a church by how well they address these 5 purposes?

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Tom Albrecht
Member, Covenant URCNA, New Holland, PA.

"I'm not a famous man. I'm just a simple country doctor with horse sense."

Have you read the book? Warren defines these things very differently than a Reformation Christian would.

Maybe I was not clear. Independent of Warren's details, do you disagree with the 5 purposes of a church: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry? Can we diagnose the health of a church by how well they address these 5 purposes?

Is there is better way of categorizing the purposes? (The marks of a True Church?)

Not to get sidetracked, "Reformation Christian" is a very broad term. Since Warren deals a lot with application, and since the Reformed churches seem to be all over the map on application, I'm not sure you could get uniform agreement on the meaning vis-a-vis Warren.

Not if we did it on purpose...sorry, couldn't resist.

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Ivan Schoen, Pastor * Maranatha Baptist Church, Poplar Grove, IL * http://maranatha-sbc.org/

"I want to assist churches and to assist pastors in training pastors. But, after fourteen years of service in this capacity, I am absolutely certain that the finest theological seminary on earth is absolutely incompetent at replicating the actual life of a Gospel congregation. I want to train a generation of pastors who will train pastors, and I want to help them in that task." --- Dr. R. Albert Mohler, President of THE Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

Hearing about Rick Warren's five purposes of a church brings to mind a certain reading from the Book of Armaments, Chapter 4, Verses 16 to 20:

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole