Cracking Your Church's Culture Code: Seven Keys to Unleashing Vision and Inspiration - Hardcover

Chand, Samuel R.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470627816 ISBN 13: 9780470627815

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2010

Synopsis

Strategies for transforming a toxic church culture

Why is it that the best strategic plans and good leadership often are not able to move churches in the desired direction? Sam Chand contends that toxic culture is to blame. Quite often, leaders don't sense the toxicity, but it poisons their relationships and derails their vision. This work describes five easily identifiable categories of church culture (inspiring-accepting-stagnant-discouraging-toxic), with diagnostic descriptions in the book and a separate online assessment tool. The reader will be able to identify strengths and needs of their church's culture, and then apply practical strategies (communication, control and authority, selection and placement of personnel, etc.) to make their church's culture more positive.

• Discusses how to diagnose the state of a church's culture
• Reveals what it takes to put in place effective strategies for creating a more positive church culture
• Author served on the board of EQUIP (Dr. John Maxwell's Ministry), equipping five million leaders world-wide.

This important book offers a clear guide for understanding and recreating a healthy church culture.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

"Culture—not vision or strategy—is the most powerful factor in any organization. It determines the receptivity of staff and volunteers to new ideas, unleashes or dampens creativity, builds or erodes enthusiasm, and creates a sense of pride or deep discouragement about working or being involved there. Ultimately, the culture of a church shapes individual morale, teamwork, effectiveness, and outcomes." —From Chapter One

Often church leaders confuse culture with vision and strategy, but they are very different. Vision and strategy usually focus on products, services, and outcomes, but culture is about the people—a church's most valuable asset. Cracking Your Church's Culture Code offers a practical resource for discovering the deficits in an existing church's culture and includes the steps needed to assess, correct, and change culture from lackluster to vibrant and inspirational so that it that truly meets the needs of the congregation.

Prominent church and leadership consul-tant Sam Chand describes the five easily identifiable categories of church culture (Inspiring-Accepting-Stagnant-Discouraging-Toxic) and includes diagnostic methods that church leaders can use to identify the particular strengths and needs of their church's culture. To help in this process there is also a separate online assessment tool (www.freeculturesurvey.com).

Once a church's culture is clearly identified, leaders can put in place a strategy for applying the seven keys of CULTURE (Control, Understanding, Leadership, Trust, Unafraid, Responsive, and Execution) that will make their church's culture one that stimulates people to be and do their very best and ultimately reach their highest goals.

From the Back Cover

Praise For cracking Your Church's Culture code

"Cracking Your Church's Culture Code provides a methodical introduction to understanding the idiosyncratic dynamics of your church and their impact on the overall vision of your ministry. This book is comprehensible and constructive as it reveals the seven important keys to creating a cohesive tone within your organization."
—Bishop T. D. Jakes, The Potter's House of Dallas

"Dr. Chand said, 'Culture—not vision or strategy—is the most powerful factor in any organization.' I couldn't agree more. Dr. Chand's latest book, Cracking Your Church's Culture Code, is a must-read for every church leader. If you want your ministry to move forward, buy this book for everyone on your leadership team!"
—Craig Groeschel, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv, and author, The Christian Atheist

"Sam Chand keeps firing golden bullets of practical assistance to church leaders. He's a blessing—and here's another offering of workable wisdom that is sure to bless many."
—Jack W. Hayford, chancellor, The King's University

"The number one reason a vision is aborted is because the visionary and the vision carrier aren't aware that a toxic culture exists—and that it can bring death and destruction to a church. This is a must-read for the life of your congregation and will create a healthy environment that breathes success and significance. I commend Dr. Samuel Chand for his wealth of experience. He has identified the keys that will reveal where you are and how to fix it."
—Bishop Eddie L. Long, senior pastor, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0470627816
• ISBN 13: 9780470627815
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224