Planning for a Bright Future

Welcome to the White Bluff Methodist Planning for a Bright Future webpage. This process is meant to:

-Provide you a resource to know the surrounding community around White Bluff.

-Provide a book from Thom Rainer written to understand the lifecycle of a church and what happened to some churches that have closed (and how to prevent it)

-Seek your feedback. Your feedback on the two surveys is critical to mission success!

Please allow adequate time as it will take some time to methodically work through each of the provided steps. Pray for God's guidance as you proceed through each step. Our overarching goals are understanding where we currently are as White Bluff Methodist Church and plotting a path forward in which White Bluff Methodist proactively makes disciples of Jesus Christ both now and in the future.

From the survey feedback, the Church Council will prayerfully develop an action plan for change/ forward progress in place (-What Needs to Be Changed?, -1 year plan, -5 year plan, -10 year plan). This plan will then be presented to the members of White Bluff.

Steps to Take:

1) Read the "Know Your Community" report to gain a better understanding of who lives in the area surrounding White Bluff. This report is based on a 15 minute drive time of White Bluff Methodist.

Click here to access the White Bluff "Know Your Community" report in PDF

2) Read Autopsy of a Deceased Church. The Church Council recently read the text. While the title sounds a bit morbid, notice the subtitle! "12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive! Copies are available in the church office.

3) Take the two assessments as soon as possible. We need your feedback because the more people who participate, the more valid that the results will be. We would like your responses by the middle of May, if possible.

The first is the "Know Your Church" survey. The "Know Your Church" survey consists of a 160-item questionnaire that measures a church’s perceived health in six purposes of the church: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, prayer, and ministry. This is a 15-20 minute survey, and a detailed health report for White Bluff will be provided once everyone completes it.

Click Here for the Know Your Church Survey

The second survey is specific to White Bluff. It evaluates 16 all encompassing areas of the church and invites you to offer your perspectives on virtually every area of our church. Please allow up to two hours for this assessment. While this may seem lengthy, it is needed. Thank you for your willingness to spend the time needed to help make a positive, impactful change at White Bluff.

Click Here for the White Bluff Interactive Self Study Survey

4) At the May 20, 2024 Church Council meeting, the Church Council will begin to prayerfully discuss the survey results and how they inform where we need to go.

5) Once results have been bathed in prayer and definitively determined, then Church Council can prayerfully take the next steps for putting an action plan for change/ forward progress in place (-What Needs to Be Changed?, -1 year plan, -5 year plan, -10 year plan). This plan will then be presented to members of White Bluff.