Blog Archives

“INTOLERANT”

10/28/2012

The Importance of Your Worldview to Church Growth

10/18/2012

The following is an article by Bill Easum, a church consultant with 21st Century Strategies, a church growth consulting group. With permission, I have reproduced his entire article. Please read and consider what he has to say:

By: Bill Easum

One of the most important facts to know is our worldview affects much of the effectiveness of our ministry.

About a third of my consulting/coaching ministry is in churches where there is a sizeable older adult population. Often, these churches are growing their contemporary service, while their traditional service is dying off, as the adults born before 1945 are no longer able to attend worship. When the pastors of these churches attempt to implement modern ways to reach people, the older adults fail to understand why the measures are important and often resist.

In analyzing these churches and having conversations with the older adult leaders, I've realized that many of them have a great heart toward reaching the unchurched and growing the Kingdom, but they do not fully understand how the changing dynamics of our world affect the way a church goes about ministry today. Let me give you some examples of what I'm referring to.

The Sanctuary Is Where Worship Happens

Many older adults think that worship should take place only in the sanctuary. To them, it is sacred space. They do not understand that in today's world there is no such thing as sacred and secular space. It is now considered to be all sacred. So, contemporary worship will do just as well or better in the fellowship hall as it will in the sanctuary, but many older adult have trouble believing this.

Contemporary worship isn't concerned about where it takes place. It often works better in a fellowship hall than a sanctuary because it is a more relaxed environment in which you can allow food and drinks without worry about damaging the sanctuary. I know. Many of your older adults don't understand why food and drink is so important to worship. Food and drink is essential to the new worldview and as such is a natural part of today's worship. But, keep in mind I'm not talking about changing the Gospel.

Being Frugal Is Better Than Being Strategic

Many older adults either lived through or were children of parents who lived through either the Great Depression or WWII, both of which caused great austerity throughout the country. So, when it comes to spending money, many older adults are rather tight fisted, and rightly so. However, when they bring their personal finances into their decisions about running the church, they cause a huge problem. They want to pinch pennies rather than being strategic with their money. Most often they want a debt-free church. And, if their church has a debt, they try to pay it off ASAP, even if it means hamstringing the growth of the church.

The Importance of Staffing

Many older laity do not understand why more staff is needed today than in the past. But, more staff is needed today than in the past because the world we live in today is far more complicated and fragmented than the world of 1950. In the 1950s, the nuclear family of mom, dad and the kids came to church. Today, there is a vast area of different types of families.

In the 1950s, the church had very little competition for the lives of children and youth. Today, the church finds itself competing with a variety of things that pull children and youth away from the church. In the 1950s, the Judeo-Christian value system was reinforced in the home, the schools, and the church. Today, only the church reinforces the Judeo-Christian value system. Drugs and gangs were not widespread in the 1950s. Today, people are more mobile and most often do not have an extended family nearby to help in times of crises.

But, the real kicker today is that people no longer come to church on their own today, and, when they do show up at church, they are blank slates, which means it takes more staff and time to disciple them. In other words, it is far more difficult today to minister to people and equip them for a life that follows Jesus Christ than it was in the 1950s.

The Nursery Is Just Another Room

Many older laity do not understand that the nursery is now one of the most important rooms in the church. They do not see the importance of having the nursery staffed with paid staff instead of volunteers like it was done in their parents' day. They don't understand that young adults will spend all of their money on the nursery and let the rest of the house wait. And, they don't understand the importance of having the nursery open anytime the church is open and close to the sanctuary.

The nursery is the most important room in the church. This is because: (1) parents today are having fewer children; (2) parents are waiting longer to have children; (3) parents have a lot of guilt about leaving their children attended by other people for so many hours of the week; (4) non-custodial parents have been known to kidnap their children; (5) children are accustomed to having quality care at daycare centers during the week.

Young adults will often check out the nursery before looking at anything else. With a quick glance, they can tell if the church values small people, and whether the church is prepared to take care of their child. If the verdict is negative, the church will probably never hear from the young adults. They will simply move down the street and keep looking for a church that is ready to meet their needs.

Today, unchurched parents expect the church to provide free babysitting anytime the church wants them to attend something. At the moment, you have an unpaid wonderful, committed adult who takes responsibility for the nursery every Sunday and that is wonderful. But, when the time comes for this saint to no longer feel able to provide this free service, you must begin to pay someone to be in regular attendance in the nursery. Every parent who drops their child off at daycare or preschool expects the same adult to be there every day when dropping off their child.

Our Worldview Affects Our Actions

Lay leaders would do well to read the first chapter of my book, Ministry in Hard Times, to see the difference between the worldview they were born into and the worldview they are called to lead in today. They were born into what I call a National Park worldview, and we now live in what I call a Jungle worldview.

You can quickly see the difference in those two metaphors. One is a safe, seldom-changing world with lots of rules, the other is a dangerous, ever-changing world with only one rule: those who can adapt the quickest will survive.
So, you see that our worldview does affect our ministry. How about yours? Which worldview rules the house?

Bill Easum is president of 21st Century Strategies, Inc. a full service church consulting group since 1987 whose mission is to equip Christians for global impact, www.churchconsultations.com, or www.effectivechurch.com

© Copyright 2012 Religious Product News

0 Comments

“VISION”

10/11/2012

0 Comments

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God,” [Romans 15:5-7]

“…pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,” [2 Thessalonians 3:1]

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD,” [Jeremiah 29:11-14]

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things,” [Philippians 3:12-15]

“Where there is no vision, the people perish,” [Proverbs 29:18]

            When we went to school, we learned that “plural” means “more than one.” When it comes to Jesus, there is no “plural,” there is only One. This is why Jesus said that there is only one Way to God –and that One Way goes through Him. By the way, it’s not difficult to spot a false religion. Christ is unique in His promise to give us salvation first and then help us live up to that salvation during the journey. Every man-made religion claims that, by your own merit, you must earn your way to paradise. While people say, “I can do it on my own,” God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” C.S. Lewis once arrived at a conference where people were debating what makes Christianity unique from the religions of the world. When asked for his opinion, Lewis said, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” Grace is the un-human, un-prideful means by which God saves us. Christ already did what we could never do. And if grace truly is unique, then what of the claims of all the religions of the world?

            Recently Michael’s Cub Scout den covered the subject of honoring God. However, the Scout manual now defines “God” as any and every version of a god portrayed by any religion. This is a popular philosophy in our day and age; philosophers call it “pluralism,” meaning, “more than one.” Is there really more than one god? Or is there only One True God? We are being conditioned to think that words like “fundamental,” “unilateral or “exclusive” are signs of intolerance and bigotry. I have heard so many hidden messages recently, but I praise God for the discernment that comes from His Word! There is only One God and only One Way to salvation. I know this because grace is so unique. What other god would take our punishment upon Himself? This is a supernatural love that could only come from the heart of our True Creator.

            We have a unique and critical Message. Because Christ is the Only Way to the Father, we have to ask ourselves, “How much do I really love my neighbor?” If we have a life-saving message, and yet withhold this critical and urgent information from others for fear that they might reject us, then we may have grown cold and lost the fire that God gave us.

            Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”   The word “vision” here [or “revelation”] is speaking of the Word that God gives us to save us. Often we are told that by looking forward, we are preserved in the moment. Those who love the Lord’s Appearing and long for the transformation that will follow [a future event] purify themselves now. We look forward –and our looking forward is motivated, invigorated, energized and empowered by the Spirit of God. We look back now only to testify to God’s Truth. The guilt of the past no longer has any hold over those who have been purified by the future! We look back to teach others, but we look forward to attain! But don’t look back and long for the world. We need vision that pulls us forward, or we will perish.

            Jesus told us to look forward, never back and be trapped. We don’t want to be left out when He comes to get us. He used an unusual story in the Bible –that of Lot’s wife from Genesis 19. He said, “Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it,” [Luke 17:32-33]. We press on to take hold of what Christ has promised us. Lot’s wife was saved out of judgment –her life was preserved. And though her life had been spared, she longed to go back to the land of judgment –crazy! But our hearts love to try to wander back. This is why we perish unless we have vision.

            Focus on what you can accomplish for Christ –not where you have failed. Those who love the idea of being conformed to the glorified likeness of Christ purify themselves, just as He is pure. There is only One Way to the Father. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” [John 14:6]. He didn’t say this because He’s cruel; He said it because it’s true and He loves us. He wants all people to find the Way to God –the Only and True God. This isn’t a popular message in our age and Christians are tempted to shy away from sounding too exclusive or intolerant. Remember though, it isn’t God who doesn’t tolerate people, it’s people who won’t tolerate God. Christ isn’t exclusive because He’s intolerant, He’s exclusive because He loves people and wants to protect them from destruction. He has a Message that the whole world needs to hear. He has a Message that motivates us to overcome impossibilities.

            As we consider the vision that God has given us, we are obligated to dream for the impossible. God is faithful when we are faithful. So let’s pray as we never have before: believing that good vision leads to inevitable results. Let’s build the House of God and facilitate drawing more lives to Christ. Our greatest Commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength –and to love our neighbors. Let’s go do a whole lot of good! Our vision compels us.



On the Solid Rock we stand!

George

0 Comments

“BUILDING THE HOUSE”

10/5/2012

0 Comments

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God,” [Romans 15:5-7]

“As you come to him, the living Stone -- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him -- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message -- which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy,”      [1 Peter 2:4-10]

“…pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,” [2 Thessalonians 3:1]

“I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt,” [Zechariah 1:16]

            I once heard an excellent message at the North American Christian Convention by Jon Weiss. The whole point of his sermon reached its bottom line when he said, “The church is not a “what” (issues that we discuss and over which we may disagree) “but a “Who” (Jesus). He went on to say, “If we spent all of our time concerned with the “Who,” then the “what” wouldn’t be nearly as important because the ‘Who’ would be the ‘what’ and the ‘what’ would follow the ‘Who’ and the ‘what’ would become the ‘Who’ and not the ‘what’ which usually takes the place of the ‘Who,’ and we could be completely about the ‘Who’ and not the ‘what’ and the world would see the ‘Who’ and not how we argue over the ‘what’ and we would no longer be ‘what’ but ‘Who’ and most of you are saying at this point: What?”

            Much of what we disagree about has to do with the “what” or “how” questions. Few of us actually disagree over the “Who” questions. Most of us would agree that the Church belongs to Jesus Christ. And most of us would agree that church must honor Him and lead the lost to Him. But our most cherished feelings usually follow the “what” questions, not the “Who.” Some would disagree with that, but when all is said and done, the church IS Jesus. It is His body, His bride, of which He is the Head. All things were created by Him and for Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is Savior, Judge, Deliverer, Redeemer and the Focus of our worship. We all agree about these things. And yet, we have such difficulty seeing eye-to-eye at times. I am often at a loss when we think about the “what” questions, especially when those questions don’t first follow the “Who.” We all remember the popular “What would Jesus do” (WWJD) bracelets that came out in the 90’s. A few days ago, I saw a bumper sticker that somewhat mocked this sentiment by saying, “What would Scooby Doo?” All too often, the world knows too much about how the church can’t get along. Being a minister, I wonder myself why it’s so hard sometimes for Christians to get along. But we have a very clever enemy. He knows how to push our buttons in such a way that our perceptions (which are sometime wrong) get the best of us and we become ready to attack one another. And we forget that we are building the House of the Lord.

            When I was in Ukraine, I was able to talk to many Christians who endured the winds of persecution that swept through the Soviet Union. The Marxist-Leninist philosophy of the government believed that all religion was a “sickness” that needed to be eradicated. So the KGB would often infiltrate a church (the same way Satan does) by pretending to be Christians. They would say that they were from another city or would actually pretend to become Christians. They knew their subject group very well and knew how to act out the part. Then, after they had established trust among some of the members, they would begin sowing seeds of doubt among the church by starting completely invalid rumors: “Have you noticed how the pastor looks at that woman? I wouldn’t doubt they they’re having an affair…” or “where does the offering money go? Are we sure that so-and-so isn’t taking some for herself?” The KGB knew that there were questions that would cause far more damage than direct persecution ever could. They noted that hardship caused by persecution would only cause the Church to grow. But by changing their tactics, they could cause any church to destroy itself –without wasting too many resources in the process.

            Our enemy is very clever. If we are distracted, then the Great Commission becomes a secondary or tertiary issue (or is even completely neglected). A little poison won’t outright kill a plant, but it can stunt its growth, eventually causing more far-reaching damage than outright killing the plant. But Jesus made a solemn promise to us:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples,” [John 15:5-8].

                        So, once again, it’s not the “what” that causes a church to thrive; it’s the “Who.” And our ability to accept one another will truly define who we are, before our King and in the eyes of the world. If we are to fulfill our mission of loving God, loving others and serving the world, then we all have to give ground to gain ground at times. I guess the ultimate question is not “what” or “how” but “Whom” we serve. When it comes to the questions of “what,” I have to confess, I am often at a loss. I would much rather commit all of my energy to our “Who” –Who can solve every “what” problem that we will ever encounter.

On the Solid Rock we stand!

George

0 Comments

Kouts Christian Church

“INTOLERANT”

The Importance of Your Worldview to Church Growth

“VISION”

“BUILDING THE HOUSE”

Author

Archives