Building a Thriving Church Health Ecosystem: Key Components for Denominations to Foster Vitality Part 1

THRIVING TOGETHER BLOG INTRO

For many years, I have shared both the pain and joys of those who work with churches. Like many of you, I have often wondered if there are better ways to thrive together and make a missional impact on our world. It’s not about trying harder; it’s about doing different things in new ways. This involves interrupting our routines and reflecting on our practices.

As a pastoral supervisor, trainer, lecturer, and consultant for churches and non-profits, I strive to provide valuable insights. I hope my posts serve as refreshing water for those planted in churches and leading denominations so we can thrive together.

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments. Or you can reach out to me through my website: www.ianduncum.com.au.

Building a Thriving Church Health Ecosystem: Key Components for Denominations to Foster Vitality part 1

Working as a church consultant and asking, "What does a healthy church look like?" has led me to asking, "What does a healthy denomination look like?" particularly as I work with a wide variety of denominations and denominational leaders. More particularly, the question is, "How can denominations create the right environment for churches to thrive?" Churches face many challenges today, from shifting cultural landscapes to internal struggles with growth and engagement. Denominations play a crucial role in supporting congregations to remain vibrant and healthy. A well-designed church health ecosystem helps denominations foster that vitality.

In this blog post, I am not going to write about each component of the ecosystem (that will happen in subsequent posts), but discuss some overall thoughts.

1 Church Health is Simple, but Costly

You may look at these eighteen circles (I have again updated it this year) and feel a sense of overwhelm. However, church health is not hard. It is simple. By God's grace I have turned around multiple churches (at their invitation) as a pastor and as a consultant and it is relatively straightforward. It is just costly. You have to say difficult things to a church and maybe to individuals. You have to call people to missional effectiveness. It takes extra hours of work, prayer and conversation. And yes, some people may not be happy. However, witnessing once-dying churches reconnect with their local communities and experiencing the fulfillment of their biblical purpose is truly rewarding.

At a denominational level, hard choices for health are multiplied. But so are the rewards, for generations. Will we please Christ, or people? Will we pay the price?

2 HAVE A CLEAR Vision for church health

Denominations can, at times, get bogged down in unclarity about where they are going. While I am very aware that there are things other than church health that occupy denominational thinking, church vitality is a central part, so should be kept there. No doubt there will be adjustments that some will make to this diagram, but it at least gives a vision of what a denomination could pursue.

3 The point is to make a start

Building anything involves mess and the incomplete. But if you never start, you never build. So start. Where? I reckon corporate prayer for renewal and planting is a great place to start. Its been an essential part of my work with churches - God is particularly good at raising the dead! Then encouraging all churches to be missional (in every sense) locally; other aspects of vitality for them will follow. Then helping the healthiest churches to plant and replant - this helps to bring movemental strength and less dependency on denominational staff. And so on.

Which elements do you think are most crucial? Are there any components you think should be added? Let's have a conversation about healthy denominations!

© 2026 Ian Duncum. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission. Rev Dr Ian Duncum is a trained and accredited church consultant with over 20 years of experience with non-profit enterprises and churches across several denominations. This includes denominational leadership in church health, church planting, consultancy training, and adjunct lecturing & research in the tertiary education sector. Ian is formerly the General Manager of AAOS. An accredited minister with a track record of growing churches, Ian trains church consultants, facilitates training for ministers and leaders, and supervises pastors and other leaders. Ian can be contacted at ian@ianduncum.com.au.