This challenge is for anyone who has read “The Imperfect Church” by Nathan LaValleyand wants to build up their congregation.
Before Starting
1.Fill out the form to the right to receive our Imperfect Church Challenge Group Materials. These materials will contain detailed outlines for each group meeting and media for communication.
2.Purchase 10 hard copies of The Imperfect Church to be used in your Imperfect Church Challenge Group.
3.Pick a day and time each week that you’re free, and you suspect others in your church will be free as well. This will be when your Imperfect Church Challenge Group will meet. Then call at least 10 people in your church. Ideally, the people you call are highly connected people. The goal is to get a group of 6-10 influential people together for 7 weeks to participate in this challenge. Invite them to join you for a 7-week book study and reflection process. Tell them that you already bought their book! (If you yourself are a minister, you might call your eldership and other staff. If you are a church member, you might call a few church staff, elders and other highly involved church members.)
Week one prep work: Read parts 1 and 2 from The Imperfect Church
Week 1
1.Spend 20 intentional minutes pondering this question: If God granted you a perfect and detailed answer to one question related to your church, what would you ask him?
2.Have your first Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
Week two prep work: Read part 3 from The Imperfect Church
Week 2
1.Using the imagery from the first dream, draw a picture that represents the heavenly reality of your earthly life. Use colors so that you can depict the materials of your platform and nature of your marbles.
2.Using the imagery from the first dream, draw a picture that represents the heavenly reality of your congregation. Again, use colors. Next to this drawing, answer the following question: What questions do you think have become monolithic in your church?
3.Have your second Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
Week three prep work: Read part 4 from The Imperfect Church
Week 3
1.If you don’t already own an egg timer, buy one. Create a morning routine and evening routine that you will personally follow to the nail for at least a week. See the Group Materials for an example morning routine and evening routine. At the end of the week, write a 300-500 word synopsis of your experience. Come ready to share this at your next meeting.
2.Have at least three ultra-intentional meals with people you know. This could be a non-believer, a child or spouse, a college student in your congregation or a leader in the community. You get the picture.
3.Have your third Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
Week four prep work: Read part 5 from The Imperfect Church
Week 4
1.Find an extra opportunity this week to worship in song with a group of believers. Practice intentionally honing the heart and mind ahead of time to submit to God.
2.Have a conversation with someone from your church who is not in the Imperfect Church Challenge Group about worship. Refer to the Group Materials for help on having this conversation.
3.Have your fourth Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
Diagram from “The Imperfect Church”
Week five prep work: Read part 6 from The Imperfect Church
Diagram from “The Imperfect Church”
Week 5
1.Spend one hour in prayer and thought on the following question: Is guilt and regret causally linked to shame in your life?
2.Make a vibrancy catalog of the church communities you’ve been a part of. Instructions for this can be found in the Group Materials.
3.Have your fifth Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
Week six prep work: Read part 7 (minus chapter 43) from The Imperfect Church
Week 6
1.Visit our Free Resources page at https://strongrchurch.org/free-resources/ and Download the Personal Theology Survey and Theological Communication Church Survey. Print and fill them out this week. Then bring them to this week’s meeting.
2.Answer the following questions on the back of one of the surveys: what topics (if any) do you think are not being adequately addressed in your church? What are the consequences of not addressing those topics?
3.Have your sixth Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
Week seven prep work: Read Chapter 44 from The Imperfect Church
Week 7
1.Visit https://strongrchurch.org/consulting/ and schedule a free consultation with a STRONGR church health specialist. Have as many people from the group as possible attend the online meeting.
2.Begin the process of scheduling a meeting/discussion with your church’s leadership to share with them what you learned over the course of this group. See the Group Materials for help with prepping for that meeting.
3.Have your seventh and final Imperfect Church Challenge Group meeting.
