I am really enjoying The Forgotten ways handbook Why not have a read?
It says some important things to the modern church and I think to our church in particular
I will try and summarise those things at some point in the future but for now some great quotes from the book:
"without any real engagement with the outside world ,churches become sheltered ,artificial environments ....they become missionally unresponsive.They become closed systems with their own peculiar cultures that have little ...association to the outside world"
"no groups that ever came together around a non missional purpose ever ended up becoming missional"
"Build church around people not people around church"
A great deal more failure is the the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas .The frontiers of the Kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution!"At the heart of pioneering mission is a willingness to take risks!"
"Talk about growth ,expect growth"
Monday, 31 August 2009
Sunday, 30 August 2009
the importance of passionate leaders
http://churchcentral.com/blog/Get-Tough!
If we are going to make a difference we will need to be tough
If we are going to make a differnce we will need a passion that supports the vision!
particularly liked this quote!
"You are nothing unless it comes from your heart. Passion, caring, really looking to create excellence. If you perform functions only and go to work only to do processes, then you are effectively retired. And it scares me__most people I see, by age 28 are retired..." --Horst Schultze
If we are going to make a difference we will need to be tough
If we are going to make a differnce we will need a passion that supports the vision!
particularly liked this quote!
"You are nothing unless it comes from your heart. Passion, caring, really looking to create excellence. If you perform functions only and go to work only to do processes, then you are effectively retired. And it scares me__most people I see, by age 28 are retired..." --Horst Schultze
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Planning
I have done a lot of thinking about the future of our new church recently but I am not a great planner (though I am pleased to say I know some people who are and they are worth their weight in gold!)
This article from the wise John Maxwell on the subject of planning for the future struck me as very instructive as we plan the path ahead.
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_principle-centered_planning/
This article from the wise John Maxwell on the subject of planning for the future struck me as very instructive as we plan the path ahead.
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_principle-centered_planning/
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Monday, 17 August 2009
Change is here to stay!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8
Well worth looking at !The question it leaves me is Is my church doing enough on this media not simply to connect with each other but with people not connected with any church?" It will never catch on "is not an adequate response!
Well worth looking at !The question it leaves me is Is my church doing enough on this media not simply to connect with each other but with people not connected with any church?" It will never catch on "is not an adequate response!
Sunday, 16 August 2009
The forgotten ways part 2
More quotes on Tim Chesters site from The Forgotten ways
I have now ordered the book and will read it with a view to using in small groups
The quotes are thought provoking!http://timchester.wordpress.com/
The quotes are thought provoking!http://timchester.wordpress.com/
Friday, 14 August 2009
Get involved in a small group!
Small groups are really important in the life of any church
We have had some encouragement in this area of church life recently, but how we would like more people to join a small group!
There are loads of good reasons to do so but here is another;
http://theleaderspoole.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-small-groups-change-everything-part.html
We have had some encouragement in this area of church life recently, but how we would like more people to join a small group!
There are loads of good reasons to do so but here is another;
http://theleaderspoole.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-small-groups-change-everything-part.html
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Mark Sayers on generation Y
I don't find Mark an easy listen but persevere because what he says is important in understanding the young generation; their views of their parents and their views of God
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
church membership
Are we a club for members or do we exist to build The Kingdom ? Can we do both?
This post caught my eye fom the Off the agenda website written by Eric Bryant
I believe that connecting to a local church remains an important part of the life of a follower of Jesus. According to Paul, whether we like it or not, when we choose to follow Christ we become part of the "body of Christ." I agree .. that Paul could not imagine a follower of Jesus who was not connecting with other followers of Jesus in homes or gatherings in the city in which they lived. Rather than thinking we should get rid of church membership, then, I do not believe that church membership is enough.
Too many churches have more members than attenders. In other churches, members may attend, but they are not engaged whatsoever. Unfortunately, membership in a local church sometimes feels like joining a gym. You start going for a few weeks and then stop when you get too busy.
In other cases, churches have allowed the mantra from American Express—"membership has its privileges"—to infiltrate their culture. Church members become more consumeristic or concerned with power than the apostle Paul ever intended.
Finally, the word "member" ends up emphasizing who belongs and who doesn't. As a result, too many of our churches have become a fortress from the world rather than "salt and light" in the world.
We have a different approach at Mosaic. Anyone can be a part of our community no matter where they are in their spiritual journey. People are allowed to belong before they believe. It has been a beautiful experience to see people from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, and spiritual backgrounds come together to discover that God loves us and that His name is Jesus.
While we have a wide open front door, the path to join our volunteer staff—the team that oversees the lives of others—is very narrow. The women and men serving as part of our volunteer staff have been mentored through "Life in Christ," participated in a seminar about our particular calling as a community, and commissioned to be missionaries, pastors, and mentors in our city. We anoint them with oil and commission them in the same gatherings where we commission our overseas workers.
Since our volunteer staff share our convictions and values, they are encouraged to start new efforts in reaching others and raising up leaders. They commit to live in a God-honoring way, serve faithfully, reach out to the disconnected, and give 10 percent of their income towards our efforts as a community. Not every person who follows Jesus in our community chooses to join our volunteer staff. We will love, serve, and care for anyone in our community. The only reason to join our staff is if you want to be one of those loving, serving, and caring for our community.
Allowing people to belong before they believe and mobilizing volunteers to serve with such a high level of authority and responsibility comes with great risks and great rewards. We joke that we have the same characteristics as the early church—immorality, heresy, and conflict. At the same time, we have discovered the beauty of seeing people choose to follow Jesus and come alive serving in the areas where they are gifted and passionate.
This post caught my eye fom the Off the agenda website written by Eric Bryant
I believe that connecting to a local church remains an important part of the life of a follower of Jesus. According to Paul, whether we like it or not, when we choose to follow Christ we become part of the "body of Christ." I agree .. that Paul could not imagine a follower of Jesus who was not connecting with other followers of Jesus in homes or gatherings in the city in which they lived. Rather than thinking we should get rid of church membership, then, I do not believe that church membership is enough.
Too many churches have more members than attenders. In other churches, members may attend, but they are not engaged whatsoever. Unfortunately, membership in a local church sometimes feels like joining a gym. You start going for a few weeks and then stop when you get too busy.
In other cases, churches have allowed the mantra from American Express—"membership has its privileges"—to infiltrate their culture. Church members become more consumeristic or concerned with power than the apostle Paul ever intended.
Finally, the word "member" ends up emphasizing who belongs and who doesn't. As a result, too many of our churches have become a fortress from the world rather than "salt and light" in the world.
We have a different approach at Mosaic. Anyone can be a part of our community no matter where they are in their spiritual journey. People are allowed to belong before they believe. It has been a beautiful experience to see people from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, and spiritual backgrounds come together to discover that God loves us and that His name is Jesus.
While we have a wide open front door, the path to join our volunteer staff—the team that oversees the lives of others—is very narrow. The women and men serving as part of our volunteer staff have been mentored through "Life in Christ," participated in a seminar about our particular calling as a community, and commissioned to be missionaries, pastors, and mentors in our city. We anoint them with oil and commission them in the same gatherings where we commission our overseas workers.
Since our volunteer staff share our convictions and values, they are encouraged to start new efforts in reaching others and raising up leaders. They commit to live in a God-honoring way, serve faithfully, reach out to the disconnected, and give 10 percent of their income towards our efforts as a community. Not every person who follows Jesus in our community chooses to join our volunteer staff. We will love, serve, and care for anyone in our community. The only reason to join our staff is if you want to be one of those loving, serving, and caring for our community.
Allowing people to belong before they believe and mobilizing volunteers to serve with such a high level of authority and responsibility comes with great risks and great rewards. We joke that we have the same characteristics as the early church—immorality, heresy, and conflict. At the same time, we have discovered the beauty of seeing people choose to follow Jesus and come alive serving in the areas where they are gifted and passionate.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
The forgotten ways
Most of the purpose of this blog is to capture and hopefully make slightly better known some of the stuff other people are writing
Tim Chester writes a great blog which has inspired me as I try to set out the kind of things we as a new church will be doing in the future.
He himself quotes this from Alan Hirchs book "The Forgotten ways" which I must now read!
‘As a faith community, evaluate everything you do – all your programmes, gathering, ministries, and so on. Ask whether you think this is what Jesus would be doing if he were in your context, Is this how Jesus would go about incarnating the kingdom in your area?’
Do we dare do this?
Tim Chester writes a great blog which has inspired me as I try to set out the kind of things we as a new church will be doing in the future.
He himself quotes this from Alan Hirchs book "The Forgotten ways" which I must now read!
‘As a faith community, evaluate everything you do – all your programmes, gathering, ministries, and so on. Ask whether you think this is what Jesus would be doing if he were in your context, Is this how Jesus would go about incarnating the kingdom in your area?’
Do we dare do this?
Failure doesnt need to be final!
Do we give people freedom to fail?
Another excellent article from John Maxwell. We will all fail at some point. The question is will we learn from those failures?
This brought to mind a sermon I once heard the late ,great, Gordon Heath preach at Hamilton BC on "The value of perseverance "
"http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_failing_forward/?utm_source=leadershipwired&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=lw-20090224
Have a read!
Another excellent article from John Maxwell. We will all fail at some point. The question is will we learn from those failures?
This brought to mind a sermon I once heard the late ,great, Gordon Heath preach at Hamilton BC on "The value of perseverance "
"http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_failing_forward/?utm_source=leadershipwired&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=lw-20090224
Have a read!
Monday, 10 August 2009
The church of Jesus Christ
Very inspiring blogpost by Rick Warren on the church of Jesus Christ!
Reminds me why I do what I do
Have a read!
http://legacy.pastors.com/RWMT/?id=237&artid=8964&expand=1
Reminds me why I do what I do
Have a read!
http://legacy.pastors.com/RWMT/?id=237&artid=8964&expand=1
Friday, 7 August 2009
1 church 2 locations
There is too much interesting stuff out there! This from an American site; which is worth bearing in mind, as I think about the pieces impications for our new church ,which is 1 church in 2 locations .Not very common in the UK ,but increasingly so in the USA .
Below is the advice of a practitioner of a large multi campus site
Are there lessons for us?
Have a church name that's not geographically-tied. The name of the overall church is The Well Community Church. No geographical reference there. And The Well intentionally names their campuses geographically, and avoids calling one the “main campus” or “home campus.” In so doing, every campus is valued and perceived as an equal.
Keep the processes clear and simple. The Well keeps its multi-site process simple, so they can be responsive to new opportunities (facilities and core groups), able to change directions quickly like a school of fishes. They’ve ve been able to launch a new site as quickly as 3 months (If I remember correctly.) The leadership team is also implementing video technologies that will allow the teaching pastor to broadcast from any of its campuses.
Cultural relevancy is required to connect with people. Every church community embodies a culture. Every neighborhood community has its own culture (or sub-culture). In so far as a church can connect with that authentically culture, the better the Gospel can be incarnated and lived out for the good of the church and the good of the community.
Below is the advice of a practitioner of a large multi campus site
Are there lessons for us?
Have a church name that's not geographically-tied. The name of the overall church is The Well Community Church. No geographical reference there. And The Well intentionally names their campuses geographically, and avoids calling one the “main campus” or “home campus.” In so doing, every campus is valued and perceived as an equal.
Keep the processes clear and simple. The Well keeps its multi-site process simple, so they can be responsive to new opportunities (facilities and core groups), able to change directions quickly like a school of fishes. They’ve ve been able to launch a new site as quickly as 3 months (If I remember correctly.) The leadership team is also implementing video technologies that will allow the teaching pastor to broadcast from any of its campuses.
Cultural relevancy is required to connect with people. Every church community embodies a culture. Every neighborhood community has its own culture (or sub-culture). In so far as a church can connect with that authentically culture, the better the Gospel can be incarnated and lived out for the good of the church and the good of the community.
Small groups
A short but (for me anyway) thought provoking piece on the difference between house groups and missional communities.
There is no doubt it is costly,in all kinds of ways , to build a truly missional church but it is ,I am convinced , right and consequently rewarding http://timchester.wordpress.com/
There is no doubt it is costly,in all kinds of ways , to build a truly missional church but it is ,I am convinced , right and consequently rewarding http://timchester.wordpress.com/
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Vision!
Rick Warren on vision. In The Purpose Driven Church he writes:
‘In Nehemiah’s story of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, we learn that halfway through the project the people got discouraged and wanted to give up. Like many churches, they lost their sense of purpose and, as a result, became overwhelmed with fatigue, frustration, and fear. Nehemiah rallied the people back to work by reorganising the project and recasting the vision. He reminded them of the importance of their work and reassured them that God would help them fulfil his purpose (Neh 4:6-15). The wall was completed in fifty-two days.Although the wall took only fifty-two days to complete, the people became discouraged at the halfway point: just twenty-six days into the project! Nehemiah had to renew their vision. From this story we get what I call the ‘Nehemiah Principle’: In other words, make sure you communicate your purpose at least monthly. It is amazing how quickly human beings – and churches – lose their sense of purpose.’
...........So its not enough to have a vision we need to continually restate the vision!
‘In Nehemiah’s story of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, we learn that halfway through the project the people got discouraged and wanted to give up. Like many churches, they lost their sense of purpose and, as a result, became overwhelmed with fatigue, frustration, and fear. Nehemiah rallied the people back to work by reorganising the project and recasting the vision. He reminded them of the importance of their work and reassured them that God would help them fulfil his purpose (Neh 4:6-15). The wall was completed in fifty-two days.Although the wall took only fifty-two days to complete, the people became discouraged at the halfway point: just twenty-six days into the project! Nehemiah had to renew their vision. From this story we get what I call the ‘Nehemiah Principle’: In other words, make sure you communicate your purpose at least monthly. It is amazing how quickly human beings – and churches – lose their sense of purpose.’
...........So its not enough to have a vision we need to continually restate the vision!
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Momentum!
A really good article I spotted on another blog on the subject of momentum
Some very wise words indeed- originally by John Maxwell who can teach us a thing or two about leadership and very important for our new church as we seek to take the next steps forward
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_momentum_breakers_vs_momentum_makers/?utm_source=leadershipwired&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=lw-20090728
Some very wise words indeed- originally by John Maxwell who can teach us a thing or two about leadership and very important for our new church as we seek to take the next steps forward
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_momentum_breakers_vs_momentum_makers/?utm_source=leadershipwired&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=lw-20090728
Sunday, 2 August 2009
Vision-church
I am continuing this week with my paper on future direction and ministries for our new church,(see previous post.)
I have been encouraged by the fact that a number of people have come upto me with pretty specific suggestions . I am sure God is in this which is exciting!
Hope to get quite a bit of this task completed this week-We shall see!
I have been encouraged by the fact that a number of people have come upto me with pretty specific suggestions . I am sure God is in this which is exciting!
Hope to get quite a bit of this task completed this week-We shall see!
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