2007 NCD survey results at North London

It’s never easy to face a doctor’s chart, especially when you feel something is not right. Our first diagnosis in 2005 was just a statement – this is where we are. We had worked hard together to improve the quality of our church experience and by 2006 had cheerfully welcomed the good news that we were improving rapidly, yet another year and we should have been well on our way to a healthy growing and reproducing church. We needed to work more on worship and leadership development. Both of these categories of our church life have improved again; worship more than leadership, though. Yet as I look at the 2007 chart I am asking myself: “At what cost? How come other areas plummeted?”

Somehow our structures and our spirituality have suffered. Reading up on the experiences of church leaders from the past one thing is evident – unity and order are always consistent with willingness to submit to the spiritual discipline and fruitfulness.

One of our pioneers made this comment on matter of church functionality: “Angels work harmoniously. Perfect order characterizes all their movements. The more closely we imitate the harmony and order of the angelic host, the more successful will be the efforts of these heavenly agents in our behalf. If we see no necessity for harmonious action, and are disorderly, undisciplined, and disorganized in our course of action, angels, who are thoroughly organized and move in perfect order, cannot work for us successfully. They turn away in grief, for they are not authorized to bless confusion, distraction, and disorganization.

All who desire the co-operation of the heavenly messengers must work in unison with them. Those who have the unction from on high will in all their efforts encourage order, discipline, and union of action, and then the angels of God can co-operate with them. But never, never will these heavenly messengers place their endorsement upon irregularity, disorganization, and disorder. All these evils are the result of Satan's efforts to weaken our forces, to destroy courage, and prevent successful action.” (Testimonies to the Church. Vol.1 p.649)

Let consider this advice as the leaders of our church come together to pray, plan and strategize about improving our church experience together.