Friday, November 23, 2007
Review
Bob Roberts has some good review material for end of the year evaluation of your ministry here
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Assimilation Plan
Does this have an order for depth? Do you start in one "circle" and go toward the "middle"? Should it?
1. Following Jesus - Weekly communion on Sunday morning. Hmmm... This seems weak. Make the point in each monthly sermon topic that the appropriate response is to follow Jesus and point to where he leads. This is helpful. Also the prayer side of things will always lead them to "Follow Jesus." Does this permeate everything we do? Yes, and it should. This element will be found in everything we do and won't be a separate piece except for the foundation of communion as a calling to Christ, not just to worship Him, but to make Him a part of you.
2. Studying Scripture - The word studying seems inappropriate. Bathe in Scripture. How about Meditate upon Scripture? Each month, the congregation will be given a portion of Scripture to read for the month, maybe 4 to 12 chapters. Very doable. The sermons will be based out of these sermons. Twice a month, a home gathering will spend some time fielding a discussion about the text. Questions not answerable at the first home meeting will come back to me and will be rediscussed at the second home meeting. I may give them a chapter checklist and the opportunity to turn them on (perhaps anonymously) for accountability.
3. ... I'll have to finish this later.
1. Following Jesus - Weekly communion on Sunday morning. Hmmm... This seems weak. Make the point in each monthly sermon topic that the appropriate response is to follow Jesus and point to where he leads. This is helpful. Also the prayer side of things will always lead them to "Follow Jesus." Does this permeate everything we do? Yes, and it should. This element will be found in everything we do and won't be a separate piece except for the foundation of communion as a calling to Christ, not just to worship Him, but to make Him a part of you.
2. Studying Scripture - The word studying seems inappropriate. Bathe in Scripture. How about Meditate upon Scripture? Each month, the congregation will be given a portion of Scripture to read for the month, maybe 4 to 12 chapters. Very doable. The sermons will be based out of these sermons. Twice a month, a home gathering will spend some time fielding a discussion about the text. Questions not answerable at the first home meeting will come back to me and will be rediscussed at the second home meeting. I may give them a chapter checklist and the opportunity to turn them on (perhaps anonymously) for accountability.
3. ... I'll have to finish this later.
Monday, November 19, 2007
The Internally Focused Church
The problem with the Externally Focused Church is infrastructure. We have to provide some infrastructure to help undiscipled people minister to the community.
It seems like Jesus had an Internally Focused Church. His focus was on the disciples, teaching them and giving them opportunity to minister outside of the group (externally). But Jesus seemed to focus on the infrastructure (discipleship) and the external outlet (ministry to the community) was the fruit of his discipleship.
Here are the core values of the Internally Focused Church.
1. Follow Jesus -- This is more than believe in Jesus. There are ample Scriptures that say you can believe in Jesus and yet be thrown out of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is alive and moving. You can't stand in one spot and follow Jesus. Jesus demonstrated this in following His Father. He spent time determining where His Father was moving and Jesus followed Him there.
2. _____________ Scripture -- I've left a blank for the right verb. It isn't study. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, with much to give us. It is however not a "Road Map" or "Instruction Booklet." If Rand-McNally put out a map in the same form as the Bible, they wouldn't sell any maps. The Bible is the story of humanity and God's struggle to save her despite her own efforts to destroy herself. While it is a literally true story, you can't begin to understand the Bible without understanding metaphor a device for understanding. Millions of Christians have been followers without being able to read or have access to the Bible, let alone the entire Bible. Yet the Bible must have a central place. We need to know the basic concepts and classic stories of the Bible. The Bible must become useful to us and this is not done by taking verses out of context and harping that if people only read it more. It is not a simple book. It is a complex book. Ever wonder why the pages are so thin? Because if the pages were normal thickness, you would need multiple volumes. And perhaps even, that is what God had in mind, rather than the idea that we have to hold the whole thing in one hand.
3. Making Disciples -- This is what God called the church to do, and this is where I have described four aspects of making disciples -- love God, love people, serve locally, and serve globally. But in the process the disciple has to become a discipler as well.
4. Continual Prayers -- Prayer must become a key component of our gatherings and of our daily lives.
For any movement to be organic, healthy, and multiplying, it has to be internally focused. The internal focus however can't be comfort for that stunts growth as well.
It seems like Jesus had an Internally Focused Church. His focus was on the disciples, teaching them and giving them opportunity to minister outside of the group (externally). But Jesus seemed to focus on the infrastructure (discipleship) and the external outlet (ministry to the community) was the fruit of his discipleship.
Here are the core values of the Internally Focused Church.
1. Follow Jesus -- This is more than believe in Jesus. There are ample Scriptures that say you can believe in Jesus and yet be thrown out of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is alive and moving. You can't stand in one spot and follow Jesus. Jesus demonstrated this in following His Father. He spent time determining where His Father was moving and Jesus followed Him there.
2. _____________ Scripture -- I've left a blank for the right verb. It isn't study. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, with much to give us. It is however not a "Road Map" or "Instruction Booklet." If Rand-McNally put out a map in the same form as the Bible, they wouldn't sell any maps. The Bible is the story of humanity and God's struggle to save her despite her own efforts to destroy herself. While it is a literally true story, you can't begin to understand the Bible without understanding metaphor a device for understanding. Millions of Christians have been followers without being able to read or have access to the Bible, let alone the entire Bible. Yet the Bible must have a central place. We need to know the basic concepts and classic stories of the Bible. The Bible must become useful to us and this is not done by taking verses out of context and harping that if people only read it more. It is not a simple book. It is a complex book. Ever wonder why the pages are so thin? Because if the pages were normal thickness, you would need multiple volumes. And perhaps even, that is what God had in mind, rather than the idea that we have to hold the whole thing in one hand.
3. Making Disciples -- This is what God called the church to do, and this is where I have described four aspects of making disciples -- love God, love people, serve locally, and serve globally. But in the process the disciple has to become a discipler as well.
4. Continual Prayers -- Prayer must become a key component of our gatherings and of our daily lives.
For any movement to be organic, healthy, and multiplying, it has to be internally focused. The internal focus however can't be comfort for that stunts growth as well.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
First Disciples
A key to the whole process must be the selection of the first disciples. They must consider themselves conduits. They must be "Pass it along" people, as well as Spiritually deep people.
I've had some requirements running around in my head.
1. Wanting to go deeper in their relationship with God.
2. Willing to meet with me for an hour a week. Ideally with the rest of the "First disciples," but due to horrible time restrictions on people's schedules, this may have to be one-on-one, but if twelve could be chosen (not possible at first), then you could have two or three groups. Perhaps this should be the limit of a church -- twelve functioning elders. Jesus didn't have more than twelve. So then you have to add complexity to your structure to disciple more and more people. Instead, perhaps you should daughter a church at this point, with one of your elders possibly starting the new church.
3. Willing to commit to the discipleship process, which will take them through the four aspects of discipleship, studying the classic texts, working on the monthly projects in some capacity.
4. Willing to gather others in their homes twice a month to extend the process.
5. Take an elders test that I found with the Great Commission. I took this test in one church. The Great Commission only allows men as elders, which I will allow women. And the test isn't a pass/fail. I was told if I don't show any problems on the test, I'm probably not transparent or outright lying. It shows a disciple where he/she needs to grow, and could in the process show that they shouldn't be in leadership at this time. You have to have a password to look at their resources.
6. Willing to participate in monthly projects, bringing others from their group with them.
7. Willing to participate in functions either on Sunday morning or a Quarterly gathering to be available to meet people who might like to participate in their bi-monthly home group.
This is an area I have failed. I haven't made a list of requirements and held anyone to it. I'm assuming this should be my #1 priority. It was certainly Jesus' #1 priority.
I've had some requirements running around in my head.
1. Wanting to go deeper in their relationship with God.
2. Willing to meet with me for an hour a week. Ideally with the rest of the "First disciples," but due to horrible time restrictions on people's schedules, this may have to be one-on-one, but if twelve could be chosen (not possible at first), then you could have two or three groups. Perhaps this should be the limit of a church -- twelve functioning elders. Jesus didn't have more than twelve. So then you have to add complexity to your structure to disciple more and more people. Instead, perhaps you should daughter a church at this point, with one of your elders possibly starting the new church.
3. Willing to commit to the discipleship process, which will take them through the four aspects of discipleship, studying the classic texts, working on the monthly projects in some capacity.
4. Willing to gather others in their homes twice a month to extend the process.
5. Take an elders test that I found with the Great Commission. I took this test in one church. The Great Commission only allows men as elders, which I will allow women. And the test isn't a pass/fail. I was told if I don't show any problems on the test, I'm probably not transparent or outright lying. It shows a disciple where he/she needs to grow, and could in the process show that they shouldn't be in leadership at this time. You have to have a password to look at their resources.
6. Willing to participate in monthly projects, bringing others from their group with them.
7. Willing to participate in functions either on Sunday morning or a Quarterly gathering to be available to meet people who might like to participate in their bi-monthly home group.
This is an area I have failed. I haven't made a list of requirements and held anyone to it. I'm assuming this should be my #1 priority. It was certainly Jesus' #1 priority.
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