Tuesday, July 30, 2013
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: The Value and Challenges of Supply Preaching
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: The Value and Challenges of Supply Preaching: As a person who is new in the church consulting field and as one who some would called "retired" (though I hate that term), d...
The Value and Challenges of Supply Preaching
As a person who is new in the church consulting field and as one who some would called "retired" (though I hate that term), doing pulpit supply by filling in for vacationing pastors and pulpit vacancies has been my lot this summer. Thus far, I have had the opportunity to preach at five different churches with two more pulpits awaiting me during the next few weeks. To say the least, the experience has been a valuable and challenging one for me as a consultant and guest preacher.
As I have had the opportunity to do pulpit supply, I have found that there are a number of benefits in having this kind of ministry. First of all, pulpit supply has allowed me a number of opportunities to observe what God is doing in a variety of contexts. Each congregation is different from each other, but I could see different ways the Holy Spirit was working even in the smallest congregation. In one church, in particular, I had the chance to see how far they had come since I did supply preaching there a year ago during the summer of 2012. There was a new atmosphere in that particular congregation especially since they had gone through a rather difficult crisis which left the church in a state where one wondered if the church would even survive. On the other hand, I had a chance to observe not only the ways God was working, but could see the congregation through an objective set of eyes. I could see some of the areas of the church's ministry that needed growth and transformation. As a consultant, preaching at various congregations has allowed me to improve my observation skills in looking at congregations in a variety of contexts.
Secondly, supply preaching has allowed the congregation to hear a different perspective on the Scriptures that they are not accustomed to. This does not mean that the pastor is doing a poor job preaching, but sometimes human beings become so used to the pastor's messages, they can almost take it for granted. At times, it is a healthy thing for churches to hear a different approach to the Scriptures and to remind people that the Word of God is a living word that is proclaimed in a number of ways. Supply preaching can help a congregation avoid tunnel vision when it comes to the preaching and teaching of God's Word.
Thirdly, supply preaching can be used to build up the pastor and his/her ministry. In addition to this, supply preaching can also build up the church's ministry by helping the congregation see God's plan from an impartial observer. As an outsider, often topics can be preached on that may be awkward for the pastor to speak about especially if there is conflict or finances are tight.The supply preacher has no direct vested interest in the congregation and has a great deal of leverage in being able to cover preaching topics that will help a congregation and its pastor fulfill God's calling.
While there are great opportunities involved in supply preaching, yet it is not without its challenges. As one who has recently entered the world of supply preaching, one of its most difficult aspects is that I am not connected to the people in the same way as I was when I pastored a church. When I was a pastor, I knew where Aunt Grace and the Jones' sat every Sunday morning. I knew that Harriet was still getting over the pains of a messy divorce and that Ralph was grieving over the loss of his wife of 62 years. In supply preaching, I don't have that history and I can go weeks without really being connected to any one congregation. Although I have been attending a particular church when I am not supply preaching, it can be weeks between times that I worship in what I would call a "home" church (especially during vacation time).
It is because of this challenge, I would highly recommend that, anyone who regularly supply preaches, should make it a point to find a home church and to attend its meetings during the week to stay connected. Another aspect to this is that my wife has not gone with me when I did pulpit supply with the reason being is that it gave her an opportunity to be connected with our new congregation since I had left my previous pastoral post in late April. Another factor that has helped is that a number of pulpit supplies were earlier than our church service and it allowed me to at least get back for the coffee hour held after the service. It is my opinion that the greatest challenge to pulpit supply is to stay connected to a local church.
Another challenge to being involved in pulpit supply is to understand the flow of the service in each church and what the expectations are. Some churches have lay leaders and all that the guest preacher has to do is preach. Other churches have no one and you are on your own! Some are very formal-suit and tie while others are laid back. In dealing with this issue, I usually wore a suit and tie when I arrived at the church but dressed down if the situation warranted it. Interestingly enough, I came into one church wearing my suit and tie and during the announcements, a woman told me to take off the coat- "We are informal here." On a warm summer day in a non air conditioned church, I obliged!
Some congregations are very good in telling the guest pastor ahead of time what the expectations are and some are not so good at this. The guest preacher should check with the pastor ahead of time what is expected but this can be very difficult if the church is without a pastor or if communication is poor. Nevertheless, a supply preacher will have to go with the flow to a certain extent and most people are pretty forgiving of a visiting pastor since we do have guest status. At one church that I had supplied at for three consecutive weeks, I had become comfortable enough that I even sang with their choir on the third week. Flexibility is a key in supply preaching and it is a great way of connecting with a congregation even if it is only short term.
Another challenge to supply preaching is that it involves traveling and this can interrupt the Sunday morning flow for most pastors (unless you are a circuit rider!). Also there are certain expenses involved. Another thing to keep in mind is that there is a great likelihood that you will preach a sermon that you have used before. This has its advantages in that you do not have to have as much preparation time but its disadvantages in that there is a danger that it is not a fresh word from God. Also a supply preacher must be careful to make sure that the same sermon is not used two times in a row if he/she should preach at the same church six months apart. Even if one takes a sermon out of the file, it must be prayed over, prepared and open to what God might be saying in new insights from His Word.
Supply preaching, especially for the church consultant, is a valuable and important ministry that will help make those involved in such a ministry become better observers, providers of a fresh perspective in God's Word and an important source of support to both the congregation and pastor. It is a ministry that has its significance even with its challenges. In response to this blog, I would welcome any additional thoughts to anyone who has had an opportunity to supply preach.
As I have had the opportunity to do pulpit supply, I have found that there are a number of benefits in having this kind of ministry. First of all, pulpit supply has allowed me a number of opportunities to observe what God is doing in a variety of contexts. Each congregation is different from each other, but I could see different ways the Holy Spirit was working even in the smallest congregation. In one church, in particular, I had the chance to see how far they had come since I did supply preaching there a year ago during the summer of 2012. There was a new atmosphere in that particular congregation especially since they had gone through a rather difficult crisis which left the church in a state where one wondered if the church would even survive. On the other hand, I had a chance to observe not only the ways God was working, but could see the congregation through an objective set of eyes. I could see some of the areas of the church's ministry that needed growth and transformation. As a consultant, preaching at various congregations has allowed me to improve my observation skills in looking at congregations in a variety of contexts.
Secondly, supply preaching has allowed the congregation to hear a different perspective on the Scriptures that they are not accustomed to. This does not mean that the pastor is doing a poor job preaching, but sometimes human beings become so used to the pastor's messages, they can almost take it for granted. At times, it is a healthy thing for churches to hear a different approach to the Scriptures and to remind people that the Word of God is a living word that is proclaimed in a number of ways. Supply preaching can help a congregation avoid tunnel vision when it comes to the preaching and teaching of God's Word.
Thirdly, supply preaching can be used to build up the pastor and his/her ministry. In addition to this, supply preaching can also build up the church's ministry by helping the congregation see God's plan from an impartial observer. As an outsider, often topics can be preached on that may be awkward for the pastor to speak about especially if there is conflict or finances are tight.The supply preacher has no direct vested interest in the congregation and has a great deal of leverage in being able to cover preaching topics that will help a congregation and its pastor fulfill God's calling.
While there are great opportunities involved in supply preaching, yet it is not without its challenges. As one who has recently entered the world of supply preaching, one of its most difficult aspects is that I am not connected to the people in the same way as I was when I pastored a church. When I was a pastor, I knew where Aunt Grace and the Jones' sat every Sunday morning. I knew that Harriet was still getting over the pains of a messy divorce and that Ralph was grieving over the loss of his wife of 62 years. In supply preaching, I don't have that history and I can go weeks without really being connected to any one congregation. Although I have been attending a particular church when I am not supply preaching, it can be weeks between times that I worship in what I would call a "home" church (especially during vacation time).
It is because of this challenge, I would highly recommend that, anyone who regularly supply preaches, should make it a point to find a home church and to attend its meetings during the week to stay connected. Another aspect to this is that my wife has not gone with me when I did pulpit supply with the reason being is that it gave her an opportunity to be connected with our new congregation since I had left my previous pastoral post in late April. Another factor that has helped is that a number of pulpit supplies were earlier than our church service and it allowed me to at least get back for the coffee hour held after the service. It is my opinion that the greatest challenge to pulpit supply is to stay connected to a local church.
Another challenge to being involved in pulpit supply is to understand the flow of the service in each church and what the expectations are. Some churches have lay leaders and all that the guest preacher has to do is preach. Other churches have no one and you are on your own! Some are very formal-suit and tie while others are laid back. In dealing with this issue, I usually wore a suit and tie when I arrived at the church but dressed down if the situation warranted it. Interestingly enough, I came into one church wearing my suit and tie and during the announcements, a woman told me to take off the coat- "We are informal here." On a warm summer day in a non air conditioned church, I obliged!
Some congregations are very good in telling the guest pastor ahead of time what the expectations are and some are not so good at this. The guest preacher should check with the pastor ahead of time what is expected but this can be very difficult if the church is without a pastor or if communication is poor. Nevertheless, a supply preacher will have to go with the flow to a certain extent and most people are pretty forgiving of a visiting pastor since we do have guest status. At one church that I had supplied at for three consecutive weeks, I had become comfortable enough that I even sang with their choir on the third week. Flexibility is a key in supply preaching and it is a great way of connecting with a congregation even if it is only short term.
Another challenge to supply preaching is that it involves traveling and this can interrupt the Sunday morning flow for most pastors (unless you are a circuit rider!). Also there are certain expenses involved. Another thing to keep in mind is that there is a great likelihood that you will preach a sermon that you have used before. This has its advantages in that you do not have to have as much preparation time but its disadvantages in that there is a danger that it is not a fresh word from God. Also a supply preacher must be careful to make sure that the same sermon is not used two times in a row if he/she should preach at the same church six months apart. Even if one takes a sermon out of the file, it must be prayed over, prepared and open to what God might be saying in new insights from His Word.
Supply preaching, especially for the church consultant, is a valuable and important ministry that will help make those involved in such a ministry become better observers, providers of a fresh perspective in God's Word and an important source of support to both the congregation and pastor. It is a ministry that has its significance even with its challenges. In response to this blog, I would welcome any additional thoughts to anyone who has had an opportunity to supply preach.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Overcoming Top Ten Myths of Reviving a Church
A short time ago, I wrote a blog called "Top Ten Myths of Reviving a Church" in which I outlined some false assumptions about what it takes to revive a church. In the LinkedIn discussion page of the Society For Church Consulting, one of the responders wrote, "We've been calling these myths 'myths' longer than I've been alive; some may have been calling them 'myths' even before the myths themselves existed! We know it. But at some point when the church hits a rough time, we look back, and lo and behold, we followed what we knew to be myths anyway. What we need is an article on how to catch ourselves as we start following these myths, and then stop ourselves from following them." Not to back away from such a challenge, I have decided to take this responder up on his challenge and write about ways that we can stop these myths from happening. (Note: To get a description of these myths, check my earlier blog)
OVERCOMING MYTH #1: IF WE HAVE AN EVENT OR SPONSOR A PROGRAM OR CHANGE OUR STYLE THEY WILL COME: Events do have a role in reaching out to those who are unchurched, but they are not an end to themselves. There are a couple of things that should be done to not fall into the event dependency myth. First of all, if a church is to have an event, it is better to do a few things well rather than over-saturate the schedule and to eliminate those events that are not necessary. In my previous church, we had four outreach events each year but eliminated one when it became ineffective. It allowed for the church to focus on the events that were effective and not get bogged down in an event that no one was passionate about.
Secondly, regular evaluation of outreach events should be reviewed. One of the burning questions for evaluation should be, "Is the church going out to the community or is the expectation that they should be coming to us?" If the second question is true, the event should be eliminated. In my previous church, the events that we had were very community oriented. The church had a children's carnival loaded with games outside in public view, a trunk or treat night for Halloween, and a free Christmas photo night at a community wide Christmas party was being held at an adjacent park across the street. The expectation was to make the church's presence known in the community which gave the church an opportunity to share its faith in Christ. In evaluating the church's outreach, this question should be asked, "If our church were to close its doors today, would we be missed in our community?" This question should be a motivation as to how we should plan events and programs which should be to serve the community with the message of Christ as opposed to have them serve us. The motivation shouldn't be to get people in our doors, but to get God's people out to a hurting world.
OVERCOMING MYTH #2: WHAT WORKED YESTERDAY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK: While it may sound like a broken record (I raised the point above), the best way to overcome this myth is to evaluate! evaluate! evaluate! on a regular basis. Perhaps a good rule of thumb would be to do this after the event or at very least, once a year. As in the case of my previous church's outreach, we came to the conclusion that the fourth outreach event (which was a community outreach yard sale) had lost its luster and was no longer effective. In addition, the level of participation from church members had fallen off, so instead of trying to beat a dead horse, the event was eliminated. In addition, an evening worship service we had was eliminated because it was not reaching those on the outside of the church and had fallen into a "they will come to us" mindset. In a changing world, what worked last year may not work this year and evaluation on a regular basis is crucial.
OVERCOMING MYTH #3: ENDING A PROGRAM MEANS FAILURE: Failure gets a bad rap in today's world. But the truth is that in failure, comes true success. Baseball great Ted Williams batted over .400 and was the last to do so. But what is often not talked about is that, as great that his accomplishment was, he failed 60% of the time. In today's baseball world, a player who bats .300 get paid $25 million a year for failing 70% of the time! Some of the greatest failures in history became important people. Thomas Edison, in his many failed experiments, and Abraham Lincoln, in his early political setbacks, are examples of failure. Yet, in the church, we have a hard time admitting failure and learning from it. Failure, if it is looked at in a healthy way, can breed great success and blessing. One of the best ways for a church to overcome this myth is for the church leaders to be comfortable in admitting their own failures and giving people permission to try something and not feel ashamed if failure happens. From a preaching standpoint, pastors would do well in speaking about the failures of the Bible-Moses and his fear of speaking and hot-temperedness, Jonah, who was given a second chance after messing up royally, David, who was caught up in looking at a naked woman (married, at that!) and falling into an illicit relationship with her, and Peter, in his numerous snafus.
Overcoming this myth may be one of the hardest to do in our success-oriented culture, but again, having a time of evaluation is helpful. What went well/ What did not go well? What valuable lessons were learned? These are important questions in evaluating a ministry or program that has ended. I would also suggest that a time of celebration might not be a bad idea especially if it were a program that had a long tradition but because times had changed, it had outlived its effectiveness. Recently, I watched the Major League Baseball All-Star game in which the 43 year-old Mariano Rivera pitched in his last All-Star game (he is retiring at the end of the season). While he is still quite a pitcher at his age, the reality is that 43 years of age means that his career is coming to an end. What was moving, however, was how team mates and opponents alike celebrated the many years of one who may go down as the greatest relief pitcher ever to play the game. The church would do well to do the same in its various ministries whose time has come.
OVERCOMING MYTH #4: DOCTRINE ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS RELATIONSHIPS: It would be helpful especially in the church's preaching, teaching, and small group ministry to as what makes a relationship important? In human relationships (such as marriage), there is the initial attraction, dating, engagement, and marriage in which a couple is getting to know each other better. As the relationship grows, they are meeting their partner's friends, parents and relatives. They are discovering their partner's background, upbringing, their values and personality. In essence, there is a certain knowledge base to the relationship which defines it. One could call this knowledge base the relationship's doctrine or core beliefs that define it. Likewise, the same holds true in our relationship with Christ and His people. One of the important functions of the church is to remove the dichotomy between doctrine and relationship, that in any relationship a certain set of core beliefs are necessary. The best way for this to happen is for churches to be very proactive in its discipleship and teaching ministries by making sure everyone has had a basic Christianity 101 teaching prior to their making a profession of faith.
OVERCOMING MYTHS # 5 and #6: INCREASING NUMBERS MEANS REVIVAL HAS TAKEN PLACE and A SHRINKING OR A NUMERICAL UNCHANGING CHURCH MEANS THAT A CHURCH IS HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION: I have placed the overcoming of these two myths together in that it is easy to play the numbers game when it comes to evaluating revival. It is my opinion that true church growth or revival takes place based on the Acts 2: 42-47 model in which believers were devoted to the apostles' teaching, the power of God was being manifested through supernatural change, the unity of the church was being displayed through meeting each others' needs, the meeting together and the breaking of bread was taking place in public and in their homes with sincerity, and in the praising of God as well as having the favor of all the people. The result of all of this is in Acts 2:47 was that the Lord was adding daily to those who were being saved.
It is important to notice that the reference to numbers were those of new believers who were being saved. A church may grow numerically and yet have few newly saved people. They may have come from other churches either because a church has the "happening church ministry in town" or have come from other churches because they were disgruntled with their previous church or pastor. If the numbers of a church increase because of what is called "transferred" growth, it is not true revival in the Biblical sense of the word. Likewise, a church can be in a declining or a unchanging situation numerically and can actually be experiencing revival. For example, suppose a small rural church has experienced seven new believers coming to Christ in the past year, yet five members have died and another six, upset at the influx of these new people, became disgruntled and left the church. Furthermore, the community had experienced a ten percent drop in its population due to a factory closure which meant four other people had moved away from the church. Statistically the church had a negative number of numerical growth in the past year, yet I would argue that in spite of these losses, the church was experiencing the influx of new believers in Christ. The congregation is experiencing a revival of sorts, assuming that the church is growing in the Lord in its devotion to the Word, in its love for each other, in its meeting together and the breaking of bread, and in its praise to the Lord as well as its standing in the community.
Once again, evaluation is important for any church when looking at its so-called numbers. Are they new believers? Are they merely transfers from other churches. How honestly are churches with the numbers? Numbers being added were the result of the spiritual life of the early church in Acts 2. Are those qualities of the spiritual life being lived out in the church?
OVERCOMING MYTH #7: THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING BUT SHOULD LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD: This is a myth that is more about the perception that the work of the Holy Spirit and planning always has to be placed in some sort of dichotomy. It really comes down to one's basic theological understanding that God is the creator and he has intricately ordered his universe to function with all of its scientific and natural aspects and that God is a God of order. It is true that God intervenes at times with the supernatural into the natural world, but this does not preclude the fact that God has ordered His creation to be functioning with certain natural laws. If one looks at the intricate function of the different parts of the human body, one can see a well planned and wonderfully made person (Psalm 139:14) created by God. If God so created the world with such a well planned intentionality, how can a church not also see that planning for revival is part of the Holy Spirit's work.
One practical way of overcoming this myth is to stop seeing the work of the elders (or deacons in a Baptist church) as spiritual while the trustees take care of the non spiritual matters such as the building and finances. All activity, organizationally or otherwise is God's work and programs, money, buildings etc. as well as prayer, spiritual care, discipleship and teaching are a part of the Holy Spirit's work. Perhaps churches need to stop dichotomizing these two functions and function as one entity as leaders by combining the boards for prayer and spiritual formation at least several times a year if not monthly. Even more importantly in smaller churches, the need for a single board may also be considered.
OVERCOMING MYTH #8: THE CHURCH LACK THE RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY: In overcoming this myth, I have no easy solution, but Biblical teaching about faith is a must not to mention that people's perception of God must be stretched. One important factor is to use the power of the testimony of changed lives and churches as a way of encouraging a congregation. For example, suppose a congregation does not feel they can afford to start up a new ministry that could have an impact on the community. It might be at this point, another congregation might be contacted who went through similar issues and come and share to the church's leadership how God led them through the process. Often churches get caught up in these myths because they fail to see how God has worked in the wider context. This does not mean that the church shouldn't be good stewards and go running off on a whim, but it does mean that God is able to use what a congregation does have to further the kingdom. By looking toward outside support, the church may come to realize that they had more resources than they realized.
OVERCOMING MYTH #9: IF WE CHANGE THE PASTOR OR IF WE ONLY HAD PASTOR JONES STILL HERE, THEN OUR CHURCH WILL GROW: The sad truth is that, by the time this myth gets entrenched, it becomes very difficult to overcome this. It is not uncommon for churches to go through several pastors in a short time or to experience substantial decline. If this myth gets established, one of two things will happen. The church will either die (even a continual slow death) or they will stop scapegoating and come to realize that the church has the problem and that blame does not work. In order for the later to happen, outside help is a must or, at very least, a well trained intentional interim pastor who can guide the church through the process of overcoming this myth before the new pastor arrives.
In order to keep this myth from developing, the earlier this is recognized as a myth, the better. Churches would be wise to have a pastoral relations committee or pastor-parish committee to openly talk about expectations. Also, pastors need to be forthright enough to talk about this myth. In my previous church (which I had served for nearly nineteen years), I spent my last months making it very clear that God raises up different leaders at different times for different eras in a church's life (I Corinthians 3:1-9, Joshua 1) and that while I still would be a friend, once I leave the church, I will not be available for pastoral duties that interfered with the new pastor or the interim pastor's work. It is my opinion that pastors need to communicate this on a regular basis even if they are not leaving soon in order to show that it is Christ's church and not the pastor's.
OVERCOMING MYTH #10: IF WE COPY SADDLEBACK'S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS THEN THE CONGREGATION WILL GROW: It is proper for churches to learn from the Saddlebacks and Willow Creeks of this world, but each church must truly be a student of its own context. In addition to this, churches in their meetings should spend at least part of the time focusing on what God is already doing in the life of the congregation. A few months ago, I read a book called, "Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change." by David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney which presents a business model that focuses on an organization's strengths instead of its problems. Far too many meetings are spent on problems to be solved rather than looking at what strengths are already there. In the church, too much time is spent on what is lacking rather than what is happening and how God wants to expand the church's vision.
As a result of such thinking, we have a number of Saddleback "wannabes" rather than congregations who have a lot more to offer than they even realize. God has a plan for every congregation to be His witnesses in the community they serve and has allowed each church to uniquely and creatively express their ministry within their own context.
Overcoming these myths provides a challenge since they are often so entrenched in the life of the church. In this post, I have tried to at least outline some ways that churches can begin the process of putting a stop to these myths before they take control in a congregation's life. Now it is your turn for feedback. I am looking forward to reading your comments.
OVERCOMING MYTH #1: IF WE HAVE AN EVENT OR SPONSOR A PROGRAM OR CHANGE OUR STYLE THEY WILL COME: Events do have a role in reaching out to those who are unchurched, but they are not an end to themselves. There are a couple of things that should be done to not fall into the event dependency myth. First of all, if a church is to have an event, it is better to do a few things well rather than over-saturate the schedule and to eliminate those events that are not necessary. In my previous church, we had four outreach events each year but eliminated one when it became ineffective. It allowed for the church to focus on the events that were effective and not get bogged down in an event that no one was passionate about.
Secondly, regular evaluation of outreach events should be reviewed. One of the burning questions for evaluation should be, "Is the church going out to the community or is the expectation that they should be coming to us?" If the second question is true, the event should be eliminated. In my previous church, the events that we had were very community oriented. The church had a children's carnival loaded with games outside in public view, a trunk or treat night for Halloween, and a free Christmas photo night at a community wide Christmas party was being held at an adjacent park across the street. The expectation was to make the church's presence known in the community which gave the church an opportunity to share its faith in Christ. In evaluating the church's outreach, this question should be asked, "If our church were to close its doors today, would we be missed in our community?" This question should be a motivation as to how we should plan events and programs which should be to serve the community with the message of Christ as opposed to have them serve us. The motivation shouldn't be to get people in our doors, but to get God's people out to a hurting world.
OVERCOMING MYTH #2: WHAT WORKED YESTERDAY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK: While it may sound like a broken record (I raised the point above), the best way to overcome this myth is to evaluate! evaluate! evaluate! on a regular basis. Perhaps a good rule of thumb would be to do this after the event or at very least, once a year. As in the case of my previous church's outreach, we came to the conclusion that the fourth outreach event (which was a community outreach yard sale) had lost its luster and was no longer effective. In addition, the level of participation from church members had fallen off, so instead of trying to beat a dead horse, the event was eliminated. In addition, an evening worship service we had was eliminated because it was not reaching those on the outside of the church and had fallen into a "they will come to us" mindset. In a changing world, what worked last year may not work this year and evaluation on a regular basis is crucial.
OVERCOMING MYTH #3: ENDING A PROGRAM MEANS FAILURE: Failure gets a bad rap in today's world. But the truth is that in failure, comes true success. Baseball great Ted Williams batted over .400 and was the last to do so. But what is often not talked about is that, as great that his accomplishment was, he failed 60% of the time. In today's baseball world, a player who bats .300 get paid $25 million a year for failing 70% of the time! Some of the greatest failures in history became important people. Thomas Edison, in his many failed experiments, and Abraham Lincoln, in his early political setbacks, are examples of failure. Yet, in the church, we have a hard time admitting failure and learning from it. Failure, if it is looked at in a healthy way, can breed great success and blessing. One of the best ways for a church to overcome this myth is for the church leaders to be comfortable in admitting their own failures and giving people permission to try something and not feel ashamed if failure happens. From a preaching standpoint, pastors would do well in speaking about the failures of the Bible-Moses and his fear of speaking and hot-temperedness, Jonah, who was given a second chance after messing up royally, David, who was caught up in looking at a naked woman (married, at that!) and falling into an illicit relationship with her, and Peter, in his numerous snafus.
Overcoming this myth may be one of the hardest to do in our success-oriented culture, but again, having a time of evaluation is helpful. What went well/ What did not go well? What valuable lessons were learned? These are important questions in evaluating a ministry or program that has ended. I would also suggest that a time of celebration might not be a bad idea especially if it were a program that had a long tradition but because times had changed, it had outlived its effectiveness. Recently, I watched the Major League Baseball All-Star game in which the 43 year-old Mariano Rivera pitched in his last All-Star game (he is retiring at the end of the season). While he is still quite a pitcher at his age, the reality is that 43 years of age means that his career is coming to an end. What was moving, however, was how team mates and opponents alike celebrated the many years of one who may go down as the greatest relief pitcher ever to play the game. The church would do well to do the same in its various ministries whose time has come.
OVERCOMING MYTH #4: DOCTRINE ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS RELATIONSHIPS: It would be helpful especially in the church's preaching, teaching, and small group ministry to as what makes a relationship important? In human relationships (such as marriage), there is the initial attraction, dating, engagement, and marriage in which a couple is getting to know each other better. As the relationship grows, they are meeting their partner's friends, parents and relatives. They are discovering their partner's background, upbringing, their values and personality. In essence, there is a certain knowledge base to the relationship which defines it. One could call this knowledge base the relationship's doctrine or core beliefs that define it. Likewise, the same holds true in our relationship with Christ and His people. One of the important functions of the church is to remove the dichotomy between doctrine and relationship, that in any relationship a certain set of core beliefs are necessary. The best way for this to happen is for churches to be very proactive in its discipleship and teaching ministries by making sure everyone has had a basic Christianity 101 teaching prior to their making a profession of faith.
OVERCOMING MYTHS # 5 and #6: INCREASING NUMBERS MEANS REVIVAL HAS TAKEN PLACE and A SHRINKING OR A NUMERICAL UNCHANGING CHURCH MEANS THAT A CHURCH IS HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION: I have placed the overcoming of these two myths together in that it is easy to play the numbers game when it comes to evaluating revival. It is my opinion that true church growth or revival takes place based on the Acts 2: 42-47 model in which believers were devoted to the apostles' teaching, the power of God was being manifested through supernatural change, the unity of the church was being displayed through meeting each others' needs, the meeting together and the breaking of bread was taking place in public and in their homes with sincerity, and in the praising of God as well as having the favor of all the people. The result of all of this is in Acts 2:47 was that the Lord was adding daily to those who were being saved.
It is important to notice that the reference to numbers were those of new believers who were being saved. A church may grow numerically and yet have few newly saved people. They may have come from other churches either because a church has the "happening church ministry in town" or have come from other churches because they were disgruntled with their previous church or pastor. If the numbers of a church increase because of what is called "transferred" growth, it is not true revival in the Biblical sense of the word. Likewise, a church can be in a declining or a unchanging situation numerically and can actually be experiencing revival. For example, suppose a small rural church has experienced seven new believers coming to Christ in the past year, yet five members have died and another six, upset at the influx of these new people, became disgruntled and left the church. Furthermore, the community had experienced a ten percent drop in its population due to a factory closure which meant four other people had moved away from the church. Statistically the church had a negative number of numerical growth in the past year, yet I would argue that in spite of these losses, the church was experiencing the influx of new believers in Christ. The congregation is experiencing a revival of sorts, assuming that the church is growing in the Lord in its devotion to the Word, in its love for each other, in its meeting together and the breaking of bread, and in its praise to the Lord as well as its standing in the community.
Once again, evaluation is important for any church when looking at its so-called numbers. Are they new believers? Are they merely transfers from other churches. How honestly are churches with the numbers? Numbers being added were the result of the spiritual life of the early church in Acts 2. Are those qualities of the spiritual life being lived out in the church?
OVERCOMING MYTH #7: THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING BUT SHOULD LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD: This is a myth that is more about the perception that the work of the Holy Spirit and planning always has to be placed in some sort of dichotomy. It really comes down to one's basic theological understanding that God is the creator and he has intricately ordered his universe to function with all of its scientific and natural aspects and that God is a God of order. It is true that God intervenes at times with the supernatural into the natural world, but this does not preclude the fact that God has ordered His creation to be functioning with certain natural laws. If one looks at the intricate function of the different parts of the human body, one can see a well planned and wonderfully made person (Psalm 139:14) created by God. If God so created the world with such a well planned intentionality, how can a church not also see that planning for revival is part of the Holy Spirit's work.
One practical way of overcoming this myth is to stop seeing the work of the elders (or deacons in a Baptist church) as spiritual while the trustees take care of the non spiritual matters such as the building and finances. All activity, organizationally or otherwise is God's work and programs, money, buildings etc. as well as prayer, spiritual care, discipleship and teaching are a part of the Holy Spirit's work. Perhaps churches need to stop dichotomizing these two functions and function as one entity as leaders by combining the boards for prayer and spiritual formation at least several times a year if not monthly. Even more importantly in smaller churches, the need for a single board may also be considered.
OVERCOMING MYTH #8: THE CHURCH LACK THE RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY: In overcoming this myth, I have no easy solution, but Biblical teaching about faith is a must not to mention that people's perception of God must be stretched. One important factor is to use the power of the testimony of changed lives and churches as a way of encouraging a congregation. For example, suppose a congregation does not feel they can afford to start up a new ministry that could have an impact on the community. It might be at this point, another congregation might be contacted who went through similar issues and come and share to the church's leadership how God led them through the process. Often churches get caught up in these myths because they fail to see how God has worked in the wider context. This does not mean that the church shouldn't be good stewards and go running off on a whim, but it does mean that God is able to use what a congregation does have to further the kingdom. By looking toward outside support, the church may come to realize that they had more resources than they realized.
OVERCOMING MYTH #9: IF WE CHANGE THE PASTOR OR IF WE ONLY HAD PASTOR JONES STILL HERE, THEN OUR CHURCH WILL GROW: The sad truth is that, by the time this myth gets entrenched, it becomes very difficult to overcome this. It is not uncommon for churches to go through several pastors in a short time or to experience substantial decline. If this myth gets established, one of two things will happen. The church will either die (even a continual slow death) or they will stop scapegoating and come to realize that the church has the problem and that blame does not work. In order for the later to happen, outside help is a must or, at very least, a well trained intentional interim pastor who can guide the church through the process of overcoming this myth before the new pastor arrives.
In order to keep this myth from developing, the earlier this is recognized as a myth, the better. Churches would be wise to have a pastoral relations committee or pastor-parish committee to openly talk about expectations. Also, pastors need to be forthright enough to talk about this myth. In my previous church (which I had served for nearly nineteen years), I spent my last months making it very clear that God raises up different leaders at different times for different eras in a church's life (I Corinthians 3:1-9, Joshua 1) and that while I still would be a friend, once I leave the church, I will not be available for pastoral duties that interfered with the new pastor or the interim pastor's work. It is my opinion that pastors need to communicate this on a regular basis even if they are not leaving soon in order to show that it is Christ's church and not the pastor's.
OVERCOMING MYTH #10: IF WE COPY SADDLEBACK'S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS THEN THE CONGREGATION WILL GROW: It is proper for churches to learn from the Saddlebacks and Willow Creeks of this world, but each church must truly be a student of its own context. In addition to this, churches in their meetings should spend at least part of the time focusing on what God is already doing in the life of the congregation. A few months ago, I read a book called, "Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change." by David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney which presents a business model that focuses on an organization's strengths instead of its problems. Far too many meetings are spent on problems to be solved rather than looking at what strengths are already there. In the church, too much time is spent on what is lacking rather than what is happening and how God wants to expand the church's vision.
As a result of such thinking, we have a number of Saddleback "wannabes" rather than congregations who have a lot more to offer than they even realize. God has a plan for every congregation to be His witnesses in the community they serve and has allowed each church to uniquely and creatively express their ministry within their own context.
Overcoming these myths provides a challenge since they are often so entrenched in the life of the church. In this post, I have tried to at least outline some ways that churches can begin the process of putting a stop to these myths before they take control in a congregation's life. Now it is your turn for feedback. I am looking forward to reading your comments.
Monday, July 8, 2013
What it is all about
Today I watched a video called "The True Gospel" and it can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7X24_vOWwU&feature=youtu.be. It is quite lengthy (nearly an hour and a half), but really gets at the core of why so many Christians and churches in America are not seeing the power of God being lived out in their lives. Admittedly, this was a very hard video for me to watch personally. After all, it was years ago that I had made a decision to follow Christ and my temptation is to rest on the merits of that decision rather than on the cross of Jesus. As I was clearly reminded of, once again, that our salvation is not about the decision we make or by following the Roman road or the four spiritual laws our about our even going forward. That is the easy part. The truth is that we are condemned to God's wrath because God is holy. God is just and He hates sin. He hates our rebelliousness and our self-centeredness. He hates the idolatry that exists within us and the only just thing to do is to eradicate it once and for all. We are rightfully objects of His wrath. Sometimes, when things don't go my way I question the fairness of God. But, if I think about it, do I want God to be fair? My thoughts and my actions clearly are vile and deserve the wrath of God. Justice must be served.
Which brings us to grace. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This is more than a slogan to put on a pillow or as a memory verse. This is the ultimate act of justice. The filth of my sin being placed on the one who is fully God and fully man. When Jesus asked in the Garden of Gethsemane to have the cup removed from him, he was not asking to remove the possibility of facing a wooden cross. After all, those who followed him in the years to come would experience executions that were equally as torturous as his. Some would be hung upside down on cross covered with tar and be set on fire. Others would be sawn in two and others would be fed to the lions. If Jesus was merely asking that the cup of the cross be removed, he would be no more heroic than those who followed him. The cup that Jesus asked to be removed was the cup of God's wrath which poured on him the heinous and vile sins of all of humanity against a holy God. Only Jesus could satisfy this because he was fully God and man. Only one who was God had the power to forgive sins and only one who was man could bear the wrath that Adam's race deserved. Until we come to grips with the depth of God's wrath, we will never understand the depths of God's mercy and love.
My prayer is that you will spend the hour and a half and watch this video which causes us to pause. Oh how easy we forget the depth of our sin and the depth of His mercy. Lord, I pray that as I pursue the ministry of consulting with churches, I will not lose sight of what is really at the heart of the gospel. While it is important to be able to contextualize the gospel in today's world and while it is important to help churches be places where outsiders can connect with God's people, let us never forget the gospel. Outside of God's grace we are nothing but objects of God's wrath, but ,praise be to God, we receive mercy because of what Christ has done.
Which brings us to grace. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This is more than a slogan to put on a pillow or as a memory verse. This is the ultimate act of justice. The filth of my sin being placed on the one who is fully God and fully man. When Jesus asked in the Garden of Gethsemane to have the cup removed from him, he was not asking to remove the possibility of facing a wooden cross. After all, those who followed him in the years to come would experience executions that were equally as torturous as his. Some would be hung upside down on cross covered with tar and be set on fire. Others would be sawn in two and others would be fed to the lions. If Jesus was merely asking that the cup of the cross be removed, he would be no more heroic than those who followed him. The cup that Jesus asked to be removed was the cup of God's wrath which poured on him the heinous and vile sins of all of humanity against a holy God. Only Jesus could satisfy this because he was fully God and man. Only one who was God had the power to forgive sins and only one who was man could bear the wrath that Adam's race deserved. Until we come to grips with the depth of God's wrath, we will never understand the depths of God's mercy and love.
My prayer is that you will spend the hour and a half and watch this video which causes us to pause. Oh how easy we forget the depth of our sin and the depth of His mercy. Lord, I pray that as I pursue the ministry of consulting with churches, I will not lose sight of what is really at the heart of the gospel. While it is important to be able to contextualize the gospel in today's world and while it is important to help churches be places where outsiders can connect with God's people, let us never forget the gospel. Outside of God's grace we are nothing but objects of God's wrath, but ,praise be to God, we receive mercy because of what Christ has done.
Monday, July 1, 2013
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: Top Ten Myths of Reviving a Church
4T..I-40 Church Consulting Blog with Steve Reynolds: Top Ten Myths of Reviving a Church: Top ten lists seem to be a popular item these days. David Letterman has been using such lists for years. Even before my teenage years...
Top Ten Myths of Reviving a Church
Top ten lists seem to be a popular item these days. David Letterman has been using such lists for years. Even before my teenage years in the 1960's when I would listen to the Beatles, the Temptations, and the Dave Clark Five, there were the top ten hits. Every year, newspapers will often print the top ten news stories of the previous year and such lists occur in many different areas of society. But what about such lists as it pertains to the church? How about the top ten myths of reviving today's church? What would you add to the list? In this blog, I am going to outline these myths as I reflect on my many years of pastoral ministry and personal observation.
MYTH #1: IF WE HAVE AN EVENT OR SPONSOR A PROGRAM OR CHANGE OUR STYLE THEY WILL COME. This myth permeates many churches today. Somehow congregations get the idea if we hold a certain event or if we change the music style or offer a program, people will automatically come to the church. While in individual cases, this may be true, in the vast majority of cases, people come because a follower of Christ took the time to build a relationship with them and invited them to church and a relationship with Christ. Now, this does not mean that events and programs aren't important. They can be a tool that God uses to help people connect with Christ and His church. Certainly some events are very community oriented. But if one thinks that such events or worship style will draw the unchurched, then such a congregation will easily be discouraged. The truth is that the average non churchgoer could care less about what event we have or music we play. This is especially true in our modern world in which there are a sea of choices. What will draw the unchurched, in most cases, is a follower of Christ befriending them.
MYTH #2: WHAT WORKED YESTERDAY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK. The are many variations of this myth but the two that come to mind are reviving a program that worked 30 years ago because it was successful then, and keeping something going for the sake of tradition. Now, I am not totally against occasionally reviving a successful past event or program (Not all good ideas are new ones!), but in most cases, chances are it won't have the same impact that it had years ago. Also, some traditions are good to keep but not if they no longer fit the makeup of the church or its mission. Through the years, I have seen some programs that have outlived the church's ability to maintain them. The church dinner, in which the women used to spend days preparing for because most of them were stay at home moms, no longer is able to find enough volunteers because most women work outside the home is an example of such a event that has outlived the church's ability to maintain it.
MYTH #3: ENDING A PROGRAM MEANS FAILURE. Allow me to say this, "It is OK to end a program!" Churches get this idea that because a program ended that it was a failure. But if it has run its course, then let it end. In my previous congregation, we had started a contemporary worship service. At first, it had gone well with a decent number of attendees. But gradually, it lost interest and those leading it were burned out and it was evident that it was time to scrap the service. But all was not lost. The evening service allowed a praise team to be formed (in a very traditional church) in which they were able to help lead worship in a blended family style morning worship service with the result that the church became a multigenerational gathering of God's people. The suspension of the evening contemporary service also freed up a time for the meeting of a small group. Not all was lost and the ending of the service strengthened other areas of the church.
MYTH #4: DOCTRINE ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS RELATIONSHIPS. To be sure, some congregations treat doctrine as a litmus test for being a member of the church regardless of the fruit they are bearing (Galatians 5:22), but it seems today that many congregations are scrapping Biblical teaching and theology for a "feel good" experience of interpersonal relationships. Biblical doctrine and relationships are not mutually exclusive. In fact, a relationship that has depth and meaning requires the knowledge of that person-who he/she is, what they do, their dreams, their personality, their background etc. Likewise, it is no different than having a relationship with God and with fellow believers. This means that an understanding of God, human beings, sin, the cross, the resurrection, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the future hope of the church is vital to understanding the relational aspects of the Christian life. Biblical illiteracy and the lack of the understanding of basic Christian beliefs is a huge issue in the modern church because it fails to see the connection of sound doctrine and living in relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.
MYTH #5: INCREASED NUMBERS MEANS REVIVAL HAS TAKEN PLACE. While an increase in numbers may mean that people are coming to Christ and revival is taking place, it is important not to assume that revival is taking place without asking some important questions. These questions include: a) Is the numerical growth transfer growth from other churches and communities of people who are already professing Christians or is it truly evangelistic growth of new believers? b) Are people living out their faith by serving Christ in the everyday world or are they being entertained by a dynamic pastor or music program? This question is harder to evaluate but is a crucial one to ask.
MYTH #6: A SHRINKING OR A NUMERICALLY UNCHANGING CHURCH MEANS THAT THE CHURCH IS HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. This myth is a hard one to evaluate mainly because, in many cases, this myth is true. Often, the loss of membership due to aging, conflict and finances does indicate the church is on the decline. But one must not assume that numbers alone tell the story. Sometimes, churches who have had not so "well intentioned dragons" and people who have used the church for personal power are served well when those people are no longer there to stir up dissension and trouble. This can happen by their departure either by leaving the church or by death. Sometimes, this frees up the church to renew its vision. In other cases, especially in a declining or stable community, a church may see very little growth numerically, but have replaced those who have died with a new generation of followers. The important fact is not to assume anything about the actual numbers but to see the dynamics behind what is truly happening.
MYTH #7: THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING BUT SHOULD LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD. On the surface, there is an element of truth to this myth, but it is important to realize that the work of the Holy Spirit and the church to have a plan are not mutually exclusive. Frequently in Scripture, things were being planned all the time. Jesus made plans ahead of time including the arrangements he made for securing a donkey for his triumphal entry (Matthew 21:1-3), and for the passover meal in the upper room in which He shared the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 26:17-19). In Acts 6, when a dispute arose in the church, plans were made to deal with the issue and in I Corinthians 14:26-40, Paul carefully laid out a plan for worship when things had become disorderly. The important fact is that intentional, carefully laid out plans that are led by the Holy Spirit are not contradictory with each other. For example, in modern day worship, there seems to be a trend to just let the Spirit lead-to spontaneously gather together, but with no intentionality nor planning. While the more liturgical churches may be accused of being overly planned and given into formalism, I wonder if the modern church has gone too far the other way in its lack of intentionality?
MYTH #8: THE CHURCH LACKS THE RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT. Money (or the lack thereof) always seems to be a big topic in many churches. Unfortunately, this myth can control the direction of the church and thwart any attempts of walking in faith and for revival. Now, I am not suggesting that a church should have unrealistic expectations about their resources ( a church of 35 shouldn't plan on building a 1200 seat sanctuary in a town of 100), but a church should realize that the Lord has given the congregation everything it needs to do the work of ministry. The resources may be those which are already in the church or in the pockets of those who support the church. It is my experience that when the church catches God's vision, the resources will come. Far too often, however, the church either saves its resources for a rainy day or they talk about what they don't have so they do not act on anything. Churches would be best served by starting somewhere in terms of pursuing the vision that God has for it, and then watch the Lord provide.
MYTH #9: IF WE CHANGE THE PASTOR OR IF WE ONLY HAD PASTOR JONES STILL HERE, THEN OUR CHURCH WILL GROW. Pastoral leadership, to a point, can encourage and promote revival in a church, but if a congregation thinks that revival will come merely because of a pastoral change or a desire to return to the good old days when a beloved pastor was at the church, then they have fallen to the myth of personality. In I Corinthians 3:1-7, Paul confronts this myth head on by saying that basing a church's ministry on the personality of its leaders was a reflection of spiritual immaturity which is hardly conducive to revival. Congregations need to learn that God raises up different people at different times in the church's life in order for it to grow into the fulness of Christ which is at the heart of revival.
MYTH #10: IF WE COPY SADDLEBACK'S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS THEN THE CONGREGATION WILL GROW. Certainly, a congregation can learn great things from Saddleback or Willow Creek. Their resources may serve as valuable tools for ministry. But ultimately, each congregation must look at where God's vision is for their church. The truth is that there are no sure-fire methods or programs that will turn around a church. What worked in Southern California may not work in Wilawana, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, God has a plan for each church and desires to see His church revived and reawakened.
These are a list of my top ten myths of church revival. Now it is your turn to add to this blog.
MYTH #1: IF WE HAVE AN EVENT OR SPONSOR A PROGRAM OR CHANGE OUR STYLE THEY WILL COME. This myth permeates many churches today. Somehow congregations get the idea if we hold a certain event or if we change the music style or offer a program, people will automatically come to the church. While in individual cases, this may be true, in the vast majority of cases, people come because a follower of Christ took the time to build a relationship with them and invited them to church and a relationship with Christ. Now, this does not mean that events and programs aren't important. They can be a tool that God uses to help people connect with Christ and His church. Certainly some events are very community oriented. But if one thinks that such events or worship style will draw the unchurched, then such a congregation will easily be discouraged. The truth is that the average non churchgoer could care less about what event we have or music we play. This is especially true in our modern world in which there are a sea of choices. What will draw the unchurched, in most cases, is a follower of Christ befriending them.
MYTH #2: WHAT WORKED YESTERDAY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK. The are many variations of this myth but the two that come to mind are reviving a program that worked 30 years ago because it was successful then, and keeping something going for the sake of tradition. Now, I am not totally against occasionally reviving a successful past event or program (Not all good ideas are new ones!), but in most cases, chances are it won't have the same impact that it had years ago. Also, some traditions are good to keep but not if they no longer fit the makeup of the church or its mission. Through the years, I have seen some programs that have outlived the church's ability to maintain them. The church dinner, in which the women used to spend days preparing for because most of them were stay at home moms, no longer is able to find enough volunteers because most women work outside the home is an example of such a event that has outlived the church's ability to maintain it.
MYTH #3: ENDING A PROGRAM MEANS FAILURE. Allow me to say this, "It is OK to end a program!" Churches get this idea that because a program ended that it was a failure. But if it has run its course, then let it end. In my previous congregation, we had started a contemporary worship service. At first, it had gone well with a decent number of attendees. But gradually, it lost interest and those leading it were burned out and it was evident that it was time to scrap the service. But all was not lost. The evening service allowed a praise team to be formed (in a very traditional church) in which they were able to help lead worship in a blended family style morning worship service with the result that the church became a multigenerational gathering of God's people. The suspension of the evening contemporary service also freed up a time for the meeting of a small group. Not all was lost and the ending of the service strengthened other areas of the church.
MYTH #4: DOCTRINE ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS RELATIONSHIPS. To be sure, some congregations treat doctrine as a litmus test for being a member of the church regardless of the fruit they are bearing (Galatians 5:22), but it seems today that many congregations are scrapping Biblical teaching and theology for a "feel good" experience of interpersonal relationships. Biblical doctrine and relationships are not mutually exclusive. In fact, a relationship that has depth and meaning requires the knowledge of that person-who he/she is, what they do, their dreams, their personality, their background etc. Likewise, it is no different than having a relationship with God and with fellow believers. This means that an understanding of God, human beings, sin, the cross, the resurrection, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the future hope of the church is vital to understanding the relational aspects of the Christian life. Biblical illiteracy and the lack of the understanding of basic Christian beliefs is a huge issue in the modern church because it fails to see the connection of sound doctrine and living in relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.
MYTH #5: INCREASED NUMBERS MEANS REVIVAL HAS TAKEN PLACE. While an increase in numbers may mean that people are coming to Christ and revival is taking place, it is important not to assume that revival is taking place without asking some important questions. These questions include: a) Is the numerical growth transfer growth from other churches and communities of people who are already professing Christians or is it truly evangelistic growth of new believers? b) Are people living out their faith by serving Christ in the everyday world or are they being entertained by a dynamic pastor or music program? This question is harder to evaluate but is a crucial one to ask.
MYTH #6: A SHRINKING OR A NUMERICALLY UNCHANGING CHURCH MEANS THAT THE CHURCH IS HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. This myth is a hard one to evaluate mainly because, in many cases, this myth is true. Often, the loss of membership due to aging, conflict and finances does indicate the church is on the decline. But one must not assume that numbers alone tell the story. Sometimes, churches who have had not so "well intentioned dragons" and people who have used the church for personal power are served well when those people are no longer there to stir up dissension and trouble. This can happen by their departure either by leaving the church or by death. Sometimes, this frees up the church to renew its vision. In other cases, especially in a declining or stable community, a church may see very little growth numerically, but have replaced those who have died with a new generation of followers. The important fact is not to assume anything about the actual numbers but to see the dynamics behind what is truly happening.
MYTH #7: THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING BUT SHOULD LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD. On the surface, there is an element of truth to this myth, but it is important to realize that the work of the Holy Spirit and the church to have a plan are not mutually exclusive. Frequently in Scripture, things were being planned all the time. Jesus made plans ahead of time including the arrangements he made for securing a donkey for his triumphal entry (Matthew 21:1-3), and for the passover meal in the upper room in which He shared the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 26:17-19). In Acts 6, when a dispute arose in the church, plans were made to deal with the issue and in I Corinthians 14:26-40, Paul carefully laid out a plan for worship when things had become disorderly. The important fact is that intentional, carefully laid out plans that are led by the Holy Spirit are not contradictory with each other. For example, in modern day worship, there seems to be a trend to just let the Spirit lead-to spontaneously gather together, but with no intentionality nor planning. While the more liturgical churches may be accused of being overly planned and given into formalism, I wonder if the modern church has gone too far the other way in its lack of intentionality?
MYTH #8: THE CHURCH LACKS THE RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT. Money (or the lack thereof) always seems to be a big topic in many churches. Unfortunately, this myth can control the direction of the church and thwart any attempts of walking in faith and for revival. Now, I am not suggesting that a church should have unrealistic expectations about their resources ( a church of 35 shouldn't plan on building a 1200 seat sanctuary in a town of 100), but a church should realize that the Lord has given the congregation everything it needs to do the work of ministry. The resources may be those which are already in the church or in the pockets of those who support the church. It is my experience that when the church catches God's vision, the resources will come. Far too often, however, the church either saves its resources for a rainy day or they talk about what they don't have so they do not act on anything. Churches would be best served by starting somewhere in terms of pursuing the vision that God has for it, and then watch the Lord provide.
MYTH #9: IF WE CHANGE THE PASTOR OR IF WE ONLY HAD PASTOR JONES STILL HERE, THEN OUR CHURCH WILL GROW. Pastoral leadership, to a point, can encourage and promote revival in a church, but if a congregation thinks that revival will come merely because of a pastoral change or a desire to return to the good old days when a beloved pastor was at the church, then they have fallen to the myth of personality. In I Corinthians 3:1-7, Paul confronts this myth head on by saying that basing a church's ministry on the personality of its leaders was a reflection of spiritual immaturity which is hardly conducive to revival. Congregations need to learn that God raises up different people at different times in the church's life in order for it to grow into the fulness of Christ which is at the heart of revival.
MYTH #10: IF WE COPY SADDLEBACK'S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS THEN THE CONGREGATION WILL GROW. Certainly, a congregation can learn great things from Saddleback or Willow Creek. Their resources may serve as valuable tools for ministry. But ultimately, each congregation must look at where God's vision is for their church. The truth is that there are no sure-fire methods or programs that will turn around a church. What worked in Southern California may not work in Wilawana, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, God has a plan for each church and desires to see His church revived and reawakened.
These are a list of my top ten myths of church revival. Now it is your turn to add to this blog.
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