How to rid the church of young people

The following is a tongue-in-cheek commentary from Ben Boruff, an active lay member of the Indiana Conference and a leader in the denomination.  You can read his entire article by going to UM Portal.  – Ed Fenstermacher

Here are Ben’s comments…

The following strategies should, if executed properly, help to permanently distance any aging church from young people. 

1) Bore young people with vague affection. Talk often about loving young people, but never let that love result in anything tangible. Occasionally, you may be tempted to verbally scorn young people and drive them from your halls with acolyte sticks and hymnals. Resist. Young people are resilient and stubborn, and antagonizing them may give them reason to advocate for change. Instead, pretend you love young people, and talk often about the excitement you feel when you see them on Sunday. But when they express needs or have ideas, ignore them. Eventually, young people will feel both loved and worthless, and the latter feeling will cause them to leave the church. 

2) Do not, under any circumstance, ask young people what they want. When asked what they want, young people often answer honestly. They don’t have the decency to hide desires behind fake smiles. If you ask what they want, they will expect you to give it to them. If young people are offered the worship and fellowship environments they want, they may flock to church. Better to restrict idea-giving to seniors. 

3) Refit traditional services with guitars and muffins, but change nothing else. “Contemporary” services can be created as halfhearted gestures to young people. Offering sugary food and upbeat music without asking young people what types of food and music they prefer is like giving a friend a ride without asking where he wants to go. 

4) Fill the church with references to past generations. Old paintings. Dated jokes. Allusions to cancelled television programs. Sermon illustrations that involve outdated technology. A barrage of generation-specific references will drive away even the most devout young person. 

5) Refuse to acknowledge today’s pop culture. Follow this rule: If you can’t say something bad, don’t say anything at all. Ignore Iron Man. Shun Sufjan Stevens. Avoid Apatow. Nix Nicki Minaj. Overlook online games. Forget Family Guy. 

6) Use the phrase “does not condone” as much as possible. These words are nails on a chalkboard to most young people. If you must choose between “We advocate for” and “We do not condone,” pick the latter every time. Condemnation is the Church’s youth repellent. 

7) Whenever possible, remind young people that they are, indeed, young people. Sometimes youth must be reminded that they are not high on the Christian hierarchy. Mention how happy you are that someone of “their age” wants to be involved. Like dulling a work of art with camera flashes, overemphasizing a young person’s age can ruin her or his spark. 

8) Be unapologetically nostalgic. Talk often about when things were better, the days when the birds sang and politicians had class. As we know, the circumstances in which young people are immersed offer nothing good. Speak nostalgically often enough, and young people will see the church for what it rightfully is—a time capsule. 

These guidelines will help any church rid itself of young people. Feel free to share them with mission teams, book clubs and church choirs. But please move quickly. If I’m going to leave the church someday, I’d rather leave now and give myself time to find a more welcoming community. 

Ben Boruff, a senior at Indiana University, is a member of the UMC’s Connectional Table and served on the Call to Action Steering Committee.  He is active in the Indiana Conference.

Small church moving to former car dealership

“Mr. Angel, tear down this wall!”  That was the clarion call when Jack Angel, the patriarch of Black’s Chapel UMC in Mount Vernon, wielded a large sledgehammer to demolish a solid block wall.  That wall was located in a recently purchased building that is being re-purposed by the members of Black’s Chapel. 

 The building is a 19,200 sq. ft former car dealership that is being retrofitted for worship.  The new facility at 1800 West 4^th Street represents a quantum leap from the current tiny country church.  In fact, our current church building is so small that in 2003, we had to move to the adjoining fellowship hall for worship.

 This move was not an easy thing to do since most of the seasoned members have emotional connections to the chapel.  Those connections are deep and include life events and much sweat equity.

 For the past 10 years, Pastor Lester Howard has led the congregation on a difficult journey of growth, both spiritual and in number, urging the body of believers to move to a more visible location.  With much consternation, the  congregation first purchased land on the east side of town and planned to build a new sanctuary but God, who moves in mysterious ways, lit a path to another new site in a very prominent location. 

 Subsequently, the glass showroom sanctuary is scheduled to be opened April 8, 2012 – Easter!  Pastor Howard was presented with a plaque stating that the sanctuary in the new church will be dedicated in his honor.

 When Jack Angel helped in tearing down that wall, he was also tearing down generational walls.  One of the older members remarked, “We see you working hard on the new church.  Now you know what we did and how we feel.”  All the members of this tiny congregation are excited and agree that this move is going to lead to good things.  In fact, just from the visible activity at the new site, we have acquired several new friends that have joined our worship service.

 Another added benefit with purchasing such a large property with more space and buildings than we currently need, was the opportunity to help another Christian organization, Young Life.  We have given them the use of a separate building (formerly the Body Shop), which they are renovating and using rent free.

Written by Don Viviano, member of Black’s Chapel UMC

Non-Christmas Eve service for kids worked well!

Most of us in church work have already turned our attention to how we will observe the season of Lent.  Before we completely say good-bye to the Christmas season, take time to reflect on what seemed to work well for you this past year and what you would change. 

Share your thoughts here by posting to the bottom of this article.  Here’s a reflection from the pastor of a church that decided to hold its Christmas Eve service for children the week prior to Christmas…

I was frustrated with our schedule of Christmas eve (8:00 p.m.) and Christmas day (10 a.m.) services this [past] year, especially in regards to young families. Christmas eve is a busy night for families and whenever we offered the service it was going to be ‘wrong” for many young families. (i.e. in conflict with various family plans). Christmas day at 10:00? Not a good time with children. (Perhaps Suzanna Wesley could have gathered the family around but for the rest of us mere mortals… not gonna happen.)

 I expressed my frustration to a young father, Mike, who pretty bluntly said, he and his family would not be available for either service. My comment was “I think Christmas eve is probably the worst time for a Christmas eve service anyway for a young family.”

 We brainstormed. What about a family style, non-traditional Christmas eve service the Sunday before Christmas at 6:00 p.m.? Informal service, youth group kids singing solos, preschool kids sharing a brief Christmas carol, the Christmas story read to the children from a children’s picture book at the feet of “Grandpa Mike” in a rocking chair, a carol or two, a procession to the fellowship hall for birthday cake for Jesus and some carols as a group. AND everyone would be on their way by 7:00 p.m. since the next day was a school day.

 It as worth a try, right?

 The evening came. We had no clue who might come and how many. Not wanting to be depressed I didn’t really peek to see the “crowd” (20 or 30?) until a couple of minutes before 6:00. About 150 people, among them 30+ kids under 5 years old came up to sit with “Grandpa Mike” to hear the story! It actually felt a little “crowded”. Almost all of them stayed for cake and carols.

 – Rev. Chris Danielson, First United Methodist Church, LaGrange, IN

New Hispanic church plant launching

Last week I mentioned a new church planting effort in the City of Gary.  Nearby, the Indiana Conference–in partnership with First United Methodist Church in Hammond–is launching a new Hispanic United Methodist Church called Iglesia Torre Fuerte (Strong Tower Church).  The church is being planted by Esequiel & Suri Becerra and is now meeting in the chapel of First UMC. 

Last November, the Becerras and twenty others who are apart of the congregation became members of First UMC.  Eventually, however, the new Hispanic congregation may become a separate chartered United Methodist Church.  Within five miles of the church there are 50,000 Hispanic individuals!  This is the highest concentration of Hispanics in the entire Indiana Conference.

The project has received a $110,000 Church Development grant, which will be paid out over two years.  Rev. Sergio Reyes, from the conference Church Development staff, is serving as the Becerra’s coach.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE BECERRAS!  Last week, Pastor Esequiel Becerra’s health mysteriously began to fail and he in now in a hospital in Chicago.  Pray for his complete healing.  Pray for Suri and their family too… 

– Ed Fenstermacher

New Indiana UM churches being launched

Exciting news!  The Indiana Conference is launching two new United Methodist churches.  

Gary UM Plant  –  One is being started in the City of Gary in the North District.  It is being led by Rev. David McLin, who had pastored Gary Fifth Ave. UMC a few years ago.  David is a full-time public school teacher and will be working the next six months on developing the foundation for the new church.  He is being coached by Rev. Candace Lewis, a UM church planter and consultant with our denomination’s Path One church-planting effort.

According to MissionInsite data, 86,000 people are living in the City of Gary.  On any given weekend last year, however, only 0.25% of the population (just over 200) people were worshiping in one of the four Gary United Methodist churches in the city.  In comparison, UMCs are reaching 4.0% of the population living in South Bend.  

The conference has talked about starting a new church in Gary since 1980.  In 2008, foundational work was begun.  In 2010, Lennie Hawkins–a laywoman from Gary Christ UMC–initiated a prayer effort to undergird the effort.  A meeting was held that same year with the area church pastors and laity.  This past year God led Rev. McLin to us.  An initial plan was developed, and the Conference Church Development Team agreed to provide a six-month $30,000 grant to fund the first phase of development. 

We know many have been praying for this effort.  Please continue!  Pray for Rev. McLin and the other Gary UM churches.  May God reach many unchurched persons with the Good News of Jesus Christ as a result of this new church plant and our other churches’ efforts.

Next week, I’ll be sharing an article about our other new-church plant that will be targeting Hispanics in the city of Hammond.  — Ed Fenstermacher

New Johnson County UMC plant needs your help

    One of the Indiana Conference’s newest church plants–The Grove United Methodist Church–is getting ready to launch weekly public worship in January.  Its pastor, Rev. Tony Johnson, needs your help.  (See his message below.) 

If you can attend the church’s new worship services, they will be held each week at 10:30am.  At the least, let’s all keep this church and Tony in our prayers in the coming days and weeks.  Pray that God will move in the hearts of many who are in need of a new church home and that they’ll respond to The Grove’s invitations!  — Ed Fenstermacher

Message from Rev. Tony Johnson…

Hello friend.

I pray that this message finds you well. I will be completely straight forward with my request. I would like to ask you for your help. I am not asking for money…so rest easy.

As you know…Melissa and I moved to the south side of Indianapolis in February to start a new church called The Grove. God has been very good to us in our efforts and we know that He will continue to do so. Our official launch season begins on January 1st. We are launching throughout January with a series called “Start Over”. We are so excited about this series and look forward to building positive momentum throughout the month. This is where I ask you for your help.

A large part of building momentum is simply having as many people in worship as possible in January. We are seeking to have 3 groups of people with us in worship. Group #1 are those people on our launch team. We have those. Group #2 are those who will be visiting The Grove as a guest. We will have them as well. Group #3 are those people we (myself and our launch team members) call friends. That is you.

My request is quite simple. Please join us in January for worship as often as you can. I am fully aware that some of you would have to travel a pretty good distance to worship with us so I understand if attending one time is all you can manage. We appreciate your support.

The Grove is reaching unchurched people for Jesus Christ and I never cease to be amazed at how He is using The Grove and the people at The Grove to further His name. On one level I am asking you to help me and my family start strong and establish security in our new community. On a greater level, I am asking you to be a part of starting a new church that will reach new people for Jesus Christ.

You can rest assured that every time you visit The Grove…you are building the Kingdom of God.

Please pay us a visit…or 5 throughout January and support this new movement of God in Center Grove/Greenwood, IN.

We need you to help ensure that The Grove starts strong. Please…no matter what your plans are…follow this link ( http://www.facebook.com/l/IAQHA6QVTAQEUBDKX6Zd4ZAqPmJ_QfhU-BWLTbYqLya_TUg/www.surveymonkey.com/s/RXYN3T2) and answer the simple 3 question survey. It will take you 2 short minutes (if that). Thank you for supporting The Grove and the movement of God on the south side of Indianapolis.

If you have any questions…please…by all means…email me at tony@thegrovechurch.tv or call me at 317-771-0664. I would be more than happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Our worship location is Maple Grove Elementary: 3623 W Whiteland Rd, Bargersville, IN 46106.

UM church planting increasing…again

There is a direct correlation between the number of churches planted and the growth of the United Methodist Church in Indiana.  During the 1800′s the predecessor denominations of the United Methodist Church planted churches at a rate manytimes higher than during the past century and decade.   And it was during that earlier period that the church in Indiana experienced its greatest growth and had the highest percentage of the population in its churches.

Thankfully there is a renewed commitment within our denomination and conference for church planting.  In fact, today I’ve been spending time on three new church-planting projects in the two districts that I serve–the North and Northeast.  There is a good chance all three will be launched this coming year, and more is happening elsewhere in Indiana–and also nationwide.  The following is an account from Path 1, which is the United Methodist denomination’s church-planting arm in the U.S. 

For over 15 years I’ve been praying for God to raise up a church-planting movement within Indiana and our churches.  Could it be that we’re beginning to see signs of such a day?  I invite you to join me in prayer–not simply so that we might once again be a growing institution, but so that those who haven’t heard the Good News of Jesus Christ might hear, be touched, discipled, and transformed!  May God’s Kingdom come and God’s will be done! 

– Ed Fenstermacher, Assoc. Director of Church Development, Indiana Conference

Statistical Update on Quadrennial Goals – July 15, 2011

Report from Rev. Gary A. Shockley, Executive Officer, Path 1 New Church Starts Division at GBOD

National Goals for the Denomination

The United Methodist Church established the following goals for this quadrennium related to new church development in the United States: 1,000 potential planters assessed and equipped; and 650 new churches planted by the end of 2012. This brief report answers two frequently asked questions:

1. “How many new churches has The United Methodist Church planted from 2008 to the present?

2. “How many potential planters has The United Methodist Church assessed and equipped from 2008 to the present?”

 How Many Churches?*

The United Methodist Church has planted 440 churches (of the projected goal of 650) in the United States sinceJanuary of 2008, which represents 58% growth over 2004-2007, when the denomination planted 278 churhes.  It is of interest to note (based on the most current GCFA and developer-confirmed data available) that the close ratefor new churches since 2008 has been 9% (or 39 of 440 churches).  That rate was 26%  (72 of 278 churches) forthe years 2004-2007, which means we are currently planting at a rate of 9.5 new churches per month (compared with 4.23 new church starts per month from 2004-2007).

*To accurately respond to this question our office reviewed information from several sources including GCFA, our 2007-2009 congregational developers’ surveys, information about new churches previously submitted for Path 1′s new church map, and our most recent query of annual conferences. As of this date (7-15-11) 75% of annual conferences have responded to our inquiry. As we receive more information we will update numbers accordingly.

 How Many Planters?  1332  (more than the projected 1,000) prospective planters have been assessed through Path 1′s online assessmenttools (English and Spanish) and through assessment processes in jurisdictions and annual conferences.

 854 potential planters have been equipped through a multitude of local, national, and regional training events (e.g., New Church Leadership Institute, School of Congregational Development, Lay Missionary Planting Network, etc.).

 What do the numbers suggest?  Following these trends we can surmise…  If nothing changes in our current planting rate (and based on our current rate reported – roughly 130 churches per year) we will plant somewhere between 500 and 550 new churches this quadrennium.  However, as we are nowworking in partnership with many annual conferences, helping them to develop more effective and culturally appropriate systems for new church development, we expect this rate to increase before the end of 2012.

Indiana Conference churches’ worship attendance trends

I recently analyzed our conference church statistics from 2010.  And discovered some interesting facts…

1. Nearly half our churches last year had fewer than 50 people in average weekly worship attendance.  Our media size was 52 people a week. 

2. Only 4% percent of our churches averaged more than 350 in weekly worship, yet a they accounted for one-third of our total worship attendance.

3. A third of our churches increased their worship attendance over the prior year.  There was a greater percentage of growing churches last year averaging between 50 and 350 than this same group had when compared to five years ago.  About the same percent of churches averaging under 50 and over 350 in weekly worship were growing last year as compared to five years ago.

 – Ed Fenstermacher

Baptisms: The Spirit moves within a church

The following account is shared by Rev. Barry Humble, pastor of Boehmer United Methodist Church.  Boehmer is a rural church in the Northeast District that averages around 50 people in worship each week.  Praise God for what is happening through their ministry!

“Three years ago a young lady, a 7th grader, came to me and said that she would like to be baptized…by immersion.  For a number of years my wife and I have hosted our Boehmer congregation at our home and pond with a “Tent Worship” and carry-in.  Meagan requested to be baptized in our pond.  I counselled with her and her parents and the day came.  It was a beautiful August Sunday and after worship we all moved to the water’s edge and began the service of Baptism.  This was my first immersion and I was touched by the Holy Spirit as was all in attendance.  The look on Meagn’s face when she came up out of the water was priceless.  People talked about that event for some time. 

“The next year three other young people came to me with the same request to be baptized in the pond.  Once again we counselled with them and their parents and the day came.  We moved into the water and after the last youth, I asked, “would there be anyone else who has felt the touch of the Holy spirit and would like to be baptized?”  There was a woman who was a guest of a member of the congregation stepped forward and said, “Yes!”  We baptized her as well.  This past August four people requested baptism, two youth, a father of three and an 88 years old woman.  Once again the church gathered at the water’s edge and four new witnesses were added to the Kingdom.”

What’s your church’s story?  Please share it!  — Ed (ed.fenstermacher@inumc.org)

A vital congregation is fruitful

Our denomination is launching a Vital Congregation initiative that is asking its churches to set specific goals in five key areas.  Before setting the goals, perhaps it would be helpful to consider just what a Vital Congregation is.  How would you define it?  The following is an article that Rev. Jeff Stiggens, Director of Congregational Excellence for the Florida Conference, recently posted on his blog site.  He kindly gave me permission to share it with you.  Feel free to respond with your insights.  

 – Ed Fenstermacher

A missionally vital congregation is a fruitful congregation. Jesus in John 15 makes it clear that fruitfulness is expected. Unfruitful branches are cut off. Fruitful branches are pruned so that they will bear more fruit. Obviously, fruitfulness is important to Jesus. So, what does it mean to be a fruitful congregation? 

We have been working through a definition for “missionally vital congregation.” In this post, we add the last of the four essential elements to the definition.

Lovett Weems and Tom Berlin recently published a book entitled: Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results.  They discuss three types of fruit that God desires from his people throughout the Biblical narrative. 

(1) An expansion of God’s Kingdom. God said to Abraham and Sarah that they would become the parents of a nation as plentiful as the stars in the sky. Similarly, Jesus said that we should, “Go and make disciples in every people group.” In Acts, as proof of the work of the Holy Spirit, Luke records how many people were added to the early church at Pentecost and that the Lord was adding to their number daily. God desires that the number of people who are God’s people should keep expanding until, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth . . . and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:11) A missionally vital congregation is reaching “more, younger and more diverse” people in our context. 

 

(2) Growth in godly character. God’s people are not in name only; we are called increasingly to reflect God’s nature and ways. The fruit of a life lived in walking obediently with the Lord is, among other things, that we bear in our lives the fruit of godliness (Psalm 1). Disciples are expected to become more like Jesus over the years: more forgiving, less willful, more compassionate, less grasping, more servant hearted. We should evidence the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:21-23)  A missionally vital congregation is one in which people are maturing spiritually. 

 

(3) Growth in mercy and justice. The litmus test for faithfulness in the Old Testament is often how God’s people treated the fatherless, foreigners and widows in their community. Jesus told the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. The distinguishing characteristic of the sheep was that they cared for Jesus by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and welcoming in the stranger. A missionally vital congregation is one that extends through their ministries God’s mercy and justice to those in need in their community and in the world. 

 

All three of these aspects of fruitfulness are implied when Jesus said in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” This fruitfulness is a reflection of the fulfillment of the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” It is a foretaste of the vision of the completion of God’s re-creative mission in history to bring about a “new heaven and new earth.” (Rev. 21). Vital, fruitful congregations make their contribution to God’s grand mission in history by joining with Jesus in ministry that bears fruit. 

 

As you think about your congregation, how do the stories of personal and community transformation as a result of your ministry reflect fruitfulness? How does your congregation’s Missional Vital Signs reflect your contribution to Jesus’ continuing Kingdom work?