NCD Church Survey

Wachsen deine Leiter?

Skrivet av Adam Johnstone tis 25 nov 2008 - 7:57fm

In meinem Dienst als NCD Coach und nationaler Partner werde ich regelmäßig von dem Ausmaß Gottes' Gnade beeindruckt. Zumeist rührt es daher, dass ich Gemeinden sehe, die sich von sehr wenig Gesundheit zu einem Platz bewegen, an dem Hoffnung wieder auf erlebt und Auslöschung nun komplett außer Frage steht. Aber auch wenn Durchschnittsgemeinden beginnen deutlich mehr zu erfahren als sie hätten fragen oder träumen können.

Dabei gibt es eine andere besondere Art, die ich oft sehe, wenn Gottes' Gnade weit über unsere eigenen Bemühungen hinausgeht.

Are your leaders growing up?

Skrivet av Adam Johnstone tors 23 okt 2008 - 8:04fm

In my ministry as an NCD coach and national partner, I am regularly struck by the extent of God's grace. Mostly this relates to seeing churches move from a position of very poor health to a place where hope is rekindled and extinction is now completely out of the question. But also where average churches begin to experience abundantly more than they could ask or imagine.

The NCD Church Survey

Engelska
Thoughts and Questions: 
NCD Church Survey

When reading a book on a subject that relates to one of the eight quality characteristics you will make a confusing discovery. The majority of authors tend to sell you their insights into a specific area as the key to church growth. When you read a book on leadership, you will learn that leadership is the key. When you read a book on evangelism, the message will be that evangelism is the key.

NCD Growth Projections... where are you going?

Skrivet av Anonymous (ej verifierad) fre 9 maj 2008 - 10:43em

Making progress on your NCD results is really simple, right?!

All you're asked to do - while under existing time, resource and personnel pressures - is focus intently for a period of time on the Minimum Factor area/s of church life that you...

- know least about

- probably don't like

- have historically tended to ignore

- don't want to direct money or your best people towards

- have sometimes had bad experiences with

Getting the survey results

Skrivet av Bradford Watters tis 8 apr 2008 - 4:51fm
With some predictability, our minimum factor was "passionate spirituality." What was stunning was that the survey results are unambiguous. Our minimum factor value was a 4! 4! How God speaks to us? We will often hear her speaking in our own voice. That's been powerful about this survey.

The Importance of a Right Focus

Skrivet av Neil Adams ons 5 mar 2008 - 6:31em

After a Natural Church Development weekend conference I returned home with a conviction of the importance that churches be focusing on the right area of need for their particular church.

It has occurred to me with greater urgency that the problem with most churches in the Western world is they are working on the wrong issues for them

In terms of the pot plants and the garden:

Busy Pastors

Skrivet av Neil Adams fre 29 feb 2008 - 5:16fm

Lifting the Lid on Natural Church Development Pastors

What does Natural Church Development (NCD) say about church leaders in New Zealand?

NCD Church Survey FAQ's

Whether you are new to the NCD Survey process or have been around the NCD community for years, this is the place to ask your questions about the NCD process and the NCD Survey Workbook.

Please read through the questions below to see if your question has already been asked. If not log into the site (or set up your free account) and then post your question at the bottom of this page.

NCD Survey Workbook

Question: What is the Survey Cycle Duration?

I've always understood that the NCD Survey cycle was ideally a 1-year process. Why doesn't the workbook specifically emphasise this?

Answer: Surveying at the RIGHT time

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Question: What are key influencers in a democratic church?

I understand the theory of the key influencer concept in the NCD Survey Workbook. But how are we to apply that when our church has a democratic governance system?

Answer: Recognising and taking responsibility for your influence

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Question: Isn't detailed analysis dangerous?

It seems that the new NCD Survey Workbook assumes that churches will be using detailed analysis reports of their results. With the dangers of reductionism (churches focusing on perhaps a single question and not viewing the results interdependently) isn't this a risky or even irresponsible approach to broadly encourage?

Answer: The NCD Survey Cycle - an inherently interdependent process

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Question: What about looking for deep root issues?

I've always understood and emphasised to others how important it is to get deep into the root issues behind our NCD results. So why doesn't the new NCD Survey Workbook approach seem to pay much attention to that at all?

Answer: Cycling toward a deeper understanding

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Question: Where are the Growth Forces in the Workbook?

I'd always been told and have communicated to others that the Growth Forces (Biotic Principles) are such an important aspect of NCD. So why does the NCD Survey Workbook not mention them?

Answer: The vocabularies of NCD

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Question: Why such simplistic plans?

I appreciate that the NCD Survey Workbook seeks to present a simple approach. But honestly, aren't we going to lose the support of serious-minded strategic leaders who might laugh at the 'simplistic' mini-cycle idea?

Answer: Simple minimum factor plans x influence x multiple cycles = BIG RESULTS

The vocabularies of NCD

Question:

I'd always been told and have communicated to others that the Growth Forces (Biotic Principles) are such an important aspect of NCD. So why does the NCD Survey Workbook not mention them?

Answer:

The Growth Forces are still a central part of NCD and always will be. It might be comforting for those who love the Growth Forces to know that one of the authors of the NCD Survey Workbook is also a co-author of one of the most widely used Biotic Principle training presentations used in the NCD world (and personally also loves the Growth Forces). So why are they not mentioned in the NCD Survey Workbook.

The NCD Survey Cycle - an inherently interdependent process

Question:

It seems that the new NCD Survey Workbook assumes that churches will be using detailed analysis reports of their results. With the dangers of reductionism (churches focusing on perhaps a single question and not viewing the results interdependently) isn't this a risky or even irresponsible approach to broadly encourage?

Answer:

The 'danger' of reductionism is one of the most over-stated, longest-held myths associated with the NCD process. Unfortunately, the assumption that it is a genuine danger has kept many in the global NCD Community from experiencing the incredible benefits of detailed analysis, and the increased progress that can be achieved with the help of such tools (after all, we've already asked the people a lot of very good coaching questions through the survey, so why not look at what they said). In order to try and bust the myth once and for all (and liberate thousands of churches in the process), there are a number of organic realities that need to be understood.

Recognising and taking responsibility for your influence

Question:

I understand the theory of the key influencer concept in the NCD Survey Workbook. But how are we to apply that when our church has a democratic governance system?

Answer:

The answer to this question lies to some extent in understanding the theoretical function of a democratic church governance system versus the functional reality of such a system.

The intention of a demographic system is to try to ensure that no one person or sub-group of the church has a disproportionate say in church decisions. The theory is that from a group of elected members with equally weighted votes, you are most likely to get to the best decision for the life of the church. Obviously when family strong-holds in the church or other power bases see to it that an unbalanced group is elected, the process generally falls over. In its best expression, assuming a relatively balanced group has been elected, you have the potential to arrive at quite wise Godly decisions. Though there is clearly a big difference between arriving at a good decision and actually seeing it implemented in the life of the church. At this point the functional reality of a demographic governance system really becomes apparent.

Surveying at the RIGHT time

Question:

I've always understood that the NCD Survey cycle was ideally a 1-year process. Why doesn't the workbook specifically emphasise this.

Answer:

There is no really good principle-oriented reason why an annual cycle is necessarily ideal for churches. For some churches, a 1-year cycle may fit well into an annual planning calendar. However, in many cases, waiting a year before repeating the survey will not be the best rhythm for growth.

3 Color Spiral Artwork

Skrivet av Anonymous (ej verifierad) fre 1 sep 2006 - 10:51em

Please see below some downloadable images of the main spiral templates (click to download or right click and 'save target as' depending on your web browser).

Click here to download most of them in PowerPoint format. Although, depending on your version of PowerPoint, it may or may not render correctly.

Blessings

Adam

NCD Church Survey Process

About the NCD Church Survey

The NCD Survey has been designed to measure each of the eight Quality Characteristics. In order to develop a church profile, the computer compares the answers of your church members with the 168 million individual responses that have been calculated to date. more...

The NCD Survey Workbook

This free downloadable workbook is designed to walk you step by step through the entire survey cycle from when you have received your results up to your next NCD Survey. It presents a very simple, focused approach that can allow you to begin making significant progress on improving your NCD Survey results without the need for excessive planning sessions or meetings. more...

NCD Detailed Analysis

NCD International strongly encourages the use of one of the detailed analysis tools now available with the NCD Survey. These provide a much sharpened focus on your NCD results and thereby greatly streamline the church development process.

Profile Plus

Profile Plus provides you with the average result for each quality characteristic question your survey participants completed on the NCD Survey - questions that each relate to long-term growth. more...

Story Boarding

Profile Plus can also be used as the basis for creating a Story Board of your results that depicts a powerful narrative of the key issues holding your church back right now. more...

NCD Insights

NCD Insights provides you with sub-category results relating to each quality characteristic in your NCD Survey results. more...

NCD Survey FAQ's

Whether you are new to the NCD Survey process or have been around the NCD community for years, this is the place to ask your questions about the NCD process and the NCD Survey Workbook. more...

The NCD 'Davids'

Wouldn't you like to learn from and be inspired by Pastors and Leaders who have made considerable progress in the NCD process? On this web site we have begun identifying just such people. You may wish to read about or perhaps even contact some of these 'David' like people who have overcome the 'Goliath' like tendencies of unhealthy churches. more...

The 3 Color Spiral - NCD Survey Workbook

Skrivet av Anonymous (ej verifierad) mån 1 maj 2006 - 8:38em

I'm pleased to invite you to download and begin exploring with your leadership team the '3 Color Spiral - NCD Survey Workbook'.

This workbook briefly presents the new 3 Color Spiral concept and takes you and your leadership team through an NCD Survey Cycle. Being a principle oriented workbook, it is only intended (and able) to get you started with the process, but throughout, there are links back to this web site where you can find additional ideas and information to take you further and deeper if necessary.