Getting off of the RoundaboutA Reality Check 101 Workshop

by Bill Kemp

What shall we say the kingdom of God is

like, or what parable shall we use to

describe it?

It is like an itty bitty acorn

(Bill’s translation)

Yet when planted, it grows and becomes a

mighty oak, with such big branches that the

birds can perch in its shade.”

Jesus says:

Useless to Useful

What do we need to be useful?

a heart

Bacon

a braincourage

The Yellow Brick road was:

Before 1950:

promoting your denomination’s Theology

Before 1980:

having a Program for everyone

Today:

doing what you are Called to do

The Roundabout

Enter

here

Best

Road

Lovely Heart

Highway

Tomorrowland Pike

Chapel Road

The Roundabout

The church

can...

✤Take pride in its Legacy

✤Change to be Authentic for the next

generation

✤Love like Jesus

✤Strive for Quality

Play the hand you have

been dealt

Exit 1: Chapel Lane

This slow meandering path leads

you towards fixing your building(s)

and caring for your members.

Legacy (Hospice) ChurchesShift focus from

building as idol to

building as gift

Look for ways to

balance care for

current members with

wise stewardship of

kingdom resources

Stop looking for savior

and start looking for

wilderness guide

New poorly marked road is headed

towards doing the things that will

attract the next generation to church.

Exit 2: Tomorrow Land Pike

Ordained Expert

Material Concerns

Hierarchy

Friends

Relationships

Networks

Friends, Relationships, Networks

“The more you see how strangely Nature behaves, the harder it is to make a model that explains how even

the simplest phenomena actually work. So [we’ve] given up on that.” -Richard Feynman

A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A

great hockey player plays where the puck is going to

be.” - Wayne Gretzky

“Only an idiot would chase what used to be...

Toll road; you must be willing to spend

time and money to help others.

Exit 3: Loving Heart Highway

What local issues and

needs is your church called

to respond to?

Today, all evangelism

is need-based

Some churches merge exits two and three

Exit 4: Best Road

Standing out from the crowd

by being the best in your region

This expressway leads the church into the

marketplace, where you will advertise the one or

two things that you do better than other churches

in the region.

Search: Bradford, Pa Churches

Church leaders must ask:

“Why would someone drive by other

churches to come to ours?”

Churches don’t die by losing members

Spiritual Passion is the product of people

Praying (and expecting results), studying

the Bible (and finding it relevant),

Witnessing with joy, and Worshiping in a

heartfelt way.

✤ Fellowship

✤ Prayer

✤ Study

✤ Mission/witness