Singing The Praises Of Church Process

by Rev. Mark E. Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader

Most of the time we take it for granted, since it’s there, supporting missional progress as it should. Church process is like our bone structures, providing foundational support for our bodies, making movement possible. If our bones become too rigid, movement becomes painful and slow. At the same time, when our bones grow too soft, we are more vulnerable to injury. Healthy skeletal structure is foundational to human functioning, becoming something we take for granted when it’s effectively serving its purpose.

We receive requests for all kinds of consulting at Pinnacle, many from churches ready to move ahead in proactive ways, from strength to strength, so to speak. Simultaneously, we receive problem-oriented requests as you might expect. Reflecting on these, I’m wondering what percentage of these churches would not be contacting us were they able to follow their particular church process? More on this below.

Before moving ahead, here’s what I mean by church process. Churches are bodies of Christ, organisms born to embody the presence of Christ, joining God’s mission to reconcile the world. But as you know, churches live in context, existing as organizations and even as institutions. They own buildings, employ people, pay bills, and obey community laws and codes. In this respect, they are organizations, like any other in their communities. Church process is the stated and approved organizational structure which gives guidance to their daily operations.

Now, this all sounds extremely dry and boring to those of us who are visionary and/or people oriented. Why even think on these things? After interacting with churches in recent months, I find myself praising effective church process, plus those leaders in churches who effectively execute the responsibilities of their roles. Even more, it’s clear that we need to affirm those in churches who effectively execute their duties in accordance with healthy church process. Perhaps this article is your opportunity to pass on affirmation to them, recognizing these benefits of effective church process. Here are five ways effective church process serves churches.

There is power in effective church process for moving the mission forward.

Every organization needs pathways for moving forward, for getting what needs to be done actually done. Otherwise, organizations would have to reinvent the wheel every time the wheel needs turning. Effective church process provides clear guidance on how to move forward. If it suddenly disappeared, chaos would reign. When it’s there, functioning below the surface, movement can happen and things can get done.

Effective church process helps safeguard the community of faith.

As inferred above, churches can bring trouble on themselves by disregarding church process. At the same time, there are some churches whose elected leadership follows church process, even while under assault by those whose intent is a hostile takeover. Yes, those are strong words. And yes, I’m using them intentionally based on experiences with real churches wherein the threat to their communities of faith are that real and intense. Sticking with church process, even when pressured by church bullies, safeguards communities of faith.

Effective church process facilitates issue-focused problem-solving.

When doing church consulting, we work to identify the level of conflict present, using a scale with levels from 0-5. Churches who effectively use their prescribed process often remain problem-focused when trying to resolve difficulties, avoiding escalation to levels 3 or above on our scale. Rather than stepping away from the actual problem, resorting to forming sides, attaching to personalities, or attacking, church process can keep the focus on the problem itself. Obviously, this allows for more clear-headed thinking that keeps problems in their place.

Effective church process provides opportunities for fruitful innovation.

Strangely, some of the most innovative churches are the most disciplined when it comes to following church process. The dynamic behind this has to do with safety and security leading to freedom and innovation. Those churches who are disciplined with their process are then safe and secure enough to dream dreams and see visions. They are like Olympic level athletes, extremely disciplined in their training, allowing them to quickly and effectively respond to changes in their environment as needed (innovation).

Effective church process lowers unproductive anxiety.

And what church doesn’t need this? I don’t even want to begin listing the drivers of anxiety present in our world in 2024. And neither do you need me to, since church leaders are keenly aware of the heightened anxiety in their churches. Here’s another insight from the consulting world… when we engage with a church who’s struggling, providing a structure and process for how they might move forward toward resolution… they immediately begin to settle. Emotions lower, spiritual disciplines are accessed, and clear thinking is more possible. It’s fascinating how simply having a promising process for moving forward can lower anxiety and increase functioning.

So, even though I’m all about adaptive transformation, here in the Spring of 2024, I find myself singing the praises of effective church process. May we use the tools available to us to cooperate with God’s movement through our churches, becoming greater expressions of the body of Christ as we go.