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Christian A. Schwarz

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Christian A. Schwarz
Christian A. SchwarzChristian A. Schwarz.jpg Christian A. Schwarz.jpg
Born (1960-03-27) March 27, 1960 (age 64)
Herne, Germany
🏳️ NationalityGerman
💼 Occupation
Author, researcher
🏢 OrganizationNatural Church Development
Notable workTrinitarian Compass
👩 Spouse(s)Brigitte Berief-Schwarz
👶 ChildrenJonas, Simon, Chiara
🌐 Websitencd-international.org
🥚 TwitterTwitter=
label65 = 👍 Facebook

Christian Andreas Schwarz (born March 27, 1960) is a German author, lecturer and researcher. He is the founder and president of Natural Church Development (NCD International). His books have been published in 40 languages, making Schwarz one of the most frequently translated German authors since World War II.[1]

Early life[edit]

Schwarz’ early years were strongly shaped by the ministry of his father, Fritz Schwarz, who was a Lutheran church superintendent between 1967 to his death in 1985. In the late 1970s, Fritz Schwarz launched a church growth program in his church district of Herne (Germany), which influenced many Lutheran churches throughout Germany.[2] Christian A. Schwarz co-authored together with his father three of the initial books describing the values, strategy, and theology of that approach.[3]

Between 1979 and 1986 he studied theology in Bochum, Bethel, Wuppertal and Mainz (Germany) and worked simultaneously as journalist for various magazines and newspapers.[4] In this time period he wrote countless lyrics for Christian songs, which were recorded on LPs and later CDs.[5] The CD that became most popular was based on his attempt to communicate the message of Martin Luther King, Jr. in a lyrical way, which was set to music by the composer Siegfried Fietz and sung by Jan Vering together with King’s widow, Coretta Scott King.[6]

In one of his German books[7] Schwarz speaks about an incurable disease that has been diagnosed at his 18th birthday, which had a strong influence on his priorities, plans, and intensity of activities in the years to follow. He reports about an unexpected healing eight years after the diagnosis which resulted in the decision to "redesign his life" and invest the rest of his life into the cause of helping churches get healthy.[8]

Schwarz and Natural Church Development[edit]

Internationally, Christian A. Schwarz is best known as founder and leader of Natural Church Development, a principle-oriented approach to church life that has been applied by more than 70,000 churches worldwide.[9]

His way to Natural Church Development[edit]

Two of the early books of Christian A. Schwarz that he co-authored with his father, Fritz Schwarz, dealt with the societal and political impact of discipleship. The first one, Programm des neuen Lebensstils (Program of a New Life Style), published in 1981,[10] targeted topics such as ecology, global social justice, ministry for the poor, and a simple personal life style, while the second one, Die Friedenslüge (The Lie of Peace), published in 1982,[11] addressed topics like armament, non-violent resistance, and peace.

In 1984, Fritz and Christian A. Schwarz co-authored their Theologie des Gemeindeaufbaus (Theology of Church Development),[12] which presented the theological paradigm behind their practical work. At the time of publishing that book, there had not yet been any interaction with the American church growth movement.

In 1985 Schwarz met for the first time leaders of the American Church Growth movement in the context of his first study trip to the United States (among others, Donald McGavran, C. Peter Wagner, and Win Arn). In 1986 Schwarz spent a sabbatical in the United States, studying at Fuller Theological Seminary, in the attempt to learn from the American church growth movement.[13] Over a number of years, Schwarz developed a relationship with McGavran in which they explored the elements that were potentially missing in the predominant church growth paradigm of the day.[14]

File:NCD Books.jpg
Schwarz' books have been published in many different languages

In 1989, he founded the Institute for Church Development, which later on was renamed Institute for Natural Church Development.[15] The Institute performed initial research projects in German-speaking countries that led to hypotheses that laid the foundations for the research theses that later on enabled the formation of Natural Church Development.[16] In 1994, the organizational psychologist Christoph Schalk joined the Institute’s team. Under his supervision, 1000 churches in 32 countries were researched according to a revised methodology, applying strict standards in terms of objectivity, validity, and reliability.[17]

In October 1996, the first edition of the book Natural Church Development[18] was published simultaneously in ten different languages.[19] This was the first time that the term Natural Church Development (NCD) was used.

The strategy of Natural Church Development[edit]

The major features of Natural Church Development can be summarized in the characteristics: principle-orientation,[20] interdenominational application,[21] intercultural learning,[22] scientific evaluation,[23] quality focus,[24] spiritual balance,[25] and process-orientation.[26]

The major strategic building blocks of NCD are the eight quality characteristics of healthy churches,[27] the six growth forces,[28] the minimum-factor strategy,[29] and the Trinitarian Compass.[30]

A central part of NCD is a diagnostic tool called the NCD Church Survey.[31] This resource enables churches to precisely asses their present quality and to identify the area of greatest need ("minimum factor"). As a second step, the church conducting a survey is supported by specifically designed tools and coaching to increase its quality in the respective area. After a given time, the church conducts a repeat-profile to monitor the actual progress. According to NCD theory, this investment in the quality or health of the church is the factor that has the strongest correlation to numerical growth.[32]

NCD International[edit]

The Institute that Schwarz founded in 1989 is now generally referred to as NCD International.[33] NCD International functions as a network that is connected to individual leaders and organizations that are committed to support Christians in their area of responsibility. The ministry is directed by Christian A. Schwarz, Christoph Schalk, and Adam Johnstone.[34] Some of the activities (such as publishing, web development, test construction, etc.) have been delegated to companies specifically focused on that topic (such as NCD Media, NCD International GmbH & Co KG, Journey to Life Ltd.).[35]

Activities[edit]

Within the network of NCD International, Schwarz has focused on three areas of ministry:

Research[edit]

All of the tools that he has developed or contributed to since 1996 are based on empirical research that is being conducted at an international level.[36] The huge data base that has become available to the Institute through the ministry over the past twenty years (by now, 70,000 churches have done an NCD Church Survey, covering 84 countries and 112 denominations),[37] has enabled the evaluation of many theological stereotypes about the Christian life in an empirical light. Schwarz’ books speak about the insights that emerged from this approach.

A second major area of research are the various eTests developed by the Institute, focused on spiritual growth and personal transformation.[38] The insights gathered in that context build the foundation for the tool development.

Resource development[edit]

Schwarz has written various books focused on church development and life transformation. His most popular books have been published in the NCD Discipleship Resources series with five titles so far.[39] In the process of resource development, Schwarz strives to provide internationally and interdenominationally applicable masters, rather than binding himself to a specific culture or denomination.[40]

Apart from the resources in printed form, NCD International works on various web-based tools that are made available through eTests.[41]

Schwarz speaking at a training event in Brisbane, Australia

Training and coaching[edit]

Schwarz spends a large part of his time in training, coaching, and empowering Christian leaders. Throughout the past few years, this ministry has brought him to NCD conferences in 44 countries.[42] In 2014, he launched the NOW! process in the course of which he trained 100 leaders in 50 cities, whose task it was to pass on the training to at least two more leaders each, in the pursue to release a process of multiplication.[43]

Theological views[edit]

Schwarz has rejected all kinds of theological labels (such as evangelical, charismatic, or liberal) for his own theological views, but he sometimes has used the term "trinitarian" as a shorthand for the kind of theology he strives to communicate.[44] In Schwarz’ writings, there are certain theological threads that are reflected by almost all of his books published after 1996:

Incarnational theology[edit]

A characteristic feature of Schwarz’ theological paradigm that can be detected in all of his writings is the integration of biblical teaching and empirical observations. This positioning of theology has been strongly influenced by the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, outlined in particular in his books Sanctorum Communio[45] and Act and Being.[46] Schwarz sees no contradiction or tension in the relationship between science and faith, but attributes existing conflicts exclusively to what he labels "category confusion".[47]

In his books, Schwarz stresses that he doesn’t see NCD as a non-theological methodology nor as a merely pragmatic approach.[48] In NCD resource development, the empirical discoveries are evaluated theologically, i.e. in the light of biblical teaching. In this evaluation process, the empirical discoveries are approached heuristically; the biblical standards, as normative.[49]

Interdenominational approach[edit]

While Schwarz original theological background has been Lutheran, it is characteristic of the NCD paradigm that the theological reflection is worked out in inter-denominational categories, deliberately not binding itself to the specific traditions or values of a given denomination. Because of that approach, his writings strive to exclude those topics where the different branches of Christianity are in disagreement, as long as these elements are non-essentials in terms of church development. Alternatively, he strives to demonstrate how the different foci, if combined, can potentially contribute to healthy balance.[50]

Trinitarian Compass[edit]

A special contribution to interdenominational theology has been what Schwarz calls the Trinitarian Compass, which is a unique feature of the NCD paradigm.[51] The Trinitarian Compass uses the dynamics of the colors of light (RGB color model) as a way of illustrating the practical relevance of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity for the daily challenges of believers: In order to produce pure white light, the colors red, green, and blue must be displayed simultaneously. The color green is related to God’s revelation in creation; the color red, to God’s revelation in Jesus Christ; and the color blue, to God’s revelation in the Holy Spirit. Each of these three revelations corresponds to basic dimensions of life. In all of Schwarz’s books, the attempt to integrate these three dimensions – rather than writing on his own preferred theologies – can be detected.

Bi-polar paradigm[edit]

Schwarz’ theological paradigm is based on a bi-polar scheme, striving to integrate poles that are often seen as contradictions, particularly in cultures that are shaped by thinking in terms of binary opposition.[52] After an initial attempt in his Theologie des Gemeindeaufbaus,[53] this approach was first introduced in English in the book Paradigm Shift in the Church,[54] by relating it to various aspects of ecclesiology and illustrating it with reference to the major conflicts throughout church history. The core of this paradigm has been inspired by the biblical representations of church in a unique combination of static (technical) and dynamic (organic) images, such as, "living stones", "growth of the temple", "the body of Christ may be built up", "God’s field and God’s building", etc.,[55] and has been deepened by studies into the polar structures in other fields, particularly in the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer,[56] the writings of Niels Bohr,[57] and in various schools of Asian philosophy.[58]

Meeting with Father Makarios on Mount Athos, Greece

Integration of East and West[edit]

A repeating topic in many of Schwarz’ writings is his attempt to learn from the insights of various cultures, rather than exporting a Western theology. The book, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, highlights how the specific strengths of the West, the East, and the South have enriched NCD strategy.[59] In particular, Schwarz strives to integrate insights of the Eastern Orthodox and the Western Church traditions, making the learnings of the East accessible to the West and vice versa.[60]

Divine energies[edit]

The past few books of Christian A. Schwarz have been strongly shaped by his discovery of the New Testament concept of energies (Greek, enérgeia).[61] Because of translations that strove to avoid the rendering of enérgeia as "energy", he claims that in the past the concept never had a chance of influencing Western Christianity, while in Eastern traditions it is generally known, but primarily limited to the liturgical and sacramental context. He has announced that the implementation of this biblical concept will be a focal topic for the next few years.[62]

Family[edit]

Since 1990, Schwarz is married to the psychotherapist Brigitte Berief-Schwarz. Together they have three adult children: Jonas Frederic Leonardo, Simon Dominic Amadeus, and Chiara Laetitia.[63] In 1993 the family moved to the village of Emmelsbüll that is located in the far north of Germany, on the Danish border.

Publications[edit]

Six of the early books of Christian A. Schwarz which were published between 1981 and 1991 have not been translated into English.[64] However, the majority of Schwarz’ books are available in many different languages. In English, the following titles have been published:

  • Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches (originally published in 1996, 7th updated and revised edition 2006). ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003.
  • Implementation Guide to Natural Church Development (together with Christoph Schalk), 1998 St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638034.
  • Paradigm Shift in the Church: How Natural Church Development can transform theological thinking (1999). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638058.
  • The Threefold Art of Experiencing God: The Liberating Power of a Trinitarian Faith (1999). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638140.
  • The 3 Colors of Ministry: A trinitarian approach to identifying and developing your spiritual gifts (originally published 2001, 3rd edition 2006) St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638164.
  • The 3 Colors of Love: The art of giving and receiving justice, truth, and grace (2004). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638454.
  • Color Your World with Natural Church Development: Experiencing all that God has designed you to be (originally published 2005, second edition 2006). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478.
  • The 3 Colors of Your Spirituality: 9 Spiritual Styles—How do you most naturally connect with God? (2009). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638850.
  • The 3 Colors of Community: How the 7 Communal Qualities of Healthy Small Groups can help you overcome the 7 Deadly Sins (2012). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638980.
  • The 3 Colors of Leadership: How anyone can learn the art of empowering other people (2012). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638973.
  • NOW! Invest 8 hours of your time—and start a viral movement of transformation (2014), St. Charles: ChurchSmart, ISBN 978-1936812080.
  • The All By Itself Pathway: An Introduction to Natural Church Development (2015). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1936812110.

See also[edit]

Natural Church Development (NCD)
NCD International

References[edit]

  1. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  2. Fritz Schwarz, Überschaubare Gemeinde: Ein persönliches Wort an Leute in der Kirche über missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau (1979). Aussaat: Gladbeck. ISBN 978-3795808426
  3. Programm des neuen Lebensstils: Für Leute, denen Jesus konkurrenzlos wichtig ist (1981). Aussaat: Gladbeck. ISBN 978-3795808433; Die Friedenslüge: Plädoyer für Wahrhaftigkeit (1982). Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3795808587; Theologie des Gemeindeaufbaus – Ein Versuch (1984, second edition 1985). Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3761546635
  4. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, page 33. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  5. Ich habe einen Traum (1982); Du bist der Same der Zukunft (1982); Über den Tod hinaus (1983); Ist Frieden möglich? (1984), published by Abakus Music Greifenstein, http://www.abakus-musik.de
  6. http://www.abakus-musik.de/ich-habe-einen-traum
  7. Christian A. Schwarz, Anleitung für christliche Lebenskünstler (1995, 4th edition 2002), pages 128-129. Emmelsbüll: C&P. ISBN 978-3928093378
  8. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development: Experiencing all that God has designed you to be (2005), pages 46-47. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  9. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/what-is-ncd.html
  10. Fritz Schwarz, Christian A. Schwarz, Programm des neuen Lebensstils: Für Leute, denen Jesus konkurrenzlos wichtig ist (1981). Aussaat: Gladbeck. ISBN 978-3795808433
  11. Fritz Schwarz, Christian A. Schwarz, Die Friedenslüge: Plädoyer für Wahrhaftigkeit (1982). Aussat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3795808587
  12. Fritz Schwarz, Christian A. Schwarz: Theologie des Gemeindeaufbaus – Ein Versuch (1984, second edition 1985). Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3761546635
  13. Christian A. Schwarz, The ABC’s of Natural Church Development (1998), page 7. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638041
  14. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  15. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  16. Christian A. Schwarz, Der Gemeindetest: Kybernetisch Gemeinde bauen (1991). Mainz-Kastel: C&P Verlag. ISBN 978-3928093071
  17. Christian A. Schwarz, Christoph Schalk, Implementation Guide to Natural Church Development (1998), pages 229-234, St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638034
  18. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches (originally published in 1996, 7th updated and revised edition 2006). ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  19. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/Books/Natural-Church-Development.html. The original languages were British English, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, U.S. English. Meanwhile, the book has been been published in many more languages, including Albanian, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Estonian, Finnish, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Tamil, Thai, Ukrainian.
  20. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 18-21, ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003; Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development: Experiencing all that God has designed you to be (2005), pages 82-83. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  21. Christian A. Schwarz, The All By Itself Pathway: An Introduction to Natural Church Development (2015), page 72. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1936812110. The All By Itself Pathway is available in various denominational versions, for instance, The All By Itself Anglican, The All By Itself Adventist, The All By Itself Salvationist. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/Books/Pathway.html
  22. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 28-32. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  23. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches (originally published in 1996, 7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 18-21. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  24. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 25-27. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  25. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 56-57, 168-181. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  26. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 108-125. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  27. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages pages 18-50. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  28. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 89-103. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  29. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 51-64. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  30. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 45-71. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  31. http://ncdchurchsurvey.org
  32. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 40-47. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  33. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  34. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/what-is-ncd.html
  35. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  36. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/ncd-tools.html
  37. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  38. http://3colorworld.org/etests
  39. The 3 Colors of Leadership, The 3 Colors of Ministry, The 3 Colors of Your Spirituality, The 3 Colors of Community, The 3 Colors of Love.
  40. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, page156. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  41. http://3colorworld.org/etests
  42. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  43. Christian A. Schwarz, NOW! Invest 8 hours of your time—and start a viral movement of transformation (2014), St. Charles: ChurchSmart, ISBN 978-1936812080; http://3colorworld.org/now
  44. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, page 46. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  45. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Sanctorum Communio: A Theological Study of the Sociology of the Church, Minneapolis: Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0800683016
  46. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Act and Being: Transcendental Philosophy and Ontology in Systematic Theology (2nd edition 2009). Fortress Press: Minneapolis, ISBN 978-0800696535
  47. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  48. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 104-106. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  49. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  50. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 23-24. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  51. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 45-71. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  52. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  53. Fritz Schwarz, Christian A. Schwarz: Theologie des Gemeindeaufbaus – Ein Versuch (1984, second edition 1985). Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3761546635
  54. Christian A. Schwarz, Paradigm Shift in the Church: How Natural Church Development can transform theological thinking (1999). St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638058
  55. Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development (7th updated and revised edition 2006), pages 88-89. ChurchSmart, St. Charles. ISBN 978-1889638003
  56. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Act and Being: Transcendental Philosophy and Ontology in Systematic Theology (2nd edition 2009). Fortress Press: Minneapolis, ISBN 978-0800696535
  57. Ernst Peter Fischer, Sowohl als auch: Denkerfahrungen der Naturwissenschaften (1987). Hamburg: Rasch und Röhring. ISBN 978-3891361184
  58. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  59. Christian A. Schwarz, Color Your World with Natural Church Development, pages 28-32. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638478
  60. Christian A. Schwarz, The 3 Colors of Community: How the 7 Communal Qualities of Healthy Small Groups can help you overcome the 7 Deadly Sins (2012), pages 23-26. St. Charles: ChurchSmart. ISBN 978-1889638980
  61. Reflected in the books, The All By Itself Pathway, The 3 Colors of Community, and the latest edition of, The 3 Colors of Ministry.
  62. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  63. http://www.ncd-international.org/public/biography.html
  64. Programm des neuen Lebensstils: Für Leute, denen Jesus konkurrenzlos wichtig ist (together with Fritz Schwarz), 1981, Aussaat: Gladbeck. ISBN 978-3795808433; Die Friedenslüge: Plädoyer für Wahrhaftigkeit (together with Fritz Schwarz), originally published 1982, third edition 1983 Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3795808587; Theologie des Gemeindeaufbaus – Ein Versuch (together with Fritz Schwarz), originally published 1984, second edition 1985, Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3761546635; Praxis des Gemeindeaufbaus (1987). Aussaat: Neukirchen-Vluyn. ISBN 978-3795889333; Der Gemeindetest: Kybernetisch Gemeinde bauen (1991). Mainz-Kastel: C&P Verlag. ISBN 978-3928093071; Anleitung für christliche Lebenskünstler (originally published 1995, 4th edition 2002) Emmelsbüll: C&P. ISBN 978-3928093378

External links[edit]


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