Greetings in Jesus' name, and welcome to this new blog space. This is the place where I will be sharing some ideas from my reading, my prayers, my experience, and vision - all with the goal of provoking conversation on how we can best achieve the mission of Community UMC. That mission is to make new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!
In January of 2013, I took a three and half week sabbatical to reflect on our church, its ministries and the effectiveness of those ministries, and on our mission. I came back from that sabbatical with the conviction that we need to pay more than lip service to our mission by "doing church" the way that we've always done church... we need to truly figure out and act on ways to reach out to our community in service and love and in sharing Jesus Christ so that each life the church touches will be transformed in God's grace.
We've had conversations in staff meetings, Ministry Leadership Team meetings, Church Council, Lay Leadership, and in many other areas on various ways that we can become the church that reaches out to those who need to know Christ's love, and those conversations have been fascinating and fruitful. In September 2013, we changed our worship services, offering a Traditions service at 8:30 am, and a Catalyst service at 11 am. The dream for the Catalyst service is that, as it grows and evolves, this service will be the primary service where those new to Jesus Christ can worship and grow in a life-transforming, saving faith.
However, all the changes to our worship services and all of the conversations won't accomplish anything unless we find new ways and use old ways to connect with people outside of our four walls.
I'm going to begin by sharing some ideas from the book Get Their Name: Grow Your Church By Building New Relationships by Bob Farr, Doug Anderson, and Kay Kotan. This book was written in order to challenge and inspire churches and their leaders to engage in active, relational evangelism - relational being the key word here. The ideas expressed should help us in visioning ways that we can connect with our neighbors in order for our mission to happen.
This will take several blog entries for conversation on this book. If you would like to purchase a copy, here is a link from Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Get-Their-Name-Building-Relationships/dp/1426759312/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382636585&sr=1-1&keywords=get+their+name.
For this post, I want to share four observations and a consequence to get your brains a thinkin'...
Observation One - "Inwardly focused churches tend to define and practice evangelism as "reconnecting disconnected church folks."
Observation Two - "Outwardly focused churches define and practice evangelism as connecting the unconnected folks to Jesus and then to the church.
Observation Three - "The pool of churched people to connect with is dramatically shrinking, while the pool of the unchurched, never-connected population is growing exponentially. This is especially true among the millennial generation."
Observation Four - "Early denominational movements focused on unconnected folks, while the established churches of the day focused on and supported the folks who were already churched when they arrived in America. These movements became institutionalized over time, and they focused on membership rather than discipleship. The mainline churches were dislodged from the center of American culture by the upheaval of the 1960s. The situation became further confused by the resulting rise of religious conservatism in the 1970s and 1980s. This led to the American polarization of religious liberals and religious conservatives, which in turn led to the disaffection of youth from religion in the 1990s and 2000s. The mainline churches as a result are bewildered and unsure how to proceed through an accelerated state of decline."
Consequence - "If any denomination is to have a future, it must reconnect to the biblical purpose and mission of making new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To accomplish this mission, it requires us to be once again people who widely, continually, and fervently share their faith in Jesus Christ with those who do not yet have such a faith."
So, are Bob, Doug, and Kay correct in their observations? Why or why not? The mission of our church matches the mission for all churches that the authors believe is necessary in order for ou churches to have a future - what do you believe it will take for us to become a people who widely, continually, and fervently share our faith in Jesus Christ?
*All quotes come from pages X and XI of Get Their Name: Grow Your Church By Building New Relationships. Abingdon Press. Nashville. 2013.
Looking forward to hearing from our church family
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ReplyDeleteWarning to those who post! There is a character limit. My first attempt was kind of long, so I'm putting it in two posts. I'll try to be shorter next time!
ReplyDeleteI would agree with the ideas that inward focused churches are content with gathering those who have been disconnected from another church. It's easier to recruit these folks because the seeds have already been planted. If the evangelism is easier, then they can grow while also having time to cater to their own needs and fellowship.
So, an outward focused church is definitely presented with a more difficult challenge in evangelism. And I do think that evangelism has changed a lot even in the last 10 years. There was a time when I was serving a church that grew exponentially just by giving its members little invitation cards. Members would pass these cards out to the "unchurched" and they just showed up at our doors. It was easy! (In retrospect, this strategy actually probably brought more of the disenfranchised than new believers. But nevertheless, there were new believers too.) I don't see this strategy working well anymore. It takes so much more to get someone into the door of a church. The key I think is where the authors mention that you first connect them to Jesus and then you connect them to the church. In other words, we all have people we know that we could be spending months or even years in living out our faith before these folks are even interested in connecting with our church. I think that one of the reasons it takes so long these days is because people encounter so many "hypocritical" or "unreal" Christians. What is the typical saying? There must be twice as many positives to overcome a negative? So for every hypocritical Christian our coworkers/friends encounter, we must show twice as much true and authentic life in Christ! From our church's perspective, I think that this means that we need to have a lot of emphasis on developing authentic disciples who have scripture written on their heart and daily grow closer to God through spiritual disciplines. Our members need to understand and believe that they are no longer able to just invite someone to church. They have to understand that this is a twofold process of them allowing others to see Jesus in them and then making multiple invitations to church.
Yes! I agree wholeheartedly! I'm hoping that as we let others see Jesus in us and make multiple invitations to church, we can find the courage to share Christ in words with others as well. Thanks Erin!
DeleteThe only part of the author's thoughts that I can't completely agree with is their last point. I think that it oversimplifies how we are now in an age where only 13% of millenials have an interest in ANY faith at all (stat taken from Thom S. Rainer's book on the Millenials). Liberalism and conservatism definitely played their role and still are considered by those who are disenfranchised with the church. However, when I talk to unbelievers, it seems to come down to more of an American consumerism and technology conversation. People want to receive something of value when they finally do come to church. They want that to be the best "bang for the buck". Time is valuable and they want to get everything they need and to get it as efficiently as possible. As a church, I think that this means that we have to have times of the week where quality programs for all of the ages can converge at once. I know that this is where the Wednesday night program is supposed to be heading...but after our experience with FourSquare a couple of weeks ago, I see that we have some room to grow there. I will just say that we need to have more than "activities" or "fellowship". In fact, I'm not too sure that many people that I talk to are seeking fellowship when they first come to church. If they want to connect with friends, they will log into Facebook and can chat with 10-15 people at any given time. When they come to church, they are seeking Jesus. And when they show up expecting to learn about Jesus only to find out that it's just going to be a game night or social hour, it's hard to get those folks to come back. It is not until they make a good connection with the church that they will see the value of fellowship with other believers. And the extra challenge in this consumerist society is that people will only give us a few chances. If they don't see what they like, they will find another place.
ReplyDeleteI see your point about people seeking Jesus.. but I also think that some can find Jesus in a game night or social hour, if there is some way that Jesus is intentionally shared. Maybe that's where we need to go. You have me thinking of ways that Facebook can be a venue where Jesus can be shared as well. Hmmm...;-)
DeleteI can also see how social hours have their place. It just would be helpful to incorporate some Jesus conversation in the mix. And we definitely need to be make sure that people experience what we are promising. If they show up for a Bible study and end up just having a social hour, it can be pretty disappointing.
DeleteI see Facebook as becoming as great outlet for equipping. What if we can use this as a way to share resources and present thought provoking ideas? Like what if articles like this were posted: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/what-christians-get-wrong-about-judgment It may not generate conversation, but if people read it, it will still provoke thought and help guide the vision.
I also see people using Facebook as a way to seek advice. For example, I am part of a group called "Como Moms Know Best". Moms ask everything from what to do when their kids get sick to the tough parenting issues of what to do with a kid being bullied at school. What if Community's page could create that kind of platform as well? Where people would turn to the church to seek counsel and advice? Risky, yes. But could be revolutionary too!
Jackie Lordo and I have discussed several of these same ideas, Erin. Sounds like the three of us should get together to talk!
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ReplyDeleteI don't begin to know what an unchurched person is seeking nowadays. But, from my observations over the years, I have seen single people and families come to worship for the first time, sit there for the hour, and leave without anyone speaking to them besides the person that handed them a bulletin. I have not read Bob Farr's book, but I like the title, because more and more I think relationships are important. If we are having trouble reaching outside the walls, maybe we should first concentrate on those newcomers who actually do step into the church. Are we grateful that they are here? Do we do more than just maybe say 'hello?' Do we start to build a relationship with them - maybe not the first time, but when they come back a 2nd and 3rd time? Or do we just let them come week after week without getting to know them and without noticing when they eventually stop coming? I am the first to admit that I often let busy-ness, anxiety, shyness, etc. get in the way of speaking to newcomers, but I am trying to make an effort to change. Hopefully, people who come will find a relationship with Jesus, but also find relationships with those who are already here. And, I agree with Erin that we can work on providing more opportunities for small groups for prayer and Bible Study, accountability with a peer group and all of the other wonderful things that come with belonging to a group. I want to be in on it! ~Julie Gibson
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie. I appreciate your comments on how we make people feel comfortable, and really give them a sense of belonging when they come to worship. I also believe we need to think of building relationships in Christ outside of our church walls. Had an interesting conversation with the Anchored Exploration group this past Sunday, and heard some great thoughts on what it would mean to reach people for Jesus without even the expectation that they would come to worship. That would definitely change the expectation that sharing faith is inviting people to worship and then building relationships within the church.
DeleteWhen I talk with people from the Millenial Generation, I usually hear people expressing confusion about church. They don't see a point in going to church, because they don't get anything out of it. I think Erin is right, most millenials and younger aren't looking for surface level connections - those are easy to find through social media. They are facing pain and real problems that they don't know how to recognize, let alone deal with.
ReplyDeleteThere is an upside to this problem. People are hurting, but we have the answer. We just have to find ways to say things in a relevant way to those who are suffering. It's great for members to talk to guests, and make them feel comfortable. For people who are in the most pain, these little interactions are probably all they can handle. From there, we need better ways for people to make real connections in order to heal.
Our overall message as a church has to point people towards God, towards love and towards help. There are several cliches that I could insert here, and most of them are true (God is love, God is the answer, God heals all wounds, etc.). Unfortunately, they are meaningless to people outside a relationship with Jesus Christ. If our mission is to “Go and make new disciples,” then we face the challenge of talking about God’s love to people that have never experienced anything remotely close to God’s extravagant love. We can’t face that alone, because it’s like trying to describe the color blue to someone who can’t see. The best we can do is pray mightily for God to work, and try to set-up situations where people make the connections (first shallow, then gradually deeper) that lead to openings for the Holy Spirit to do his job. While that statement might seem flippant, it’s really not. Without God, our work is useless, and could potentially cause more harm. If God is working through us, He can do great things.
I would like to challenge the leaders of each ministry to consider how they are allowing God to work through them. I will be doing this for my life, and the people I talk with every day. Am I willing to open (or close) my mouth when prompted? Am I willing to take the little risks? If I’m not willing to take the small risks, how will I be ready to take the leap of faith when God asks? Am I listening as much (or more) than I’m talking to God? To people? Do I know and recognize how much God loves me? How much God really loves me – so much more than I can comprehend?
Thanks Jackie! What will God do through our church to open our hearts to point people to the answer - God and God's love? Lookin' forward to the future!
DeleteI think Observation One is pretty charitable. In my own observation over time, inwardly focused churches too often stop any practice of evangelism and focus entirely on its own (shrinking) membership.
ReplyDeleteI think Observation Four is part of the problem but not all. No question, we've seen a recent ('90s and forward) disaffection of young people and church. But since the '70s, we've seen churches lose their positions of social centers of people's lives. Churches began facing competition on Sundays and Wednesdays, and people (not always young people) drifted to those competing elements.
To a degree, many churches were blindsided by the competition. Or, often, chose to be blind to the changes around them.
So much for ancient history. We can't re-enact blue laws or, citywide, cancel all Wednesday night non-church events.
We have to give folks, mostly one at a time, a reason to connect to Jesus Christ. A Jesus Christ they do not know. Or at best, barely know. And in our too-busy, distracting and ever-demanding world, that is hard.
Kevin's question is difficult, too - what do you believe it will take for us to become a people who widely, continually, and fervently share our faith in Jesus Christ?
I don't have a answer to this. Starting today, I plan to pray for God to help me see the opportunities to share faith in my day-to-day life. If we - as a people - seek out more of these opportunities, perhaps that is a beginning to find that answer.
Thanks Jeff. What would you give as a primary reason for a hurting non-believer to connect to God in Jesus Christ?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this would be the "primary" reason, but just a thought based on previous observations: Hurting is the time when some non-believers start questioning their own beliefs. If the non-believer already knows someone of faith in a positive light, I think that would be a reason to consider the possibility of a relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
DeleteTo disagree with these observations at this point in church history would be folly. The church as a whole is obviously in a state of decline and people, for the most part, can always justify finding something "better" to do with their time. That being said, I am wondering where CUMC stands in all of this turbulence? I very much agree that, personally, I am probably out of touch with the current social outlets and norms. I am on Facebook but I do not "do" Facebook. I am not comfortable with blogging as a standard form of communication and still believe in the power and necessity of verbal exchange to share ideas and meanings. Call me a dinosaur, but part of me truly does long for the days when a phone call or hand-written letter were the usual ways to "talk" with someone. I do have trouble finding the right ways to connect with people and to help them connect and build relationships with others in this "modern" paradigm.
ReplyDeleteBut I also believe the word "relationship" is the key to the whole equation. I see Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc as ways of staying informed and connected with others but I do not see these outlets as relationship builders. Building relationships, to me, starts with getting people together and having experiences and building a history. Sometimes is starts small and goes nowhere. Sometimes that start small and can build over time. But there definitely has to be a starting point. Programs like Four Square are meant to start building the history and experiences people need to establish relationships on a personal level with other people in a church setting. In sharing a meal, an abbreviated worship experience and then some type of small group experience the hope is that a connection can be formed across generations. In time these personal connections will grow into relationships with other people, with the church and, ultimately, with God. I cannot agree more with Erin about this program having a lot of room to grow. We have learned, and continue to learn, a lot from the few weeks this program has been happening in its current format. How to implement what we are learning is another matter. Understanding people's spiritual needs and how they can be met is a even more complex. My hope and prayer is a program like this will start attracting more and more people as it is established and schedules can be adapted to its existence. Then again, one can only lead the horse to water...
Thoughts?
Thank you Brian. The ongoing tension in Four Square and other relationship-entry ministries is how to not only begin building relationships with people, but starting to communicate in someway that building relationships with others is also how we can build a relationship with Christ. Something for us to always think about.
DeleteThanks for joining the conversation, even though blogging is not your preferred method of conversation, Brian! :) I think that you have a lot to offer from your unique perspective in developing small groups. Do you find it more challenging to get adults to attend Bible studies or relationship building activities...or are they equally the same struggle?
DeletePlease know that when I suggested that FourSquare has some room to grow, I wasn't critiquing your small group development. I was really referring to the need for all of the programs of the night to work within the same framework and time. Darren and I had wrongly assumed that children, youth and adults would all have their own group studies/activities for the same hour of time. Instead, we learned about "family" time, which really threw us for a loop and we are still struggling to figure out how we will handle it. Here is what I mean...I will begin leading a class in November from 6:30 to 7:30 (and Darren had planned to attend and help as he is able). We learned that Kieley will be practicing for the Christmas program for the first half hour on most of these night. The last half hour will be "family time" and include things like working on Christmas cards or making props. In a lot of ways, we feel that at least one of us should be with Kieley during that time. We don't want her to be one of the kids without her "family"! :) We can totally work out these logistics. But how does this work for single parents? Or parents who really are wanting to connect through Scripture and want to attend a class? Do other parents feel the same conflictive feelings that we do...to choose between our own spiritual growth or being involved in our daughter's activities? My thoughts were that it might be better if on any given night we choose to only offer family activities or only specific children, youth and adult studies. But please know that these are just some thoughts from someone new to this format. Maybe I am the one who just needs to get used to it! :) I totally appreciate the time and effort that you, Jeanette, Christi and so many others have put into the development of FourSquare! And I know that it has a lot of potential to do great things!
It becomes somewhat of a different conversation when looking at the inter-connectivity of the children, youth and adult portions of Wednesday night and communicating so people understand what they are attending. And it is also a fine line to walk sometimes when trying to re-purpose an existing program. It is something I believe all areas of Four Square are having to consider now that the program has actually begun and we are gaining some experience.
DeleteWith the original premise of everything being family oriented it was easy to assume, and structure around, kids always having parents available to participate with them. Under the current structure parents are being given the opportunity to participate in groups outside of the children's events. The dilemma you describe is something we discussed in some of our planning meetings but probably did not give enough consideration. The dichotomy we are experiencing seems to be a pull between structured/scheduled (as a lot of adults need in today's society) and somewhat scheduled but with the flexibility children need to allow them opportunities both in and outside of the church.
In the near future we will be convening a group of folks to evaluate the program to this point. As a result of some of the comments (here and from other sources) one of the items to be discussed is how do we structure the groups to allow more parents to participate in small groups without "missing" family time with their children. And just as important (maybe more) is how do we ensure kids do not feel disconnected when family activities are happening. probably means more structure in some areas and less in others but this is the balance we need to achieve. If we can strike this balance we can build a program getting closer to meeting everyone's needs/desires and the program will grow through excited invitation from the participants.
Seems to me both ends of the bridge must connect. We must reach out and they must want to be reached. The hard question is how do we do this?
ReplyDeleteWe have had a lot of comments about how reaching people has changed. But the way you phrased "they must want to be reached" made me think that one group that wants to be reached has maybe not changed that much...parents. How many in this group started attending church (or attending more regularly) when they had kids? I know that my parents did...so did my grandparents...and my great grandparents for that matter. Many of those that I invite to church have children. Their question tends to be "what kinds of things are there for the kids"? While the parents may not be initially interested in what is there for them, they seem very interested in knowing if there is a valuable program for their kids. This generation of parenting is becoming known as the "helicopter parents". Kind of makes me wonder if we do still understand one group that we can reach, if we offer what they are wanting for their kids...
DeleteI'll be honest. At first, I wasn't happy to see a comment about how they must want to be reached. Probably because I've seen other churches (not CUMC) who only wanted to reach out towards "good people." I think you were referring to reaching out to those in need, but not forcing our beliefs on anyone. (And, please tell me if I got that wrong.)
DeleteYou are absolutely right, how to do this is a hard question. However, I think we need to keep in mind that the answer is different for everyone. I cannot give what I haven't received. God has gifted each one of us differently, and we should use our spiritual gifts to do God's will, not what we think God would have us do. From the church leadership perspective, we need to keep in mind the ways each one of us are living out God's love in our own lives, as well as how we evaluate and empower the ministries of CUMC to bring God's love to the world. All of us have different gifts and different burdens. My fear is that I let one of my burdens or old habits impede upon someone else using their gifts for God. I have seen God to amazing things when people are willing to let Him lead.