Thank you for your interest in the Healthy Church Discernment Process (HCDP! Carried out over a 6-9 month period the HCDP provides an accurate picture of the present and broad ownership of plans for the future. Instead of leading your church to compare yourself to other churches the HCDP uses the thoughts and perceptions of your own people. It provides a process, is guided by prayer, and is assisted by a trained coach. 

Guided throughout by a trained church coach the HCDP begins with intentional congregational preparation in anticipation of a time to discern together what God is asking this congregation to be and do. Then, by means of a survey of all adult congregants, information is gathered on members’ perception of their church in eleven health areas. Church members are also asked to provide information about own spiritual journeys in the same eleven areas. The process also uses a tool called Mission Insight to gather information about the community that God has called the congregation to serve. This information provides a basis for a conversation with the entire congregation. In turn the results of this interactive process provide a basis for leadership to develop ministry initiatives and/or a ministry plan for the future.

Enclosed in this packet are a number of items that tell the story of HCDP:

• A brief history of HCDP and its present status within the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
• A summary of the eleven health areas measured by the HCDP
• The steps in the HCDP
• The Costs of HCDP
• The contract and role of the trained church coach
• Sample questions from the Healthy Church survey
• Comments from pastors and leaders

Contacts for further information can be obtained from Pastor Church Resources or from the Healthy Church Team members: