What is Church Development

Natural Church Development (NCD) is all about releasing the potential that God has already implanted in our lives. NCD focuses on increasing the quality of a church rather than on numerical growth goals. This emphasis on church health has proven to be the key to ongoing growth and multiplication. It works. Churches that have done three or more NCD Surveys have increased their average growth rate by 51% between the first and the third survey. We plant, we water, God gives the increase (I Cor.3:7).



	What is Natural Church Development? Natural Church Development (NCD) is all about releasing the potential that God has already implanted in our lives. NCD focuses on increasing the quality of a church rather than on numerical growth goals. This emphasis on church health has proven to be the key to ongoing growth and multiplication. It works. Churches that have done three or more NCD Surveys have increased their average growth rate by 51% between the first and the third survey. We plant, we water, God gives the increase (I Cor.3:7).
	8 Essential Qualities After researching over 40,000 churches world-wide, Christian A. Schwarz discovered the following qualities in all healthy, growing churches:
	* Empowering Leadership equip, support, motivate and mentor individuals to become all the God wants them to be * Gift-oriented Ministry help members identify their gifts and integrate them into ministries that match their gifts * Passionate Spirituality faith is actually lived out with commitment, fire and enthusiasm Functional Structures effectiveness in organizational structures and systems and creativity in managing change Inspiring Worship Services worship services that are an inspiring experience and even fun Holistic Small Groups intimate community, practical help and intensive spiritual interaction Need-oriented Evangelism share the gospel in a way that meets the questions and needs of non-Christians *Loving Relationships unfeigned, practical love endows a church with a much greater magnetic power than any marketing tool
	Six Biotic Principles The six biotic principles focus on organic growth applied to the church, a living organism:
	Interdependence Individual units are connected to each other in a larger system. Changes in one ministry will affect other ministries in the church and community. Multiplication Healthy organisms do not grow endlessly, but reproduce themselves. Energy Transformation Momentum or energy already flowing, whether positive or negative, can be redirected to accomplish God’s purposes. Multi-usage Resources used should increase the capacity for on-going growth and development, as well as serve multiple purposes. Symbiosis Different ministries can cultivate cooperative relationships so the mutual benefit is greater than operating separately. Functionality Each ministry needs to produce discernible results in line with its intended purpose.