Practice Seven

Practice Seven
Real Presbyteries Have Empowering Management


The focus of real presbyteries is not on its management systems.


Attempts are made to keep management systems and structures only as big and developed as is absolutely necessary to keep the presbytery moving forward with effectiveness. Management systems are specifically designed and maintained to empower the overall mission and vision of the presbytery.

Practice Six

Practice Six
Real Presbyteries are Captivated by Vision


The focus of real presbyteries is on having an empowering vision that seeks to journey into the future as pulled forward by God’s spiritual strategic direction for the presbytery.

The real presbytery is the type of movement with which leaders and congregations are excited about being connected. The real presbytery is, in fact, a role model and an inspiration for leaders and congregations.

Practice Five

Practice Five
Real Presbyteries Broker Resources

The focus of real presbyteries is on brokering the best available resources to leaders and congregations rather than seeking to be the provider of all the resources leaders and congregations might need.

The real presbytery is the networker that does research to discern and discover the best resources available and what type of leaders and congregations they best fit. The few programs the presbytery offers are of the highest caliber possible quality and speak to the real needs of leaders and their congregations.

Practice Four

Practice Four
Real Presbyteries Deepen Relationships


The focus of real presbyteries is on deepening relationships with and among pastors, other clergy, church staff and lay leadership.

The real presbytery understands that the core essence of Christianity is around relationship with God, one another and the local and global context where congregations serve.

The real presbytery sees spiritual, ministry and other relationships and networking with congregations and their leaders as more important than programs that are promoted to congregations and their leaders.

Practice Three

Practice Three
Real Presbyteries Focus on Kingdom Potential


The focus of real presbyteries is on kingdom growth and potential rather than only church growth.

This is not an anti-church growth approach, but rather a conviction that greater Christian impact is likely to occur when congregations focus on kingdom growth than when they focus on increasing membership.

The real presbytery can be called missional in its focus on engaging in community ministry and transformation, congregational multiplication movements and world mission efforts that directly network congregations with mission and ministry places throughout the world.

Practice Two

Practice Two
Real Presbyteries Develop Leaders

The focus of real presbyteries is on developing leaders.

Rather than seeking to do everything for congregations and to keep congregations dependent on the presbytery, the real presbytery seeks to develop the capacity of pastors, other clergy, church staff and lay leadership to soar from the base of their spiritual gifts in their ability to help their congregations journey in the direction oft heir full kingdom potential.

Practice One

Practice One
Real Presbyteries Serve Congregations

The focus of real presbyteries is on serving congregations.

Numerous observers indicate that we live in a time of the ascent of congregations (i.e., First Presbyterian Church of My Town) and descent of denominations (i.e., The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

If this is true the response of the real presbytery must be to focus on congregations as the basic building block of denominational life.