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The Infancy of a Congregation Overview This article explores the second of ten stages of development in the life cycle and stages of congregational development: Infancy. The ten stages are grouped into five phases. Phase One: Early Growth, involves the first five to seven years of the life of a congregation. It includes the stages of Birth and Infancy. To appropriately understand the Infancy stage it is necessary to look at the transition from the Birth stage, understand the place of the organizing principles in the Infancy stage, review the characteristics of this stage, and determine how a congregation makes the passage to the Childhood stage. How Does a Congregation Make the Passage from Birth to Infancy? Congregations at Birth are living out the mission, purpose, core values, and vision that God has given them for a new congregation that ought to be present in a certain place or target group of people. Birth is that period when vision is dominant, but relationships, programs, and management are not. Vision is the fuel or energy that drives a new congregation forward. Leadership is expressed through the vision, and assists in fueling the forward progress of the congregation. This leadership is God’s leadership that empowers congregational leaders to seize the day. The period of Birth only lasts about six months to two years. Ideally, congregations continue healthy development throughout the stages of the life cycle. Congregations should move naturally from the Birth stage to Infancy. Both vision and relationships are dominant in this second stage, while programs and management have not been fully developed. The relationships factor is the new dominant factor that joins vision. To successfully navigate the passage from Birth to Infancy a congregation needs to begin acting like a congregation in Infancy. When it can do so comfortably, then it has probably navigated the passage. What is the Place of the Organizing Principles in the Infancy Stage? Infancy is that period when vision and relationships are dominant, but programs, and management are not. The period of Infancy lasts three to five years. Congregations in Infancy are continuing to live out the vision that God has given them for a congregation that ought to be present in a certain place or target group of people. Vision is the fuel or energy that will drive the congregation forward throughout the growth side of the life cycle. Relationships are the spiritual and relational processes by which persons are brought to faith in God through Jesus Christ, become connected to a local New Testament congregation, are assimilated into the fellowship life and care ministry of a congregation, have opportunities for spiritual growth and leadership development, and are mentored to use their gifts and skills through Kingdom involvement. Discipleship patterns are expressed through the relationships factor, and assist in flavoring the congregation. These patterns hard wire the congregation's qualitative and quantitative growth patterns. Infancy congregations engage in relationships activities that may represent an intentional plan. Necessary programs are continued, and some congregations begin to take a long-term look at their process and program plans. Management is accomplished informally, and is generally put together as the congregation goes along. What are the Characteristics of the Infancy Stage? The Infancy stage of a congregation is characterized by a passion to fulfill the strategic spiritual vision of the congregation. In Infancy a congregation is flavored; that is, is establishing more clearly its identity. The congregation asks itself such questions as, Who are we?, What are our beliefs?, and What are our values? During this time the congregation seeks to establish healthy patterns of evangelism, growth, discipleship, leadership development, and ministry and missions. These healthy patterns flow from the desire to establish ongoing relationships processes to fulfill the strategic spiritual vision. They do not yet represent the formal development of the programs, or management factors. If the status of the congregation in their denominational tradition is still that of mission rather than formal church, they will probably constitute or formally organize and incorporate as an entity separate from its parenthood. The five phases of relationships that the Infancy stage must address are, evangelism and outreach; entry and initial assimilation; fellowship, care ministry, and full assimilation; spiritual growth and leadership development; and, kingdom involvement and missional life style. During the Infancy stage congregations must deal with various issues. First, are our relationships intentional? What evangelism and congregational growth philosophy are we following? Do we know whom we, as a faith community, are gifted to reach for membership, and to make a focus of our outreach and missions efforts? Do we have regular, organized patterns of relationships? Second, do we have a clear understanding of our values and belief systems, or our spiritual identity? Have we adequately grounded our members, regular attenders, and prospects in the doctrines and disciplines of our congregation, and-as appropriate-our denominational family? The effort to clarify identity at times causes some people who have been a part of the congregation to seek another congregation because they do not agree with the emerging belief system, or the identity of the congregation as it was being clarified. Third, do we actively work to assimilate people into the fellowship and care ministry life of the congregation? Do we go beyond being friendly to helping new people to develop lasting friendships within the congregational family? Offering a definition is important at this juncture. Assimilation is the intentional process by which believers become identified with a congregation, and are included in meaningful fellowship, care, spiritual growth, and leadership developing activities. Fourth, what is our style of worship? Do we use a traditional pattern, a contemporary pattern, or a blended style of worship? What is the place of preaching and teaching in worship? What is the place of music and liturgy? Fifth, what are our tactics for lay mobilization? How do we involve people in ministry and missions activities? Do we help people become fully devoted followers of Christ? How Does a Congregation Make the Passage to Childhood? When a congregation is about five to six years old it then begins to face a new set of issues. Many of these revolve around better organization for the congregation. At first this organizational energy is focused on the need to better structure the program life of the congregation. The stage that follows Infancy is Childhood. Dominant vision and programs characterize this third stage. Relationships diminish as programs becomes the new dominant factor that joins with vision to fuel the next several years of a congregation. To successfully navigate the passage from Infancy to Childhood, a congregation needs to begin acting like a congregation in Childhood. When it can do so without thinking about it, then it has probably navigated the passage. | 
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