This document discusses the need for churches to shift from a maintenance-driven model to a mission-driven model focused on making disciples. It notes that most churches spend the majority of their time and resources on programs and maintaining existing members rather than on their mission to spread the gospel. The document advocates for a model where every member is trained and passionate about using their relationships to help others obey Jesus' commandments through their testimony and actions.

1. Breakthrough ChurchBreakthrough Church
GrowthGrowth
……BEING PASSIONATEBEING PASSIONATE
FOLLOWERS OF JESUSFOLLOWERS OF JESUS

5. •A lifestyle of passion, not aA lifestyle of passion, not a
program.program.
•All about relationships, not religion.All about relationships, not religion.
•A passion-driven, people-focusedA passion-driven, people-focused
mission, not a ministry.mission, not a ministry.
•Every member serving together asEvery member serving together as
passionate followers of Jesus.passionate followers of Jesus.

6. IT’S ABOUTIT’S ABOUT YOUYOU!!
YYourour OObeyingbeying UUnwaveringly thenwaveringly the
Call of Jesus –Call of Jesus –
To Fulfill theTo Fulfill the Great CommissionGreat Commission
andand CommandmentCommandment

7. ““Jesus said,Jesus said, ‘‘Go therefore andGo therefore and
make disciples of all the nations,make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of thebaptizing them in the name of the
Father and the son and the HolyFather and the son and the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observeSpirit, teaching them to observe
all that I commanded you; and lo,all that I commanded you; and lo,
I am with you always, even to theI am with you always, even to the
end of the age.’”end of the age.’”
(Matthew 28:19-20)(Matthew 28:19-20)

8. ““Love the Lord your God with allLove the Lord your God with all
your heart, all your soul, and allyour heart, all your soul, and all
your mind…Love your neighboryour mind…Love your neighbor
as you love yourself.”as you love yourself.”
(Matthew 22:37-40)(Matthew 22:37-40)

9. FIVE WORDS OF BREAKTHROUGHFIVE WORDS OF BREAKTHROUGH
CHURCH GROWTHCHURCH GROWTH

10. PromisePromise

11. ““The LORD had said to Abram,The LORD had said to Abram,
‘Leave your country, your people‘Leave your country, your people
and your father's household andand your father's household and
go to the land I will show you. Igo to the land I will show you. I
will make you into a great nationwill make you into a great nation
and I will bless you; I will makeand I will bless you; I will make
your name great, and you will beyour name great, and you will be
a blessing.’”a blessing.’” (Genesis 12:1-2)(Genesis 12:1-2)

12. PrayerPrayer

13. ““Then their eyes were openedThen their eyes were opened
and they recognized Him, and Heand they recognized Him, and He
disappeared from their sight.disappeared from their sight.
They asked each other, "WereThey asked each other, "Were
not our hearts burning within usnot our hearts burning within us
while He talked with uswhile He talked with us on theon the
road and opened the Scripturesroad and opened the Scriptures
to us?"to us?" (Luke 24:31-32)(Luke 24:31-32)

14. PeoplePeople

15. ““Therefore go and makeTherefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizingdisciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Fatherthem in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holyand of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit…”Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19)(Matthew 28:19)

16. Passion/PurposePassion/Purpose

17. ““Therefore go and makeTherefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizingdisciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Fatherthem in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holyand of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obeySpirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commandedeverything I have commanded
you. And surely I am with youyou. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of thealways, to the very end of the
age."age." (Matthew 28:19-20)(Matthew 28:19-20)

18. PursuitPursuit

19. “…“…and teaching them to obeyand teaching them to obey
everything I have commandedeverything I have commanded
you. And surely I am with youyou. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of thealways, to the very end of the
age."age." (Matthew 28-20)(Matthew 28-20)
““For to me, to live is Christ andFor to me, to live is Christ and
to die is gain.”to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)(Philippians 1:21)

20. A Maintenance-DrivenA Maintenance-Driven
ChurchChurch

21. I. THE CHURCH IS ONE OFI. THE CHURCH IS ONE OF
THE MOST NON-PRODUCTIVETHE MOST NON-PRODUCTIVE
INSTITUTIONS IN AMERICAINSTITUTIONS IN AMERICA

22. A. The Mission of the ChurchA. The Mission of the Church
isis PeoplePeople

23. • Most churches focus onMost churches focus on
programprogram, not, not peoplepeople..
• Most churches focus onMost churches focus on
maintenancemaintenance, not, not missionmission..
• Most churches focus onMost churches focus on religionreligion,,
notnot relationshipsrelationships..

24. • Most churches focus onMost churches focus on
problemsproblems, not, not purposepurpose..
• Most churches focus onMost churches focus on
plansplans, not, not proclaimingproclaiming..

25. The BreakthroughThe Breakthrough PrinciplePrinciple isis
PassionPassion forfor OTHERSOTHERS..
OObedientbedient
TTestimoniesestimonies
HHelpingelping
EEveryoneveryone
RReacheach
SSalvationalvation

26. Salvation =Salvation = SavedSaved ++ SanctifiedSanctified ++
SentSent
““Again Jesus said, ‘Peace beAgain Jesus said, ‘Peace be
with you!with you! As the Father hasAs the Father has
sent Me, I am sending you.’sent Me, I am sending you.’
And with that He breathed onAnd with that He breathed on
them and said,them and said, ‘Receive the‘Receive the
Holy Spirit.’”Holy Spirit.’”
(John 20:21-22)(John 20:21-22)

27. The way to measure yourThe way to measure your
effectiveness as a church iseffectiveness as a church is
by the number of disciplesby the number of disciples
your church hasyour church has producedproduced..
We call that theWe call that the PeoplePeople
PrinciplePrinciple..

28. The church in America hasThe church in America has
stoppedstopped proclaimingproclaiming thethe
Gospel.Gospel.
The Fast Facts:The Fast Facts:

29. • 98%98% of all church growthof all church growth
in America is churchin America is church
transfer.transfer.
• 2%2% of all church growthof all church growth
is conversion growth.is conversion growth.

30. • 95%95% of all Christians inof all Christians in
America today are barren.America today are barren.
** 85%85% of all churches inof all churches in
America have either declinedAmerica have either declined
or plateaued in growth.or plateaued in growth.
** 9.59.5 church members out ofchurch members out of
10 don’t share the gospel with10 don’t share the gospel with
othersothers..

31. • 90%90% of all churches assimilateof all churches assimilate
less thanless than 2%2% of the annualof the annual
visitor volume into activevisitor volume into active
workers – what we mightworkers – what we might
describe as disciples.describe as disciples.
~~ Maximize Your InfluenceMaximize Your Influence byby
Ken Houts (Statistical Source)Ken Houts (Statistical Source)

32. These statistics prove thatThese statistics prove that
peoplepeople are no longer theare no longer the
primaryprimary mission of themission of the
church.church.

33. The Redefined Mission ofThe Redefined Mission of
the Church:the Church:
• MaintainingMaintaining andand
ministeringministering to the peopleto the people
we have, neglecting thewe have, neglecting the
Great Commission.Great Commission.

34. II. THE CHURCH HASII. THE CHURCH HAS
REDEFINEDREDEFINED ITSITS MISSIONMISSION

35. • We have given the church aWe have given the church a
make-overmake-over..
• The church has been called byThe church has been called by
Jesus to a mission ofJesus to a mission of “Making“Making
Disciples.”Disciples.”
““Go, therefore, and makeGo, therefore, and make
disciples…”disciples…” (Matthew 28:19)(Matthew 28:19)

36. • The church, however, hasThe church, however, has
evolved into aevolved into a maintenance-maintenance-
cultureculture church.church.

37. A. Five Growth-MeasuringA. Five Growth-Measuring
Habits of the Local Church –Habits of the Local Church –
the Standards:the Standards:

38. • What we measureWhat we measure
demonstratesdemonstrates our prioritiesour priorities
because, “what getsbecause, “what gets
measured, gets done.”measured, gets done.”
• What are the standards weWhat are the standards we
measure?measure?

39. 1)1) IncreasedIncreased attendanceattendance is theis the
standardstandard of the maintenance-of the maintenance-
driven church.driven church.
2)2) IncreasedIncreased incomeincome is theis the
standard of the maintenance-standard of the maintenance-
driven church.driven church.
3)3) Increased SundayIncreased Sunday
School/Small GroupSchool/Small Group attendanceattendance
is emphasized.

40. 4)4) FacilitiesFacilities are the focus of aare the focus of a
maintenance-driven church.maintenance-driven church.
5)5) Mission-givingMission-giving is theis the
standard of success in thestandard of success in the
maintenance-driven church.maintenance-driven church.

41. B. Seven Maintenance-DrivenB. Seven Maintenance-Driven
Symptoms of the LocalSymptoms of the Local
ChurchChurch

42. 1)1) 95%95% of pastor and staffof pastor and staff
time is invested in maintainingtime is invested in maintaining
the church.the church.
•• Pastor and staff’s focus isPastor and staff’s focus is
to nurture the churchto nurture the church
members. They don’t havemembers. They don’t have
time for the unchurched ortime for the unchurched or
unsaved.unsaved.

43. 2)2) The Church Board spendsThe Church Board spends
95%95% of their time focusing onof their time focusing on
the finances and maintenancethe finances and maintenance
of the church.of the church.

44. •• If your leadership spendsIf your leadership spends
more time discussing andmore time discussing and
maintaining instead ofmaintaining instead of
investing in people andinvesting in people and
mission, it is a behavioralmission, it is a behavioral
symptom of a maintenance-symptom of a maintenance-
driven church.driven church.

45. 3)3) Members are tooMembers are too busybusy toto
invest their talents, time, andinvest their talents, time, and
treasure in the church.treasure in the church.

46. •Every person invests in whatEvery person invests in what
they value.they value.
•Maintenance-driven churchesMaintenance-driven churches
provide little, if any, passion toprovide little, if any, passion to
motivate people to serve.motivate people to serve.

47. 4)4) Members are notMembers are not motivatedmotivated
to care for or reach out to theto care for or reach out to the
unchurchedunchurched..

48. •• The symptom of theThe symptom of the
maintenance-driven church ismaintenance-driven church is
that members do not carethat members do not care
about theabout the missionmission..
•• You can be a member andYou can be a member and
never make anever make a “disciple”“disciple” ofof
Christ.Christ.

49. 5)5) Members are notMembers are not trainedtrained toto
be caregivers or to share theirbe caregivers or to share their
testimony (story).testimony (story).
•• Members do not have aMembers do not have a
mind-set for looking formind-set for looking for
opportunities to share withopportunities to share with
others.others.

50. 6)6) Members are notMembers are not mobilizedmobilized oror
passionate to make disciples forpassionate to make disciples for
Christ.Christ.
•• ““The strongest need in theThe strongest need in the
church is motivating the peoplechurch is motivating the people
of Godof God to be passionateto be passionate
followersfollowers of Jesus Christ.”of Jesus Christ.”
~ D. Cowan~ D. Cowan

51. 7)7) 80%80% of the people in theof the people in the
congregation are notcongregation are not corecore
members.members.
•• The behavior of theThe behavior of the
maintenance-driven churchmaintenance-driven church
member is to use the church tomember is to use the church to
be nurtured and maintained, butbe nurtured and maintained, but
not to be involved in or investingnot to be involved in or investing
in it.in it.

52. •• ““Growing churches in theGrowing churches in the
maintenance-culture create theirmaintenance-culture create their
own problems because they canown problems because they can
only make church members andonly make church members and
not disciples.not disciples. ~ Ken Houts~ Ken Houts

53. IF YOU KEEP DOIN’ WHATIF YOU KEEP DOIN’ WHAT
YOU’RE DOIN’, YOU’REYOU’RE DOIN’, YOU’RE
GONNA KEEP GETTIN’ WHATGONNA KEEP GETTIN’ WHAT
YOU’VE GOT!YOU’VE GOT!

54. Our Goal –Our Goal – UnityUnity!!
Every Church Member GoingEvery Church Member Going
in the Same Directionin the Same Direction
We call thatWe call that Agenda HarmonyAgenda Harmony!!

55. Asking the Right Question asAsking the Right Question as
a Church Board:a Church Board:

56. The right question is not,The right question is not,
“What do you think we should“What do you think we should
do?”do?”
The right question is, “What isThe right question is, “What is
God thinking? What doesGod thinking? What does
Jesus want us to do?”Jesus want us to do?”

57. Questions:Questions:

58. 1)1) What is your structuralWhat is your structural
process to communicateprocess to communicate
the love of God?the love of God?
2)2) What are the steps neededWhat are the steps needed
to make a disciple?to make a disciple?

59. 3)3) Who is purposefully trainedWho is purposefully trained
to love and bring people toto love and bring people to
CHURCH?CHURCH?
3)3) How many members areHow many members are
relationally connectingrelationally connecting
someone to the church assomeone to the church as
Jesus commanded?Jesus commanded?

60. • The only way to “makeThe only way to “make
disciples” is by the love ofdisciples” is by the love of
God through relationships.God through relationships.
5)5) How many members inHow many members in
your church are trained toyour church are trained to
relationally assimilaterelationally assimilate
visitors into your church?visitors into your church?

61. OUR VISION:OUR VISION: OTHERSOTHERS
OObedientbedient
TTestimoniesestimonies
HHelpingelping
EEveryoneveryone
RReacheach
SSalvationalvation