In earlier posts we stated that many church leaders have a misunderstanding of the terms organizational health and the health of an organization. While both are closely intertwined in the church (or other organization) the attributes of health within a church will point to the organizational health of a church. In the church the financial cost of having an unhealthy organization is undeniable: wasted resources & time, decreased productivity, increased attrition, and less financial support. While these are all outward evidences of an unhealthy church, they are manifestations of needed organizational health within the church.
In our last article, Identifying Organizational Health in My Church, we focused on the leadership team (staff and key leaders) of the church. This is truly the hub and kingpin of organizational health. However, true organizational health occurs when a church’s leadership, staff, ministries, strategies, and congregational culture align with its purpose of fulfilling The Great Commission.
Most organizations, churches included, focus on intelligence rather than health of the organization. Looking only for intellectual answers though can be costly for any organization. The key ingredient for improvement and success is not knowledge or resources. The key ingredient is the health of the organizational environment (cultural environment inside the church).
According to Patrick Lencioni in The Advantage, “Often bad decisions or organizational failure is attributed to lack of intellect.” Yet in reality the real deficiency is not in intellect, but in the lack of organizational health. A healthy organization has checks and balances, principles and values in place to assist in making healthy decisions.
Reality demonstrates the stronger the organizational health of a church, the more it will be able to maximize the intelligence within for effective utilization. When organizational health is evident, leaders will grow together, learning from one another while clarity and focus for the entire church (as opposed to each one’s specialized ministry) will surface and become a prominent factor in moving the church forward towards its goal of fulfilling the Great Commission.
Creating and maintaining organizational health in your church will produce a healthier organization of the church and will be one of the most meaningful and rewarding endeavors you will ever pursue. While organizational health is not a replacement for spiritual health within a church, it certainly has the potential to produce a greater spiritual health and effectiveness of the church. For more information on Organizational health for your church contact SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.