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20 Ministry Lessons Learned in 20 Years

By
Danielle Bell
-
teen pregnancy

Some of the most effective ministry lessons learned are learned from mistakes and in-the-trenches ministry experiences. If you are new in ministry, here are some tips from someone with 20 full-time years of kids ministry experience to help you avoid pitfalls and burnout in ministry. 

20 Children’s Ministry Lessons Learned

1 – The Gospel is the goal.
– You are not a cruise director.
– It is not about you.
– The Gospel changes lives for eternity, you don’t.
– Families can get moral lessons learned from books or the side of a fast food container. Morals aren’t what we are after, the Gospel is.

2 – Know where you are going.
– Figure out where you are going before you begin.
– Make sure everything you put on the calendar and in the budget has the end in mind.
– Keeping the end in mind helps you avoid detours and stick to an eternal itinerary.
– A finish line filter helps you say no.
     * Do you have a ministry vision statement that can serve as a guide and filter for where you are going?

3 – Quality vs Quantity
– A few well-planned, successful events are better than many half hearted, poorly planned events.
– Families are busy. When you ask for their time, be prepared—make it Gospel-centered and make it count.
Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

4 – Realize you haven’t arrived.
– You don’t know all there is to know about ministry.
– You aren’t the greatest thing to hit the ministry world. People have been in the trenches long before you.
– Make sure you always have a teachable spirit.
– Listen more than you talk.
     * When is the last time you really listened to what God is doing in someone else’s life and ministry?

5 – Strategically surround yourself.
– Make sure your staff/leadership team are strong in the areas where you are weak.
– A well thought out team makes a more successful team.
– Allow your team to make you better. (Can you take corrective criticism?)
* What type of person is your ministry team missing?

6 – Partner with parents.
– Parent Champions – The first thing i did in a transition was create a parent champion team to evaluate and make a plan to move forward. Read more about that here.
– Make sure these parents will be prayerfully honest with you and are not just “yes” men and women.
– Parents help share your heart and vision with their peers, thus having a greater impact.

7 – Target the family. (There are 168 hours in a week. You may have the kids for one or two hours. Target the family for maximum kingdom growth.)
– What are you doing to reach the family as a whole?
– Family worship (teaching like Jesus taught). Learn more about that here.
– Make sure to build a bridge from church to home.
* What takeaways are you giving families to talk through at home?

8 – Ministry to children and families with special needs
– Educate yourself and your team.
– Be prepared before the first family arrives (policies, space, intake forms, volunteers, etc.).
– Provide quality, Christ-centered care.

9 – Communicate
– Communicate often through various channels (constant contact, mail chimp, remind, facebook, instagram, twitter, ifttt, blog, snail mail, etc.).
– Just when you think you are bugging people, they are just getting the message. They need to see the message seven different times.
– If you are getting questions or have to have a FAQ section, have you really effectively communicated?

10 – Sabbath
Luke 5:16 – “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
– Jesus made time alone a priority, do you?
– An empty vessel has nothing to give.

A Great Move of God Always Leads to a Great Advancement of the Gospel

By
Ronnie Floyd
-
teen pregnancy

Gospel advancement cannot be divorced from the power of prayer. Nor should prayer be divorced from the need for gospel advancement regionally, nationally and internationally.

Let History Teach Us Now

In 1806, there were five college students who began to pray twice a week for a mighty move of God to occur. The second Great Awakening had affected at least one of these five students. College student Samuel Mills’ father had served as pastor of a church that had been touched powerfully by this awakening.

These five students of the Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, had come together on a hot Saturday afternoon in August for their prayer meeting. They were going to discuss William Carey’s missionary manifesto, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens.

On their way to their prayer meeting, a major rainstorm began, filled with wind, lightning and thunder. They noticed a large haystack, which would provide an opportunity to seek shelter underneath from the wind, rain and lightning. It was in that setting, after discussing Carey’s missionary manifesto, they went before God in prayer.

Samuel Mills proposed they would go on mission to India. While three of the five agreed with Mills to focus on reaching Asia, it was Harvey Loomis who believed deeply they must focus on reaching America first.

Dial in closely with me: Beginning with what is now known as the “Haystack Prayer Meeting,” two years later, in 1808, a group who became known as “The Brethren” was formulated. These five young men and others focused on prayer and missions. In 1810, after they graduated, they requested that a group send them to India as missionaries. The General Association of Massachusetts formed the first official missions organization in the United States in June of 1810. It was called The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

By the way, Adoniram Judson and his wife, as well as Luther Rice, were some of the first missionaries commissioned and sent across the ocean by this new mission board. It was Judson who became known as the father of Baptist foreign missions. Just think: It all began in a prayer meeting under a haystack.

After praying under the haystack that afternoon, these five young men sang a hymn together. It was then Samuel Mills said loudly over the rain and the wind, “We can do this, if we will!” That moment changed those men forever. Many historians would tell you that all mission organizations trace their history back to the “Haystack Prayer Meeting” in some way.

Yes, these men turned the world upside down. And it all began in a prayer meeting under a haystack. At the place where this meeting occurred, a monument stands today, commemorating this historic God moment. At the top of the monument is the phrase, “THE FIELD IS THE WORLD.” Underneath those words, it says, “The birthplace of American foreign missions. 1806.” This great gospel advancement all occurred because five college students cried out to God in prayer.

Prayer, Movements, the Power of God and Great Gospel Advancement

The proper place of prayer is minimized. A spiritual movement is seen as mystical. The power of God is ignored. Then, we wonder why great gospel advancement is not occurring.

Integrating these things is imperative. In fact, it is biblical. Think of this familiar verse found in Acts 4:31. It says, “When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.”

  • Prayer prioritized? 
  • Spiritual movement occurring? 
  • Power of God evident? 
  • Gospel advancement occurring? 

With the condition of things today, we need to return to the biblical and historical model now.

Six in 10 Protestant Churches are Plateaued or Declining

On March 6, 2019, LifeWay Research released a new study from Exponential. It revealed “six in 10 Protestant churches are plateaued or declining in attendance.” It further said that more than half saw fewer than 10 people become new Christians in the past 12 months.

While growth is happening in some churches across America, it is more than evident that churches and the denominations many of them are connected to are not healthy and growing.

Unquestionably, we need to learn what we can from other churches, but more importantly, it is time that we get ourselves under the nearest haystack, study gospel advancement, and cry out to God over the challenges we are facing today.

Then, we can leave this unique place declaring what Samuel Mills declared over 200 years ago, “We can do this, if we will.”

We need to see what Samuel Mills saw.

THE FIELD IS THE WORLD

This article originally appeared here.

Living in a (Nominal) Religious Context

By
Ed Stetzer
-
teen pregnancy

The fastest shrinking category in American religion is still the largest category—people who self-identify as Christian, but whose religion is not a central part of their lives. We call these people nominal Christians.

However, this largest category is also the fastest shrinking.

To be blunt: Nominalism is dying.

While this may not be good for a culture increasing in secularization, in some ways, it is a good thing for the church. Churches will have more of an opportunity to distinguish themselves from the host culture. Lives empowered by Christ should look different and now they increasingly will.

In spite of the decline of nominalism, there are pockets throughout North American that still have a heavy presence of nominalism. The Bible Belt, pardon the bad metaphor, supports some of these pockets.

Here are some dangers, difficulties and directives of living in a nominal religious context.

Many American Southerners still possess a religious terminology that expresses they were saved at the age of 8, baptized at the age of 10, and are on the membership roll at the Crooked Creek Pentecostal Church or the Sugar Creek Methodist Church. Many of these individuals based their salvation on being moral, decent and upstanding citizens, who love their families, their country and even their God.

Living in such a nominal religious context presents some dangers, difficulties and directives for believers who are passionately committed to king Jesus.

Dangers of Living in a Nominal Religious Context

The dangers of living in a nominal religious context aren’t the same as living in a zealous violent religious context like regions in the Middle East. Living in those areas can cost one their life. Living in a nominal religious context may not put one’s life in danger, but if not careful it can endanger a believer in other ways that are just as costly—just on a different scale.

There’s the danger of embracing a comfortable Christianity.

One thing about nominal “Christians” is that their faith doesn’t cost them anything. Their faith or belief is like a trinket or badge they wear. It doesn’t prompt them to give up guilty pleasures, to give generously of their time, talents or treasures to the Lord or His church, or to vulnerably share their faith with someone else.

If not careful, passionate believers can allow such comfort to influence them so that they too become comfortable.

There’s the danger of domesticating the gospel. Lesslie Newbigin was one who landed on this idea when he came home from 40 years of faithful mission work in India. Upon his return, he saw that the church, and thus the gospel, had been imprisoned by the cultural milieu. As a result, the gospel had been domesticated, stripped of its transformational glory.

Today, in many nominal contexts, something similar has transpired. The Bible has been turned into a self-help informational book rather than the divinely inspired book written by God for our transformation and His glory. Jesus has been relegated to a Captain America type of savior who came and died to save us from hell rather than a King who came to save us in order to reign in and through us.

Difficulties of Living in a Nominal Religious Context

Beside dangers to sound Christian theology and practice in a nominal religious context, there are difficulties to living in such a context.

Evangelism

There will be an evangelistic difficulty.

Because nominals are moral, they think they behave rightly; because they are theistic and biblical, they think they believe rightly; because they are Christian by name, they think they belong rightly; and because their life is fairly simple, they feel as though they are blessed rightly.

In short, they base their salvation on what they do and experience, not what Christ did. Sharing the gospel with people who already think they “have it” will prove to be difficult.

Relational

There can be relational difficulty.

When trying to call nominals toward a deeper understanding of Scripture and the gospel, they may become easily offended and agitated. They may feel as though they are being judged or attacked. As a result, relational strain and marginalization occurs. More specifically, friendships can dissolve. People leaving or becoming angrier at the church.

Revitalization

In some places there will be revitalization difficulty. In churches where nominals may be present and in positions of leadership, there will be a stronghold of spiritual lethargy, gospel indifference and missional paralysis. Leading and navigating change and transformation will be slow, methodical, intentional, messy and possibly even intense.

Directives for Living in a Nominal Religious Context

The situation is not hopeless because there is power in the gospel. These directives, empowered by the gospel of Jesus Christ, will serve as antibodies that will ward off the virus of nominal, or weak, Christianity.

We must be gospel-centered. The gospel should be the sun around which the planets of our lives orbit. Everything we do—personally, emotionally, relationally, maritally, parentally, socially, culturally, vocationally, etc.—should revolve around the good news that Jesus Christ has saved us, redeemed us and made us a part of His glorious kingdom. Being gospel-centered means that we constantly ask ourselves the following question: Is my life bringing glory to King Jesus?

We must be mission-oriented. We are not only saved from our sin and ourselves, but are saved to and for a mission. Being in Christ means that we are His means of advancing His mission in the world. Thus, we enact a posture toward the world for the glory of God. As a result, we come to live a life on mission—intentionally using how we live, where we go, what we do, and what we say as a means to share and show the good news of Jesus with the world.

We must be church-minded. The church isn’t a place we attend but a people we belong to. When Christ saved us, He made us a part of His family. Christ cares about His family—their transformation into His image as well as their participation in His mission. If Christ cares for His family, we should too. If Jesus is committed to His family—in that He will never leave nor forsake them—we should be too.

Nominalism doesn’t save. It’s the equivalent of those in the New Testament who not only wouldn’t enter the kingdom of God themselves, but got in the way of others who wanted to enter.

Nominalism can kill. But Jesus, as Peter reminds us, “has the words of life,” and He is the better way.

This article originally appeared here.

Is the Smartphone Killing Weekend Church Services?

By
Carey Nieuwhof
-
teen pregnancy

Is the Smartphone Killing Weekend Church Services?

As almost everyone by this point has noticed, even committed church attenders are attending weekend church services less often.

Online options are one of 10 reasons I’ve previously outlined on why even committed Christians are attending church less frequently (here are the other nine).

But just how seriously is technology digging into attendance and what can a church leader do in response?

The question is challenging because the change happening around us is so rapid, and those who fail to respond will likely be left clinging to a model that worked a decade ago.

I’ll Just Listen When I’m Running

You only have to be in your 20s to realize how much things have changed in the last decade.

Ten years ago, there was no smart phone. Computers still mostly used cords to access the Internet, and Internet was painfully slow (at least by today’s standards).

If you wanted to listen to a message by a pastor who didn’t live in your town or access pretty much any Christian content, you had to order a CD, wait for it to arrive and listen then. Some churches were still rocking cassette ministries.

Fast forward to today.

Your phone has more power than any device you owned in the 2000s. It’s always connected, and as a result, so are you.

Consequently, you (and millions of others) have access to any preacher, anytime and anywhere, including all the influential communicators. For free. Which is what a growing number of Christians are listening to.

And even in small churches, parishioners now have access to their pastor’s messages on iTunes.

Throw a few bucks into the mix and you can even grab your favorite worship tunes.

Which means that the two ingredients that have been the mainstay of church services for millions of people in Western Culture—a great message and some music— have become largely downloadable.

The implications of this are huge.

Many Christians are thinking ‘why bother going at a set hour and fight traffic when I can listen when I’m running?”

It’s a great question.

And to simply dismiss that approach as unfaithful is a bit simplistic.

This is a great season for leaders to dig deeper and ask why do we do what we do. That’s true any time change comes.

4 Essential Aspects of the Sex Talk With Teenagers

By
Michael Guyer
-
teen pregnancy

In our families and in our churches, we are far too often late to the sex talk with our teenagers and reactionary once we speak up. This should not be the case. The kitchen table and living room are perhaps the best places for this discussion. And the church is called to equip its people to follow Christ and make disciples within our cultures. To fulfill this, we must talk about the uncomfortable issues—homosexuality, same-sex attraction, gender fluidity, pornography and sexual immorality—and we must do so clearly and compassionately. We cannot retreat out of fear or remain silent out of ignorance in either the home or the church. Now is the time for honest answers to hard questions.

Here are four things we must do in the sex talk with teens:

1. Help teenagers see the Bible as their authority and guide.

The uncertainty about issues of sexuality is closely connected to the trustworthiness of the Bible for many teenagers. Many are not grounded in the Bible enough to discuss a biblical response to the issue, and the Bible does not function in an authoritative way in their life. Kevin DeYoung is right: “The challenge before the church is to convince ourselves as much as anyone that believing the Bible does not make us bigots, just as reflecting the times does not make us relevant.” (143) This challenges means two things:

First, we shouldn’t shy away from teaching what the Bible says about sexuality, but proclaim it with grace and love. Teach what the Bible says about gender, sexuality and purity with clarity. Don’t neglect, dismiss or deny what God has clearly said. However, while what you say is important, how you say it has never been more important. Don’t highlight the issues of sexuality as if it is all the Bible speaks against. Rather, teach what the Bible says about sexuality in light of its bigger picture—the goodness of God’s design for human beings and the good news of God’s redemption. The Bible invites us into something much bigger and better than our broken sexual desires—it invites us to know and enjoy the God who made and redeems us.

Second, we shouldn’t neglect to teach why the Bible is trustworthy and why it functions as our ultimate authority. Students need to know what the Bible says, but they also need to know why they can trust it. This begins with demonstrating a high view of God’s Word and its authority in our teaching. It will also involve showing students what the Bible says about itself and how it is historically reliable. This cannot be taken for granted or only given lip service. It must evident in our practices and explicit in our teaching.

2. Listen.

While there are many important and essential things we need to teach teenagers about gender and sexuality, it is imperative that we learn to listen well. We must be invested and involved in the lives of students so that we have the opportunity to listen. We must also create spaces where students are not only receiving God’s Word but discussing their lives and applying God’s Word to specific areas. When it comes to discussing issues of sexuality—especially homosexuality and gender issues—make sure to learn the stories of students who are struggling with these issues or have friends who are. Many teenagers fear being labeled judgmental or intolerant, especially when they have friends who identify as homosexual or as transgender. We need to hear this struggle and speak directly to it with grace and truth.

3. Be patient.

This topic cannot be addressed in a sermon series and then put on the shelf. It must be addressed faithfully as we teach through the Bible in our ministries. It must also be addressed personally through discipleship relationships. In the home, parents must be equipped with resources to discuss these issues with their children around the dinner table. In light of our current cultural climate, many teenagers will likely take a soft stance on these issues and maybe even disagree with the clear teaching of God’s Word, especially when it comes to its political aspects (i.e., same-sex marriage).

Please don’t misunderstand, this is not an agreeing to disagree position. While we cannot compromise the consistent biblical witness about God’s design for gender or sexuality, we must also not cut off conversation with students the first time they push back against it. Like all areas of discipleship, we must commit to patiently walking with teenagers as they come to know and grow up into Christ.

4. Keep our focus on the good news of the gospel.

Whatever we do, regardless of the issue we are addressing, we cannot shift our focus from the hope of the gospel. Following Christ is hard, and it will entail holding unpopular positions within our culture. We should not only make the gospel clear in our teaching, we should show why the gospel is really good news. We should be showing the worth of Jesus in the way we live and what we teach. We should highlight the joy of knowing and being known by our Redeemer. We should show how the gospel really is good news for all people regardless of age, sex, race or sexuality.

It is good news about God coming to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). It is good news that our old self is gone, and we now have a new identity in Christ (Col. 3:1-11; Eph. 4:17-32). It is good news that our past does not define us nor do our present circumstances limit the work God wants to do in and through us (Phil. 3:12-14). It is good news about God coming to set us free from the bondage and shame of sin (Luke 4:18-19; 1 John 1:9). It is good news about God forgiving the guilt of our sin (Mark 2:1-12; 1 John 1:9) and bearing the full wrath of God in our place (Rom. 3:24-26; 5:1). It is good news about God bringing us out from the rule of sin into his glorious kingdom (Mark 1:15; Col. 1:13-14). It is good news about God making us a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and bringing us from death to new, abundant life (Eph. 2:1-10; John 3:3-5; John 10:10)

It is good news about God beginning the restoration of all things (Rom. 8:19-20), including our broken sexual desires. The gospel holds out a better way in the midst of our hyper-sexualized world. Now is the time to press into God’s Word, draw near to our neighbors, and speak and live with compassion and without compromise as we address the issues of sexuality with our teenagers.

Learn about this and other topics at the fourth annual ERLC National Conference on “Parenting: Christ-Centered Parenting in a Complex World” on August 24-26, 2017 in Nashville, TN.

This article about essentials of sex talk with teens originally appeared here.

Character Over Talent

By
James Emery White
-
teen pregnancy

Several years ago, we had to ask a lead vocalist from our Arts Team to step down from the stage. There were character and maturity issues that the leadership staff collectively agreed disqualified her from being platformed in that way.

The goal was to work through those issues with her, in view of a potential return to what were clear talents and abilities.

Sadly, she was unwilling to make that journey.

She went to another church, and within two weeks (I kid you not, two weeks) that church had her on stage singing. It apparently never entered their mind to do any kind of background check on her, even informally calling our church to see if she was ‘safe’ to platform. All that mattered was her voice; and, to be sure, the gal could sing.

I wrote an entire chapter on “picking up the phone” in my book What They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary. Why church leaders don’t talk to each other when someone from a church down the street shows up on their doorstep, I’ll never know.

But for now, let’s think about the larger question: Will you value character over talent? Answer: You must. I know there is no greater temptation—particularly in the area of music—where look and talent blind us. But we must open our eyes. Here are three reasons why:

  1. The Holy Spirit consistently shows up and works through character more than talent. It’s a question of doing something through the “flesh” or through the “Spirit.” The “Spirit” is better. You think the “hip” factor and the vocal range will be what grows your church. Nope. Not, at least, for the long haul.
  2. Character deficiency affects the entire team. Whether it’s ego, a negative attitude, a prima donna mindset, the undermining or disregard of leadership, juvenile behavior, relational divides, snarky comments or blatant immorality, such behavior infects the entire team and creates a demoralized and unhealthy culture. Like a cancer, it will spread from member to member.
  3. You run the very high risk—actually, probability—that the character deficiency will hurt the witness of your church and the impact of the ministry. If you have someone on stage who is seen by a first-time guest who happens to be their coworker, and that person is widely dismissed at work for their lack of character or charity, you have a witness problem. Or if the person’s Instagram postings, tweets or Facebook reveal a character or maturity that undermines the persona on stage, you have a witness problem. And not just a problem—you have a witness train wreck that affects the reputation of the entire church.

Character can be a tricky thing. We tend to think of it solely in terms of sexual immorality. While that is certainly a dynamic, I find it to be even more prevalent in terms of ego, narcissism, insubordination, negativity, gossip, slander, relational immaturity…the list goes on.

So what are you looking for? Certainly gifts and abilities are a factor, but second only to character. And what are we looking for in terms of character?

That’s easy.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, along with humility and a servant’s heart.

I’ll take that over looks and talent any day.

So will God.

This article originally appeared here.

What if Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh Was This?

By
Mike Leake
-
teen pregnancy

“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7, NIV)

There has been much speculation on what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was. Some have speculated that it was a chronic medical condition, a human adversary or some sort of temptation to sin. The speculation is wide ranging, and likely will always be so. Not knowing exactly what it is can actually be helpful to us—Paul’s point here is that God used something undesirable to keep Paul from sinning by becoming prideful. But I want to add one possibility to the speculation that I’ve not heard suggested as of yet.

Two things are worth noting in Paul’s discussion of this “thorn in the flesh.” First, is the fact that it is, literally, an “angel of Satan.” Whether this is a demon, an evil angel (as angels most often have a physical form in Scripture, whereas demons do not), a physical manifestation of Satan himself, or a human agent on Satan’s behalf, is unclear. But if it were one of the first two options, it is likely that we can rule out temptation. In Scripture, we see evil spirits entering people in the Old Testament, and demons entering people in the New Testament. But one thing is interesting about their work—they seldom (if ever) directly entice people to sin.

When we watch Saul with an evil spirit (1 Samuel 16), it doesn’t appear that it is enticing Saul to sin. It’s said that it is “tormenting” Saul. Though Saul sins during these times, trying to kill David, it is likely more of an effect of the mental or physical affliction that he is suffering. Most people don’t try to hurt someone else when they are feeling well and in good mental health. We see this throughout the New Testament as well. Those who are afflicted by demons are most often in some sort of mental or physical distress.

Demons cause people to be unable to speak (Matt. 9:33), unable to hear (Matt. 12:22), have seizures (Matt. 17:14), and cause physical issues such as back problems (Luke 13:11). Their most often seen actions are those which afflict people with amoral ailments. These obviously have effects on the actions of those afflicted, but aren’t necessarily direct enticement to sin.

The second thing we should note is the purpose for Paul’s thorn—“to keep [Paul] from becoming conceited.” We see a similar idea in Job 33:12-18:

“But I tell you, in this you are not right,

for God is greater than any mortal.

13 Why do you complain to him

that he responds to no one’s words?

14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—

though no one perceives it.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls on people

as they slumber in their beds,

16 he may speak in their ears

and terrify them with warnings,

17 to turn them from wrongdoing

and keep them from pride,

18 to preserve them from the pit,

their lives from perishing by the sword.

This is spoken by Elihu, an observer of Job and his friends. Elihu is the only individual in the book of Job who is not rebuked for his speech. But Elihu seems to be offering the option that God speaks to individuals through nightmares, in order to keep them from sin. One sin Elihu names specifically in v. 17 is pride. Paul tells us that this happened to him in order to keep him from becoming conceited, which is language that is similar to what Elihu describes. Elihu says that God may “terrify them with warning, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride,” Paul says that God sent an “angel of Satan” to “torment” him, in order that he may not “become conceited”.

Furthermore, considering the fact that Paul’s “thorn” was given to him because of the visions he was having, it would also make sense if Paul’s “thorn” was something comparable in nature to that which would have inevitably caused his pride. Dreams are also recognized to be caused by the body, though most often used by God upon their remembrance, which would fit Paul’s classification of this “thorn” as “in the flesh.”

Though we may never know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was, this seems to be a reasonable explanation for it, since it would find similarity with the work of evil spirits, is comparable to the cause of his pride, and is specifically taught to be a means used by God to ward off pride in the Old testament.

But the debate continues!

This article originally appeared here.

Are You Forgetting the People in the Pews While Growing Your Church?

By
John Bosman
-
teen pregnancy

If we desire to build healthy churches with excited people worshipping God, loving each other and reaching out to the lost, we should know that the love of God has to flow down the aisles of our churches before it will flow down the streets of our cities.

The truth is that most churches have stagnated and are not growing. That should make us wonder if we haven’t missed something. Our message is solid. Our teachings are great. Our people are committed, but where is the fruit? If preaching and programs could have gotten the job done, we should already have experienced the breakthrough we all so desperately desire. We may have had it turned around all along. We have concentrated primarily on winning the lost but have not necessarily brought the church to the level of love and concern for each other first.

We have for too long concentrated primarily on increasing our church attendance by continually searching for new people, without ever paying attention to those we already have. We are instead driven continuously to get outside the church building and knock on every door in the community. And this is understandable because every pastor and church wants to create the best opportunities to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ. They should, however, couple this essential purpose of the church with genuine care for the people who are already part of their congregations.

The strength of a ministry is evaluated not by what happens in church on Sunday, but by what happens between Sundays. Unless we are deliberate in the way we provide care, it will not occur. If we do not take care of the people God has already given us, why should he send us any more?

A sick church cannot efficiently do evangelism, missions, outreaches, etc., as they should.

Paul urges the church in Galatia by saying, “Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10 NIV). This Scripture places emphasis on the importance of the family of believers. In today’s world, people are responding overwhelmingly to love, family and genuine acceptance. People crave this, both inside and outside the church.

The key to the effectiveness of our God-called mission lies within the healthy relationships and attitudes we display among each other as believers. It makes good sense to start first by cultivating an atmosphere of love and acceptance among the people of God before we attempt to reach out to people in the world. It is when we create an atmosphere of genuine God-kind-of-love that a healthy, safe, spiritual environment begins to develop.

Our strategy for growing safe and healthy churches should be based on our ability to balance caring for the household of faith and reaching the lost. One is dependent upon the other. As pastors, we have tried for too long to do ministry to the exclusion of our church members. Believers have gifts for ministry and are often overlooked and not used.

People want to feel they are part of the team and want to serve in one way or another. Once they are embraced by the family of God, these disciples are developed to likewise love each other and then go out into the world to share his love. It’s in this sense of belonging that people feel secure and start thinking more about their fellow church members than their circumstances and willingly give their lives away.

To provide continued care to all our people will take more than merely encouraging church members to be friendly toward guests on a Sunday or by purely shaking hands with each other during fellowship time. It will require us to invite and encourage each church member to rise to the challenge, be trained and be willing to

In this fresh move of the Spirit, we are seeing new energy released as more and more self-sacrificing pastors and church members are committed to shaping their churches after the simple and efficient ways of Jesus who commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We should never lose sight of the importance of what ministry is all about. It’s not about statistics, numbers or things; it’s about people. Always.

Adapted from The Care Revolution: A Proven New Paradigm for Pastoral Care by Dr. John W Bosman.

How to Know If You’re Running on Emotional Fumes (and 4 Shortcuts to Refuel)

By
John Opalewski
-
teen pregnancy

Emotions can be funny things and can sometimes run on emotional fumes.

Some people let their emotions control them. Others refuse to acknowledge they even possess emotions. Some leaders, to their own peril, ignore the important role a full emotional tank plays in longevity.

According to a Barna Study of 14,000 lead pastors in the U.S., released in 2017, almost four in ten are at medium to high risk of burnout. Concerning for sure. Even more concerning? When those who are not burnt out believe they’re immune or exempt.

I think we avoid emotions sometimes because they can be mysterious. We don’t know how to analyze or interpret them. We don’t know how to measure them. We know we feel something, but at times can’t put a finger on what it is we’re really feeling.

I’d like to try and help with that today.

I believe we have at least 3 must-read indicators that help us figure out the emotional fumes we have in our emotional tank.

Our pace leads to emotional fumes.

If our calendar is consistently crammed, with little-to-no white space to be found, we’re probably running on emotional fumes. The funny thing is (well it’s not so funny), we can run low on emotional fuel and be oblivious to it . . . until we slam into a wall. Then we’re forced to pay attention. From the very beginning of time, God demonstrated a healthy rhythm of work and rest when He paused on the seventh day, after creating the universe. God expects us to work diligently, and to produce good outcomes—but He modeled to us the need for regular downtime. A second indicator on our emotional tank is

Our people lead to emotional fumes.

When was the last time you hung out with trusted friends just to hang out and have fun? If you can’t remember when, chances are the needle on your emotional fuel tank is nearing E. Solitude is healthy. Isolation is not. Solitude is good in small doses. Isolation leads to emotional depletion. If you’re neglecting friendships, it’s an objective indicator that you’re probably operating dangerously close to empty emotionally. A third indicator on our emotional tank is

Our plan leads to emotional fumes.

If we don’t have an intentional plan to recharge our emotional batteries, chances are high that one day we’ll be living life on empty emotionally. Responsible car owners have a maintenance plan for their vehicle. They change the oil and rotate the tires to get extended life out of it. Just like we should have a maintenance plan for our car, we should have a plan to keep our emotional tank full. Here are four shortcuts that will help you maintain healthy levels of emotional fuel:

Shortcut 1: Laughter

Laughter is strategic. Ever felt better after a good belly laugh? Laughter releases chemicals in our brain that reduce stress and lift our mood. I came out of college wound up as tight as a man-bun.  One of the best gifts my closest work colleagues gave me was permission to laugh and have fun. Make laughter an intentional part of your life, and your emotional tank will be fuller.

Shortcut 2: Exercise

Exercise a shortcut? Yes. You don’t have to be a body-builder to gain positive effects. Just get your body moving. I find when I’ve had a stressful day, lifting weights or walking brings relief.  Exercise is a good use of your time and it helps most people fill up their emotional tank.

Shortcut 3: Boredom
Keeping the emotional tank full requires you to occasionally inject a little bit of “boring” into your life. Not a lot of boring . . . just a little. Find a hobby or recreational activity that distracts you and doesn’t require you to think about anything serious. Put it on your calendar regularly, and then guard it carefully. We all need a bit of boring in our lives.

Shortcut 4: Sleep

A colleague announced to me many years ago: “Sleep is a disposable commodity.” My response? “That’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard.” Our brain repairs itself when we sleep. It flushes out toxins when we sleep. Almost every adult on the planet needs 7-8 hours of sleep each night to keep the emotional tank replenished. The negative effects of sleep deprivation are so dramatic that people who are hungoveroutperform those who regularly skimp on their sleep.

Getting our arms around the emotional piece of life takes understanding. And practice. Lots of practice.

The question is: is it worth the time and effort?  Take it from somebody who was on the edge of suicide 25 years ago—YES! YES! YES! It’s worth every bit of work required to live this way. It’s so much easier to prevent emotional depletion than to recover from it. It’s worth every ounce of effort to learn a way of life that includes consistently recharging your emotional batteries.

When you read the Gospels, you discover Jesus had this refueling thing figured out. He spent quite a few  nights away from the crowds, away from the hustle/bustle of public ministry . . . even some targeted time away from His disciples . . . so He could refuel.

If we figure out this refueling thing too, we’ll have a better life. Healthier relationships. A more fulfilling journey. A longer leadership run. And more fun along the way!

I’m rooting and praying for you!.

This article originally appeared here.

Did Improper Voting Skew the UMC’s Homosexuality Vote?

By
Megan Briggs
-
teen pregnancy

Last month, when the United Methodist Church voted to reinforce a traditional stance on marriage and block gay clergy from serving in its midst, many UMC pastors and members, especially in the U.S., were shocked and dismayed. Now, these more progressive members of the UMC may have reason to believe the monumental vote was subject to improper voting methods.

“At least four ballots were cast by individuals who were not authorized to vote, according to interviews and a review of the church’s records,” an article in the New York Times reports.

Could Voting Irregularities Have Skewed the Decision on Homosexuality?

Even though the Traditional Plan won out over the One Church Plan at the UMC’s General Conference in St. Louis in February by a margin of 54 votes, this information is reason enough for leaders of the UMC to consider holding another vote. The UMC has also hired a consulting firm to examine whether everyone who voted at the conference was indeed eligible to cast a vote.

According to the New York Times, church officials who oversaw the conference said the audit showed it was “possible that a very limited number of ineligible persons” had voted. Apparently, these individuals were initially denied voting credentials by staff at the conference but were somehow later able to obtain them.

The Times also did a bit of its own investigating and found “additional regularities” with the voting. Their inquiries found two names on the delegate list from South Congo. These two people, however, were not able to travel to the U.S. because of visa issues. Additionally, three people voted as delegates from South Congo, but “their names are absent from conference attendance logs and delegate election records.”

A more troubling account includes a delegate voting as a representative of Congo. The Times explains:

One unauthorized delegate was Philippe Kasap Kachez, whose father is Bishop Kasap Owan, a prominent opponent of gay clergy. Three Methodists from the Congo region identified Mr. Kasap Kachez to The Times as a voter seated on the floor. Mr. Chali spoke with him in St. Louis and asked why he was present.

“He said he did not go to a Methodist church in Congo; instead he lives in Brussels,” Mr. Chali said in a phone interview. “He said, ‘I came here because my dad asked me to come vote against the lesbians.’”

When contacted on Facebook and WhatsApp, Mr. Kasap Kachez declined to comment. Bishop Kasap Owan did not respond to questions.

Who Is Technically Eligible to Vote in the UMC?

The UMC is composed of “Annual Conferences” that are organized by geographic location. For instance, the Mountain Sky Conference in the U.S. includes churches in Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and a small section of Idaho. Countries outside the U.S. are organized into three conferences: Africa Central Conferences, Europe Central Conferences and the Philippines Central Conference. Each conference elects delegates to send to the General Conferences, which typically occur every four years. The conference in February was a Special Session of the General Conference to address the growing question of homosexuality within the UMC.

The delegates are composed of clergy and lay members. How many delegates a conference is allowed to send is dependent on the number of church members that conference serves. Reserves are also elected, in case an elected delegate cannot make a General Conference. Since it is sometimes difficult for delegates from Africa to obtain visas to enter the U.S., they typically elect more reserves than other conferences might.

Irregularities Are Concerning

“To learn that there were irregularities in the voting is distressing and of great concern,” said Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, the president of the UMC’s Council of Bishops.

The Music Tour Your Youth Group Can Afford and Your Teens Actually Want to See

By
Jesse T. Jackson
-
teen pregnancy

One of the largest, most successful Christian youth gatherings has been happening for the last 19 years and continues to grow. It isn’t just for youth, but it is geared toward the younger generation. It is called Winter Jam Tour and is one of the most successful Christian tours in the United States. For the past two months, it has been making its way throughout the East Coast that started in Jacksonville Florida, and will end in Cleveland, Ohio. When it comes to a close this year it will have stopped in over 40 cities nationwide.

Since Winter Jam’s creation, it has seen attendances comparable to tours such as U2, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga. Dove award and some Grammy award-winning artists like Skillet, TobyMac, Red, Lecrae, Plumb, David Crowder, Mandisa, Lauren Daigle, Hillsong, and many more have graced the stages of the annual arena tour.

The best part of the tour is not the $15 dollar at the door, first-come-first-serve seating. It is the heart of why the founders of Winter Jam faithfully trust that God will provide the funds to get from venue to venue. That heart is sharing the gospel with everyone that comes in the doors to see the show. Yes, there is loud hip hop, to congregational worship, to rock n roll, but it is infused with the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the entire night.

This year Winter Jam teamed up with Greg Stier and Zane Black of Dare 2 Share Ministries to bring the message of Jesus to the thousands of attendees every night. There have been over 21 thousand indications for Christ so far through the halfway mark of the tour. They aren’t just presenting the gospel, Greg and Zane are mobilizing and encouraging the Christians in attendance to share their faith with someone within 48 hours of the show. They ask everyone to download the Life in 6 Words App that can help you start a spiritual conversation using your phone. God, Our, Sins, Paying, Everyone, Life is explained as well in a video that Humble Beast recording artist Propaganda did a few years ago. Dare 2 Share Live will be held October 12, 2019, a one day global outreach event you can sign up now to be a part of.

Winter Jam has also been promoting the North American Mission Board’s “Who’s Your One?” 2019 initiative to challenge every believer to share their faith and boldly pray for an unbeliever they know of. This could be the largest, loudest, and cheapest 5-hour annual youth gathering that encourages and equips the younger generation to take the good news of Jesus Christ all over the world.

Join the Newsboys, Mandisa, Rend Collective, Ledger, Hollyn, and more this year on this year’s Winter Jam Tour. Worshiping Jesus with thousands of other believers is just a very, very small taste of what we get to do as a church for eternity when we see Jesus face to face; and that never gets old.

Human ‘Bone Church’ in Need of Reconstruction

By
Stephanie Martin
-
teen pregnancy

If you think modern-day church building projects are complicated, imagine the job facing archaeologists in the Czech Republic: They plan to clean and preserve the bones of at least 40,000 people that rest below the Sedlec Ossuary church, also known as the Bone Church.

Ordinary-looking on the outside, the Gothic church in the medieval mining town of Kutná Hora features four large pyramids of bones, skull candle holders, a coat of arms made of bone, and a massive chandelier made of every bone from the human body.

How the Bones Ended Up There

According to legend, in 1278 the King of Bohemia sent an abbot from the Sedlec monastery on a pilgrimage to Golgotha. When the abbot returned with what was deemed “holy soil,” Sedlec became one of the region’s most desirable burial sites. Soon afterward, Europe was hit by the plague, resulting in 30,000 more bodies being added to the cemetery. The Crusades of the 15th century added another 10,000. That same century, as the town built its church, bones were exhumed and stacked in pyramids in the basement ossuary.

Fast-forward to 1870, when woodcarver Frantisek Rint was hired to bleach, carve and artfully arrange the human remains. He designed the chandelier centerpiece, as well as chalices, candelabras and crosses—all made from skeletons. The coat of arms honors the aristocratic family that provided funding for Rint’s work.

The Plan to Fortify the Bone Church 

Although a specialist regularly cleans the bones with a toothbrush, the aging process is taking a toll on them. Restoration plans include computer-mapping the pyramids before dismantling them, cleaning each of the bones, and then reconstructing the pyramids. A firm has been hired to oversee the process, which is expected to take two years.

“The bones will be cleansed of surface dirt and then soaked in lime solution,” says conservationist Tomas Kral. “This is a natural method of preservation which was also used during the creation of the pyramids.”

Though ossuaries may seem macabre today, they were once common in Europe among Catholic and Eastern Orthodox faith communities. One of the most well-known is the Paris Catacombs.

Every year, more than half a million tourists visit the Sedlec Ossuary, and, as one website quips, they’re welcomed with open arms. “Many people find it weird today and come to see this as some dark spectacle, a house of horrors,” says Radka Krejci, who oversees operations at the church. “But we do not want it to be perceived like that. It is a place of reverence, a burial place.”

The church’s website notes, “You will most likely not find it to be scary but peaceful.” A tourist describing a visit to the ossuary writes, “I’m not often speechless, but I was in there… Though I didn’t feel it is haunted or anything, I did have a weighty feeling that’s hard to explain.”

Interestingly, a death-metal band based in Kansas City named itself Sedlec Ossuary, in honor of the unique building.

Religious Leaders Stand in Solidarity With Muslims in New Zealand

By
Megan Briggs
-
teen pregnancy

Reaching across religious lines to offer comfort, religious leaders all over the world are articulating their condolences to those affected by Friday’s mosque shootings in New Zealand. As fellow people of faith, these leaders are spreading the Pray for New Zealand message.

“This is one of New Zealand’s darkest days,” New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters.

A gunman attacked two mosques on Friday in Christchurch, New Zealand, during Friday prayers. At least 49 people have died, with many more injured, some critically. A suspect is in custody, but authorities in New Zealand are not ruling out the possibility that the shooter had help.

As if the incident wasn’t bad enough, it appears those involved in the attack uploaded footage of shootings to social media and YouTube. It is obvious those responsible wanted the incident to be highly publicized. Authorities in New Zealand are asking people on social media not to share images of the suspected shooter or any of the footage the shooter may have uploaded.

Christian Leaders Offer Condolences

The fact that Muslim worshippers were attacked while attending a prayer service has struck a nerve with the global religious community. Christian leaders took to Twitter and other social media platforms to express their sorrow at the event.

J.D. Greear, Pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, and President of the Southern Baptist Convention

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Canterbury, United Kingdom

Mika Edmondson, Pastor of New City Fellowship Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stadia Church Planting Network in the United States

Russell Moore, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, United States

Reverend Dr. Demali Najuma Smith-Pollard, Senior Pastor of Word of Encouragement Community Church in Los Angeles, California

Dr. Glenn Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Australia

Arkansas United Methodist Church Conference

Other Faith Communities Stand in Solidarity with Muslims

Jewish leaders announced the synagogues in New Zealand will be closed on Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath) out of a sign of solidarity with New Zealand’s Muslim community. Isaac Herzog, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, said, “The Jewish Agency and the NZ Jewish Council stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. We are united in fighting violent hatred and racism.”

Other Muslim communities in places like the United States are concerned for their own safety after the attack. “Every time there is a shooting in any house of worship, mosque, synagogue or church, we Muslims wonder ‘Are we going to be next?'” Imam Ahmed Alamine told the Indy Star. Aliya Amin, executive director of the Muslim Alliance of Indiana, said the group is urging all religious congregations to “step up their security.”

Despite the devastation and fear, though, Alamine says, “The level of support from law enforcement, from Christians, from Jews, it is just so amazing.”

5 Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

By
Dan Reiland
-
teen pregnancy

Jesus knew how to recruit.

When He said to Peter and Andrew; “Come, follow me,” He wanted, even anticipated, a yes (Matthew 4:18-19). Jesus had a purpose, showed passion and focused on the person.

We all desire a yes, but how you go about it makes all the difference. The process of recruiting can either give something to the person or take something from them. It’s not always that black and white, but here’s what I mean.

5 Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

When recruiting gives something to the person, you’re inviting them to be part of something bigger than they could achieve on their own. Something that God Himself ordained and has eternal value.

When recruiting takes something from the person, you are asking them to solve a problem you have by helping you get something done at the church.

See how different they are? You’d never describe recruiting like that or as taking something, and it’s never intentional, but it’s a common experience especially when you are under pressure.

Recruiting in a volunteer faith-based organization is not for the faint of heart. Not because it’s difficult, but because it never ends. You have to love what you do! If you get the basics right, recruiting becomes second nature and you gain a momentum that helps you keep going.

Leaders who are great recruiters:

  1. Love people
  2. Are passionate about the vision
  3. Possess a servant’s heart
  4. Are positive by nature
  5. Are more secure than insecure
  6. Cast vision and encourage well
  7. Have a strategic mind and a shepherd’s heart

However, no matter how good you may be at recruiting volunteers, there are some things that if they’re true about your church, will make recruiting significantly (and unnecessarily) more difficult.

3 hinderances that make recruiting unnecessarily difficult:

1) Too many ministries

This may seem obvious, but when a church has too many ministries, it’s impossible to keep up with recruiting demands. You risk wearing people out by asking them to serve in several ministries. No one church can do every ministry possible, so be strategic, pray much and select the few ministries your church can do best.

2) Ministries that aren’t effective

This one is relatively easy to fix. If the ministry is not working and lives are not being changed, there’s more effort than results and little passion, and it’s not a core or non-negotiable ministry, then shut it down. I say “relatively” easy because there is usually someone still passionate about it, but it’s necessary to make difficult decisions for your core and priority ministries to thrive.

3) Ministries that don’t capture the heart

Sometimes this is about poorly cast vision, and I’ll cover some thoughts about that under point 5 coming up. But any ministry that does not capture people’s hearts is going to be difficult to lead forward.

5 Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid:

1) Allowing desperation to influence the selection

What’s the better choice? A ministry position left unfilled or a ministry position filled with the wrong person? Seems easy, right? It’s better to leave the position unfilled. Always. But in the moment, when the pressure is on, it’s easy to cave and choose someone not right for that particular ministry.

Desperate is never the right disposition when recruiting a volunteer leader or team member. It’s always much more difficult to undo a hasty decision than to wait for the right person. The “right” person doesn’t mean the perfect person, but someone who can do the job with proper training, who has a passion for it and is not serving in two-three other ministries.

2) Missing the critical 90-day window

The first three months are vital to welcoming a new volunteer and establishing expectations.

Both sides of the relationship are important.

As the leader, make sure you provide great training, communicate regularly and clearly, and encourage often. For the volunteer, don’t be shy to communicate expectations of the ministry, even things like showing up on time and being spiritually prepared. They want to know these things! Volunteers want to serve well, therefore letting them know what’s expected is helpful.

3) Practicing “catch and abandon”

Volunteers who quit nearly always express some version of,

“Once I was recruited and got started, that was the last I heard from anyone unless they wanted something else from me.”

That comment may sound harsh, but keep in mind, if that’s how some volunteers feel, we need to understand why. It doesn’t matter if it may be exaggerated; it’s up to us as the leaders to lead well.

Of course, you’re not “catching” anyone. When you recruit someone, you’re inviting and including them into your ministry team. They become part of your serving community and very often become new friends. Ongoing communication, encouragement, resourcing, training as needed, and lots of appreciation are part of a great serving team and meaningful relationships.

4) Valuing skill over character

Overall capability is important, and for some ministries, specific skills are necessary to build a great volunteer team for effective ministry. But competence over character never ends well in the long-run. It’s much easier to train for competence than to solve problems from character issues.

Start with discerning of character and spiritual maturity. Here are five good questions to consider that will help you discern.

  • Will they follow their leader? This reveals how they view those in authority.
  • Will they be a team player? This helps you know their heart to serve.
  • Will they learn and improve? This helps you know their desire to grow.
  • Will they sacrifice? This gives some insight into their perspective in life.
  • Will they be honest and authentic? This helps you know their level of maturity and security.

5) Under-emphasizing the “heart and why” of vision

When you’re recruiting, don’t rush to the tasks of a ministry too quickly. It’s good that you want to be clear and I hope you have it in written form, but always start with vision.

The heart behind your vision is compelling and why you do it is inspiring. Candidly, it’s about 90 percent of why people volunteer and 98 percent of why they continue to serve.

Each ministry is specific, but overall, heart says that you care and the why is to see lives changed.

So, for example, if you are recruiting for student ministry, tell why you care about teens and describe how you show it. Also, tell stories about changed lives among the students you serve. The heart behind it and why you do it is where effective recruiting starts.

This article originally appeared here.

Major New Research on Declining, Plateaued and Growing Churches

By
Thom Rainer
-
teen pregnancy

I love solid research. This new release about declining, plateaued and growing churches is absolutely incredible.

I am grateful to Exponential for engaging LifeWay Research to discern current levels of church health according to a number of factors. While worship attendance trends over a three-year period were a primary indicator of health in this study, the Exponential research also included conversions, income and staffing in the data.

Major New Research on Declining, Plateaued and Growing Churches

In addition to the categorization of churches as declining/subtracting (Level 1), plateauing (Level 2) and growing/adding (Level 3), the study looked at two other supplemental categories. A Level 4 (reproducing) church places a high value and priority on starting new churches. A level 5 (multiplying) church takes church planting to multiple generations of congregations.

The accuracy of this research cannot be overstated. LifeWay Research phoned 1,000 Protestant pastors. Quotas were used to maintain the correct population of each church size. Responses were weighed by region to reflect more accurately the total U.S. population. The sample provides a 95 percent confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +/- 3.2 percent. This information from the statistical nerds assures us the study is very accurate.

Here are some of the fascinating findings about declining, plateaued and growing churches:

  1. 70 percent of churches are subtracting/declining or plateauing. Only 30 percent are adding/growing based on Exponential’s categorization of churches which is defined above. This data is largely consistent with other research we have done. The period covered is three years.
  2. There are relatively few reproducing churches. The research categorized only 7 percent of the churches as reproducing (Level 4). The numbers of churches considered multiplying (Level 5: multiple generations of church plants) was 0 percent in the sample, indicating a negligible number in the total U.S. church population.
  3. The majority of Protestant churches had less than 10 people commit to Jesus Christ as Savior in the past 12 months. That’s fewer than one person per month. That’s not good. That’s not good at all.
  4. Smaller churches are at severe risk. Among those churches with an average worship attendance under 50, only 20 percent are growing. That is the lowest of any of the categories of churches and is an indicator that these churches are at the greatest risk of dying.
  5. Larger churches have a much lower risk of dying. Among the churches with an average worship attendance of 250 and more, 42 percent are growing. That is, by far, the largest number of growing churches in any category.

I am grateful to Exponential for initiating this research. Their focus was to discover congregations exhibiting Level 4 and 5 behaviors. In other words, they want to learn more about churches that are reproducing and churches that are multiplying.

But the study also gave us more insights into the challenges before us to see churches revitalized. Seven of 10 churches in America are declining. That is the challenge. The opportunity is a renewed interest in both church planting and church revitalization.

Thank you, Exponential and LifeWay Research. I encourage you readers to look at the totality of the Exponential research here.

This article originally appeared here.

Using Basecamp to Manage Events, Trips, and Projects in Family Ministry

By
Nick Blevins
-
teen pregnancy

I’m sure you agree that in children’s ministry and student ministry, we have to manage a lot. Curriculum, volunteers, events, classes, projects, trips, communication, schedules, email, social media, policies, paperwork, resources, supplies and other things I’m sure I’m missing. At some point, we all need a system to help manage everything we manage.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT?

I know many of you cringe at the phrase “Project Management.” I’m the opposite, as before I ever considered working for a church I was a project manager and planned on doing some version of that in my career long-term. I enjoy it.

However, even if it makes your skin crawl, it’s important because your ministry needs it.

That’s not all. You need it.

Here are four reasons why:

TEAM COLLABORATION

If you’re doing ministry alone, you’re doing it wrong. You need to work with a team and your team needs a way to collaborate centrally so everyone is on the same page. Project management is all about helping teams work together. You will be a lid to the growth of your ministry if you cannot work through teams.

REPEATING EFFORTS

There is so much to manage and much of it repeats weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly. Because you repeat trips, events and projects, it makes sense to use some tool to help you avoid re-doing all the planning each time. You already thought of everything needed to pull off that event, so why not save it somewhere and get a head start next time?

CONSISTENCY MATTERS

Consistency builds trust. The more you are consistent with your ministries, events, trips, communication, etc., the more trust you build with families. Project management allows you to stay consistent by saving what was done before and offering the same thing again.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Not only does project management allow you to be more consistent, it also makes it easier to continuously improve. You know exactly what you did before and, if you’re smart, you debriefed afterward and saved your feedback. You can easily use that feedback the next time around because you saved it all in your project management tool.

BASECAMP FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Basecamp is the primary project management solution we use. If you downloaded my free resource, 30 Apps We Use to Lead Family Ministry, then you already know that. Here is how we use it specifically.

EVERY EVENT, TRIP OR PROJECT IS IN BASECAMP

Basecamp primarily works in projects. You create a project for whatever you’re collaborating on. It might be an event, a trip or a project such as re-doing your volunteer job descriptions. In each project, you have to-do lists, message boards, file storage, chats, schedules, messaging and reports.

We primarily use the to-do lists and file storage. It’s really helpful because items on the to-do lists can be grouped by lists, assigned to specific people, reorganized and given a due date. The real magic in Basecamp, however, is templates.

BASECAMP TEMPLATES FOR RECURRING PROJECTS

Basecamp 3 is the new version, but templates aren’t available in 3 until later this year or early 2017. We’re on Basecamp 2 and templates are available. Think of templates as a fully-created Basecamp project that’s ready to go. If we have a project that will happen again, like our annual C3 Kids Summer Team, we have a template for it (see the screenshot).

In our case, we create all of our templates simply by taking the first version of the project and saving it as a template when it’s finished. It saves all the lists, to-dos, files, discussion, everything. When you use that to create a new project the next time, it’s all there ready to go. Some simple tweaks and adjustments are usually all we need to run the play again.

There are many good project management solutions out there and I use a couple others for different reasons, but Basecamp has worked best for our family ministry staff.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE ALL YOU HAVE TO MANAGE?

This article originally appeared here.

How to Comfort Those Bereaved by Tragedy (A Personal Story)

By
Daniel Henderson
-
teen pregnancy

(Today the bereaved family and community attended the funeral service for 29-year old deputy, Zackari Parrish was held in Colorado. One pastor and close family friend offers some biblical perspective that helps us frame this tragedy and better navigate the difficulties of our own lives.)

Trust in the Midst of Tragedy – Reflections on the Life and Impact of Deputy Zackari Parrish

In the midst of tragedy, we always have choices. Do we believe what our emotions tell us when we are devastated and raw? Do we rely on what we see with our human eyes when our perspective can often be severely jaded? Do we trust in what we know to be true about the person and purposes of God, even when life is random and broken? These choices are real, and sometimes daily, for all of us. They are particularly important, especially when disaster strikes close to home.

A Call and a Prayer When Bereaved

Last Sunday morning my wife received a call from her dear friend, Michelle. (Michelle and her husband, Tim, are the newest board members of our ministry). Within moments of receiving the news about the tragic shooting of her son-in-law, Deputy Zackari Parish, Michelle reached out to my wife and me for prayer and support.

You’ve likely seen the heartbreaking story on national news. Zackari, along with four other Douglas County police officers were assaulted by a mentally-ill gunman in the early morning hours on Sunday, December 31. Zackari was the only officer to lose his life while trying to help the suspect.

After receiving Michelle’s call, my wife and I headed straight to Zackari and Gracie Parish’s home. Gracie and her father Tim were with the police at the county morgue identifying Zackari’s body. Gathered at the home, we joined Gracie’s two little girls, her siblings and their spouses, another pastor, a family friend and the victim assistance officers from the sheriff’s department.

Everyone was at a loss for words. Tears flowed. Bewilderment prevailed. Grief was palpable. The tragedy was surreal leaving everyone in shock.

Michelle asked me to lead the shattered family in prayer as we gathered in the den. Certainly, in my decades of pastoral ministry, I have been in similar situations. Most of us have. But, honestly, what do you pray in a moment like this? I desperately needed the comfort, wisdom, and words of the Holy Spirit to minister to this broken family.

Praying and Trusting the Truth When Bereaved

In those difficult and intimate moments, as I prayed, the Lord helped me with some core certainties from Scripture that guided my heart and shaped my words. The words I prayed are beliefs we must all embrace in the midst of tragedy.

“The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” – The familiarity of this verse (Job 1:21) in no way diminishes its relevance and power. When Job experienced devastating loss, he made the deliberate choice to trust the assurance of God’s character, over and above the immediate circumstances.

At a memorial service earlier this week, Gracie, the newly-widowed young mother, boldly affirmed “Blessed be his name.” (See her testimony HERE) From a broken heart and through profuse tears, Gracie has received God’s grace to trust steadfastly in the name and character of her Savior.

“This day is very bad, but You are good” – As we prayed together last Sunday morning, we knew evil had temporarily triumphed. Yet, this overwhelming and temporary exhibition of evil paled in comparison to the ever faithful and overarching goodness of God. Psalm 119:68 affirms, “You are good and do good;” This is always true regardless of the circumstance, but we need grace to embrace it.

“This entire situation is entirely unfair, but You are just”– The fact that a young, vibrant, and loving police officer, husband and dad would have his life suddenly snuffed out was so very wrong. Yet, God’s justice prevails—if not evidently in this life—assuredly in eternity. Through all the wrongs of this earthly journey, God is a perfect scorekeeper and his eternal scoreboard is always right and final.

“This moment is so senseless and out of control, but You are sovereign” – The Eternal Creator of the universe is all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present. When life does not make sense, we know that he is at work to redeem all things for his glory. As difficult as it is, he will enable us to trust his purposes.

4 Simple Ways to Be a More Effective Speaker

By
Greg Stier
-
teen pregnancy

I’ve been speaking to teenagers for almost three decades now, during a third of that time I was a preaching pastor as well. I’m terrible at sports (uncoordinated) and horrific at hobbies (easily distracted) so I’ve poured everything I have into becoming a better, more effective speaker.

Here are three things you can do to vastly improve your communication skills and be an effective speaker:

1.  Master your message to be an effective speaker.

This may seem like a “no duh” but you’d be shocked at the number of preachers, teachers and communicators who essentially wing it when they speak. They may have a few notes they’ve jotted down but they haven’t really done the heavy lifting of speaking prep. Instead they have a few points they’ve jotted down with a couple of illustrations they’ve woven into the fabric of their message. These are what I call “Texas Steer Talks“…They have a point here, a point there and a lot of bull in between.

This is a no no if you want to be an effective communicator. This is especially true when you are handling God’s Holy Word.

When we preach or teach from the Bible we are standing in God’s place delivering God’s truth. 1 Peter 4:11 puts it this way, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” A holy chill should go down our spines every time we grace the pulpit because it is a fearful duty and an awesome privilege.

So take time to master your message. Exegte your text. Exegete your audience. Wrestle with the Spirit until he helps you to put to paper (or iPad) the message He is giving you to preach. Work on your main points, transitions and illustrations until it is exactly what it needs to be to make a maximum impact on the audience. I call this process “baking it until it’s cooked.”

And once you have it down on paper, get it down in your heart, soul and mind. Review, practice, repeat…until you can preach it freely without being tied to your notes.

2.  Tell great stories to be an effective speaker.

Jesus told great stories. Most of the greatest preachers who ever lived told great stories. I think the better the storyteller you are the more you’ll be able to amply and effectively illustrate the points of your talk.

Stories are windows that help us peer into the building of God’s truth. They are lights that illuminate biblical principles that may seem hidden in the dark. They are telescopes to help us see the breadth and magnitude of God’s Word. They are microscopes to magnify the intricacies of God’s character.

When I’m preaching and say the words “Let me tell you a story…” the audience often has a visceral reaction. All of a sudden glazed eyes snap back to normal. In that moment everyone is transformed back to a child sitting on their father’s lap listening to him read their favorite bedtime story.

I think of Chuck Swindoll, my favorite living preacher. He is a masterful storyteller, powerful exegete and effective communicator. Because of this, his sermons are simple (not simplistic), even when he is talking about deep theological truths. He draws you in with the stories and then, in his Swindollian way, clobbers you with the truth. And, because his messages are clear, compelling and convicting, millions keep coming back for more.

Tell funny stories. Tell serious stories. Tell enough stories. But don’t tell too many stories, because the purpose of preaching is not storytelling, but truth telling. Telling just the right amount of stories can be a means to that end.

Continue

Why Men Need Community

By
Chris Surratt
-
teen pregnancy

Why Men Need Community

We all need community. In fact, we were designed by God to be in community. You can see it modeled for us with the perfect relationship of the Trinity in Genesis.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” – Genesis 1:26

And then Jesus prayed for this community with His final prayer before His death on the cross:

May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. – John 17:21

So why do so many of us try to go it alone? We are men. That is the general answer and is what a lot of us were taught growing up. Real men can pull up the bootstraps and get ‘er done on our own. Even the appearance of leaning on someone else can make us look weak and feel like failures. I could go on and on with a long list of cultural excuses why you can’t be in community, but here are three strong reasons why you should be.

1. Being a man can be a lonely world.

Because we have been taught from birth to go it alone, we end up lonely. Even though we may have people around us all day at the office, we can still go without the life-giving community we desperately need. Your family can provide a piece of it—and our community should start there—but they can only do so much. Ultimately, we need fellow brothers in Christ to walk alongside us.

2. We all need accountability.

I am not just speaking to moral accountability although that is important. We also need to be held accountable for being a better spouse, a better parent and a better friend. Iron sharpens iron, and we become dull without a community to hold us to our commitments. Spiritual willpower is overrated and weak.

3. Your family needs a model.

Just as Jesus modeled healthy community for his disciples, we are to model it for the people we influence and lead. Discipleship starts in the home. We are missing generations of disciples in the church because parents never modeled it for their children. If you desire for your family to seek out healthy relationships in their lives, it starts with you.

This article originally appeared here.

“Don’t Wrestle With Pigs” (Thoughts on Handling Criticism)

By
Scott Sauls
-
teen pregnancy

Even though I hate it when people criticize me, here are some thoughts on handling criticism.

Yet being criticized is to be expected when you are an influencer or a leader. Even the best parents routinely get criticized by their children, bosses by their employees, coaches by their players, athletes and artists by their fans, teachers by their students, and pastors by their congregants. If we are unskilled at handling criticism, we may want to consider doing something different with our lives.

Over the years, I have gotten better about handling criticism from the people around me. When the criticism is fair, it actually helps me see my blind spots, address my weaknesses, and improve my efforts at loving and leading those around me. However, when the criticism is not fair, I can sometimes react in a negative and defensive way. And, honestly, I sometimes react that way when the criticism is fair.

Recently, a man who was traveling through Nashville and had visited our church sent me a public criticism on Twitter, telling me all of the things that, in his “humble opinion,” were wrong about my sermon. Feeling defensive and irritated, I foolishly retaliated with a criticism of my own, along with a Bible verse to justify my response. The man then sent five more messages on Twitter, piling on more criticism, taking my words out of context, and putting words in my mouth. I then responded a second time, again in a way that was not helpful.

Handling Criticism and Wrestling Pigs

My friend and unofficial big brother, pastor Scotty Smith, saw the exchange between the church visitor and me and swiftly sent me a text message that said, “Scott, dear brother, you forgot that you’re not supposed to wrestle with pigs.”

Scotty’s text was not intended as an insult to the man on Twitter. Rather, he was reminding me of a phrase that he and I had picked up from an article by Carey Nieuwhof about healthy leadership. “Don’t wrestle with pigs” is another way of saying that when people try to pick a fight with you or when they seem bent on criticizing you no matter what you say or do, it’s usually best simply not to engage them. Why? Because when leaders “wrestle with pigs,” we run the risk of ourselves becoming pig-headed in the process.

There is another disadvantage to “wrestling with pigs.” When we fight back—instead of seeking to defuse the situation by not responding or by answering gently—we condition ourselves to reject all criticism, even the kind that is fair. We do this to our own peril.

In each of us is the potential for great good and potential for exceptional evil. We are, at the same time, both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Scripture puts words to this dual reality in multiple ways. We are, at the same time, saints and transgressors, old man and new man, flesh and spirit. We are, as Luther said, simul justus et peccator—at the same time righteous and sinner. This means that we are at all times capable of heroic love and unspeakable evil. Even the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest Christian leaders who ever lived, recognized this about himself as he wrote in his letter to the Romans:

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate… For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have a desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…

When I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin” (Romans 7:15, 18-19, 21-23).

Thankfully for all of us, this is not the end of the story for Paul. Having been brought low by his sin, he goes on in the next chapter to provide the hope-filled solution to his (and our) problem with sin. In Christ, who has redeemed us from the curse of God’s law, there is no condemnation. Christ, who is our legal advocate before the judgment seat of God, also gives his Spirit to dwell inside of us. The Spirit helps us to pray when we don’t know how, directs our minds toward the things of the Spirit and away from the things of the flesh, and reminds us that nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from his love (Romans 8).

Although it is never a good idea to get into a spitting match with an unfair critic who is behaving more like a pig than a friend, there are potentially redemptive ways to address her/his “unfairness,” should it seem right to do so.

The story is told of the evangelist Dwight L. Moody, who, while preaching the gospel to a large crowd, had his own “Shimei” experience (for the story of Shimei, see 2 Samuel 16:5-13). A young, self-assured, know-it-all seminary student in the crowd began to publicly challenge the things that Moody, the veteran evangelist, was saying. This student rudely interrupted him several times and tried to trip him up. Eventually, Moody got fed up with the young man’s rude behavior and snapped at him. The evangelist, widely known as one of the world’s most eloquent communicators, used his gift with words to punish the young man, sharply putting him in his place. Thinking that the young man got what he deserved, the crowd showed their hearty approval of Moody’s response. Then, later in his talk, Moody stopped himself and said in front of them all:

“Friends, I have to confess before all of you that at the beginning of my meeting I gave a very foolish answer to my brother down here. I ask God to forgive me, and I ask him to forgive me.”

Moody demonstrated true leadership and greatness in that moment. Though guilty of the seemingly lesser sin, he became the first to repent and apologize. He, the one “in power,” valued his character and the young man in front of him more than he valued saving face. Though he could have said nothing and gone home satisfied that he had soundly defeated the young antagonist in their public standoff, he instead humbled himself and publicly apologized.

If Jesus, who never committed even the smallest offense, would humble himself and make himself nothing for our sakes; if Jesus would lose face in order to save face for us; if Jesus would allow himself to be exposed, criticized, despised and rejected in order to cover our shame and prove his great love for us, then it makes sense that we would want to follow in the footsteps of people like Dwight L. Moody and countless others by humbling ourselves when we are exposed for our shortcomings and sins. For although we are “worse than we think we are,” we are also, as Jack Miller also said, “more loved than we ever dared to hope.”

This article on handling criticism originally appeared here.

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