District Transformation Process involves
3-year commitment, responses to survey

District transformation

Thank you for your enthusiastic response to the District Transformation Process!
Some 220 people came to the districtwide meeting Oct. 23 at Oak Hill UMC, Austin, to hear Dr. Don Nations speak about the District Transformation Process. The process assumes that laypeople are key partners with the clergy in shaping the present and future ministry of our churches. That is why each pastor was requested to bring at least five key leaders to hear Nations’ presentation.
The transformation process involves a three-year commitment from participating churches. While the cost is $l,000 a year for three years, the district will offer assistance to smaller churches that may want to participate but feel that the cost is prohibitive. Several pastors of large churches came to me after Nations’ presentation and offered to help the smaller churches.
Nations’ major points and Power-Point presentation are available. So are audio tapes. Contact Jill Barre at jill@umcad.org if you would like copies.
Every church, no matter what size, that desires to be more effective in reaching people for Christ may benefit from this process.
Briefly, the process involves completing the Church Transformation Survey, which all the churches in the Southwest Texas Conference are doing, and turning the survey in with charge conference reports. Each church is asked to become a welcoming congregation.
The beauty of this process is that each church looks at itself by doing a church ministry assessment. You assess how you are doing and in what areas you would like to im-prove. Nations will look at your assessment and coach you through the steps you decide you need to take to be more effective in ministry.
Pastors will take the DISC profile. That’s an assessment of leadership style. When the church ministry assessment is complete, Nations will make an on-site visit to your church to share his recommendations based on your own stated goals.
People who are paid millions of dollars to play with footballs, basketballs, golf balls, etc., have coaches. Doesn’t it make sense that churches would benefit from a coach as well? 
I have asked that those who came to the presentation go back to their respective churches and ask their administrative councils or boards to vote whether or not the church would participate and to let me know by Dec. 15. We will accept 30 churches, and priority will be given to those who have qualified as welcoming congregations.
I am excited about the possibilities for strengthening the already strong churches and encouraging those that are struggling. Even if we were able to start three new churches a year in the Austin District, we still couldn’t keep up with the influx of new people. That means that we need to give our existing churches the tools they need to do the ministry Christ is calling them to do. 
I am enjoying meeting with each pastor under appointment in the Austin District. I am about two-thirds of the way through, and it has been a great way to connect with old friends as well as get acquainted with new ones. These meetings will help me represent you in the Cabinet.
There is no substitute for face-to-face conversation about your appointment, your professional goals and just plain “How is it with your soul?” I am blessed to be in ministry with you.