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What is church DNA? To answer this question, we have to first establish a standard definition of DNA from which to begin our discussion. DNA is best described as the basic genetic building blocks that determine who we are and ultimately what we will become. Many in church leadership and consulting are using this concept of DNA as a benchmark for assessing church health. Every church has building blocks that determine its current practices and its plans for the future. Assessing these building blocks help a church evaluate their values and priorities at the micro level. At the macro level the evaluation of a church’s DNA can measure a church’s health. The overall goal is that a church would be better able to chart the course for their future endeavors based upon their understanding of their own DNA.
Every church is different. Churches are different sizes. Some churches have 20,000 members and some churches have 200 members. Churches have different backgrounds and therefore different preferences. Because of their roots, some churches are traditional and some are contemporary. Some are stuck in the middle. I believe that a church should minister and worship in a way that best reflects the demographic of the church. In other words, minister in a way that allows the most people to experience God in a unified body of believers. This is a healthy practice of ministry and a flexible strand of DNA. This begs the important question: “What elements of DNA are essential to the local church?” I believe that the answer to this question is found in three places in Scripture. We will visit these church DNA essentials over the next three days.
How does this relate to Sports Outreach? If your church does not value the church DNA essentials that I will discuss, you will have a difficult time getting the leadership team to buy into the idea of starting a sports outreach ministry. But don’t lose hope; pray for God to use you as the catalyst for change as you challenge and influence those in leadership.
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I’ve been working on starting a sports outreach ministry (and yes, you are ABSOLUTELY correct about the insertion of “outreach” in the sports ministry terminology) for the past three years.
Your comments in this post in particular are very helpful! Keep it up!
Comment by Geoff Brown September 25, 2007 @ 1:18 pm“minister in a way that allows the most people to experience God in a unified body of believers.” (?)
This sounds to me that we are trying to please the people and fit the DNA of the people into the DNA of the Church. I do understand there are various types of church, but the church that glorifies God is the one that preaches the truth from the word of God, and worships in truth and Spirit. Now we must understand what those term mean, otherwise we get many (personal, not biblical) interpretations and from them many styles of churches… let’s say traditional, contemporary and “stuck in the middle”
Comment by Jon August 3, 2008 @ 12:07 pm