In this episode of the 200churches Podcast, we talk by Skype audio to Pastor Steve Spear, who is literally running, (on foot!) from California to New York, to raise 1.5 million dollars to equip an African community of 30,000 people with water FOR LIFE.
Here is Steve's update from just two days ago, Monday, June 10, 2013. He talks about how difficult it really is to run over 30 miles every day. We see him on Youtube and it looks easy, but...
You will hear our conversation with Steve, who had just completed a 30+ mile run in West Texas, most of which was through a dust storm! Steve explains how a man who hated running, signed up with TEAM World Vision to run across the country for clean water.
He will literally run more than a marathon each day for over 100 days. Don’t worry about Steve though… he takes every Thursday off as a rest day, he only runs 30+ miles a day the other six days of the week! Here are some links for you to connect with what Steve is doing: Steve’s Story Steve’s Story on Vimeo Steve’s Daily Report Videos Across America Donate Here To Provide Clean Water! The past twenty-five years has seen the greatest cultural upheaval ever in the American Church. From dress to music, from preaching style to worship aesthetics, from programming to technology, from modern to postmodern – it’s been absolutely crazy! Many smaller churches have changed with the culture, without changing their theology or commitment to truth. These churches have continued to make an impact in their communities. They have developed new programs to reach new people. They have amputated ineffective, worn out programs and ministries. Their youth and children’s ministries are full and active. That have stayed contextualized to their communities and are relevant ministries spreading the Gospel to their neighborhoods.
Other smaller churches have resisted change. They are committed to the fundamentals of the faith: hymns, suits, ties, dresses, their favorite Bible version, Sunday evening services, pulpit furniture with high back thron… I mean chairs, conservative everything, organs, the same curriculum they used forty years ago, etc. etc. The youngest couple in their church has been married for 35 years. They have no youth or children’s ministries. They have become irrelevant to their communities and are no longer able to share the Gospel with their neighbors. They will soon be gone. Yet other smaller churches are somewhere in between. They are afraid to let go of much of the old, even as they are trying to embrace the new. Their leadership is still all over 50, and they are hesitant to let the next generation onto the boards and committees. The jury is still out as to whether they will yet be relevant in their communities in five to ten years. Where is your church at? Last week we had “Robert” on the podcast. He is a next generation leader. He thinks differently. I don’t always understand him. Sometimes I’m concerned by some of his positions. But he and all those his age are the future leaders of our churches, unless we keep them out. Unless we hold them at arm’s length. Unless we simply refuse to engage them in discussion and block them from positions of influence in our churches. Then Robert and all his friends will simply leave. And our churches will last for as long as all of us can live. Then they’ll close. How are you doing in your church in terms of engaging the next generation? If you and I don’t, who will? I might be one of the earliest adopters of technology for ministry… or maybe not. Let me take you back to the scene of the crime, tell my story, and let you decide. It was a nondescript spring weekend, Easter in fact, 1989. The little church I pastored had thirty-three people on a typical Sunday. On Easter… thirty four! We met in a small building with three rooms on the first floor. It was a public building in Factoryville, PA, and we had just purchased it. For years it was the public library, and decades before that, the jail. There were still bars in the basement embedded in the walls.
We would remodel later in the summer and open up that first floor, making it our main auditorium. The entire footprint? Twenty five by thirty one feet. Minus a stairwell that would need to be cut in to get downstairs without going outside. Fifty people would pack the place out. We would hit fifty later that year, in October. But that Easter weekend I would make a very daring move, a decision that my survival in that church could turn on. If I did what I wanted to do on Easter morning, I could be termed a charlatan, a light weight, a huckster pastor who was more interested in technology and entertainment than preaching a powerful Easter message on the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the pure, unadulterated, Word of the living God! Young pastors learn something new every day. And if they don’t, they need to! There is so much to learn. In the process, they often whine about things in ministry that they don’t like, and that frustrate them. Here are five whines of young pastors that I have observed from others, but mostly know from experience! 1. My board doesn't get it. Often a young leader will come to a board member, or to a board meeting, with a pile of fresh ideas and new initiatives, and it seems like they all just get shot down before having a chance to fly. The pastor leaves dejected, discouraged, angry, and after repeated experiences like this in board meetings, resentful.
For most people, if it isn’t their idea, they are not excited about it. Once you’ve built relationships with your board members, the key is to lead and facilitate change in such a way that the ideas are their ideas, and not just yours. People get behind what they own, and they often easily own what they create, or what they are a part of creating. Before any initiative is introduced, there needs to be communication, vision casting, and relationship all happening ahead of time. Leadership guru John Maxwell says it like this: “You have to have a meeting before the meeting, and if you don’t, you‘ll likely have a meeting after the meeting since the meeting wasn’t very good because you didn’t have the meeting before the meeting.” I would say that you have to have communication and relationship before the meeting! 2. Our people are just focused on themselves. The truth is, everyone is focused on themselves as the default position. We are all selfish, self-centered, and self-absorbed naturally. It takes leaders to help a group of people move their attention and affection to others. Any kind of serious paradigm shift simply takes time, consistent encouragement, and the Holy Spirit. The more you talk about “the people who are not here yet” (as in, not in our church yet) and the more you purposefully direct your budget, resources, facilities, and calendar in the direction of others, the more your church family’s attention will turn to the community and outsiders. Again, don’t forget the spiritual dimension of the Holy Spirit. He loves the lost, and he will help you and your people to love outsiders – don’t forget to pray and talk to Him about this. This week we are going to tackle the topic – What Real Ministry Looks Like. In light of the technology revolution of the past twenty years, giving us podcasts, blogs, Twitter, online video, streaming church services, Facebook, and YouTube channels, what does real, grassroots, rubber meets the road ministry really look like? Last month we read an article in the March online edition of Leadership Journal by a young pastor named Chris Nye. We call him Chris Nye the Ministry Guy! In his article, titled The New Televangelists, he talked about how the Internet was forming his vision of ministry when he said “But as I soaked up podcasts and sermon videos from famous pastors, I was unwittingly forming an inaccurate vision of the life of a pastor.”
Our purpose for 200churches.com is to affirm and encourage the pastors who lead and shepherd churches under 200 people – especially lay, bi-vocational, and solo pastors in churches under 100. These men and women are the real heroes of ministry, serving faithfully in rural, suburban, and urban churches where there is little recognition or notoriety. This week, our podcast focused on creating an inviting atmosphere in our 200churches. We believe that an inviting atmosphere begins with the people who attend your church, and we outlined five steps that you can take at your own 200church that will get you started on cultivating a warm, welcoming environment wherever you are, and no matter the size of your budget. While we start with ourselves as people whose characters, personalities, and practices are what shape the atmosphere of our services, we should also pay close attention to the overall feel of our church facilities. Environments are important and we should take time to consider the message that we're sending to people as they walk in our doors. No matter where a church is located or how many people are attending, we should always be ready for visitors to walk into one of our services. As leaders, we're ultimately responsible for the experience that people have when they attend, and a large part of that experience is related to the environment of our church.
The longer you've been at your church, the more difficult it is to be an accurate barometer of its atmosphere. When I first came to work at the church where I now serve, I had so many ideas on how we could make a change here or there to impact the overall atmosphere in our facilities. As time has passed, however, I inevitably have lost some of my ability to recognize those areas. This happens to all of us, so here are some easy ways to get a feel for what your environment is currently like, and how to move forward.
It may sound trivial, but if our church environments are less than appealing, we reduce the likelihood of attracting and retaining new attenders. Not only that, but we're doing a disservice to the people who are currently attending our church by not working to ensure that the place where they come to worship is always inviting, welcoming, and friendly. Here are a few final questions to ask on environment:
If you had to give bad answers to any of the above questions, what can you do about it? Who is going to address these areas? Are there leaders or volunteers who are gifted and passionate in any of these areas, to whom you could delegate some tasks? You may not need to spend much, if any, money, just a little time and energy removing the old, and straightening, cleaning, polishing, and painting what's left! Before anyone comes to visit us, my wife and I spend some quality time picking up, cleaning up, and working to make sure that someone's visit to our home is as pleasant and enjoyable as possible. Whether it's students from our church or some friends we're having over for the first time, we know that environment is important. We understand that about our homes, but because of familiarity and shared ownership, we miss it at church. It's time we applied the same standards to our churches!
One of the harsh realities of any church is that people are constantly cycling in and out. Regardless of the reasons for it, the fact is that we will lose some people. When that happens, and especially when the family leaving is close to the core, the pastor and people left must wrestle with feelings of betrayal, loss, and grief.
Remember that churches are always in a state of flux. In larger churches, pastors may not even realize when people walk out the door. In 200churches, we are privileged and burdened with the knowledge of when a family leaves. Remembering that this is just a reality of all churches helps the pill taste a little less bitter. Complicating issues further, many 200churches are located in small towns, where the pastor and church members may frequently see people who have left the church. This can cause awkward interactions, and even painful feelings for the pastor, his or her spouse, and the church members. As pastors, we must choose the kind of attitude we are going to have toward those who leave our churches. Having some experience in this area, here are four reflections on how to manage your thoughts and heart when people leave your church. 1. Recognize that the Body of Christ is so much bigger than your church. This is so obvious, but so pivotal to remember. When a family leaves for another church, it’s important to remember that they have not become an enemy. The Kingdom of God is bigger than our four walls. 2. Allow yourself to feel the loss, but don't take it personally. Allow yourself to feel betrayal, grief, anger, or frustration. Trying to bottle up your feelings will only backfire in the long run. If necessary, see a counselor or trusted adviser to gain perspective and don’t allow bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness to take over. And always remember, it’s not personal. Don’t allow someone’s departure to make you second guess every decision and public statement you make. 3. Let their leaving be a learning opportunity. This will be hard, but is very important. When a family leaves, take a moment and consider if there are some things that should change. Talk it over with your spouse or church leadership, people who will speak honestly to you. Learning from difficulties instead of just being defensive is a mark of a good leader, and the people in your church will take their cue from you. 4. Treat them as though they never left. Regardless of the terms someone leaves on, we need to speak to them, love them, and treat them exactly the same in any interactions as if they are still attending our church. People might be surprised to be treated with such kindness (especially those who were less than kind when they walked out) but it is our responsibility to do so. Remember, these people are not our enemies simply because they no longer worship with us. If we are the Body of Christ, we are family, no matter what building we worship in. There is no denying that it hurts when someone leaves a church. The pastor, the congregation, and the people leaving all experience hurt and pain. If you’re dealing with this hurt in your own church, we hope this has been helpful. If you have experience with this and have something to add, please leave a comment!
Have you ever been trampled by a sacred cow in your ministry? I remember in January of 1999 our church announced that the upcoming Sunday evening service would be cancelled to make room for a Super Bowl party. This party would be an outreach to invite friends – you know, you’ve all done it by now. The following Monday morning, a couple (who had been members for over 20 years) stopped by the church to inform us that they would no longer be attending and that they wanted their $3,200 offering check from the day before… back! Sacred cow? Evening service!
Another couple I visited asked if we were going to start singing more hymns on Sundays. I told them that we would likely sing less hymns over time. “Okay, thank you. We will begin going to another church then.” Sacred cow? Hymns! Another person left our church when I stopped wearing a coat and tie on Sunday mornings. Another sacred cow. Sacred cows can be buildings, church furniture, service times, platform arrangement, Bible versions, pastoral visits, and even dress codes. How can we as pastors of 200churches change these areas while avoiding stepping and slipping on those fresh, steaming cow patties in our churches? After slipping and sitting in too many of them, I have some ideas for properly killing a sacred cow. But first, consider these thoughts:
So, for those in the third category, here are a few questions you should ask:
As pastors of 200churches, our people should know how much we love and value them, but also that we are committed to killing sacred cows if they are in the way of us accomplishing our Jesus-mandated mission. For 200churches, the only thing more important than our people is our God-given purpose called the Great Commission. If a sacred cow is in the way, the most important question we can ask is: medium, or well done?!
One issue that faces all church leaders is determining the standard for how things should be at your church. We all face a reality in our churches that there are areas and ministries that are not operating in the way that they need to and the way that we would prefer. This could be as simple as having hideous curtains in the sanctuary to as serious as having the wrong people on your staff. In either of those scenarios, and every imaginable one in between, there is a disconnect between how things are and how things should be.
What we've realized is that one of the biggest hurdles between moving from how something is to how it should be is the dreaded phrase "it's not as bad as it used to be." This "not as bad as it used to be" mentality can show up in any area: is the person teaching Sunday School not getting the job done? At least they're not as bad as the last person used to be. Is there a room being used for storage now that could be used in better ways? At least what it's storing isn't as useless as what used to be in there.
The truth is, as long as something is "not as bad as it used to be" we're often content to leave it the way it is. If this is a hurdle you're struggling with right now, here are some questions to ask to help you move forward: 1. What is the mission and vision of our church? 2. How is the person/room/resource in question moving our church closer to our mission/vision? 3. How could this person/resource be used more effectively in moving our mission/vision forward? These can (and will) be tough questions, but they're questions that need to be asked in order to determine how something should be. If we set the standard for how things are at "not as bad as it used to be," eventually our churches will be "worse than they've ever been"! So what are some areas/people/ministries in your church that need to be re-evaluated? Where can you begin to move from "not as bad as it used to be" toward being mission and vision focused? In the late 1990’s I was on the pastoral staff of a church that shifted so dramatically that we lost 150 people in six months, and then gained that many back in the next twelve months! It all started when our entire staff team took a trip to, you guessed it, southern California. Our outgoing senior pastor was convinced that we needed to move in a purpose-driven direction as a church, so as his last leadership act, he took the staff to a Purpose-Driven Church Conference at Saddleback Church. For me and my wife, it was one of the best and most memorable experiences of our lives. We absolutely loved it, and so did the rest of our team.
Over the following two years however, I learned four important lessons:
For so many reasons we had a ton to learn from Saddleback Church in 1997, but for twice as many reasons, we should not have used it as a model for our church immediately upon our return. This resulted in what would become years of problems, issues, division, and lost growth toward the Kingdom. Ultimately, we failed, and someone else had to pick up the pieces and start over again. Thankfully, it is moving in a positive direction today. We had a blast at Saddleback! I have returned six more times since then and am so thankful for what I have learned and how I have grown. Rick is an awesome pastor and leader and his church family truly is second to none. Today I am also thankful for my church of 200 in Orange City, IA! We are making advances for the Kingdom of God in our community, people are growing, serving, building relationships, using their gifts, and living lives of worship. My church matters and my leadership matters huge in the Kingdom of God! No matter the size of your church, so does yours! |
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