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A spring flower comes up out of leaves signifying renewal and growth

The Importance of Spiritual Renewal

When we started our replant, we had all the tools to implement structural and administrative renewal in our congregation.  We read all the books, we listened to the podcasts, we went to all the conferences.  We were equipped to begin the hard work of changing culture and engaging our community.  We were prepared for conflict and criticism.

But we weren’t prepared for one thing– the need for our own spiritual renewal.  We worked tirelessly to patch holes in what many times felt like a sinking ship– all while feeling like we, ourselves, were drowning.

Perhaps you feel this way today.  Perhaps you are like the pastor Jimbo was counseling who, when Jimbo reminded him not to let a situation steal his joy, responded with, “What joy?”

I’ve been there.  If I’m being really transparent, I’m still there some days.

Thankfully, the fellas at Replant Bootcamp addressed this need and gave us some keys to living a renewed life: Joy, Prayer, Worship, and Resting in Christ.

A person trying to scoop water from a sinking ship with a small glass

Renewed by Joy

“Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

Do you remember the “joy of your salvation?” The moment that you realized that Christ had forgiven you of your sins and you no longer carried the penalty of death and eternal separation? I do. There was such peace in that moment. I prayed at the altar and when I stood up, I felt completely different.  I was changed.  The fear and anxiety that I carried with me at all times seemed to fall off; it was like a heavy coat was removed from my shoulders.  I was happy and excited for the future, because I knew that from now on Jesus was in control.

When I think back to that day so many years ago, I remember that feeling of peace and joy.  I find myself praying with David that God would restore to me the joy of that day, just as David does in Psalm 51, verse 12.  

But we sometimes forget that verse 12 is one of 19 verses.  And that Psalm 51 is not merely David calling out to God for joy– it is David’s confession to sin and his shame. David’s request for restoration comes only after his repentance.

When I find myself lacking the joy of my salvation– that feeling of awe and wonder that God would forgive my sins– it’s often because I am struggling with those very same sins.  Before I can pray Psalm 51:12, I have to pray through Psalm 51:1-11, and especially verse 10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

There is a temptation for us as Christians to fail to recognize our need for continued sanctification.  The sin of pride leads us to believe that we can live in the same way as the lost world and have no consequences. But in order to experience spiritual renewal, we must examine our lives and see if we have allowed sin to creep in.  

Ephesians 4:17-24 tells us that the lost world will act in a certain way– they will be callous, sexually immoral, greedy to practice impurity.  But in verse 20, Paul writes, “But that is not the way you learned Christ.” He calls us to something different, something new. He writes that we as Christians will experience a spiritually renewed mind when we remember to change out of our old selves and to put on our new self.  It is a picture of removing a filthy, smelly old coat and instead wearing a new, fresh, and clean one. Paul is saying that we are called to look, act, and be different than the lost world

When I find myself lacking joy, one of the hardest things to do is to admit that perhaps I am not feeling the joy of my salvation because I am not seeking the things of God as much as I did then.  Perhaps it is not that God feels distant, but that I have moved too far from Him.

Reminding myself to seek God and His purpose and plan brings me back into a restored relationship.  When I repent and acknowledge my sins, I am able to once again experience the joy of knowing that I am never too far from God’s grace and mercy.

Joy comes not only when I remember what Christ has done for me, but also what He continues to do.

a person stands with hands lifted high and arms spread in a sunset background

Renewed by Prayer and Worship

It seems clear, doesn’t it? When you need spiritual renewal, going to God in prayer and worshiping Him seem like obvious first steps. But I often unintentionally leave it as one of the last steps I take.

In our world as Replant pastors, there is a temptation for prayer and worship to be relegated to Sunday morning duties.  My own daily prayer time can get pushed aside as I strive to complete ministry related tasks.  As a Worship Leader at our church, listening to Worship music becomes less about tuning my heart toward God and more about listening for specific instruments and vocal parts.

When I feel a need for spiritual revival, I will often turn toward advice from others to help. I will talk to trusted Christian friends about it, read books about it, and even ask others to pray for me. When I’ve exhausted those options, I usually feel a little tug on my heart… God will remind me that I’ve talked to everyone but Him.

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we seek God, He gives us the promise of His peace to protect our troubled minds.

Worshiping God with our lives and our actions results in spiritual renewal.  My aunt used to tell me all the time that the key to fighting discouragement was to find someone to help.  She’s onto something there– when I meet someone else’s needs, I am acting as the hands and feet of Jesus.  And this act of worship turns my heart and mind from anxiety and worry to a renewed sense of peace and purpose.  

Renewed by Rest

Man… If there’s one thing I know, it’s that there is so much work to do in a Replant.  I often tease my husband that he is incapable of just resting when a project is done.  He is always looking to the next thing, because there is a never ending list of things that need to be done.

Unfortunately, that is reality for many of us in this type of calling.  There is always something that demands our attention and time.  We could spend our days from here to eternity on the next building improvement or maintenance project, the next community outreach, the next evangelism training, the next new member’s class… (I could keep going, but I’m starting to exhaust myself!) And, if you’re in the early days of your replant, it’s likely all falling on you until you have more leaders equipped to help.

There are multiple problems with getting too little rest, from physical health risks to emotional and mental struggles.  But for us as Christians, one of our biggest issues with too little rest is that we often try to find our rest in the same place we find our worthour own selves.

When I try to find rest in myself, it can seem almost impossible.  Last week I told a friend that I was so mentally tired, even resting felt like a chore that needed to be penciled into my schedule. Trying to get enough sleep while also trying to do everything that needed to be done resulted in me being so anxious that I actually woke up at 3 am in a panic because I needed to do laundry (true story). I relied on my own strength to get it all done.

But spiritual renewal requires us to rest in the right place– we must rest in Christ and in His faithfulness.  When we are feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, looking to the past can help us remember that Christ has been faithful and we can find true rest in knowing that just as Christ has met our needs in the past, He will continue to be faithful in the future. Think back on those times that God met your needs in the past.  Was everything done on your timetable?  Probably not.  But God used His timing to bring His plans to fruition.  He will continue to do so.

Our rest can be found in Christ.  Do you believe that Christ loves your church and your congregation? Do you believe that Christ loves you? Then we can trust that He is using your present circumstances for His glory.

NAMB Replant Summit 2023- a Time for Renewal

several people are gathered around a circular table at a conference in 2021.
Send Network

All of these thoughts come as we at Replant Bootcamp prepare for the Replant Summit in Atlanta on August 28-29. The theme this year is “Renew.” We will have multiple guest speakers and breakout sessions to help you (and your spouse) experience spiritual renewal.  It is an awesome time of refreshing words, songs, and fellowship with replant pastors and spouses from all over the U.S.  If you haven’t already registered, please do so!  You will not regret taking this time to refresh your spirit!

Measuring Success in Ministry (Part 3)

Over the past couple of weeks, we have learned to measure success in a better way. Here’s a summary of what we have heard so far: 

  • Discerning and Adapting vs. Doubling Down
  • Leading Paradigmatic Change vs. Reinvigorating Old Programs
  • Equipping Others for Ministry vs. Exhausting Yourself in Ministry
  • Measuring Actions vs. Counting Outcomes
  • Multiple Financial Streams vs. Single Financial Streams

And this week, we focus on the last two of this series: 

  • Pursuing faithfulness vs. chasing fruitfulness
  • Committing to the long haul vs. considering another call when things get difficult

Take up your Cross

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” In 18 words, Jesus helps his audience understand what it means to follow him in this world. Jesus would say that if you want to make much of yourself, exalt yourself, and live for yourself, you cannot follow Him.

We all have a cross to bear. For some, it means sacrificing a lavishing career, suffering through physical means, or struggling through a painful life. But ultimately, the cross we bear is worth bearing, because Jesus died and rose to life, so we can have life in his name. Ultimately, our “cross” is what the Bible calls a light, momentary affliction that is “preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor. 4:17).

Whether you are a Replant Pastor or another ministry leader, each one of us has a cross to bear in ministry itself. Paul says, “For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:11). When Paul said this, he was helping the church in Corinth understand what it was like to do the work of ministry: painful, yet joyful. Every pastor should understand what scripture says about suffering, because many may have the wrong expectations of what ministry may look like.

Pursuing Faithfulness vs. Chasing Fruitfulness

Far too many pastors and leaders have been burned out in ministry, and quit altogether because of burnout, wrong expectations, and unexpected conflict. but there is certainly a better way to measure success, and it has little to do with the fruit that we produce in our work. It has more to do with our walking in obedience to our calling. We have a tendency to sometimes take matters into our own hands. Like Abraham and Sarah, we want to fulfill God’s promises ourselves. The problem is that our way normally results in dissension and destruction. God’s way is better.

In a normal career, our performance is evaluated by the work we are able to accomplish. When I was in the landscaping field, my work was evaluated on the efficiency and quality of my work. But ministry should be seen differently. That’s because in kingdom work, we are not the ones who give growth to the body, and the business does not belong to us. Our “company” has one founder and one CEO, Jesus Christ. He is the one that gives fruit and gets the glory for any fruit that is produced. Our job is simply to steward and care for what he has entrusted to us.

I was speaking to a friend of mine, who recently entered a new pastoral role. He very quickly told me about some of the stress that he’s already experienced in serving, and it had much to do with the attendance of those in that church setting. He already was experiencing the early signs of depression over a lack of attendance. “I’m working hard, studying hard to get up and deliver, and I feel like it’s falling on deaf ears, or hardly any ears at all,” he said. Do you feel the same way?

One thing that’s important to remember and understand is that we are limited in what we can do. The past twenty years have seen a plethora of church growth strategies and movements. Some of them, unfortunately, are void of the power of the Holy Spirit. Only God can bring life to a dying church. No one can or has risen from the dead apart from the work of God. So, we need Him to work in our dying churches again. Our role is simply to be faithful to God’s calling in our lives.

Committing to the Long Haul

Replant Pastors all over our nation are working hard, serving faithfully in their roles. Depending on the dynamic, some of them are still in a plowing stage, preparing the ground. Some of them are tilling the toil, and some are planting seeds. In my role at the Association, I have talked to a few of our pastors who are struggling with the difficulty of seeing little fruit. Some of them have considered being called elsewhere, or leaving the ministry altogether. 

But we cannot call ourselves somewhere else, and force God’s hand. Like Jonah, we may try to run in a different direction, but God will have his way. Like Jonah, God will either convict us of our disobedience, or remind us of our calling and place us where He wants us. Like Jonah, you may find yourself in a variety of situations, from the belly of a whale, to a seat under the hot sun because of a hungry caterpillar. We can choose to either remain under God’s calling and be content, or be miserable in our disobedience.

I want to encourage Replant Pastors to commit to the long haul. In conversations with pastors, some are frustrated in trying to enact change. But sometimes it takes difficult work and time to build trust. There is ebb and flow in a church’s willingness to get behind your leadership, so trust building is important. It does help to remember Paul’s words in Colossians 1:10. Paul says, “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” 

“Wait, I thought you said not to focus on fruitfulness!” Notice what Paul is saying, because there is an important sequence of events. He is saying, “First, walk worthy of the Lord. Obey Him. Serve Him. As a result, you will bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God.”

Is the Grass Greener?

God may do something in you, on you, and around you before he does something through you. We should not be surprised when there are fiery trials, when there is persecution, when there is hardships. Any pastor who wants to bypass difficulty should reconsider the ministry. God often brings us through hardship to produce something in us. So I would encourage any pastor or leader to have a well-developed understanding of suffering, especially in the life of a minister.

When we read through the persecution of the early church and the hardships of Paul and his fellow workers, it gives us a calm assurance to make it through difficult business meetings and disputed financial decisions. While the thorn in your flesh may not be the building and grounds committee, one thing should be remembered: Hardship is natural for anyone in ministry. Rest assured, you’re not alone.

The grass may be greener on another side, but that grass withers as well. If things get tough, don’t begin looking at the job board so quickly. Instead, get on your knees before God and began seeking Him. If He called us, He will sustain us. Let us look to Him.

For resources listed in this week’s podcast, see the following: The Insanity of God, The Insanity of Obedience, The Cost of Discipleship, This, Too Shall Last. See our other blogs here. Please reach out to us for any feedback, and let us know how we can help.

Measuring Success in Ministry (Part 2)

I feel like there are two kinds of people in the world.  One type is wired to love English/History. They most likely enjoyed these classes in school and did well in them.  They love that a sentence can mean different things when read in different ways.  They enjoy words and stories. The other type of person is geared toward Math/Science. They performed well and liked those subjects in school.  Ambiguity is frustrating to them.  They enjoy numbers, measuring things, and equations.

My husband is this type of person. He is a numbers guy.  Give him a spreadsheet and some formulas, and he will “Excel” at putting it all together. (As you may have guessed by that horrible pun, I am the other type. Words are awesome and I use a lot of them–the punnier the better.) This skill as a numbers person worked really well for him when his career was in Logistics and Warehousing.  But as a Replant Pastor, playing the numbers game can be discouraging and frustrating.

Ministry Maxims

In the most recent episodes of the podcast, Jimbo and Bob have been discussing some new “Ministry Maxims.” These truths, when applied to replanting, can shift our mindset and help create new practices that allow replant pastors to see and celebrate the successes instead of focusing on the setbacks.

In the first episode  of the series and in last week’s blog, we focused on the first three Maxims:

  1. Discerning and Adapting 
  2. Leading Paradigmatic Change
  3. Empowering and Equipping Others

In this week’s episode, we added two more:

      4. Actions over Results

      5. The Importance of Multi-stream Revenue

Changing the Metrics for Measuring Success

If you are a numbers guy, like my husband, your metric for success in your church might be attendance, baptisms, and discipleship program participation.  But in the Summer, when we experience a “Summer Slump,” those numbers may seem a bit skewed.  And truthfully, those numbers might not be giving you a full picture the rest of the year, either. 

Instead of looking at those results, shift your mindset to a new Ministry Maxim– measuring actions, not results. When we measure results, we are often looking at the end point of a journey that actually  had several successes along the way.  An increase in attendance is hopefully a result of successfully reaching your community.  Increased baptisms is a result of successfully discipling your congregation to recognize that important step of public obedience.  And an increase in discipleship  participation is certainly a result of equipping and empowering your congregation to make disciples and to take their faith to the next step. Each of those seemingly small steps is a chance to celebrate success!

In my church, as in many others, we have a display that gives us a visual reminder that every success is important.  We refer to it as the “Who’s Your One” board.  There are five colored ping pong balls, and we drop them in whenever we successfully complete a step in our gospel process.  The first ball is white– we write a person’s name on it as our “One.” This person is someone we have identified as a person in our sphere of influence to whom we are making the commitment to pray for daily and to engage with the Gospel.  The next ball is red.  We drop those in when we have listened to and heard our “One’s” story. Next, we have the orange ping pong ball.  These are used when we share a meal with our “One.” The next ball is blue, and it represents meeting a need for our “One” in a tangible and practical way.  And the final ball is green, and it represents the moment when we are able to share a gospel conversation with our “One.”

A board displays ping pong balls with colors representing steps in a church discipleship process

Each of these balls has a story and represents not just a small step, but a consistent and committed effort to reach someone who is far from God with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We know that each of these steps are worth celebrating– not only for the potential result of a new life in Christ, but for our members who are growing in their faithful obedience to God’s call to share their faith.

Our decision to celebrate these small steps was strategic: first, we identified the measurements that were important to us as a church.  We weren’t looking to be the biggest church in town, and we didn’t want to grow from membership transfers.  We wanted to reach people who were far from God with the Gospel, and we wanted our members to take ownership in that process. So our metric went from “Are you inviting people to church?” to “Are you sharing your life with someone who needs the Gospel?” Once we identified the actions that represented that goal, then we communicated them to our people and built a visual reminder of them.  And lastly, we celebrate each time a ball is dropped in that display.

What are the actions your church is taking toward reaching your community?  Are your members meeting the needs around them?  Celebrate it! Are they engaging in conversations with others?  Celebrate it! These are important victories that are going to lead to bigger results. Every Sunday, take time to recognize the successes and remind your congregation that each step is vital, not just the end goal.

Changing the Metrics for Measuring Revenue

As Bob pointed out in the podcast, we are entering into a season where resourcing mission and ministry will require more than just tithes and offerings.  While there is a biblical mandate for the congregation to support the ministry with those gifts, replant pastors would benefit from shifting their thinking from a sole source of revenue to multiple avenues to generate income for their church.

Often, replant churches have a lack of money and manpower. But what they do have, sometimes in abundance, is property and buildings. Those unused classrooms and parcels of land that have sat empty can be used as income-generating revenue for your church that you can use to move the ministry and missions of your church forward.

Our church had an empty 4 acre corner lot at the edge of our property.  Because of the way it was positioned, the church could never use it for any specific purpose.  Much of it had overhead power lines that would prevent us from being able to build, and it was too far from the current sanctuary to be beneficial for us.  

After much prayer and discussion, we opted to sell the property.  We were specific in what we were looking for.  We wanted a buyer who would develop the 4 acres into new, affordable housing for our community.  The property sold within a few weeks, and now there are newly constructed homes on ½ acre lots waiting for new families to settle in.

But the income we generated in that sale didn’t just sit in a savings account to gather interest.  We used it to repave and paint our parking lot, which was dangerously uneven and had grown into a weed-filled eyesore. The new layout of the parking lot not only gave us a better first impression to visitors and to our community, but it also provided several new parking spots in the repainting.  The ministry and the mission of our church was funded through the sale of a parcel of land we would never use.

a close up of a parking lot with drainage problems and broken pavement

Another church in our association had an excess of space in their building.  They recognized that unused classrooms and hallways were not functioning as the best use of their church.  Instead of shutting them down and leaving them empty, the church partnered with a local Christian school and leased the space to them.  Through the week, this Christian school meets in those once-empty classrooms and uses the space.  What was once an empty hallway is now a thriving school.  This partnership generates income for the church while meeting the need for Christian education availability in the community. The mission and ministry of the church is funded by utilizing an otherwise unused resource.

Maximizing the Maxims

In my family, we will often talk about needing a “win,” or a success.  Sometimes it’s a good grade on a test, an unexpected check in the mail, or a presentation at work going better than I expected. But when we’re feeling like we’re taking loss after loss and we’re discouraged and banged up, our wins can be small things: finding a close to the door parking space in the rain, realizing we have money on a gift card for lunch, or an uplifting word from a friend. Celebrating these small wins helps me focus on the positive things in my life.

Likewise, when we utilize these Ministry Maxims, we shift our mindset from focusing on setbacks to looking at successes. Instead of being discouraged and frustrated by places we think we’ve failed, we recognize the places where God is still working and moving in our congregations.  And when we get excited about that, so do our members!

Which ministry maxim are you most interested to implement?  Let us know in the comments or connect with us on social media!

 

Measuring Success in Ministry (Part 1)

My father has been in the ministry for almost 34 years. In many conversations, he has commented on the summer season of church life during those few hot months in between school sessions. In talking with him this week, he said, “Many families are gone over the summer, but we don’t slow down very much. However, the dynamics of our ministry change.” Instead of continuing with the same caliber of ministry activities, they place their focus on summer events for the community and missional engagements such as VBS and Mission Trips. They also use summer months to focus on their teams and committees, even having a short retreat for their staff.

Summer presents a unique challenge to the life of our churches, and depending on the DNA of your Sunday gatherings, missing out entirely for a few months seems like a normal practice for young families. Of course, people need vacation time and rest to spend with their families. But when several core families are missing for a fourth of the year, the effects can seem devastating and confusing. 

During these summer months, many pastors even take sabbatical time themselves. Or, they will use the opportunity to restructure and rethink their ministries and calendars. Continuing with the same momentum in June and July, versus the rest of the year can seem like a daunting task. To avoid burnout, there are several ideas presented on this week’s podcast episode, and last week’s blog, that will help you think about the upcoming months in the life of your church.

Discern and Adapt

Some leaders want to double down and get into a deep study during the summer. But it can help to take a step back and use less-attended church services to focus on your core people and discern a ministry plan for the rest of the year. In Romans 12:2, Paul says to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The type of mind-renewal Paul is talking about takes time. 

But if you’re anything like me, there are some seasons that you are running so fast, and so chaotically busy, that you have no time to think. And when you don’t have time to think, it’s difficult to discern the will of God for you and for your church. Summer should be a time of reflection and focus. This is why many pastors take a season of rest during the summer while continuing to maintain the regular services and ministries of the church.

This time of discernment and adaptation takes place by:

1. Immersing yourself in the Word of God

In John 15:8, Jesus says, “By this my Father is glorified. That you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” Did you catch that? Did you know that it is possible for God to be glorified by you simply abiding in Christ and bearing fruit? Sometimes we forget that in the busy-ness of ministry, God is not solely pleased by our righteous deeds. He is also glorified when we simply rest in Him. Sometimes we need to talk less and listen more to the voice of God to discern what the next steps are. 

2. Reflecting on culture, the world, and the church

What’s going on in the world today? This question will affect the way you do ministry and the elements you highlight, even in preaching. The gospel of Jesus Christ never changes, but the world around us constantly does. How can you be a faithful pastor that speaks directly to what your congregants are facing? I’ve talked to some leaders who are completely unaware of what is going on in the culture. Yes, we are called to “not love the world or the things of the world.” But the way we can love others is by speaking the truth of the gospel to the current situations our world is facing. God can and does use cultural affairs around us to open up gospel conversations! Spend significant time reflecting on the surrounding culture, and it will make you a more direct and pertinent leader.

3. Exercising good decision-making by utilizing your teams and leaders

No one is expecting you to do ministry alone. Summer can be the perfect time to identify leaders, equip them for the next season of church life, and deploy them to help serve and minister. Ephesians 4:12 tells us the purpose of church leadership: “…to equip the saints for the work of ministry and for edifying the body of Christ.” When you dialogue with your deacons, elders, or members of a leadership team, their unique viewpoints of church life can help you determine how to engage with church members in the upcoming season. Every pastor has to learn the tools of delegation and equipping.

Lead Paradigmatic Change

Summer can also feel like a time to re-invigorate old programs that have no value. But if there is one thing that the COVID years taught us, it’s that some programs have not resurfaced, and they don’t need to. Summer presents a time to simplify, evaluate the functions of your church and determine whether or not any change is necessary.

In the podcast, Bob talks about the difference between a leader and a manager. A leader asks questions about how the ministry you’re doing affects the Kingdom of God. But a manager simply seeks to maintain the same strategy without asking any questions. As Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” And if a leader is unwilling to determine where change is needed, then they should not expect the church to change in any positive direction.

Empower and Equip the Body

Don’t exhaust yourself to the point of no return. A good leader is one who recognizes leadership around them, identify and develop them, and then deploy them to the work of ministry. There is a reason God gave us deacons and gifted church members! To use for the work of ministry, in ways that a Pastor is unable due to time restraints and exhaustion. 

There is a sense in which we need to “deconstruct” the Pastor-only mentality. Recently, our Church Development team was looking through an Job Description to help a Pastor Search committee at one of our local churches. In the job description, we changed a lot of language because the language seemed to elevate the Pastor’s responsibilities to…everything, while reducing the member’s responsibilities to nothing. One of the duties was, “The Pastor will plan and conduct all worship services on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights.” Is this the Pastor’s role in the church, or can it be delegated to other members?

Pastors can easily burn themselves out with too much ministry related programs and activities. But in many ways, a man can only do what a man can do. Summer gives us an opportunity to identify and develop members around us, using their gifts and abilities, to carry on the work of ministry themselves. 

Be intentional this summer. At the beginning of it, set some goals for yourself, your ministry, and the church. Then, put some of these tools in place. God wants to use you this summer for His glory in the most effective way possible.

Keeping a Missional Mindset During the Summer Slump

When we first started ministry, we didn’t know about the “Summer Slump.” (We also didn’t know about being missional– we had a lot to learn!) We had a fairly good attendance on Mother’s Day, but would slowly start to see our attendance wane in the following weeks. We wondered what had happened– nothing had changed in our services, we were still preaching the Gospel and loving our community. We were holding Vacation Bible School and sending kids to youth camp.  But every Sunday, we were missing several families. Some were on vacation, some were visiting family, and some were just enjoying decompressing from a busy school year. And then, sometime in August, our attendance would slowly begin to creep back up, and by Labor Day, it would become consistent again.

Typically, the average church experiences a 20% decrease in attendance between Mother’s Day and the new school year. Many churches shut down children’s activities and small group discipleship during this time, because attendance can be so sporadic during the summer months. Giving and tithing typically decrease, as well (although online giving may pick up due to “auto-draft” ).

This decrease can leave you feeling discouraged– but it doesn’t have to. On a recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, JimBob discussed the importance of maintaining a missional mindset as you navigate the Summer Slump.

Every Member a Missionary

When we started replanting Central Baptist, one of the first things we developed was a strategy to reach those in and around our neighborhood with the Gospel and to meet their needs. One of our members is the owner of a local dance studio, so we started there.  We allowed them to use our facilities for recital practices and parent showcases while serving refreshments and assisting with whatever they needed.  The dancers got to know our church, and their parents got to know our people.  Julie, the owner, was equipped through our discipleship program to host Bible studies in the studio and disciple others. Church members attended dance competitions and recitals, and got to know the teachers and students.  Eventually, many of the families whose children danced at the studio also became members of Central.

One unfortunate consequence of reaching a dance studio that we didn’t realize is that, like many dance studios, Julie’s groups perform in statewide competitions throughout the Spring and early Summer. Having so many of our families involved in dance means that on any given Sunday in the Spring, as much as 40% of our congregation is gone to a dance competition out of town.  Our church can sometimes feel almost vacant on those Sundays!  

We had two choices– we could mourn the loss and be intimidated by the depressed attendance, OR we could engage them in a new way while they were out of town.

We chose to recognize that every member at Central Baptist is a missionary.  Therefore, the dance studio became a “missions outpost” for Central Baptist.  When they are at competitions out of town, they gather together in hotel rooms or in offstage classrooms to watch our livestream at 10 am on Sunday morning and join in worship with our congregation. When they have competitions close by, we will go and visit on Saturdays so that they are still connected with us. Their dance team prays together for our service, and we are praying for them.

Julie’s dance studio is more than just a local business to us.  It is our church’s mission field, and those dancers are our family.

You have the same opportunities in your congregation. There is a mission field directly in and around your church, within the radius of your physical location.  You can equip those “Julies” whose influence and community involvement can help you meet people that are never going to come to church otherwise.  Members who are outside of the physical proximity of the church and “drive-in” to the community can be empowered to be missionaries within their own neighborhoods.  

Embracing a missional mindset in the midst of a summer slump only requires a few key steps.

Be Missional as You Listen to Your Community

A neighbor is missional by sharing a plant with his neighbor next door

Sometimes we think we aren’t sure how to meet the needs of our community because we don’t know what they are… But our communities are telling us every day what they need. We can read it in the newspaper, on community websites, and at city and county council meetings.  One of the most overlooked resources to discover the needs of your community is social media.  Apps like Next Door allow our neighbors to share their physical needs, like a yard that needs to be mowed, or a ride to a doctor’s appointment. Apps like Facebook allow them to share their emotional needs and spiritual questions among their friends. 

The average American adult spends an average of 2 1/2 hours a day on social media. We can hear exactly what our communities need when we are listen for the clues.  Is your community struggling with disunity between groups?  Your church can be the bridge for them.  Your members can be the peacemakers within their community for the good of the city and show what it looks like to truly love your neighbors. 

Do you have a mechanic that can help with car repair, or a contractor that can build a wheelchair ramp?  Maybe your younger members could help a senior adult with house work or meals.  Do you have women in your church with adult children?  Perhaps they could offer their wisdom to a struggling young mom with toddlers. Having a missional mindset means being intentional about listening to the needs of your community and having a plan of action to meet them.  Remind your members to listen for the clues that their neighbor may need Gospel-centered guidance or help. 

Be Missional as You Pray for Your Community

a magnet with Love thy Neighborhood at the top and three lines for neighbors names

Your church’s address is not a mistake. You have a specific calling to reach those within a local reach of your church building. Praying for your church’s neighbors by name is a simple way to let them know you care and you’re there for them.  You can send them a simple prayer card that says, “Hi!  We’re in your neighborhood– we are praying for you!  Is there anything specific that we can pray for?” Put a QR code on it that links them to a form on your website or simply mail it with a stamped return envelope.  When you get a request, invite your church to pray corporately on Sunday morning for those requests.

Your congregation can also be praying for their own specific neighbors. Just as your church’s address is not an accident, neither is theirs! Encourage your church members to pray for their neighbors by name. We had refrigerator magnets made that have three blank spaces for the names of our neighbors and gave them to the families in our church. It’s a daily reminder to pray for our neighbors.

Be Missional as You Engage Your Community

A backyard cookout grill with vegetables and hot dogs

The summertime offers so many opportunities for you church to engage their community. Here just a few ideas for you to pass on to your congregation:

  • If you have kids, try hosting a water balloon or water gun fight. Your kids and their friends can enjoy cooling off while the parents relax. Or, if you’re like me, save the biggest Super Soaker for yourself and show those kids how it’s done.
  • There are lots of opportunities for live music in the summertime. If you’re attending an outdoor concert or live music at a local venue, invite friends who don’t go to church and friends who do– forming that connection can help going to church feel less intimidating.
  • Combine your church with another church in the area and sponsor a block party and invite the community to join. Grill out some hot dogs and serve some homemade ice cream.
  • Bring popsicles to the local recreational ball field or park and give them away.  (But make sure you aren’t infringing on any existing concession rules.)

When we equip every member to think of themselves as missionaries, we engage our congregations in a missional mindset.  Instead of mourning the Summer Slump, we can begin to embrace the unique opportunities it gives us for impacting our community with the Gospel.

 

Leadership Capital

Through college and seminary, my wife and I jumped from rental to rental, often finding the cheapest, most functional places we could. We knew our stay was temporary, so we tried to find rentals with a 6-month lease. Until we finished up our degrees, we lived in a variety of homes. But after moving back to Florida and temporarily staying with family, we began to search for a home to purchase and live long-term.

The language of mortgage loans was frustrating for me, and I felt ill-equipped to understand it all. Underwriters and Realtors were helpful, but I wish I had more economical knowledge before running into barrier after barrier. I didn’t understand why it was difficult and time-consuming to be approved for a mortgage loan, until my underwriter explained it to me in a way I finally understood: “Caleb, this process is all about trust.” 

In order to be approved to pay back a loan, the bank has to establish trust with you, by evaluating your proof of income, history, employment, family, and other factors. At some point, they’re willing to approve your request, because you’ve had time to build that valuable trust with them. 

And in the same way a bank might approve your request after adequate time, you have to build trust with your church before making any major decision.

Trust-Building Takes Time

Whether you are a Replanter or Revitalization Pastor, every leader must learn how to build “Leadership Capital.” Think of Leadership Capital as stored influence you acquire over time, that you can access when you need to make leadership decisions. A tendency among new leaders is to come in, shake things up, and move quickly. You may desire to make “big changes,” to prove yourself as a leader or visionary. However, trust-building takes time, and leaders need to learn the art of building Leadership Capital. Leadership decisions must be made in great wisdom.

If you think of this illustration in financial terms, capital isn’t earned overnight. It is built over time. The rate of growth is equivalent to the time spent in earning. As a church leader, you would be hard-pressed to find a church whose members will do everything you desire the first time you ask, with no question. Church members want to know if the pitfalls, the possibilities, and the opportunities around them are worth the risk. A healthy leader will build trust with them first, before enacting major changes.

Some leadership decisions have to be done quickly. But decisions require capital, and time builds trust. Leaders normally start out with zero trust. Or, you may be building back trust that has been lost by former leadership. If a former pastor overspent their capital, it could have left the church in burnout with trust issues, and confused about how to trust a future leader. 

Important and Urgent

As a church leader, you must understand the importance of discerning between things that are important and things are urgent. John Ortberg says that leadership is, “Disappointing people at a rate they can absorb.” Most leadership decisions will be met with feedback, pushback, and accountability. So before making too many decisions at once, consider Eisenhower’s Matrix:

Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, once said, “The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” This matrix has been a helpful resource for many leaders. It helps you schedule your time, manage your resources, delegate others, and get rid of the things that are wasting time. Tools like this are helpful for church leaders.

Often, I will be working on several projects simultaneously, and need to write out everything on a big white board. Then, I have to list out several priorities, and delegate whenever I possibly can. And yes, there are some things that I have to look at and take an eraser to, because they are not urgent, not important, and way too time-consuming. 

The main point of using a tool like this is to make leadership choices in wisdom and lead your people with effectiveness. Leaders will often experience a pace of change that is slower than what is expected. 

The Value of Trust

It is so easy to get frustrated with certain groups of church members because they aren’t moving as quickly as you want. However, each time you are eating a meal with a family, sitting in a classroom, praying with someone, or even giving some counsel about a mundane decision in someone’s life, you are building valuable trust with them. Finally, when you say, “Let’s start a new ministry to our community,” they will listen to the leader who has spent adequate time with them.

A helpful recognition is our lack of capital that we have to begin with, and how quickly it runs out. It takes time to demonstrate competency, character, and display commitment and consistency with people. It also takes time to build connections with people emotionally, so that your leadership will go a longer way and yield better results.

Don’t forget that once you decide to “use” some of your capital by making a big decision, you are responsible for organizing it in such a way that you establish healthy credibility with those around you. If you delegate, delegate with the right people, and make it the best you can. Plans made like this go a much longer way than we think.

When you love people well, listen well, pastor well, and establish credibility, you are building your capital, and you can feel a greater freedom to spend it when the timing is right. Some questions to ask yourself when making a decision is: “Which of these decisions will help our church move together more holistically towards church health? Are there any of these that are barriers to church health?”

For more information on leadership decisions, check out some of our previous podcasts on this topic:

 

Street sign with discouragement and encourage at opposite posts

Lessons for Seasons of Discouragement

Man discouraged by bitter tasting coffee

Have you ever had one of those days where it seemed like nothing you did worked out the way you thought it would? Last week, I woke up late because I fell back to sleep after my alarm went off. The set of scrubs I planned to wear had an unknown stain on them, so I had to grab another pair–  which is when I realized I hadn’t taken them out of the washer the night before. I made coffee then realized we were out of coffee creamer.  I resigned myself to a cup of bitter, black coffee, only to burn my mouth on it. On my way to work, my car reminded me that I had forgotten to get gas the day before and when I finally got to work, my first patient of the day was a “spicy” cat who scratched and bit me. Nothing I touched seemed to go according to plan.

By 9 am, I needed a do-over.

I think we’ve all had days like that. But what happens when those days seem to turn into weeks…or even months? When, like the Rembrandts sang, “it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year?”

In replant ministry there can be times where nothing seems to go right. What do we do when we’re in a season of discouragement?

On a recent episode of the podcast, Jimbo and Bob pointed us toward 2 Corinthians 1:10. Paul’s words to the Corinthian church give us a guide for our own seasons of frustration.

Paul’s Affliction in Asia

In Paul’s opening words to the Corinthian church, he tells them of all he has suffered since his last letter. In verse 8 he alludes to an affliction he suffered in Asia, which was so great that he “despaired of life itself.” Paul was to the point of thinking death might be the only outcome for his struggle– or at least preferable to it!

Paul could be referring to any number of trials. In Ephesus, Paul faced an angry mob, imprisonment, beatings, and general suffering. He could perhaps be referring to his “thorn in his flesh” that he discusses later in the same letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:7). We don’t know exactly which specific affliction Paul is referring to, but we know it was bad enough for him to think death was more appealing. 

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t felt the same way at some points in our replant journey.  I’m sure you have, too.

But Paul doesn’t give up. He tells the Corinthians that his suffering led him not to death, but instead to God, the giver of life. He was forced to rely on God and not his own power through those trials.  Then Paul tells them that he was able to find peace in his suffering by looking to his past, present, and future in Christ. This instruction helps us, too.

street signs with past present and future all meeting

Past Victories

Paul opens verse 10 with a look at his past. “He [has] delivered us from such a deadly peril.”  Paul focused on the fact that God had delivered him before.

When we go through seasons of discouragement, one of the best reminders for us is to look back at our past victories in Christ.  One of my favorite sayings is, “So far, you’ve survived 100% of your worst days.” It’s a good reminder that I’ve had other victories.  There have been times where I didn’t think I could stand, but I did, and I’m still standing.

Bob used another phrase from a pastor he once knew: “If Jesus can take care of your salvation, there ain’t nothing he can’t take care of.” Christ forgave your sins.  All of the trials of this world are nothing compared to Christ removing the debt of sin in our lives.  But not only has He forgiven us of our sins– His death also satisfied the wrath of God so that we now have peace with God.  

God has delivered you from sin. And because of this truth, we can trust in God.  This moment in your ministry is not  something that will stop God from moving on your behalf. After all you’ve seen God do in your life, don’t you think He’s big enough to handle your current crisis?

Present Assurance

 

Paul next says, “and He will deliver us.” (emphasis mine) Paul was assured that his affliction was not the end of God’s work in his life.  He was able to look at his present circumstances and know that God was still working within them.  He was still experiencing struggles and trials, but he saw God’s hand in them.

One of the things we forget as we struggle is that whatever we are going through is not a surprise to Jesus.  There wasn’t an emergency session in the Trinity with hand-wringing and frantic scrambling to find a crisis-management plan.  Your circumstances were not unforeseen by God. And since He knew what was going to happen, you can be assured that in this present moment, God has given you all that you need to get through it. 

God’s deliverance doesn’t always look like we think it will.  As Bob pointed out, “If God operated how we wanted him to operate, he wouldn’t be God… And we would be.” Sometimes, God’s deliverance is painful.  Sometimes, it’s frightening.  Sometimes, it doesn’t come as quickly as we wish.  But rest assured, God will deliver.

Future Hope 

In the next line of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” Paul is now looking toward the future, knowing God will deliver him again.  Paul knows that struggles are not a one-time event.  We are not free from struggles just because we’ve gone through one. But Paul specifically says that his hope is not in himself. His hope is in Jesus.

When we hope in our circumstances, we are engaging in a futile exercise.  Our circumstances are always changing– just because today was great doesn’t mean tomorrow will be.  In a world of unknown elements, Christ is our only firm foundation, the only hope we have for deliverance.

Romans 8:28 promises us that God is working all things toward good.  Our suffering is not worthless.  It is leading toward God’s good and sovereign plan.   This is for God’s good, and for His glory. Our future seasons of discouragement are not without benefit.  He will use it to sanctify and purify us.  He will burn off the idolatry of self-reliance and self-centeredness.  Depending on Him allows us to see His glory in our trials.

One Last Thing

four seasons of tree

In those moments where everything is going wrong, it’s easy to feel like we will never see victory again.  I am sure that Paul wondered in Ephesus if he would ever be able to see the believers in Corinth or go to Rome as he had planned.  But one of the things we must remember about seasons of discouragement and frustration is that they are seasons, not a lifetime. 

When we are in the middle of struggles and trials, we have to think of it like Winter.  Is it cold and dark and even sometimes bitter?  Yes.  But in that season, deep in our souls, God is planting seeds of victory.  Soon, it will be Spring and we will experience new growth.  Some day, we will be in Summer and we will feel the joy and warmth of God’s presence as our ministry grows and flourishes.  And one day we will see a Harvest.  

Inevitably, we will experience Winter again.  And that is when the season we are going through now will be a past victory that brings us hope.

He has delivered.  He will deliver.  He will deliver us again.

The Works You Did At First (The Rise and Fall of Ephesus)

The Life Cycle of Ephesus

In the podcast this week, our team had the opportunity to have Kyle Bueermann as a guest. His thoughts on Discipleship in a Replant were helpful, and caused me to think about examples of some churches in the New Testament who neglected this important topic.

There are many churches mentioned in the New Testament that we don’t know much about. Even in Revelation, Jesus speaks directly to some churches that haven’t been introduced in Acts, and certainly don’t have their own epistles from Paul. Churches like Pergamum are noted in Revelation for holding fast to the name of Jesus and being faithful to the gospel, but we’re not sure of their history.

However, there is one Church in particular where we can see a majority of their life cycle. We know when the church was born, when they plateaued, and we can even see the church when it nears death. That church is Ephesus.

Birth, Growth, and Maturity

In AD 52, the Ephesian church was born. The first place we read about Ephesus is in Acts 18:19, where Paul begins planting gospel seeds in the synagogue and reasoning with the Jews. With the discipleship of Apollos and 12 new believers in Acts 19:1-7, this early church was born. Here are some characteristics of its first two years:

Evangelism

The birth and rapid growth of this church is nothing short of Spirit-led. The apostle spent three months persuading those in the synagogue about the Kingdom of God, and some of his disciples spent intentional time sharing the gospel in the hall of Tyrannus. And for two years, this church was responsible for spreading the gospel throughout most of Asia.

Ministry

The Holy Spirit was using Paul to heal the sick and cast out demons. His ministry was a public ministry, one in which people saw and recognized the hand of God. Because of this expulsion of darkness, Jesus’ name was extolled, evil practices were halted and repented of, and the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily  (Acts 19:17-20).

Public Theology

In the public square, the city of Ephesus was home to the great Artemis. But Paul was committed to the truth of God. A silversmith, Demetrius, admitted, “…in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.” What a testimony of reputation to the surrounding culture! Paul’s ministry of the word had caused quite the stir, and possibly potential persecution for the church. However, he held fast to the truth and did not waver. 

Leadership Development

Paul was also intentional in developing leaders. In his return through Macedonia, it lists a number of men who accompanied him: Sopater, Aristarchus and Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus. Paul regularly identified leaders, trained them, and appointed them to positions within the church.

Intentional Discipleship

In more quiet and intimate times, Paul spoke to church members with words of encouragement and care. He spent intentional time with them, studying the word of God, conversing with them, and bidding them a long farewell.

Confidence in his Ministry

One of the last things we see about the growth and maturity stage of this church plant were the tender words Paul spoke to the elders of the Ephesian church during his departure. He notes that he served the Lord with all humility, tears, and trials. He did not shrink from declaring anything to them from teaching in public or from house to house. After giving an encouraging word to the pastors, he admonishes them to help the weak and to give sacrificially.

Plateau

Ten years later, Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesians. When it first started, the church in Ephesus was a vibrant, growing church focused on the ministry of the word and bold evangelism. But now, in AD 62, Paul needed to remind them of the gospel truth they believed, and he also needed to call out some potential warning signs.

Paul knew that if he did not make them aware of the potential pitfalls, it was possible that their church could decline and become unhealthy. During this letter, there is no clear indication that the Ephesian church was in any kind of serious trouble, but Paul felt the need to remind them of their peripateo seven times. He was reminding them to look carefully at their conduct in life.

A Plea for Love

We first see these warning signs when Paul “urges” them to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they have been called. The way they must do this is by genuinely loving one another. This type of love must be shown through humility, gentleness, and patience. Bearing with one another meant that love must be the focus of this ten year-old church to stay in relation to one another. 

Striving for Unity

Paul also desires that they would not simply maintain, but that they would be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. He reminded them that there was one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. Paul knew that if this church was not eager to be unified, they would very quickly be vulnerable to the enemy.

Pressing on to Maturity

Another warning sign that Paul gives is the most clear indication of healthy discipleship: maturity. God’s people are supposed to grow, and Paul wants this church to remember that they are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:15). If this church did not press on towards maturity, they would forget the reason for their work of ministry: discipleship. Their growth in the faith had to be something they continually longed for as a church body.

Putting Sin to Death

In chapter 4:17-32, Paul gives them a list of sins to flee from. Were these indicative in the early church? We aren’t sure to what extent, but Paul found it necessary to address these particular sins: sensuality, greed, falsehood, sins of the tongue, bitterness, wrath, anger, and sexual immorality. 

Getting Busy Again

Another point of responsibility for Paul to address is the issue of idleness. In other books, Paul warns against being lazy or idle in the Lord’s work. And in 5:15-17 he reminds the church of making the best use of their time. Alongside instructions to the family design, and cautioning them against spiritual warfare, Paul gives many general instructions or reminders to this church to remind them of what they should focus on in their present age.

Decline, Potential Death

Outside of a few other letters, the next time we really read about the Ephesian church is not from Luke, nor from Paul, but Jesus Christ himself in Revelation. Before the apostle John was taken up on a cloud of glory and shown glimpses of the kingdom of Heaven, Jesus had some words he wanted to share with seven churches. The first one mentioned is Ephesus.

This is 30 years later: potentially AD 95. At this point, the church is 50-60 years old, and much has happened in between Paul’s letter and Jesus’ letter. Apparently this church is commended because they are working hard, enduring until the return of Christ. They are even commended for their commitment to doctrinal purity. However, they’ve forgotten one major thing: they’ve forgotten their first love. 

The church that was the powerhouse for the word of God in the AD 50s had stopped loving Jesus. They cared more about doctrine than they did the object of that doctrine. And Jesus’ rebuke is solemn: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

When Jesus said, “do the works you did at first,” what did he mean? Jesus was encouraging them to do the ministry they were doing when they first became a church. They needed a renewed zeal. They couldn’t forget the reason why they first were preaching the gospel with such boldness: because they had been saved by Jesus. 

When a church forgets the basic, simple truths of the gospel, all the doctrinal purity in the world has lost its purpose. The point of theology is doxology. The reason we study is not simply to show ourselves approved, but to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). And this is why discipleship is so necessary to any type of Revitalizing work. 

Discipleship Has to be the Focus

In the podcast this week, Kyle Bueermann shared with the Replant Bootcamp about the necessity of discipleship in a Replant. If the Ephesian church was a church we started working with at the Association, they would be a church that had missed the first two windows of Revitalization. Even Jesus was close to removing the lampstand of the church. The lights would go off and the doors would close, because they were trying to do ministry void of a genuine love for Jesus.

We must not forget loving, growing, and maturing towards our relationship with Christ. If you are a church that is in danger of closing, my first encouragement to you would be this: start loving Jesus again. When that becomes the focus of the church, you begin to be more passionate about the gospel, and you start falling in love with your community again. But none of this is possible without an intentional focus of discipleship in your church. 

If you think your church is in danger of closing, take this church health assessment. This self-assessment is meant to help assist you in determining the current state of your local church. Another way to get started is by taking an introductory course that will help anyone understand what church replanting is and how it provides hope for dying churches.

Transform your Worship Service

If you were asked to define worship in only a few words, what would you say?

Is it a time set aside on Sunday morning or does it happen on other days or at other times?  Is it the act of singing songs of praise to God or does it involve more than just singing?  Does it happen corporately only or also privately??  While I would hope that we would describe worship by something other than a specific time, place, or song, I know that the phrase “worship” can be difficult to define.

Many of us have been on the frontlines of the “Worship Wars,” and have seen the damage an incorrect definition of worship can inflict in a church. We’ve been in churches that would rather have two separate services than attempt to put their preferences aside and worship together.  We can probably identify churches in our circle that split over the use of hymnals versus screens. (We’d love to think that this is a recent development, but the truth is, people have been arguing about the relationship between worship and music since music began. The organ was originally marked as a tool of Satan, and setting the Psalms to music was considered blasphemy).

Some people define worship as a musical genre of songs that we sing on Sunday morning. But defining worship as a musical genre has two major flaws.  The first is that musical taste variable. What’s fashionable in music today isn’t what was popular 50 years ago and won’t be what is popular 50 years from now. The second is that musical taste is subjective, so what I like might not be what you like. And when worship becomes about my personal tastes and preferences, we’ve lost the true meaning of worship and turned toward idolatry of self.

Some people identify worship as a specific time and place.  By their definition, “worship” occurs only in church, and only on Sunday mornings between 10 and 12 am. For them, this time is set apart– there is a special dress code, a set of rules to follow, and possibly even a strict schedule.  This definition, too, has a flaw: If worship can only happen in that time and place, then the meaning of worship is limited to physical and earthly circumstances, and there is no room for the supernatural presence of God.

What we need is a better definition of worship.

Worship is a Response

On the latest episode of the podcast, Jimbo and Bob spoke with Dr. Joe Crider, the Dean of the School of Church Music and Worship at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth Texas.  

When asked to define “worship,” Dr. Crider gave this very succinct, but very convicting, response: “Worship is a response to our self-revealing God. God reveals, his people respond.” Worship was never meant to be held together by a musical thread– God would never call us to gather around something that changes so frequently with culture, or that would be so specifically tailored to individual tastes. Instead, Dr. Crider said, the unifying thread that holds worship together is the Word of God. The Word is unchanging.  It transcends generations, cultures, and time.

As a worship leader myself, I was convicted by this definition, and it truly changed the way I approach our corporate worship service, and my own personal times of worship.

A silhouette of a singer with her right hand raised in worship

Worship and the Word

Often when I think about how to create our corporate worship service, I think about how to create the response I’m looking for.  I want to have a service that is engaging, relevant, and that gives our congregation space to seek God.  I might look for songs that focus on a specific theme or idea, or that evoke an emotional reaction.

But if the Word of God isn’t the focus of our worship planning, then what exactly have people been responding to

If they’ve responded to anything other than the Word, then there’s a glaringly obvious issue with the worship service… It didn’t worship God. Instead, my congregation was led to worship musicians,  lyricists, well-spoken transitions, or worst of all… Me.  

None of that has eternal benefit.  

My words on Sunday? They disappear within a few days.  The song we sang?  Sometimes people can’t remember the words to it the following week.  The beats per minute that helped motivate us to move past our Sunday morning sleepies or brought us into quiet reflection before the Pastor speaks?  Not one person even knew how that’s carefully crafted.

But the Word of God stands for eternity.

When I base the service around the Word of God, I can trust in the authority and the power of the Word through the Holy Spirit.  Everything the Word says has an everlasting impact. The Bible promises me that the Word of God doesn’t return void, and that every word of it is God-breathed and inspired.

As Worship Leaders, we are tasked with a holy calling.  We have the beautiful gift each Sunday to introduce people to God so they can engage with Him and respond to Him.  When we cultivate a worship service, we are called not to be song-driven, but to be Scripture-driven. Only then can we be sure that they are responding to God as He reveals Himself to them.

When I put this into practice, it changes my perspective and transforms my planning.

A bible sits open with the pages turning

Applying Scripture to Worship 

Dr. Crider suggests using the Psalms (the song book of the Bible), to guide your worship planning.  In the podcast, he broke down Psalm 34 into sections and discussed the ways that we can use each of those to choose songs of praise, reflection, or even to introduce the Lord’s Supper or baptism. He also suggested using the Gospel as a guide, following the concepts of the Gospel: Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.

I utilized this structure as I chose songs for our next service.  I looked at several Psalms and felt led toward Psalm 136.  It begins with verses 1-9 praising and thanking God for His creation. The Psalmist also repeats this line after every single verse: for his steadfast love endures forever. We opened baptism and praised God for the creation of a new life with Him.  We then sang praises for God’s grace and His work in our lives.  

Moving on to verses 10-16, the Psalmist thanks God for His rescue of the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt.  This led us to singing about God’s provision in the desert places of our lives and for giving us what we need. When we moved into the final verses of the Psalm, 11-26, we said the repeated phrase together as a response to God’s redemption of us as slaves to sin. To hear our entire congregation saying together, “His steadfast love endures forever,” and then to sing of the sacrifice and love of Jesus through “Jesus Paid it All,” was beautiful.

Applying this structure had many more benefits, as well. Instead of worrying about transitions between songs and making sure I was saying the “right” thing, I could just read the Scripture and let God speak for Himself. Instead of trying to evoke an emotion, I could trust the Holy Spirit to move in the lives of our people. Instead of leaving service wondering if people “truly worshiped,” I could know that they were given an opportunity to respond to God’s revelation of Himself because His word was made clear and known. Instead of thinking I needed more musicians or a bigger band, I could know that Scripture will not return void and I could lean back and let God do the heavy lifting. 

In addition to planning corporate worship service, I also began to utilize Scripture-guided worship as part of my personal worship, as well. Instead of starting with a song to get me in the right frame of mind, I sat down with my Bible and opened to the Psalms and quieted my brain for a while. When I allowed scripture to talk to me instead of lyrics to a song, the reverse happened. Scripture began to bring songs to my mind whose lyrics matched what I was reading. I was able to make Scripture-based connections to old and new hymns that I hadn’t recognized before.

Changing from music-based planning for our worship to scripture-guided worship is a work in progress.  Pastors, I would encourage you to guide your worship leaders through this episode and work together on continuing this week by week.  Remember to help your team by letting them know where you are going to be in Scripture each week, and communicate your vision for the service and for the congregation.  It will transform the worship service and their own private worship.

Dr. Crider’s book, Scripture-Guided Worship: A Call to Pastors and Worship Leaders, breaks this concept down even further for pastors and worship leaders and is an invaluable resource.  Dr. Crider also has resources available through SWBTS and can be reached through their contact information.

 

Practical Stewardship Helps

In another blog, I wrote on the “why,” behind healthy stewardship. But this week on the podcast, we learned the “how” of Stewardship with Rick Wheeler from Stewardship Simplified (Florida Baptist Financial Services). On the podcast, Rick helped us understand how a Replanter or Revitalizer who has few resources can take practical steps to manage a church well for the glory of God.

Prioritizing Our Roles

When it comes to understanding the roles and titles that many of us carry, it helps to create a distinction between our job descriptions and our role as Christ followers. Before I am an Associational Mission Strategist, and before you are a pastor, \ leader, or  bi-vocational worker, you are first and foremost a follower of Christ. 

As  followers of Jesus Christ, we carry roles that take predominance over our job titles. For example, Paul tells us in Colossians  the primary roles of those who have “been raised with Christ” (3:1-14).

I reference this because as  Christ-followers, we must understand what it means to be a steward, even before we seek to become the best pastors, leaders, and teachers that we can be. The title of “Steward,” has biblically been given to you as a follower of Christ, before becoming a pastor. I can say this with certainty simply due to the qualifications that Paul gives to Timothy and Titus in 1 Timothy 3:4-5. Paul addresses the topic of stewardship when he says, “He must manage (steward) his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?”

This is why the topic of stewardship is so important for us to understand. Before Paul gives Timothy “Instructions for the Church,” (1 Timothy 5:1-25) he gives the “Qualifications for Overseers” (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

Insights for Practical Stewardship

Stewardship is not simply money management. As Rick said, stewardship is not about fund-raising, but Jesus following. Stewardship is the God-honoring management of resources as an obedient and a faithful disciple of Jesus. The Bible talks about stewardship and  money in almost 2,350 verses, and in 11 parables, Jesus deals with money in some way or fashion. However, as biblically important as this topic is, many people know so little about it.

Preach and Teach Regularly on Stewardship

I personally know some pastors who joke around about having a “tithing sermon” once a year where they talk about giving. But if the Bible talks about it so much, shouldn’t we? The reason why this topic is so important is because stewardship is related to the first commands that God gave to humanity. He told Adam and Eve to “Fill the earth and have dominion over it…” (Gen. 1:28). God wanted Man and Woman not to just multiply and fill the earth, but to have some type of control or management over what He was giving to them. 

This act of love from God theologically sparks my interest because from this one command flows the rest of creation’s responsibilities. Even when they were banished from the garden, their role remained. Yet, it was now marred with sin and broken. Only through Christ can we recognize the best way to steward: for God’s glory. Preach and teach regularly on the topic of stewardship, because we have a short life on Earth and we are called to manage it, and all our resources well. If we do this, we will make the conversation normative in our churches.

Ensure Appropriate Control and Accountability 

If you trace back a church’s factors of decline and look into their history, you’ll find that most churches have had arguments related to finances. Churches in our community have had major church splits due to preference on managing finances. Often, these conflicts occur because there was inappropriate control over those finances. Dual control means that any time finances are being handled or dealt with, you have at least two sets of eyes on it. Checks have two signatures, and all the way through the financial process there are multiple eyes on the movement of money.

A team at our Association had to look into a church that had closed down several years ago and what we found in its history and in interviews from former members was uncanny. The church had two CD’s (Certificate of Deposits) worth about $20,000. The church badly needed a new A/C system throughout the church, but at that time, the secretary was forcibly removed (through a secret church vote) due to a manipulating church member. Then, when someone else stepped into the role ofa secretary, she and her husband decided to use that $20,000 to buy a new tractor to keep on the church property. WOW! Yes, this is a true story. And yes, this could have been avoided if there was dual control, with multiple eyes on the movement of money.

Bring in an Outside Voice 

Another thing that can help is to bring in an outside voice to help work with your church and provide some training and resources. Thankfully, there are people who do this type of work professionally, and have a lot to bring to the table. As a pastor, you are also the handler of a 501(c)(3). This doesn’t have to be complicated, if you’re willing to bring in some help. These outside voices can help assist your church in setting policies and practices, and some can even analyze your budget and provide recommendations. I’ll list some financial resources at the bottom of this page for more information.

Communicate Structure to your Congregation

As a leader, one way to help communicate with your congregation is by setting some time in place where they can hear about these structures. When I was a member at Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, we would have monthly Member’s Meetings. During these Sunday-afternoon meetings, we would welcome new members, celebrate ministries in the church, do any business related to church discipline, and also have a financial report. The way the financial report was communicated was exciting, because the pastors brought a lot of zeal to our meeting. This is a great way to regularly communicate with your church.

Another way to do that is in a New Member’ class at your church. For new church members to understand the function and mission of the church, they also need to understand how their church functions not just as a ministry, but as an organization. Take significant time in your New Members’ class to go over your financial structure.

Understand Your Budget

The last way you can apply practical stewardship in your church is by helping members understand the function of a budget. So many have misconceptions about the budget. According to Rick, your budget should be a goal, a guess, and a guide. A goal: your budget is something you are leaning toward. We have to intentionally make our budget faith-oriented, and know that our largest expenditures are ministry-related. A guess: your budget should not be set in stone to the point where flexibility is impossible. There should be some leeway in your policies for the budget to be adjusted as needs come available. Lastly, a guide. The budget helps you know your boundaries and it serves as a guide. But overall, your budget should not be a god. Don’t make an idol out of your budget, but use it to benefit the ministry of the church.

For more information on this topic and to check out Stewardship Simplified, click here. For years, Dave Ramsey has been a leading voice on finances not only for regular Christian living, but for church assistance. See this page for information on solutions for a church with a lower budget. There are a myriad of financial resources online, but my encouragement would be to touch base with your Associational Director, or connect with NAMB resources for help and ideas.