Today was “Transition Sunday.” It is the brainchild of the United Methodist Church, North Georgia Conference, Office of Connectional Ministries. Try fitting that on a business card. This year, I am transitioning from being pastor of one UMC to being the pastor of another UMC in North Georgia. We UMC pastors are appointed yearly by our Bishop. Theoretically we could move every year, but practically most stay at least 3 to 5 years and sometimes longer.
As best I understand it, the idea of “Transition Sunday” is so that the moving pastor can have a one or two Sunday break moving from one place to the next. The benefit to the church is that they don’t experience emotional whiplash going from one Sunday of saying goodbye to saying hello just seven days later and all the potlucks and/or receptions that come with each occasion.
While my church didn’t seem wild about the idea of me having my final Sunday a week early, I mentioned that it would be a nice gift to me and the plans were set. I spent my free Sunday attending 9:45am worship at one of the other churches in my new community and also checking out the 11am “parking lot attendance” at a few other churches in town as well as my new church.
The day was one of the most impactful learning experiences in my eight years of ministry. We arrived at the 9:45am worship service about 15 minutes early and tried to figure out where to enter. Since it was a contemporary service, I figured maybe the service would be near the most modern-looking entrance. Of course, a regular visitor wouldn‘t think this way, which turned out not to matter since I was wrong. As I entered with my 11-year old son, a woman was setting up some snacks in the hall. I asked where the contemporary service was and she started to give me directions. I was excited when she decided to take me down the hall. Then she blew it. She only got me down one hallway before pointing me the rest of the way. Guess those cheese puffs couldn’t wait. Of course, it wasn’t as easy to find as she made it sound. You see, we had entered the building on the complete opposite end of where we needed to go. As we wandered, we passed the front of the Sanctuary where the early service was still going on. Fortunately I am a Pastor and I knew that wasn’t where we wanted to go. If I had been a less-churched visitor, the volunteer’s mistake of sending me on my own could have resulted in me walking into the very front altar area while the early traditional service was going on!
We finally found our worship service, although only because I knew what we were looking for. I spent 5 minutes at the information table looking at and taking every brochure they had. No one was there to greet me or assist me. No one noticed that I was very interested in what the church had to offer. We entered the service and sat down. People were talking with each other and seemed happy. In the five minutes before the service started, in a very small room with only about 40 happy people at the time, not one person greeted this man and his son. In the “greeting” time during the service, no one seated around us recognized us as new and only one lady asked our names.
I loved the atmosphere, the décor, the music and the sermon. This is a winning formula for those that are already there. They’ve got to find some way to be more visitor-friendly. We left during the singing of the last song so they didn’t have a chance to impress us after the service. Of course if I was a regular prospect, my mind was probably already made up. I left wondering if the lack of greeters and attention is by design, some seeker-sensitive thing?
We found our way back to the car by exiting out the first exterior door we found and walking around the building and we were off to our next church for the 11am service. We were running late and we pulled up to a crowded parking lot outside a very traditional Baptist church. I was somewhat surprised because the website looked all modern and contemporary. I once again had no idea where to enter. I figured the front Sanctuary doors were probably the place, but a small sign that read “Welcome Center entrance” pointed me a different direction. I never found another sign that continued those directions. As we drove through the crowded parking lot, we decided not to attend. I was surprised how intimidating the traditional Sanctuary was with its closed, solid doors. Being late, I just wasn’t brave enough to park and enter. Did I mention that I AM A PASTOR!!!! If I am intimidated to enter, how must real, live un-churched folks feel?
The whole experience at these two churches has left me a little shell-shocked. As a Pastor that desires to reach de-churched and un-churched people far from God, what am I to do with this experience?
Here are a few thoughts:
(1)The importance of relational evangelism. There are not many un-churched, de-churched people brave enough to drive up to a church to visit on a Sunday. We feel comfortable in our churches and think it is no big deal for a visitor. I am more committed now to finding more off-campus ways to engage people and build relationships before bringing them onto campus.
(2)If they are brave enough to show up at our church, we have to do all in our power to make it an easier experience.
(3)When you invite someone, pick them up or meet them in the parking lot! As we used to say at Roswell UMC, “don’t give them a compass and a map and say good luck.”
(4)Greeters are needed inside the building and even more so outside in the parking lot.
(5)I have long told my greeters that I never want to see them point. Walk them there personally and connect them with another person. To do this and still keep stations covered means that you have to have several greeters in every location.
(6)Nice looking, correct and informative signage is a must everywhere.
(7)Real, live people in the pews need to be friendly...without being overbearing and nosey. It is an art, the art of hospitality. So many churches have gone to a seeker-sensitive policy that leaves people alone when they visit because in the past folks in the pews have attacked visitors with all sorts of personal questions. As I have said to my congregation, “first time visitors are just dating us, they aren’t ready to marry us just yet.”
I would highly recommend a similar experience for all pastors and lay people as well. Send your lay people out to another church once in a while to see how being a visitor feels. I had forgotten.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Book review: Treasure Principle
I recently had the opportunity to re-read the Randy Alcorn one-million-selling classic, The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving. I was first introduced to this book about seven years ago when I was just beginning my pastoral ministry. It has been a foundation for my preaching on giving ever since.
The book’s appeal is its simplicity and brevity. The concepts are easy to understand and yet profound. The foundational principle (#1) is that “God owns everything.” Sounds simple, but how many Christians live with this conviction? It changes everything!
My next favorite principle (#6) is that “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.” What a powerful antidote to the bigger and better American Dream lifestyle.
I wish that the author would have made a better connection to the giver participating in God’s Kingdom work presently happening on earth, but I understand that that is probably not his theological focus/priority.
I would recommend this book as a launching pad for deeper and broader study on biblical giving.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
The book’s appeal is its simplicity and brevity. The concepts are easy to understand and yet profound. The foundational principle (#1) is that “God owns everything.” Sounds simple, but how many Christians live with this conviction? It changes everything!
My next favorite principle (#6) is that “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.” What a powerful antidote to the bigger and better American Dream lifestyle.
I wish that the author would have made a better connection to the giver participating in God’s Kingdom work presently happening on earth, but I understand that that is probably not his theological focus/priority.
I would recommend this book as a launching pad for deeper and broader study on biblical giving.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Book Review: Radical Together
Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God by David Platt (This title will be released on April 19, 2011)
Back in the summer, I spent several days on my beach vacation devouring a new book written by a young pastor of a rather large Birmingham church. The book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, spoke to my heart and more importantly challenged me. The author and pastor, David Platt, argued that Christians have replaced what’s radical about our faith with what is comfortable. Platt not only challenged the American Dream, but the American Church, declaring that we’re settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.
Platt is back with a follow-up, Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God. He advances his original concepts that were applied to the individual believer, now incorporating them into the community of faith.
Platt does some fine work on the topic of the “tyranny of the good” (Chapter 1). While this seems to be a popular topic these days, I thought Platt covered the idea more thoroughly than I’ve seen elsewhere. “Good can hinder the best….We must be willing to sacrifice good things in the church in order to experience the great things of God.” The author reminds us our mission is not religious activity, but rather making disciples. And Platt not only writes about this, but his church is acting upon this conviction. This is a must read chapter for all church leaders and hopefully it will nudge many churches to put everything on the examining table and ask, “Are these programs and activities the best way to spend our time, money, and energy for the spread of the gospel in our neighborhood and in all nations?”
Radical Together by David Platt (Chapter 1)
In Chapter 3, Platt reminds us that the purpose of God’s Word (the Bible) is not a handy advice book for our every question and need, but rather is meant to transform people “into the image of Christ and to get people in touch with the Holy Spirit of God.”
In Chapter 4, Platt encourages churches to unleash their people- “equip them, train them, support them, and set them free to use everything God has given to them to make his glory known through them in ways you could never design or imagine.” Church pastors/leaders/staff should spend more time mobilizing people rather than organizing programs. The church must be intentional about equipping members to make disciples.
The book is a fast and easy read. Reading the first book first is highly recommended as the two work best together.
(I received an advance copy of this book free to review from WaterBrook Multnomah)
Back in the summer, I spent several days on my beach vacation devouring a new book written by a young pastor of a rather large Birmingham church. The book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, spoke to my heart and more importantly challenged me. The author and pastor, David Platt, argued that Christians have replaced what’s radical about our faith with what is comfortable. Platt not only challenged the American Dream, but the American Church, declaring that we’re settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.
Platt is back with a follow-up, Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God. He advances his original concepts that were applied to the individual believer, now incorporating them into the community of faith.
Platt does some fine work on the topic of the “tyranny of the good” (Chapter 1). While this seems to be a popular topic these days, I thought Platt covered the idea more thoroughly than I’ve seen elsewhere. “Good can hinder the best….We must be willing to sacrifice good things in the church in order to experience the great things of God.” The author reminds us our mission is not religious activity, but rather making disciples. And Platt not only writes about this, but his church is acting upon this conviction. This is a must read chapter for all church leaders and hopefully it will nudge many churches to put everything on the examining table and ask, “Are these programs and activities the best way to spend our time, money, and energy for the spread of the gospel in our neighborhood and in all nations?”
Radical Together by David Platt (Chapter 1)
In Chapter 3, Platt reminds us that the purpose of God’s Word (the Bible) is not a handy advice book for our every question and need, but rather is meant to transform people “into the image of Christ and to get people in touch with the Holy Spirit of God.”
In Chapter 4, Platt encourages churches to unleash their people- “equip them, train them, support them, and set them free to use everything God has given to them to make his glory known through them in ways you could never design or imagine.” Church pastors/leaders/staff should spend more time mobilizing people rather than organizing programs. The church must be intentional about equipping members to make disciples.
The book is a fast and easy read. Reading the first book first is highly recommended as the two work best together.
(I received an advance copy of this book free to review from WaterBrook Multnomah)
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Book Review: The Next Christians
The Next Christians: How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith by Gabe Lyons
Unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the last few years, you know all about the numerical decline in the Christian Church. My denomination has studied it just about every which way possible. We flail here and there trying to find the “answer” to reverse our downward trend. It has left denominational leaders, pastors and church members in a constant state of angst.
As a second career pastor who recently hit the big 4-0, some days I have to wonder if this is what I want to give the rest of my life to. But then I venture out into the world as the hands and feet of Christ and those institutional challenges seem to fade into the background. I see several church members serving “the least of these” and making a real difference and I almost forget the many that will never do anything more than show up a few Sundays a month. I see the transformation of a faithful few. I start to see the Kingdom slowly coming about on earth as it is in heaven and my angst over the survival of the institution no longer dominates my every thought.
Gabe Lyons new book, The Next Christians: How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith, gives voice to what many of us in the trenches of the modern church are discovering as the Spirit moves in new ways. We don’t have to fret because “Christian America” has died. Was it ever that great anyway? Is it possible that a refocused Church changes the world? Lyons gives a hopeful report from the frontlines.
Lyons is one of many modern authors to remind the Church of the comprehensive Gospel (creation, fall, redemption, restoration), a Gospel that doesn’t leave out the beginning or the end. The Gospel begins with humanity made in the image of God and finishes with humanity working towards restoration of that image. The Good News is more than just individual salvation from sin. We aren’t just saved from something, we are saved to something. Redemption is the beginning of our participation in God’s work of restoration in our lives and in the world.
One of the most valuable parts of the book is chapter three where Lyons groups modern Christians’ interaction with culture into three broad categories: Separatist, Cultural and Restorers. I think the groupings help Christians to look inward and see how we live out our faith in the world. Lyons says the Next Christians are Restorers. They envision the world as it was meant to be and they partner with God to work towards that vision. Restorers combine the best of both Separatists and Cultural Christians and add the new dynamic of restoration.
Most of the book covers the six characteristics that set apart the next Christians:
Provoked, not offended
Creators, not critics
Called, not employed
Grounded, not distracted
In community, not alone
Countercultural, not “relevant”
I highly recommend this book. It gave language to so much of what I am experiencing in my ministry as I try to answer God’s call to be about the work of the Kingdom in my community. I plan to use it with the leaders in my mainline, traditional church.
(I received this book free to review from WaterBrook Multnomah)
The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons (Chapter 1)
Unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the last few years, you know all about the numerical decline in the Christian Church. My denomination has studied it just about every which way possible. We flail here and there trying to find the “answer” to reverse our downward trend. It has left denominational leaders, pastors and church members in a constant state of angst.
As a second career pastor who recently hit the big 4-0, some days I have to wonder if this is what I want to give the rest of my life to. But then I venture out into the world as the hands and feet of Christ and those institutional challenges seem to fade into the background. I see several church members serving “the least of these” and making a real difference and I almost forget the many that will never do anything more than show up a few Sundays a month. I see the transformation of a faithful few. I start to see the Kingdom slowly coming about on earth as it is in heaven and my angst over the survival of the institution no longer dominates my every thought.
Gabe Lyons new book, The Next Christians: How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith, gives voice to what many of us in the trenches of the modern church are discovering as the Spirit moves in new ways. We don’t have to fret because “Christian America” has died. Was it ever that great anyway? Is it possible that a refocused Church changes the world? Lyons gives a hopeful report from the frontlines.
Lyons is one of many modern authors to remind the Church of the comprehensive Gospel (creation, fall, redemption, restoration), a Gospel that doesn’t leave out the beginning or the end. The Gospel begins with humanity made in the image of God and finishes with humanity working towards restoration of that image. The Good News is more than just individual salvation from sin. We aren’t just saved from something, we are saved to something. Redemption is the beginning of our participation in God’s work of restoration in our lives and in the world.
One of the most valuable parts of the book is chapter three where Lyons groups modern Christians’ interaction with culture into three broad categories: Separatist, Cultural and Restorers. I think the groupings help Christians to look inward and see how we live out our faith in the world. Lyons says the Next Christians are Restorers. They envision the world as it was meant to be and they partner with God to work towards that vision. Restorers combine the best of both Separatists and Cultural Christians and add the new dynamic of restoration.
Most of the book covers the six characteristics that set apart the next Christians:
Provoked, not offended
Creators, not critics
Called, not employed
Grounded, not distracted
In community, not alone
Countercultural, not “relevant”
I highly recommend this book. It gave language to so much of what I am experiencing in my ministry as I try to answer God’s call to be about the work of the Kingdom in my community. I plan to use it with the leaders in my mainline, traditional church.
(I received this book free to review from WaterBrook Multnomah)
The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons (Chapter 1)
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Outward/Externally-focused, Missional, Kingdom-focused, Church Movement
For the last five years, I have been a student of and a participant in the outward/externally-focused, missional, Kingdom-focused, church movement. Yes, a movement by many names.
As I see it, there are several activities happening as churches turn this direction. Here are the four main ones I see. Am I missing any?
1. Missional Communities
Exploding in several flavors and directions, most happening away from the traditional church. Tend to be small, home-based or restaurant-based groups. Tend to be different from traditional small groups by having service components or being evangelistically-focused to bring in new people and may contain worship elements.
Key Players:
Neil Cole is the lead speaker for “organic church.”
My preference is Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, authors of “Tangible Kingdom.” “TK Primer” offers help for existing churches to begin communities.
Alan Hirsch seems to be the theologian-in-residence for this movement.
2. Acts of Kindness / Servant Evangelism
Offers simple entry for existing churches turning outward or new churches starting up to become noticed in town. So simple that many long-time church members won’t see the value in it. Make sure the theology is well taught in advance. For hundreds of ideas, go here: http://www.servantevangelism.com/matrix/matrix.htm
Key Resources:
“Conspiracy of Kindness” by Steve Sjogren
“Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving” by Dino Rizzo
3. Community Service / Engagement
Working in the community food pantry/clothes closet, serving in schools…you get the idea. Unfortunately, this tends to be the stopping point for many churches.
Key Resources:
“Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church” by Reggie McNeal
“The Externally Focused Church” by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson
4. Community Transformation
Really changing things in your town, bringing about the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Usually requires the entire Body of Christ working together which means collaboration amongst churches.
Key Resources:
“A New Kind of Big: How Churches of Any Size Can Partner to Transform Communities” by Chip Sweney
“To Transform a City” by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams
As I see it, there are several activities happening as churches turn this direction. Here are the four main ones I see. Am I missing any?
1. Missional Communities
Exploding in several flavors and directions, most happening away from the traditional church. Tend to be small, home-based or restaurant-based groups. Tend to be different from traditional small groups by having service components or being evangelistically-focused to bring in new people and may contain worship elements.
Key Players:
Neil Cole is the lead speaker for “organic church.”
My preference is Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, authors of “Tangible Kingdom.” “TK Primer” offers help for existing churches to begin communities.
Alan Hirsch seems to be the theologian-in-residence for this movement.
2. Acts of Kindness / Servant Evangelism
Offers simple entry for existing churches turning outward or new churches starting up to become noticed in town. So simple that many long-time church members won’t see the value in it. Make sure the theology is well taught in advance. For hundreds of ideas, go here: http://www.servantevangelism.com/matrix/matrix.htm
Key Resources:
“Conspiracy of Kindness” by Steve Sjogren
“Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving” by Dino Rizzo
3. Community Service / Engagement
Working in the community food pantry/clothes closet, serving in schools…you get the idea. Unfortunately, this tends to be the stopping point for many churches.
Key Resources:
“Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church” by Reggie McNeal
“The Externally Focused Church” by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson
4. Community Transformation
Really changing things in your town, bringing about the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Usually requires the entire Body of Christ working together which means collaboration amongst churches.
Key Resources:
“A New Kind of Big: How Churches of Any Size Can Partner to Transform Communities” by Chip Sweney
“To Transform a City” by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams
Monday, January 10, 2011
Top Books I Read in 2010
The Hole in Our Gospel
By Richard Stearns
The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community
by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay
AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church
By Hugh Halter and Matt Smay
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
By David Platt
A Mile In My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion
by Trevor Hudson
Switch: How To Change Things When Change is Hard
By Chip Heath and Dan Heath
A New Kind of Big: How Churches of Any Size Can Partner to Transform Communities
by Chip Sweney
Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus
by Michael Slaughter
Transformation: Discipleship that Turns Lives, Churches, and the World Upside Down
by Bob Roberts Jr.
By Richard Stearns
The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community
by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay
AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church
By Hugh Halter and Matt Smay
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
By David Platt
A Mile In My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion
by Trevor Hudson
Switch: How To Change Things When Change is Hard
By Chip Heath and Dan Heath
A New Kind of Big: How Churches of Any Size Can Partner to Transform Communities
by Chip Sweney
Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus
by Michael Slaughter
Transformation: Discipleship that Turns Lives, Churches, and the World Upside Down
by Bob Roberts Jr.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Book notes: To Transform a City
To Transform a City
by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams
Reggie McNeal foreword
The missional church sees itself as the people of God (a who) already deployed across all the domains of culture. These life-place assignments have been made by a God who desires to plant the Incarnational presence of his Son everywhere.
Release the people of God (a who) to impact the world.
There is no reference in the NT to church as smaller than a city.
The scorecard can no longer be about how well our individuals congregations are doing. The condition of our communities is the scorecard on how well the church is doing at being the people of God.
Book
Called together a group of Christian leaders to fast every Thursday, then meet at his house at 7pm for a couple of hours of prayer followed by dinner at Denny’s.
Magic Bus tour of human service agencies in the city
We can partner with any organization that is morally positive and spiritually neutral.
Invited city leaders to lunch
Tell us what you do
Tell us your vision for a healthy city
Tell us 3 impossible things you need to accomplish that no person can do for them (we will pray for these)
p. 19 “Kingdom Assignment”
1. preach on parable of talents, handed out $100 to 110 people, asked them to multiply and give money to something God cares about.
2. preach on loving possessions. Challenged people to sell a treasure between Sept and Thanksgiving and bring proceeds to church for distribution
3. give 90 minutes over the next ninety days to serve the least of these (community service fair)
4. no church on a Sunday, instead serve. Celebration service in high school they worked in.
Personal letters of appreciation to teachers and staff
Way easier to catch a wave than make a wave. Catch wave of God’s movement and action.
God intends every one of his children to be living on mission, partnering with him in his redemptive mission in the world.
What if… the church showed the world an alternative story of a truly transformed life, infused with kingdom values lived out through missional actions?
Christian leaders, unable to motivate their church members to follow God’s precepts, still vocally demand that secular society live by them. How can we expect (or in some cases demand) others to adopt the values and ethics of Christians when we as Christ followers so easily flout them?
Ben Ecklu, Campus Crusade West Africa says, “If Christians are sixty to seventy percent of the population of Ghana, then we must own sixty to seventy percent of our country’s problems. If just the Christians did things differently…the city would change drastically.”
We can serve the city, love the city, and bless the city- but only God has the power to transform the city.
The critical mass to transform a community begins with just one person who is yielded to the Spirit of God.
Transformation comes through proclamation and demonstration of the gospel, both a verbal message and a lifestyle of love and compassion, good news and good deeds.
A minister of God’s grace to the community.
If we want to be Jesus’ followers then it may be a good first step to meditate and reflect on the passage that captured his heart- Isaiah 61.
We don’t serve to convert, but we serve because we are converted.
The most fertile ground for evangelistic conversations is a servant-rich environment.
Ron Sider- “Our social concern dare not be a gimmick designed to bribe people to become Christians. Social action has its own independent validity. We do it because the Creator wants everyone to enjoy the good creation. At the same time, when our genuine compassion also has an evangelistic dimension, we rejoice. Again and again, that is exactly what happens when we truly care for the needy and stand with the oppressed who seek justice.”
Leadership teams play a catalytic role instead of sponsoring and owning ministries. A catalytic leadership role in the community.
Churches- what can we accomplish together that we could not do alone?
We must never lose sight of the fact that we are kingdom workers, not just community volunteers.
Amazing story (p.66-68) of El Salvador becoming significantly more Christian, but the nation becoming worse off. “We settled for conversion rather than transformation.”
Jim Herrington – “The hope of the world is the church, not necessarily the local congregation.”
by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams
Reggie McNeal foreword
The missional church sees itself as the people of God (a who) already deployed across all the domains of culture. These life-place assignments have been made by a God who desires to plant the Incarnational presence of his Son everywhere.
Release the people of God (a who) to impact the world.
There is no reference in the NT to church as smaller than a city.
The scorecard can no longer be about how well our individuals congregations are doing. The condition of our communities is the scorecard on how well the church is doing at being the people of God.
Book
Called together a group of Christian leaders to fast every Thursday, then meet at his house at 7pm for a couple of hours of prayer followed by dinner at Denny’s.
Magic Bus tour of human service agencies in the city
We can partner with any organization that is morally positive and spiritually neutral.
Invited city leaders to lunch
Tell us what you do
Tell us your vision for a healthy city
Tell us 3 impossible things you need to accomplish that no person can do for them (we will pray for these)
p. 19 “Kingdom Assignment”
1. preach on parable of talents, handed out $100 to 110 people, asked them to multiply and give money to something God cares about.
2. preach on loving possessions. Challenged people to sell a treasure between Sept and Thanksgiving and bring proceeds to church for distribution
3. give 90 minutes over the next ninety days to serve the least of these (community service fair)
4. no church on a Sunday, instead serve. Celebration service in high school they worked in.
Personal letters of appreciation to teachers and staff
Way easier to catch a wave than make a wave. Catch wave of God’s movement and action.
God intends every one of his children to be living on mission, partnering with him in his redemptive mission in the world.
What if… the church showed the world an alternative story of a truly transformed life, infused with kingdom values lived out through missional actions?
Christian leaders, unable to motivate their church members to follow God’s precepts, still vocally demand that secular society live by them. How can we expect (or in some cases demand) others to adopt the values and ethics of Christians when we as Christ followers so easily flout them?
Ben Ecklu, Campus Crusade West Africa says, “If Christians are sixty to seventy percent of the population of Ghana, then we must own sixty to seventy percent of our country’s problems. If just the Christians did things differently…the city would change drastically.”
We can serve the city, love the city, and bless the city- but only God has the power to transform the city.
The critical mass to transform a community begins with just one person who is yielded to the Spirit of God.
Transformation comes through proclamation and demonstration of the gospel, both a verbal message and a lifestyle of love and compassion, good news and good deeds.
A minister of God’s grace to the community.
If we want to be Jesus’ followers then it may be a good first step to meditate and reflect on the passage that captured his heart- Isaiah 61.
We don’t serve to convert, but we serve because we are converted.
The most fertile ground for evangelistic conversations is a servant-rich environment.
Ron Sider- “Our social concern dare not be a gimmick designed to bribe people to become Christians. Social action has its own independent validity. We do it because the Creator wants everyone to enjoy the good creation. At the same time, when our genuine compassion also has an evangelistic dimension, we rejoice. Again and again, that is exactly what happens when we truly care for the needy and stand with the oppressed who seek justice.”
Leadership teams play a catalytic role instead of sponsoring and owning ministries. A catalytic leadership role in the community.
Churches- what can we accomplish together that we could not do alone?
We must never lose sight of the fact that we are kingdom workers, not just community volunteers.
Amazing story (p.66-68) of El Salvador becoming significantly more Christian, but the nation becoming worse off. “We settled for conversion rather than transformation.”
Jim Herrington – “The hope of the world is the church, not necessarily the local congregation.”
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