Church Re-Imagined

Is it realistic to think the church culture can change not only its image (which would be a great thing), but also fundamentally change the way it does church? I am concerned that if it doesn’t we are not only going to lose the numbers game but more importantly miss the whole point of the kingdom of God. The point as I understand it being to love God and love others. I want to live an open and honest life that is full of adventure and full of Jesus.

Some recent events and conversations have brought this once again to a heightened level of concern for me. Yesterday, having lunch with my oldest daughter who has (along with her husband) blessed us with two grandsons, she began sharing her views and feelings about church. She doesn’t like church; although she grew up in church she has little interest in its present form. She said that at church she got a picture of an angry God and a God who is distant from her, but growing up at home she had a very different view of God. Home gave her a sense of God’s love and acceptance, which of course made me feel good. By the way, her husband holds similar views. And her 22 year old brother feels the same way about church-life as experienced on most Sundays. They all love Jesus, but they are not overly drawn to the church scene.

If you read at all in today’s Christian environment you will know that this is not an uncommon point of view among the “twenty somethings” of the church world. Look around your local church next Sunday morning and see how many young adults in their twenty’s and early thirty’s are in the pews.

And then there was last nights cave meeting at my local church. (There’s a story behind the name “cave” for our meetings, but it would not interest most of you.) For the last few years (five or so) a group of guys anywhere from 5 to 15 of us meet together to share life in Christ. It is probably the closest thing to New Testament Christianity I experience on weekly basis. There are no sermons and no ties allowed. Just open sharing on how we’re doing and we discuss whatever we feel led by the Holy Spirit to discuss or we will make up something to talk about. It’s great and I try not to miss it. But last night one of the guys shared that we tend to dance around some of the more serious issues that we as guys face on a daily basis. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to know what those “issues” are for most men, but here’s what struck me as interesting. In the cave we attempt to be transparent, honest, and open about our struggles and yet even this group experiences difficulty truly loving one another at a level that fosters disclosure and confession. We are all afraid … of something. We are still hiding from God and one another just like Adam and Eve did in Genesis 3.

This is not church as it is supposed to be. To borrow a phrase from Larry Crabb, church is to be a safe place. It should be a place for broken people to come and find grace, mercy, and love. It should be a place of openness, acceptance, and genuine authenticity. Not a place where sin is overlooked, but where the sinner/saint is embraced, forgiven, and challenged to live in their new identity.

The Scripture most often describes the people of God as family. I can’t help but wonder if the “twenty something” crowd experienced church as family and not a business, or a formal event, or whatever makes it irrelevant to them if they would not be drawn back to it. Jesus is not building an institution, He is growing His kingdom and it looks and feels like family. Church is all about relationships, not positions and programs not even sermons and lessons. What if Jesus was serious and we really are not to run our churches like businesses and corporations (Matthew 23:1-12, Mark 10:41-45)? What if the church were to become more and more organic and less and less organized? I believe I can build a solid biblical basis for such a view of church as contrasted with what is in place today.

It is said by change agents of our time that only 3% of the population can envision something different from the way we have always done things. That being true, it will take guts to challenge the status quo of present day church life but the potential results, at the very least, will be worth beginning the conversations. And hopefully, we can move toward an experience of church life that will release the priesthood of all believers, engage one another in kingdom love, and become attractive to a generation seeking acceptance and relational connections.

Marvin Eskew
International Director of Christian Education
Church of God of Prophecy

AG General Superintendent Releases Statement on Revivals

Dr. George Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, with concurrence of the Executive Presbytery of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, has released a statement in an effort to provide a response to questions concerning ministries and revivals held in both AG and non-AG churches.

In his statement, Wood begins by turning to scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, where the Apostle Paul admonishes, "Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil."

Wood explains that the Bible provides the assessment tools needed for evaluating doctrine and experience, making it possible for both ministers and laypeople to discern the validity of a ministry or revival. "Our former general superintendent, Thomas F. Zimmerman, once compared the Holy Spirit to a mighty river, and the Scriptures to the banks of that river," Wood said in his release. "Brother Zimmerman said that great harm occurs when the river overruns the banks, but that the river does great good when it stays within the banks." To know whether or not a ministry or revival is of God, Wood says it must withstand the test of Scripture, including: Is Jesus Christ exalted? Is the Word of God proclaimed? Are persons repenting of sin, and being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit?

Wood explains that first, the focus for any lasting revival must be on Jesus. Then, the "truths" being taught must be found in Scripture, saying the content of the preaching must be the same as/line up with what Jesus and the apostles taught.

He also cautioned that "miraculous manifestations" are never the test of a true revival as the Bible warns that false prophets will do miracles in His name, but He does not know them (Matthew 7:15-23). "If the message and the messenger line up with God's Word, then the revival is on safe biblical ground and it should and must be embraced," Wood said. "If not, then even though miracles and manifestations occur, it should be avoided."

Wood's complete statement has been videoed and can be seen at http://ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/Statement_on_Revival.cfm. The statement is also available in print and a downloadable PDF version on this page as well.

Planners Deny Permit for Daycare at Campbell Community Church

[By Chris Vongsarath - Campbell Reporter]

The Campbell, California Planning Commission (near San Jose) denied a conditional-use permit for the operation of a daycare center and preschool at a church on Virginia Avenue in a split decision on May 27.

Neighbors had publicly criticized the proposal for bringing more traffic and noise into the neighborhood. The center was looking to operate on weekdays at the Campbell Community Church of God of Prophecy, which neighbors argued is already supporting enough operations at its facility in addition to its weekend services.

The May 27 meeting continued a discussion from April, in which the planning commission asked the applicant to provide more in-depth information and to hold a meeting with concerned neighbors.

The neighborhood meeting produced mixed results.

"Nothing has changed from my standpoint," neighbor David Meyer told commissioners.

But the applicant, Merat Ayalew, said traffic generated by the daycare center would be scattered throughout the day, with various pick-up and drop-off times for children. Proposed hours for the center were 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"The neighbors are assuming that there is going to be a pile of cars in the parking lot," Ayalew said. "I guarantee there won't be cars blocking traffic from going smoothly."

Ayalew, who holds a state license for an at-home daycare center, offered to reduce the maximum number of children allowed at the church's center from 30 to 22. The center would have served 1- to 5-year-olds.

Although the church is in a residential neighborhood, commissioners struggled with the decision because the proposal was consistent with the city's General Plan, and the area is zoned for public facilities.

Commissioner George Doorley noted that there are few properties in Campbell available for such facilities.

Neighbors responded by asking what would happen if the business failed, considering the conditional-use permit applies to the building itself and not the applicant. Therefore, neighbors argued, it would be feasible in the future for another, possibly bigger, business to operate in the facility.

They provided the commission with a petition signed by 61 residents opposed to the center.

Subsequently, some commissioners felt the proposal was still missing vital information.

"I am challenged to consider this application because it is so incomplete--it is so broadly brushed," Commissioner Liz Gibbons said.

Chairman Bob Roseberry added, "I'm not comfortable that the rules and requirements have been really thought through."

Commissioner Gary Gairaud disagreed.

"It's meeting the needs that it has to, and I could support this," he said.

Commissioners voted 4-3 to deny the permit. The decision is final unless Ayalew files an appeal.

Church Sex Abuse Cases Continue in Brooklyn

[By Ryan Thompson - Brooklyn Daily Eagle]

A 72-year-old pastor from the Original Church of God of Prophecy was convicted yesterday of sodomizing and sexually molesting a little girl on numerous occasions.

Dieuvais Surin was convicted on all 22 counts of sexual abuse that he faced. He began with taking the little girl into his van, where he fondled her in 1998. On subsequent occasions, he made her perform oral sex and various other perverted acts on him. These incidents occurred in the pastor’s van and apartment, and in the basement of the church.

Surin often waited outside the little girl’s middle school in Brooklyn, and on eight occasions, he then took her into his van and sodomized her.

The pedophile pastor faces up to 56 years in prison when he is sentenced on July 9 by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice.

The Original Church of God of Prophecy is not affiliated with the Church of God of Prophecy of Cleveland, Tennessee.

What Is Really Happening at Willow Creek?

CGP General Overser Howard Awarded "Alumnus of the Year" Award by Church of God Theological Seminary

My Alma Mata, the Church of God Theological Seminary, has announced a very deserving Alumnus of the Year Award for 2008, Bishop Randall Howard, General Overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy. Although I knew of this ahead of time, now that it has been released, I am delighted to add my congratulations.

The ceremony took place Saturday, May 31, 2008 during the seminary's annual commencement ceremony.

Dr. Steve Land, Seminary President, said, "Bishop Howard is a man who is an example of a person who has prayed his head down into his heart."

Bishop Howard gave personal honor to many of the instructors who contributed to his education at the Seminary. He went on to share, "when I think of the alumni of the Theological Seminary all around the world, I have met them in Europe, I have met them in Asia, Indonesia, Latin America - it is a prestigious body of men and women who are out on the field doing miraculous things for God and for the Gospel. And so to arrive at this podium today is humbling and I feel undeserving. I think of Jesus' words in the Gospel of John, 'Man can receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven.' Surely in someway I represent that great body of ministry leaders that are flowing out of this Seminary that are doing a glorious work for the kingdom of God and for the Body of Christ."

Bishop Howard continued to say, "I do declare in testimony today that it was the Holy Spirit in these faculties, in this institution, and in the cause of this institution, that has helped to bring transformation to my life. I commend and recommend this Seminary with highest regards. Your passion to lift and center the banner of Pentecost has know placed ... this institution on the cutting edge of Heaven's activity today. The Spirit is falling from Heaven on every corner of the earth."

Dr. Dennis McGuire, General Overseer of the Church of God, various faculty and board members of the Church of God Theological Seminary, ministry leaders and support personnel from the Church of God of Prophecy International Offices and members of the Howard family, were in attendance.

http://www.cogts.edu/

Pastor T. D. Jakes Congratulates Presidential Candidates

In a commentary published on http://www.cnn.com/, Pastor T.D. Jakes, of the Dallas church Potter's House, said he got goose bumps as he watched Senator Obama's (D-Illinois) victory speech Tuesday night with his son.

Jakes went on to congratulate Obama on what he calls an historic accomplishment and a victory for democracy. However, Pastor Jakes did not mention Obama's support for abortion, or his support for record-breaking tax hikes.

Instead, Jakes lauded Obama's victory as not only a victory for African Americans, but also a victory for democracy – one that proves the country provides possibilities for all people. Pastor Jakes also congratulated Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) for "proving that femininity is not a liability."

Jakes said in his commentary that it was his hope and prayer that the country does not sink back into political pettiness as the presidential campaign continues.

Confused About Church growth?

The Wrong Question: How do I get my church to grow? Your job is not to force growth. When you think growth is your responsibility, you will inevitably make bad decisions.

The Right Question: What is keeping my church from growing? Healthy organisms grow. If you feel stagnation setting in, understand that there are barriers inhibiting your growth and put a plan in place to remove them.

Once you have started asking the right question, remember:

God Wants Your Church To Grow - Your church is an essential part of God’s redemptive plan. Of course He wants it to grow. Just take a look at 2 Peter 3:9. Growth signals repentance and life change.

You Want Your Church To Grow - Sometimes thinking about the next phase of growth can scare us into inactivity. Don’t get discouraged or let doubt set in. God never gives you a vision without supplying what you need to fulfill it.

When you are asking the right question, and you know in your core that both you and God want your church to go to the next level, you will be on your way to meaningful, Kingdom-building growth.

[Nelson Searcy]

Free Movie Pre-Screening for Pastors

Pastors and spouses are invited to attend a PRIVATE, FREE pre-screening of a new movie, FIREPROOF.

You may also forward this information to any pastors or ministry leaders you know so they and their wives may attend a free screening near them. This is part of the FIREPROOF SUMMER TOUR - FOR MINISTRY LEADERS ONLY. There are over 140 private pre-screenings across the nation leading up to the national theatrical release in theaters on September 26.

Pastors and ministry leaders are invited to see the entire movie, enjoy it on a date with their spouses, realize the potential ministry impact, and feel free to promote it within their ministries.

God is already moving though this movie, FIREPROOF. Marriages and families are being blessed all over the world for Christ. It will be a blessing to you and your ministry.

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHERE A FREE SCREENING IS BEING HELD NEAR YOU:
http://screenitfirst.com/fireproof/events/invites

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER:
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/

CLICK HERE FOR A GREAT MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT WEBSITE:

http://fireproofmymarriage.com/

Today's Leadership Tip

Have people on your staff bring their own reports to the staff meeting instead of sitting at a table and giving out assignments. This will teach them how to think for themselves and lead ... and it will take much needed pressure off the Pastor!

[Brian Cutshall]

Church and Politics

Have we got to the place where sermons must be politically correct? Are pastors placed under the same scrutiny as political candidates?

Barack Obama said Saturday he has resigned his 20-year membership in the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago "with some sadness" in the aftermath of inflammatory remarks by his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and more recent fiery remarks at the church by a visiting priest.

"This is not a decision I come to lightly ... and it is one I make with some sadness," Obama said at a news conference after campaign officials released a letter of resignation he sent to the church on Friday."I'm not denouncing the church and I'm not interested in people who want me to denounce the church," he said, adding that the new pastor at Trinity and "the church have been suffering from the attention my campaign has focused on them."

Obama said he and his wife have been discussing the issue since Wright's appearance at the National Press Club in Washington last month, which reignited the furor over remarks Wright had made in various sermons at the church.

"I suspect we'll find another church home for our family," Obama said."It's clear that now that I'm a candidate for president, every time something is said in the church by anyone associated with Trinity, including guest pastors, the remarks will imputed to me even if they totally conflict with my long-held views, statements and principles," he said. "I have no idea how it will impact my presidential campaign but I know it was the right thing to do for me and my family," he said."

Trinity released a statement Saturday night saying: "Though we are saddened by the news, we understand that it is a personal decision. We will continue to lift them in prayer and wish them the best as former members of our Trinity community."

Earlier this month, John McCain rejected endorsements from two pastors, saying there is no place for their incendiary criticisms of other faiths. McCain spurned the months-old endorsement of Texas pastor John Hagee after an audio recording surfaced in which Pastor Hagee supposedly said that God sent Adolf Hitler to help Jews reach the promised land. McCain called the comment "crazy and unacceptable."

John McCain also repudiated the support of Pastor Rod Parsley, an Ohio pastor who criticized Islam and called the religion inherently violent.

Is it wrong to say that Islam is at war with Christianity? Is it wrong to say that God's divine plan sometimes includes allowing wicked men to impact history? Or, is the media starting to plant an expectation in the minds of America that pastors must be politically correct or their congregations should leave?

Leadership Development

Have you read any articles on this Blog and thought, "I sure would like to discuss that further?" Well, now you can.

Invite the Synergy teaching ministry to your church or area for a workshop, leadership training intensive, or retreat on "Church Health," "Church Growth," or "Church Planting."

Write today. We will work with you.

DGBrock@aol.com

Assuming a New Leadership Role

Over the past 30 years, I have stepped into a number of new leadership roles. Experience has taught me that whether starting a team/project from scratch or taking over an existing team or operation, the primary challenge will not be the accomplishing the task at hand, but it will be equipping the people on the team to maximize their talent.

Ten Lessons I Have Learned:

1. Don’t criticize the previous leader
2. Don’t try to change anything right away
3. Ask more questions than you give answers
4. Give each person a clean slate to prove their worth (no matter what you’ve been told about them)
5. Value the experience of those you lead
6. Provide clear feedback as early and as often as possible
7. Be a student of the people you lead
8. Don’t let your title define your worth to the team
9. Serve more than you speak
10. Realize that leadership is a gift not an entitlement

Hiring Church Staff

After some 30 years of ministry, I can honestly say there were a lot of things I would do differently, especially in hiring a church staff member. Many I have served with can attest to that.

I’ve always been a firm believer in learning from my mistakes.

Here are some of the things I have learned:

1. Don’t base the new job description entirely on the last person who held the position.

When filling an existing position, don’t just pull the past job description from when the last person was hired. Take the time to evaluate the direction and missional changes that have occurred in your church since the position was last hired. Now is the time to make changes to current job positions and roles. Don’t miss this opportunity to fine-tune the position before re-hiring.

2. Get as much input on your new job description as possible from as many people as possible.

If you’re hiring a youth pastor, for example, talk to teens and parents of teens. The more input, the better. It’s important that you hire according to your church’s needs, and the best way to find the church’s needs is to ask. There is nothing worse than hiring someone only to find out soon thereafter that they are not a fit for your church.

3. Pre-screen your candidates early so that you can spend more time with the people you are really interested in hiring.

Do this through advertising certain job requirements (experience, style, denominational background, desired education, etc.) upfront. Then make the first cut by weeding out the people who don’t meet all of their published criteria. This allows you to concentrate on candidates that really interest you.

4. Ask better questions during the interview.

Don’t just come to the interview; come prepared. Ask questions that you’ve thought about beforehand. Ask more questions about the candidate’s passions, experience, and relationships to really find out what kind of an employee they might be.

5. Give "what if" scenarios and/or small assignments.

“What would you do if …” type questions really help you get a grip on how a potential employee might respond on the job. Give them some common conflict scenarios (maybe even some real life one’s from your church’s past) and ask them how they would handle the problem. If you’re hiring a worship leader, you could ask them to put together a sample worship order that they would share with you. You’ll find out a ton of information by giving small assignments and asking "what if" questions.

6. Spend more time with your candidates in "non-church" settings.

Spend some additional time in non-church settings. Going out to eat; playing a game of golf; spending some downtime with the candidate and their spouse are all important ways to get to know not only the candidate’s skills, but also their personality.

7. Consider bringing in someone from outside your church to be on your search committee for a fresh "outsiders" perspective.

This one might be a little controversial in some churches, but why not consider bringing one outsider into your interview process? Select a well-respected Christian leader who is not a member of your church to sit in on the hiring process. They can offer you some unbiased input from a totally different perspective.

8. Be even more diligent in checking references.

It is imperative to check references … EVERY TIME. Even though you may think you know the candidate personally, you might be surprised by the number of negative references you receive when you contacted people. You should go beyond the two to three references the candidate gives you. However you tackle checking out references, it’s important to be diligent and exhaustive in this area.

9. Make the chain of command crystal clear, both internally and externally.

Who will the employee answer to? What is the chain of command? Who has the right to ultimately hire and fire? Who decides the pay increases? All these are important to communicate and work out prior to the hire. Both the employee and the people of the church need to know who is ultimately responsible to whom.

10. Take special care when communicating the job description to the congregation.

When announcing your new staff person to your congregation, be clear what this person’s responsibilities are, and what they are not. Be open about the areas this new staff person will work in. And be clear about the things that the person will not be in charge over. Communication is key.

Implement these ten tips into your next job search and see how much more smoothly it goes!

[Based on research by Todd Rhoades]

Today's Prayer

Dear God,

It's true ... I may be the only "Bible" someone ever reads. Please help me be a living testament that is worth reading. Please work through me and help me be a light and a shelter for my non-believing friends, neighbors, coworkers. I am sitting here today, yielded to your will, and asking you to use me open the eyes of someone who has been blind his or her whole life. What an incredible blessing it would be to know I am the instrument you used to bring a person into the Kingdom of God.

Lord I want to hide your Word in my heart so that the Holy Spirit can bring it to remembrance at all the right times, that the words that come forth from my mouth would honor you and point other people to you.

May you be lifted high and exalted, praised, and worshiped above all. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen (Isaiah 32:3).