www.RobertGlennSmith.com » Londen Institute January 2009

Urban Ministry Reflections

RG — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Reading Urban Ministry has been more like walking through a knee deep mud pit than adventurous and exciting, but it is beginning to have some impact on me. So, I have questions like: “Who are the urbanites or city dwellers in this relatively small community of 30,000 people? What is their ethnic and demographic makeup? What would it mean to bring Justice and the Shalom of God to Georgetown, and what part would reconciliation with the African American community here play? How might involving the African American community in assisting us at Adopt Uganda be a tool in that reconciliation? How might we also be a voice as a church in making sure Georgetown doesn’t become just as oppressive toward the Mexican migrant workers? How can we teach our predominately white middle class congregation that following Jesus and making Him known to Georgetown involves Godly Justice and Shalom?”

Machiavelli says…

RG — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:20:00 +0000

“There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new order of things…Whenever his enemies have the ability to attack the innovator, they do so with the passion of partisans, while the others defend him sluggishly, so that the innovator and his party alike are vulnerable.” - Niccolo Machiavelli

I’ve not only seen this play out in real life, but personally experienced it. People really are slow, even sluggish, to come to the defense of the innovator. They don’t mind that she is sticking her neck out and they even strongly encourage it, but out of a desire to preseserve themselves the encouragers of innovation fail to show the same passion publicly.

People must be willing to put their signature on the line, and be called out by name to all who would hear that the innovation has their full support.

I think back to the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. The Blue-ray and HD-DVD war was still hot, and there was much discussion about which format would win. The day before Toshiba was to make a big announcement that a major film production company had signed an exclusive agreement to put their films on HD-DVD, they publicly backed out. The big party Toshiba had planned was instead cancelled at the last minute, and within weeks they had cut all research and development and production into HD-DVD. I believe the cost to the company was one billion dollars.

From that moment on Blue-ray has been the only format mentioned, and while HD-DVD may still have some other applications you will not find a movie at Blockbuster or Netflix in HD-DVD format.

HD-DVD was indeed an innovation, and Toshiba led, but because they failed to partner with others willing to allow their necks to be at risk it cost them a billion.

The church won’t lose a billion dollars, but as innovators we must continually be as cunning as a snake when it comes to promoting and implementing all of those good ideas. We should never be deceitful, but should always make sure we’re not the only ones willing to die. Otherwise the church will suffer from the loss of an innovator, and from the growth the change would have catalyzed.

In a pit…reflections on the rest.

RG — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Reflection on the last 82 pages of “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day”

In Chapter 6 for whatever reason I was struck by a verse of scripture Mark quotes Matthew 11:12 , ”…and forceful men lay hold of it.” I don’t know why but it never grabbed me like it grabbed me today. The Kingdom of God forcefully advances and is not some kiddie ride at the theme park, but involves life and death circumstances and only those whose intent is to forcefully advance the Gospel should be included. However, this forceful advancement is not with violence or vengeance, but is often at the cost of willing to be beaten to death.

Over the last decade I wonder if we just made being a Christian look way too easy. We failed to offend for the sake of the seeker. We failed to confuse for the sake of the prideful. We failed to be willing to fail for the sake of living in the known instead of the unknown. We cannot accidentally stumble into the Kingdom of God, but we must forcefully resist the evil in the world at every second of every day.

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day – Reflections on the first 100 pages

RG — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:38:00 +0000

I’m reading several books for class and in the context of that class I am to write an interactive discussion with some of the things the books highlight. I felt like that since I’m writing them for class I might as well share them with the world. So, here it goes.

My first 100 pages of “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day”

In chapter 2 Mark writes, “When it comes to God there are no degrees of difficulty.” This truth resonates deep within me. It begged the question, “How often do I excuse the likelihood that God will intervene, solve the problem, heal the sick person, because it’s just a really big problem.”

In December, Mom discovered that she had some spots on her lungs and her liver. Today we know it to be a recurrence of her uterine cancer, which was thought to have been contained and removed three years ago. So many times before as I have prayed for people who have been infected with such a serious disease my prayers were soft. They would begin with qualifiers like “God if it is your will” or “God I know you can, but if you don’t.” In some way I was trying to give God a way out just in case what I asked for was not given.

With this perception that there are no degrees of difficulty with God then I realize that I’m not making a list for Santa Clause with a smattering of really big gifts and a few small ones just so I got something from him. If God is God, then I just need to wear Him out with my requests until He gives me what I desire, or until He reveals to me what my heart should really be asking for.

In chapter 3 Mark shares a story of Sarah when faced with fear was able to face her fears because of one reason, “I was called.” Recently I’ve had conversations about calling. I’ve asked questions about how old one has to be to know they have been called to do something. Should we limit short-term mission participation to only those who feel like they have been called to go?

While these questions aren’t necessarily addressed in this chapter I felt like Sarah’s one reason to go is really the only reason we should ever have for going to do anything. Many times we answer a general call like “Go and make disciples of all nations,” or “pray without ceasing,” but some times there is a specific call of God on our lives meant solely for us like Moses being called to go back to Egypt, or me being called to preach and lead the church. I believe we need to spend a lot more time quietly discerning our paths into ministry.

The last thing I want to mention is in Chapter 5. Mark summarizes the parable of the talents by saying, “The reward for good work was MORE work.” I often sense in churches that there is a tendency to want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Pastors will lead a church to grow even beyond their own expectations and then prepare for retirement and try to ride the momentum as far as it will carry them thinking the reward for their hard work was rest, relaxation, full time vacation. In reality, we who lead should expect the workload and responsibility to increase. While that actually excites me I think that it might exhaust others I work with, and even one I live with.

More of Chuck Booher

RG — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Book or Resource: CEO Toolkit, a measurement tool called the T12 has been very effective.

They track baptisms, offering, attendance, decisions to rededicate or 1st time.

Tithing…

Tony Evans sermon on Tithing is off the charts.

24% of their people tithe

They demand that the staff and elders tithe, and they check.

How do you attract level 10 leaders

1. Train and Raise up Leaders from within.

2. Have BIG Goals

3. Be super transparent

4. Manage well

After Chuck came in they purged the rolls and had everyone sign a membership contract. Four things people agreed to do were tithe, in Word every day, serving in a ministry, and in a small group. Went from 22,000 to about 1,000 on rolls.

Quotes and summary

“We live in a world today that desperately want to see the church be the church.”

“People don’t want to give anything to a church just to help them flush the toilets and turn on the lights. But if you can show them that you are changing the world, then they will make substantial sacrifice.”

They are not building a church that “is for everybody.” They are building a church of sold out followers of Christ. They seek God, and want seekers to see them seeking God, but they want the guy cheating on his wife to be uncomfortable, and the unbeliever to feel like something out of this world is happening at Crossroads.

Chuck Booher – Crossroads Christian Church

RG — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:26:00 +0000

The church had over $500k of unpaid bills when Chuck took over and were 6 months from closing the doors of a church of over 2000 in attendance. Water and electric were threatening to cut off service. Worship pastor was having an affair. Another staff person was living with her boyfriend. It was an overwhelming problem.

First 3/4 of Chuck’s first year they baptized 480 people.

In 40 days they raised $640,000

Paid off all past due bills in a year.

In the next year they baptized 738 people

Have highest attendance in church’s history

Worship pastor had an affair, fired him, then offered him restoration. He’s been restored in ministry in another church.

It’s hard to tell this story in writing. I wish you all were here to hear it, because a miracle really happened here and it is continuing.

More quotes from Gene Appel

RG — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:01:00 +0000

Churches that don’t change die.

Churches can become over-managed and under-led over time.

At the peak of the Organizational S-curve it is critical to make a change.

89% of American Christians asked the question, “Why does the church exist?” answered, “To meet the needs of me and my family.”

Acts 2:42 Churches sometimes don’t experience Acts 2:47 results

Attendance and giving may go up but when asking the question, “How do we measure up to the Biblical principles and purposes of the church?” they (Central Christian in Las Vegas) realized that the Kingdom was not growing because most of their growth was through transfer.

You never want to step back to look at your ministry and realize “I built a crowd, but I did not build a church.”

When we fear change sometimes we forget the eternal significance of unchanged lives. And everything is worth the risk when we take that into account.

A quote for all of you "Change Agents"

RG — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:01:00 +0000

If you are called to be a change agent you will never please everyone. So, be ok with just pleasing the One who sent you.

More Leading through change with Gene Appel

RG — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:01:00 +0000

How to Kill Your Church…without Changing

Naively assuming that churches are as resistant to change as other organizations
Neglecting to sell the problem first. If people don’t understand that there is a problem they will never buy into the solution.
Ignoring the emotions of change. People will leave if you make change and they will leave if you don’t. You will never have 100% of people on board with change.

   Types of church people:
   Like Change                   Will help       Resist Change
   Creatives, Progressives   Builders       Foundationals, Anchors
   4. Launching without a supportive leading/Sr. pastor. In their research they found that chance for failure was 100% when this happened.
   5. Focusing on the change instead of on the transitions. Need a transition plan so that you take into account where you are and the people involved.
   6. Over-accelerating the rate of change. All change is stressful. Size of change dictates the rate.

How to change your church…without killing it

Prepare the soil – Need data to be informed, so that you can raise the urgency, and identify and sell the problem. Be honest about your data (Where is the growth coming from?) Form the Dream Team (4-7 people) that plans, cultivates ideas, etc. Getting away for 2-3 days can help make progress that would typically take 2-3 years. You must form a compelling vision. It is strategic to affirm the past in order to build the future.
Plant the seed (initiating change) – transformational change takes 4 years.
Cultivate with patience and persistance- Celebrate every win. Share stories of transformation.
Harvest

Generate – a midweek worship service for 12-30 year olds?

RG — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:00:00 +0000

That’s right. Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, California has gone through some major turmoil in the last year or so, and the team that was brought in to sustain it has a midweek service that ministers to 12-30 year olds.

I went last night. And it was amazing. There were 9 baptisms that ranged in age from middle school girl to college graduate. The worship team was phenomenal, and mostly because they were really trying to lead people to the throne of God and not just display their talent. It helped that the lead of that group is a young lady with a seriously penetrating voice. The service is held in the main sanctuary, and there were over 2000 people in attendance. They have a room right off of the sanctuary, called the “Living Room,” where people are directed to go for the invitation.

But that wasn’t the most affirming thing. The most affirming thing was that everything they did was in your face and unashamedly bold. They used a hymn to close the service, before the talk they broke up the congregation into groups of 2-3 people to pray for one another, at the invitation somewhere between 10-20 people came forward, they took up an offering, they shared two stories about people in their congregation and while the talk was all over the place it was impactful because of the transparency of the speaker.

It’s without question where I feel like worship will need to go in the next ten years in order to be relevent to the maority of unchurched people. Why ten years? Because I’m in California, and it’ll take that long for the culture in Central Kentucky to be where it is now in CA. :)

So, I think Harmony should be expecting Andrew to begin to need to use the main sanctuary, and I think that service may need to eventually become a combo of Journey and what we were trying to do with the Arcade.

I’d love to see comments on that.