So many congregations these days are plagued by stagnant attendance figures, or find their attendance dwindling, that the church is in crisis. Some churches realize the danger and are afraid of the future; others are as oblivious as the band that played on the deck as the Titanic sank. However, there is hope for plateaued and declining churches if they realize the danger and do what needs to be done to once again become places where people find the love, hope and salvation Jesus offers. In this series, we have looked at the price the pastor and the congregation must pay, and the priorities that the church must adhere to. The next avenue of hope for churches to fulfill God’s mission of making disciples is to discover and/or choose appropriate methods of sharing the Good News of Jesus.
Let me point out four assumptions which are both frequent and problematic, that congregations make when choosing the methods it uses for building God’s Kingdom.
It worked for Grandpa.
When a congregation, particularly one that has had past greatness, realizes that it must do something to regain its old vitality, it often decides to start doing the things that worked years ago. Tactics that were effective in days gone by seldom bring the same results today. So much of life has changed. Means of communication have changed. People have a higher degree of expectation for quality in preaching, teaching, and music. Also, most Americans these days know much less about the Bible and the claims of Christ than did the unchurched of a few decades ago. As much as it hurts some folks to realize it, Grandpa’s methods will likely fall flat these days.
It worked in another place.
The location of a congregation is unique. The fact that a method works well in one area does not guarantee its success elsewhere. A lot depends on the demographics of the community in which the church finds itself. Still more depends on the make-up of your church. The first thing a church must do is figure out who it is and who it has the best chance of reaching. Many churches balk at the idea of targeting a group because they like to say they want to reach everyone. But the truth is there is a segment of your community that you have the best chance of reaching. I would go so far as to say those folks are the people God has called you to reach. Now, hear exactly what I am saying, and don’t read any underlying meaning into that. A church should never be exclusive; in fact, I think God calls us to be inclusive. However, reality shows that there are some people that some churches can reach with greater ease, likely because that is who God has in mind for them to reach first. And as a practical matter if a church has no target, it will get what it aims at, nothing.
An idea that has worked at another church might work if that church works hard to tailor it to fit their situation. Very few methods or programs are “one-size-fits-all.” Assuming you can plug a program that worked in another location into your church is a mistake that many churches have made over the last 40 years. A better way might be to allow a borrowed concept to inspire an idea that is made for your church’s very special situation. Borrow ideas. Don’t transplant programs.
It worked for so-and-so
Methods that have worked for big name churches or leaders are a blessing to the Kingdom of God. Don’t expect those methods to work the same for you. You are not that other guy. You don’t have his personality, his resources, or his situation. Don’t assume someone else’s methods will work for you. Robert Schuller and his Crystal Cathedral inspired Bill Hybels as he developed Willow Creek Church near Chicago, and also Rick Warren in Orange County at Saddleback Community. Neither of those churches resembles the Crystal Cathedral, nor are they anything like each other. Hybels and Warren skillfully adapted Schuller’s principles to each of their unique situations. Learn principles and apply them … don’t copy. If you copy you will likely be disappointed when you don’t get the same results as so and so.
We never did it that way before
Congregations sometimes resist trying new methods simply because they are new. They fear doing something they haven’t tried before. Some will even keep doing things that haven’t worked in a long time because that is all they know to do. To discover the methods a particular church should use in a particular time and place takes study of both the community and the congregation; wisdom to choose the things that have the best chance of working, and, most of all, the courage to take a risk and try different things. Many churches are paralyzed because they fear that if they try something new it will fail. The truth is some things will fail, but the church and its leaders must have the freedom to fail and learn from the failures. You can learn a lot by failing. You can learn what not to do, and/or what needs to be changed to reverse a failure.
God gave the church the mission to make disciples. He won’t leave us without a way to do that assignment. To reach this generation congregations must get creative and be willing to take risks. This could well be the dawning of the finest hour for the church in America, if she takes the challenge and refuses to retreat. First of all, open your heart to those who need to know Jesus, then open your head to the ideas God wants to give you for reaching them, and finally, do the life-giving work.
Comments?
Next time: Part 5: “The Church Must be Organized so that it Can Fulfill Her Mission”
Friday, July 15, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Hope for the Church (Part 3) The Church Must be willing to Change Priorities to Make Disciples
This is my third post in a series that is intended to give some reasons for hope in plateaued and declining churches. Not only must the pastor be willing to pay the price (part 1), and the congregation must be willing to pay the price (part 2), but it also needs to examine its priorities and adopt ones that will enable it to accomplish the mission God gave it.
Let’s look at some priorities that congregations need to change to accomplish its mission:
1. Congregations need to quit choosing neatness over usefulness. Some churches are so afraid that children or youth, or families will make a mess in their building that they prevent many programs designed to reach the very people they say they most want to reach. These churches may be in pristine condition, but if they’re not careful, they may find that they are also empty.
2. Many declining and plateaued churches hold the convenience of members as more important that attracting the lost. One example is the church that decides it wants to attract young families by starting a contemporary service. Then it schedules the contemporary service at 8 a.m., leaving the traditional service in the 11 a.m. time slot. Anyone who ever had children knows that’s not the best time to attract either young families that have to get little ones up and dressed, or the college age/twenty-something age range.
3. Churches that aren’t attracting people who don’t know the Lord tend to forget how to be good hosts. A good host/hostess does whatever he/she can to make the guest feel comfortable. All regular attenders should see themselves as hosts and go out of their way to make guests feel accepted, comfortable, and loved from the moment they come on the church campus until they go home. Some of these things are obvious, like not taking a seat away from a visitor because “I always sit there” or long time members taking up all the parking spaces close to the building. It could also mean doing some things that take organization and work, like valet parking and coordinated greeting. There are many ways to help guests feel welcome, if you are willing.
(If you are interested in more stuff I have to say about this, take a look at four blog postings I did titled “The Winsome Church” in the spring of 2010.)
4. A congregation will not get unstuck from the plateau, or turn around from declining, if it finds its traditions to be more important than doing what needs to be done to share the Gospel in a relevant way. Many times the schedule of the church is pretty much the same year after year, and if something new is added and is successful, the church feels it has to do that event every year. Consequently, the schedule is ruled by stuff that may no longer be helpful in reaching new people. One example is the evening service. A half century ago the evening service was often the “evangelistic service.” It was well attended, people brought friends, and folks found the Lord, but, in most congregations, that ended many years ago. Consequently, church staffs spend time to prepare a worship service that few people attend. Also, Sunday evening might be a good time to have small group studies or fellowship events that could help make new disciples and/or train church members. Why do churches keep having an evening service? “Because we have always had one.” It is an example of tradition taking precedence over effectiveness.
5. This leads to a broader “must” for a congregation that hopes to return to effectively expanding God’s Kingdom by making disciples: Churches need to get their priorities right. If making disciples is the top priority for the congregation, all other priorities must fall in behind that one, and be in support of it. Here are some observable wrong priority mistakes that declining or plateaued churches often make:
a. Some choose neatness over usefulness. (ex. The church that gets a new carpet in the fellowship hall then bans eating or drinking in there)
b. Others choose the convenience of the members over attracting the lost. (as in #2 above)
c. Many congregations choose to satisfy the preferences of the members over making changes designed to communicate in a way that is relevant to people who don’t know Christ. (classic example: traditional vs contemporary music)
d. The overall mistake concerning priorities that declining and plateaued churches make is choosing to focus inward on those who are already members (and should be part of the process of making disciples), over focusing outward on attracting, converting, and assimilating new disciples.
Turning a declining church around is tough, and so is getting a plateaued congregation unstuck, but if a church is to do God’s assignment of making disciples, it must get serious about doing the difficult work. Being committed to God’s priorities is the place to start.
Reactions?
Next time: Part 4 - “The Church must be willing to Choose Appropriate Methods” to hope to accomplish God’s assignment for her.
Let’s look at some priorities that congregations need to change to accomplish its mission:
1. Congregations need to quit choosing neatness over usefulness. Some churches are so afraid that children or youth, or families will make a mess in their building that they prevent many programs designed to reach the very people they say they most want to reach. These churches may be in pristine condition, but if they’re not careful, they may find that they are also empty.
2. Many declining and plateaued churches hold the convenience of members as more important that attracting the lost. One example is the church that decides it wants to attract young families by starting a contemporary service. Then it schedules the contemporary service at 8 a.m., leaving the traditional service in the 11 a.m. time slot. Anyone who ever had children knows that’s not the best time to attract either young families that have to get little ones up and dressed, or the college age/twenty-something age range.
3. Churches that aren’t attracting people who don’t know the Lord tend to forget how to be good hosts. A good host/hostess does whatever he/she can to make the guest feel comfortable. All regular attenders should see themselves as hosts and go out of their way to make guests feel accepted, comfortable, and loved from the moment they come on the church campus until they go home. Some of these things are obvious, like not taking a seat away from a visitor because “I always sit there” or long time members taking up all the parking spaces close to the building. It could also mean doing some things that take organization and work, like valet parking and coordinated greeting. There are many ways to help guests feel welcome, if you are willing.
(If you are interested in more stuff I have to say about this, take a look at four blog postings I did titled “The Winsome Church” in the spring of 2010.)
4. A congregation will not get unstuck from the plateau, or turn around from declining, if it finds its traditions to be more important than doing what needs to be done to share the Gospel in a relevant way. Many times the schedule of the church is pretty much the same year after year, and if something new is added and is successful, the church feels it has to do that event every year. Consequently, the schedule is ruled by stuff that may no longer be helpful in reaching new people. One example is the evening service. A half century ago the evening service was often the “evangelistic service.” It was well attended, people brought friends, and folks found the Lord, but, in most congregations, that ended many years ago. Consequently, church staffs spend time to prepare a worship service that few people attend. Also, Sunday evening might be a good time to have small group studies or fellowship events that could help make new disciples and/or train church members. Why do churches keep having an evening service? “Because we have always had one.” It is an example of tradition taking precedence over effectiveness.
5. This leads to a broader “must” for a congregation that hopes to return to effectively expanding God’s Kingdom by making disciples: Churches need to get their priorities right. If making disciples is the top priority for the congregation, all other priorities must fall in behind that one, and be in support of it. Here are some observable wrong priority mistakes that declining or plateaued churches often make:
a. Some choose neatness over usefulness. (ex. The church that gets a new carpet in the fellowship hall then bans eating or drinking in there)
b. Others choose the convenience of the members over attracting the lost. (as in #2 above)
c. Many congregations choose to satisfy the preferences of the members over making changes designed to communicate in a way that is relevant to people who don’t know Christ. (classic example: traditional vs contemporary music)
d. The overall mistake concerning priorities that declining and plateaued churches make is choosing to focus inward on those who are already members (and should be part of the process of making disciples), over focusing outward on attracting, converting, and assimilating new disciples.
Turning a declining church around is tough, and so is getting a plateaued congregation unstuck, but if a church is to do God’s assignment of making disciples, it must get serious about doing the difficult work. Being committed to God’s priorities is the place to start.
Reactions?
Next time: Part 4 - “The Church must be willing to Choose Appropriate Methods” to hope to accomplish God’s assignment for her.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Hope for the Church (Part 2) The Price the People Must Pay
Some churches are flourishing in this culture at this time, but in this very same setting the attendance in the vast majority of congregations is on a plateau or declining. This is the second in a series of postings that offer some practical guides for declining or plateaued congregations that want to become places that change lives and their communities by making disciples. Last time, I wrote about the price the pastor must pay; this week it’s the price the congregation must pay to restore hope for the future of the church.
The price a congregation must pay if there is hope for the church
1. The people must truly want new people to become part of their church family. People in some congregations have an intense love for the folks in their church. The church has become a second, and in some cases a first, family for them. This is wonderful for the members, but, if that family feeling includes excluding new people, it’s dangerous for the Kingdom of God. The church should have a family feel, but if it hopes to fulfill its great commission, it must be a family that is open to new members. Not only must the established members welcome visitors and new members, it needs to be anxious for new folks to become part of the family.
2. The people must be willing to make changes. First, it is important to know for sure that the one thing that can never change is the wonderful message of the Gospel. However, the way the message is delivered and packaged needs to be continually changed to keep it relevant to the people God wants your church to reach for Him. Churches find it hard to change. One of the reasons is that they find it almost impossible to stop doing what they have done before, even if a program lost its effectiveness long ago. It’s hard to start new efforts when the church calendar is cluttered with events and old programs.
3. The congregation pays a price by surrendering leadership to leaders, particularly the pastor. This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but it’s very hard for many congregations. Congregations are led by various things. Sometimes it’s the past. Perhaps the church has had some glory days and it attempts to repeat those wonderful times by doing the same things. The problem with that is the culture and their community keeps changing. In other churches, a pastor once did something bad and caused the church a lot of grief, so they want to make sure that doesn’t happen again. As a result of their distrust of anyone in the position of pastor, there is very little real leadership (by the pastor) taking place. In other congregations, there is an influential family, or person who is the acknowledged leaders. Too often this person or family refuses to let anything, or anyone threaten their position of power, and they see a pastor who leads as a threat. If a congregation truly desires to get off its plateau or turn around from dying, it has to pay the price of allowing the pastor to be the real leader.
4. The people must be willing to be trained and to work. The pastor’s job as shepherd is to lead the church. The job of staff is to manage the various ministries of the church. And the role of the members of the church is to do the ministry. (Don’t believe me? Check out Ephesians 4:11-12.) Too many congregations believe that it’s the job of the pastor and staff to do everything, but that’s not the way God planned the church. Ask many members what ministry they do in their church and they will tell you about a committee that they’re on. The extent of their idea of their ministry is to attend committee meetings. My experience tells me that a great majority of committee meetings are not ministry; they are bureaucracy. If the church is to win the world, the people need to discover their spiritual gifts, hone those gifts with training, and then actively pursue an area of ministry that requires their gifts and training.
5. The people need to accept God’s vision for their congregation with enthusiasm. The vision that God gives them through their pastor may well be different from what they have seen before. The pastor will ask the church for input, but when it comes to the future of the church, the input that really counts is God’s input. You have a say, the pastor has a say, but the vision must come from God. The congregation that is plateaued, or declining, should expect the vision to challenge them to do something new. Don’t make the pastor have to pull and prod you to do what God has assigned the church to do. The pastor should lead the church like a shepherd leads sheep. He should not have to drive the church like a cowboy drives cattle.
6. The people must pay the price of sacrificial giving. Increasing the influence of the church so that it can make more disciples costs money. Church members should arrange their personal finances so that they can give 10%, and sometimes more, of their income to the church. Also, church members need to remind themselves that when they give money to the church it is God’s. Some want to attach strings to their gifts. By doing so, these members are seeking to control the vision and the future of the church. Make sure that your tithes, offerings and gifts are given to the church to be used as God sees fit. It is sad to see a congregation unable to seize an opportunity that God has laid before it because all of its savings are designated for someone’s favorite project. Give it to God. Pray for the leadership of the church. Trust God to lead the leadership.
7. The congregation must do all it can to keep the pastor long enough to see the trajectory of the church change. Even in the best circumstances, change takes time. Churches that change pastors often, almost never grow, and almost always lose influence in their community. It only takes a small minority of people in the church to dishearten a pastor and make him/her want to find somewhere else to minister. Pastors become open to the possibility of moving because of the pain generated by unrelentingly difficult people. Your pastor, particularly in a church that votes their pastor in, is God’s gift to the church. He should stay until God removes him. The congregation should do its best to make a long stay with them a pleasant prospect for the pastor and his family. Pay him as well as you can. Encourage him to take his vacation time. Provide money and time for him to take training and find spiritual refreshment. Protect him from any people associated with your congregation who somehow feel it is their duty to make life hard for the pastor. The church should hold the pastor accountable to live a moral live, take care of his/her family, and lead the congregation to accomplish the goals that will enable it to fulfill God’s vision. It should also love him and reward him when he/she does a good job. Most of all, the congregation should pray for their pastor and his/her family.
I encourage and welcome your comments.
Next time we’ll look at “The Price of Having the Right Priorities.”
The price a congregation must pay if there is hope for the church
1. The people must truly want new people to become part of their church family. People in some congregations have an intense love for the folks in their church. The church has become a second, and in some cases a first, family for them. This is wonderful for the members, but, if that family feeling includes excluding new people, it’s dangerous for the Kingdom of God. The church should have a family feel, but if it hopes to fulfill its great commission, it must be a family that is open to new members. Not only must the established members welcome visitors and new members, it needs to be anxious for new folks to become part of the family.
2. The people must be willing to make changes. First, it is important to know for sure that the one thing that can never change is the wonderful message of the Gospel. However, the way the message is delivered and packaged needs to be continually changed to keep it relevant to the people God wants your church to reach for Him. Churches find it hard to change. One of the reasons is that they find it almost impossible to stop doing what they have done before, even if a program lost its effectiveness long ago. It’s hard to start new efforts when the church calendar is cluttered with events and old programs.
3. The congregation pays a price by surrendering leadership to leaders, particularly the pastor. This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but it’s very hard for many congregations. Congregations are led by various things. Sometimes it’s the past. Perhaps the church has had some glory days and it attempts to repeat those wonderful times by doing the same things. The problem with that is the culture and their community keeps changing. In other churches, a pastor once did something bad and caused the church a lot of grief, so they want to make sure that doesn’t happen again. As a result of their distrust of anyone in the position of pastor, there is very little real leadership (by the pastor) taking place. In other congregations, there is an influential family, or person who is the acknowledged leaders. Too often this person or family refuses to let anything, or anyone threaten their position of power, and they see a pastor who leads as a threat. If a congregation truly desires to get off its plateau or turn around from dying, it has to pay the price of allowing the pastor to be the real leader.
4. The people must be willing to be trained and to work. The pastor’s job as shepherd is to lead the church. The job of staff is to manage the various ministries of the church. And the role of the members of the church is to do the ministry. (Don’t believe me? Check out Ephesians 4:11-12.) Too many congregations believe that it’s the job of the pastor and staff to do everything, but that’s not the way God planned the church. Ask many members what ministry they do in their church and they will tell you about a committee that they’re on. The extent of their idea of their ministry is to attend committee meetings. My experience tells me that a great majority of committee meetings are not ministry; they are bureaucracy. If the church is to win the world, the people need to discover their spiritual gifts, hone those gifts with training, and then actively pursue an area of ministry that requires their gifts and training.
5. The people need to accept God’s vision for their congregation with enthusiasm. The vision that God gives them through their pastor may well be different from what they have seen before. The pastor will ask the church for input, but when it comes to the future of the church, the input that really counts is God’s input. You have a say, the pastor has a say, but the vision must come from God. The congregation that is plateaued, or declining, should expect the vision to challenge them to do something new. Don’t make the pastor have to pull and prod you to do what God has assigned the church to do. The pastor should lead the church like a shepherd leads sheep. He should not have to drive the church like a cowboy drives cattle.
6. The people must pay the price of sacrificial giving. Increasing the influence of the church so that it can make more disciples costs money. Church members should arrange their personal finances so that they can give 10%, and sometimes more, of their income to the church. Also, church members need to remind themselves that when they give money to the church it is God’s. Some want to attach strings to their gifts. By doing so, these members are seeking to control the vision and the future of the church. Make sure that your tithes, offerings and gifts are given to the church to be used as God sees fit. It is sad to see a congregation unable to seize an opportunity that God has laid before it because all of its savings are designated for someone’s favorite project. Give it to God. Pray for the leadership of the church. Trust God to lead the leadership.
7. The congregation must do all it can to keep the pastor long enough to see the trajectory of the church change. Even in the best circumstances, change takes time. Churches that change pastors often, almost never grow, and almost always lose influence in their community. It only takes a small minority of people in the church to dishearten a pastor and make him/her want to find somewhere else to minister. Pastors become open to the possibility of moving because of the pain generated by unrelentingly difficult people. Your pastor, particularly in a church that votes their pastor in, is God’s gift to the church. He should stay until God removes him. The congregation should do its best to make a long stay with them a pleasant prospect for the pastor and his family. Pay him as well as you can. Encourage him to take his vacation time. Provide money and time for him to take training and find spiritual refreshment. Protect him from any people associated with your congregation who somehow feel it is their duty to make life hard for the pastor. The church should hold the pastor accountable to live a moral live, take care of his/her family, and lead the congregation to accomplish the goals that will enable it to fulfill God’s vision. It should also love him and reward him when he/she does a good job. Most of all, the congregation should pray for their pastor and his/her family.
I encourage and welcome your comments.
Next time we’ll look at “The Price of Having the Right Priorities.”
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Hope For the Church (Part 1) The Price the Pastor Must Pay
The truth is a lot of local churches in North America have a very uncertain future. The state leader of the church group with which I am associated estimates that as many as 90% of our churches are plateaued or declining. He is afraid that many of them are in grave danger. Some of them can’t see it; others see it, but think that somehow it will just get better. These congregations just keep doing things they always have and wish for better days to return, instead they of facing their problems and taking steps to overcome them. It is tempting to give up hope on such local churches.
I think there is a lot of hope for the church, but some things have to change for that hope to be more than a wish. Some prices have to be paid by both the pastor and the congregation. These are emotional as well as financial prices. Churches need to check their priorities and make sure that they are God’s priorities for His church. Even though it’s hard, there has to be a willingness to adopt new methods to deliver the old Gospel. The church needs an agile organization that can adapt to opportunities. Finally, congregations must get an idea of how they are perceived by the community they wish to win for Christ.
I’m going to deal with hope for the church in my next several blog postings. Since he should be the key leader to get the congregation off a plateau or turn it around from a decline, I want to start with the pastor.
The Price the Pastor Must Pay if there is Hope for the Church:
Many years ago C. Peter Wagner said that the first thing a church needs if it wants to grow is a pastor who wants the church to grow and is willing to pay the price. That’s still true. Pastor, do you want your church to grow? Now, don’t answer too fast. Growing churches are a lot of work! New people can bring messy lives into the fellowship. Change is a challenge for long-time members. You may have to learn some things and stretch yourself to lead a growing church. Here is a short, non-exhaustive list of the prices a pastor has to pay to lead the church he serves off a plateau or to recover from decline:
1. The pastor must completely and continually yield himself to being the pastor God wants him to be. Being God’s kind of pastor must be what your heart is set on, and what your life and ministry are built around. Only two things can come before your commitment to God’s vision for the church: your personal relationship with God and your relationship with your family.
2. The pastor must train himself. Even if you have an advanced seminary degree, you may not know what you need to know to lead a church in this crucial time. Fortunately, we live in a day when books, on-line courses, seminars, and other training opportunities abound. Maybe what you need is to get someone who has led a turnaround church to coach you through the process.
3. Get God’s vision for the church you are serving. It’s not as hard as it may sound. You know the outcome he wants: make disciples. To get His vision for your situation, you simply ask him, “Given my gifts and talents and the talents and gifts of our people, how can our church make disciples of people in this community? Who should we try to reach first? What can we do to deliver the Gospel to them in a way that is relevant to their lives and that they will accept?
4. Work hard. You know what I mean. A rut can be comfortable because you don’t have to dig. If you’re leading a turnaround, you will be building some new roads. It takes work!
5. Lead the congregation. Don’t be satisfied with maintaining status quo. Lead the church to fulfill the Great Commission in your local community with your ideas and your teaching. God called you there to be the leader. This may be news to some of the people in your church, so be prepared to deal with opposition. Remember you are doing God’s assignment, not your own.
6. Stay there long enough to see the vision fulfilled. If you start making progress, other congregations will hear of it and want you to be their pastor. Make sure you have completed God’s assignment at the church you’re now serving before you entertain a move.
I think there is a lot of hope for the church, but some things have to change for that hope to be more than a wish. Some prices have to be paid by both the pastor and the congregation. These are emotional as well as financial prices. Churches need to check their priorities and make sure that they are God’s priorities for His church. Even though it’s hard, there has to be a willingness to adopt new methods to deliver the old Gospel. The church needs an agile organization that can adapt to opportunities. Finally, congregations must get an idea of how they are perceived by the community they wish to win for Christ.
I’m going to deal with hope for the church in my next several blog postings. Since he should be the key leader to get the congregation off a plateau or turn it around from a decline, I want to start with the pastor.
The Price the Pastor Must Pay if there is Hope for the Church:
Many years ago C. Peter Wagner said that the first thing a church needs if it wants to grow is a pastor who wants the church to grow and is willing to pay the price. That’s still true. Pastor, do you want your church to grow? Now, don’t answer too fast. Growing churches are a lot of work! New people can bring messy lives into the fellowship. Change is a challenge for long-time members. You may have to learn some things and stretch yourself to lead a growing church. Here is a short, non-exhaustive list of the prices a pastor has to pay to lead the church he serves off a plateau or to recover from decline:
1. The pastor must completely and continually yield himself to being the pastor God wants him to be. Being God’s kind of pastor must be what your heart is set on, and what your life and ministry are built around. Only two things can come before your commitment to God’s vision for the church: your personal relationship with God and your relationship with your family.
2. The pastor must train himself. Even if you have an advanced seminary degree, you may not know what you need to know to lead a church in this crucial time. Fortunately, we live in a day when books, on-line courses, seminars, and other training opportunities abound. Maybe what you need is to get someone who has led a turnaround church to coach you through the process.
3. Get God’s vision for the church you are serving. It’s not as hard as it may sound. You know the outcome he wants: make disciples. To get His vision for your situation, you simply ask him, “Given my gifts and talents and the talents and gifts of our people, how can our church make disciples of people in this community? Who should we try to reach first? What can we do to deliver the Gospel to them in a way that is relevant to their lives and that they will accept?
4. Work hard. You know what I mean. A rut can be comfortable because you don’t have to dig. If you’re leading a turnaround, you will be building some new roads. It takes work!
5. Lead the congregation. Don’t be satisfied with maintaining status quo. Lead the church to fulfill the Great Commission in your local community with your ideas and your teaching. God called you there to be the leader. This may be news to some of the people in your church, so be prepared to deal with opposition. Remember you are doing God’s assignment, not your own.
6. Stay there long enough to see the vision fulfilled. If you start making progress, other congregations will hear of it and want you to be their pastor. Make sure you have completed God’s assignment at the church you’re now serving before you entertain a move.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Business of the Church
Several years ago, when I was working on a management degree, an instructor asked our class “What business are you in?” At first I thought that his question didn’t really apply to me, because I was a pastor. I took these management courses to help me lead the church better, but I wasn’t really in business. But the teacher continued by saying, “By business I mean this: at the core, in simplest terms, what is your business all about? Why are your doors open? Why have you hung out a sign?” Then he went around the room asking each person. What in the world was I going to say? Most of the others were in the automobile business, so they were answering things like, making cars, providing safe transportation, or making cars more efficient, or more fun, something like that. I didn’t really listen very well because I was trying to figure out what I could say when he finally got to me. Finally it came to me, one important word—relationships. The business of the church is relationships. Jesus was asked a similar question once. When someone asked which of God’s commandments is the greatest, he was actually asking Jesus what all his teaching was really about. Remember what Jesus answered? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Therefore, what we Christ’s followers are to be about is spreading love by building relationships. In the church we endeavor to:
1. Bring people to a relationship with the Lord through faith in His Son in which they find love, forgiveness, and new life.
2. Bring people into a fellowship relationship with God’s family, the Church.
It is not enough to think of the church as a place where we simply sing songs of praise, preach and teach. What we are to be doing is encouraging full-fledged relationships between people and God and between God’s people. We can’t be just a sign post that tells about God or even a lighthouse that warns of danger. We must be a loving family: a family that loves the Father; loves our brothers and sisters; and constantly encourages more brothers and sisters to join us.
So church, how’s business these days?
1. Bring people to a relationship with the Lord through faith in His Son in which they find love, forgiveness, and new life.
2. Bring people into a fellowship relationship with God’s family, the Church.
It is not enough to think of the church as a place where we simply sing songs of praise, preach and teach. What we are to be doing is encouraging full-fledged relationships between people and God and between God’s people. We can’t be just a sign post that tells about God or even a lighthouse that warns of danger. We must be a loving family: a family that loves the Father; loves our brothers and sisters; and constantly encourages more brothers and sisters to join us.
So church, how’s business these days?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Called to a Higher Standard
Last week our country breathed a sigh of relief when our Navy SEALS found and killed the terrorist, Usama Bin Laden. People all over the Western world took to the streets to celebrate the death of the wicked man. There is no question that he was a bad guy and it is good thing for our way of life that he is no longer on the scene. I’m glad he is no longer a threat. I wish the problem of Usama could have been solved another way. No, I wasn’t rooting for him to be arrested. I wish he had had a change of heart. I wish he would have sought the forgiveness of Jesus and repented of his very wicked ways. I know this sounds pretty pie-in-the-sky, but Jesus came to make pie-in-the-sky possible. After all, my sins have been forgiven, and I repented of my sins. Granted, the sins of the 12 year-old I was when I repented were rather paltry compared to the barbarity of Usama. However, my sins were worthy of the same penalty as his: “for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 6:23. So he could have been forgiven by God. I wonder if he could have been forgiven by the rest of us. This is where the rubber meets the road in Christianity. Jesus made Himself very clear in regard to this. In His great Sermon on the Mount he asserted:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
Since Jesus lived among us and as one of us, He knew this would be difficult for you and me. Rejoicing at the death of an enemy and the desire for revenge are natural instincts for human beings. However, Jesus calls His followers to live at a level above animal instinct and human society. He calls us to be like Him and to go “the second mile” in regard to forgiveness in our relationships. Jesus knew that the alternative to forgiveness would accomplish nothing good. Actually the standard set in the New Testament for Christ followers is very demanding.
“Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. ‘I'll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I'll take care of it.’ Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.” Romans 12:17-21 (MsgB)
It seems so illogical to us until we see it from Jesus’ perspective. He knows that continuing to hate your enemy succeeds only in multiplying hateful people. Here’s how: if you are offended or hurt by someone and you choose to retaliate, the act of retaliation can transform you and fill you with hate. Further, retaliation can often cause a group of friends to choose up sides for a fight. If you are a parent full of hate, you can saddle your children with your hatred. We see that carried to the extreme in the ethnic hatred of certain parts of the globe. It is being bred now in the Middle East toward us, and I fear among us toward them.
Jesus knew loving your enemies would be difficult. and that it would make you different. Jesus’ way takes courage and more. It takes self-control, forbearance (making the choice not to retaliate even when it is justified), forgiveness, and God’s kind of love. This is what it is to be truly holy, to be a citizen of His Kingdom, and a mature child of God.
I salute the SEALS that courageously did what had to be done to put Mr. Bin Laden out of the terror business. They did a tough job that was necessary. I just wish that somehow it would not have been necessary. Bin Laden chose to pull the tiger’s tail and he found the tiger had teeth. We can only speculate what other consequences he is now discovering.
As Christ-followers we need to remember what Jesus meant when he said:
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. In a word, what I'm saying is, grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” Matthew 5:43-48 (MsgB)
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
Since Jesus lived among us and as one of us, He knew this would be difficult for you and me. Rejoicing at the death of an enemy and the desire for revenge are natural instincts for human beings. However, Jesus calls His followers to live at a level above animal instinct and human society. He calls us to be like Him and to go “the second mile” in regard to forgiveness in our relationships. Jesus knew that the alternative to forgiveness would accomplish nothing good. Actually the standard set in the New Testament for Christ followers is very demanding.
“Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. ‘I'll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I'll take care of it.’ Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.” Romans 12:17-21 (MsgB)
It seems so illogical to us until we see it from Jesus’ perspective. He knows that continuing to hate your enemy succeeds only in multiplying hateful people. Here’s how: if you are offended or hurt by someone and you choose to retaliate, the act of retaliation can transform you and fill you with hate. Further, retaliation can often cause a group of friends to choose up sides for a fight. If you are a parent full of hate, you can saddle your children with your hatred. We see that carried to the extreme in the ethnic hatred of certain parts of the globe. It is being bred now in the Middle East toward us, and I fear among us toward them.
Jesus knew loving your enemies would be difficult. and that it would make you different. Jesus’ way takes courage and more. It takes self-control, forbearance (making the choice not to retaliate even when it is justified), forgiveness, and God’s kind of love. This is what it is to be truly holy, to be a citizen of His Kingdom, and a mature child of God.
I salute the SEALS that courageously did what had to be done to put Mr. Bin Laden out of the terror business. They did a tough job that was necessary. I just wish that somehow it would not have been necessary. Bin Laden chose to pull the tiger’s tail and he found the tiger had teeth. We can only speculate what other consequences he is now discovering.
As Christ-followers we need to remember what Jesus meant when he said:
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. In a word, what I'm saying is, grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” Matthew 5:43-48 (MsgB)
Friday, April 15, 2011
Is Jesus Angry at Your Church?
Is Jesus Angry at your church?
What makes Jesus angry? Who ticked him off?
Now if you are saying at this point that Jesus was perfect so he never got angry, I will say to you that you have not read the Gospels very carefully. Jesus was like his Father, both can get mad. (The Old Testament would call it wrathful. My Sunday school teachers called it righteous indignation.)
The people who set Jesus off were not the usual suspects, thieves, prostitutes, corrupt officials, or even Roman oppressors. Surely, he didn’t care for their actions, but he was very slow to condemn them because he didn’t think of them as “the damned.” He looked at them as people who needed to find forgiveness, hope, and the love of God. The people who set him off, he called “vipers” (Matthew 12:34 & 23:33) and “whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27). They were those who called themselves religious, and made it difficult for others to come into relationship with God.
So what would make him cross if he walked into your community and your church today? I think he would be heartbroken at the sin he saw, just as he was in the 1st century. He would walk around and observe our world and see how far it falls short of God’s plan. Jesus would be moved by the heartache people cause each other and themselves by their own actions and attitudes. Then he would visit the churches. At some he would be encouraged to see people sharing His love with others. He would be excited to see people finding hope and salvation and becoming disciples. But I’m afraid that would happen in only a very few churches.
I am afraid that what he would see in most churches might make him blow his cork. Suppose he saw some of these things that occur in most of our churches:
Church people who put there own comforts and preferences (type of building, style of music, mode of dress, etc.), ahead of fulfilling his commission to make disciples.
Church people who think it is their job to “control the pastor.”
Church people who refuse to make friends with people who don’t know Christ and even avoid meaningful relationships with them.
Church people who don’t participate in welcoming newcomers to the church.
Church people who exclude new people from the true fellowship of the church.
Church people who seem to think they have the gift of criticism.
Pastors who are lazy and refuse to lead their congregations.
Pastors who don’t set the example of developing relationships with non-Christians.
Pastors who keep themselves and their people so busy on “church stuff” that they have no time left for meeting friends who don’t know Christ and developing friendships that might lead to making new disciples.
Pastors and churches that are unprepared for the unchurched to show up.
Church people and pastors who plan to “do evangelism” when they get time, or money, or around to it, instead of recognizing that bringing people to Christ is the whole reason the church exists, and that it needs to be done now and always.
These guesses come from what I read of Jesus in the New Testament. I wonder what Jesus would say and do if he had the attention of churches today. I do know this, many churches have died and many more are dying. Could this be because they are not what Jesus has in mind? What would he say and do to your church? By the way, how is it doing? Growing? Plateauing? Declining? More than that, how are you doing? How many people have you brought to the Lord? With how many potential Christians do you have a relationship? Are you doing the task he gave us to do?
What makes Jesus angry? Who ticked him off?
Now if you are saying at this point that Jesus was perfect so he never got angry, I will say to you that you have not read the Gospels very carefully. Jesus was like his Father, both can get mad. (The Old Testament would call it wrathful. My Sunday school teachers called it righteous indignation.)
The people who set Jesus off were not the usual suspects, thieves, prostitutes, corrupt officials, or even Roman oppressors. Surely, he didn’t care for their actions, but he was very slow to condemn them because he didn’t think of them as “the damned.” He looked at them as people who needed to find forgiveness, hope, and the love of God. The people who set him off, he called “vipers” (Matthew 12:34 & 23:33) and “whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27). They were those who called themselves religious, and made it difficult for others to come into relationship with God.
So what would make him cross if he walked into your community and your church today? I think he would be heartbroken at the sin he saw, just as he was in the 1st century. He would walk around and observe our world and see how far it falls short of God’s plan. Jesus would be moved by the heartache people cause each other and themselves by their own actions and attitudes. Then he would visit the churches. At some he would be encouraged to see people sharing His love with others. He would be excited to see people finding hope and salvation and becoming disciples. But I’m afraid that would happen in only a very few churches.
I am afraid that what he would see in most churches might make him blow his cork. Suppose he saw some of these things that occur in most of our churches:
Church people who put there own comforts and preferences (type of building, style of music, mode of dress, etc.), ahead of fulfilling his commission to make disciples.
Church people who think it is their job to “control the pastor.”
Church people who refuse to make friends with people who don’t know Christ and even avoid meaningful relationships with them.
Church people who don’t participate in welcoming newcomers to the church.
Church people who exclude new people from the true fellowship of the church.
Church people who seem to think they have the gift of criticism.
Pastors who are lazy and refuse to lead their congregations.
Pastors who don’t set the example of developing relationships with non-Christians.
Pastors who keep themselves and their people so busy on “church stuff” that they have no time left for meeting friends who don’t know Christ and developing friendships that might lead to making new disciples.
Pastors and churches that are unprepared for the unchurched to show up.
Church people and pastors who plan to “do evangelism” when they get time, or money, or around to it, instead of recognizing that bringing people to Christ is the whole reason the church exists, and that it needs to be done now and always.
These guesses come from what I read of Jesus in the New Testament. I wonder what Jesus would say and do if he had the attention of churches today. I do know this, many churches have died and many more are dying. Could this be because they are not what Jesus has in mind? What would he say and do to your church? By the way, how is it doing? Growing? Plateauing? Declining? More than that, how are you doing? How many people have you brought to the Lord? With how many potential Christians do you have a relationship? Are you doing the task he gave us to do?
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