the Report - Richwoods Christian Church

Helping People Find and Follow Christ
Monday, May 23, 2016
We have contracted with the Unstuck Group to assist with Richwoods Christian Church’s
strategic planning effort. Our goal is for the Unstuck Group to bring an objective, external
perspective that will help us to be wise in building plans for the future.
In order to provide good counsel, The Unstuck Group conducted an overall assessment of
Richwoods' health. That assessment, captured in the following pages, will serve as one of the
key inputs that guides our planning process.
Faithfully yours,
Paul Bright
Chairman of the Elders
Joel Dryden Executive Pastor Central Office: 8115 North Knoxville Ave. Peoria, IL 61615 • 309.691.5252 • richwoods.org
RICHWOODS CHRISTIAN CHURCH
HEALTH ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
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RICHWOODS CHRISTIAN CHURCH
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Service Observations
II. Metrics
III. Priority Questions
IV. Attachment: Health Opinion Survey Results
RICHWOODS CHRISTIAN CHURCH
SERVICE OBSERVATIONS
Facilities

The church was easy to find with my GPS bringing me right to it. The big, bold sign on the front
of the building made it clear I was at the right place and the entrance doors were easy to
identify.

The layout of the facility was extremely easy to navigate. The special attention placed on the
interior layout of the facility was certainly worth the effort.

The auditorium space was well planned. Acoustics and stage visibility was good from all angles
of the room.

The woman’s restrooms really needed some attention throughout the morning. By the middle
of the first service they were messy—tissue and towels on the floor, trash full. It did not appear
as if anyone monitored or cleaned the bathrooms during the morning services. This made an
otherwise great first impression feel sloppy.
Guest Services

I felt warmly welcomed by the greeters at the doors as I entered the building several times
throughout the morning. I loved that the greeters were multigenerational: a mix of parents with
elementary age kids and teens/young adults. It immediately made me feel as if this church had
something for all ages. At the 11:00 AM service the greeter was standing outside holding the
door open and robustly welcoming people.

The Connection Point was simple and well staffed. I talked to the volunteers stationed there at
both Sunday services. They seemed well informed and friendly and welcomed my conversation.

The auditorium Section Hosts at the 9:00 AM service added a welcoming touch. I watched them
navigate the room shaking hands and having short conversations with people. This created a
very warm and friendly experience. After I was welcomed by a Section Host, I asked her about
her role and she explained it well and with enthusiasm. At the 11:00 AM service this element
seemed to be missing. I did see someone in the Atrium acting as a Section Host, but not in the
auditorium. I suggest continuing to work this strategy and expanding the team of volunteers to
fully staff all three services.

The boxes of donuts in the atrium certainly brought a fun factor to the room. Food builds
community. Do you ever use “donuts” in your marketing? I did see the breakfast reference on
your website, but there are always additional ways to market the fun factor of donuts! A church
serving donuts every week seems like a fun place for a family to visit! Make sure have someone
keeping a eye on the organization and cleanliness of the donut area. There were a few times
throughout the morning the donut counter went from family friendly to messy.
Children’s Ministry

Kids ROCK seemed to have a good reputation as I talked to several families during my visit.
Check in time was good and parents felt their kids were well cared for and safe. The perceived
need for more Kids ROCK volunteers was brought up by several parents.

Even though from a parent’s perspective Kids ROCK was good, it did lack the external pizzazz
that would attract and make an impression on kids coming for the first time. The walls and
hallways around Kids ROCK were plain. There was nothing to tell a child “you are going to have a
great experience here today,” and I did not notice anyone intentionally greeting the kids. The
process seemed more focused on the parents.
Worship Service and Message

The worship band and vocalists were good quality and truly engaged in worship which seemed
to draw people into the experience.

The worship leader did a very quality and authentic Call to Worship/Worship Focus, reading a
passage of scripture out of the Bible, while the words displayed on the screens. In addition, the
pastoral/guiding words she shared after the scripture reading were powerful: “If these words
describe you today…”

I loved the creativity displayed as the worship team reworked a regular worship song into a
blues feel. I spoke with the worship leader about this and she mentioned the worship leaders
do feel freedom to be creative.

Marty did a great job with the announcements. Good presentation; interesting and professional.
Unfortunately, the lights were quite dim during announcements so it was hard to fill out the
information card or take any notes.

The baptism video was multigenerational, fun, and moving. It gave a good snapshot of what
God is doing in the lives of people attending Richwoods.

The teaching was excellent. Joel connected well with the audience. He was having a
conversation with them, not just speaking to a crowd. It was professional and yet down-to-earth
and authentic. The illustrations were easy to understand and there was good depth and
scripture utilization in the message, but simple enough that a person exploring faith could also
easily understand.

As a visitor, communion was a bit confusing. I was not sure if I should take the elements
immediately or wait until directed to do so. I found myself looking around to see what others
were doing. After the service I did see the communion directions in the bulletin handout, but
missed it before service. More direction from the pastor as he is setting up communion would
be helpful for guests.
Branding and Communications

In general, the branding and communication style of Richwoods was simple and clean, and from
what I discerned during my visit, that mostly describe your style and target.

The weekend bulletin was easy to read and had enough information in it to help me feel
informed but not overwhelmed. I liked that it pointed to social media: Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, and the online community. This social media highlight helped me as a visitor
understand that there was a lot of connection happening at Richwoods beyond the weekend
services. The “scan to get the sermon notes” was relevant and helpful.

The Next Steps (Believe, Belong, Build, Bless & Become) were great new additions to the bulletin
that will help attenders more fully understand the emerging discipleship process it is rolled out
this next year. Keeping those five categories in front of people on a regular basis will help them
become part of your DNA.

The website is the new front door to churches. Nine out of ten people will go a website before
they enter the doors of a church. There are lots of good photos on the website that capture the
the culture and personality of Richwoods, especially the staff photo. I did find the Home page
difficult to navigate: I wanted to press on the icons at the top of the page under “Helping
People Find and Follow Christ,” but the icons were simply photos. I also did not intuitively scroll
all the way down the Home page. I stopped at “online and mobile giving,” as it seemed like the
end of the page but I later discovered several categories beyond that point, including the staff
page. This page, while attractive, was not quite as intuitive as it could be overall.
RICHWOODS CHRISTIAN CHURCH
METRICS
REACH
Attendance Change = 0%
Your attendance growth appears to be on par with the average church.
Guests To Attendance Ratio = 0.16
Percentage of Kids = 18%
This reflects your annual number of first-time guests in
proportion to your average attendance. You appear to be
drawing a very low number of guests for your church's size.
The degree to which your church is reaching young families
is on par with the average church.
Percentage of Students = 6%
Percentage of Baptisms = 2%
This reflects the degree to which you are reaching the next
generation. There is room for improvement in this area.
This typically reflects the degree to which you are reaching
the unchurched. There is room for improvement in this
area.
CONNECTION
Attendance to Staff Ratio = 80:1
Percent of Adults & Students Serving = 75%
We encourage churches to aim for 100 to 1. You appear to
be utilizing your staff well.
Your church is performing within the top 10% of churches
for engaging people to utilize their gifts in ministry.
Percent of Adult & Student Members = 32%
Percent of Adults & Students in Groups =
86%
This reflects the degree to which people have connected to
your church through membership. If membership is a part
of your strategy, there is room for improvement here.
You are engaging a high percentage of people in your
church community.
FINANCES
Per Capita Giving = $37
Percent of Budget Spent on Staff = 43%
This can reflect vision buy-in along with spiritual maturity.
Your giving levels appear to be on par with churches your
size.
The portion of your budget spent on staff is below that of
the average church.
Number of Weeks in Cash Reserves = 12.8
Debt to Annual Giving Ratio = 1.92
Your cash reserves are at a strong level.
Your current debt load is at a manageable level.
FACILITIES
Total Attendance to Seats Ratio = 1.87
You appear to be utilizing your facility well.
*Note: This metric combines the seats and attendance from all campuses.
FACILITIES
Campus 1
MAX. ATTENDANCE GIVEN
CURRENT PARKING LOT SIZE
195
(ACTUAL # SEATS = 550)
Attendance to Seats Ratio = 2.18
You appear to be utilizing your facility well.
PARKING SPACES NEEDED
TO MAXIMIZE SEATING
367
You may have difficulty fully utilizing your auditorium with
the current parking lot size.
MAX. ATTENDANCE POTENTIAL
IN 3 SERVICES
1650
(ACTUAL # SPOTS = 130)
You will need additional parking spots to fully utilize your
auditorium.
Assuming the potential for 3 services in your current
auditorium, you have limited room for growth.
FACILITIES
Campus 2
MAX. ATTENDANCE GIVEN
CURRENT PARKING LOT SIZE
105
(ACTUAL # SEATS= 130)
Attendance to Seats Ratio = 0.58
You have plenty of room for growth in your current facility.
PARKING SPACES NEEDED
TO MAXIMIZE SEATING
87
You may have difficulty fully utilizing your auditorium with
the current parking lot size.
MAX. ATTENDANCE POTENTIAL
IN 3 SERVICES
390
(ACTUAL # SPOTS = 70)
You will need additional parking spots to fully utilize your
auditorium.
Assuming the potential for 3 services in your current
auditorium, you have plenty of room for growth.
RICHWOODS CHRISTIAN CHURCH
PRIORITY QUESTIONS
1. How Does the Vision of the Elders Compare with the Vision of the Staff?
One cohesive vision owned by elders, staff and congregation seemed to be missing. This was not a
point of conflict but rather a point of confusion. Could this be playing into the stalled growth and
low number of guests?
2. What does the Discipleship Process Look Like When Fully Formed and How
Will it be Communicated to the Congregation?
The current framework for discipleship is Believe, Belong, Build, Bless and Belong. During strategic
planning, explore how to drive this process into the DNA of the church.
3. Where is the Balance Between Formalized Structure and Organic Process?
(Professional/ Planned vs. God Inspired)
Recently, more processes, systems and formal organization have emerged. This is a big change for
some staff and lay leaders.
4. What is the PEACE Plan? What is the Appropriate Amount of Energy and
Resources to Allocate Towards It?
There is a level of confusion regarding the PEACE Plan and what success will look like when it is fully
deployed. A similar question could be asked of the 95 Network.
5. What is the Definition of Health and Growth? What is the Right Balance for
This Season? What Impact Does Multisite Have on Each?
There is a lot of conversation among lay leaders and staff regarding the closing of the East Campus
and how it has impacted the morale of the church and caused confusion.
6. Has the Target Audience Changed?
Conversations emerged about the frequency of church attendance being significantly less now than
in past years (a national trend). Do the methods of reaching and ministering to people need to
change? How do you expand outward focus?
Richwoods Christian Church
HEALTH OPINION SURVEY RESULTS
INTRODUCTION
Your church’s effectiveness in reaching the community is largely determined by its level of
health. This report is meant to help you better understand your church’s health in five key
areas: Organizational Clarity, Strong Leadership, Outward Focus, Clear Discipleship Path,
and a Streamlined Structure. Throughout this report, you’ll find your team’s average
response to 25 critical questions. National benchmarks are also included, showing the
average scores among the churches we’ve worked with at The Unstuck Group. While the
results are presented as numeric data, the real value is found in the discussion created by
the numbers. Take some time to review your church’s scores as a team. Then invite the
honest dialogue that will lead your team to identify next steps and improve the health of your
church. We’re excited to hear how you grow through the process!
HEALTH RANGES
FIVE KEY AREAS OF HEALTH
1. CLEAR DISCIPLESHIP PATH
Simple and effective strategies for next steps by
which people can get involved in ministries and grow
spiritually.
2. ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY
A strong culture and compelling direction created by
the mission, vision, values, and action plan.
3. OUTWARD FOCUS
Ministries focused on reaching people outside of the
church and faith.
4. STREAMLINED STRUCTURE
Well-defined and appropriate boundaries for decision
-making and accountability among the board, staff,
and congregation.
5. STRONG LEADERSHIP
A highly capable board, senior leader, and staff
operating with clear responsibilities and
empowerment.
Health Summary for Richwoods Christian Church
1. CLEAR DISCIPLESHIP PATH
2. ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY
3. OUTWARD FOCUS
4. STREAMLINED
STRUCTURE
5. STRONG LEADERSHIP
YOUR CHURCH
3.6
MONITOR
YOUR CHURCH
3.1
MONITOR
YOUR CHURCH
3.9
MONITOR
YOUR CHURCH
3.8
MONITOR
YOUR CHURCH
3.5
MONITOR
CLEAR DISCIPLESHIP PATH
SUMMARY SCORE:
We have a clearly defined discipleship
strategy to move people from newcomers
to fully-devoted followers of Christ.
Your Church: 3.0 MONITOR
The people on staff don't "do the ministry."
Instead, they "equip volunteers" to do the
ministry.
Your Church: 3.0 MONITOR
We have a defined strategy for leadership
development for both staff and volunteers.
Your Church: 2.3 UNHEALTHY
Not only is the preaching biblical, it is
relevant and applicable to everyday life.
Your Church: 4.9 HEALTHY
After a service, anyone can stop at one
location to get all their questions answered
or to take their next steps. People don't
have to make multiple stops.
Your Church: 4.4 HEALTHY
3.6
MONITOR
ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY
SUMMARY SCORE:
We have a mission statement of 20 words
or less.
Your Church: 4.8 HEALTHY
We have a vision statement with
measurable milestones for the next three to
five years.
Your Church: 1.9 CRITICAL
We have a set of six or fewer core values.
Your Church: 3.4 MONITOR
We have an action plan in place to prioritize
a focused set of initiatives/objectives for the
next 6 months.
Your Church: 2.1 UNHEALTHY
We are unified. There is no division within
our church.
Your Church: 3.4 MONITOR
3.1
MONITOR
OUTWARD FOCUS
SUMMARY SCORE:
As a church, we are trying to make an
impact on the surrounding community.
Your Church: 4.6 HEALTHY
We are outward-focused. Our ministries are
designed to reach people outside the
church and outside the faith.
Your Church: 3.9 MONITOR
We have identified our primary "customer,"
the person who we are trying to reach.
Your Church: 4.3 HEALTHY
We fully utilize web and social media
strategies to reach our primary "customer."
Your Church: 3.8 MONITOR
Our weekend services are designed
primarily to reach people outside the church
and outside the faith.
Your Church: 3.0 MONITOR
3.9
MONITOR
STREAMLINED STRUCTURE
SUMMARY SCORE:
We have developed a culture in the church
that embraces change.
Your Church: 3.4 MONITOR
We have very few, if any, congregational
votes. And, when they do happen, people
are typically in full agreement.
Your Church: 4.9 HEALTHY
With the exception of the lay leadership
board or elders, we do not have any other
boards or committees.
Your Church: 3.4 MONITOR
Our lay leadership board or elders make
policy decisions (big picture) and leave
tactical decisions (day-to-day execution) to
the pastor/staff.
Your Church: 4.4 HEALTHY
We have appropriate policies/rules in place
to provide accountability while maximizing
ministry effectiveness.
Your Church: 3.1 MONITOR
3.8
MONITOR
STRONG LEADERSHIP
SUMMARY SCORE:
We have a lay leadership board or elders
that protect the church's mission, vision,
and values.
Your Church: 4.4 HEALTHY
Our senior pastor is a strong leader who
rallies people behind a focused vision.
Your Church: 4.1 HEALTHY
The lay board/elders give the pastor and
the staff the freedom to lead.
Your Church: 4.1 HEALTHY
We have a performance evaluation system
based on clear expectations for our staff
team.
Your Church: 3.3 MONITOR
Our staff, elders, and board members are
required to demonstrate that they tithe in
order to serve.
Your Church: 1.8 CRITICAL
3.5
MONITOR
TEAM EXERCISES
HEALTH OPINION SURVEY RESULTS
DEVELOPING A CLEAR DISCIPLESHIP PATH
SUMMARY SCORE:
3.6
MONITOR
Without a clear discipleship path, people will miss out on opportunities to get involved and
become underdeveloped in their spiritual growth.
Churches rarely struggle to create new ministries. In fact, most have more than they can
manage in a healthy way. Over time, what was once a simple model for discipleship
becomes complicated and confusing with multiple paths to follow. A clear discipleship path
forges the way through complexity and shows everyone the best way to grow in their
relationship with Christ. Defined steps clarify what is next for each person while simple
systems make it easy for anyone to get involved. Ministries with redundant purposes are
eliminated to reduce confusion and maximize resources. Clarifying the discipleship path
makes spiritual growth the priority and gives leaders space to communicate the real value
behind a few next steps.
TEAM EXERCISES
~Make a list of all the ministries and programs you offer. Next, try to draw them in a flowchart
or “map.” Is there a clear sequence of steps for people to take? Could the average person be
involved with everything you consider important?
~Count the number of next steps you offer in a weekend service. Include everything in the
bulletin, announcements, pre-service slides, videos, posters, etc. How many different things
are you encouraging people to do? Do you have time and space to communicate the full
value of them all? How can you start ensuring that the most important next steps receive the
greatest emphasis?
~Collaborate on a “stop doing” list. Which programs and ministries need to be celebrated and
ended? Put the list into action.
~Create a single system by which any person can get involved with any program or ministry.
Provide a single location on your campus along with a single area of your website where
people can take a next step to get involved.
DEVELOPING ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY
SUMMARY SCORE:
3.1
MONITOR
Without organizational clarity, individuals will naturally lead in different directions based on
their own preferences and desires.
Before any ministry team can move forward together, the direction must be clear. That clarity
comes through a well-defined mission, vision, set of values, and action plan. The mission
states the single, core reason why the church exists. A vision statement describes what the
mission will specifically look like as it is pursued over the next three to five years. Values then
define what the church will consider most important as it moves forward. Finally, an action
plan provides measurable goals along with clear steps that will drive the team’s progress
toward the mission and vision. Defining these four components of clarity rallies the team and
gets them on the same page to do ministry with a unified heart and mind.
TEAM EXERCISES
~Take a fresh look at your mission statement together. Consider whether or not it provides a
single, core reason for your church’s existence in a compelling way. Could it be more clear?
More pointed? Written more compellingly? Discuss this with the team and make any needed
adjustments.
~Dream of what your church could and should look like in three to five years? If your team
could try anything what would it be?
~List each person’s current goals side-by-side on a whiteboard. Do they all point toward a
common direction or theme? Or are individuals leading with differing ends in mind?
~Have a conversation about the issues that break up the unity of your team. Start talking
about the issues people agree with the most.
~Think about the last ten years and list every mission statement, vision statement, campaign,
ministry theme, etc. that your church has had in that timeframe. Can you see a consistent
direction in leadership or have you frequently changed your focus?
DEVELOPING OUTWARD FOCUS
SUMMARY SCORE:
3.9
MONITOR
Without outward focus, decisions are made to please and keep current attendees rather than
to serve and reach the surrounding community.
The natural pull for every church is to satisfy the individuals who are currently attending. After
all, this base provides the foundation for financial resources and volunteers. In an attempt to
please and keep a group of insiders, leaders can sacrifice their very mission to reach those
far from God. An outward focus constantly reminds everyone that the church exists for those
who are not yet a part of it. This focus gives leaders permission to make decisions to reach
outsiders regardless of the opinions of insiders. When a healthy church operates this way,
everyone - including current attendees - understand that their personal desires and
preferences are secondary to the mission of leading people to Christ.
TEAM EXERCISES
~Make a list of the last five major decisions your church has made in the past three years.
Were they decided primarily with insiders or outsiders in mind?
~Invite three to five unchurched people to attend your church and give their honest opinions
of the experience. Pay them to do it if needed. Review their feedback as a team.
~Review your website and social media networks. Does the content on your homepage lend
itself toward outsiders or insiders? How about the messages you communicate throughout
the website and social media?
~Take time to define your “primary customer.” Make a list of words or phrases that describe
him/her. Get as specific as possible regarding your target demographic. The clearer your
target, the better your team can aim in the same direction.
~Make a list of words/phrases your church often uses that may not make sense to an
unchurched person. Think about your worship services, print material, website, etc. For each
word/phrase, identify an alternative that would be easier to understand.
~List each of your ministries and score them on a 1 to 10 scale: 1 is completely insiderfocused; 10 is completely outsider-focused. Which ministries should be scoring higher than
they are currently? What can you change to better focus them on outsiders?
~Make a list of the greatest needs in your surrounding community. How well is your church
doing at addressing them?
DEVELOPING STREAMLINED STRUCTURE
SUMMARY SCORE:
3.8
MONITOR
Without a streamlined structure, driven team members overstep their boundaries while
passive personalities become hesitant to act.
A streamlined structure provides clear decision-making processes, communication flow, and
accountability. It removes the layers of complexity that often turn churches into
bureaucracies. With this, everyone understands who they report to and where their authority
lies. Healthy churches push as much decision-making power down the structure, giving
people ownership of their results. Their church boards also operate with this philosophy in
mind, staying focused on the big picture and leaving day-to-day decision-making to staff.
When a church operates with a streamlined structure, organizational change becomes easier
as everyone understands their role in the process.
TEAM EXERCISES
~Draw your current organizational structure including staff and volunteers. Are there any
roles that report to more than one person? Does anyone have more than seven direct
reports? Have a conversation about how you could become more streamlined.
~Discuss how financial decisions are made. Is everyone clear on how the budget is
developed and how decisions about large expenses are made? Are the proper financial
accountability measures in place?
~Make a list of times when there was miscommunication or confusion among staff. What was
the root cause of each situation? How could those problems be avoided in the future?
~Have a conversation about where most decisions are made. Is decision-making spread
throughout the organization or generally handled by senior leaders?
~List all of the changes that have been made within the last 12 months. How were they
received by your staff? How about your congregation? What would it take to create a culture
that further embraces change?
~Count the number of congregational votes you’ve had in the past three years. How did they
go? Was the church largely in agreement? Do your bylaws enable or discourage the pastor
and staff to lead in a timely manner?
DEVELOPING STRONG LEADERSHIP
SUMMARY SCORE:
3.5
MONITOR
Without strong leadership, the mission is sure to be held back by organizational politics,
differing objectives, and interpersonal conflict.
Strong leadership points the way and removes any barrier to the mission and vision. In a
church, the strength of leadership begins with the health of the board. This should be the
single group of lay leaders that holds the senior pastor accountable yet gives the staff team
the freedom to lead. Ultimately, the board’s responsibility is to protect the church’s mission,
vision, and values, ensuring that the congregation is being led in pursuit of them. The senior
pastor serves as the lead vision-caster, continuously inspiring the staff and congregation.
Together, the senior pastor and staff must determine the best approaches and action plans
for ministry. Clarifying the role of each leadership group and setting clear boundaries
between them creates the space and support that church leaders need to truly lead forward.
TEAM EXERCISES
~Make a list of every lay board and committee that exists in your church. What confusion
exists between them? How does it affect your staff? Could everything flow from a single
board?
~Work with each leadership team/board to craft a purpose statement that defines its role.
Then have a conversation about what that purpose does and does not include. Start with the
church board, senior staff leaders, and then any other staff and lay leadership teams.
~Ask your board and senior leaders to read High Impact Church Boards by TJ Addington.
Have a series of conversations together about what the insights mean for your church.
~Take a fresh look at your staff evaluation system. Is it shared across departments,
consistently scheduled, and measurable? LifeChurch.tv has provided a great, free resource
for staff evaluations and goal-setting. Learn more about it at www.Develop.me
~Create opportunities for relationship development between the church board and staff.
Invite board members to staff celebrations, parties, etc.