Take the Adventure: the Acts 16:5 Initiative

Speak Up

2012-02-29T11:44:00.002-05:00

Vol. 11, No. 7

Dear Friend,

If you want to draw someone from among your family members or among your friends into the Christian faith, what is the most appealing thing you could say?

A clue is this chain of events described by the Apostle John:

“The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.” John 1:35-37*

“One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed).” John 1:40-41

The most appealing draw of the Christian faith centered in the person of Jesus is, wait for it, Jesus! Knowing and being known, loving and being loved by Jesus is the deepest of all human experiences.

Consider your own knowledge of Jesus, your own embrace of and experience of Jesus. Your relationship with Jesus probably began when someone spoke up to you about him.

When you speak up and name Jesus to those who know and love you then you offer them a believable word, the word they may trust and that opens the door for their own loving and following of Jesus.

Let Jesus speak through you of himself to the family and friends in your life that they may know him too!

“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27

With joy- E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2012 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

Trusting God At All Times

2012-02-28T09:45:00.000-05:00

I recently came across these fine words from the poem, Patient Trust, by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. These are the first two verses:

Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everythingto reach the end without delay.We should like to skip the intermediate stages.We are impatient of being on the way to somethingUnknown, something new.And yet it is the law of all progressthat it is made by passing throughsome stages of instability -and that may take a very long time.

While I keep hoping that the pace of life will slow just a bit my time continues to be filled with a full share and more of ministry opportunities. In addition, when I think about the process of church transformation, or any kind of transformation for that matter, there are definitely “some stages of instability.” I understand instability, in this case, to mean those times when we are not sure what God is doing, but still believe God to be working. And, while we believe God to be working, sometimes it’s surely hard to see it! Hopefully, whether we find ourselves in personal, church, job or family related transition, it will not take a “very long time.” In the middle of it, however, it may not take long to feel “very long.”

Trusting God at all times, as the psalmist reminds us, rightly includes the periods of being in the middle, in the intermediate and in times of instability. May God bless our days with the ability to savor “the intermediate stages” filling them with worship, prayer, meditation on scripture and in simply taking a deep breath. Let us not miss the journey for being impatient to get to the destination. May our “trust in the slow work of God” only deepen as we experience and share in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Anne Clifton H

bert

Building One Another

2012-02-21T09:11:00.000-05:00

Vol. 11, No. 6

Dear Friend,
We live in an age of criticism and complaint, yet encouraging people is so incredibly easy to do.

Are you as quick to offer words that build up as quickly as words that tear down?

So are you an encourager? One who builds up others? Do the people in your life see you that way?

The motivation for this weekly letter for some twenty years is this word of the Apostle Paul to the Christians in the town of Thessalonica:

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
I Thessalonians 5:11*

Whenever you see a “therefore” in Scripture you should ask, “What is it there for?” In this case the preceding words have everything to do with why we are asked to build up one another.

“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.”
I Thessalonians 5:9-10

Whether we are awake or asleep, whether alive or dead on this Earth, we are alive to our Lord that we may live with him and for him. So encouraging one another makes huge sense.

Be known as a people builder! Whether by voice, email, Facebook, and/or texting, offer the words that encourage the hearts of those who are connected to you in some way, “Hang in there, you’ll make it, you are doing a great job, I am praying for you, I am with you.”

May you be aware of our loving Lord building you as you build others!

With joy- E. Stanley Ott
Copyright 2012 E. Stanley Ott
*Scripture from the NIV

Love One Another

2012-02-14T14:18:00.000-05:00

Building One Another - Vol. 11, No. 5

Dear Friend,

Is not the essence of Valentine’s Day to affirm your love to the people in your life?

When it came to the love of the Thessalonian Christians, the apostle Paul wrote, “Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.” I Thess. 4:9* Indeed we have been. Take a moment and read all the ways:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another... Romans 13:8
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love one another… 1 Peter 3:8
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 1 John 3:11
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 1 John 3:23
Friends, let us love one another… 1 John 4:7
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another... 1 John 4:12

It’s difficult to miss the point! May what Paul asks of the Thessalonians be true of us, “And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more.” I Thessalonians 4:10

With joy- E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2012 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NIV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

Neutralize the Issues That Neutralize You

2012-02-02T15:15:00.003-05:00

Advancing your aims in any working environment is a challenge today and it certainly is in the practice of ministry. I once participated in a citywide survey that asked me to list the essential factors in a pastor’s life that contribute to fruitfulness and effectiveness. I listed a number of items such as growing faith, personal initiative, vision, and people skills. Afterwards, I felt quite proud of my answers until I read that a friend in the same city had replied, “Able to handle all the stuff that comes at you!”

I thought, “He’s right! What was I thinking?”

While I was indeed thinking about qualities that make a big difference in ministry effectiveness for any of us, my friend was correct also. Ministry - and even life itself today – has a lot of things coming at you. So, how do you combine our two winning answers?

To move forward with new ideas and fresh initiative we must neutralize the factors that work to neutralize us!

The pressure of present demand. I suspect if you began this day without a “to do list,” no specific list of things to accomplish, you would find yourself busy all day. The phone will ring, someone will drop by wanting to talk, you will remember some deadline is past due, you hear the ping of a new email every few minutes, and so on. You could go to work every day with no plan in mind and stay busy the whole day just reacting to what comes at you. This is typical for most people in our culture.

The comfort of present demand. The truth is while there may be an uninterrupted flow of people and task demands on your life, you probably like it. You are accustomed to it and would not know what to do with your day without it. All of us get into routines that may or may not be particularly fruitful beyond the busyness of the moment. The routine itself becomes so comfortable that we lose the spark that initiates new vision and new ideas.

The anxiety a new vision may produce. Ministry – indeed all of life – frequently presents us with the simple choice to move forward accomplishing a new vision, dream, or idea or hold back due to the anxiety that the new vision creates. You may need to phone a person with a request but the idea of the making the call makes you nervous. You may have to follow up with people who are so wrapped up in their own worlds that they aren’t getting back to you. Hence, the thought of constantly knocking on their doors puts you off, so you don’t do it. When you yield to the anxiety of bringing a new vision into reality, your motion is neutralized.

Fatigue. As I travel around the country and ask the simple question, “How are you?"

The most common answer is, “Tired!”

People are pushing it. For some it comes of the desire to do more or make more. For others, the difficulties of our economy mean new increased levels of coping. It is irrational to speak of transformational vision and considering new initiatives, concepts, and methods when you are so wiped out that the very idea of generating fresh initiative makes you nauseous.

Social Media. Social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and interactive websites, as well as texting and email are here to stay. Whether you enjoy using them or not, if you want to communicate with people you will have to make the jump to one or more of these forms. At the same time it is easy to find yourself checking Facebook or your email every hour or every few minutes.

For an interesting experience of one person who took a break from social media, check out http://news.yahoo.com/90-days-without-cell-phone-email-social-media-015300257.html.

What to do? The factors that may limit our fruitfulness, what is called “productivity” in the business world, are only going to grow in their intensity. Finding ways to manage them will move us from being neutralized to increasingly fruitful in our Lord’s vineyard.

Perform a self-audit. All of us have different ways of handling these five issues that may neutralize our fruitfulness. Think through each of the issues in regard to the realities of your own life being as brutally honest as you can be. For instance, focus on taking care of yourself. Get enough rest. Take the weekly Sabbath to be with your Lord, family, and friends. Work smarter, not harder.

Or, make social media a part of your day like mealtime. Set a time, perhaps in early and late morning and late afternoon, and set a time limit. As it has been said, “If you don’t control your calendar, your calendar will control you.”

Unlike New Year’s Resolutions that are often casually expressed and typically unaddressed, choose one of these issues and seek to rise above it.

Spend time with centering friends. It really helps to be supported and stimulated by a few others who are people of imagination, initiative, and loyalty. The Quakers speak of “centering down” as we re-center our lives around our Lord. Who are the people in your life who help you re-center – not only in your relationship with your Lord but in the ways you handle the issues that threaten to neutralize your capacity and that of your ministry to engage in new endeavor? Their primary role is to function as a backboard with whom you may bounce ideas and chew over problems. The idea is for you both to join together as a team in actual leadership. They ask questions such as “Why not?” and “What if?” while encouraging you and helping you to bring a vision into reality.

Stay close to the Lord who loves you. The concept of Sabbath is a centering practice we see for God’s people throughout scripture. The core issue is simple. The demands of life today – and frankly the demands of life at any time in history – will always seek to crowd out the intimacy of our friendship with God. Yet it is that very friendship that has the greatest capacity to help us handle the pressure of present demand, to rise above it, overcome our anxieties, get the rest we need, and manage the social conventions of our day.

With Joy -

E. Stanley Ott

Our Lives

2012-01-31T12:14:00.000-05:00

Building One Another - Vol. 11, No. 3

Dear Friend,

One of the loveliest comments in the writings of the Apostle Paul is his word to the Christians in the town of Thessalonica:

“So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.” I Thessalonians 2:8

You immediately see these people were people to Paul and not merely objects, students, customers, patients, or parishioners to whom he had something to offer but with whom he had no relationship.

Indeed he had a very deep and personal friendship with them and makes it clear they were so dear that he and his team not only shared the good news about Jesus but entered into the complexities that come of shared personal lives.

It’s a joy and a calling for each of us to teach and share the truth and wonders of God’s Word to people. Never forget, however, that they are people who long to be known personally. Enter into their complex lives as you come alongside and share your own personal life with them.

One joyful way to read what the apostle wrote is to re-read it and ask yourself if Jesus would say the same words, “So deeply do I care for you that I am determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also my own self, because you have become very dear to me.”

You see immediately that is exactly what Jesus would say, exactly what he did do, and precisely what you and I are invited to do as well.

With joy- E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2012 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

Turn Serve Wait

2012-01-25T09:48:00.000-05:00

Building One Another - Vol. 11, No. 2

Dear Friend,
Occasionally while reading Scripture for the shear pleasure of opening ourselves to a word from the Lord who loves us we come across a wonderful pithy summary of the life of faith.

I Thessalonians 1:9-10 is just such a succinct word:
“For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.”I Thessalonians 1:9-10*

The apostle Paul was explaining how the people of Macedonia summarized the response of the people of the town of Thessalonica to the good news about the person of Jesus.

They turned – from idols.
They served – a living and true God (that is to say the
real God).

They waited – for Jesus (the Jesus whom the real
God raised from the dead).

What a wonderful summary of the entire Christian life. In your life – make the “turn” from that which is less than the God who loves you – choose to “serve” the God who loves you – and between now and the time you are face to face with Jesus – “wait” for him in trust in him.

May the one who rescues us from the wrath to come encourage your heart this day.

With joy- E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2012 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

A Church Leadership Idea

2012-01-18T10:36:00.001-05:00

In the Acts 16:5 Initiative, we often speak about developing church leaders. One simple way we develop leaders in the church I serve is through a one-hour, monthly meeting we call, “Council.” On the first Tuesday of every month our elders, deacons, ministry team leaders, and staff gather in the same room. The Council agenda each month has two parts.

For the first 30 minutes, we talk about leadership. The discussion may come from a book excerpt, a magazine piece I give them, a You Tube video I show them, or a leadership-related question I pose to them. For 30 minutes we talk about leadership as it applies to our role as leaders in our congregation.

These conversations are always engaging and fruitful.

For the second 30 minutes, I work through a list of current church topics I want our leaders to know about or about which I want to receive their feedback. This list might include everything from a review of the Christmas Eve services; to information about an upcoming sermon series; a monthly update on youth ministry; or a reminder to get their annual team goals submitted by the end of the month. In other words, it’s a time to keep us all on the “same page” of church life.

Just this month, I included a new piece to our Council meeting. Last Tuesday, with about ten minutes left in the hour-long meeting, I directed them to the back page of the agenda on which I had printed about 25 church-related items for prayer. I then asked them to spread out in the room in groups of two or three and spend the final few minutes in prayer for our congregation using the listed topics as a guide. It was moving to participate in and listen to the many prayers of our leaders being lifted up in those final minutes of Council.

So moving, we’ll do it again next month!

By the way, I encourage our ministry teams to meet the same night as Council. So, Council meets from 7-8 pm, and then, ministry teams meet from 8-9 pm. In this model, then, our leaders come out one night for two meetings. They (and I!) appreciate this more efficient use of time. Our monthly meeting schedule also allows me to easily touch-in with all of our teams on a regular basis. I rotate from team meeting to team meeting from 8-9 pm offering support and input.

A Council meeting night like I just described will take some time to introduce and become part of the fabric of church life. But after many years of practicing this simple monthly pattern of meeting with our leaders, it has become the best ongoing opportunity I have to encourage their growth in church leadership.

With joy,

Steve Ebling

We Are Chosen, And...

2012-01-06T10:23:00.000-05:00

The other day I was going through my morning devotion and one of the texts for reading and prayer was John 15:12-17. This chapter of the Gospel of John contains Jesus’ commandment to love one another. Verse 16 jumped out at me, and with this being a new year, I thought it would be a good memory verse to undergird the year.

You did not choose me but I chose you.

And I appointed you to go and bear fruit,

fruit that will last,

so that the Father will give you

whatever you ask in my name.

We are chosen and loved. The love is of God. Because we know God first loved us, we are invited to be in relationship with God in Christ and also with the human race. In relationship we are called to bear fruit that is not the throw away kind that our society often espouses. It is fruit that will match the deep and abiding love of God. On top of that, when we pray for fruit that will last, God will give it graciously in Jesus’ name.

The fact that we are chosen is only the beginning. It’s the part about the relationships and tasks to which we are asked to engage that the going gets harder. Jesus says we will never be alone when we have to love the unlovely and when we are asked to endure something difficult for his sake.

I am going to be more intentional this year about praying to God so that the fruit I bear, by God’s grace, will be of the lasting kind. Perhaps you could join me in that endeavor. Someone once told me that when you meditate on a verse like this and say it slowly in your mind, it drops like pearls into your deepest being. May it be so for you and for me.

In Christ,

Anne Clifton H

bert

GPS and the Acts 16:5 Initiative's Principles

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago, I was driving somewhere I’d never been before. I did not have a GPS, but I did have directions courtesy of Googlemaps. I was doing fine for a while, but then, even though I was following the directions, I began to get the feeling that I had missed something. That something wasn’t right. Maybe there was a mistake in the directions I had. Maybe I had missed a turn. I kept checking the directions and I seemed to be following them, but I still had the feeling I was off-track. The road I was on just didn’t look like I thought it should look. It didn’t feel like I was making progress toward my destination. It seemed to be taking longer than it should. I was tempted to turn off on a road that seemed like it would get me where I was going faster. But I resisted that urge and kept on following the directions I had. And just shortly after that, it became clear that the way I was going was the right way. The directions I had were correct. I just had to keep going, keep following them, even though it felt like maybe I wasn’t going the right way.

I think this happens sometimes when we are in the midst of engaging the principles and practices of Acts 16:5. We have good directions. The gatherings and manuals provide a GPS of sorts for the journey we embark upon when we begin the adventure of the Acts 16:5 Initiative. But then we start to dream about what God wants to do in our church. We get excited about the vision God gives us, and we begin to map out directions towards that vision. We get a few Action Learning Teams working on opportunities and challenges we see around us.

And then it happens: we don’t feel like we are making progress toward the vision. The way we are heading doesn’t look right, doesn’t feel right. Maybe we had missed a turn. Maybe our directions weren’t good. And we begin to second-guess the directions and either turn back the way we came or turn onto another route.

When you get to this place—and you surely will get here at some point—let me offer you some advice: Keep going! Trust the directions—the principles and practices detailed for you in the manuals and the gatherings. They have worked for many, many churches as tools for vitality and growth.

Sometimes God does have to ‘recalculate’ our directions because we’re working with a faulty map. But very often we have a good map, but we fail to trust that map, a map that—if we continue to follow it, in spite of how it looks or how we feel or how difficult the route—will get us to where God wants us to go.

So take the adventure God has for you! And trust the directions. They will lead to vitality and renewal and new possibilities in your church and community.

Wishing you JOY for the journey!

Kathi Busch

Wonder-Full

2011-12-20T12:28:00.000-05:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 29

Dear Friend,
When is the last time something so moved you that you simply felt “wonder?”

A month ago I looked into the eyes of my then six-week old granddaughter. It was wonderful. She is wonderful. I was simply full of wonder!

After the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds who went to Bethlehem to see Joseph, Mary and the baby, “they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:17-19

The people were amazed and Mary treasured and pondered the shepherd’s words. All of them were wonder-full.

I urge you this Christmas week to take a time-out from your busy life. Simply reflect on the story of the birth of Jesus and allow yourself to get in touch with the wonder of the moment.

May you be wonder-full of this Lord who loves you!

Merry Christmas - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

LOL

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know that LOL is now an official word?! It’s true: as of March of this year, LOL can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary. We use it all the time in our texts and emails and social media: we’re ‘laughing out loud.’ But of course, the person to whom we are writing it can’t hear us laughing or share our laughter with us, because we’re not actually together.

I’d like to propose another meaning for LOL, a way to describe the Defining Practice we call the With-Me Principle. LOL means Life on Life. Our lives as followers of Jesus are not meant to take place in isolation or even in the artificial kind of community we experience on Facebook. Our lives as disciples are meant to be lived Life on Life. Jesus' life on my life, my life on your life, your life on my life, and our lives on the lives of those in our communities and even the world. Our God is the ‘with us’ God, and He created us to live a ‘with me’ life: to experience deep communion with God and deep community with one another. It’s LOL: Life on Life.

So who are the people you have invited to be with you? Who do you LOL with? Are you in a small group or a one on one or two accountability group? Maybe the Ministry Team in which you serve is intentionally working the ‘with me’ principle into what they do. Whatever you do and in whatever setting—home, work, neighborhood, or church—make sure you LOL a lot! Invite someone to be with you, to share life on life experiences together. Not only will you grow and learn together, but I’m sure there will be lots of LOL, too!

With joy,

Kathi Busch

Open Heart Open Door

2011-12-13T14:05:00.002-05:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 28

Dear Friend,
December is often a time of more social gatherings in the life of the church and in our worlds of work, local neighborhoods, friends, and families.

Our normal tendency is to gravitate to those we know and to include those with whom we are familiar.

Indeed much of the joy of the season is gathering with those we know and love.

At the same time, this is an ideal time to open our circles a little. Thus we enjoy the dear one and include the new one. The open heart leads to the open door.

As a matter of fact, this is often the practical key to including people who are newer to us because that very newness may make us a little uncomfortable in reaching out to them.

Invite those we don’t know so well to join us with those we do know well.

Remember the two friends on the road to Emmaus? “But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them.” Luke 24:29*

They had no idea it was Jesus, the sovereign Lord of the universe. Secure in their relationship, the two friends who knew each other well invited the one they didn’t know so well.

It only changed their lives.

With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

A Vision for Music in Worship

2011-12-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

Music is essential and intrinsic to a congregation’s corporate worship experience. All those who lead music focus on three goals:

1. Bringing glory to God

2. Assisting the Congregation to Encounter the Living Lord

3. Making music to the best of their ability

Bringing Glory to God

Glorifying God in music, calls for forethought and prayer. Selected music should reflect creativity by using a variety of music styles and tempos. Lyrics should reflect a theology compatible with our reformed heritage. God’s majesty, power, and grace should be constant themes echoing from our music. In fact, next to the Person of Jesus Christ and Scriptures, there is no greater way to express the nature of God, then through music.

There should be a close correlation between the music performed and the Word preached. Hymns, anthems, preludes, service music- should be tied into the theme of the sermon or the liturgical season of the year.

Assisting the Congregation to Encounter the Living Lord

Musicians, through prayer and talent, lead a congregation to the throne of God. To accomplish this task, it is essential that musicians and those who lead them seek God’s direction and anointing. As a preacher must pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in selecting text and composing a message, so it is incumbent upon musicians to seek the Spirit’s empowerment and wisdom. The success of any preacher or church musician lays not so much in their skill as in the Holy Spirit’s presence in their efforts.

The drama of the gospel message finds a present day stage in music. Therefore, the music ministry must bring passion to congregational worship. Creative use of instruments, voices, spoken word, space, time and even silence moves the congregation to experience the profound presence of God in our midst. It is not enough for musicians to experience this “God in our midst moment”, they are called out to bring the whole congregation into this Holy moment and place.

Making Music to the Best of Our Ability

Paid staff and volunteers shall take advantage of educational opportunities to enhance their musical abilities: for example a vocal clinic or using local professionals to train choir members. (Perhaps Waynesburg College would assist for little or no fee.)

Selected music should reflect the level of volunteer musical abilities. The best methods for rehearsing should be utilized.

Long Term Vision

A church offers musical training for instrumentalist, especially organ and piano lessons. Members are encouraged to write original music and lyrics that bring glory to God.

To facilitate the above vision, music ministry leaders will need to be energetic, flexible, creative and able to work well in collaboration with others. They must be focused not only on the quality of music but also on transforming lives for Jesus Christ through music.

In Christ,

Linda Jaberg

Recommendations for Church Transformation

2011-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

The 90 Days of Prayer adventure really works in a small church. We began in our 36 member church on January 30. 13 members participated from age 13-90. Instead of the prayer trios meeting by themselves each week, we met as a group during the Sunday School hour and the result was been heartwarming. Everyone participated-from age 13 to 90 all speaking and praying together. One 18 year old even began bringing his friend. We took time at the conclusion for the trios to meet for a few minutes to share prayer concerns and to pray together. What an amazing experience, and it is so easy to get started and to do. God really works with us through this study. Praise him! Judy Mayer, CLP Washington Presbytery

Is your congregation looking ahead to 2012?

What a wonderful time to begin a transformation experience of prayer. Please see Vital Churches Resources page for more details.

Sunday Morning "Serving"

2011-12-02T13:47:00.000-05:00

I recently spoke with some of our church leaders about how we might serve the family of God on Sunday mornings. In other words, we talked about how we can be an encouragement to others before, during and after worship each week. We came up with a lengthy list of ideas. Here’s a sampling:

Arrive a few minutes early (even as few as five minutes) for the purpose of greeting others before worship.

If you see people coming into the building who look like they don’t know where to go, help them find their way.

Pray during worship—for those sitting around you and for those leading up front.

Make it a point to speak to people you don’t know. Aim to meet one new person or family a week.

Learn the names of our children and young people so that you can greet them by name on Sunday.

Sing joyfully!

Thank those who serve us on Sundays, e.g., nursery workers, church school teachers, ushers, and musicians.

Of course, our primary purpose on Sunday morning is to worship Jesus Christ. But as we come each week to re-center ourselves in Him, through the simple ways listed above, we can encourage others to encounter Christ, too. What a wonderful gift!

With joy,

Steve Ebling

Drawing People to Your Church and Ministry

2011-12-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

In his book, Sticky Church, Pastor Larry Osborne (Zondervan, 2008) says that the best way to “Velcro” people to your church is to “Velcro” them to the two things they need most to grow as disciples: the Bible and other Christians. We have found VCI’s Pray Daily devotional booklet to be a simple yet significant way to Velcro people to the Word of God and to each other. Which has the added bonus of Velcro-ing them to our church’s mission and ministry.

It’s simple: groups of three people commit to the 90-day adventure in prayer, reading a short passage of Scripture each day, reflecting on some aspect of their life in the light of that passage, and then lifting to God whatever is on their heart that day. Each day’s reading, reflection, and prayer can be completed in about 15 minutes, but can fill as much time as one wishes to devote. Sounds like any other devotional book we might recommend, right? But here’s the difference: once a week, the triads commit to meeting face-to-face for one hour. In that hour they:

· share which was the most meaningful Scripture from that week’s readings and why

· share one blessing they experienced that week and one prayer request; and

· have the opportunity to pray aloud for each other, though no one is required to pray out loud.

It is these face-to-face meetings that have been so significant. Here are just a few comments I’ve received from our folks:

“I have found the weekly meetings to be so special as I get to know my partners a little bit better and we get to pray for one another. When one tells you that they almost didn’t come the week before because they were feeling down and then come back and tell you that after that get-together their whole week fell into place and they feel so much better it makes it so worthwhile. It’s amazing how many of the Scriptures are just what you need on a particular day!”

“Pray Daily has been good for me, as I am doing a much better job at being disciplined. It probably would not have happened otherwise. Plus, it is wonderful getting to know your partners better and having them specifically pray with and for you. All in all, it is terrific!”

“This 90 day adventure has been most meaningful because of the sharing and praying with each other and discussing the scripture passages as they relate to our relationship with God and one another. We also act as accountability partners in our faith journey as a result of being together each week.”

We used Pray Daily coming out of our annual Leadership Retreat with our elders, deacons, and staff. We just had people count off by threes and put them together in groups. The only rule was that they must not be related to each other or already in another face-to-face group, like a LIFE Group or ministry team. Some of the groups include people who might never interact with each other on this level in any other way in our church. What a simple way to get people reading and reflecting on Scripture, discussing it with one another, and praying with and for each other. This 90-day adventure in prayer engages our folks in the principles of Witness-Prayer-Care-Word and With-Me. Then each week, they Send one another into their families, workplaces, and neighborhoods with prayer and blessing. Simple, but oh so catalytic for spiritual growth.

In Christ,

Kathi Busch

God's Vision: Seeing What He Is Doing in Our Midst

2011-11-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

I often return to the first shift concerning vision and expectation that Stan Ott talks about in the Acts 16:5 Initiative and in his book, Twelve Dynamic Shifts for Transforming Your Church. The reason I keep going back is because I need to be reminded to “see” what God is doing in our midst. In my personal experience, and in the experience of many I interact with across the denomination, what we imagine in our mind’s eye is sometimes not a very encouraging picture. The first time Dr. Ott talked about having this kind of vision, I am embarrassed to say that it was like a light bulb that lit up in my mind. Why hadn’t I thought of asking God for a vision? Why hadn’t I thought of praying for a vision? And, much worse, why didn’t I have much of a vision at all?

“How you picture that future has a great deal to do with what will happen by God’s grace. Imagine your church as a vibrant, transformational fellowship that pulses with life and energy. How would it look? How would it feel?” (Ott 25).

How would your church look? Where does God take your imagination as you dream, pray, and envision the liveliness of your community of faith?

Personally, as I began to dream about the church where I serve, I started seeing people interacting with energy and with smiles on their faces. I began to see people who were studying the word of God and were moved by their love of Christ to share it with people in their lives. The picture kept coming to my mind of people being the hands and feet of Christ as they left our doors, spreading joy out into the community. A while back, a mother and daughter I had known in a previous church came to visit. After the service they commented on how lively our congregation is. Could it be that God was fulfilling the vision, and it took someone from outside to help me see it?

The Dr. Ott’s second question above is equally important. How would your church feel in a transformational situation? Answering this question well might take real imagination. How do the hands we clasp during the passing of the peace feel? How hard or soft is the chair or pew? Is the fabric covering it smooth? Who is sitting next to you? What does the music “feel” like? Does it wash over the congregation with notes of warmth and harmony? Is the music lively and energy generating? Is it like listening to angels singing? Do you find yourself thanking God when the music elevates like a prayer? What words of inspiration and faith does the preacher say that lifts your hope to a higher plane? How do those words “feel”? What does holding the elements in communion feel like? Is the bread soft or like a cracker? Is it wine or grape juice? How do they taste? One could walk through every element in the life of the congregation and imagine what it feels like. If you do this exercise and what you find is not very uplifting, perhaps that is the very place your prayer life and God’s vision need to focus. Can you imagine it even if it is not happening right now?

I invite you to form a prayer team or ask another person to join you in this work of imagination. Working through you, God has the ability to do powerful things. “Remember, ministry begins as an act of faith in God” (Ott 27). And may it be so!

In Christ,

Anne Clifton Hebert

Care

2011-11-02T12:36:00.000-04:00

"Nobody cares about me." It's not uncommon that when disgruntled members in a church leave it's because they claim no one cared."

It's a sad truth.

However, it is also true that Small Groups can be the best antidote to overcome this complaint. Small Groups are the place where true friendships are established; people nurture those friendships; and members experience listening to one another and even caring for one another.

If a church is serious about caring for one another, there is no substitute for involving people in a Small Group.

Now, it's also true, someone may want to be cared for, but not want to establish relationships or get involved in a Small Group. But that brings up the old proverb: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Our job is to make sure there is water to drink.

The caring waters of your Small Group help people connect with the water of life.

Joy,

dale

Occupy the Neighborhood

2011-10-25T12:17:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 27

Dear Friend,
The Occupy movement has captured the attention of many cities around the world with its focus on economic injustice and its method of literally occupying a place in order to make a point.

The verb “to occupy” means to engage the attention and energies, to take up a place or reside as an owner or a tenant (Merriam-Webster).

Our Lord has always occupied our world having taken up residence among us with an eye to engaging our attention and energies for our restoration, redemption and renewal.

“I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: ‘Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He’ll wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” Revelation 21:3a (The Message)

Our Lord occupies our neighborhoods and offers to those who live there the love, compassion, and justice of our Lord. We as God’s people are called to do the very same thing.

We may simply withdraw into our homes with no significant interaction with the immediate people who live and work around us in our neighborhoods or we may “see ourselves as sent to occupy the neighborhood,” and be our Lord’s agents of grace to those around us.

“As the Father has sent me, I send you.” - Jesus (John 20:20b NRSV)

With joy - E. Stanley Ott
Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott

With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott

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Charity Begins at Home????

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

There is no question God calls us to care for the needs of our personal family, but he also calls us to care for the needs of the members of our local congregations. Theologically that is called being “communal” or caring for the needs within the Body of Christ.

Often church Deacons organize and deliver meals to homes, offer financial assistance in times of crisis, stay in touch with college students via gifts during the school year, and offer tangible support to those in the armed services and those in prison.

Health Ministry teams keep in contact with members struggling with illness and offer support and guidance. The Stephen Ministry provides one on one compassion and care during times of stress, loss, or illness.

Small groups frequently offer the most comprehensive support and care! Small groups support each other in so many practical ways: ...Showing up with chain saws to clear fallen trees … helping someone pack up for a move … meals shared and prayers offered! Charity {compassion and care} is indeed extended and available to each of us in our local congregations.

However, God not only calls us to be "communal” but also “missional” {offering God’s compassion and care to those outside our faith family.} We are sent into the world to bring God’s healing to people’s lives and society in general.

It is not a question of being either communal or missional.
We are called to both!

When I hear someone say, “Charity begins at home.” …I must admit it sounds selfish with the underlying message - “Charity not only begins at home, it stays at home.”

Oh, yes, we must care for the needs of family, but we care at home for the purpose of making us stronger for ministry outside our walls!

Maybe this is a better way to say it,

"Charity begins in the heart of God, flows through us for each other, and streams into the world!"

Grace and Peace in Jesus,

Linda Jaberg

Who Is Jesus?

2011-10-14T08:14:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 26

Dear Friend,
“Hesaid to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.’” Matthew 16:15-17*

I have long loved the view of Jesus expressed by Napoleon Bonaparte to General Bertrand who followed him into banishment on the island of St. Helena.

“I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires, and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and whatever other religions the distance of infinity . . . Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and his will confounds me. Between him and whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. He is truly a being by himself. His ideas and sentiments, the truth which he announces, his manner of convincing, are not explained either by human organization or by the nature of things . . . The nearer I approach, the more carefully I examine, everything is above me— everything remains grand, of a grandeur which overpowers. His religion is a revelation from an intelligence which certainly is not that of man . . . One can absolutely find nowhere, but in him alone, the imitation or the example of his life . . . I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”**

Who do you say that Jesus is? It is the most profound question you can be asked and your answer is of the highest significance.

“Because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott Scripture from the NRSV *Vernon C. Grounds The Reason for Our Hope (1945) Chapter Five

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Transparent Leadership?

2011-10-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

In the 21st century, leadership styles have changed. Not long ago, the leader was the captain of the ship, and the captain stood stoically on the bridge, a rock of courage, with unflinching determination and decisiveness. But times have changed.

Today we live in a much more transparent world. The captains, the leaders, are considerably more open, revealing their thoughts, concerns, fears...but how much transparency is too much?

A WWII movie of not long ago, U 571, had a scene that always rattles around in my thoughts when I ponder what is the wisdom of transparency for the church leader of the 21st century. In the movie, a young executive officer takes charge through a series of peculiar events; he is now the captain of the ship. Yet in the midst of a terrible crisis, the entire ship looks to the new captain for a command decision. However, the rookie captain doesn’t know what to do; clearly he is unsure, maybe even afraid to make a call, and even appeals to the other sailors at the helm?

"What do you think we should do?"

In that moment a grizzly ol' swabbie petty officer interrupts, "Captain, could we meet in your quarters? We need to talk."

Moments later the veteran old salt asks the unsure captain, "Sir, permission to speak freely."

Then he speaks freely. "Captain, if you don't know what to do, or are not sure, there's one thing a captain must never do. You can be unsure, but you can never let the crew know that. You must look like you know what you're doing even when you don't know what you're doing!"

Admittedly, church leadership is not the same as commanding a ship of war. But in our day of team leadership and transparency, how much is too much? How much self-revelation leads to disheartening the team, and the church at large?

So, how much? In truth, I don't know, and I'd answer with the famous, "It depends."

Maybe the answer comes from the example of Jesus. Those closest to Jesus got a deeper peek into his thoughts than those more toward the periphery. For example, the 5000 didn't get much explanation or exposition, but The Twelve often got deeper insights. Peter, James and John, more than anyone else, received even deeper insights.

By analogy, in these days of transparency, a leader is often wary of too much transparency to the congregation at large and large subgroups. Yet as a minister's circle of leadership narrows to the closest few, I am convinced that the stoic lone commander on the bridge and no one knows what's going on inside her/him—this model of pastoral leadership is not necessary, and more than likely is not wise.

Even the "supreme leader" needs a closest few, to live out "bearing one another's burdens," not only to fulfill the mind of Christ, but to exercise faithful leadership in the Body of Christ.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson

Managed Schedules

2011-10-06T10:32:00.000-04:00

I’m one who takes pride in managing my schedule. If you ask me, Microsoft Outlook is a wonderful tool of ministry! I like to have all of my appointments, prep time, meetings, planning, study, Sabbath play, and family events laid out nice and neat on the computer screen in front of me. But life and ministry is always so nice and neat, is it?

The great 20^th Century theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote:

“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. . . . it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God.”

Have you ever considered that your schedule is God’s to arrange? Look at your calendar for the coming week. Is there room in it for God to interrupt? If God did interrupt, how would you react? With frustration or grace?

Wisely managing our schedule is an important task for any ministry leader. But let’s not forget God is the ultimate manager of what happens in the days marked out on our calendars. May we always have the discernment to recognize God’s interruptions.

Grace to you,

Steve Ebling

[i] From Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, p.99.

A Transformational Defining Vision, Part Three

2011-10-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

In Part One of this series we looked at how your personally utilize your congregation's Defining Vision. Part Two examined how ministry teams might better use their Defining Vision.

In this third installment concerning the vision of glorifying God, making disciples, and meeting human need, you are invited to reflect on the questions from a big-picture view of your congregation. One overall question to ask is: Do you believe your congregation generally knows what the vision is? Could most of the participants in your community of faith speak the words by heart? From the viewpoint of standing on a balcony looking at your congregation as a whole, how much of your life together is driven by this vision? Here are questions divided into the parts of the statement:

In Your Congregation:

1) How are you doing as a congregation in glorifying God? If Christians don’t

only exist for themselves in a church, who does your church need to be

thinking about in terms of worship? Who is not in worship that you are

called to reach? Does your church need to offer something in the area of

worship that you do not offer at this time? And in terms of your current

worship services, are they planned and executed as well as they could be?

Could they be improved?

2) How are you doing as a congregation in making disciples? Who do you

know who is new to faith in Christ and how is the church helping them in

their faith journey? What is your congregation’s vision of what mature

disciples ought to look like? Are you being called to be more intentional

about helping people get there?

3) How does your congregation meet human need? Do you sufficiently help the

community of faith to know they are “sent” to do Christ’s work and mission

in the world? Are there fewer ways that you could serve in order to be more

effective? Who asks the hard questions in your congregation about what

God wants your church to be doing and to not to be doing in mission?

What service to others for Christ brings your congregation great joy?

Perhaps you might have your Acts 16:5 Team or your session focus on some of these questions this fall. As I said in the first blog entry of the series, vital and energized people create vital and energized churches! That is what God has called us to be and d0. I hope the focus on your vision will help your congregation become more focused in your life together and in your work for Christ.

In Christ,

Anne Clifton Hebert

Transformational Defining Vision, Part Two

2011-10-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

In Part One of this series, we examined how you utilize a Defining Vision in your personal life.

In the second of this series concerning the vision, to glorify God, make disciples, and meet human need, I ask you to consider how your ministry teams and groups fulfill the vision. What do your teams/groups consider to be their part in making this God-given vision a reality? As a suggestion, take these questions to your next meeting and answer them together. Another possibility is that you send them out ahead of time and ask people to come prepared to discuss them. Groups might include older adult ministry groups, choirs, the session, the diaconate, men’s ministry groups, small groups, Presbyterian Women, prayer groups, your youth group, and your Church School classes. How are the groups in your church reflecting the vision?

In Ministry Teams and Groups:

1) How does the ministry team/group in which you participate worship God?

Does the team take time to do a Word, Share, Prayer? Do you do more than a

quick opening prayer and a short devotion? Are you deepening your

love of God together in a worshipful way?

2) How is your ministry team/group preparing disciples? Do you plan activities and

experiences in the arena in which you lead to help people in your church

and/or community know God? Has the discipleship of your own team or group

deepened? Do you feel you know members of your team in a deeper

way in terms of faith and not just in terms of the work your team/group tries

to accomplish? Are you helping others be included in your discipleship?

3) How is your ministry team/group meeting human need? In what part of the life of

your ministry team or group are you reaching out to others and making a

difference in the world for Christ?

In order to help create vital teams and groups, our call is to be intentional. The vision helps a church or organization have a common thread through all its ministry. May God guide you as you explore these expressions of faith for your church’s teams and groups.

In Christ,

Anne Clifton Hébert

Following

2011-09-13T17:25:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 24

Dear Friend,
Yesterday I realized I was following a car whose license plate said, "His W1ll."

I thought, "That's nice" and drove along until it hit me that at this moment in my life I was actually following His Will!

As we flowed along a pleasant suburban street it was fun to think about that.

Until the driver chose to drive below the speed limit for awhile and I wanted to go faster than His Will. I chewed over the times I have wanted to do just that!

The pivotal moment came when the driver signaled a right turn at a stop light. Was I going to drive straight on to my destination (home) or follow His Will?

I followed His Will.

Another driver inserted himself between me and His Will. I thought about other times I have permitted that to happen.

As I finally drove home along a route that was unfamiliar to me it was good to realize that the Lord who loves us more than we love our next breath has a will for our lives that is good and wonderful even in the moments that are the most challenging for us.

May you find joy as you follow and trust in the will of our good Lord!

“We know that all things work together for good^*for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28*


With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NIV

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A Transformational Defining Vision, Part One

2011-09-06T12:32:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, the church where I serve adopted our church vision: Worship God, Prepare Disciples, Serve the World. It is similar to the Acts 16:5 Initiative focus of glorifying God, making disciples, and meeting human need. Since most of us in churches are starting a new program year, I thought it would be helpful to revisit the vision and see how it is playing out in three areas: our personal lives, our ministry teams/groups, and in our congregations. In three blog entries, I’m going to ask a series of questions that I invite you to pray about and to act upon from the standpoint of where your congregation is. In this article, I invite you to reflect on these questions in regard to your personal life.

In Personal Lives:

1) Are you taking time to glorify God in your own life? Are you attending worship

services on a regular basis? Are you taking time to worship God daily?

Are you reading the Bible and spending time with God? Are you inviting

others to worship with you or to attend a worship service with you? What

worship service in the last six months really got your heart pumping in

God’s holy presence?

2) In what part of your life are you being prepared as a disciple? Are you in a small

group, a study group and/or a church school class? Are you not only reading the

Bible but also studying it? With what portion of your life are you devoting

and developing mature faith in Jesus Christ? Who are you inviting to walk

with you in discipleship? Who are you discipling in the Christian walk?

3) How are you meeting human need? How do you offer service in Christ’s name to

others? When is the last time you participated in a service ministry of the

church or in a community organization? To what form of mission is God

nudging you to pursue?

It might be overwhelming to read all these questions. You may have answers to some of them and not to others. I encourage you to pray about these questions and, then, to write answers to them in a journal or record them in the notes section of your smart phone. Later you can go back and see what movement you have made, with God’s help. Perhaps the vision doesn’t fit with where you are in your personal life. You may want to form your own vision. Whatever your vision is, God gives all of us opportunities to glorify God, make disciples. and meet human need every day. It’s a vision that offers us a great adventure in faith.

Vital and energized people create vital and energized churches! That is what God has called us to be and d0. May we reflect our love of God in the way we personally live and fulfill God’s vision.

In Christ,

Anne Clifton Hebert

God Sized Vision

2011-09-03T08:59:00.000-04:00

“So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations were around us were afraid… for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” Nehemiah 6:15, 16

Nehemiah’s calling was bigger than his ability. The scope of what God wanted to do in his people was greater than that people’s treasury. What people though impossible, God accomplished through weary people in fifty-two days. What the church needs is God sized vision.

It was about a year ago that I was moved to begin to pray a very specific prayer for the congregation I serve. As I looked at all of the activity of our congregation, I saw a lot of hard work coming to fruition. People were joining the church in impressive numbers. The congregation had unanimously approved the search for an associate pastor of family ministry. Our bottom line was well in the black. Ministries were going well across the board. Attendance was up in every facet of church life. There had been very positive “same-minded” discussions around where we were headed as a church. I was very busy planning, teaching, leading, and visioning toward a bright future.

Then, in a time of prayer and reflection one morning I was overcome with conviction. I had been busy and prayerful concerning things within the ministry over which I had a lot of control. Most of my prayers involved God using me for His purposes in the life of our wonderful community of faith. Never one short on vision, I saw God answering those prayers faithfully. But with this wave of conviction I was moved to pray in a different way. I felt God was moving me to begin praying for something over which I would have no control.

Books I had read, passages of scripture, and a sense of smallness flooded my conscience at once as I became aware that I ought to be praying for something much more significant than what God could use me for. I was used to being pretty specific with God about what I wanted Him to do through me. But here I was, at a loss for words, as I was moved to pray for God to begin an awakening that at the end of the day couldn’t be credited to good leadership, a healthy budget, creative preaching, or a forward thinking session. I was moved to begin praying that God would do something that only God could get credit for; something beyond my ability to vision or bring about.

I had no clue what I was praying for. This prayer was unattached to programs, facilities, music, or events. I could not see what I was asking for God to do. It was pleasantly humbling to discover that God doesn’t need me to bring about the awakening he laid on my heart to begin praying for. I found myself saying, “Lord, you might not need me for this, but I want to see it when it happens.”

One of the dynamics of the Acts 16:5 Initiative is creating a hope-filled expectation of God sized activity in and through your congregation. If the hopes and expectations of a church are pastor sized or session sized, then we are expecting far too little of God. Nehemiah’s vision was a God sized vision. And at the end of the day God got the credit and the glory, even from His enemies.

Grace and Truth,

Scott Castleman

The Trust Test

2011-08-31T12:39:00.001-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 23

Dear Friend,
When you face a challenging situation for which no resolution is apparent, what goes through your mind and emotion? Do you “get on the balcony” and think through new alternatives and try to solve it yourself (or yourselves)? Do you wrestle with feelings of hopelessness?

A large crowd gathered around Jesus who asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” John 6:5b* The apostle John makes this interesting observation about Jesus, “He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.” John 6:6

For Jesus the resolution of the situation was never in doubt. He wasn’t anxious, nervous, uptight, confused, or upset. In fact, John reports that Jesus used the situation as an opportunity to test Philip.

Philip has no clue what to do! “Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’” John 6:7 Neither did Andrew, “But what are they (five barley loaves and two fish) among so many people?” John 6:8b And neither looked to Jesus!

Sometimes you and I have no clue what to do either!

At this point in the story, Jesus takes over, has the people sit down, breaks the fish and the loaves into enough to feed everyone.

In whatever situation you face, be alert to the equivalent of the five loaves and two fish our Lord has given you and trust him.

Facing a huge enemy army, Jehoshaphat prayed, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12b. He passed the trust test!


With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NIV

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Dwell in the Land

2011-08-16T13:48:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 22

Dear Friend,
Riding to an airport with a friend and co-worker I asked what she would be doing the coming weekend. She replied, “I am going to dwell in the land,” just as the Psalm says, “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” Psalm 37:3*

I love the thought. Dwell in the land!

With all the stuff coming at each one of us it is so easy to find one’s mind and one’s anxieties consumed with coping and not with appreciating simply living in the land our Lord has given us.

Dwell in the land.
          Enjoy your home.
                    Love those who live with you
                     and who spend time with you.
                              Appreciate your community - its beauty, its people.
                                        Take pleasure in your work.
                                                Find joy in the current season of the year.

Dwell in the Lord.
           Go to Jesus who said, “Come to me all you that are weary.”
                       Entrust yourself to him who said, “Let not your hearts
                       be troubled.”
                                 Take joy in this Lord who said, “that my joy may
                                  be in you.”
                                             Receive the love of Jesus who said, “My
                                              peace I give to you.”

Dwell in the land, dwell in the Lord and be glad.

“Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” Psalm 37:3


With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NIV

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The Voice

2011-08-09T11:24:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 21

Dear Friend,
Every voice is unique. You are the only person in all of time and eternity who sounds just like you.

When I remember the voice of my parents and grandparents and many others I have known and loved, I can hear them speak in my head and every one of their voices is distinct and precious.

When you close your eyes for the last time, when you breathe your last breath it would be a grace that the last words you hear are the words of one who loves you.

My question is what sound do you want to hear next? What do you look forward to? What do you want to happen at the moment of physical death? Jesus speaks directly to this unique moment:

    “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here,
    when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and
    those who hear will live.” John 5:25*

    “Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when
    all who are in their graves will hear his voice.” John 5:28

The refrain of Chris Tomlin’s song, “I Will Rise” begins with these words, “And I will rise when He calls my name.”

I know what I look forward to and that is hearing the voice of Jesus call my name.

That moment you hear his voice is the happiest moment of your life!

My prayer is that you will hear his voice even now – through his Word (the Bible) and as the Spirit of God speaks to your heart. “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27


With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

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Mood

2011-08-02T10:51:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 20

Dear Friend,
Do you ever find yourself sitting around feeling tired and someone walks up to you or phones you and you are just not in the mood to attend to them? Jesus seemed to have had that experience.

John reports that Jesus and his disciples traveled into the region known as Samaria. “Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’” John 4:6-7

Certain things leap out. Jesus was tired. It was noon. It had to be hot. He was hungry. I know I would have been in no mood to engage a person in a serious conversation.

A stranger walks up. Now it’s no surprise Jesus asks her for a drink. The fact that he would ask her, a Samaritan woman, for help was a surprise to her and she asks him why he did it.

I can imagine just saying, “It’s hot and I am thirsty,” hoping for some water and then some leave-me-alone peace.

Jesus takes another path. Mood or no mood to talk he engages the Samaritan woman in a fascinating conversation that gently and wonderfully leads her to faith and the woman’s whole life is transformed.

Ministry is not a matter of mood but of opportunity and trust in the presence of the Lord who loves working through us in the lives of the people he positions near us.

So whatever your mood may be this moment and every moment, ask yourself, who is near you or in your life and how will you allow the Spirit of God to touch those who are around you with hope and life?


With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

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Look-a-Him

2011-07-26T14:38:00.000-04:00

Building One Another - Vol. 10, No. 19

Dear Friend,
My grandfather used to refer to some people as a “look-a-me.” A “look-a-me” is a person whose bearing, speech, and attitudes all say, “Look at the wonderfulness of me.”

Many years ago, Eddie Cantor sang the song, “I Love Me:”

        I love me, I love me, I'm wild about myself
        I love me, I love me, my picture's on my shelf.

That’s a look-a-me!

Contrast the idea of the look-a-me with words of John the Baptist when he was speaking about Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30* John was a look-a-him!

He knew life isn’t only about you or partially about you and me and partially about Jesus.

It’s all about Jesus!

The life of Jesus grows in you as you increasingly yield your life to this Lord who loves you. The visibility of Jesus in you increases. Your reflection of the grace and spirit of Jesus increases.

He must increase, you must decrease.

As your life moves from look-a-me to look-a-him your life will flourish in ways you never imagine.

The remarkable thing about this is that as you decrease you don’t lose anything. You increase in your knowing, experiencing, and loving of the Lord who profoundly loves you!


With joy - E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2011 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV

To view archived issues and to subscribe:
www.buildingoneanother.org

No Rest for the Weary

2011-07-25T10:22:00.000-04:00

Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it… - Mark 7:24

Tyre was a town on the coast of Phoenicia. It was north-west of Jesus’ normal stomping grounds. From the context of Mark’s gospel this little excursion up north to the coast of the Mediterranean was a break, a get away, a vacation. Humans were designed for rest from the very beginning. God rested from his works of creation not as a result of weariness, but for the purpose of delight in what he had made. Rest, in the biblical sense is not laziness, it is worship.

Honestly, my day off (Friday for the most part) is filled with non-stop activity. Weeds and my golf swing both need attending too. I’m exhausted when Friday evening rolls around. Part of learning to rest in the Biblical sense means stopping. It means being still enough to quietly delight in God’s world, in God’s word, in God’s grace, and in God’s presence. But we live in a manic culture. Everything has an immediacy of its own. Rest, true rest, worshipful rest, goes against our every inclination. Even when we do take rest, it is often void of stillness. And stillness is where we experience God. God is the still point in our manic world. To know Christ, is to walk away from our nets filled with their hundreds of flopping, writhing, attention grabbing fish to become consumed with the King who calls us to follow him.

Spending a week at the beach in Florida with my wife’s family was a great reminder to me of how poorly it is that I practice true rest. I went away, had a good time with family and came back tan, but not rested. I was not still while I was away.

You see, intimacy with God will always be a struggle. Adam and Eve took the fruit, they immediately recognized their sin, covered themselves out of shame and hid. God expelled them from the garden. Naturally being in God’s presence in the stillness of that perfect garden would never happen again. We are out of the garden. We are in the sweatshop of a fallen world. It will never be easy to steal away and be still. God had to command “remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” It is our inclination to forget Sabbath, to neglect rest, and to hustle away the stillness.

Knowing Christ means following him to Tyre. It means refusing to let our own inclinations for maniacal living to keep us from that abiding stillness with our savior who is our only access back to the garden. The passage in Mark 7 ends this way: “… yet he could not keep his presence a secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet.” That rings true doesn’t it! Sounds about like my vacation. True worshipful rest will never be easy. But it will always be good.

In Christ - Scott Castleman

A Prayer for the Journey

2011-07-06T10:43:00.000-04:00

In Esther De Waal’s book The Celtic Vision: Prayers and Blessings from the Outer Hebrides, she tells the story of a man named Dugall MacAulay who always recited a journey prayer to himself. He recited it under his breath, “whenever he went upon a journey ‘however short the distance, however small the matter of his errand.’” These kinds of prayers are common in the Celtic tradition, asking for God’s blessing and care for every part of a journey.

De Waal writes, “When anyone set out on a really long journey family and friends would join the traveler in singing the prayer for traveling and in starting the journey with them” (pp. 143-144).

The Journey Blessing Prayer goes like this:

Bless to me, O God,

The earth beneath my foot,

Bless to me, O God,

The path whereon I go;

Bless to me, O God,

The thing of my desire;

Thou Evermore of evermore,

Bless Thou to me my rest.

Bless to me the thing

Whereon is set my mind,

Bless to me the thing

Whereon is set my love;

Bless to me the thing

Whereon is set my hope;

O Thou King of kings,

Bless Thou to me mine eye!

Amen.

May our prayers be answered as we ask for God’s blessing on our journeys, especially as we travel the exciting, challenging and Spirit-driven Acts 16:5 Initiative.

With Joy - Anne Clifton Hébert

Fluidity

2011-07-05T12:57:00.000-04:00

Change theorist Kurt Lewin used to talk about the necessity of “unfreezing” before change could happen. Think of an ice cube whose shape changes only when it is first melted. Whether speaking of an organization or an individual such an unfreezing is the loosening of attitudes and approaches that frees one to be open to new ideas.

W. Edwards Deming who helped post-World War II Japan’s business community get back on its feet was known to say, “The present system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets!” In other words, your congregation is perfectly designed right now for its level of actual fruitfulness in transforming lives as it grows disciples and meets human need and the degree to which it is fruitfully engaged in missional endeavor in its community.

A challenge for transformational ministry today is leading such unfreezing moments in congregational activities, which of course presupposes unfreezing moments in the lives of their leaders and their “opinion makers.”

Some practices that may be used to increase the fluidity and flexibility of those you lead include the following.

· Use common sense when enabling change and winning commitment. Always communicate that you respect the people you are leading.

· Repeat the vision (the what, why, and who) constantly – over and over especially in interpersonal conversations.

· Show enthusiasm! Passion!

· Explain the "why's" over and over – and over and over and over.

· Face the anxiety the people have about the change without being threatened by it. Their anxiety does not mean either you or they are inadequate.

· Hi-change requires "hi-touch" (personal presence, I hear you, I am with you).

· Be open to change yourself.

· Bring in an outside voice to help inspire the vision you want to impart.

· Supply books and other literature sharing the vision you have.

· Know when to push ahead and when to draw back. Be wise.

· Don't argue. Change is often viewed as loss. We don't argue with grieving people. We show presence and love them neither trivializing their grief nor making light of it.

Some question to consider:

How “fluid” are you – how open to new ideas and approaches?

How have you sought to “unfreeze” people in the past? What has or has not been effective?

What is a situation that you are currently involved in where a new fluidity would make transformation possible? How will you proceed?

With Joy - E. Stanley Ott

Fixity

2011-06-16T13:08:00.000-04:00

Fixity was a new concept to me when I first heard Carl George refer to it while discussing issues relating to the cell-based church some years ago. The issue was how to establish a new approach to small group ministry practice and organization in such a way that it sticks, that it continues, that it is not just a flash in the pan emphasis before going on the next program.

The fact is American pastors and congregations are often program junkies. We buy some one’s church program good for a semester or a year or two, and then we look for another one. The same thing happens in judicatories of denominations. In a way, serial programs give staff and other leaders a feeling they are doing something (and of course some such programs actually do make a difference).

Nevertheless, if a core concept for transformational ministry, such as small groups or ministry teams, that is not very common in traditional ministries is being implemented, it is easy for such a core concept to be the “program du jour,” to receive a lot of initial attention and "rah rah," but in a year or two become “something we did once.”

Understandably, most of our efforts are geared around the people, program, and policy management of our congregations that presently exist. So to preach (or hear) a few sermons on missional endeavor or to host a few workshops or conversations on the subject may make it the “topic of the month” and perhaps lead to some missional efforts. However, for a real and permanent transition to missional endeavor, a growing circle of leaders and participants within the organization must internalize and implement the practices of transformational vitality missional thinking. That’s fixity.

Fixity as a concept is congruent with that of momentum – that is the ability to keep on keeping one. Momentum can be a very positive force in the life of a church when it sustains a clear defining vision and defining practices. As the same time we know the value of agility, the ability to respond to changing conditions. Fluidity is another word for agility, the ease with which something can change.

When a leader and an organization have a fixity of defining vision and defining practices (or core values) and a fluidity of implementation and approach the result can be remarkably fruitful.

Some questions to consider:

How do we make core concepts and practices “stick?”

How do we “fix” them as permanent facets of our ministries?

Once we discern the vision and practices that define who we are, how will we preserve a fluidity of implementation that enables us to respond to opportunities and obstacles as they arise?

Joyfully - E. Stanley Ott