Natural Church Development is a tool for assessing church health and for aiding in church planning.  Based on the research of Christian Schwartz and others, NCD confirmed what many church leaders have known intuitively -- healthy churches are growing churches, making more and better disciples in loving obedience to Christ. Eight essential qualities were identified, which can be measured quantitatively:

• Empowering leadership
• Gift-oriented ministry
• Passionate spirituality
• Functional structures
• Inspiring worship
• Holistic small groups
• Need-oriented evangelism
• Loving relationships

The Natural Church Development Survey is a wonderful tool which you can use in your congregation as a beginning step toward healthier ministry. Working on a congregation’s weakest Healthy Category can “naturally” help a congregation move forward much like when our doctor has us work on one or two of our body’s weakest systems as a way of improving our overall physical health.   Your District office and trained NCD coaches within our District can help lead your congregation through taking the survey, analyzing the results, and putting in place action planning that can strengthen any church’s ministry under the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Those trained in assisting congregations within our District are:

Pastor Rich Boring
Pastor Kenton Birtell
Pastor Mark Dahn
Pastor Ron Holling
Pastor John Nelson
Pastor Craig Whitson
Pastor Tom Mroch

To find out more about how your church can "release it's potential" through Natural Church Development, contact the District Office or speak to one of the pastors listed above.