Children's Ministry Conference Draws Over 3,000 for Time to "Conspire"

Children’s ministry leaders representing 1,000 churches of varying styles, sizes, and locations are gathering this week with one common goal – to see every child that God sends their way launched into a lifetime devotion to Jesus Christ.

Starting Wednesday, more than 3,000 children’s ministry workers will be participating in the “Conspire” conference, hosted by the Willow Creek Association.

Amid the Mar. 18-20 event will be five main sessions led by speakers – including Veggie Tales creator Phil Vischer – on topics ranging from how culture influences children to how to bring out the strengths of children. Also included are 60 breakout sessions on a variety of practical topics such as event planning, effective budgeting, and rewiring ministry for digital learners.

“Those of us on the Conspire team believe very strongly in the power of community and relating with those who serve in ministry,” the conference organizers say. “Ministry is just too hard to do alone – without encouragement and empowerment none of us would survive.”

This year’s conference comes just a week after a study released by The Barna Group revealed that less than one percent of the youngest adult generation in America, those between ages 18 and 23, has a biblical worldview.

Furthermore, a study last month by LifeWay Research found that the majority of parents (60 percent) heavily rely on their own experiences growing up for parenting guidance but only one-fifth say they receive a lot of guidance from sacred text such as the Bible or Koran.

“We believe that when the church and home are working together in partnership, a child will be spiritually formed for a lifetime,” organizers of “Conspire” say.

For this year’s conference, organizers are trying to get people who are not able to attend to get connected to the conversations through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, CM Connect, and You Tube.

There is also a blog for the conference on the event’s website, willowcreek.com/conspireconference, which will update parents and children’s ministry workers wanting to join.

The conference’s name, “Conspire,” is the combination of the words “connect” and “inspire.”
“Through our resources, events and communities we are encouraging connections between ministry leaders, churches and families, and children to the love of Christ,” conference organizers explain. “We are inspiring new ideas and many models with one vision–seeing children choose Christ for a lifetime.”

Since 2003, the Willow Creek Association has been hosting its annual children’s ministry conference in South Barrington, Ill. The association was founded in 1992 by megachurch pastor Bill Hybels, who currently serves as chairman of the board and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church.

[from The Christian Post by Eric Young]

Church Planting Quiz

God Grown has come up with a quiz to help one determine whether or not your heart is in the right place for going out and starting a new church.

Click here to take the QUIZ.

Church Planting Thoughts

Launching large is a key … there is a corrolation between launching large and reaching as many people as possible … for God’s dream for your church is bigger than your dream.

Launching quickly is a key, too. Start quickly, in 2-4 months beginning monthly services, then a few more months going to weekly services. Lost people are the same everywhere; they’re not going to come to your church until you start services.

A third key is launching from the outside in. Opposite from the Purpose-Driven concentric circles, you have no core when you start a new church. In fact, new churches shouldn’t have a core for about a year. Focus only on the community and the crowd … try to get people to come to your church/service. If you build a core, they become resistant to reaching more lost people and will become inwardly focused. You and your worship leader with everybody else lost is lots better than a bunch of disgruntled Christians from the church down the street.

There are a number of significant ideas to understand and implement, including the following:
- Your calling is the most important factor to your plant’s success.
- Resist the temptation to do everything first … do the weekend service/childcare and evangelism, no more.

Calling. There are no higher highs and no lower lows than in church planting. Most churches fail because they’re led by a non-called leader. In fact, the calling of God is the only thing that will keep you there at times. God ALWAYS calls both you and your spouse to church planting … but not necessarily at the same time. And you will most likely be called to reach people like yourself … 93% of planters do, since only 7% have a cross-cultural gift.

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing as one of the 5 most important books church planters should read. This book, by Al Reiss and Jack Trout, will help you live out your calling and reach all ages. Music is the number one key. “The call” is a call to prepare to lead, to teach, to depend on God!

Focus on the “nuts and bolts” side of church planting. One of the focus elements needed is raising funds for church planting. The only people who don’t like you talking about money are people that come to you from other churches. God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s provision. God wants you to succeed!

Funding. Start by knowing how much you’ll need to start your work. Plan on salaries that are comparable to the people you’re trying to reach. Get the only kind of equipment you need … not top of the line stuff … this is, in fact, one of the biggest mistakes planters make today. No monies are left to do evangelism or add staff! Lease equipment if you can, instead of buying it. Don’t just assume you know what’s happening in the city; find out by talking to business people in the community where you’ll serve. Plan for being self-sufficient as a new church in 2-4 years and be able to show potential donors how you’re going to do that.

The largest base of donors come from local churches across the country. A very few come from personal relationships. Most give $2,000-$3,000 a month for one to three years. Most came after you launch because churches like to fund success. And know that fund raising must continue through the years. Finally, don’t ever forget, you (planter) are the chief fundraiser for the new church; no one else can replace you with donors. So, over four years, you will need up to half a million dollars for your church plant. These skills used in raising this money will be used over and over again in the growth and development of your church.

Why do some churches succeed and others don’t? Leadership, planning and the spiritual blessing of God. There are probably lots of others. IN FACT, the most important factor is A HEALTHY LAUNCH … 80% of the time this is the key to success, just as a healthy birth is key to a child’s growth and development.

Planning Your First Service. Picking the right date for launch is the most important decision you’ll make after you nail down your call from God. Easter … when school starts back … these are good times, but not the best. The best time is February. This gives you a chance for a second launch at Easter, before the drop off in summer. Then you have a major push in the fall and you’re off to a great start. And don’t launch at any other time of the week than Sunday morning. Then back up 3-6 months to start your monthly services that will lead up to your launch. And by the way, your launch team commits to help you launch the church weekly, but it goes away after you’ve started weekly services.

Meeting Location. The location where you meet should match the people you’re trying to reach. Ideally, it will be a place like a hotel ballroom where you can move from one place to another. Movie theaters are also good, as are comedy clubs. Public school auditoriums are another option or community theaters, but they are pricey. But regardless, don’t sign a long-term lease.

Launch Day. Start a teaching series this day based on a felt-need important to your target group. Have your launch team inviting their friends to join you for this first weekly service. And don’t ever use a guest musician or band on this day! People need to see what’s going to be a part of the regular church life from this time forward. Finally, be sure to collect information from everyone who attends and followup on them right away.

Three Great Temptations You Must Overcome. First, you will be tempted to change the launch date. NEVER change it … NEVER. Second, don’t delegate too much control and authority to the launch team. You must lead, so take responsibility and make it happen. Third, you may be tempted to merge with another (dying) congregation that offers you resources but brings with it lots and lots of baggage. DON’T DO IT!

Staffing. The most important staff hire you’ll ever make is your worship leader … if done right, this hire will create incredible synergy. Hire from within when possible but make sure they’re called. Also, hire parttime before fulltime. And if you hire your wife as a staffer with you, find a counselor RIGHT NOW. Don’t wait till it damages your marriage to deal with it.

[from Church Multiplication]

Why the Church Needs to Develop Community

THE BIBLE constantly reminds believers that God has a soft spot for the poor and vulnerable, and those that help the disadvantaged and dispossessed will experience God’s favour and blessing. James also stated that those who followed religion which was true and pure were to "look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

There’s no doubt that over the years Britain’s black churches have provide a welcome respite for the disadvantaged in our community. When churches were first started by the West Indians who came to Britain during the 1950s and 60s, they provided black people with somewhere they could get practical support, encouragement and spiritual inspiration, as they came to terms with life in the UK.

Whilst the first generation of church leaders may not have had access to the finance and education that their modern day counterparts enjoy, they did the best they could to provide care and help for their congregations.

In order to surpass the achievements of that first generation of ministers, churches now need to start putting structures in place to establish full-time ministries, and employ professional staff who can meet the growing and demanding needs of their members. One complaint I hear often is that UK churches do not serve as the centre of the community, as is the case in the US.

American churches not only provide a platform for ministers to preach, they also provide numerous community services such as food banks, soup kitchens, counselling, housing projects and education establishments.

Some of the increased sums of money that now pass through several of Britain’s black majority churches should be used to set up initiatives that combat some of the key issues facing our community. The Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP) is a good example of what churches can achieve when they utilize the financial and human resources at their disposal to serve the community.

Over the years COGOP has established a housing association, based in the West Midlands, which provides homes for the elderly and single parents, three family centres that offer therapy and counselling services, and helped facilitate the establishment of the National Black Boys Can Association. The Association is helping to improve the educational achievement of black boys across the UK, and assist them in getting places at some of Britain’s leading universities.

READ MORE...

[from The Voice by Marcia Dixon]

Eight Steps to Getting Out of Debt

There’s no doubt personal debt has played a key role in the current financial crisis. Debt levels have been climbing for several decades. And pastor, more than likely, they’re climbing in your church.

You’ve got people in your church who are hurting – badly. A recent survey of Southern Baptist pastors by Lifeway Research showed that only one in four thought their parishioners were struggling with debt – well below the true national average. The average American is spending $1.25 for every $1 they make. My guess is that pastors from other denominations have the same false impressions of their congregation as well. Most of us have been clueless about the mounting personal debt among our church members.

Debt isn’t just impacting our church’s pews though. It’s impacting the pulpits as well. Many ministries are sunk because pastors are so burdened by debt they leave the ministry for more profitable work.

Debt is a problem we can’t ignore any longer. But how do we get out from under it? We’ve got to commit to these steps and help our congregations do the same.

1. Commit to becoming debt free now.
2. Start paying God and yourself first.
3. List all you own, owe, and earn.
4. Have a sale.
5. Set up a repayment plan to get out of debt.
6. Add no new debt.
7. Share the plan with your creditors.
8. Stick to it.

Learn how. READ MORE...

[from The Christian Post by Rick Warren]

The Message of Giving

Christian History has an interesting little article exploring the recent history of the offering in church services. The article covers government-supported churches (that's right, here in the U.S. of A. until 1833) and explains how the weekly passing of the collection plate during worship services didn't become common practice until 1900.

It's a little bewildering that a staple of the modern church service is such a recent addition. But it's also freeing, considering how that staple so often trips people up and prompts finger-wagging over churches only wanting your money.

Money and the church have always caused problems -- think lightning strikes, indulgences and selling pews, but maybe there's a way we could rethink this practice, still fund the church and do our giving. Without turning people off.

How do you go about doing your offering? And what message is it sending? Could you communicate more effectively by making giving less visible (online giving, pledge drives, etc.)?

Or should giving be an active and visible part of our worship, and if so, how do we deal with the naysayers?

Churches have varied on this from the book of Acts and up through the centuries. There's no right answer. But maybe it's time to reconsider how your church conducts its fund raising and whether or not your conventions are communicating your convictions.

[from Church Marketing Sucks by Kevin D. Hendricks]

ORU Project Takes a Look at Growth of Charismatics

Tulsa, long a global hub of Pentecostalism, is hosting an international study to look at what has become the fastest-growing arm of the Christian faith. Some 640 million adherents worldwide, across many denominations, practice Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity, with its emphasis on miracles, healing and speaking in tongues.

The Commission on Holy Spirit Empowerment in the 21st Century is sponsored by Oral Roberts University. It will culminate with a gathering of leaders and scholars from around the world April 8-10, 2010, in Tulsa.

READ MORE

Grace Alone

"Paul did not labor that he might receive grace, but he received grace in order that he might labor." (Augustine, De gestis Pelagii xiv, 36).

No distinction could be more important to our salvation.

Augustine knew what many over the years have not known — salvation is not of works; it produces good works.

He speaks of grace. Grace is something unmerited. It is an enabling power. Romans 8: 8 says that those who are “in the flesh [unsaved persons] CANNOT please God” (emphasis mine).” Yet people are always trying to do so by their own ability. The fact is that they are not able to do so: “Not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

That’s why they need the grace of God, regenerating and giving them the ability to believe the Gospel. Prior to that grace which brings spiritual life, one is dead spiritually; he cannot believe.
Roman Catholics have always believed that there is an element of ability left in man to which God may appeal. The Bible teaches otherwise. To be dead, isn’t to still have a little life left!

So, we are grateful to God, who provides for every aspect of salvation—from beginning to end. That provision is called grace.

Grace is an interesting concept — difficult for proud man to fathom. Men want to contribute something-if not everything — to their regeneration and justification.

There were some Puritans who believed by works, you could “prepare” yourself for regeneration, and they set people on long periods of becoming sensible to their sins, so that the Gospel could be given to them when ready. Not so. In Scripture, people are saved on the spot at having heard to GOOD News for the first time. Consider the Ethiopian Eunuch; Lydia who had to have her heart opened to believe, or the Philippian jailer.

Alleine’s Alarm to the Unconverted is a handbook of Preparationism and ought to be avoided at all costs. It talks about all sorts of works, but in the chapter called “Directions to the Unconverted,” he never once says, “Repent and believe the Gospel.”

People are saved by grace through faith — which leads to works as a result of conversion.

[from Institute for Nouthetic Studies Blog by Jay Adams]

Who Made You Right?

How about a word of caution from the apostle Paul that probably applies across the board to people in all sorts of churches — yes, even where the Bible is supreme.

Here is what he wrote under the moving of the Holy Spirit:
"Every charge must be substantiated by the mouth of two or three witnesses" (2 Corinthians 13:13).

Now, if that word were heeded in the church, there would be far greater peace.

There is nothing esoteric, confusing or difficult about this verse. There is no context to define it — except for the fact that the Corinthians were always at each other's throats about something or other.

It means what it says: don’t bring a charge against anyone without being able to substantiate it. The 2 or 3 witness clause refers back to the Old Testament rule for witnesses (Dt. 17:6; 19:15).

There are too many today, even those in authority, who seem to think it is legitimate (if they think about it at all) to talk negatively about others with impunity. Not so. It matters not your position nor title, it is a serious matter before the Lord. If there is something to be said about others, especially pastors, or about a member of the congregation, then do so formally (as this verse directs) or keep quiet! (I almost wrote “shut up”). File formal charges, or leave it alone. And, if formal charges are filed, the charges must be absolutely proven, or the accuser should be charged no matter their position or title.

The world is watching closely while the church mistreats one another. No wonder they want to have no part of it. Church members are talking about one another, or about the pastor, accusations are made, loose talk goes on, and slander is framed as prayer requests. Even denominational leadership can fall into the judgemental trap of imposing discipline based on talk or hearsay. How many times has a pastor been moved or not used at all based on rumors?

Perhaps a good rule would be to impose the same discipline on the accuser as would have been imposed on the accused if the accusation cannot be proven by two or three witnesses. Even a bishop is not right just because he is a bishop. If errors are made, they must be made on the side of grace.

Uncharitable talk is rife in the church — I mean genuine believers. Indeed, whenever you hear it, you ought not to become a trash can to receive it. Squelch it by reciting this verse!

BeBe Winans Arrested For Assault of Ex-Wife

Gospel music star BeBe Winans has been accused of assaulting his ex-wife and was held briefly at a county jail in Nashville on Friday before posting $1000 bond.

According to official documents, Winans, 46, and his ex-wife Debra Winans got into a "verbal altercation" on Feb. 13 over "custody issues dealing with their children." The two were married for 16 years before divorcing in 2003 and have a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son.

During the “verbal altercation” at Debra Winans’ Nashville home, BeBe Winans reportedly “became irate.”

“The defendant then pushed the victim to the ground,” court papers stated.

Though late in coming, Debra Winans said her decision to speak out was made with the hope that it would help other abuse victims who suffer through abuse rather than reaching out for help.

"Until you realize something's not changing, you pray all day long,” she told a local NBC affiliate.
“The power of God is real, but one thing He's not going to do is go against someone's will. We make choices," she added.

On Friday, an official statement released by BeBe Winans acknowledged that there was “a child custody right dispute” that arose out of his “desire to spend time with our children as court ordered.”

However, Winans said the allegations were “nothing less than heart wrenching” and “inconsistent with my character and the foundation upon which I was raised.”

He also said he would make no other comments for the time being having decided “to say nothing negative about my children’s mother.”

“I am prayerful that the matter is straightened out very soon for the sake of our children,” Winans stated.

A Grammy Award-winning gospel and R&B singer, Benjamin “BeBe” Winans is a member of the noted Winans family, which includes “Mom and Pop Winans,” brothers David, Ronald, Carvin, Marvin, Michael and Daniel, sisters Angie and Debbie Winans, and arguably the most popular, CeCe Winans.

A spokesman for BeBe Winans told NBC affiliate WSMV-TV that the singer is in Atlanta working as a judge on a BET program.

[from The Christian Post]

Bishop Tim Coalter at Greer, SC Today

Live Video streaming by Ustream

ORU, Joyce Meyer Ministries Accredited by the ECFA

Two evangelical Christian institutions under scrutiny for past financial practices have won accreditation from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, the group announced Thursday.

Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., and Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo., are now members of the council, which was founded in 1979 in an attempt to provide a sort of stamp of approval and show that evangelical institutions can police themselves.

To win accreditation, the groups must "faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, fundraising and board governance," ECFA said.

In 2007, Oral Roberts University fell more than $50 million in the red as then-president Richard Roberts and his wife came under fire for allegedly spending school money on home remodels, lavish vacations and a stable of horses for their daughters. The Robertses have denied any wrongdoing.

Roberts resigned, and the school cut its debt to about $15.4 million as of January, thanks largely to a $70 million pledge from Oklahoma City businessman Mart Green, who took over as board of trustees chairman.

"This accreditation shows our commitment to economic sustainability and accountability and is another milestone in building trust in the new ORU," Green said in a statement.

Joyce Meyer Ministries, headed by the author and inspirational speaker, was one of six large Christian ministries that faced an investigation in November 2007 from Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.

The probe also received the backing of Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the committee's Democratic chairman.

Officials for Meyer's group — whose spending on expensive furniture, among other things, received scrutiny — have expressed confidence it would be found in "complete compliance" with financial regulations.

Grassley called the new ECFA accreditation "a positive development" and said: "I hope other ministries, including the ones I'm looking at, will pursue accreditation."

Grassley said Thursday he and his staff were reviewing the information provided by cooperating ministries and "continue to weigh our options" regarding those that had incomplete answers or failed to respond: Randy and Paula White of Without Walls International Church, Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church/Eddie L. Long Ministries, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries and Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International/Creflo Dollar Ministries.

[from The Christian Post]

Health Stewardship

God has given us life, health, and strength. The only question is, what will we do with that gift? This is called stewardship.

I have no doubt whatsoever what positive role exercise plays in my life. I feel better. I sleep better. I look better. But ... sometimes even that isn't enough to stop me from dragging my feet when it's time, and then when it's past time, to get out walking, hop on the bike, or get to the gym. Are you someone able to tackle things better with a list?

Then Lifehack.org's Scott Young's handy checklist could help you make exercise something you might actually want to do.

- Make it a Habit - Take the thinking out. If you can make exercise a habit, then it becomes that much easier to go.
- Get a Partner - Get someone else to go to the gym with you. Pick someone who is committed to their health. Not only can you socialize with someone while you’re there, but you’ll have a backup in case your motivation alone isn't enough to drag yourself out there.
- Tune Your Challenge Level - Here are two bad ways to start exercising. Go out and run until your winded and dry-heaving into a ditch. Show up to the gym, walk around, don’t do anything strenuous and go back home. In one case you put the challenge level to high, the other wasn't challenging at all. Your goal is to set a workout routine that is challenging, but not overwhelming. Challenge is key to enjoyment.
- Set Goals - Not weight-loss or muscle gain goals, but fitness goals. Set goals to beat your past records in distance ran, push-ups or chin-ups you can do, weight you can lift or degree you can stretch. Fitness goals make the gym a game where you strive to beat your previous high-score.
- Get Past Your Comfort Zone - So what if you aren't the most svelte or muscular person in the gym? Self-consciousness can be a big obstacle to enjoying your workout. The key is to get used to it. When you continue to show up, you’ll pay less attention to the people around you and more to your workout.
- Experiment - Don’t stick with the same routine. Change it up! Try different activities. There are so many different exercise routines you can follow or activities to try. If you don’t like lifting weights or running, try sports, martial arts or dancing. Believing that exercise needs to be pumping iron or jogging could keep you from finding something you would truly enjoy.
- Music - This is no surprise. Music can enhance a workout. Get your favorite tunes and get moving!
- Short Workouts - Don’t have time or enthusiasm to last an hour? Just go for twenty or thirty minutes. Shorter workouts can be better than longer ones if the intensity is higher and you become more focused as a result. After an hour or two of exercise your body starts to go into a state where more exercise can actually reduce physical improvements.
- Reward Showing Up, Not Weight Loss - Some people have the idea that they should reward themselves for losing weight or gaining muscle. How about rewarding yourself for showing up to the gym and exercising regularly instead? See, there are many ways you can lose or gain weight in unhealthy fashions. Rewarding exercise is rewarding your commitment to health.
- Make Exercise Your Stress Relief - It's true, and study after study shows that people swear by using the gym as a stress reliever. Some will head to the gym because of a frustrating day even if it isn't on their schedule. Exercising can be cathartic and release negative feelings if you get used to using it that way. Then instead of avoiding the gym because of a stressful day, it will be your reason to go.
- Record Improvements - Journal your journey- the progress and the setbacks of your workouts, and not necessarily recording your weight loss. Recording weight loss or muscle gain is a good idea, but because of the way your metabolism functions it becomes increasingly harder to make weight changes as you go to the gym more regularly. But fitness improvements can, if you work on it, continue to rise. Keep a record of your strength, endurance and flexibility so you can feel proud of your accomplishments.
- Make Time - Stop yourself from that familiar tape you play inside your mind that you don’t have time to exercise. Exercise improves your energy levels and mood which makes you more productive than any time lost. Find your time somewhere in the day and make it a commitment. Get up a bit earlier and go in the morning. Or schedule it right after work before you settle down for the day. Once you make time and make it a habit, you’ll actually want to exercise instead of just feeling you should.

[From John Tesh]

Personal Finance Coaching

In years past, most families would have put "develop healthy financial habits" on the "nice-to-do" list but certainly not on the "must-do" list.

My, what a few bank failures and a tanking economy will do to shift financial priorities.

If only it were that easy -- just a few behavioral tweaks and then everything will be good-to-go. In fact, families and their financial advisers are realizing that learning new ways to relate to money is difficult -- especially now that money is tight for so many. A few recent statistics illustrate my point:
- 75% list money as the No. 1 source of stress in their lives (American Psychological Association).
- One in four Americans are seriously distressed about their financial situation (Thomas Garman, Virginia Tech).
- Credit-card debt per U.S. household averages about $9,000 (Department of the Treasury).

Lately I've been speaking to people about the importance of having a good defense when it comes to your finances. Whether it was a large group of corporate employees, successful entrepreneurs and their families, or attendees at a regional community foundation conference, I've noticed several new themes emerging from the folks in the audience.

People are eager if not anxious in their quest to adapt to this "new normal." Specifically, they're asking for ideas and guidance on rebalancing the family budget, discussing a job loss with a child, setting short-term and long-term money goals, creating spending boundaries for everyone in the family, and keeping a philanthropic focus in an increasingly challenging environment.

In the haze of stock market run-ups and the housing bubble, most adults, regardless of socio-economic status, forgot the personal-finance basics. Now more than ever, investors need guidance and wisdom to help them rebalance their money habits -- not just their retirement portfolio. They need a good coach to help them play defense in an increasingly volatile economic environment, and to focus them on things they can control.

Lack of attention to the fundamentals is a big part of what got us into this mess. So seize the day and navigate the new normal by reconnecting with the basics. Here are three discussion topics that both investors and financial advisers should find valuable:

1. Refocus core money values - Look closely at your past habits to avoid making the same mistakes. Check out a one-page exercise for adults and young people called My Money Plan that you can download for free from the Share Save Spend Web site.
2. Come clean about spending - Use the information from Step One in My Money Plan as a springboard into an honest talk about financial habits. This can be accomplished by doing a 30-day expense-tracking exercise (and yes, credit card charges count). I call this the "Truth Tonic." It will do wonders to help determine where adjustments need to be made to spending behavior.
3. Involve the entire family - A good relationship with money is not just an issue for adults. Children also need help in developing a healthy attitude about financial matters.

Remember, it's always easier to instill healthy money habits in a young child than it is to unravel unhealthy habits in a young adult.

[from Market Watch]

Is Your Church On It's Way To Extinction?

A church consulting colleague of mine, Bill Tenny Brittian, recently posted the following:

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but over the past several weeks I've been hither and yon across the country training church leaders in evangelism and church transformation. One would think with the way things are that leaders would be ready to hear what’s working. But by and large, that’s not the case. And the more European the denomination, the more push-back we get. I’m finding that the worse off the church becomes, the more church leaders seem to “need” to cling to something for stability and comfort … and that something is almost always tradition. Whether it’s traditional worship style, traditional doctrines, or traditional thinking, it’s clear that Tevye was right … tradition keeps the fiddler on the roof (with images of Rome burning flitting through my mind) and it keeps the church on track to irrelevance and all too many local churches to extinction.

This week, the ARIS came out - the America Religious Identification Survey from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. If you’re waiting for good numbers, you’re going to be disappointed. Christianity in North America is it a flat spin, which is significantly worse than a tailspin (just ask a jet pilot).

- The percentage of “Nones” (no religion) has risen from 8.2 percent in 2001 to 15 percent in 2008. The percentage of “Nones” has grown in every state of the Union.
- The percentage of people claiming to be Christian has plummeted from 86.2 percent in the 90s to 76 percent - and 90 percent of that decline comes largely from the mainline. Notice, that’s a full 10 percent loss in less than twenty years.
- The mainline lost enough members that they've gone from 18.7 percent of the population in 1990 to only 12.9 percent.
- Even the Baptists are shrinking, in terms of percent of the population. On the other hand, the Mormons are growing enough numerically that they’re keeping up their “market share” at 1.4 percent of the population … a number that is now greater than those who claim to be religiously Jewish (at 1.2 percent).
- A full 12 percent of the population are philosophically atheists.

The news is, shall we say, pretty grim. There is some good news … sort of. The number of those attending mega-churches has literally skyrocketed from less than 200,000 in 1990 to over 8 million today. Of course, a good number of those attending these mega-churches have left the small membership churches. Which is one of the reasons it’s so frustrating being a church consultant in these times. Churches are hunkering down. Church leaders are more married to their church traditions and antiquated priorities that they'd rather let their churches die than do what it takes to stem the hemorrhaging.

So, what did I teach at these training sessions that was so abhorrent that church leaders were metaphorically clapping their hands over their ears?

1. Church transformation must be built on a spiritual foundation - and a spiritual foundation isn't based on some prescribed set of denominational tenets, but upon practicing discipleship (Bible reading, prayer, faith sharing, encouraging one-another, etc.).
2. Church leaders must lead in these spiritual practices if they expect the congregation to follow. If the pastor isn't spending time with the unchurched and sharing their faith with them and bringing them into worship, the congregation isn't going to. Indeed, according to the above figures, it’s clear that most mainline congregation’s are already following their pastor’s example … and they’re following it very well.
3. Church leaders cannot allow conflict to go unresolved. Conflict isn't going away on its own, so pastors are going to have to get a backbone, step up, and deal with it (see the many posts I've written on resolving conflict).
4. Church leaders must shift their focus from teaching to discipling. Discipleship is 90 percent behavioral and 10 percent right thinking, not the other way around. We won’t turn these trends around until Christians start acting like Christians in church, at home, at work, in school, when making any decision about anything - but particularly about how they spend their money and how they spend their time.

And there were other things, but these were the offending key points … and the two most heinous were (1) Pastors have to model, not just tell everyone what they need to do, and (2) Teaching all those doctrinal points are mostly a waste of time. Nobody outside the church really cares about reformed theology. What they’re looking for is a religion that actually changes lives and is so life-transforming that it’s worth giving their lives to.

[from http://www.billtennybrittian.com/got-a-foundation-lets-build/frustrations-of-a-church-consultant]