Ep. 024 | Implement the DREAM Church Strategy
A Conversation With Brian Moss on Healthy Church Growth
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What is the DREAM Church Strategy for Church Growth?
June 15, 2025
How to Transform a Dying Church into a Thriving Congregation: The DREAM Church Framework
Episode Overview
Discover proven church revitalization strategies from Pastor Brian Moss, who transformed a struggling congregation of 30 members into a thriving church with 101% small group participation over 25 years. Learn the systematic DREAM framework for sustainable church growth without compromising biblical truth.
Guest: Pastor Brian Moss
Church: Oak Ridge Church, Salisbury, Maryland
Experience: 25+ years in pastoral ministry
Background: Former computer engineer, seminary graduate
Specialty: Church revitalization and systematic discipleship
Conference: Dream Church Conference (5,000+ pastors trained)
Key Topics Covered
How to Develop Biblical Church Vision Without Church Background
Overcoming pastoral ministry without childhood church experience
Seminary training vs. practical church leadership skills
Finding mentorship for pastoral development
Transitioning from secular career to full-time ministry
The Five Fundamental Purposes Every Healthy Church Must Balance
Worship - Creating authentic worship experiences
Fellowship - Building genuine Christian community
Discipleship - Systematic spiritual growth programs
Ministry - Activating every member in meaningful service
Evangelism - Reaching unchurched people with the gospel
Church Health Problems Most Pastors Don't Recognize
Why churches naturally gravitate toward only 1-2 purposes
How pastoral strengths create church imbalances
The medical analogy: church disease from systemic imbalance
Signs your church has become spiritually unhealthy
The Complete DREAM Church Framework Explained
D - Design Weekend Services That Lost People Would Love
Long-tail focus: How to make church services welcoming to non-Christians without compromising gospel
Creating "no apologies, no excuses" worship experiences
Three essential systems for guest-friendly church services:
Rockstar guest services that wow first-time visitors
Worship experiences that engage Christians and non-Christians simultaneously
Preaching style modifications for reaching unchurched audiences
R - Reach People with the Gospel and Connect Them to Church Family
Long-tail focus: Systematic evangelism strategies that create disciples not orphans
Planning gospel presentations every 6-8 weeks in sermon series
Using discipleship programs as evangelism entry points
Why cold-call evangelism creates disconnected converts
E - Engage People in Spiritual Growth Through Small Groups
Long-tail focus: How to achieve 100% adult small group participation
Systematic approach to spiritual growth and discipleship
Balancing small groups with structured discipleship training
Creating discipleship pathways that ensure spiritual maturity
A - Activate Every Member in Meaningful Ministry
Long-tail focus: Church volunteer coordination systems that match gifts with ministry
Using full-time staff for volunteer placement and activation
Ensuring every church member finds their place in ministry
Moving beyond filling volunteer slots to gift-based ministry
M - Mobilize the Whole Church for Local and Global Missions
Long-tail focus: Church missions strategy using crawl-walk-run methodology
Creating missions on-ramps for different commitment levels
Balancing local community outreach with international missions
Systematic approach to missions mobilization
Church Revitalization Strategies for Struggling Congregations
How to lead church change when dealing with broken trust
Overcoming toxic church leadership and governance problems
Steps for transforming church culture from consumer to missional
Building leadership teams committed to biblical discipleship
Common Church Growth Mistakes Pastors Make
The comparison trap destroying pastoral effectiveness
Why fastest-growing church lists harm ministry
Focusing on programs instead of systematic approaches
Neglecting evangelism while emphasizing discipleship
Biblical vs. Cultural Church Practices
Why 80% of modern church practices are Constantinian not biblical
Distinguishing between methodology and biblical principles
How to evaluate church traditions against Scripture
Adapting ancient principles for contemporary ministry
Practical Encouragement for Discouraged Pastors
Overcoming feelings of pastoral inadequacy and overwhelm
Starting church transformation with manageable changes
The power of new conversions to revitalize church atmosphere
Focusing on faithfulness to calling rather than comparison
Key Quotes for Church Leaders
"God wants you to grow up before you go up."
"There's no such thing as individualistic Christianity."
"About eighty percent of what we do in churches today is Constantinian Christianity, not first century Christianity."
"Balance is the definition of health - when something gets out of balance, it creates disease toxic to the entire body."
"There's nothing like new life coming to the church that will give you fresh wind and fresh spirit."
Resources Mentioned
Books
"The Dream Church" by Brian Moss - Complete framework guide
Purpose Driven Church influence - Rick Warren's impact on church methodology
Conferences and Training
Dream Church Conference - Annual training every first Thursday/Friday of March
Location: Mid-Atlantic region
Attendance: 200-300 pastors annually
Focus: Practical implementation of DREAM framework
Church Information
Oak Ridge Church - Salisbury, Maryland
Growth: From 30 to thriving congregation over 25 years
Small Groups: 101% adult participation rate
Ministry Model: Systematic discipleship and volunteer coordination