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Healthy Church Initiative

Leadership Workshop Series I

Participant’s Workbook (2014 Edition)

Adapted with permission by Phil Carver for use by the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church from materials written and developed by Ken Willard of Leadership Base Camp.

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Healthy Church Initiative Leadership Workshop Series I Participant’s Workbook (2014 Edition)

CONTENTS Workshop Summaries

Introduction: History and Background vii Summary of the Healthy Church Initiative Process .................................... ix

United Methodist Theology ........................................................................... x

Reading List .................................................................................................. xi

Contact Information ................................................................................... xvi

Session One: 21st Century Ministry 1 You Lost Me by David Kinnaman

Centering (Jeremiah 29:11) ........................................................................... 3

Group Covenant ............................................................................................. 5

Challenges for the Church ............................................................................. 7

The New Face of Ministry ..............................................................................9

Connections That Transform ...................................................................... 11

Reverse Mentoring ...................................................................................... 11

Action Plan ................................................................................................... 13

Preparation for Session Two ....................................................................... 14

Session One Evaluation ............................................................................... 15

Leadership Workshop Series I Participant’s Workbook

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Session Two: Mission-Centered Ministry 17

Vital by Jorge Acevedo Centering (Matthew 28:18-19, Luke 4:16-21) ............................................ 19

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 21

A Movement on a Mission........................................................................... 23

Intentional Faith Development................................................................... 25

Connecting in Our Communities ............................................................... 27

Three Simple Rules ..................................................................................... 27

Demographic Analysis: MissionInsite ........................................................ 27

Action Plan .................................................................................................. 29

Preparation for Session Three .................................................................... 30

Session Two Evaluation .............................................................................. 31

Session Three: Ministry of Transformation 33

Direct Hit by Paul D. Borden Centering (Matthew 16:24-25, John 1:1-4, Acts 1:8) .................................. 35

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 37

Factors in Leading Change .......................................................................... 39

Creating Leadership Teams ........................................................................ 41

Community Conversations .......................................................................... 43

Action Plan .................................................................................................. 45

Preparation for Session Four ...................................................................... 46

Session Three Evaluation ............................................................................ 47

Session Four: Outwardly Focused Ministry 49

The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson Centering (Luke 9:6, Ephesians 2:8-10) ......................................................51

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 53

Our Church’s Outward Focus ...................................................................... 55

Helping People Grow .................................................................................. 57

Asset Mapping ............................................................................................. 59

Action Plan .................................................................................................. 61

Preparation for Session Five ....................................................................... 62

Session Four Evaluation ............................................................................. 63

CONTENTS Workshop Summaries

Healthy Church Initiative U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h v

Session Five: Leadership Practices 65

Shaped by God’s Heart by Milfred Minatrea Centering (Mark 1:11, Acts 6:1-7, Romans 12:3-6) ...................................... 67

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 69

Missional Churches ..................................................................................... 71

The Life Cycle of a Church ........................................................................... 73

Managing Transitions .................................................................................. 75

Writing God’s Vision for Your Church ........................................................ 75

Action Plan ................................................................................................... 77

Preparation for Session Six ......................................................................... 78

Session Five Evaluation ............................................................................... 79

Session Six: Clarity of Purpose 81 Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger Centering (Matthew 22:37-40, Hebrews 12:1-2a) ..................................... 83

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 85

Four Elements for Simplicity ...................................................................... 87

Effective Measurements ............................................................................. 89

S.M.A.R.T. Goals ......................................................................................... 89

Ministry Audit .............................................................................................. 91

Action Plan .................................................................................................. 93

Preparation for Session Seven .................................................................... 94

Session Six Evaluation ................................................................................. 95

Session Seven: Communication Skills 97

Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones Centering (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) .............................................................. 99

Homework Review ..................................................................................... 101

A Focused Message ................................................................................... 103

Get Organized ............................................................................................ 105

Hone Your Skills ........................................................................................ 107

Action Plan ................................................................................................. 109

Preparation for Session Eight .................................................................... 110

Session Seven Evaluation ........................................................................... 111


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Session Eight: Real Life Evangelism 113

Unbinding the Gospel by Martha Grace Reese Centering (John 4:39, Romans 15:14-17) ................................................. 115

Homework Review ..................................................................................... 117

A Trinity of Relationships .......................................................................... 119

Bandwidths of Evangelism ......................................................................... 121

Faith Sharing ............................................................................................. 123

Action Plan ................................................................................................ 125

Additional Resources ................................................................................ 126

Session Eight Evaluation............................................................................ 127

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INTRODUCTION History and Background

Enhancing the skills of pastors and laity to lead growing, vibrant, spirit-filled churches

Summary of the Healthy Church Initiative Process .................................... ix

United Methodist Theology ........................................................................... x

Reading List .................................................................................................. xi

Contact Information ................................................................................... xvi


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“Effective congregations are led by pastors and a team of leaders who are clear about their mission and focused on achieving a vision.”

—Paul Borden, Direct Hit, p. 22

NOTES


Healthy Church Initiative U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h ix

Summary of the Process The Healthy Church Initiative is an intentional leadership development process designed to enhance the skills of pastors and laity to lead growing, vibrant, spirit-filled congregations. In the Missouri Conference, where the HCI process was first developed, 45% of participating churches have experienced significant growth. An additional 25% have improved in at least one of four key areas: worship attendance, baptisms, membership, and outreach. Study groups gather in continuous learning communities to pray and study together throughout the process. Every meeting results in a self-selected action step for each person and congregation. This cycle of action and reflection, similar to the class meetings of the early Methodist movement, strengthens leaders and produces the fruit of ministry God desires.

The process consists of three basic components: a series of workshops, a local church consultation, and individualized coaching. At each step, the church council—with the support of the pastor and superintendent—votes to affirm involvement in the Healthy Church Initiative. WORKSHOPS

An initial series of eight workshops involves pastors and laity from neighboring churches in an examination of the church’s mission and the role of leaders in fulfilling that mission. Both pastors and laity are strongly encouraged to attend all sessions in order to remain in the process and to receive continuing education credits when desired. Peer mentoring groups, especially for pastors, meet in the same spirit throughout the consultation and coaching phases. A second or third workshop series may be offered before scheduling a church for a consultation. LOCAL CHURCH CONSULTATION

Following the workshops, churches may apply for a three-day, on-site consultation to provide an opportunity for more members to engage in the process. A prayer team and a vision team form prior to the consultation to guide this phase of the Healthy Church Initiative. Leaders also complete a self-study of the congregation and their community. On the first day of the consultation (typically Friday) the consultants interview local church leaders, including the pastor(s), paid and volunteer staff, committee chairpersons, and others who have investment in ministry. An all-church workshop on Saturday morning, primarily for the church council but open to anyone, addresses selected topics explored in the previous workshops. On Sunday the congregation receives up to five prescriptions, outlining areas of ministry to address for the future development of the church. If the prescriptions are accepted in full, the church will receive up to two years of monthly coaching support.

Workshops Consultation Coaching vote vote vote


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United Methodist Theology

The United Methodist Church is sometimes criticized for “not believing in anything,” because we do not require a particular creed for accepting persons into membership. We do, however, have distinctive emphases inherited from our spiritual ancestors, including John Wesley, Philip William Otterbein, Martin Boehm, and Jacob Albright among many others. The beliefs outlined below—and reflected throughout the Healthy Church Initiative process—are the foundation of United Methodist theology and our witness to Christ in the world. More details can be found in The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church: 2012 in “Part III: Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task,” ¶¶102-105, pp. 45-89. LOVE GOD, LOVE NEIGHBOR (MATTHEW 22:34-40)

“Scripture is the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine” (Discipline, ¶105, p. 81), and it is understood in relationship with the tradition, experience, and reason of the faith community and informed by scholarly inquiry and personal insight. The Bible as a whole gives testimony to the love of God for all of creation and calls us to reflect that love to others in Christian discipleship. The Christian symbol of the cross reminds us of our relationships with God (vertically) and our neighbors (horizontally). FAITH IN THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (EPHESIANS 2:8-10)

Jesus is the fullest revelation of God. In Jesus Christ, “we see the splendor of our true humanity” and the depth of “God’s intention for us—holiness and happiness of heart” (Discipline ¶ 102, p. 50). We understand those gifts of salvation to be present for us today and not merely the promise of going to heaven. We see in Jesus’ example a way of life that seeks good for all of creation. GO DISCIPLE ALL PEOPLE (MATTHEW 28:16-20)

The Holy Spirit brought the community of believers—the church—into being “for the healing of the nations” (Discipline, ¶102, p. 47). We practice means of grace that daily connect us with God inwardly (through such activities as prayer, Bible study, and fasting) and outwardly (through such activities as worship, evangelism, and social witness). These disciplines enable us to accomplish our shared mission “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by proclaiming the good news of God’s grace and by exemplifying Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor” (Discipline, ¶121, p. 91). CHRIST’S UNIVERSAL CHURCH (EPHESIANS 4:1-6)

We participate in an ecumenical expression of the faith in which all baptized Christians “share responsibility for building up the church and reaching out in mission and service to the world” (Discipline, ¶102, p. 48). We look forward in the hope that our present actions point to the fulfillment of God’s intentions for all of creation, saving us from cynicism and resignation and empowering our ongoing witness to God’s love and grace.


Healthy Church Initiative U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h xi

Reading List The Common English Bible and The United Methodist Hymnal are primary resources for the workshops in this material. Participants are invited to bring their own study Bibles to the sessions to deepen their engagement with the scriptures. Course books include: Session One: 21st Century Ministry You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church and Rethinking

Faith by David Kinnaman (Baker Books, 2011). Session Two: Mission-Centered Ministry Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World by Jorge Acevedo

(Abingdon Press, 2012). Session Three: Ministry of Transformation Direct Hit: Aiming Real Leaders at the Mission Field by Paul D. Borden

(Abingdon Press, 2006). Session Four: Outwardly Focused Ministry The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson (Group

Publishing, 2004). Session Five: Leadership Practices Shaped by God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches by

Milfred Minatrea (Jossey-Bass, 2004). Session Six: Clarity of Purpose Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger (B&H Publishing Group,

2006). Session Seven: Communication Skills Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones (Multnomah

Books, 2006). Session Eight: Real Life Evangelism Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism, 2nd Edition by Martha Grace

Reese (Chalice Press, 2008).

Scholarly inquiry is a long-time commitment of United Methodist people. The following reading list is a comprehensive compilation of the references from all of the workshops, representing a wide range of resources to support your ministry. 2013-2016 United Methodist Handbook: Let’s Go Fishing—Making Disciples of

Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World (http://shop.umc.org/ product/productinfo/2013-2016-handbook-making-disciples-/142?cid=20).


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A.K.A. Lost: Discovering Ways to Connect with the People Jesus Misses Most by Jim Henderson (Waterbrook Press, 2005).

Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders by

Aubrey Malphurs (Baker Books, 2005). The Age of Paradox by Charles Handy (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School

Press, 1994). Beyond the First Visit: The Complete Guide to Connecting Guests to Your Church by

Gary L. McIntosh (Baker Books, 2006). The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (United Methodist

Publishing House, 2012). Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Own

Community by Ed Stetzer and David Putman (Broadman & Holman, 2006). Building a People of Power: Equipping Churches to Transform Their Communities

by Robert C. Linthicum (Authentic Media, 2006). Can These Bones Live? Bringing New Life to a Dying Church by Kevass J. Harding

(Abingdon Press, 2007). The Church of the Perfect Storm by Leonard Sweet (Abingdon Press, 2008). Common English Bible (Abingdon Press, 2011). Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No

Matter What by Peter L. Steinke (Alban Institute, 2006). Courageous Leadership: Field-Tested Strategy for the 360° Leader by Bill Hybels

(Zondervan, 2002). Covenant Discipleship: Christian Formation through Mutual Accountability by

David Lowes Watson (Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2002). Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend by Andy

Stanley (Zondervan, 2012). Deepening Your Effectiveness: Restructuring the Local Church for Life

Transformation by Dan Glover and Claudia Lavy (Discipleship Resources, 2006).

A Disciple's Path: Deepening Your Relationship with Christ and the Church (Daily

Workbook) by James A. Harnish and Justin LaRosa (Abingdon Press, 2012).


Healthy Church Initiative U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h xiii

Finding the Missional Path by Barry E. Winders (Xulon Press, 2007). Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase (Abingdon Press, 2007).

Get the Name: Grow Your Church by Building New Relationships by Bob Farr,

Doug Anderson, and Kay Kotan (Abingdon Press, 2013). The Great Permission: An Asset-Based Field Guide for Congregations by Bob Sitze

(Evangelical Luthern Church of America, 2002). A Guide to Covenant Discipleship Groups by Gayle Turner Watson (Discipleship

Resources, 2000). If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg

(Zondervan, 2000). The In-Between Church: Navigating the Size Transitions in Congregations by Alice

Mann (Alban Institute, 1998). Inside the Small Church edited by Anthony G. Pappas (Alban Institute, 2002). Jim and Caspar Go to Church: Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and

Well-Meaning Christians by Jim Henderson, Matt Caspar, and George Barna (Tyndale House Publishers, 2007).

The Journey for Adults: Becoming a Deeply Committed Christian, The United

Methodist Church of the Resurrection, www.cor.org/programs-ministries/adults/thejourney.

Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell (Thomas

Nelson, 2002).

Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit by Lovett H. Weems Jr. (Abingdon Press, 1999). Leading Beyond the Walls: Developing Congregations with a Heart for the

Unchurched by Adam Hamilton (Abingdon Press, 2002). Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History selected and introduced by William

Safire (W. W. Norton and Company, 1997). Life is a Series of Presentations: 8 Ways to Punch Up Your People Skills at Work, at

Home, Anytime, Anywhere by Tony Jeary (Fireside, 2004). The Little Church that Could: Raising Small Church Esteem by Steven E. Burt and

Hazel Ann Roper (Judson Press, 2000). Making Vision Stick by Andy Stanley (Zondervan, 2007).


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Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, 3rd edition by William Bridges (Da Capo Press, 2009).

Ministry Nuts and Bolts: What They Don’t Teach Pastors in Seminary, 2nd edition

by Aubrey Malphurs (Kregel Publications, 2009). Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy

Churches, 7th edition by Christian A. Schwarz (ChurchSmart Resources, 2006).

“Nones on the Rise” at Pew Research: Religion and Public Life Project,

www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise. Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton (Free

Press, 2001). Operation Inasmuch: Mobilizing Believers Beyond the Walls of the Church by David

W. Crocker (Chalice Press, 2005). The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life by Laurie Beth

Jones (Hyperion, 1996). The Power of Asset Mapping: How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts by

Luther K. Snow (Alban Institute, 2004). The Power of Vision: Discover and Apply God's Vision for Your Life & Ministry, 3rd

edition by George Barna (Regal Books, 2009). The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church by Diana Butler Bass

(Alban Institute, 2004). Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation by George W. Bullard

Jr. (Chalice Press, 2006). The Race to Reach Out: Connecting Newcomers to Christ in a New Century by

Douglas T. Anderson and Michael J. Coyner (Abingdon Press, 2004). Recreating the Church: Leadership for the Postmodern Age by Richard L. Hamm

(Chalice Press, 2007). Reverse Mentoring: How Young Leaders Can Transform the Church and Why We

Should Let Them by Earl Creps (Jossey-Bass, 2008). Roadmap to Renewal: Rediscovering the Church’s Mission by Douglas R. Ruffle

(General Board of Global Ministries, 2009).


Healthy Church Initiative U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h xv

“There’s a S. M. A. R. T. Way to Write Management Goals and Objectives” by George T. Doran, Management Review (AMA Forum), November 1981, pp. 35-36.

Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living by Rueben P. Job (Abingdon Press,

2007). Unbinding Your Church (Pastor's and Leaders' Guide to the Real Life Evangelism

Series) by Martha Grace Reese with Dawn Darwin Weaks and Catherine Riddle Caffey (Chalice Press, 2008).

Unbinding Your Heart: Forty Days of Prayer and Faith Sharing by Martha Grace

Reese (Chalice Press, 2008). The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Publishing House, 1989). Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church edited by Shawn McMullen

(Standard Publishing, 2006). Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World by Jorge Acevedo (Abingdon

Press, 2012). When Better Isn’t Enough: Evaluation Tools for the 21st Century by Jill M. Hudson

(Alban Institute, 2004). Winning on Purpose: How to Organize Congregations to Succeed in Their Mission

by John Kaiser (Abingdon Press, 2006).


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Contact Information

For more information about the Healthy Church Initiative in the Iowa Conference, visit our website at www.iaumc.org/hci or contact:

Rebecca Fisher Leadership Development Minister

for Evangelism and New Ministry

2301 Rittenhouse Street Des Moines, IA 50321 Telephone—515. 974.8926 Email—[email protected] Website—www.iaumc.org/hci

Barb Mann Administrative Assistant Iowa Conference Center, United

Methodist Church 2301 Rittenhouse Street Des Moines, IA 50321 Telephone—515.974.8905 Email—[email protected] Website—www.iaumc.org/hci

Or contact the field outreach minister in your district (www.iaumc.org/districts):

Central District—Karen Nelson Telephone—515.963.0440, Email—[email protected]

East Central District—Jill Sanders Telephone—319.365.6273, Email—[email protected]

North Central District—Katharine Yarnell Telephone—515.832.2784, Email—[email protected]

Northeast District—Jaymee Glenn-Burns Telephone—319.268.7502, Email—[email protected]

Northwest District—Ryan Christenson Telephone—712.732.0812, Email—[email protected]

South Central District—Jaye Johnson Telephone—641.342.1644, Email—[email protected]

Southeast East District—Phil Carver Telephone—319.530.3052, Email—[email protected]

Southwest District—Melissa Drake Telephone—712.243.8573, Email—[email protected]

Materials for the Healthy Church Initiative were originally written and developed by

Ken Willard of Leadership Base Camp for use in the Missouri Annual Conference of

the United Methodist Church. To learn more, contact:

Ken Willard

Leadership Base Camp

Telephone—636.346.7172

Email—[email protected]

Website—www.leadershipbasecamp.net

1


SESSION ONE 21st Century Ministry You Lost Me by David Kinnaman

Discovering God’s calling to the church, using our gifts in partnership with each other.

Centering (Jeremiah 29:11) ........................................................................... 3

Group Covenant ............................................................................................. 5

Challenges for the Church ............................................................................. 7

The New Face of Ministry ..............................................................................9

Connections That Transform ...................................................................... 11

Reverse Mentoring ...................................................................................... 11

Action Plan ................................................................................................... 13

Preparation for Session Two ....................................................................... 14

Session One Evaluation ............................................................................... 15

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“I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope.”

—Jeremiah 29:11

NOTES

SESSION ONE 21st Century Ministry

Healthy Church Initiative U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h 3

Centering

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

—United Methodist Hymnal, p. 6

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. How does our guiding scripture (Jeremiah 29:11 on page 2) reflect our identity as Christians? as United Methodist people in Iowa? as local churches?

2. What gifts do we each bring to our ministries and this learning community?

INTRODUCTIONS

Your name

Your church

Length of ministry

Something about your family

Your biggest challenge in ministry

Expectations of the Healthy Church Initiative experience



As disciples we are “to witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teach-ings through acts of compassion, justice, worship and devotion, under the guid-ance of the Holy Spirit.”

—Discipline, ¶1117, p. 596-7

NOTES



Group Covenant

As we meet together in the next several months for prayer and reflection in the Healthy Church Initiative process, I offer myself to God and to our study group in the following ways:

1. Praying regularly for all participants.

2. Completing all of the assigned reading and other homework between each session so that I will be prepared for our next time together.

3. Arriving on time for each session and returning promptly from breaks in order to keep us on schedule.

4. Engaging in discussions openly and honestly in all group sessions.

5. Being curious by asking questions and seeking clarification when needed.

6. Interacting in a respectful manner as we share our unique personal perspectives and ideas.

7. Keeping confidential any personal matters shared by others in the group.

8. Keeping my phone on vibrate or silent and only checking email and voicemail on breaks.

9. Using a person’s real name only if sharing a positive example.

10. Being patient with others as we all learn and grow.

11. Understanding that each session goes quickly and that the facilitator may need to move things along in order to keep us on track.

12. Others?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Signed: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Thank you for being a participant in the Healthy Church Initiative. May God richly bless you, the leaders, and the churches with whom you work and serve.



“God is leading us to move from maintenance to mission.” —Richard Hamm,

Recreating the Church, p. 117

NOTES



Challenges for the Church MENTORING NEW LEADERS

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

CHANGE THAT TRANSFORMS

Recreating the Church by Richard Hamm, p. 11

____________ ___________ corrects “ordinary problems in a system as it is.”

____________ ___________ change addresses fundamental values and

demands “innovation, learning, and changes in the system itself.”

RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE OF ADULTS IN THE U.S., 2003-2012

Source: Aggregated data from surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

39 39 39 39 38 38 38 37 36 37

34 34 33 3234 33 33 34 34 33

25 26 2628 27 27 28 28 28 29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Percentage

Weekly or more

Monthly to Yearly

Seldom or Never

WHAT wisdomwisdomwisdomwisdom would you offer a

new leader in your

current position?



“Our cultural moment demands of us . . . clarity and leadership.”

—David Kinnaman,

You Lost Me, p. 14

NOTES



The New Face of Ministry You Lost Me by David Kinnaman

“NONES” ON THE RISE

www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise One fifth of the U.S. public are _______________ ________________ today, including _________ _____________ of adults under the age of thirty.

OVERPROTECTIVE

The church is “more concerned with safety than its mission to transform the world” (p. 94).

DISCERNMENT

We should engage with our media-driven culture to “watch, listen, and read together and do _______________ _________________ as a faithful community” (p. 104).

SHALLOW

“Christianity seems boring, ________________ , sidelined from the real issues people face (p. 114).”

APPRENTICESHIP

We must develop _______________ with new believers and ask: “How can you be on mission for Christ in the world, based on what you’re gifted to do?” (p. 128).

ANTISCIENCE

“Millions of young Christians perceive Christianity to be in opposition to modern science (p. 131).”

STEWARDSHIP

“The best-prepared young Christians are encouraged to think for themselves. . . . They are taught ________ to think well, not simply ________ to think,” in order to address the important ethical issues of our time (p. 145).



“Preach faith till you have it, and then, because you have it, you will preach faith.”

—Peter Böhler in John Wesley’s

Journal, March 4, 1738.

NOTES



Connections That Transform You Lost Me by David Kinnaman

REPRESSIVE

Young adults “feel torn between the false purity of traditionalism and the empty permissiveness of their peers” (p. 150).

RELATIONAL

“We need a new mind to cultivate a deeper, more ____________ , more Christ-filled ethic of sex” (p. 160).

EXCLUSION

Many people “believe that Christians have an insider-outsider mentality . . . always ready to bar the door to those who don’t meet their standards” (p. 171).

EMBRACE

Jesus lived a more excellent way, “becoming one of us, one of the ‘other,’ identifying with us to embrace us in solidarity, __________ , and selfless agape love” (p. 180).

DOUBTLESS

“Doubt is not always faith’s _____________” (p. 186). DOING

“Creating ___________ ____________________ where doubts of all kinds can be honestly, openly, and relationally explored” helps us build bridges to others (p. 197).


1. How do these themes of our modern world impact our leadership in our local churches?

2. What are some practical ways we can respond to these challenges?



“Let us rediscover who we are and what our gift to the wider Church and world is.” —Richard Hamm,

Recreating the Church, p. 117.

NOTES



Action Plan

How has God’s Spirit spoken to you in this session? List some specific ideas or resources along with any other key learning from today’s session that you feel would have value in your church. _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

What is one action that your church is willing to commit to taking? Discuss this with your leadership team of pastor(s) and laity and discern your response together. _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Who will be responsible for what part of your action plan?

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

How will you know your action plan is successful? _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

How will you share your action plan with other leaders in your congregation? _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Two

BEST PRACTICES

1. Read everything you can about leadership.

2. Go where leadership is taught.

3. Get around leaders who are ahead of you and ask them how they got there. Ask them smart questions.

4. Lead something beyond your job to build experience.

5. _______________________________________________________

6. _______________________________________________________

7. _______________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

A Guide to Covenant Discipleship Groups by Gayle Turner Watson (Discipleship Resources, 2000).

Covenant Discipleship: Christian Formation through Mutual Accountability by David Lowes Watson (Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2002).

Deepening Your Effectiveness: Restructuring the Local Church for Life Transformation by Dan Glover and Claudia Lavy (Discipleship Resources, 2006).

“Nones on the Rise” at Pew Research: Religion and Public Life Project, www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise.

Recreating the Church: Leadership for the Postmodern Age by Richard L. Hamm (Chalice Press, 2007).

Reverse Mentoring: How Young Leaders Can Transform the Church and Why We Should Let Them by Earl Creps (Jossey-Bass, 2008).

HOMEWORK

1. Carry out your selected action plan from page 13 of this workbook together as a leadership team of pastor(s) and laity.

2. Visit with a young adult in the spirit of reverse mentoring before the next session to get some perspective about their view of the world.

3. Read Vital: Churches Changing Communities and the World by Jorge Acevedo.



Session One Evaluation

Facilitator: _____________________________ Date: _____________

Name: ______________________________ (optional)

Poor Fair Good Strong Excellent

Content

1. Clearly stated focus 1 2 3 4 5

2. Useful and relevant materials 1 2 3 4 5

Facilitator

3. Effective presentation/pacing 1 2 3 4 5

4. Knowledge of content 1 2 3 4 5

Environment

5. Conducive to learning 1 2 3 4 5

6. Temperature, seating, etc. 1 2 3 4 5

Overall

7. Rating of entire session 1 2 3 4 5

8. Likely to recommend to others 1 2 3 4 5

What, if anything, would you suggest to improve this session in the future?

___________________________________________________

What did you find most helpful about this session?

_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

17


SESSION TWO Mission-Centered Ministry Vital by Jorge Acevedo

Understanding the mission of the church as a movement that invites new people into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Centering (Matthew 28:18-19, Luke 4:16-21) ............................................ 19

Homework Review ....................................................................................... 21

A Movement on a Mission ...........................................................................23

Intentional Faith Development ................................................................... 25

Connecting in Our Communities ................................................................. 27

Three Simple Rules ...................................................................................... 27

Demographic Analysis: MissionInsite ........................................................ 27

Action Plan .................................................................................................. 29

Preparation for Session Three .................................................................... 30

Session Two Evaluation ............................................................................... 31

2



“Go and make disciples of all nations, . . . teaching them to obey everything that I’ve com-manded you.”

—Matthew

28:18-19

NOTES

SESSION TWO Mission-Centered Ministry


Centering

OPENING PRAYER

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings, with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help, that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

—United Methodist Hymnal, p. 705 (after The Book of Common Prayer)

LUKE 4:16-21

Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue as he normally did and stood up to read. The synagogue assistant gave him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the synagogue assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on him.


1. How does your church understand its mission? How do you understand your mission as a leader?

2. In what ways do you feel anointed (called, gifted) to pursue God’s mission?



“We are learning how to pass on a faith worth claim-ing in a new context.”

—David Kinnaman,

You Lost Me, p. 201

NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review

REVIEW OF YOUR ACTION PLAN

1. What was the one action that your church committed to do since our last session?

2. Who was responsible for what part of your action plan?

3. How did you hope to know your action plan was successful?

MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

1. What were you able to do?

2. What got in the way or didn’t go as planned?

APPLICATION OF OUR LEARNING

1. What ideas from the previous session were helpful to your action plan?

2. What surprised you about the results of your action plan?

PEER MENTORING AND SUPPORT

1. What questions do you have for each other about what you have heard?

2. What words of encouragement can you offer one another?



“Help the congre-gation see, set, and achieve a biblical vision.”

—Jorge Acevedo, Vital, p. 34

NOTES



A Movement on a Mission HEALTHY PERSONAL PRACTICES

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

MOVEMENT

The United Societies (divided into smaller companies of about twelve persons called

classes), first in Europe, and then in America were gatherings of individuals “having

the form and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to

receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may

help each other to work out their salvation.”

—The Discipline of the United Methodist Church, ¶104, p. 76

MISSION

“The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the

transformation of the world. Local churches provide the most

significant arena through which disciple-making occurs.”

—The Discipline of the United Methodist Church, ¶120, p. 91

THREE SPIRITUAL REALITIES

Vital by Jorge Acevedo, p. 127ff

1. _______________ fruit grows on ________________ plants.

2. _______________ fruit comes from _________________ plants.

3. _______________ fruit is ___________________ !



“The incubator for spiritual maturity is the Body of Christ.”


NOTES



Intentional Faith Development

SEASONS OF GRACE MINISTRY WESLEY

Prevenient Grace: “God’s wooing” Reach United Societies

Justifying Grace: “a light-switch moment” Connect Class meetings

Sanctifying Grace: “more and more like Jesus”

Form Send

Bands

DREAM-RELEASING CONGREGATIONS

reach

connect

form

send



“Only after we have loved God and one another well are we ready to do the work of the church.”


NOTES



Do good

Stay in love

with God

Do no

harm

Connecting in Our Communities

LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS

Vital by Jorge Acevedo, p. 107-108 1. We love our neighbors by giving immediate aid.

2. We love our neighbors by giving ongoing advancement.

3. We love our neighbors by our continual advocacy.

THREE SIMPLE RULES

Vital by Jorge Acevedo, p. 113

DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

MissionInsite.com can help us take the emotion and guess work out of demographic analysis. Visit with your field outreach minister or look on the Iowa Conference website at www.iaumc.org/pages/detail/2078 for more information. Have your leadership team run at least one report and review it together before our next session.



“Vigorous vitality is the hope and dream of God for every church in every place.”

—Jorge Acevedo, Vital, p. 132.

NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Three

BEST PRACTICES

1. Connect with your local Chamber(s) of Commerce, city government, and other agencies where you can get demographic information about your community.

2. Meet with a local realtor—you may have one in your congregation—who can keep you updated on trends in the market.

3. _______________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

2013-2016 United Methodist Handbook: Let’s Go Fishing—Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World (http://shop.umc.org/ product/productinfo/2013-2016-handbook-making-disciples-/142?cid=20).

The Church of the Perfect Storm by Leonard Sweet (Abingdon Press, 2008).

Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend by Andy Stanley (Zondervan, 2012).

A Disciple's Path: Deepening Your Relationship with Christ and the Church (Daily Workbook) by James A. Harnish and Justin LaRosa (Abingdon Press, 2012).

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase (Abingdon Press, 2007).

The Journey for Adults: Becoming a Deeply Committed Christian, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, www.cor.org/programs-ministries/adults/thejourney.

Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living by Rueben P. Job (Abingdon Press, 2007).

HOMEWORK


2. Explore www.missioninsite.com to learn more about the demographics of the community you serve. Register for free through the Iowa Conference at www.iaumc.org/pages/detail/2078. Run at least one report and review it with your leadership team.

3. Read Direct Hit: Aiming Real Leaders at the Mission Field by Paul D. Borden.



Session Two Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

33


SESSION THREE Ministry of Transformation Direct Hit by Paul Borden

Assessing potential and creating momentum for change in our churches to makes disciples of Jesus Christ who transform the world.

Centering (Matt. 16:24-25, John 1:1-4, Acts 1:8) ........................................ 35

Homework Review ....................................................................................... 37

Factors in Leading Change ......................................................................... 39

Creating Leadership Teams ......................................................................... 41

Community Conversations ......................................................................... 43

Action Plan ................................................................................................... 45

Preparation for Session Four...................................................................... 46

Session Three Evaluation ............................................................................ 47

3



“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

—Acts 1:8a

NOTES

SESSION THREE Ministry of Transformation


Centering

PRAYER

Renew your church, Lord, your people in this land. Save us from cheap words and self-deception in your service. In the power of your Spirit transform us, and shape us by your cross. Amen.

—United Methodist Hymnal, p. 574

ACTS 1:8

MATTHEW 16:24-25

Jesus said to his disciples, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will find them.” QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. As you have reflecting on your reading of Direct Hit, what concerns do you have about your ability to lead your congregation into a more missional expression of its ministry with the community?

2. What skills and disciplines do you need to cultivate in yourself to respond to God’s calling to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?

3. What barriers will you have to overcome in yourself and in your congregation to achieve a missional focus for ministry? Is it worth it?

Energy Power Direction



“God has done God’s part. . . . Let’s join Jesus in his mission!”


NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review
















Congregations are “God’s primary tool for making individual dis-ciples and for changing entire communities.”


NOTES



Factors in Leading Change JOHN 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people.

BARRIERS TO LEADING CHANGE

Direct Hit, p. 20-21

1. Pastors only understanding themselves as ____________ ____________.

2. Faithful work is honored, but ____________ results are not expected or demanded.

3. “Many congregations are led by a handful of people that have gained that position by default. . . [who] resist any change that tampers with their influence and control.”

4. The structures of our congregations separate _____________ from

_____________________ , resulting in little if any accountability for results.

LEADERSHIP DISCIPLINES

Passion

Courage

Flexibility

Missional Focus

Wisdom

Positive Attitude

Responsibility



“Leadership in-volves a person seeing a need and taking the respon-sibility to see that the need is met.”


NOTES



Creating Leadership Teams TEAM ONE: DEVELOPING RESOURCES — PRAYER TEAM

� Prayer with an outward focus

� Success and failure hinge on this area

TEAM TWO: DEVELOPING IDEAS — VISION OR DREAM TEAM

� What are the needs of our community? (Do not assume anything!)

� Idea people and critics who can help the pastor develop arguments for urgency and create vision in order to address the urgency.

TEAM THREE: DEVELOPING PERSONNEL — LEADERSHIP TEAM

� People change before structure

� Curriculum = the development of healthy leaders + development of healthy congregations

God's Mission

Leaders

Vision

Prayer



“Structure never changes first.”


NOTES



Community Conversations Robert C. Linthicum, Building a People of Power, Chapter Five

The basic technique to help the church connect to people is to build relationships one person at a time. After the meeting, fill out the form immediately—but not in the presence of the person you interviewed. Turn the completed form in to a designated person in your congregation so that a coordinating team can analyze the information for common themes that might become avenues for new or expanded ministry.

Individual Meeting Form Church: _______________________

Name of Listener: ___________________ Date: __________

Name of Person to Whom I Listened: _____________________

Address: ________________________________________

Telephone: ____________ Email Address: _______________

Joys, Hopes, Likes about life in this community:

Issues, Concerns, Worries about life in this community:

Good Stories:

Important Ideas to Remember:

How will this person be followed up?

Did s/he suggest another contact? Will s/he credential you?



“Leadership behavior is a practice, not a gift.”

—Paul Borden, Direct Hit, p. 30.

NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Four BEST PRACTICES 1. Work with a church/pastor who has already put the three teams in place to learn

from them what potential challenges might be in your situation.

2. Have your staff (paid and unpaid) and key lay leaders read the book Direct Hit.

3. Learn about outreach ministries at Broadway United Methodist Church in Indianapolis by visiting www.broadwayumc.org. They pursue a ministry to name, bless, and connect the people of their community with each other, partially through the work of their Roving Listener, De'Amon Harges.

4. _______________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________


Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs (Baker Books, 2005).

Building a People of Power: Equipping Churches to Transform Their Communities by Robert C. Linthicum (Authentic Media, 2005).

Finding the Missional Path by Barry E. Winders (Xulon Press, 2007).

If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg (Zondervan, 2000).

Inside the Small Church edited by Anthony G. Pappas (Alban Institute, 2002).

The Power of Vision: Discover and Apply God's Vision for Your Life & Ministry, 3rd edition by George Barna (Regal Books, 2009).

When Better Isn’t Enough: Evaluation Tools for the 21st Century by Jill M. Hudson (Alban Institute, 2004).

HOMEWORK


2. Have your vision team pursue community conversations, as outlined on page 43 of your workbook, to learn more about your mission context. Begin to formulate some ideas for expressing your congregation’s vision statement.

3. Read The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson.



Session Three Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

49


SESSION FOUR Outwardly Focused Ministry The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric

Swanson

Recognizing the biblical mandate for outreach and discovering techniques for achieving it.

Centering (Luke 9:6, Ephesians 2:8-10) ..................................................... 51

Homework Review ....................................................................................... 53

Our Church’s Outward Focus ...................................................................... 55

Helping People Grow ................................................................................... 57

Asset Mapping ............................................................................................. 59

Action Plan ................................................................................................... 61

Preparation for Session Five ...................................................................... 62

Session Four Evaluation ............................................................................. 63

4



“They departed and went through the villages pro-claiming the good news and healing people every-where.”

—Luke 9:6

NOTES

SESSION FOUR Outwardly Focused Ministry


Centering PRAYER

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which thou hast given us; for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, for thine own sake. Amen.

—Richard of Chichester, United Methodist Hymnal, p. 493

EPHESIANS 2:8-10

“You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.”


1. How does the Bible reinforce our calling to focus outside of the walls of the church?

2. What examples do you see in your congregation of people living a grace-filled life for others?



“Our culture is changing rapidly, and if we do not change, we will lose the ability to effectively in-fluence it for Jesus.”


NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review
















“Christians . . . cannot grow if they remain uninvolved in ministry and service.” —Rick Rusaw and

Eric Swanson, The Externally

Focused Church, p. 26

NOTES



Our Church’s Outward Focus

Inward Maintenance-

minded

Both Neither?

Outward Mission-minded

FALSE ? TRUE

1. Our church demographics (age, race, gender, education, etc.) closely match our community.

2. We belong to, and are active in, at least one community agency (e.g., Chamber of Commerce).

3. A new visitor to our church would see, hear, and read about our outreach on their first visit.

4. We have had at least three events or programs in the past year for people outside of our church.

5. Our discussions include as much about outreach as they do about facilities and budgets.

6. People from our congregation regularly serve in the community (e.g., food pantry or school).

7. We are known in the community as “the hands of Christ” due to our involvement and action.

8. Our prayers in worship, meetings, and small groups include the community.

9. Our church budget reflects a focus on our community and being in mission to it.

10. We train our congregation to go out to minister to the community (and the world).

Where would you place your church’s focus on this scale?

INWARD FOCUS What world? It’s all about us!

Most congregations fall somewhere in the middle.

OUTWARD FOCUSWhat church?

It’s all about them!



“We are never ex-empt from service because we ‘don’t have that gift.’ ” —Rick Rusaw and



NOTES



Helping People Grow THE POWER OF SERVICE: THE TRANSFORMATIONAL “SWEET SPOT”

The Externally Focused Church, Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson, p. 78

1. Service gets small groups out of their comfort zones.

2. Service causes groups to bond together in tighter relationships.

3. Service is a vehicle for evangelistic opportunities.

4. Service provides goodwill in the community.

FOUR TYPES OF CHURCHES

The Externally Focused Church, p. 125

Good D

eeds – G

ala

tians 2:1

0. . . D

emonst

ration

External Focus Goals: Serving the least

Belief: Transforming the community leads to transforming individuals.

Focus: Grace

Actions: Showing

Goals: Serving the lost and serving the least

Belief: We are most effective when we transform individuals and communities.

Focus: Truth and grace

Actions: Showing and telling

Internal Focus

Goals: Building up the saints

Belief: Good teaching and truth will change and heal people.

Focus: Teaching truth

Actions: Caring for their own

Goals: Saving the lost

Belief: Transformed people will lead to transformed society.

Focus: Truth

Actions: Telling

External Focus External Focus G o o d N e w s – R o m a n s 1 : 1 5 . . . P r o c l a m a t i o n

Needs and

Dreams of the

City

Mandates and

Desires of God

Calling and

Capacity of the

Local Church

Service



“Given enough opportunities, everybody will find the inter-section of passion and purpose.” —Rick Rusaw and



NOTES



Asset Mapping Luther K. Snow, The Power of Asset Mapping

As a part of your homework assignment, complete the asset mapping exercise below in order to identify the top two or three strengths of your church. What is your unique niche in the community? You should also come up with one way to build on that strength or niche. Try something new that you are not currently doing.

Physical Assets

Building

Rooms

Equipment

Location

Financial Assets

Pastoral Support

Program Budget

Spent last year

Other available funds

People Assets

Lay Servants

Gifted Leaders

Gifted Workers

I can offer …

Program/Ministry Assets

What we do well

Needs we address

Community connections

Dreams

What is one thing your church could do—that you are not already doing—to become more significant in your community based on your assets?



“Many good-hearted people in your church would love to serve and minister, but they lack a mechanism to turn desire into action.” —Rick Rusaw and



NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Five

BEST PRACTICES

1. Plan and host two or three events for people of your community: a carnival on church property, a picnic in a nearby park, etc. Find ways to get people’s names and do follow up to build relationships.

2. Pray by name for people your members know who are not in church or are not people of the Christian faith—and encourage members to invite these people. Mention this kind of praying on a regular basis.

3. Invite prayer teams to pray by name for people who are not Christian or do not have a church home.

4. _______________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________

6. _______________________________________________________


Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Own Community by Ed Stetzer and David Putman.

The Great Permission: An Asset-Based Field Guide for Congregations by Bob Sitze (Evangelical Luthern Church of America, 2002).

Leading Beyond the Walls: Developing Congregations with a Heart for the Unchurched by Adam Hamilton (Abingdon Press, 2002).

Operation Inasmuch: Mobilizing Believers Beyond the Walls of the Church by David W. Crocker (Christian Board of Publication, 2005).

The Power of Asset Mapping: How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts by Luther K. Snow (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004).

The Race to Reach Out: Connecting Newcomers to Christ in a New Century by Doug T. Anderson and Michael J. Coyner (Abingdon Press, 2004).

HOMEWORK


2. Invite your church council to complete the asset mapping exercise on page 59 of your workbook. Discuss how your discoveries impact God’s vision for your congregation’s ministry.

3. Read Shaped by God’s Heart by Milfred Minatrea.



Session Four Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

65


SESSION FIVE Leadership Practices Shaped by God’s Heart by Milfred Minatrea

Molding our leadership skills to meet the responsibilities of the contemporary church as it fulfills its mission.

Centering (Mark 1:11, Acts 6:1-7, Romans 12:3-6) ...................................... 67

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 69

Missional Churches ..................................................................................... 71

The Life Cycle of a Church ........................................................................... 73

Managing Transitions .................................................................................. 75

Writing God’s Vision for Your Church ........................................................ 75

Action Plan ................................................................................................... 77

Preparation for Session Six ......................................................................... 78

Session Five Evaluation ............................................................................... 79

5



“You are my Be-loved; with you I am well pleased.”

—Mark 1:11 (NRSV)

NOTES

SESSION FIVE Leadership Practices


Centering

PRAYER

O Holy God, open unto me light for my darkness, courage for my fear, hope for my despair.

O loving God, open unto me wisdom for my confusion, forgiveness for my sins, love for my hate.

O God of peace, open unto me peace for my turmoil, joy for my sorrow, strength for my weakness.

O generous God, open my heart to receive all your gifts. Amen. —Howard Thurman, United Methodist Hymnal, p. 489

ROMANS 12:3-6

Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us.

ACT 6:1-7

About that time, while the number of disciples continued to increase, a complaint arose. Greek-speaking disciples accused the Aramaic-speaking disciples because their widows were being overlooked in the daily food service. The Twelve called a meeting of all the disciples and said, “It isn’t right for us to set aside proclamation of God’s word in order to serve tables. Brothers and sisters, carefully choose seven well-respected men from among you. They must be well-respected and endowed by the Spirit with exceptional wisdom. We will put them in charge of this concern. As for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and the service of proclaiming the word.” This proposal pleased the entire community. They selected Stephen, a man endowed by the Holy Spirit with exceptional faith, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. The community presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. God’s word continued to grow. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased significantly. Even a large group of priests embraced the faith.


1. What examples of naming, blessing, and connecting come to mind in your ministry?

2. How do you experience feeling beloved by God in your ministry?

3. How can we help the leaders and members of our churches know they are beloved?



“The church has missed the harvest of an entire gen-eration.” —Rick Rusaw and



NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review
















“Missional churches are . . . determined to bring the trans-formational influence of Jesus Christ into their world every day.”

—Milfred Minatrea,

Shaped by God’s Heart, p. 17

NOTES



Missional Churches THE FOUR DIMENSIONS OF MISSIONAL CHURCHES

Milfred Minatrea, Shaped by God’s Heart, p. 20

Love God

Empower Worship

Equip Obey

Lead them to follow Live His Mission

Invite Serve

Embrace Shared

Love people

NINE ESSENTIAL PRACTICES OF MISSIONAL CHURCHES

Milfred Minatrea, Shaped by God’s Heart, “Part Two,” pp. 27-139

1. Have a High Threshold for Membership

2. Be Real, Not Real Religious

3. Teach to Obey Rather Than to Know

4. Rewrite Worship Every Week

5. Live Apostolically

6. Expect to Change the World

7. Order Actions According to Purpose

8. Measure Growth by Capacity to Release, Not Retain

9. Place Kingdom Concerns First



“Becoming a new kind of church— moving to mis-sional—is a deep change that is inherently dif-ficult because it requires leaving established ways of doing things.”



NOTES



The Life Cycle of a Church George W. Bullard Jr., Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation

(cited by Paul Borden, Direct Hit, pp. 133-142)

V - Vision (Heart): Where are we going?

R - Relationships (Arms): Who is going with us?

M - Ministry (Hands and Feet): How will we get there?

S - Structure (Skeleton): What do we control?

SIGMOID CURVE: “THE CURVE OF LIFE”

Charles Handy, The Age of Paradox

Birth

Vrms Infancy

VRms

Childhood

VRMs

Adolescence

VRMs

Adulthood

VRMS Maturity

vRMS

Empty Nest

vRmS

Retirement

vrMS

Old Age

vrmS Death

s

Cycle 1

Cycle 2

Cycle 3



“Missional leaders must see what is not as though it were.”



NOTES



Managing Transitions

BEGINNING ANEW

William Bridges, Managing Transitions, pp. 57-75

Purpose

Picture

Plan

Part WRITING GOD’S VISION FOR YOUR CHURCH

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________



“Missional lead-ers, along with their leadership teams, have a clear vision for creating authentic mission-al communities.”


Shaped by God’s Heart, p. 167.

NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Six BEST PRACTICES

1. Start a leadership class using our resource book for this session.

2. Get a coach to guide you personally as a leader.

3. Take a personality inventory to assess your style of leadership, such as DISC, LEAD, Myers-Briggs, or the Gallup StrengthsFinder. A free version of DISC can be found online at http://discpersonalitytesting.com/free-disc-test.

4. _______________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________


The Age of Paradox by Charles Handy (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1994).

Can These Bones Live? Bringing New Life to a Dying Church by Kevass J. Harding (Abingdon Press, 2007).

Courageous Leadership: Field-Tested Strategy for the 360° Leader by Bill Hybels (Zondervan, 2002).

The In-Between Church: Navigating the Size Transitions in Congregations by Alice Mann (Alban Institute, 1998).

Managing Transitions, 3rd Edition by William Bridges (Da Capo Press, 2009).

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton (Free Press, 2001).

The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life by Laurie Beth Jones (Hyperion, 1996).

Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation by George W. Bullard Jr.

Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church edited by Shawn McMullen (Standard Publishing, 2006).

PREPARATION FOR SESSION SIX


2. Discern and write a vision statement for your congregation—God’s mission in your unique context—in prayer with your leadership team.

3. Read Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger.



Session Five Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

81


SESSION SIX Clarity of Purpose Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger

Four basic concepts of a simple church in order to focus our churches more on transformation and less on programs.

Centering (Matthew 22:37-40, Hebrews 12:1-2a) ..................................... 83

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 85

Four Elements of Simplicity ........................................................................ 87

Effective Measurements ............................................................................. 89

S.M.A.R.T. Goals ......................................................................................... 89

Ministry Audit .............................................................................................. 91

Action Plan .................................................................................................. 93

Preparation for Session Seven .................................................................... 94

Session Six Evaluation ................................................................................. 95

6



“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. . . . Love others as much as you love yourself.”

—Matthew 22:37-40

NOTES

SESSION SIX Clarity of Purpose


Centering PRAYER

Teach us, good Lord,

to serve you as you deserve;

to give and not to count the cost;

to fight and not to heed the wounds;

to toil and not to seek for rest;

to labor and not to ask for any reward,

except that of knowing that we do your will;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

—Ignatius of Loyola, United Methodist Hymnal, p. 570

HEBREWS 12:1-2a

So then let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter.


1. What is the race that God has laid our for your congregation?

2. What baggage do you need to throw off to pursue your ministry together?



“The decisions you make must be in-formed by your church and your community as you seek God’s heart.”



NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review
















“Out of com-plexity, find simplicity.” —Albert Einstein, quoted in Simple

Church, p. 3

NOTES



Four Elements for Simplicity BACK TO BASICS

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

CLARITY

The ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people.

MOVEMENT

The sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment.

ALIGNMENT

The arrangements of all ministries and staff around the same simple process.

FOCUS

The commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process.


1. What is the most challenging element for you? for your church?

2. Where is one place you could apply these principles in your ministry?

3. How effective are your communications practices in your congregation?

HOW have you

helped a child learn

to walkwalkwalkwalk or talktalktalktalk?



“If you want a process to be clear, you must define it, illustrate it, discuss it, and measure it.”

—Thom Rainer and Eric Gieger, Simple Church,

p. 111

NOTES



Effective Measurements QUALITATIVE GOALS

Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development, p. 47

Area of Ministry Examples of Qualitative Goals

Ministry

At the end of nine months 80 percent of those attending worship services will have discovered their spiritual gifts and 50 percent will be active in a ministry corresponding to their gifts.

Small Groups Within the next six months, we will divide our home Bible study with the co-leader assuming the leadership of the new group.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS

George T. Doran, Management Review Choose a ministry from your

congregation and write sample goals:

S = Specific M = Measurable A = Achievable R = Relevant T = Time-Based

1. What to accomplished? 2. Why accomplish it? 3. When and how? 1. How much? How many? 2. What results are expected? 3. What will be observable? 1. Is the desired result of the

goal attainable? 2. How challenging is this

goal? 3. How much direct control

do I have over the goal?

Is this goal something I have authority and responsibility to accomplish? When will this goal be accomplished?



“You must insist that all ministries align to the pro-cess, and you must refuse to allow it to become clut-tered.”


p. 240-241

NOTES



Ministry Audit Based on the work of Paul Borden and Milfred Minatrea

following discussion in The Externally Focused Church, p. 125

Use the grid below to complete a ministry audit of all of your congregation’s ministries, programs, and activities. (Compare it to the grid found at the bottom of page 57 in your workbook from The Externally Focused Church.) The top boxes of the grid represent ministries that benefit people outside of the church, while ministries in the bottom boxes serve focus mostly on members of the church. The boxes to the left describe ministries primarily for fellowship or teaching. The boxes on the right refer to those that take the congregation into the community.

Take a few minutes as a church team to place your ministries on the grid. As you add ministries to each box, avoid attempts to place anything in more than one quadrant. Be honest about where the ministry most directly applies, even when it could be listed on both sides of the grid. You may want to invite your church council to do the same exercise in more depth at a later time.

FOCUS

EX

TE

RN

AL

IN

TE

RN

AL

ENTERTAIN/EDIFY OUTREACH/SERVICE

PURPOSE



“It is time for change. The alternative is to continue leading dying churches filled with spirit-ually anemic people.”


p. 229.

NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Seven BEST PRACTICES

1. Adopt the accountable leadership strategy by studying Winning on Purpose by John Kaiser. Be sure all staff and leaders have job descriptions and are being held accountable for accomplishing their goals.

2. Invite your laity to study Simple Church and simplify your structure as much as possible.

3. _______________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________


Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What by Peter L. Steinke (Alban Institute, 2006).

Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell (Thomas Nelson, 2002).

Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit by Lovett H. Weems Jr. (Abingdon Press, 1999).

The Little Church that Could: Raising Small Church Esteem by Steven E. Burt and Hazel Ann Roper (Judson Press, 2000).

Making Vision Stick by Andy Stanley (Zondervan, 2007).

Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches, 7th edition by Christian A. Schwarz (ChurchSmart Resources, 2006).

The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church by Diana Butler Bass (Alban Institute, 2004).

“There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management Goals and Objectives” by George T. Doran, Management Review (AMA Forum), November 1981, pp. 35-36.

Winning on Purpose: How to Organize Congregations to Succeed in Their Mission by John Kaiser (Abingdon Press, 2006).

HOMEWORK

1. Carry out your selected action plan from page 93 of this workbook.

2. Complete your ministry audit from page 91 of this workbook with your church leaders given your vision for the future as a congregation.

3. Read Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones.



Session Six Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

97


SESSION SEVEN Communication Skills Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane

Jones

Improving our ability to inspire and transform lives to reflect the love of Christ.

Centering (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) .............................................................. 99

Homework Review ..................................................................................... 101

A Focused Message .................................................................................... 103

Get Organized ............................................................................................ 105

Hone Your Skills ........................................................................................ 107

Action Plan ................................................................................................. 109

Preparation for Session Eight .................................................................... 110

Session Seven Evaluation ........................................................................... 111

7



“I have become all things to all peo-ple, so I could save some by all pos-sible means.”

—1 Corinthians 9:22b-23

NOTES

SESSION SEVEN Communication Skills


Centering

PRAYER

Open wide the window of our spirits, O Lord, and fill us full of light; open wide the door of our hearts, that we may receive and entertain thee with all our powers of adoration and love. Amen.

—Christina G. Rossetti, United Methodist Hymnal, p. 477

1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-23

Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them. I act like a Jew to the Jews, so I can recruit Jews. I act like I’m under the Law to those under the Law, so I can recruit those who are under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law). I act like I’m outside the Law to those who are outside the Law, so I can recruit those outside the Law (though I’m not outside the law of God but rather under the law of Christ). I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.


1. How have you practiced Paul’s speaking technique described in 1 Corinthians in presentations you have made to others?

2. What speech have you heard that was so effective that you still remember it today? What do you recall most vividly?



“Complexity is often synonymous with mediocrity.”

—Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger, Simple Church,

p. 232

NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review
















“The communi-cator should attempt to pick everyone up at the same station and deliver them to the same destination.”

—Andy Stanley, Communicating

for a Change, p. 101

NOTES



A Focused Message ELEVATOR SPEECH

Pick a key ministry of your congregation and create a brief speech you might deliver on an elevator ride with a stranger. What main ideas would you want to express in a minute or two? Write them below.

1. Determine your ______________. “Teach people how to live a life that reflects values, principles, and truths of the Bible” (Communicating for a Change, p. 95).

2. Pick a _________________.

� Dig until you find it.

� Build everything around it.

� Make it stick.



“There are ways to use notes without anyone knowing you are using notes.”



NOTES



Get Organized

3. Create a _______________. ME Application

WE Orientation

GOD Inspiration

YOU Identification

WE Illumination

4. Internalize your __________________.

“When a communicator rushes through material it sends a very specific message: I am more concerned about covering the material than I am about communicating with my audience” (Communicating for a Change, p. 123).

� Before you stand to deliver a message you must own it.

� Reduce your entire message down to five or six pieces. Not points, pieces or sections of information.

� If something doesn’t support, illustrate, or clarify the point, cut it. 5. Engage your _____________________.

� Presentation trumps information.

� Raising the need. — Answer a question they’ve been asking. — Solve a mystery they have been unable to solve. — Resolve a tension they have been unable to resolve.

� Rules of engagement. — Check your speed. — Slow down on the curves. — Navigate through the text. — Add something unexpected to the trip. — Take the most direct route.



“The church needs your voice and your insight.”



NOTES



Hone Your Skills

6. Find your _______________________.

� Being yourself is not an excuse for poor communication habits.

� Be yourself. But become the best communicator you can be.

� Continally ask yourself, What works? What works for me?

7. ________________ all over.

� What do they need to know? Information

� Why do they need to know it? Motivation

� What do they need to do? Application

� Why do they need to do it? Inspiration

� How can I help them remember? Reiteration


1. Which of those five are already strong gifts for you?

2. Where do you feel you have the most room for growth?

3. What lingering questions do you have about the ideas in our resource book this month?



“The first thing I do when I get stuck is pray.”


for a Change, p. 184.

NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Preparation for Session Eight BEST PRACTICES

1. Videotape your sermons, worship events, or other presentations and meet with other leaders to critique what’s working and what needs improvement.

2. Ask a peer to work with you by providing feedback on the effectiveness of your public speaking.

3. _______________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________


Get the Name: Grow Your Church by Building New Relationships by Bob Farr, Doug Anderson, and Kay Kotan (Abingdon Press, 2013).

Inside the Small Church edited by Anthony G. Pappas (Alban Institute, 2002).

Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit by Lovett H. Weems Jr. (Abingdon Press, 1999).

Leading Beyond the Walls: Developing Congregations with a Heart for the Unchurched by Adam Hamilton (Abingdon Press, 2002).

Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History selected and introduced by William Safire (W. W. Norton and Company, 1997).

Life is a Series of Presentations: 8 Ways to Punch Up Your People Skills at Work, at Home, Anytime, Anywhere by Tony Jeary (Fireside, 2004).

Ministry Nuts and Bolts: What They Don’t Teach Pastors in Seminary, 2nd edition by Aubrey Malphurs (Kregel Publications, 2009).

HOMEWORK

1. Carry out your selected action plan from page 109 of this workbook.

2. Make one presentation in the next month using the seven imperatives suggested by our authors.

3. Read Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism, 2nd edition by Martha Grace Reese. Consider joining other leaders in the 40-day personal prayer journal found in the book.



Session Seven Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

113


SESSION EIGHT Real Life Evangelism Unbinding the Gospel by Martha Grace Reese

Discovering authentic ways to talk about God so that others might be led to a life in Christ.

Centering (John 4:39, Romans 15:14-17) .................................................. 115

Homework Review ...................................................................................... 117

A Trinity of Relationships .......................................................................... 119

Bandwidths of Evangelism ........................................................................ 121

Faith Sharing ............................................................................................. 123

Action Plan ................................................................................................. 125

Additional Resources ................................................................................. 126

Session Eight Evaluation ........................................................................... 127

8



“A lot of Samar-itans in that town put their faith in Jesus because the woman had said, ‘This man told me everything I have ever done.’ ”

—John 4:39

NOTES

SESSION EIGHT Real Life Evangelism


Centering

PRAYER

Blessed Lord, you have caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God forever, and ever. Amen.

—United Methodist Hymnal, p. 602 ROMANS 15:14-17

My friends, I am sure that you are very good and that you have all the knowledge you need to teach each other. But I have spoken to you plainly and have tried to remind you of some things. God was so kind to me! He chose me to be a servant of Christ Jesus for the Gentiles and to do the work of a priest in the service of his good news. God did this so that the Holy Spirit could make the Gentiles into a holy offering, pleasing to him. Because of Christ Jesus, I can take pride in my service for God. In fact, all I will talk about is how Christ let me speak and work, so that the Gentiles would obey him. Indeed, I will tell how Christ worked miracles and wonders by the power of the Holy

Spirit. I have preached the good news about him all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum. But I have always tried to preach where people have never heard about Christ. I am like a builder who doesn’t build on anyone else’s foundation. It is just as the scriptures say, “All who haven’t been told about him will see him, and those who haven’t heard about him will understand.”


1. What parallels do you see between this passage of scripture and our contemporary experience in the church?

2. What are the challenges for you and the members of your congregation in sharing faith with people outside the church?



“Our goal should be life change. . . . to teach people how to live a life that reflects the values, principles, and truths of the Bible.”


for a Change, p. 100.

NOTES



Learning

Community

Continuous

Homework Review
















“Evangelism is anything you do to help another per-son move closer to a relationship with God, or into Chris-tian community.

—Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding

the Gospel, p. 9

NOTES



A Trinity of Relationships THE “E” WORD

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

A TRINITY OF RELATIONSHIPS

Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel, p. 59

“Positively or negatively, these sets of relationships affect each other. If one area grows and gets healthier, the other areas will change. Congregational leaders must pay attention to all three areas if the church is to thrive and do healthy ministry/evangelism.”


1. How does mission and service—the center of their diagram described as the “sweet spot” in The Externally Focused Church (Participant’s Workbook, p. 57)—contrast with or reinforce Martha Grace Reese’s ideas around faith sharing?

2. How do these three sets of relationships (with God, within the church, reaching out to others) interact in your church?

Relationships

with God

Relationships

between Church

Members

Relationships

with People

Outside the

Church

WHAT do you think

and feel about the word

EvangelisEvangelisEvangelisEvangelismmmm?



“The purpose of rethinking evan-gelism is . . . to help us be sensi-tive to opportuni-ties that surround us.”

—Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel, p. 90

NOTES



101.1

Bandwidths of Evangelism Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism, pp. 87-93

101.1 Our children

101.2 Our children’s friends

101.3 Attenders of our church who never joined

101.4 Committed Christians from similar church backgrounds

101.5 Committed Christians from different church backgrounds

101.6 People raised in the church who drifted away

101.7 People raise in the church who were hurt

101.8 Not-yet Christians who are similar to church members

101.9 Not-yet Christians who are different from church members

People

different

from us

People

similar to us

People raised in

church, but hurt

People raised in church

who drifted

People transferring

from different churches

People transferring

from similar churches

Regular attenders of our church

Our children's friends

Our children



“Evangelistic churches concen-trate on helping people grow in their faith lives through spiritual practices.”

—Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel, p. 98

NOTES



Faith Sharing YOUR FAITH STORY

What was a recent experience of God that you have had? Write about it below.

THE HOLY AND PRACTICAL

Unbinding the Gospel, pp. 105-120

� Everyone prays for everyone.

� Pastors — Set the priorities. See the big

picture. — Preaching and worship are crucial. — Dissolve barriers. Build bridges. — Teach faith practices and faith sharing. — Practice relationship leadership. — Remember that you are God’s beloved. — Keep your eyes on the Lord, not the status quo.

� Church members — The bedrock of sustainable Christian action is a spiritual life. — Do what you love. — Learn to talk about your faith. — Members of congregations do more direct evangelism than pastors. — Evangelists are all kinds of people. — New Christians are evangelists. — Your evangelism team is a prayer group. — Pray for the people who have no one to pray for them.


1. What are some things your church is already engaged in these essential practices of evangelism?

2. What new opportunities would you like your church to try to reach out to others as bearers of God’s good news?



“A decision to let God use us to share real faith pries us loose from old habits, per-ceptions and moorings.”

—Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel, p. 121.

NOTES



Action Plan


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________



Additional Resources

BEST PRACTICES

1. Move the fellowship hall to the front door—upgrade hospitality.

2. Re-do your signage and upgrade the outside!

3. Hold two or three big events in the next year and invite, invite, invite.

4. Do neighborhood blitzes. Set up in a local supermarket.

5. Upgrade all print materials. Direct mail—internal cards and external mailings.

6. Liven up the worship experience. Go to a sermon series.

7. Call the newspaper with information.

8. Go off site if you need to. Link your mission work with evangelism.

9. Go online—have a strong web presence.

10. Upgrade nursery and front entrance.

11. Risk turning off some folks.

12. Pick two or three things you can do best and stick to them. It all starts with you!

13. Plan to do the full Unbinding the Gospel program in your church making it a priority. Churches who do this find a great deal of growth in spirituality, small groups, and openness of people to share their faith.

14. _____________________________________________________

15. _____________________________________________________

16. _____________________________________________________

FOR FURTHER READING

A.K.A. Lost: Discovering Ways to Connect with the People Jesus Misses Most by Jim Henderson (Waterbrook Press, 2005).

Beyond the First Visit: The Complete Guide to Connecting Guests to Your Church by Gary L. McIntosh (Baker Books, 2006).

Jim and Caspar Go to Church: Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians by Jim Henderson, Matt Caspar, and George Barna (Tyndale House Publishers, 2007).

Unbinding Your Church (Pastor's and Leaders' Guide to the Real Life Evangelism Series) by Martha Grace Reese with Dawn Darwin Weaks and Catherine Riddle Caffey (Chalice Press, 2008).

Unbinding Your Heart: Forty Days of Prayer and Faith Sharing by Martha Grace

Reese (Chalice Press, 2008).



Session Eight Evaluation


Name: ______________________________ (optional)


Content



Facilitator



Environment



Overall




___________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________

Other comments:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Thank You!

Documents

Participant’s Workbook (2014 Edition) - iaumc.brtapp.com2014+workbook.pdf · Leadership Workshop Series I Participant’s Workbook (2014 Edition) ... Ministry Audit