Country Club Theology

I have to thank a dear friend (who will remain unnamed) for today's blog. In a compelling discussion of church planting and church growth he talked about the culture and life cycles that some churches experience. The points of reference that follow are not true of all churches, but do characterize those I refer to as Country Club groups.

First, there are the founders or charter members. This group controls the keys to the kingdom. They write the original by-laws, manage new memberships and put "important" controls in place. In country club theology, these are the gate-keepers who watch carefully the growth and expansion of the club.

Next, you have the invitees. These are the folks we love to rub elbows with. I recall working in a small church years ago when a "country clubber" made it clear that there were certain people we didn't need to waste our time on in the community. They didn't have the right pedigree, the right skin color, or a sufficient financial portfolio. It ruffled his feathers more than a little bit when I preached on Romans 1:16 the next week.

As the membership grows you start to get the associate members. They can use the facilities (if they meet all the requirements), but they are on probation. As long as they don't challenge the founders, or seek to change the by-laws, or invite any of those "other people," then they are allowed to circle around the center of the founder's universe.

Finally, there are the observers. They are not observers by choice, but they aren't granted a membership card into the club, can't attend policy meetings, but they are allowed to pay their dues and watch what takes place.

I realize that this not the majority of churches, but if you have ever experienced country club theology then you know just how devastating it can be to the Lord's work. God calls all men to repentance, He wants everyone in the club, and I fear for those who would stand at the gates and block entrance to the eternal kingdom.

Marketing the Gospel?

I recently came under fire for suggesting that a local church focus on their target market. I am not sure if my sin was applying business language to a spiritual concept, or the pre-supposition that I was somehow excluding people from the gospel message. Below you will find three reasons why I make no apology for a focused approach to evangelism.

1. The early church used target marketing. The gospel went first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. Paul was called as an apostle to a specific, targeted group (the Gentiles). Even early evangelists went to the synagogues to preach (i.e. they took their message to areas where their target audience regularly attended).
2. Targeting a sector of a community (any community) is not an effort to exclude, but to practice effective ministry. We have programs in every church that target specific segments of the community. Marriage classes exclude singles, financial management classes typically appeal to those with money management issues, even in our church families we have singles programs, youth programs, classes divided by age and interest. All of this so we can practice effective ministry. Why, when we apply the same approach to the community is it anathama.
3. Finally, knowing our target audience allows us to more effectively present the gospel message. Take a few minutes and contrast the two sermons in the book of Acts. In Acts 2, the message is being preached to a Jewish audeince. The old law, prophets and writings are used to lead people to Christ. In Acts 17 Paul is preaching to a very different, pagan audience and addresses their false polytheistic view of God, quotes thier own Greek poets, but his objective is the same, to lead people to Christ.

I am not sure why people get a bee in their bonnet when you talk about marketing in a church context. We all do it at some level. I am confident that the motives of most are pure - spread the saving gospel of Christ. I would even suggest that Christian stewardship demands that we pursue the most effective, practical, biblical approaches to bringing souls to Christ.

Mistakes I've Made

I keep the poem, "Man in the Glass" on the inside cover of my Bible. It is a reminder that regardless of what everyone else in the world might think, I have to live a life of integrity. That doesn't mean that I don't make mistakes (I make plenty), but that I take responsibility for them.

During some of the most challenging years of my life I was part of a men's study group that helped keep me accountable. It was a place where we could bring our problems, our cares, even our struggle with sin and know that we would recieve support while still being held accountable for our behavior.

The church is supposed to be that safe place. That means that God's people have to learn the difficult balance between holding people accountable for their behavior and providing the love, mercy and support they need to grow.

I recall a situation years ago where a young lady refused to "come forward" for sins she had committed in her life. She had seen other young people treated so badly after repenting that she wanted no part of it. The very people who should have held her in their tender arms became her judge and jury.

I always struggle with where to lay the blame. When we mess up in life we need to simply ask forgiveness and move forward. When others come to us with a penitent spirit we need to forgive and support them. Some will blame the church for an environment that isn't forgiving, others will blame individuals who will not be accountable for their mistakes. The truth is that both things are true. We make it easier when we create the right kind of culture in the church, but we also contribute to that kind of environment when, as individuals, we are open and honest about our own struggles and mistakes.

Tomorrow

Anne of Green Gables was one of my mother's favorite mini-series. I think the thing I truly enjoyed about it was the eternal optimism of Anne. No matter what mischief she seemed to find, her wonderful philosophy of life shined through. "Tomorrow is fresh and new with no mistakes in it."

When I look in the rear view mirror of my life, there are lots things that I would do differently given the chance. I am not sure I share the sentiments of the person who says, "I wouldn't do a single thing differently, because it has made me the man I am today." I now understand that had I done a few things differently I could have been a better father, husband, leader, employee and a better representative of God's kingdom. While I can't change the past - I certainly can learn from it.

The good news is, tomorrow is fresh and new with no mistakes in it. Now that may all change by 5:30 in the morning, but for the moment I prefer to put on my rose colored glasses and plan for the best. As David reminds us, "This is the day which the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24).

Time is a precious commodity. I prefer not to squander it! Tomorrow I might lose my job, wreck my car, or discover I have cancer. Most of those things I have little control over. I can worry about the weather, the economy, or the war in Iraq, but that would rob me of my joy. I could worry about all those things, but why should I allow the future to rob me of the present. For the moment I choose to be happy, I choose to love God and my family, I choose to believe in what is good, noble, and honorable in this world.

What does this all have to do with ministry? I am not sure, except I believe that God created us to love life and love our fellow man. I believe when we hold up our heads, expect the best and walk uprightly with God that others are drawn to that. They want to know what is different about us. My disposition clearly affects my ability to effectively minister to others.

Five Critical Mistakes of Church Planting

Planting new congregation's of the Lord's church is a labor of love. For many it can start with great ambition and vision, but when it comes down to implementing your vision, mission and values it is real work. That is one reason I believe that the term "church plant" is appropriate. You have to prepare the soil, plant the seed, nourish the young plant and consistently work the soil if you wish to reap a harvest.

In my 25+ years of ministry I have been involved in several new church plants in the U.S. and overseas as well as working with revitalizing struggling congregations. During that time I have made more than a few mistakes and watched as others make their share. Here are five critical mistakes that mission teams make in trying to plant new churches. These are in no way comprehensive, but I believe they are a pretty good start.

1. Lack of adequate planning. Too often most of the planning centers on two objectives: 1) Finding a place to meet; 2) What will our worship service look like? Those who wish to expand the kingdom and plant new churches need to consider how they will minister to the church and community, where the necessary finances will come from, what will the culture be within the family and what is their vision for ministry and evangelism?

2. Copying the efforts of others. It is a good idea to study successful church plants, but it is a mistake to copy their formula verbatim. Ministry and evangelism has a cultural component. I am not suggesting that we change the gospel, but that we build our ministry around the needs of the congregation and community (contextual ministry). Each new congregation needs to research the needs of their community and their approach to evangelism within that context.

3. Failing to be flexible. During the planning stages congregations write mission and vision statements, plan their outreach and ministry programs, define their times and methods of worship only to discover some of their initial efforts don't work. Don't be afraid to make changes. I have worked with congregations where we changed our mid-week service to Tuesday night, held workshops in community centers (rather than at the church building), and failed miserably in our initial evangelism efforts, only to improve the process over time.

4. Installing formal leadership hastily. To take a phrase from Jim Collins in his wonderful book, Good to Great; "you need to get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus." While there is a place for everyone to serve in the Kingdom (I Cor. 12, Rom. 12), putting the wrong people in leadership can destroy a church plant (or any congregation). At the Spring Meadows congregation we spent months discussing the "how to's" of installing leadership before we ever established the congregation. So far God has rewarded our efforts with godly shepherds and faithful servants.

5. Under-estimating God. One of the memorable lines in our current work came from one of our elders. After nearly doubling a contribution goal we set one Sunday our good brother said, "We are not very good at goal setting." We must always remember that God is in control, that God must recieve the glory and that our efforts are to expand HIS Kingdom. Paul reminds us that "He is able to do immeasureably more than we can ask or imagine, throught the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20).

What are some of the mistakes you have seen in planting new churches?

Using Technology #1

Over a decade ago I wrote an article for the Gospel Advocate entitled, "Surfing the Internet with the Gospel." At that time I thought it was cutting-edge stuff. The article provided basic information on how to use email, bulletin boards and discussion forums to spread the Good News.

A lot has changed in the past decade and innovation is happening at a pace that is hard to keep up with (both in cost and simply the speed of change). In the next few articles I would like to look at a few ways that churches can use technology in a cost effective and ministry focused way.

As workers together in God's kingdom, we have a fiscal responsibility towards good stewardship. Technology is a great tool for the advancement of the kingdom, but it must be balanced with responsible spending and a clear understanding of the desired outcomes. That being said, let's start by looking at some inexpensive ways to use technology in our churches.

Distribution Lists: Email accounts and listserves can be set up with little or no cost to the congregation, but they can have great benefits to the work. In our congregation we have distribution lists for our leadership teams, our deacons, the men in the congregation, women in the congregation and other sub-groups. Distribution lists have been used effectively for years in other organizations, but they provide a great resource for information sharing, communication and congregational updates.

Websites: I am almost ashamed to put this in this article, but believe it or not there are still churches who do not have a website, or if they do - they fail to update their information. I can't speak for other areas, but a significant number of new people in our community found us through an online search. If you have a website here are a few (very few) basic rules to follow. 1) Allow someone to maintain the website who has some experience and will keep the information up to date; 2) Make your site easy to navigate with the most important information at their fingertips (contact information & directions to the building); 3) Make the website interactive. Put surveys, community information, audio downloads and other resources on your site. Please add your suggestions for effective websites at the end of this article.

PDA's: I resisted getting a blackberry or I Phone as long as I could, now I am wondering why I waited so long. I have always had a bad case of "outoftouchaphobia," but now it has reached chronic proportions. Having voicemail, email and web access at my fingertips 24/7 has its drawbacks, but I feel as though I am right on top of what is happening in the church and in my community.

There is a lot more that needs to be covered, but these are some low-cost ways to begin using technology in our churches. Please drop me a line and let me know what areas of technology are serving your churches, what your favorite toys are, and recommendations you have for responsible use of technology.

Three Steps for an Effective Ministry

All too often we complicate the basic tenants of ministry. We adopt every new idea and trend that is coming down the pike, or we overload our congregation with programs that don't have a clearly defined purpose. Today, I want you to consider 3 basic steps to establishing an effective ministry.

Step One: Take time to identify your congregation's gifts and talents. You will be far more effective in your work if you use the talents people have rather than trying to plug them in where they don't fit. One of the most dysfunctional ministry models out there is to develop programs and then look for people to fill those roles.

If you learn to identify the skills and talents in your congregation, then you can begin to build your ministry programs around the talents you have. One of the best resources I have found for helping members find their gifts is the book, "Life Keys," by Kise, Stark & Hirsch. If you would like a copy of the worksheets I have developed using Life Keys leave me a note and I will send copies of the congregational worksheets.

Step Two: Research the needs of the congregation and community. Start with your own church family. Ask them to help you indentify needs in the church family and in the community. Study your community to see where there may be gaps in community services. Is there a need for Christian counseling, healthcare clinics, financial planning services, marriage workshops, etc? Allow the church to be the light in the community by providing needed services.

Step Three: Look at your members talents and the needs in the church and community and begin to build ministry teams to meet those needs. You won't be able to fill every need, or you may not have the manpower or skills to develop certain programs now. Your work will be far more effective if you build your ministry around your members strengths. If you approach your work correctly, in time your work will prosper and you will develop new people for new programs.

Christ & Culture

It was the fourth Sunday in a row for Olua Kemi to bring her prayer before the church in Abuja. Kemi has waited for years in hope that God would open her womb and give her a child. Now she has taken her petition before her brothers and sisters in Christ.

Four weeks of prayers and still no answer from God. What Kemi's Christian family doesn't know is this afternoon she will visit a spiritual advisor and pour out offerings to her ancestors. While syncretism and pagan worship is taught against in our African churches, it is still practiced on a regular basis.

Kemi is caught between Christ and culture. She wants to have faith, she longs for an answers to her everyday problems, but she is immersed in a culture of paganism and idolatry. Like Christians around the globe she caught in conflict between two worlds.

Let me share another story with you. Rachel is a single mom living far too close to the poverty line. She just came out of an abusive relationship and is struggling to keep food on the table for her two children. Every day Rachel struggles with depression, dispair and low self-esteem. She attends a 12 step program at her church, goes to a Christian counselor once a week, and faithfully attends services every time the door is opened.

Saturday night Rachel has a date with a brother in a neighboring congregation. Her self-esteem soars to know that someone might be interested in her. After a quiet dinner at a nice restaurant the couple return to her home, where Rachel's date ends up spending the night.

Kemi and Rachel may live in dramatically different worlds, but they have one thing in common - they share the struggle of living for Christ in a culture of sin. Kemi is surrounded by idols and talisman; Rachel is drowning in a sea of sexuality and promiscuity. Both women respond in a similar way: Kemi begins to doubt if God is hearing her prayers and Rachel isn't sure if the church understands her heartache and loneliness.

The challenge in both situations is to develop an outcome-based ministry. The church needs to find practical answers to life's daily problems. Our preaching and practice needs to be application based. We need to put tools in the hands of church members that help them cope with the cares and concerns of the world.

I am not suggesting we change the gospel, but that we deliver it in a manner that helps people to live for Christ and trascend an ungodly culture.

What Happens when Men Lead?

On Monday, August 18th we are going to begin our own journey through the wilderness. We live in a day when a lot of time and attention is given to the topic of Leadership. Men like Stephen Covey, Jack Welch and Tom Peters have all written volumes on the subject. Charisma, motivational skills, and time management have all been addressed in great detail.

What really happens when men step up in the church and seek to exemplifiy true "male spiritual leadership?" Not the boardroom style, or charismatic leader that sways multitudes, but true biblical leadership that serves from the foot of the table. Leadership that is immersed in humilty, honor and integrity.

In our time together on Monday mornings we will have a short devotional and discussion on what God seeks in male leadership and we will devote time to prayer and support for one another as we venture out to lead in our homes, churches, community and workplace.

We will begin on Monday, August 18th at 6:30 am and look at a how God shaped Moses to lead a nation out of bondage.