Strategies for Future Success
A spiritual organization shares many aspects with business entities. They have a particular message that appeals to people based on their culture, beliefs, and values. The way that message is communicated and how relevant it is in the lives of members determines the viability of a spiritual organization. Of course, a mode of behavior espoused by a spiritual organization that is contrary to prevailing practices, but based on some kind of “timeless truth" is fine as long as the organization is prepared to make itself extinct. To ensure that a spiritual organization grows and prospers it must employ proven, adaptable, and realistic strategies for success.
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What is a Spiritual Community?
Whatever difficulties humanity faces in the future, there will be a continuing need for the guidance and comfort provided by spiritual communities. The definition of spirituality is greatly varied. For some spirituality is defined as a religion that must be shared, while for others spirituality is a deeply personal and individualistic thing that may not need to be shared with others at all. Many believe spirituality is a subset of religion, while others believe the opposite. Thus defining a “spiritual community” is not an easy thing to do.
According to the Community Tool Box the following are characteristics, or “assets” that are important to the building of any spiritual community:
Spiritual community is often considered within the context of established churches. Many have grappled with determining just the right formula for defining a spiritual community, especially one without walls. An example of how traditional (established) Christian organizations seek to define online spiritual communities is Tim Hutchings’s article entitled Real Virtual Community. Hutchings describes two online community approaches: 1) community depends on emotional bonds, and 2) community depends on an “incarnational” aspect, which starts with the value of materiality and embodiment rather than connections and relationships. Hutchings discusses the relative merits of several modern social media platforms (Facebook, forums, chatrooms, Twitter, games, etc.) about one or the other of the two approaches to the online community. He settled on the Church of Fools (later morphed into “St Pixels – Church of the Internet”) as a good model of a Christian online community.
According to the Community Tool Box the following are characteristics, or “assets” that are important to the building of any spiritual community:
- Being Charitable toward Others
- Being Compassionate
- Forgiveness and Reconciliation
- Appreciation and Gratitude
- Spreading Hope
- Sharing Hospitality
- Practicing Humility
- Advocating for Justice
- Patience: Enduring Trials
- Showing Tolerance and Acceptance
Spiritual community is often considered within the context of established churches. Many have grappled with determining just the right formula for defining a spiritual community, especially one without walls. An example of how traditional (established) Christian organizations seek to define online spiritual communities is Tim Hutchings’s article entitled Real Virtual Community. Hutchings describes two online community approaches: 1) community depends on emotional bonds, and 2) community depends on an “incarnational” aspect, which starts with the value of materiality and embodiment rather than connections and relationships. Hutchings discusses the relative merits of several modern social media platforms (Facebook, forums, chatrooms, Twitter, games, etc.) about one or the other of the two approaches to the online community. He settled on the Church of Fools (later morphed into “St Pixels – Church of the Internet”) as a good model of a Christian online community.
What is Viability?
The Church 2.0 project is particularly interested in examining how any spiritual organization can remain viable during a time of crisis and disruption. We identify three essential elements to ensure that continued viability:
- Sustainability
- Value
- Meaning
Sustainability
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Sustainability is a function of the Infrastructure and Resilience of a spiritual organization.
As an example of Infrastructure, a corporation needs physical facilities in the form of buildings, and equipment to build products to market and sell. Personnel and management are also an integral part of the infrastructure. In addition, a corporation requires intellectual assets, such as research and development, patents, and so on to ensure a steady stream of innovative products and services to sell.
Examples of Infrastructure for spiritual organizations are:
Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Resilience for spiritual organizations is a combination of the goodwill, competence, integrity, and excellent planning of its members. Resilience requires that records are kept in good (and recoverable) order, that financial assets are available, and that everything necessary to deliver the “products” of the organization (such as ritual and liturgical services) will continue to be available to its members in all circumstances.
Examples of Infrastructure for spiritual organizations are:
- Leadership (lay & professional)
- Organizing documents
- Finances
- Physical assets (buildings, businesses, etc.)
- Modes by which message is presented (online, brochures, etc.)
Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Resilience for spiritual organizations is a combination of the goodwill, competence, integrity, and excellent planning of its members. Resilience requires that records are kept in good (and recoverable) order, that financial assets are available, and that everything necessary to deliver the “products” of the organization (such as ritual and liturgical services) will continue to be available to its members in all circumstances.
Examples of Resilience for spiritual organizations are:
- Active, dynamic membership
- Engagement
- Commitment to the mission
- Sense of purpose and mission as an organization
- How well the organization is embedded in, and connected to the larger community
- Ties to political and economic resources
- Adaptability
Value
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Value is a function of the Quality and Relevance of a spiritual organization.
As an example of Quality, a corporation needs to market and sell goods and services that provide a sense of their usefulness and excellence to the customers who purchase them. In addition, the corporation’s principles or standards of behavior and judgment must also reflect the importance of a commitment to excellence.
Examples of Quality for spiritual organizations are:
The central message, principles, and precepts of a spiritual organization must have Relevance to its present or potential members. The Reverend Meg Riley spoke about relevancy as a key concept in her remarks at the “Spiritual Communities Without Walls” symposium to the Starr King School for the Ministry in January 2018. She said the mission is always central... that the Church for the Larger Fellowship must accommodate the quest for meaning. Riley also said that we must connect, deepen, and act. In her book, Testimony: The Transformative Power of Unitarian Universalism, Riley tells the story of Dealois LeBrón, a bisexual Roman Catholic. LeBrón found that the Unitarian Universalist material presented to him was relevant to his life. He felt that he was not alone and that he had found a family that accepted him for who he is.
Examples of Quality for spiritual organizations are:
- Content of services
- Leadership (emotional intelligence, leadership skills, etc.)
- Perceived quality of church
- Presentation of services (online, etc.)
- Welcoming, caring
The central message, principles, and precepts of a spiritual organization must have Relevance to its present or potential members. The Reverend Meg Riley spoke about relevancy as a key concept in her remarks at the “Spiritual Communities Without Walls” symposium to the Starr King School for the Ministry in January 2018. She said the mission is always central... that the Church for the Larger Fellowship must accommodate the quest for meaning. Riley also said that we must connect, deepen, and act. In her book, Testimony: The Transformative Power of Unitarian Universalism, Riley tells the story of Dealois LeBrón, a bisexual Roman Catholic. LeBrón found that the Unitarian Universalist material presented to him was relevant to his life. He felt that he was not alone and that he had found a family that accepted him for who he is.
Examples of Relevance for spiritual organizations are:
- Does what is shared apply to my life
- Can I connect with the philosophy or viewpoint offered; are they important in my daily life
- Does the philosophy or viewpoint reflect my values
- Does the philosophy or viewpoint relate to events in my individual life and in the world
Meaning
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Meaning for spiritual organizations is a function of Connection and Authenticity.
Connection is defined as a relationship in which a person is linked or associated with a philosophy or viewpoint. The relationship a person creates with a spiritual community is a vitally important measure of whether that person remains a member. The technology employed to maintain communication between the member and a spiritual organization is essential. Whether the communication medium is correspondence through the postal service, online conferencing, or a fully immersive virtual 3D environment the spiritual organization must find appropriate ways to make meaningful connections with its members.
In his analysis of the Church of Fools (and online Christian churches in general), Hutchings states: “I’ve also pointed out one limitation to the experiment: despite the stated goals of the project, online churches are often not particularly successful at attracting new audiences to hear the Christian message.” Hutchings may have hit on a fundamental explanation for why online churches suffer: they are too closely tied to “Christianity” and what people perceive to be its failings regarding relevancy in their lives.
While church attendance in the United States has rapidly declined, statistics show that it is even lower in all other nations at a comparable level of development. The question of what kind of people are likely to be attracted to a spiritual community without walls is essential if such a community is to be sustained. Thus, a profile of such people might be developed:
Examples of Connection for spiritual organizations are:
Authenticity is a perceived quality in the truth of a message, philosophy, or viewpoint offered by a spiritual organization. Authenticity may relate to the genuineness of original principles and how faithfully the organization adheres to them or it may relate to the accuracy and reliability of foundational facts.
In his analysis of the Church of Fools (and online Christian churches in general), Hutchings states: “I’ve also pointed out one limitation to the experiment: despite the stated goals of the project, online churches are often not particularly successful at attracting new audiences to hear the Christian message.” Hutchings may have hit on a fundamental explanation for why online churches suffer: they are too closely tied to “Christianity” and what people perceive to be its failings regarding relevancy in their lives.
While church attendance in the United States has rapidly declined, statistics show that it is even lower in all other nations at a comparable level of development. The question of what kind of people are likely to be attracted to a spiritual community without walls is essential if such a community is to be sustained. Thus, a profile of such people might be developed:
- From most relevant metrics, it seems clear that such people identify with the possibility of a “higher power”, “universal spirit”, or “God”, but are not willing to subscribe to a pre-defined set of beliefs.
- They may wish to explore spiritual matters without fear of being ridiculed or condemned for their skepticism.
- They may wish to study sacred texts but do not see them as “inerrant” or “infallible”
- They wish for a sense of community of like-minded people. Like themselves, they want to be in a community that is open to new ideas and perspectives. They do not expect newcomers to the community to believe as they do.
- They are willing to open themselves to an exploration of a divine nature in their lives.
Examples of Connection for spiritual organizations are:
- Sense of community
- Do I connect with the message/teachings
Authenticity is a perceived quality in the truth of a message, philosophy, or viewpoint offered by a spiritual organization. Authenticity may relate to the genuineness of original principles and how faithfully the organization adheres to them or it may relate to the accuracy and reliability of foundational facts.
Examples of how spiritual organizations manifest Authenticity for members and potential members are:
- Of source materials
- Of leaders (if actions, values, and speech in accordance with one another)
- Of members (if actions, values, and speech in accordance with one another)
- Right relations
- Of the organization (if it acts in accordance with its values)
Strategy Resources
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Resilience
1. This article offers 50 tips to increase active engagement in church. Written from a Christian perspective, it may easily be applied to religious organizations of any affiliation. The tips are categories into ways to motivate, communicate, organize, connect, and equip and affirm. Brief but thoughtful, it provides a starting point for reflection, conversation, and action.
https://www.churchleadership.com/50-ways/50-ways-to-increase-active-engagement
2. This article by Carey Niuewhof proposes that passionate engagement of church members drives growth and the advancement of the church’s mission. The article describes the hows and whys of 7 ways to grow engagement in-person:
1. Challenge people to serve
2. Provide a clear path toward involvement
3. Focus all programs around your mission
4. Make it uncomfortable to stay disengaged
5. Preach action, not knowledge
6. Try using active language
7. Reward progress.
A thoughtful, practical examination of how to engage people and energize an organization. This article also has links to resources to increase digital engagement, as well as books and classes by the author. Well worth the time to explore the ideas and resources available through this website.
https://careynieuwhof.com/7-ways-grow-church-attendance-increasing-engagement
3. This article offers strategies for adaptability and innovation in small churches, in particular. The author outlines six steps that many innovative small churches have taken to become nimble and adaptable:
1. Figure Out How to Say “Yes” to New Ideas
2. Move From a Destination Mindset to a Change Process
3. Provide and Promote Stability Zones
4. Follow the Change Pattern of Jesus and His Disciples
5. Communicate the Need For and Nature of the Innovation
6. Lead By Example
Though the Christian framework, particularly for step 4, may not work for every spiritual organization, the ideas and actions described are powerful opportunities to build adaptability.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/karl-vaters/2015/august/adapt-or-die-six-steps-to-start-becoming-innovative-church.html
Quality
1. “The 5 Qualities All Successful Leaders Have in Common,” highlights key qualities and behaviors that successful leaders demonstrate in their professional and personal lives. The focus is not church-specific but rather the common traits all leaders can learn and cultivate.
https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/top-5-leadership-qualities
2. The Center for Creative Leadership offers the 10 characteristics of good leaders, plus a synthesis of putting it all together and how to develop the qualities of a good leader. The ten highlighted characteristics include interesting and important qualities that are not always found on similar lists. The article also contains links to other posts expanding upon the themes discussed.
https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/characteristics-good-leader
3. A strongly Christian-based list of ten questions to ask when selecting church leadership, which may be extrapolated to other traditions. The questions may also be used for self-reflection or evaluations of current leadership. These questions offer a good starting point for conversations and reflections on leadership.
https://smartchurchmanagement.com/10-essential-characteristics-church-leadership
Relevance
1. This article offers ten compelling ideas for attracting more people to your religious group. Within each suggestion is a wealth of opportunity to consider what draws people to spiritual organizations and how to make their experience deeply meaningful. A thought-provoking and important read. (NOTE: this article addresses other Church 2.0 topics in addition to relevance)
https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/ten-ways-to-make-your-spiritual-organization-more-appealing
Authenticity
1. A documentary about the time filmmaker Vikram Gandhi impersonated a fake guru and built a following of real people, this film calls into question authenticity, the responsibilities of spiritual leaders, the meaning that spiritual leaders, groups, and organizations hold in people’s lives, and what people are seeking.
https://kumaremovie.com
2. What is authentic leadership and why is it important? This article addresses those questions from a business perspective, exploring the characteristics of authentic leaders (committed to bettering themselves; cultivate self-awareness; disciplined; mission-driven; inspire faith) and why it’s important.
https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/authentic-leadership
3. “Authentic Leadership and Its Relationship to Ministerial Effectiveness” is a scholarly article from the Journal of Applied Christian Leadership that offers a deep dive into the history, components, and importance of authentic leadership in church leaders. In part, it concludes that high integrity, credibility, transparency, and trust in leaders provides rich opportunities for the collective individuals and the group to flourish.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/232856728.pdf
1. This article offers 50 tips to increase active engagement in church. Written from a Christian perspective, it may easily be applied to religious organizations of any affiliation. The tips are categories into ways to motivate, communicate, organize, connect, and equip and affirm. Brief but thoughtful, it provides a starting point for reflection, conversation, and action.
https://www.churchleadership.com/50-ways/50-ways-to-increase-active-engagement
2. This article by Carey Niuewhof proposes that passionate engagement of church members drives growth and the advancement of the church’s mission. The article describes the hows and whys of 7 ways to grow engagement in-person:
1. Challenge people to serve
2. Provide a clear path toward involvement
3. Focus all programs around your mission
4. Make it uncomfortable to stay disengaged
5. Preach action, not knowledge
6. Try using active language
7. Reward progress.
A thoughtful, practical examination of how to engage people and energize an organization. This article also has links to resources to increase digital engagement, as well as books and classes by the author. Well worth the time to explore the ideas and resources available through this website.
https://careynieuwhof.com/7-ways-grow-church-attendance-increasing-engagement
3. This article offers strategies for adaptability and innovation in small churches, in particular. The author outlines six steps that many innovative small churches have taken to become nimble and adaptable:
1. Figure Out How to Say “Yes” to New Ideas
2. Move From a Destination Mindset to a Change Process
3. Provide and Promote Stability Zones
4. Follow the Change Pattern of Jesus and His Disciples
5. Communicate the Need For and Nature of the Innovation
6. Lead By Example
Though the Christian framework, particularly for step 4, may not work for every spiritual organization, the ideas and actions described are powerful opportunities to build adaptability.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/karl-vaters/2015/august/adapt-or-die-six-steps-to-start-becoming-innovative-church.html
Quality
1. “The 5 Qualities All Successful Leaders Have in Common,” highlights key qualities and behaviors that successful leaders demonstrate in their professional and personal lives. The focus is not church-specific but rather the common traits all leaders can learn and cultivate.
https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/top-5-leadership-qualities
2. The Center for Creative Leadership offers the 10 characteristics of good leaders, plus a synthesis of putting it all together and how to develop the qualities of a good leader. The ten highlighted characteristics include interesting and important qualities that are not always found on similar lists. The article also contains links to other posts expanding upon the themes discussed.
https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/characteristics-good-leader
3. A strongly Christian-based list of ten questions to ask when selecting church leadership, which may be extrapolated to other traditions. The questions may also be used for self-reflection or evaluations of current leadership. These questions offer a good starting point for conversations and reflections on leadership.
https://smartchurchmanagement.com/10-essential-characteristics-church-leadership
Relevance
1. This article offers ten compelling ideas for attracting more people to your religious group. Within each suggestion is a wealth of opportunity to consider what draws people to spiritual organizations and how to make their experience deeply meaningful. A thought-provoking and important read. (NOTE: this article addresses other Church 2.0 topics in addition to relevance)
https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/ten-ways-to-make-your-spiritual-organization-more-appealing
Authenticity
1. A documentary about the time filmmaker Vikram Gandhi impersonated a fake guru and built a following of real people, this film calls into question authenticity, the responsibilities of spiritual leaders, the meaning that spiritual leaders, groups, and organizations hold in people’s lives, and what people are seeking.
https://kumaremovie.com
2. What is authentic leadership and why is it important? This article addresses those questions from a business perspective, exploring the characteristics of authentic leaders (committed to bettering themselves; cultivate self-awareness; disciplined; mission-driven; inspire faith) and why it’s important.
https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/authentic-leadership
3. “Authentic Leadership and Its Relationship to Ministerial Effectiveness” is a scholarly article from the Journal of Applied Christian Leadership that offers a deep dive into the history, components, and importance of authentic leadership in church leaders. In part, it concludes that high integrity, credibility, transparency, and trust in leaders provides rich opportunities for the collective individuals and the group to flourish.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/232856728.pdf