UCC Center Offers Cultural Change Process

EARTHKEEPING NEWS
A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY

Volume Six, Number Five
July/August 1997

"You are, I know, eager for the gifts of the Spirit. Then, aspire above all to excel in those which build up the church."

(I Corinthians 14:12, New English Bible)

UCC CENTER OFFERS CULTURAL CHANGE PROCESS TO DEVELOP WHOLE EARTH CHURCHES.

Biblical religion sees a well human being as one related to the Creator ultimately and immediately, to other persons and to God's Creation. Spiritual development in the biblical context is a journey that includes physical, mental, emotional and ethical dimensions.

According to a 1990 study of 11,000 church members in 561 congregations of six mainline Protestant denominations by the Search Institute of Minneapolis*, over 90% of youth surveyed have not made sufficient connection with both love of God and love of humans; only 13% of church members think their church is doing a good job of Outreach, and 58% of members don't even think the church should be involved in social justice issues.

Christian Education, not worship, is the most important vehicle within congregational life for helping people grow in their faith. Yet most congregations don't have effective Christian Education and/or Spiritual Development programs.

Concrete changes in churches can improve effectiveness and help people grow in faith. In recent years the WHALE Center has applied the cultural change process, first developed by the Human Resource Institute, to leadership development, breakthrough performance, criminal justice, environmental concerns, conditions of the poor, peace, justice, wellness and health issues.

Phase I of the process calls for a baseline analysis of the congregation. It examines the individual faith maturity of its members through a 38 item questionnaire. It analyzes the support which the congregational culture provides through a 62 item assessment of perceived support in the areas of Vision and Purpose, Worship, Mission, Sense of Community, Education, Leadership, Church Operations, Positive Culture, Evaluation and Program Interests.

Many churches encourage Bible study, positive human relations and developing one's full human potential, yet avoid conflict, and do little or nothing to encourage their members' involvement in environment, peace and justice issues because of the political pressures that go with these concerns.

Once the baseline data are gathered, task forces form to implement programs tailored to fit the needs of the particular congregation discovered in Phase I.

In Phase II the spiritual development program is introduced to the total congregation in a series of meetings and/or workshops, involving all levels of the organization and extending to other community institutions to which the congregation relates.

In Phase III the new program is actually installed within the congregational structures. Individuals begin putting into daily action the plans that they began in the workshops.

Phase IV is the time for sustaining the changes that have been made, evaluating progress, and renewing enthusiasm and commitment to systemic change. The three major hurdles of apathy, skepticism, and blame placing need to be cleared before a culture is on its way to long term success.

The prime ingredient of successful long range achievements in spiritual development is the concept of the supportive environment. Specific information on issues is not as useful by itself, to build and sustain change, as is building a mutual support base.

Individualism and Sense of Community seem contradictory until they are brought into balance in a holistic social change process, with all groups working together to transform the spiritual norms of the congregation's culture.