The TV show Extreme Makeover follows the stories of the lucky individuals who are chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be given a truly Cinderella-like experience: a real-life fairy tale in which their wishes come true, not just by changing their looks, but their lives and destinies. This magic is conjured through the skills of an “Extreme Team.” What if we applied this magic to the 85% of churches in the U.S. that are in need of an extreme makeover? Let’s do it and see what we come up with. Keep in mind that most turnarounds are not incremental but exponential – in other words, extreme.
Most intelligent people will agree that the Western Church is in looking shabby and is in need of an extreme makeover. I’m not just referring to mainline denominations, but just about any church of any kind, anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. Western Christianity is a mess and needs to turn itself around or we could wake up in 25 years and find that our situation is much like the situation of Europe – a totally irrelevant church. So what do we do?
Well, why not develop an “extreme team” in your church and charge them with doing a total and extreme makeover or the three or four key areas of your church that need a new look? If you decide to put such a team in place, I suggest that they be charged with applying four words to each one. These words are:
- Simple
- Fast
- Focused
- Indigenous
Applying these four words to whatever isn’t working in your church in most cases will cause an extreme reaction, either good of not so good, which is what we are looking for. I’m basing this on the tried and true statement, “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.”
Tweet ThisThe churches I’ve seen that are making disciples and growing have very simple structures and processes. This allows them to move fast and stay focused on the four things that grow a church. And they are indigenous to their surrounding communities.
So take a moment to mentally apply these four words to what is going on in your church and see the difference it would make if you applied them. You just might get an extreme makeover.
Question: What can you do to make your church’s structure and processes simple, fast, focused, and indigenous? Share your ideas in the Comments section below.
My church needs an extreme makeover, and I do not have the funds to do it.
Bill, take a look at ChurchtTurnaround.com. There’s a free six-month strategy for moving from stuck to transformationally bound.
Our church needs. A make over we are a family of five. Our pastor is a strong believer in God. , But we just don’t have the funds to fix our church. Ipray daily for help. Only if we could get our restroom fixed. I want so much to help our pastor because he is so humbal. Our church is located in York. Pa. The church of living God. On West princess street . We are in need of a big blessing
My Church is in need of a make over. Our downstairs where we fellowship after Church needs help. The floor is sinking and the boards under the floor needs to be replaced along with a new floor and also the walls. I’ve only became a member of this church for a year and a half and I’ve been truly blessed being accepted as the only Caucasian person there. The Apostle and Her Husband are 2 of the greatest people that I’ve ever met and I would love to help the with this. They are gracious for the people who come to Church but the funds are not there to fix it up. If there is anyway you can help, I would be forever grateful for your generosity and kindness. Our Church is in Philadelphia, Pa. Thank you Kindly!
Robin, we wish you God’s speed and you have our prayers, but we dont have the funds either for needs like the one you mentioned. Wish we could help, but we cant.