Better Than One

I was visiting last week with David Tucker at Sherman BC and he mentioned he was reading “essential church?” by Thom and Sam Rainer.  In trying to keeping high school students in church, he takes time during his Sunday sermon to walk in front of them and relate some part of his sermon to them.  That is not hard to do but how many pastors are speaking every Sunday to their students. 

 Have you read “essential church”?  Many churches want to keep and find young adults for their congregation.  Based on research conducted by LifeWay Christian Resources, the nationwide survey of more than 1000 young adults uncovered another ominous trend:  fading percentages of church attendance among young demographics.  From 50% among pre-World War II builders, the number sinks to 34%for “busters” born 1964 and ‘77, and 29% for “bridgers” (1977-94). ” These numbers have remained the same as each generation gets older.”  says, Thom Rainer.  “So we eo have a little bid of a crisis.  We’re losing our young adults.”

Importance of Small Groups  – One prescription the associate pastor of a Florida church outlined is small groups.  Whether that means cell groups, Bible studies or Sunday school, he pints out that 83% of those involved in a small group are still in church five years after joining.  Among those who only attend Sunday services, the retention rate drops to 16%.

Why They Leave 

• They simply wanted a break from church
• Left for college or had work responsibilities
• Don’t feel connected to people there
• They disagreed with the church’s stance on political or social issues
• They decided to spend more time with friends outside the church

Start by simplifying

• Simplify the path members can follow to discipleship – Ministry Blueprint:  What is your church going to do to help people become more like Christ?
• Your purpose/mission statement must be clear
• Alignment or getting everyone  on board with the same process
• Focus – Eliminating outdated committees or programs

Ed Stetzer has written a good young adult book entitled “Lost and Found”  His research team surveyed almost 200 church to search for trends and found these common characteristics:

1. Creating Deeper Community
2. Making a Difference through Service
3. Experiencing Worship
4. Leveraging Technology
5. Building Cross-Generational Relationships
6. Moving Toward Authenticity
7. Leading by Transparency
8. Leading by Team

One other excellent resource is “in real time” by Mike Glenn, pastor of Brentwood BC in Nashville area.  He decribes how his church created Kairos, a young adult worship ministry.  Kairos means “appropriate time” or “fullness of time.”  Kairos describes the right time to tell the punch line of a joke or the right time to pick a piece of fruit from the tree.  Kairos, the young adult worship experience on Tuesday night, is about creating that right moment for someone to encounter the risen Christ.  Take time to read this jouney of young adults who have reached the Nashville community.

Please don’t spuander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.  God reminds us, “I heard your call in the nick of time;  The Day you needed me, I was there to help.”  Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. 

- 2 Corinthians 6:1-2  The Message

John Ryder is the new DOM at Boones Creek Baptist  Association .  Boones Creek Assoc. owns a camp that connects to youth, children, and churches.  John recently asked the questions, ”Why do we have a camp every year?  Why do we go though the work and worry?”  So he started to check records.  He found the following:

“Summer 1954 Boones Creek opened for the first time.  In the 56 years since then, there are records for the number of campers for 42 of the 56 years in the association minutes.  The other 14 years they had camp but didn’t recored the numbers.  There were 350 – 600 campers each summer.

Salvation Decisions:  1,951, an average of 46 per year for the 42 years.  Re-dedications were almost the same numbers.

Each camp session offers a week of intense Bible study, fun and games.  There are a total of 4 weeks of association camps divided by age groups.  A different Boone’s Creek Baptist Associaion pastor serves as camp pastor each week.  They preach a sermon to the campers each night.  They were and are the pastors fortunate enough to have lead the 1,951 young people to Christ.

Young people have accepted the call to youth ministry while working as staff at the camp.  Young people have accepted the call to preach while at the camp.  The staff undergoes an intense interview process and background check before they can work with the children.  They are also trained on the Child Protectiopn Plan and the Emergency Plan.  The staff for the most part were campers at one time.”

When I was in my first church, my pastor thought every child needed to have a camping experience.  So we offered a children’s camp at Montgomery Bell State Park in TN.  It is so important to strengthen families, help children become independent, learn to get along with other children, obey leaders, and listen to God.

I’ve heard Ed Young, Jr. talk about how his mom and dad encouraged him to attend camp.  He said it had such an impact on his life and future.

Kentucky Baptist Convention sponsors two state camps.  Cedarmore Camp is at Bagdad and Jonathan Creek Camp is at Hardin   Both have conference centers.  You can find information on the KBC website.

Camp or No Camp?  And the answer is CAMP!

I really do not like conflict at church, work, or home.  But being involved in all three, I realize that you cannot avoid conflict in any ongoing situation.  You can be careful and not step on hidden mines but eventually one will get you.  How do you handle conflict?  Do you enjoy conflict?  I have been with people at work, church and couples in  marriage who delight being involved in conflict.  Some times we get touched or drawn into their mess.

In the Leadership Team at Kentucky Baptist Convention, we have great, prepared, and experienced leaders who will provide conflict resolution with your congregation.  It takes time, energy, and willingness to put everything on the table and have a third party assist you in looking and listening to yourself.  It is not an easy process.  Karl Babb can assist you in this area.

Have you thought about being conflict proactive with your congregation.  Instead of reacting to conflict in the body, why not better prepare your people to handle conflict.  When I supervised other staff members, I always discussed conflict in our initial meeting.  I told them we would have conflict at some point or other so I wanted them to know how we could approach conflict with each other.  In the first 6 weeks at a church, I think the pastor should have a conflict sermon.  If you are beyond that early stage, preach a conflict sermon once every year.  It could help your people better  relate and love each other.

Most congregations and people want to use Matthew 18:15-19 as the foundation to handle conflict in the body, but I think Matthew 18:20-21 does a better job at simplifying what is needed to resolve conflict.  Forgiveness is at the heart of moving beyond conflict to unity.  Many other scriptures talk about right Christian attitudes that we need to present and shared.  The body is a family of God that needs to be transparent to the community.  They do not need to be called dysfunctional and a congregation that is always arguing. 

Three G’s for Confrontation

1. Glorify God(I Cor. 10:31)  You can glorify God even in the midst of conflict.  “How can I please and honor the Lord in this situation?”
2. Get the log out of your own eye (Matt. 7:5)  Before you confront, ask yourself if you have a critical, negative, or overly sensitive attitude that has led to unnecessary conflict.
3. Gently Restore(Gal. 6:1)  Remember to:  Pray for humility and wisdom – Plan your words carefully – Choose the right time and place – Ask for feedback form the other person and listen carefully – Recognize your limits (only God can change people)  Rom. 12:18,  2 Tim. 2:24-26  Condensed from “The Four G’s” found on www.PeaceMaker.net

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”  Phil. 2:5

It’s not too late to start thinking about starting some new Sunday School classes, units, small groups, or branches.  One of the best guarantees for Sunday School growth is new units.  “If we always do what we ‘ve always done, we’ll always be what we’ve always been.” 

Virgil Grant at Eastside BC in Richmond mentioned in an e-mail that he wanted to start 20 more small groups this summer.  That got my attention!  He has campus small groups (SS) and community small groups.  His church understands  the difference.  Virgil’s church has moved from being Attractive to being Missional and now they are moving to become Incarnational.  Eric Swanson and Rick Rusaw have written a new outward focused book called:  “Quest:  Becoming the Best Church for the Community”.  Quest explains the Attractive – Missional – Incarnational process.

As I met with Bill Page at Crittenden BC, he stated four new classes that have pushed his Sunday School attendance from 100 to 120, a 20% change.  Starting new classes has not been easy but Bill has stayed committed to it.

Darrell Wilson, our KBC Sunday School director, has a blog:  Sunday School Revolutionary!   He has many entries that relate to starting new classes or units.  When our team went to Real Life Ministries in ID, we found them continually starting new small groups and they call it “branching” from John 15.

Starting – birthing – branching:  No matter what you call it, it is time to Just Do It!

Isaiah 54:2:  “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.”