Welcome back Bootcampers! In this EP we welcome Replanter Evan Skelton back to the bootcamp to talk about praying together as a congregation. How can prayer go from something you do (and maybe do awkwardly) to becoming a vital part of the life of your church? Listen in as Bob and Evan discuss the following:
Start intentionally developing a culture of prayer
Preach an annual sermon series on prayer
Recommend and provide resources to your congregation
Incorporate prayer into the worship gathering
Celebrate the victories gained in prayer (not just answers to prayer)
Thanks Evan! We’d love to hear from you and how you’re developing a culture of prayer in your congregation.
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Don’t let 2021 overwhelm you, stay with the basics, the irreducible minimums of ministry and take joy in leading your congregation and loving your people. The guys are back at it, discussing how you can excel at Engaging the Community. (also Jimbo shares a pretty incredible story right up front)
Personal
To engage the community you have to love the community – to grow in your love for the community you have to be in the community
Get involved and go to the civic events, parades, sports events etc
Go to the coffee shops, diners, firehouses, feed stores-get out and be a part of the community
Interpersonal
Get to know the people right around your church.
Engage your neighborhood, invite people over for time around the firepit
Throw a neighborhood party
Set up in a coffee shop-put out a sign letting people know you are willing to pray for them.
Team
Engage the community together as a small group or church
Trunk or Treat at the Elementary School
Serve a youth sports team
Organizationally
Serve in the community as a church-get out and serve on others turf not your own
Cast a strong vision for your church members to engage in whatever arena they are active in
Serve a like minded organization
Serve with your city by engaging with the city leaders.
EPISODE #41 - SHOULD OUR CHURCH REGROUP AND RELAUNCH?
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This episode has the guys answering a question from Pastor Gary: Our church (7 to 11 members) has decided to stop meeting publicly and wants to regroup in my home-they are also considering a name change and a move closer to town-what advice or wisdom can you offer?
Listen in as the guys have an awkward start, talk Covid19, break it down, and consider some of the options in stopping, restarting and moving a church to another location for greater missional effectiveness.
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Background: Kyle was called to Replant/Revitalize a church with 60 people that was in 900K in debt.
Q: How do you deal with debt in a Replant?
Be certain of your call: the call to Replant a church is a necessity-especially when that church is in a difficult situation.
Commit to the church: Kyle says; “We bought a house to show the congregation that we were all in, we put ourselves on the line, I knew I needed to do that so I wouldn’t have an out.”
Find/Partner with a friendly lender and communicate with them regularly. FBC had the benefit of their note being with their denominational lender.
Be open and honest about your situation with those who are coming to be part of your church.
Look for ways to reduce your debt: we’ve been praying and seeking sell our land but also exercising patience.
Steady consistent and faithful leadership is important to create a positive attitude and culture among your people.
We are confident that God is not surprised by our circumstances-and we’re trusting him to provide and lead.
Define Reality and provide hope, and understand the thing that brings hope is the Gospel.
As a Pastors’ kid, I was able to watch a pastor who was a great shepherd.
When you meet a pastor whose staff knows more about the church than he does he is not a Pastor Shepherd.
My father was a great example of a Pastor/Shepherd.
One of the best lessons I learned is that I was never an interruption to my dad, even when he was busy. He loved me and modeled for me what it was like to be a great pastor and a great father.
As a kid I never felt like I was in competition with the church. There was never a time where I didn’t like the church.
My dad showed me how to not live in isolation as a pastor-he demonstrated the value of connecting with other Pastors who are ministering in my area.
New Orleans DictionaryGris-gris: voodoo, a powerful spell put on something/someone.
The Idlewild Story
Trinity Baptist Church was dying and located in a changing/transitioning area, the youngest was 60 and they were down to eight people.
The Neighborhood was 60% African American, 30% White, 18% Hispanic.
50% of the neighborhood was aged 18 and younger.
I was not looking to Replant, I was happy serving where I was.
Idlewild was intentional about hiring a person of color.
The congregation had determined to give the building to Idlewild for ministry.
In January 2014 Idlewild began a ministry called “Adopt a Block” where they regularly entered the neighborhood to meet and pray for the people. They provided connection events and opportunities to reach the community.
Pastor Ken Whitten shaped the approach with this philosophy; “We didn’t just want to go to them, we want to grow among them.”
Advice for Replanting in a multi-cultural context
Be intentional from the very beginning
It’s best if the Replanter is already engaged and active in multicultural relationships.
The people drawn to our church were not drawn because we have multicultural worship, they were drawn to our church because the church was intentional in the approach to reach the community-both white people and people of color were actively involved meeting people in the community.
People bought in even before they came to attend a worship service.
We gave opportunity and value to a variety of styles in worship as a natural expression of who we are.
Episode #8 - How to Handle Bad Business Meetings with Boots on the Ground Guest Evan Skelton
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Bob, JimBo and special guest Evan Skelton, discuss how to handle business meetings that go bad.
“What do you do or how do you handle it when something blows up in a Family “business” meeting at church?
When Conflict Breaks Out
Realize it’s not the end of the world. Every relationship experiences conflict. Conflict is a sign that the church family feels like they can be honest.
Seek to maintain your composure-don’t get “hooked” by strong emotions and statements or retreat in fear.
Have a “co-moderator” who can help if you lose composure, be ready to turn over to someone who can handle the meeting during tense times.
Move in a pastoral way towards people, slowly and deliberately.
Confront public misbehavior publically and model appropriate biblical behavior during times of conflict.
Pay attention to your responses: tone, posture, facial expressions and how you are coming across.
Look for teaching opportunities that are inherent within conflict-call it out
Acknowledge the difficulty of the moment, the feel of the room, when conflict breaks out.
Resist the urge to never allow questions or comments during the meetings-redeem it and model for people who to ask questions.
Center on the gospel, show people how to communicate with gospel grace.
Allow members multiple ways to ask questions during the business or family meetings. (cards, email, text)
Instruct members gently about how to handle conflict in public.
Be willing to go to member’s homes to work out conflict if needed and necessary.
Proactive Responses
Celebrate victories, show pictures and show how God is moving in the church?
Let others share positive stories and testimonies about what God is doing and what is happening.
Do business after celebration and testimonies.
Slow walk-test out ideas with influencers and thought leaders in the congregation, get their feedback before bringing a potentially difficult agenda item.
Invite critics to become an advocate.
Eat dinner together before business meetings.
Consider changing the name of your business meetings-to family meetings.
Teach your people to operate in the fruit of the spirit rather than walking in the flesh. Let them know that if that is not possible and if things get contentious the meeting will end.
Episode #7 - How NOT to Build a Lasting Elder Team
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In a Replant high capacity and qualified leaders are likely to be in short supply.
Don’t let the urgent need for leaders be a primary driving process for your seeking to install Elders.
Do not confuse excitement and enthusiasm as good indicators that you may have found the right person to engage as a leader.
The past church experiences of the leaders you are considering installing as leaders matters, do not ignore conflict that occured in previous churches. Discern the circumstances, issues and let that inform your decision regarding their leadership.
An Elder process is important-develop one and stick to it.
Elders share the load and burden of ministry. It is important to develop leaders/elders who work together, especially when you as a Replanter are needing help or hurting.
In this episode, Bob and JimBo start a new segment called, ‘Stupid Stuff We Did and Survived’. JimBo will share a few stories of how he unwisely led facility changes. We invite you to laugh at us and with us during this episode. Hopefully, you will be encouraged and challenged as well.
Episode #2 - Advice for Replanting Residents and Rookies (with Boots on the Ground Guest Jesse Peters)
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In this episode Bob and JimBo are joined by BOOTS ON THE GROUND GUEST Jesse Peters from Ebenezer Baptist Church in Henderson, NC. Jesse is helping start a replanting residency at his church and wanted to know what advice we would have for replanting residents and rookies.
Replanting is not easy work, but it also isn’t super complicated.
Episode #1 - What is the Difference Between a Replant and a Revitalization?
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In this episode, Bob and JimBo discuss and define terms. This is one of the questions we get the most. What is the difference between a replant and a revitalization.
Replanting is a form of revitalization. Every replant is a revitalization, but not every revitalization is a replant.
REVITALIZATION = existing church + existing leaders + existing structure + history or legacy + renewed/new effort (over a protracted period of time)
REPLANT = new qualified/skilled leader + existing people + new structures/approaches + outside partners + new people + history
