Session 3Improving our Ministry 1

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and , lo, I am with you always, unto the end of the world. AmenMatthew 28:19,20

2

Change• Adapt• Adjust• Assist• Brighten • Develop• Enhance• Enrich• Freshen• Polish• Preserve• Strengthen

• Appropriate• Becoming• Befitting• Intentional• Proper• Sensitive• Suitable

3

New Since 1900

• Airplanes, air conditioners, animation, AIDS, birth control, computers, wireless phones,

• Dual-career couples, fast food, gene splicing, chemical warfare, home delivery, jets, shift in world powers, Israel in Palestine,

• Organ transplants, equality of minorities and women, legal abortion, microwaves, space travel,

• Credit cards, radar, subways, skyjacking, television, automobiles, World Wars, copy machines …

4

“Just after my dad turned ninety, I asked him how he’s managed to adapt to the bewildering blur of changes that he’s had to live through. ‘That’s easy,’ he said. ‘Just remember that it’s terribly important not to hang around ‘old people!’”Carl George Prepare Your Church for the Future p 25

Old does not have to refer to age.

5

Shift focus from “What will make our church grow?--What can I do to make changes?

To“What is keeping our church from growing?” --What is hindering God’s Holy Spirit from moving mightily in our congregation?

6

Prophetic Prayer

Enter into every endeavor with fervent prayer.

Change must be for a good reason.Never change for the sake of changing.

7

Objections

• We have always done it this way.• I like the hymns.• It’s too noisy for me to worship.• Someone is in my spot.• I have too much to clean up.• I don’t want to be in the nursery.• I, I, I, I…

8

• Recognize Movers and Blockers.• Empower Movers.• Tenderly care for Blockers.• Minimize loss.• Unchurched people bring challenges. These

are good challenges because these people are the ones who are hungering and thirsting for the life that only Christ can give.

9

“Many churches, wanting to be evangelistic, find that their bottleneck is neither lack of evangelistic desire nor an ability to attract newcomers. Instead, it is often the unwillingness of Christians to allow new people into their lives. Thus the issue that’s bigger and more important than getting people to come is that of accepting the people who do come, by making time for them in one’s day-to-day lifestyle.” --- Carl George The Coming Church Revolution p290

10

High Priest Bill Dodd put it bluntly that if we are unwilling to change our ways in order to accept and minister to people in their need then we are saying, “I would rather you go to hell than for me to change.”

11

What does a visitor experience when they come to your congregation?

• Are they welcomed before they enter, as they enter, at the end of the service, not at all?

• Do they easily know where to enter, where the restrooms are, where the nursery is?

• Are they recognized differently from everyone else?

• Can they remember everyone’s name?• Do you remember their name?• Do they know what book to sing from?• Do they feel pressure to contribute money? 12

What is their worship experience?

• Boredom?• Excitement?• Spiritual?• Confused?• Christ centered or church centered?• How can we make our services more inviting?

13

The Jethro Principle

• Exodus 18• Moses is overcome trying to handle all the

problems of all the people• His father-in-law, Jethro, proposes a system to help• Lay judges to each handling 10 families• More difficult cases move up the system to Moses • Results: People have their needs met effectively

14

Missionary Coordinator

(Coach)

Small Group Leader Small

Group Leader

Small Group Leader

Small Group Leader

Small Group Leader

15

Missionary Coordinator

55

1010 10 10

10

5

1010 10 10

10

5

1010 10 10

10

5

1010 10 10

10

5

1010 10 10

10

16

Small Group Ministry• If new people go into a small-cell group they attend 3

out of 4 Sunday services a month. Side door entry.• If not, they attend 1 out of 4• By the third year those who were not in a cell group

had completely left the church. In the front door—out the back door

• Before cell groups, Trinity Lutheran of Lisle, IL brought in 150 to 200 new people a year but never grew.

• Pastor Art Beyer says, “That has significantly changed now. Our attendance (950 now), our stewardship, and our assimilation all have increased because we’re able to retain these people through our cell-group ministry.” 17