When the Internet gained popularity, I bit the bullet, plugged into my phone line, and began accessing the World Wide Web. After a click of the mouse, the dial tone sounded, followed by loud series of buzzes and electronic chatter. You might remember that distinctive sound. Then came the magic: a connection to the new electronic frontier.
Fast forward to 2012. If I had a dial-up connection today, you’d call me crazy. I’d be Internet impaired. The narrow bandwidth of dial-up would paralyze my ability to access the vast selection offered at the current online buffet. The bandwidth of high-speed technology has expanded connection possibilities.
Reggie McNeal talks about the bandwidth of the church. It’s something worth thinking about. Sometimes the church’s bandwidth narrows as it seeks to involve church people in church events. There’s a constant effort to get church members to sign up for, volunteer for, and join activities tailored for church people.
Statistics show, however, that 80% of the population is not church people. How can the bandwidth of the church be increased to reach the 80%?
This requires a paradigm shift. Instead of planning the church’s activities around church people, what if the church planned every action and formed every reason for invitation around the goal of engaging the non-churched?
People are craving relationships and purpose. What friend, co-worker, neighbor, or family member wouldn’t respond “yes” when you ask:
“Will you join me in helping to serve kids in need?”
“We’re going to hang out with and love on some elderly folks in a nursing home. Want to come along?”
“I need a partner for English as a Second Language instruction. Will you give me a hand?”
“A group is coming to my house to write encouragement cards to some people in need. Can you join us?”
“We’re going to make a meal for the blind in our community. Can you and your family help us?”
You get the idea. What can you do to grow your invitation pool beyond the church directory? How can you include the disconnected before you invite the already very busy church crowd? How can you help increase the bandwidth of the church so the 80% can experience the love of Jesus, too?
Showing posts with label Outreach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outreach. Show all posts
Monday, February 27, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
A New Neighborhood
Relationships are no longer centered on geography. When I was a kid, all the moms on the block knew each other, knew each other’s kids, and had the right to discipline any of the kids on the block. Families typically had one car--a car dad used to go to and from work. Neighbors talked over the backyard fence, got together to play cards, and combined efforts to form the winning bowling team at the local bowling alley.
Geography and neighborhood went hand in hand. But not anymore.
Sure, there are some neighborhoods that are cohesive and neighborly, but new “neighborhoods” have sprung up as people have become more mobile, more networked, and more selective about who their “neighbors” are.
“Anthropography” has replaced geography. People are choosing the people they hang with--and people are being thrown together in ways they never expected.
Unfortunately, the church may still get hung up on geography. True, geographical neighbors are important, but if Christians are told that their neighborhood is limited to the homes or apartment units that surround where they live, new neighborhoods and new opportunities to share the Gospel will be overlooked.
Some people spend more time with co-workers than with people from their subdivision. You may spend more time with people in school, or online, or at the remote main office, or at your kids’ soccer games, or in the dialysis lab than you do with people who live just a front yard away.
How is the church preparing itself to reach these new neighborhoods? How are believers reaching beyond geography? What’s your neighborhood and how will you bring Jesus to it?
Geography and neighborhood went hand in hand. But not anymore.
Sure, there are some neighborhoods that are cohesive and neighborly, but new “neighborhoods” have sprung up as people have become more mobile, more networked, and more selective about who their “neighbors” are.
“Anthropography” has replaced geography. People are choosing the people they hang with--and people are being thrown together in ways they never expected.
Unfortunately, the church may still get hung up on geography. True, geographical neighbors are important, but if Christians are told that their neighborhood is limited to the homes or apartment units that surround where they live, new neighborhoods and new opportunities to share the Gospel will be overlooked.
Some people spend more time with co-workers than with people from their subdivision. You may spend more time with people in school, or online, or at the remote main office, or at your kids’ soccer games, or in the dialysis lab than you do with people who live just a front yard away.
How is the church preparing itself to reach these new neighborhoods? How are believers reaching beyond geography? What’s your neighborhood and how will you bring Jesus to it?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Reaching the Uncomfortable
What if 80% of the population had claustrophobia? You know, complete fear and discomfort of small spaces.
What if you were head of a WiFi company and decided to build tiny cubicles in which the public could access the WiFi connection it needed in a fast, affordable, and convenient way? But in a very tiny space.
20% of the population would amble into your miniature WiFi cubicles and rejoice. At last! Cheap, affordable and convenient WiFi access, with charging stations for all my gizmos, to boot!
80% of the population would sweat, shuffle, hesitate, think long and hard--and head to a spacious Starbucks. There is no way they would step into that cubicle no matter how pretty it was, no matter how nicely they were invited, and no matter how badly they needed WiFi. It just wouldn’t happen.
The church faces this issue today. 20% of the population is comfortable stepping into church. They feel it is important and they follow through. 80% of the population thinks the roof would cave in on them if they walked through the church doors. They hesitate, sweat, or write off the need for what the church provides. They’re not coming inside.
How do we reach people with the Gospel who have written the church off? How do we communicate the Good News so it looks and sounds like good news to them?
Some churches are going to the uncomfortable. Moving outside of claustrophobic cubicles, believers are thinking creatively about what the church looks like in the community. They are inviting the uncomfortable into the wide and open spaces of serving others in the name of Jesus. They are entering into relationships with the 80% and are praying and watching for Jesus to show up.
Believers need to remember that inviting people to church, while very worthy and important, will only resonate with two out ten people. But inviting people to make a difference in the lives of others, to dedicate their lives to a worthy pursuit, will resonate with nine out of ten people. Statistics show that, while only 20% of the population wakes up in the morning with a desire to attend a church service, 90% of the population wants desperately to make a difference in the world. Isn’t Christ’s Church the biggest difference maker in history?
What if the uncomfortable became gripped with Jesus’ grace while participating in a Gospel act? What if that new blessing led them to worship the One who shows such love?
How are you rethinking your company strategy so that 100% of the people have access to eternal life?
What if you were head of a WiFi company and decided to build tiny cubicles in which the public could access the WiFi connection it needed in a fast, affordable, and convenient way? But in a very tiny space.
20% of the population would amble into your miniature WiFi cubicles and rejoice. At last! Cheap, affordable and convenient WiFi access, with charging stations for all my gizmos, to boot!
80% of the population would sweat, shuffle, hesitate, think long and hard--and head to a spacious Starbucks. There is no way they would step into that cubicle no matter how pretty it was, no matter how nicely they were invited, and no matter how badly they needed WiFi. It just wouldn’t happen.
The church faces this issue today. 20% of the population is comfortable stepping into church. They feel it is important and they follow through. 80% of the population thinks the roof would cave in on them if they walked through the church doors. They hesitate, sweat, or write off the need for what the church provides. They’re not coming inside.
How do we reach people with the Gospel who have written the church off? How do we communicate the Good News so it looks and sounds like good news to them?
Some churches are going to the uncomfortable. Moving outside of claustrophobic cubicles, believers are thinking creatively about what the church looks like in the community. They are inviting the uncomfortable into the wide and open spaces of serving others in the name of Jesus. They are entering into relationships with the 80% and are praying and watching for Jesus to show up.
Believers need to remember that inviting people to church, while very worthy and important, will only resonate with two out ten people. But inviting people to make a difference in the lives of others, to dedicate their lives to a worthy pursuit, will resonate with nine out of ten people. Statistics show that, while only 20% of the population wakes up in the morning with a desire to attend a church service, 90% of the population wants desperately to make a difference in the world. Isn’t Christ’s Church the biggest difference maker in history?
What if the uncomfortable became gripped with Jesus’ grace while participating in a Gospel act? What if that new blessing led them to worship the One who shows such love?
How are you rethinking your company strategy so that 100% of the people have access to eternal life?
Friday, May 6, 2011
Counterintuitivity
In a thought-provoking book review, Andrew Stark of The Wall Street Journal, reviews John Kay's book "Obliquity." The premise of the book is compelling. Kay asserts: "When it comes to major goals, whether in life or in business, one can pursue them best by deliberately not pursuing them."
Stark summarizes Kay's case studies of a variety of companies and historical figures as the author establishes his premise that "we can attain a desired goal only by pursuing it indirectly." (Thank you to Rev. Robert Holaday for the link to the article which you can read in full here)
This counterintuitive direction offers us some Easter clarity. Jesus was never desperate to build a following, but many followed. Jesus never tried to woo people to a religious system, but many put their faith in Him. Jesus never set out to change the world, yet His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection changed everything.
What does this mean for our Easter existence? It reinforces good old Lutheran counterintuitivity. You know, paradox.
- If you see to save your life, you'll lose it. But if you lose your life for Christ, you'll find it.
- If you pretend your sins don't exist, they'll take on a life of their own and crush you. If you confess your sins and bring them out into the open, you will be completely cleansed and freed.
These are a couple of the beautiful paradoxes of life in Christ.
What does it mean for your ministry?
It means that keeping the main thing the main thing will lead to a God-pleasing and effective ministry. It means that when you live out the reason you've been sent, the details will come together. As Jesus said in Matthew 6, "Seek first the reign of God and His righteousness, and all your needs will be provided to you as well."
You've been sent to spread the reign of God and His righteousness. This mission ("mission" is the Latin word for "sent") flows from the living Word of God that testifies to the risen Christ. If you spread the reign of God to people around you and to your community, much follows:
- people who worship God
- church life
- active prayer
- healthy giving of money for the mission
- orthodox belief
- mutual affirmation and consolation
- justice and righteousness among humanity
- passionate outreach to people who don't know Christ
- persistent multiplication of Christian community
Of course, you rejoice in and fuel these developments. But you pursue one thing: the reign of God.
What might be getting in the way of this counterintuitive pursuit? Your need for self-assurance? Your fear of unorthodoxy? Your hesitance to do more work? Your desire to be in complete control?
What do you need to stop pursuing so you can seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and let God establish the fullness of His reign?
Stark summarizes Kay's case studies of a variety of companies and historical figures as the author establishes his premise that "we can attain a desired goal only by pursuing it indirectly." (Thank you to Rev. Robert Holaday for the link to the article which you can read in full here)
This counterintuitive direction offers us some Easter clarity. Jesus was never desperate to build a following, but many followed. Jesus never tried to woo people to a religious system, but many put their faith in Him. Jesus never set out to change the world, yet His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection changed everything.
What does this mean for our Easter existence? It reinforces good old Lutheran counterintuitivity. You know, paradox.
- If you see to save your life, you'll lose it. But if you lose your life for Christ, you'll find it.
- If you pretend your sins don't exist, they'll take on a life of their own and crush you. If you confess your sins and bring them out into the open, you will be completely cleansed and freed.
These are a couple of the beautiful paradoxes of life in Christ.
What does it mean for your ministry?
It means that keeping the main thing the main thing will lead to a God-pleasing and effective ministry. It means that when you live out the reason you've been sent, the details will come together. As Jesus said in Matthew 6, "Seek first the reign of God and His righteousness, and all your needs will be provided to you as well."
You've been sent to spread the reign of God and His righteousness. This mission ("mission" is the Latin word for "sent") flows from the living Word of God that testifies to the risen Christ. If you spread the reign of God to people around you and to your community, much follows:
- people who worship God
- church life
- active prayer
- healthy giving of money for the mission
- orthodox belief
- mutual affirmation and consolation
- justice and righteousness among humanity
- passionate outreach to people who don't know Christ
- persistent multiplication of Christian community
Of course, you rejoice in and fuel these developments. But you pursue one thing: the reign of God.
What might be getting in the way of this counterintuitive pursuit? Your need for self-assurance? Your fear of unorthodoxy? Your hesitance to do more work? Your desire to be in complete control?
What do you need to stop pursuing so you can seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and let God establish the fullness of His reign?
Friday, April 8, 2011
Let It Change You
My very first grandchild was born last weekend. She's a beautiful little girl, a miracle and gift. I haven't felt feelings like this since my own children were born. Suddenly, everything else pales in importance. Suddenly, life is different.
You may know how it goes:
- You want to tell people. E-mails, photos, videos, texts, tweets, phone calls, and personal conversations multiply as you eagerly share the news.
- Your priorities change. Money, time, your thoughts--everything--becomes oriented to one thing: that new and precious little life.
- You adjust your actions. All at once you become aware of what you're watching on TV, what's on the radio when you drive, what you're eating, the way your speaking, and how you live in front of a new and impressionable life.
- You remember your purpose. Life isn't about acquiring things, being comfortable, or paying the bills. It's about shaping another life, giving her the best, doing all you can to make sure she receives life in its fullness here and forever.
Of course, you can resist the changes new life brings. You can live it for a couple of days or a few weeks, but revert back to the old ways. You can ignore the excitement, the love, and the life-changing wonder of the miraculous spring of water God sent rushing into your wilderness.
Or you can let it change you.
The same is true for churches. Into the life of the church comes the living water of Jesus Christ. Springs of Living Water rinse barren and hopeless souls. New life begins. New hope springs eternal. Suddenly, life is different:
You need to tell people. Your priorities change. You adjust your actions. You remember your purpose.
Of course, you can resist the changes new life brings. You can become inward looking. You can settle into a business as usual mindset. You can focus on paying the bills and keeping insiders happy. You can stay safe and never risk trying something to reach the lost. You can fill your days with attending to e-mail and thinking about theology.
Or you can let it change you. You can think about theology AND put theology into action. You can share the beauty of the Gospel.
Studies show that in established churches it takes 60 people to reach one new person with the Good News of Jesus. In new churches, it only takes 10 people to reach a new person with the Gospel.
Is this because we become so accustomed to the miracle of the resurrection and so caught up in day-to-day distractions that we forget the miraculous new life right under our noses?
If Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead, will you let it change you? Will you let it change your church?
You may know how it goes:
- You want to tell people. E-mails, photos, videos, texts, tweets, phone calls, and personal conversations multiply as you eagerly share the news.
- Your priorities change. Money, time, your thoughts--everything--becomes oriented to one thing: that new and precious little life.
- You adjust your actions. All at once you become aware of what you're watching on TV, what's on the radio when you drive, what you're eating, the way your speaking, and how you live in front of a new and impressionable life.
- You remember your purpose. Life isn't about acquiring things, being comfortable, or paying the bills. It's about shaping another life, giving her the best, doing all you can to make sure she receives life in its fullness here and forever.
Of course, you can resist the changes new life brings. You can live it for a couple of days or a few weeks, but revert back to the old ways. You can ignore the excitement, the love, and the life-changing wonder of the miraculous spring of water God sent rushing into your wilderness.
Or you can let it change you.
The same is true for churches. Into the life of the church comes the living water of Jesus Christ. Springs of Living Water rinse barren and hopeless souls. New life begins. New hope springs eternal. Suddenly, life is different:
You need to tell people. Your priorities change. You adjust your actions. You remember your purpose.
Of course, you can resist the changes new life brings. You can become inward looking. You can settle into a business as usual mindset. You can focus on paying the bills and keeping insiders happy. You can stay safe and never risk trying something to reach the lost. You can fill your days with attending to e-mail and thinking about theology.
Or you can let it change you. You can think about theology AND put theology into action. You can share the beauty of the Gospel.
Studies show that in established churches it takes 60 people to reach one new person with the Good News of Jesus. In new churches, it only takes 10 people to reach a new person with the Gospel.
Is this because we become so accustomed to the miracle of the resurrection and so caught up in day-to-day distractions that we forget the miraculous new life right under our noses?
If Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead, will you let it change you? Will you let it change your church?
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Pretty-Ugly Factor
Honda and Toyota came out with some redesigned vehicles recently. These Japanese automakers used to be lithe and nimble in design, production, and sales. Vehicles were inexpensive and reliable. In fact, they were beautiful. They were pretty automobiles. But since the car companies have grown and expanded, some quality glitches have surfaced. And some of their designs are downright ugly.
The same thing happened to GM, Ford, and Chrysler in the course of their history. For a while, the American automakers churned out some ugly vehicles. Bloated versions of the Ford Thunderbird and Chevy Impala appeared in the '70's and 80's. Cadillacs looked like boats on wheels. Remember the Pontiac Aztek? Yikes!
American automakers seem to be coming back with some sleek designs these days, but what gets into a company to become ugly? Can the church learn anything from this swinging pendulum? Let's try:
First, the car companies took the easy road of tweaking what exists instead of inventing something new. The result can be very ugly. In the church, tweaking routines and old ways can happen for a while, but keeping the old around for too long will result in something that people view as irrelevant and meaningless. Car companies will always make cars, and the church should always reach people with the unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ. But never inventing new ways to reach out with the Good News of Jesus adds up to laziness. Never creating innovative ways to communicate the Gospel will hurt the work of the church. It's ugly.
Second, the car companies became out of touch with people. They lived in denial. Instead of considering people's genuine needs and feedback, they plowed ahead as institutions with blinders on. They were big ships that resisted the blowing winds of change. The church must listen to people. True, it can't be blown around by the winds of untruth and relativism, but it has to hear what people are saying. The church must know how people are hurting and where the world is sending them. If the church really listens, it can bring God's truth to peoples lives in a vibrant and powerful way. That's a beautiful thing.
Third, the car companies drifted into valuing survival over service. They let the bottom line of profits erode their focus on people. Once a local church is born, the tendency to focus on survival becomes an enticing false god. Staying in "business" can replace the risk-oriented, life-sacrificing spirit of laying it all on the line for Jesus and His Kingdom. A survival spirit will take the heart and purpose out of an organization. If the church forgets that it is here not to be served, but to serve and give its live as a ransom for many, it will become an ugly, bloated, beast.
Fourth, the car companies lost the joy in their work. They cranked out products. They kept the lines running. But they let the joyful art of automobile design and creation slip from their grasp. All over the Bible, the church is described as the Bride of Christ beautifully adorned. God bestows a crown of beauty on His redeemed. The feet of the one who brings good news are beautiful. God's work is not a joyless grind. Lives are being changed for eternity. If the people of the church lose their joy so the "assembly line" can keep running, something may need to change. Purpose may need to be revisited. The living Word may need to be inwardly digested. Reaching out may need to be rekindled. Why? Because God's Church is a beautiful thing!
(Church Planting Series, Part forty-three)
The same thing happened to GM, Ford, and Chrysler in the course of their history. For a while, the American automakers churned out some ugly vehicles. Bloated versions of the Ford Thunderbird and Chevy Impala appeared in the '70's and 80's. Cadillacs looked like boats on wheels. Remember the Pontiac Aztek? Yikes!
American automakers seem to be coming back with some sleek designs these days, but what gets into a company to become ugly? Can the church learn anything from this swinging pendulum? Let's try:
First, the car companies took the easy road of tweaking what exists instead of inventing something new. The result can be very ugly. In the church, tweaking routines and old ways can happen for a while, but keeping the old around for too long will result in something that people view as irrelevant and meaningless. Car companies will always make cars, and the church should always reach people with the unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ. But never inventing new ways to reach out with the Good News of Jesus adds up to laziness. Never creating innovative ways to communicate the Gospel will hurt the work of the church. It's ugly.
Second, the car companies became out of touch with people. They lived in denial. Instead of considering people's genuine needs and feedback, they plowed ahead as institutions with blinders on. They were big ships that resisted the blowing winds of change. The church must listen to people. True, it can't be blown around by the winds of untruth and relativism, but it has to hear what people are saying. The church must know how people are hurting and where the world is sending them. If the church really listens, it can bring God's truth to peoples lives in a vibrant and powerful way. That's a beautiful thing.
Third, the car companies drifted into valuing survival over service. They let the bottom line of profits erode their focus on people. Once a local church is born, the tendency to focus on survival becomes an enticing false god. Staying in "business" can replace the risk-oriented, life-sacrificing spirit of laying it all on the line for Jesus and His Kingdom. A survival spirit will take the heart and purpose out of an organization. If the church forgets that it is here not to be served, but to serve and give its live as a ransom for many, it will become an ugly, bloated, beast.
Fourth, the car companies lost the joy in their work. They cranked out products. They kept the lines running. But they let the joyful art of automobile design and creation slip from their grasp. All over the Bible, the church is described as the Bride of Christ beautifully adorned. God bestows a crown of beauty on His redeemed. The feet of the one who brings good news are beautiful. God's work is not a joyless grind. Lives are being changed for eternity. If the people of the church lose their joy so the "assembly line" can keep running, something may need to change. Purpose may need to be revisited. The living Word may need to be inwardly digested. Reaching out may need to be rekindled. Why? Because God's Church is a beautiful thing!
(Church Planting Series, Part forty-three)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
A Life-changing Event
I was walking in a parking lot in Florida a few weeks ago and saw something I had never seen in my life.
It was early morning. Sprinkler systems had shut off fairly recently and the pavement was puddled but drying. About a foot from the grass was an earthworm. He was stranded on a dry patch of pavement, wiggling slowly. Death was not far away as the sun rose, the temperature grew warmer, and the moisture disappeared.
Suddenly, the worm jumped! Yes, it leaped about an inch off the ground, springing closer to its grassy goal. With a mighty contraction, the worm got some air. Unbelievable.
I’m not sure if the worm made it back to a moist and muddy haven, but this was an unusual action for an earthworm. Trying to free itself from certain shriveling, dehydration, and death, the worm was pushed to go where no earthworm had gone before. It was a catalytic occurrence in the life of that worm. It was a life-changing event.
The church is being ignored more and more. Fewer people are deciding to go to church. The reputation of the church is suffering. By some it is considered boring and irrelevant. By others it is viewed as corrupt and cliquish. The organized church, it seems, is like a worm on drying pavement.
Mind you, the Bride of Christ is alive and well. Christ’s body will advance so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. But the outward organization and expression of the church is hurting. My questions are: Will it jump, and where will it land?
Will the church lay down and die or will it spring into a catalytic, life-changing event that renews its relevance, outreach, and vigor?
Will the church leap from dry outmodedness into the living water of Christ crucified, risen, and reaching a lost world?
What will that jump look like? Where will the church land? Will the church be less building centered and more community saturating? Will the church be more servant focused and less consumer driven? Will the church release people for ministry instead of controlling a group for maximum uniformity? Will the church rejoice in Biblical truth instead of watering down its uniqueness and blending with the culture? Will worship services be means of celebration, refueling, and encouragement as believers are sent to their people and communities instead of being the end point of what a believer is supposed to do?
What will the earthworm bride do? We know that God will preserve His Church no matter what. Will the old worm have to die or will it burst into the air to live another day?
(Church Planting Series, Part thirty-four)
It was early morning. Sprinkler systems had shut off fairly recently and the pavement was puddled but drying. About a foot from the grass was an earthworm. He was stranded on a dry patch of pavement, wiggling slowly. Death was not far away as the sun rose, the temperature grew warmer, and the moisture disappeared.
Suddenly, the worm jumped! Yes, it leaped about an inch off the ground, springing closer to its grassy goal. With a mighty contraction, the worm got some air. Unbelievable.
I’m not sure if the worm made it back to a moist and muddy haven, but this was an unusual action for an earthworm. Trying to free itself from certain shriveling, dehydration, and death, the worm was pushed to go where no earthworm had gone before. It was a catalytic occurrence in the life of that worm. It was a life-changing event.
The church is being ignored more and more. Fewer people are deciding to go to church. The reputation of the church is suffering. By some it is considered boring and irrelevant. By others it is viewed as corrupt and cliquish. The organized church, it seems, is like a worm on drying pavement.
Mind you, the Bride of Christ is alive and well. Christ’s body will advance so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. But the outward organization and expression of the church is hurting. My questions are: Will it jump, and where will it land?
Will the church lay down and die or will it spring into a catalytic, life-changing event that renews its relevance, outreach, and vigor?
Will the church leap from dry outmodedness into the living water of Christ crucified, risen, and reaching a lost world?
What will that jump look like? Where will the church land? Will the church be less building centered and more community saturating? Will the church be more servant focused and less consumer driven? Will the church release people for ministry instead of controlling a group for maximum uniformity? Will the church rejoice in Biblical truth instead of watering down its uniqueness and blending with the culture? Will worship services be means of celebration, refueling, and encouragement as believers are sent to their people and communities instead of being the end point of what a believer is supposed to do?
What will the earthworm bride do? We know that God will preserve His Church no matter what. Will the old worm have to die or will it burst into the air to live another day?
(Church Planting Series, Part thirty-four)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Cyrus, Miley
Church Planting Series, Part thirty-one
Isn’t it strange that out of all the people who could rebuild Jerusalem and restore God’s people, God picked Cyrus, king of the Persian Empire?
God decided that he would use a pagan ruler to show the world who the true God really was.
In Ezra 1:2-3 we hear Cyrus decree: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.”
Cyrus was acquainted with Yahweh. Cyrus heard Yahweh speak. Cyrus obeyed. Cyrus validated the reality of Yahweh.
God used an icon of the culture, a man outside the Israelite in-group, someone who probably didn’t understand all the details about Yahweh, to initiate an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life in Jerusalem. Go figure.
I heard church commentator Reggie McNeal say recently, “There is a God conversation going on in the culture, but we’re too busy talking about church.”
While we “Israelites” live in the captivity of our worship schedules, programs, and hopes that people will come to our churches, God is doing something bigger.
Consider another Cyrus for 2010: Miley Cyrus. You know, Hannah Montana and lots of pre-teen girls screaming at her concerts. You may have read her article in the recent “Parade” national magazine. She said, “My faith is very important to me. But I don’t necessarily define my faith by going to church every Sunday…I am very spiritual in my own way. Let me make it clear, though—I am a Christian. Jesus is who saved me. He’s what keeps me full and whole.”
Teen Queen Cyrus, as the article describes her, is just one of many interesting indicators of the “God conversation” going on in our culture. While Miley is overtly Christian, other voices of the culture utter God talk in less defined and more imprecise expressions. But like King Cyrus, popular and even pagan voices are out there with God on their lips—even the true God at times. In some very interesting ways, they are initiating an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life. The true God doesn’t just live in church buildings, so why shouldn’t we expect His Spirit’s work in the nooks and crannies, on the stages and in the studios, on the streets and in the neighborhoods of our world?
What is our response? Should Ezra have rebuked Cyrus as a Pagan no-goodnick who had no right to pretend he had any shred of the truth? Should we condemn all the “outsiders” who stumble around with clumsy God-talk?
Or should we praise God and get into the conversation? Ezra 1:1 says that “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing.” Yahweh was working in the culture. Two hundred years before Cyrus or Persia were even known, Yahweh formed His plan for the restoration of Israel. In Isaiah 45:13 Yahweh declared: “I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness.”
God uses Cyruses. They’re all over the place. They’re saturating the culture. God is leading the discussion. It’s time for us to get on board. As we worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the goal is not to pack our churches. The goal is to send as many people as possible into the world to enter into the conversation that God has started. We are to join the God-conversation, helping to bring the Way and the Truth and the Life to a world that is hungry for food that lasts and thirsty for water that quenches.
Watch for the latest Cyrus. Let the conversation encourage you and inspire you to get out there and to send people out there! If we claim Jesus is alive, let’s not be surprised that He’s doing a lot of talking.
Isn’t it strange that out of all the people who could rebuild Jerusalem and restore God’s people, God picked Cyrus, king of the Persian Empire?
God decided that he would use a pagan ruler to show the world who the true God really was.
In Ezra 1:2-3 we hear Cyrus decree: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.”
Cyrus was acquainted with Yahweh. Cyrus heard Yahweh speak. Cyrus obeyed. Cyrus validated the reality of Yahweh.
God used an icon of the culture, a man outside the Israelite in-group, someone who probably didn’t understand all the details about Yahweh, to initiate an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life in Jerusalem. Go figure.
I heard church commentator Reggie McNeal say recently, “There is a God conversation going on in the culture, but we’re too busy talking about church.”
While we “Israelites” live in the captivity of our worship schedules, programs, and hopes that people will come to our churches, God is doing something bigger.
Consider another Cyrus for 2010: Miley Cyrus. You know, Hannah Montana and lots of pre-teen girls screaming at her concerts. You may have read her article in the recent “Parade” national magazine. She said, “My faith is very important to me. But I don’t necessarily define my faith by going to church every Sunday…I am very spiritual in my own way. Let me make it clear, though—I am a Christian. Jesus is who saved me. He’s what keeps me full and whole.”
Teen Queen Cyrus, as the article describes her, is just one of many interesting indicators of the “God conversation” going on in our culture. While Miley is overtly Christian, other voices of the culture utter God talk in less defined and more imprecise expressions. But like King Cyrus, popular and even pagan voices are out there with God on their lips—even the true God at times. In some very interesting ways, they are initiating an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life. The true God doesn’t just live in church buildings, so why shouldn’t we expect His Spirit’s work in the nooks and crannies, on the stages and in the studios, on the streets and in the neighborhoods of our world?
What is our response? Should Ezra have rebuked Cyrus as a Pagan no-goodnick who had no right to pretend he had any shred of the truth? Should we condemn all the “outsiders” who stumble around with clumsy God-talk?
Or should we praise God and get into the conversation? Ezra 1:1 says that “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing.” Yahweh was working in the culture. Two hundred years before Cyrus or Persia were even known, Yahweh formed His plan for the restoration of Israel. In Isaiah 45:13 Yahweh declared: “I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness.”
God uses Cyruses. They’re all over the place. They’re saturating the culture. God is leading the discussion. It’s time for us to get on board. As we worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the goal is not to pack our churches. The goal is to send as many people as possible into the world to enter into the conversation that God has started. We are to join the God-conversation, helping to bring the Way and the Truth and the Life to a world that is hungry for food that lasts and thirsty for water that quenches.
Watch for the latest Cyrus. Let the conversation encourage you and inspire you to get out there and to send people out there! If we claim Jesus is alive, let’s not be surprised that He’s doing a lot of talking.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Mission Service
Church Planting Series, Part eight
The grandson of a friend of mine became a pastor at a church where his grandfather had served many years before.
Imagine the thrill as the grandson sifted through old files and saw his own grandfather’s handiwork: minutes of board meetings, fliers from ministry initiatives, printed sermons and bible class notes.
As the grandson scanned old worship service bulletins, he kept coming across a calendar item that confused him. Each Sunday in the late afternoon there was a calendar listing called “The Mission Service.” What in the world was “The Mission Service”? The grandson was intrigued. In the worship bulletins after his grandfather left, “The Mission Service” listing disappeared. The church also began to decline.
It took just a few phones calls and personal visits to unravel the mystery. The old-timers remembered what “The Mission Service” was. Every Sunday afternoon the grandfather traveled to a neighboring community to hold a special service. The location of the worship service varied from community to community. Sometimes church members would attend; sometimes the pastor would venture out by himself. But every week the pastor tried something new. Some of the services kept going for months until a person was raised up to take over the worshiping community. Other services never caught on or “fizzled” out due to lack of response. But as an elderly man who grew up under the grandfather’s pastorate said, “Your grandfather taught us that a church should always be reaching new communities.”
This is a true story. This is how the church used to behave. This was NORMAL for the church. Pastors had multiple preaching stations. They tried new things. The congregation not only supported these efforts, they participated in this outreach. Why? Because a church was about reaching new communities.
The goal of a local church was not to become comfortable, or to acquire wealth, or to become the stylish place to be, or to be the “high-tech” church of the area. It was to reach new communities.
For the new pastor’s grandfather, the strategy was “The Mission Service”—-create some relationships in a new area, get people talking, do some publicity, knock on some doors, discover some needs, and go there to do something. Make a “splash” and see what God does with it.
These days we are challenged in two ways. First, we must not overlook the old and simple ways of reaching out. Get out of the office and try something! Bring the living Word of God with you and see what happens.
Second, we need to shatter the notion that a few “expert” paradigms from the last fifty years are the only options we have for church planting and ministry expansion. There are simple and exciting ways to reach meaningfully into communities. We just need to listen, watch, pray, and go to work.
What might make a “splash” for Jesus in an unreached area near you? What will your “Mission Service" look like?
The grandson of a friend of mine became a pastor at a church where his grandfather had served many years before.
Imagine the thrill as the grandson sifted through old files and saw his own grandfather’s handiwork: minutes of board meetings, fliers from ministry initiatives, printed sermons and bible class notes.
As the grandson scanned old worship service bulletins, he kept coming across a calendar item that confused him. Each Sunday in the late afternoon there was a calendar listing called “The Mission Service.” What in the world was “The Mission Service”? The grandson was intrigued. In the worship bulletins after his grandfather left, “The Mission Service” listing disappeared. The church also began to decline.
It took just a few phones calls and personal visits to unravel the mystery. The old-timers remembered what “The Mission Service” was. Every Sunday afternoon the grandfather traveled to a neighboring community to hold a special service. The location of the worship service varied from community to community. Sometimes church members would attend; sometimes the pastor would venture out by himself. But every week the pastor tried something new. Some of the services kept going for months until a person was raised up to take over the worshiping community. Other services never caught on or “fizzled” out due to lack of response. But as an elderly man who grew up under the grandfather’s pastorate said, “Your grandfather taught us that a church should always be reaching new communities.”
This is a true story. This is how the church used to behave. This was NORMAL for the church. Pastors had multiple preaching stations. They tried new things. The congregation not only supported these efforts, they participated in this outreach. Why? Because a church was about reaching new communities.
The goal of a local church was not to become comfortable, or to acquire wealth, or to become the stylish place to be, or to be the “high-tech” church of the area. It was to reach new communities.
For the new pastor’s grandfather, the strategy was “The Mission Service”—-create some relationships in a new area, get people talking, do some publicity, knock on some doors, discover some needs, and go there to do something. Make a “splash” and see what God does with it.
These days we are challenged in two ways. First, we must not overlook the old and simple ways of reaching out. Get out of the office and try something! Bring the living Word of God with you and see what happens.
Second, we need to shatter the notion that a few “expert” paradigms from the last fifty years are the only options we have for church planting and ministry expansion. There are simple and exciting ways to reach meaningfully into communities. We just need to listen, watch, pray, and go to work.
What might make a “splash” for Jesus in an unreached area near you? What will your “Mission Service" look like?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Real Focus
Church Planting Series, Part five
Shootings have dominated the headlines this week. Those headlines include the shooting of a pastor. What’s going on? Why the violence?
Read Romans 3:10-18 for the answer. From the Psalms and Isaiah, Paul boldly exposes our sinful nature: “There is no one righteous, not even one…Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways.”
This underscores the focus, the real focus of our work on earth. We’re not here to pack out worship services, to fund ministry programs, or to establish an excellent organization. We’re here because people are crumbling, dying, and self-destructing in a sin-broken mire that leads to eternal death. We’re here because Jesus Christ broke the bonds of that mire. By grace, people can be reclaimed from destruction.
At the beginning of every church plant and ministry start-up, the focus is not on the program. It’s on the people. In fact, it’s on one person at a time. Your goal is not to have a worship service. It’s not to crank up a ministry. It’s to bring the miracle of Jesus to a person.
I think this is why most of us get into this business, isn’t it? You’ve experienced the unparalleled new life Christ gives and you want to share it.
So you meet people. You follow the leads that come your way. You take the opportunities God gives. You develop relationships. You mentor people. You become friends. You live and speak the living Word. Then what happens?
It’s a church planting principle: People will follow your pattern.
Suddenly, you’ll be shoulder to shoulder with a growing army of people reaching the people in their lives. Suddenly, many voices will join yours in articulating the life-reconstructing work of Jesus.
A result of this focus on people will usually be worship services and ministries. But those are simply the result of the living Word inside people. Those will serve as resources to contribute to the ongoing outreach. Those will serve as growth and encouragement in the relationship-forming, people-caring process. Those will expand the beauty of being in community with each other and with Jesus.
But they are results of the focus, not the focus itself.
Whether you’re reaching the first person in your church planting or ministry efforts or you’re forming a relationship with the thousandth person you’ve met, your focus is on people. One person at a time.
Why? Because evidence shows that people are falling apart and that Christ is the Rebuilder we need so desperately. Just take a look at the headlines.
Shootings have dominated the headlines this week. Those headlines include the shooting of a pastor. What’s going on? Why the violence?
Read Romans 3:10-18 for the answer. From the Psalms and Isaiah, Paul boldly exposes our sinful nature: “There is no one righteous, not even one…Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways.”
This underscores the focus, the real focus of our work on earth. We’re not here to pack out worship services, to fund ministry programs, or to establish an excellent organization. We’re here because people are crumbling, dying, and self-destructing in a sin-broken mire that leads to eternal death. We’re here because Jesus Christ broke the bonds of that mire. By grace, people can be reclaimed from destruction.
At the beginning of every church plant and ministry start-up, the focus is not on the program. It’s on the people. In fact, it’s on one person at a time. Your goal is not to have a worship service. It’s not to crank up a ministry. It’s to bring the miracle of Jesus to a person.
I think this is why most of us get into this business, isn’t it? You’ve experienced the unparalleled new life Christ gives and you want to share it.
So you meet people. You follow the leads that come your way. You take the opportunities God gives. You develop relationships. You mentor people. You become friends. You live and speak the living Word. Then what happens?
It’s a church planting principle: People will follow your pattern.
Suddenly, you’ll be shoulder to shoulder with a growing army of people reaching the people in their lives. Suddenly, many voices will join yours in articulating the life-reconstructing work of Jesus.
A result of this focus on people will usually be worship services and ministries. But those are simply the result of the living Word inside people. Those will serve as resources to contribute to the ongoing outreach. Those will serve as growth and encouragement in the relationship-forming, people-caring process. Those will expand the beauty of being in community with each other and with Jesus.
But they are results of the focus, not the focus itself.
Whether you’re reaching the first person in your church planting or ministry efforts or you’re forming a relationship with the thousandth person you’ve met, your focus is on people. One person at a time.
Why? Because evidence shows that people are falling apart and that Christ is the Rebuilder we need so desperately. Just take a look at the headlines.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Knee Factor
Church Planting Series, Part three
A couple of weeks ago I watched and listened to President Obama’s talk at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. It was a good talk. But it wasn’t the main event at, or the main point of, the prayer breakfast.
Most of the focus of the prayer breakfast happens behind the scenes. I got a chance to attend the National Prayer Breakfast a few years ago. The great uncle of a friend of mine is one of the people who, with Doug Coe, helped form “the fellowship,” the organizing “non-organization” that makes the Presidential Prayer Breakfast happen. They insist it isn’t an organization because it’s all about personal relationships and small groups.
What they say is true. I got a chance to sit with Doug Coe and some of his colleagues as they spoke with the president of a Caribbean nation about Jesus Christ. I sat with congressmen and judges as they shared Jesus with invited guests from all over the United States and world. I witnessed citizens and leaders working to bring the blessing of the Savior to others—-including our nation’s President. I saw rooms full of prayer breakfast organizers from every state of the Union praying for the Holy Spirit’s work at this event.
Prayer FOR the president and others is the bedrock of the sound bites you hear on the evening news. There is so much more to the story.
The same should be true of every church plant.
In my ministry experience I’ve found that there is a lot of talk ABOUT prayer. Getting down to business and PRAYING is another story.
I’ll never forget the man who entered the small sanctuary of our mission church to attend a wedding rehearsal. He was early, so he asked me if he could kneel at the front of the church and pray. He said, “My pastor is a man of prayer; my church is a church of prayer; and I want to be a person of prayer, too.” I said yes—-and I learned something.
Starting that day, I contacted a couple of people who were prayer leaders. We talked about how we could make sure our church was a church of prayer. The main takeaway of the meeting was that we needed to stop simply talking around the issue. We needed to start praying.
Many types of prayer efforts followed, but the common thread was that in all prayer events and other gatherings as a church, we took time to pray. Let me emphasize that: we took TIME to pray. In addition to teaching about prayer—-which is very important, we actually prayed.
When there was silence for prayer in a worship service, I made sure there was enough time for people to really pray. I supplied “prayer starters” to people for daily prayer and for leaders at meetings. We grew a team of prayer leaders who kept prayer running through the veins of our life together. We had people on their knees in prayer. We invited people to pray. We modeled prayer. I read John Maxwell’s book “Partners in Prayer,” and I resolved to grow as a man of prayer.
The first New Testament church plant was immersed in the gift of prayer—-the gracious open door of communication with the Lord (Acts 1:14). What's happening behind the scenes as you venture into ministry?
A couple of weeks ago I watched and listened to President Obama’s talk at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. It was a good talk. But it wasn’t the main event at, or the main point of, the prayer breakfast.
Most of the focus of the prayer breakfast happens behind the scenes. I got a chance to attend the National Prayer Breakfast a few years ago. The great uncle of a friend of mine is one of the people who, with Doug Coe, helped form “the fellowship,” the organizing “non-organization” that makes the Presidential Prayer Breakfast happen. They insist it isn’t an organization because it’s all about personal relationships and small groups.
What they say is true. I got a chance to sit with Doug Coe and some of his colleagues as they spoke with the president of a Caribbean nation about Jesus Christ. I sat with congressmen and judges as they shared Jesus with invited guests from all over the United States and world. I witnessed citizens and leaders working to bring the blessing of the Savior to others—-including our nation’s President. I saw rooms full of prayer breakfast organizers from every state of the Union praying for the Holy Spirit’s work at this event.
Prayer FOR the president and others is the bedrock of the sound bites you hear on the evening news. There is so much more to the story.
The same should be true of every church plant.
In my ministry experience I’ve found that there is a lot of talk ABOUT prayer. Getting down to business and PRAYING is another story.
I’ll never forget the man who entered the small sanctuary of our mission church to attend a wedding rehearsal. He was early, so he asked me if he could kneel at the front of the church and pray. He said, “My pastor is a man of prayer; my church is a church of prayer; and I want to be a person of prayer, too.” I said yes—-and I learned something.
Starting that day, I contacted a couple of people who were prayer leaders. We talked about how we could make sure our church was a church of prayer. The main takeaway of the meeting was that we needed to stop simply talking around the issue. We needed to start praying.
Many types of prayer efforts followed, but the common thread was that in all prayer events and other gatherings as a church, we took time to pray. Let me emphasize that: we took TIME to pray. In addition to teaching about prayer—-which is very important, we actually prayed.
When there was silence for prayer in a worship service, I made sure there was enough time for people to really pray. I supplied “prayer starters” to people for daily prayer and for leaders at meetings. We grew a team of prayer leaders who kept prayer running through the veins of our life together. We had people on their knees in prayer. We invited people to pray. We modeled prayer. I read John Maxwell’s book “Partners in Prayer,” and I resolved to grow as a man of prayer.
The first New Testament church plant was immersed in the gift of prayer—-the gracious open door of communication with the Lord (Acts 1:14). What's happening behind the scenes as you venture into ministry?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Miracle of You
Church planting series, Part One.
I was reading Acts 19:11-12 yesterday: “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”
This was during the establishment of “The Way” in Ephesus and all of Asia. God moved in mighty and miraculous ways to bring the grace and power of Jesus to a lost world.
It got me thinking: In this secular, post-modern, Christ-attacking, Jesus-denouncing, Bible-watering-down, afterthought-spirituality kind of world, how is the Kingdom of God being established?
One reaction to the troubles and barriers of today might be to hunker down and be afraid that God will be pushed out of the picture. You may feel like you need to circle the wagons and try to protect God who is on the edge of extinction.
Another reaction is to remember that “the One enthroned in heaven laughs” as the kings and rulers of the earth take their stand against the Lord (Psalm 2:4). God is still at work. In fact, Jesus told us that the gates of hell cannot prevail against His advancing march (Matthew 16:18).
What does this mean for church planting? It means that Jesus still makes His way into new territory in extraordinary ways—many times through THE MIRACLE OF YOU!
I was visiting with Pastor Mark Seeger recently. He serves the deaf community in Austin, Texas. God is working through him to bring the message of the crucified and risen Christ to children and adults, to people near and far, to people with a wide variety of religious backgrounds, and to many who have never had a chance to hear the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus. Pastor Seeger operates a mission outpost in a world that would otherwise be separated from the Gospel. With Holy Spirit creativity, he faces each challenge from the standpoint of being in mission for Jesus.
As I thought about his ministry and my reading from Acts, I realized that the deaf are truly hearing through the miracle of His humble service. He’s being the miracle of Jesus for many.
As a church planter, it is necessary to trust that you are helping to form a mission outpost in the community. It is essential that you realize the miracle God is working through you as you bear His gifts to the lost world. What does this truth do for a core group? It causes a body of believers to be ever reaching outward, ever infiltrating the community with a clear purpose, ever confident that they have something to offer that is not available anywhere else, ever convinced that their existence in Christ brings miraculous change for eternity in the lives of others.
A key component that fuels church planting is seeing clearly that God works through the MIRACLE OF YOU in a lost and dying world.
I was reading Acts 19:11-12 yesterday: “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”
This was during the establishment of “The Way” in Ephesus and all of Asia. God moved in mighty and miraculous ways to bring the grace and power of Jesus to a lost world.
It got me thinking: In this secular, post-modern, Christ-attacking, Jesus-denouncing, Bible-watering-down, afterthought-spirituality kind of world, how is the Kingdom of God being established?
One reaction to the troubles and barriers of today might be to hunker down and be afraid that God will be pushed out of the picture. You may feel like you need to circle the wagons and try to protect God who is on the edge of extinction.
Another reaction is to remember that “the One enthroned in heaven laughs” as the kings and rulers of the earth take their stand against the Lord (Psalm 2:4). God is still at work. In fact, Jesus told us that the gates of hell cannot prevail against His advancing march (Matthew 16:18).
What does this mean for church planting? It means that Jesus still makes His way into new territory in extraordinary ways—many times through THE MIRACLE OF YOU!
I was visiting with Pastor Mark Seeger recently. He serves the deaf community in Austin, Texas. God is working through him to bring the message of the crucified and risen Christ to children and adults, to people near and far, to people with a wide variety of religious backgrounds, and to many who have never had a chance to hear the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus. Pastor Seeger operates a mission outpost in a world that would otherwise be separated from the Gospel. With Holy Spirit creativity, he faces each challenge from the standpoint of being in mission for Jesus.
As I thought about his ministry and my reading from Acts, I realized that the deaf are truly hearing through the miracle of His humble service. He’s being the miracle of Jesus for many.
As a church planter, it is necessary to trust that you are helping to form a mission outpost in the community. It is essential that you realize the miracle God is working through you as you bear His gifts to the lost world. What does this truth do for a core group? It causes a body of believers to be ever reaching outward, ever infiltrating the community with a clear purpose, ever confident that they have something to offer that is not available anywhere else, ever convinced that their existence in Christ brings miraculous change for eternity in the lives of others.
A key component that fuels church planting is seeing clearly that God works through the MIRACLE OF YOU in a lost and dying world.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Where Has All the DNA Gone?
After several like-minded families moved into a growing suburban area, they decided to start a church. It wasn’t long before the church started to overflow with activity. Families were coming from miles around to worship. Children were being brought to confirmation and youth programs from over 10 miles away. The church members knew they had to do something.
Is this the profile of a modern mega-church? Is this the description of the latest booming ministry attraction in a sprawling suburban neighborhood?
No. This story began in 1837. The church is Zion in Bensenville, Illinois. In the first two decades of existence, the church planted six new congregations. I attended one of those daughter churches (last century, not two centuries ago!). Over its first hundred years, Zion also gave birth to a grade school, a high school, and a university (we now know it as Concordia, Chicago).
Nineteen families, numbering 42 people in all, were sent to start one of the new church plants (where I got my start in the Lutheran church). These families reached out to the community-—many spoke German, but they weren’t all Lutheran-—and went on to plant seven—yes, SEVEN—congregations. Once the congregation grew to 125 people, the planting began. A community of Christ, for Christ, was formed.
This is the DNA of our church.
What has changed? I don’t want to idealize the past, but changes have taken place. Are the following assessments accurate about yesterday and today?
Yesterday: We were convinced about the utmost importance of the Gospel
Today: We shy away from pushing religion
Yesterday: We were locked onto a Biblical worldview
Today: We compartmentalize church life, social life, etc.
Yesterday: We were self-motivated and resourced
Today: We look for others to do the work and to provide
Yesterday: We had a tenacious work ethic
Today: We are distracted and fatigued
Yesterday: We viewed life as a frontier
Today: We look at life from the perspective of fear
Yesterday: We were content to meet needs in small ways
Today: We worrying about growth and “bigness”
Yesterday: The church was about community cohesiveness
Today: The church is a consumer stop-over
Yesterday: We were Word centered
Today: We are financial plan centered
Yesterday: We demonstrated extreme sacrifice
Today: We shy away from discomfort
Yesterday: We were unafraid of small numbers
Today: We would rather hide in a crowd
I understand that Holy Cross, Warda was another powerful mission planting community. Who can comment on how many churches this powerhouse congregation started? What can we learn?
Is this the profile of a modern mega-church? Is this the description of the latest booming ministry attraction in a sprawling suburban neighborhood?
No. This story began in 1837. The church is Zion in Bensenville, Illinois. In the first two decades of existence, the church planted six new congregations. I attended one of those daughter churches (last century, not two centuries ago!). Over its first hundred years, Zion also gave birth to a grade school, a high school, and a university (we now know it as Concordia, Chicago).
Nineteen families, numbering 42 people in all, were sent to start one of the new church plants (where I got my start in the Lutheran church). These families reached out to the community-—many spoke German, but they weren’t all Lutheran-—and went on to plant seven—yes, SEVEN—congregations. Once the congregation grew to 125 people, the planting began. A community of Christ, for Christ, was formed.
This is the DNA of our church.
What has changed? I don’t want to idealize the past, but changes have taken place. Are the following assessments accurate about yesterday and today?
Yesterday: We were convinced about the utmost importance of the Gospel
Today: We shy away from pushing religion
Yesterday: We were locked onto a Biblical worldview
Today: We compartmentalize church life, social life, etc.
Yesterday: We were self-motivated and resourced
Today: We look for others to do the work and to provide
Yesterday: We had a tenacious work ethic
Today: We are distracted and fatigued
Yesterday: We viewed life as a frontier
Today: We look at life from the perspective of fear
Yesterday: We were content to meet needs in small ways
Today: We worrying about growth and “bigness”
Yesterday: The church was about community cohesiveness
Today: The church is a consumer stop-over
Yesterday: We were Word centered
Today: We are financial plan centered
Yesterday: We demonstrated extreme sacrifice
Today: We shy away from discomfort
Yesterday: We were unafraid of small numbers
Today: We would rather hide in a crowd
I understand that Holy Cross, Warda was another powerful mission planting community. Who can comment on how many churches this powerhouse congregation started? What can we learn?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Church Begging to be Started
A few years ago I visited Elsa at her apartment in a local retirement center. Elsa had moved from out of state and knew not a soul in her new area. She moved to this unfamiliar locale because her niece wanted to have her close by. Elsa wasn't able to go to church so we agreed that I would visit her once each month for a brief time of devotion and fellowship.
After my first visit, Elsa asked if she could invite a friend from the retirement center to join us next time we got together. Of course, I agreed. After that visit, the two friends mentioned that they knew several people who had no opportunity to worship. Could they come too? Why, yes! Invite away! At the third visit we had half a dozen people crowded into a tiny senior apartment. After our worship time one of the newcomers piped up: "I know the activities coordinator. Why don't I arrange for us to use the chapel next time. We can even advertise the gathering at announcement time in the dining room." I told her to go for it.
A movement was afoot! We met in the chapel the next month with nearly 20 worshipers. After the worship service, two ladies volunteered to serve as a worship team--setting up everything needed for our time together. A man said that he would invite two people he knew who played the organ and violin. He was sure they would love to add music to our gathering. Four of the original core group strategized more invitations. Elsa told stories of people she knew who didn't know Christ. Wow! God was at work! We had a new church--a satellite church--a church plant--whatever it was--growing by the Spirit of God through His people.
During the Advent season you may find yourself in a few retirement centers and nursing homes. Christmas carolers will roam the hallways. But what about longer-term outreach into these places where so many are forgotten? How many of these dear people are receiving the soul-care they need?
Studies show that by the year 2030, 25-30% of the U.S. population will be 65 and over. By 2050, 40% of 65-year-olds are likely to reach the age of 90! Our nation is aging. The question is: who will be their church? Who will bring the news of Jesus to so many who never listened in our secular culture, but now need to hear of Him as they falter physically and see that death is near?
There is a hunger for real fellowship and genuine hope among older adults. If you're thinking of starting a church plant or a satellite but you don't know where to begin, perhaps you need to check out your local nursing homes and retirement facilities. It may not seem glamorous, but the harvest is plentiful. Just think, the building is available; activities directors are desperate for programming; gifted people are willing and able; the cost is low to non-existent; and loving hearts are ready to welcome you.
Why not lead the way? Why not deploy a team or two or three to start weekly gatherings?
Next week I'll continue by telling Hilda's story and how a Gen-X church revolutionized an over-80 crowd.
After my first visit, Elsa asked if she could invite a friend from the retirement center to join us next time we got together. Of course, I agreed. After that visit, the two friends mentioned that they knew several people who had no opportunity to worship. Could they come too? Why, yes! Invite away! At the third visit we had half a dozen people crowded into a tiny senior apartment. After our worship time one of the newcomers piped up: "I know the activities coordinator. Why don't I arrange for us to use the chapel next time. We can even advertise the gathering at announcement time in the dining room." I told her to go for it.
A movement was afoot! We met in the chapel the next month with nearly 20 worshipers. After the worship service, two ladies volunteered to serve as a worship team--setting up everything needed for our time together. A man said that he would invite two people he knew who played the organ and violin. He was sure they would love to add music to our gathering. Four of the original core group strategized more invitations. Elsa told stories of people she knew who didn't know Christ. Wow! God was at work! We had a new church--a satellite church--a church plant--whatever it was--growing by the Spirit of God through His people.
During the Advent season you may find yourself in a few retirement centers and nursing homes. Christmas carolers will roam the hallways. But what about longer-term outreach into these places where so many are forgotten? How many of these dear people are receiving the soul-care they need?
Studies show that by the year 2030, 25-30% of the U.S. population will be 65 and over. By 2050, 40% of 65-year-olds are likely to reach the age of 90! Our nation is aging. The question is: who will be their church? Who will bring the news of Jesus to so many who never listened in our secular culture, but now need to hear of Him as they falter physically and see that death is near?
There is a hunger for real fellowship and genuine hope among older adults. If you're thinking of starting a church plant or a satellite but you don't know where to begin, perhaps you need to check out your local nursing homes and retirement facilities. It may not seem glamorous, but the harvest is plentiful. Just think, the building is available; activities directors are desperate for programming; gifted people are willing and able; the cost is low to non-existent; and loving hearts are ready to welcome you.
Why not lead the way? Why not deploy a team or two or three to start weekly gatherings?
Next week I'll continue by telling Hilda's story and how a Gen-X church revolutionized an over-80 crowd.
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