What Kind of Tractor Is Your Church?

One of the most liberating moments for church leaders is when they stop comparing their congregation to other churches and start understanding their own unique identity and calling. That's the central theme of my book, "What Kind of Tractor Is Your Church?"

The Comparison Trap​

Every pastor has experienced it. You attend a conference and hear about a church that's exploding with growth. They share their methods, their programs, their secrets. You go home fired up to implement everything you learned.

Six months later, nothing has changed. The programs that worked brilliantly at that other church fell flat at yours. What went wrong?

Different Tools for Different Jobs​

Here's the thing: a combine harvester is an amazing machine. But if you try to use it to plow a garden, you'll have problems. It's not that the combine is bad - it's that it's designed for a different purpose.

Churches are the same way. A church plant in a growing suburb faces different challenges than a 150-year-old congregation in a small town. An urban church with high turnover needs different strategies than a rural church where families have attended for generations.

Knowing Your "Tractor Type"​

Understanding your church's unique character involves examining several factors:

Context​

• Where are you located?
• What's the community around you like?
• What are the demographics?
• What needs exist that you're positioned to meet?

History​

• What's your congregation's story?
• What has worked in the past?
• What has been tried and failed?
• What traditions matter to your people?

Resources​

• What are your financial realities?
• What skills exist in your congregation?
• What facilities do you have?
• What partnerships are possible?

Calling​

• What has God uniquely called your congregation to do?
• What burns in your heart?
• Where do you see God already at work?

The Freedom of Self-Understanding​

When you understand your "tractor type," you can:

1. Stop chasing the wrong models: Not every successful strategy will work for you, and that's okay.

2. Invest in your strengths: Instead of trying to be something you're not, excel at what you're designed to do.

3. Find your niche: Every community needs different kinds of churches. What's your unique contribution?

4. Measure the right things: Success looks different for different churches. Define what health looks like for yours.

Going Deeper​

If this resonates with you, consider picking up the full book. It goes deeper into identifying your church's unique identity and developing strategies that fit who you actually are.

You can also contact us to discuss assessment tools that help congregations understand their identity and potential.