Turn Serve Wait

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
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Charity Begins at Home????

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

A Transformational Defining Vision, Part Three

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

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

A Transformational Defining Vision, Part One

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

Fixity

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

A Missional Metamorphosis

I’ve always liked the word metamorphosis!  It means much the same as the “in” word transformation, but it provides such a visual picture.  I find it hard to hear “metamorphosis” without thinking about butterflies – and their life-changing moments in their cocoons.  My father used to catch and mount butterflies when he was a teenager.  I remember seeing boxes with glass viewing tops containing hundreds of butterflies.  Only one of those boxes remains today.  Yet it is precious to me with its mounted butterfly beauties that are now over seventy-five years old.  It reminds me at the same time of my Dad’s love of the outdoors and of the wonderful work of our Creator God.

Metamorphosis is a useful concept when considering how to move a congregation from an inner to an outer or missional priority.  Whereas the word “missions” tends to be identified with missions programs we give money to or to perhaps to a few short-term mission teams, the word “missional” is identified with a way of thinking about ministry as fulfilling the Missio Dei, the mission of God.  

Missional is more than a missions program.  It is how every person and program and ministry in the congregation is to engage their community and world on behalf of their Lord.

To instill an effective missional mindset throughout the culture of the entire congregation can be a complex undertaking.  We might get an activity here or there to make a missional shift in focus but for the whole church to get serious about engaging its community – that will mean metamorphosis – because most church activities today are inward in their focus.

Essential to a genuine missional metamorphosis is a growing clarity concerning what it means to be “missional” and its implications for leaders and participants.

Some questions to consider:

          

1.   What does a missional Christian look like in terms of faith and action?

2.   What does a missional congregation look like?  An increasing number of publications address the idea of missional identity and activity in the congregation.  As missional thinking takes root, individual congregations need to consider how such thinking inspires a missional lifestyle among the people and how it affects their actual programming such as ministry to children, youth, men, women, singles, families, and so on.  How are programs structured to implement missional ends different from the programs already in existence?

                          

3.   What does a missional denominational regional area “look like” in terms of its vision, organization, and implementation and how does that contrast from a present or “non-missional” vision and operation?  What is the regional area’s role in leading its congregations into missional endeavor?

        

With Joy - E. Stanley Ott

Momentum and Agility

Wikipedia.com defines agility for the athlete this way, “the ability to change the body's direction efficiently, and this requires a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, and strength.”

I can’t say I am especially agile, although recently when a car pulled suddenly in front of me I was surprised how quickly I maneuvered my steering wheel to avoid a collision. Agility is a useful concept in leadership and organizations. It speaks to our ability to respond to changing conditions, opportunities, and obstacles.

One of the greatest challenges facing congregational ministries is their capacity to react to the changes in our culture and the needs of people in a way that is fruitful. It is typical for church programs of even the most vital ministry to essentially run last year’s programs over again. As long as those programs and ministries actually facilitate the growth of disciple-followers of Jesus and address human needs, the concept of momentum is a good one. The momentum of the ministry sustains its engagement with people. However, as the culture changes, people respond differently, have different preferences and or lifestyles then our momentum can work against our agility. It's hard to make a sudden right turn when you are going seventy-five miles an hour.

I spoke this week with a wonderful lady in her seventies who was bemoaning the loss of young women in her congregation’s women’s programs. She said, “They just don’t have the time.” The result was a slow decline of programming for women of any age. The momentum of that ministry was clearly centered on doing what they had always done. Now with women working as well has juggling family and other activities, a ministry for them needs agility.  It needs an agility that will allow them to show honor to the way they ministered to women in the past, while seeking new approaches, programs, and formats for today.

This leads to an interesting paradox in fruitful leadership – the ability to develop the momentum that sustains fruitful ministry while simultaneously having the agility to respond to changing needs and opportunities for ministry. When Jesus set out with his disciples on retreat, as described in Mark 6:30 and following, clearly there was a momentum, a energy about getting away. Yet when the people showed up, and Jesus saw they were sheep without a shepherd; he showed himself to be an agile leader and shifted from his original plan to address the present needs before him.

Some questions to consider:

How agile are you personally? How responsive are you to change how you do things in order to adjust to changing circumstances?

How does your church or ministry balance momentum and agility – the ability to keep it going versus the ability to adjust and change direction? How can you develop both?

With Joy - E. Stanley Ott

Momentum

Momentum is a powerful word. It’s all about oomph! 

You may (or may not) remember the formal definition of momentum from high school physics.  Momentum is a way of expressing something’s level of energy.  I learned the meaning of momentum in a rather more direct way.  When I was in college I was on a crew that mowed county parks and the median strips. One day I was standing by our truck when a huge self-powered mower rolled off the back of the truck before I could get out of the way. Believe me, when I put a hand up to stop it, I learned all about the concept of momentum! I only survived, because the handle bars were curved and created a space between the mower and the ground where I was trapped but alive!

So, one way to think about momentum is to ask, “What does it take to stop something?”  Church programs that have been in operation a long time, much like long-standing personal habits, have a lot of momentum. They aren’t easy to stop or change.

The concept of momentum has a positive application in the world of congregations and of various ministries.  A congregation in its entirety, or any individual church program such as a ministry to women or men or children, has some level of momentum, some degree of energy, and impact.  Such a program or congregation may have an increasing momentum as it grows in magnitude of fruitfulness, a decreasing momentum as its energy slowly dissipates, or a constant momentum as it keeps chugging along.

I find it helpful to think of momentum in two parts:  institutional momentum and transformational momentum.

Institutional momentum is the tendency of an organization to keep on going.  Congregations have a tremendous amount of institutional momentum.  Like the flywheel concept Jim Collins refers to in his book Good to Great, once it gets going it has a way of keeping going.  Even congregations that are losing membership, dealing with aging facilities, and diminishing impact in their communities are hard to stop!  Like the Energizer Bunny they just keep going and going- even if that “going” is a slow decline.  Of course, healthy congregations that are growing and thriving also have an institutional momentum that helps sustain their work.

Transformation is all about change.  A congregation with a positive transformational momentum isn’t static just doing the same things over and over; but it is developing with new initiatives, new approaches, new ideas even as it finds ways to show honor and dignity to the people and programs of the past and present. A congregation (or any ministry) with a positive transformational momentum is making a sustained impact in its community and world with the word and deed of the gospel.

Ministry is exciting when the momentum is growing - the degree to which our ministries increase in transformational fruitfulness (the degree to which we are making a helpful difference in people’s lives as they grow in the image of Jesus) and missional momentum (the degree to which we are reaching people in our community and world with the word and deed of the gospel).

By the way, institutional momentum can work against transformational momentum, and it can work for it.  If the organization, be it congregation, individual ministry, or denominational judicatory, is stuck in neutral, committed to maintaining its present structure and approaches, then little that is genuinely transformational and missional in focus is likely to germinate.  On the other hand, the institutional momentum sustains “transformissional” momentum once a ministry:

• embraces the transformational and the missional, 
• has permission-giving leadership,  
• desires to change lives, 
• vision to engage its world, and 
• the missional and transformational focus is part of the DNA of the leadership and structure of the organization.  

The door to new adventure stays open!

Some questions to consider:

What is the nature of your ministry’s momentum - increasing, declining, staying the same?

What is the result of that momentum in the lives of people?

With Joy - E. Stanley Ott