Breaking out of our silos

Does your church tend to operate in silos?  You know, do the trustees do their thing, missions another, and the youth area still another?  Even though they’re all a part of the same church with the same mission, does each area function independently?

Well, I was at First United Methodist Church of Valparaiso, Indiana, last Saturday and the church was observing the global “Change the World” movement by preparing meals for the hungry through the organization Kids Against Hunger.  Over two hundred people, working in two shifts, prepared over 40,000 meals at the church that day!

What’s this have to do with breaking down silos?  The church’s senior pastor, Dr. Jacob Williams, Jr., explained to me that the ingredients and shipping expenses for the meals were being covered through a grant from a special benevolent fund the church had established.  The hitch, however, was that in order for a ministry area in the church to apply for this grant, it had to find at least two other non-related ministry areas to join them in their cause.  As a result, silos were being breached, the church’s ministries were working together, and amazing things were happening.

How might your church break out of its tendency to do ministry in silos?  Figure that out and it may just help your church change the world, just as First UMC was last Saturday.

– Ed Fenstermacher

 

An effective vision paints a picture

“First Church will reach and disciple children and their families.”  Or ”Children will drag their parents to First Church where Christ becomes their best friend.”  Two vision statements.  Which one paints a better picture in your mind’s eye?  An effective vision does just that, it paints a picture of a future reality God is drawing it toward.

This week I have experienced two Indiana United Methodist churches that have effectively done just that.  One is Bremen UMC that distilled its wordy vision down to the image to the left.  In the matter of an image and a few words, this vision simply, but powerfully, conveys the church’s dream to connect with those in its community by going to them by building bridges linking them and Christ.

Another church’s vision is actually vividly expressed through its newly remodeled gym.  Aldersgate UMC, in Fort Wayne, is putting the finishing touches on a space that recreates London’s Aldersgate Street.

The church’s Director of Children’s Ministry, Joan Schell, says its more than simply a place for children’s ministry.  It’s a multi-generational space that is being used by the entire congregation.  Throughout the room are hidden tiny hearts–a reminder of John Wesley’s heart-warming experience which occurred at a prayer meeting off Aldersgate Street–which serve as a subtle reminder of God’s love for us and our response of love back to God and others.

So is your vision painting pictures at your church?  If not, what can you do to make it more visual?  Why is this so important?  Because truly a picture can paint a thousand words.  In fact, words can even move mountains–especially when they come in the form of a vision from God.

– Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

Making the Kingdom tangible!

The book Tangible Kingdom:  Creating Incarnational Community, by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, one of the authors shares about his encounter with a woman on an airplane.  Being a Christian and a pastor, he was ready to share his faith with the woman but first asked her to share a little about her life.  She explained that she was a biologist who had been working on a cure for AIDS for 14 years. She began her work because many of her friends had died from the disease.

She went on to talk about the community she was a part of.  ”Everyone I work with is like family.  Almost all of us share a real passion for our purpose together, join hands and pray to our benevolent God for his help in finding a cure.  They’re both my co-laborers and my spiritual family.  If all I had was them, that’s all I will ever need.”

The author said for the first time in his life he didn’t have any thing to offer the woman.  Then she asked him what he did for a living.  When he told her he was a pastor, he writes:  ”She gently reached down, grabbed both my hands, looked me right in the eyes, and said, ‘Oh, I’m sure that must be hard to do.  I’ve never found anything attractive about any church or Christians I’ve ever met.  I will pray for you.’  And then she recited some Celtic blessing over me that sounded like it came straight from the very mouth of Saint Patrick.”

The book points out that one out of every three adults in America, according to recent Barna research, is like this woman–unchurched.  Furthermore, “roughly half of all churches in America did not add one new person through conversion growth last year.”  In fact, in America “it takes the combined effort of eight-five Christians working over an entire year to produce one convert.”

The attractional model of church, that is so familiar to so many of us, is not going to reach these persons, rather it will take a more incarnational approach–one described in the book.

So to all of you whose heart aches for the growing numbers of people who have no interest in the institutional church, I encourage you to read this book and consider how you might apply it in your life.  Happy reading!

– Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

“Powers of this dark world”

I tend to be a pretty positive person and view the world as generally good. (See Genesis 1.)  Yet, events from this past week in Boston remind us that this isn’t always the case.  Man has the power to destroy God’s goodness.  (See Genesis 4.)   Paul, in Ephesians 6, also points to the fact that there are “powers of this dark world” and “spiritual forces of evil.”

This week I was with pastors of churches that are participating in the Fruitful Congregation Journey, and they described encountering these powers of darkness and evil within their own congregations.  One pastor said that it is as though a bucket brigade–members filled with negativity and criticism, spreading rumors and lies–is pouring water on the fire and passion that the Holy Spirit is raising up.

Some call this spiritual warfare.  I have found over the years that whenever a church is making a Kingdom difference, it comes under spiritual attack and it typically is attacked at its most vulnerable place.  That’s why Paul goes on to urge us to “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

These pastors suggested that we pray that God would bless the bucket brigade according to their deeds.  In Christ’s name, to reclaim them!  To change their hearts, or take them out.  Well, they were kind of joking at that last part; however, remember Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5).

They agreed that the way to fight darkness is to expose it to the light, to lift up the unhealthy behavior, to call it what it is and to make it clear that it is harmful to the body of the church and its mission.

They are developing member covenants that leaders will sign, covenanting to behave in ways that build up the body–talking face-to-face and not behind backs, disagreeing during discussions but then supporting decisions once they’re made, regularly praying, attending worship, etc.  One pastor said, that dealing with those who break such covenants requires a pastor to strike the right balance between confrontation and grace.

So, put on the full armor of God, seek counsel from trusted friends, pray, and call on the name of Jesus Christ to cast the demons out.  My prayers are with all of you who are fighting such battles.  May God continue to sustain you and guide you.  Remember, you’re not alone!

– Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

Study points to what makes a vital church

The General agencies of The United Methodist Church recently conducted a study, entitled “Toward Vitality Research Project,” to determine what contributes to developing vital churches.  The study points to three key elements:  a pastor not afraid to lead, laity who will partner as a team with the pastor, and a God-led purpose or vision.

The study also indicated two specific types of attitude adjustments as change agents:

(1) moving from inward thinking and programming (it’s about our needs) to more outward thinking and programming (it’s about how God uses us in our community); and similarly, (2) the shift from making good “church members” (our pastor serves us) to making disciples of Jesus Christ (we work together in mission and ministry to serve others).

The study goes on to summarize six key findings:

Vision and Purpose offer a consistent focus for change experiences within congregations. Discerning a vision together through prayer and Bible study seems to be particularly powerful.

Clergy Leadership is an impetus for change, in that the desire for change often comes through the clergy leader, often at the beginning of a new appointment.

Lay Leadership is the hands and feet of change. Only when laity feel inspired, empowered, and connected to a sense of call will change really occur.

Overcoming Obstacles is the hard work of change. Employing a strategy to overcome obstacles is an important part of the work of clergy and lay leaders. Obstacles provide an opportunity for leaders to be proactive rather than reactive.

Spiritual Disciplines are the motivators for change. The discovery of God’s purposes through prayer and Bible study and other means of grace move congregations toward change.

Resources provide an opportunity to find help for change. There is no one right answer that will fit every congregation. Resources are as varied as congregations are varied, but some resources were reported consistently.

The Indiana Conference offers a local-church process, called the Fruitful Congregation Journey (FCJ), to help churches more effectively carry out the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  This process reflects the discoveries from the above study and, thus, helps churches become more vital.

Enrollment is now going on for this fall’s FCJ Step 1.  Interested Indiana United Methodist churches can contact their Church Development staff person or District Superintendent for more information about participating in the next group of churches beginning the process.

– Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director for Church Development

 

Children shouting in the temple

As I was reading scripture this Easter season, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before.  According to the Gospel of Matthew, after Jesus’ initial entry into Jerusalem on Holy Week, he  immediately goes into the temple and overturns the tables of the money changers and dove sellers.  Now, I already knew that, but then Matthew goes on to say that the children were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” and the chief priests and teachers of the law “were indignant.”

I was just talking with two pastors yesterday over this very issue–children dancing in church.  They are pastors at a church–Lamb’s Chapel UMC–where their children have, without any prompting from adults, become a part of the church’s worship each week.

During communion, the children come forward, standing to one side of the table.  After the people take communion they then bless the children giving them hugs and pats on the head.  During the church’s last hymn, the children rush to the front of the church and dance and sing with the pastors.  When one of the pastors gives the benediction, raising his (or her) hands, all the children raise their hands too.  The children bless the people in the pews.  When faced with the question on Palm Sunday, “What should we do with the palms?” the pastors said, “Just give them to the children and have them do what they do every week.”

Now a church could be like those religious temple-folk on Palm Sunday who were “indignant,” but this church loves children, including those in the local mobile home park, those that make noise, those that act like kids.  The children love to worship Christ and, without even knowing it,  set an example for all the other worshipers.  Palm Sunday every Sunday!

What about at your church?

– Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director for Church Development

Is the UMC entering a period of renewal?

A UM seminary student, and friend of mine, Debbie Smith, shared the following quote with me this week:

“The history of Methodism, therefore, is a cycle of successful mission movements followed by institutionalization, followed by rebellions against institutionalization in the name of renewing the mission.”  (Oxford Handbook Chapter 25 by Dana L. Robert and Douglas D. Tzan pg. 436)

Then she asked me if I thought we are currently in the “renewing the mission” phase of the cycle?

How would you answer her?

I would hope that we’re moving to a period of renewing the  mission.  A lot of the work Church Development is doing (Fruitful Congregation Journey and church planting) is trying to help that to happen, but I think it’s too soon to say if a new period of renewal is emerging.

For that to happen we will need to place our mission–to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world–as our sole focus.  We’ll need to let go of our personal preferences and passionately pursue all we need to do in order to fulfill our mission even though it will mean change!

We as a conference will need to not simply tolerate but even defer to apostolic leaders–those focused on reaching persons uninterested in our institutional churches–to lead the way.  This won’t be easy because most of us aren’t comfortable with apostolic leaders.  They think differently; their bias is never maintenance; their priorities aren’t sustaining the status quo.

We may even need to bend the rules at times (new wineskins?)  Is this possible in the UMC?For example, the leader of our only chartered Hispanic church recently pointed out that in his culture it is necessary that anyone planting a church must carry the title “pastor” no matter whether or not they are officially credentialed.  Without that title, people won’t take him/her seriously.  What do we do with that reality?  We have Hispanic projects popping up all over the state, yet we don’t have enough apostolic Hispanic pastors in our conference. So do we wait until we get persons credentialed and miss the opportunities that God seems to be calling us to?  Or do we permit lay persons under the supervision of elders to carry the title “pastor” in their ministry context.  What do we do?

How we respond in to such situations will likely determine whether we truly are entering the “renewing of the mission” phase in the cycle Debbie cited.  This Easter season I pray that we’ll be sold out to Christ and His mission.  Let’s do whatever God requires and do it with the same boldness as John Wesley, Francis Asbury and our circuit-riding  predecessors!

– Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director for Church Development