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Common Critical Success Factors

Written by Frans Hancke | 10 August 2010

THE COMMON CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS DETERMINING THE MISSION IMPACT OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

Results from an analytical study

Pieter Verster – Professor in Missiology, University of the Free State
Frans Hancke – CEO, ProChristo Global Mission

1. The 21st Century Scenario

There exists an interesting phenomenon in the universal Church as it steps into the new millennium. On the one hand, internationally acclaimed statisticians like Patrick Johnstone and David Barrett (2001:24) clearly indicate phenomenal global Church growth. In a recent publication by Johnstone, The Church is bigger than you think, he indicates that the growth of the so-called Evangelicals are higher than any other religious grouping in the world (1998:112). It is clear that the efforts of ecumenical, mission-minded movements like AD2000 and Beyond had a tremendous impact on purposeful strategies to reach the unreached with the Gospel.

In spite of this inspiring facts, it is also a tragic reality that many congregations and Churches are not involved in the process of expanding the Church via missionary activities. This view is supported by Prof. Dons Kritzinger in a report, “Betrokkenheid van lidmate by sending,” [Involvement of members in mission] on the mission involvement of members of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa at the general synod of the Church in 1994 (Sinodical agenda:1994). It can be accepted that Prof. Kritzinger?s comments are not just applicable to the DRC.

It is therefore clear that the missional involvement of local churches span a quantum ranging from vibrant impact to stony passiveness. It can rightly be asked: What makes the difference? Are there common factors to be determined in Churches actively and successfully involved in the missionary task? If it exist – are these only spiritual factors or can measurable aspects also be determined? Knowledge and understanding of such critical success factors (CSF?s) may benefit the Church at large in its functioning. The identification of such factors could answer the burning question in the hearts of church and mission leaders today – how to involve the uninvolved majority of Churches to evangelise the world? – and in the process, becoming the Church-on-Mission.

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