God shows up at Christmas…

Faith United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne, where I’m a member, holds a “Food for the Soul” dinner church the 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays of each month.  The reason we hold them is two-fold:  To share Christ’s love with strangers and neighbors over a meal.  And, ultimately to create a faith community where people are growing in love with one another and Christ.  I invite you into last night’s meal…

• Forty people of all colors and ages.  Is that a record number?  
• They straggle in over a twenty-minute period.
• The smell of bodies mixes with the smell of roasted pork and chicken.
• We begin with a “Tell your neighbor they’re beautiful!”  People do it and smile and laugh.  
• We pray for the meal and our time together.
• Carla and her table goes through the serving line first because her birthday is tomorrow.  
• Faith’s table hosts and our guests chat as they eat at tables decorated for Christmas. 

• I interrupt the conversations after about ten minutes.  
• Even though the gym is a cold 64 degrees, I turn the noisy heater off so people can hear me.
• “Any of you receive a Christmas present?”  Hands go up.  
• We then talk about the idea of blessing others, and I point to the verse on the tables, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” Acts 20:35
• I describe a time when I was blessed.  I had injured my leg and was to have an MRI.  It was during the pandemic and it dawned on me halfway there that I had forgotten a mask, and masks were required.  Returning home for a mask would make me late.  What to do?  I’ll just stop at a store on the way and buy one.  I hobbled up to its entrance and read on the door, “Masks required in the store.”  Ugh!  Stuck! A woman coming up to the entrance sees my demeanor and asks if she can help.  I explain that I need a mask.  She says she has a new one in her bag and hands it to me.  An angel? I am amazed at the thoughtfulness of the stranger.
• Blessed!  We are called to bless others.
• I share how since I’ve arrived tonight people have demonstrated a giving spirit, blessing others.
• A guest who was at our food pantry earlier in the day shared with me that he had made a donation.
• Another guest showed me the Bible she just picked up from our free “giveaway” area.  She said she has a Bible but loves to give them to others.
• A neighborhood child offered to sing a song for us.  Together we sing “Jingle Bells” and then a request for “Amazing Grace.”
• We sing “Happy Birthday” to Carla. I ask if she wants to say anything.  She says, “I’m 19 and this is the best birthday ever!”  Wow!
• Everyone is given a note that says, “Thank you for blessing me!”  We encourage them to write a note to someone that has blessed them and then give it to that person.
• I am handed one from a guest our church recently helped.  “My cats and I would be on the street if it weren’t for your help with my rent.”  Her words of thankfulness bless me!
• We hand out blank prayer cards and invite anyone who needs prayer to write a note.  One guest writes that she is struggling with mental illness, addiction, and grief and begins rehab tomorrow. A sacred request for prayer. I pray with her.
• Everyone’s encouraged to go back for seconds.  And after an hour-and-fifteen minutes, we start cleaning up.
• The last to leave is a regular guest who lives in his car.  Even though our space was cold, it was warmer than his car will be tonight. We wish him and the others God’s blessings as they leave.
• We take down our signs and finish the dishes.  
• Another Food for the Soul. God once again showed up.
• Emmanuel!

May God show up at your church this Christmas as well. May Christ’s love be experienced! Emmanuel!

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director for Church Development

Third and fourth-generation disciple making: Is it possible in a UM church?

The official mission of The United Methodist Church is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Yet, most Indiana UM churches struggle to make disciples. Many do an excellent job of serving their communities but fall short when it comes to disciple making. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul exhorts Timothy to pass on the Good News that he received from Paul, to others, who will in turn share it with others. This an example of four generations of disciple making–disciples who make disciples who make disciples who make disciples.

Brian Phipps, founder of Disciples Made, has found that once a church has 3rd and 4th-generational disciple making happening, a multiplication movement is ignited in that church. So could such a movement happen in one of our United Methodist Churches in Indiana? We at Church Development believe the answer is “Yes!” In fact, pastors from ten Indiana UM churches this past year have been trained by Brian and Disciples Made in a process our Conference refers to as Multiplication Network Track 2. (Catchy name, right?) It is a grand experiment to see if the Disciple Made’s model can work within our churches. (It’s been very successful in other church settings.)

The initial results are looking promising. For example, one of the ten churches, Fishers UMC pastored by Rev. Mark Ellcessor, launched two disciple-making groups during Track 2. And now he anticipates six more groups launching later this year. The model is designed so that leaders of new groups come out of the disciple-making groups. Next year the six groups will multiply to one to two dozen groups, and by the fourth generation there will be dozens more!

If you’d like to hear more about Track 2 or the disciple-making process from Disciples Made, which is called Followers Made, consider attending one of these free one-hour information sessions.

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

Track 2 Info Session, either June 24 or July 8, both from 10-11am (Eastern).  ZOOM link:  https://inumc.zoom.us/j/91432047950

Followers Made Info Session, June 30 or July 12, both from 7:30-8:30pm  (Eastern).  ZOOM link:  https://inumc.zoom.us/j/99403321029

What’s our “main thing”?

Start the year right!

As we begin this new year, let’s keep the main thing the main thing! So what is our main thing? Is it our Sunday worship services? Is it our member care? Is it our Sunday school classes, circles, and small groups? Is it our advocacy for justice, or our missions? For a number of churches, it’s taking care of aging buildings, dealing with financial shortfalls, and dwindling attendance.

So what is our main thing? The United Methodist Church says it’s making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It’s disciple making. As you reflect on your most recent Church Council meeting, your last congregational gathering, as you look at your church’s budget and calendar, would these clearly reflect that making disciples is your church’s number one focus? If not, now is a great time to realign things so that it is. Our years are precious. This year, 2021, is a strategically important year. Get off on the right foot by committing your church to make disciple making its main thing!

So what is disciple making? What did Jesus mean when he said “Therefore go and make disciples…” in the Great Commission? To help others grow into the persons God created them to be? That they might grow in character (i.e., the Fruits of the Spirit) and in God’s love and grace? That they might discover their unique calling, their life purpose, and live it out faithfully? How does your church define disciple making?

The Indiana Conference is offering churches assistance for disciple making. Leadership Development, through the work of R.C. Muhlbaier, is offering an Intentional Discipleship Workshop and a Real Discipleship Survey. Church Development is offering its Multiplication Network Track 2, which helps churches create and launch a discipling process that leads to multiplication–3rd and 4th generation disciple making, and the launch of new faith communities organically.

So if you want to keep the main thing the main thing, make sure your church is focused on making disciples for the transformation of the world. Contact R.C. or me if you need assistance from your conference team. Don’t let 2021 slip away. May it be a strategic year for your church. May it be the year your church intentionally makes disciple making its number one focus!

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director for Church Development

The “why” behind discipleship

Of course Jesus tells us to make disciples and that’s reason enough for me to strive to be a disciple maker. But for someone who doesn’t follow Jesus, or doesn’t even know Him, why is making disciples still important? Yes, all of us have sinned and are in need of God’s redeeming grace. But if we strip away the religious language and get down to the essence of the “Why?”, what would we find?

Rev. Brian Phipps, founder of Disciples Made, a Kansas City ministry, says that nearly all humans are asking two fundamental questions: “Am I worthy of love?” and “Does my life have meaning?” Thus, the invitation to discipleship will likely begin with these two questions, ultimately leading to transformation. Yet, too often, Phipps says, churches approach discipleship as a process of gaining information. We ask, “What curriculum are we using?” rather than “What outcomes we hope to see in each person?”

So what are the outcomes we hope to see? Character and calling. Help persons grow in character, by focusing on the Fruits of the Spirit, and help them discover their unique calling, by discovering and living out the Gifts of the Spirit. This can happen in small groups–up to twelve persons (similar to what Jesus and Wesley did). Each day participants individually answer two key questions as they read the scriptures : “What is God saying?” and “What will I do as a result?” Then each week they meet together, including spending time in accountability triads. Eventually participants are encouraged to integrate disciplines, habits, into their lives–such as the BLESS rhythms.*

Phipps boils the discipling process down to a simple formula: Character x Calling = Impact. It doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, it should be easy enough that a disciple can help another person grow as a disciple, who in turn helps another person grow as a disciple. Phipps can attest that it works because he started a group of twelve, five or so years ago, and it has multiplied to the point that over 5,000 persons are growing as disciples of Jesus Christ today! But it all begins by addressing the “Why?”, helping people discover that they are worthy of love and that they do have a purpose in life.

So what’s the “Why?” behind your church’s discipling effort?

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

*B.L.E.S.S. = 

Begin in prayer—listening prayer

Listen in—missional prayer, listen to the neighborhood

Eat—Share a meal and engage in relationship; teach people how to party

Serve—Connect with friends and the community and look for the persons of peace

Story—Share how Jesus has changed you/us

Playing without the queen

When experts of chess are teaching students to learn the game, I’ve been told that they have them play without their queen. Often chess players will rely too much on their queen and as a result their game isn’t as strong as it could be.

Alan Hirsch told an acquaintance of mine that if he really wants his church to thrive, if he really wants to make disciples and transform the world, that he must learn to play with out the proverbial queen of the church–which is the Sunday morning worship experience. The pandemic provides churches the perfect opportunity to carry out the mission without the Sunday morning experience being the focal point. However, many churches have been doubling down and working harder than ever to produce its weekly services despite the incredible challenges due social distancing and the virus.

Let’s imagine what it might look like for a church to “play without the queen,” to give up, at least for a season, making worship and the Sunday morning experience the focal point. If we look at Jesus’ ministry, most of the discipling was done on the fly with a small group of followers. What if we focused our attention there, returning to our denomination’s focus on small groups, “the class meeting”?

The problem is that, in many churches, small groups, including Sunday school classes, have been marginally effective at growing people as Christ’s disciples. Brian Phipps, of Disciples Made, says that the problem is because we focus on curriculum–what we’re studying–and not on the change that we’re longing to see in the participants.

He also believes that we’ve made disciple-making way too complex. He has boiled it down to a formula: CHARACTER x CALLING = IMPACT. When persons grow in their character, which he defines as the Fruits of the Spirit, and they understand their unique callings, including their Gifts of the Spirit, they will automatically have impact–making disciples, transforming their communities, even launching new faith communities.

What might happen if, during this season of Covid, your church spent less of its limited energy producing Sunday morning worship and put more effort into discipling relationships that result in persons growing as disciples that change the world? What if your church decided to play without its queen?

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

Don’t miss out on a multiplication movement!

Could it be that God is moving in Indiana in ways we haven’t seen in many, many years? Could it be that we’re on the cusp of a multiplication movement? Well, there are leaders in the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church that believe so.

Seventy-five leaders gathered last September with Bishop Trimble, Resident Bishop of the Indiana Conference, for a time of intentional prayer. We prayed that the Holy Spirit would spur our churches to pursue our mission “to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” with renewed vigor and that our efforts would result in multiplication happening naturally, from the grassroots. Some of us have been praying that it would happen to such a degree that we couldn’t actually count how many new disciples and leaders were being developed, and new faith communities–Fresh Expressions, micro-churches, new campuses and churches–were being started.

From that prayer meeting, Church Development had fifty pastors join multiplication cohorts that met during this past school year. The consensus was that this experience, which we’re now calling Multiplication Network Track 1, helped them changing their thinking from attractional and addition-focused to missional and multiplication-focused.

Now those church leaders are being invited into a process called Track 2, which will help them create an intentional disciple-making environment in their churches which will naturally lead to multiplication. And we’re inviting a new group of churches to join a new flight of Track 1 this fall. Pastors from both large and small churches with hearts that desire to more effectively carry out the church’s mission will benefit from participating in this eight-month experience.

In Track 1, each month pastors, along with up to four others from their church, will get together with other church teams for a 90-minute session. The sessions, which will be done virtually using ZOOM, will be led by Rev. Tim Johnson, pastor of Pfrimmer’s Chapel UMC in Corydon, Indiana. During the sessions, each church team will meet in smaller cohorts with other church teams where they will discuss the concepts being shared. They will also learn from and encourage each other, and they’ll have the support of a facilitator/coach.

Learn more about this Track 1 opportunity by joining Tim Johnson and Ed Fenstermacher for a one-hour free ZOOM session on July 28^th at 10am (ET)/9am (CT).  Contact Ed for the web connection address, ed.fenstermacher@inumc.org, and any other questions you may have.  For a “Fact Sheet” with detailed information about Track 1, go to the Track 1 website.  

You’re also invited to attend another time of prayer with Bishop Trimble called “Hope & Grace: A Concert of Prayer.” It will be held virtually on October 28th, so mark your calendars and plan to attend!

Through on-going prayer and peer nurturing in Tracks 1 & 2, we believe that vision of God creating a multiplication movement in Indiana is going to become a reality. Don’t miss out. Don’t find yourself on the sidelines. Join in and be a part of the miracle! Check out Track 1 and plan on participating in the Concert of Prayer!

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

Want to reach out missionally?

Are you and your church looking for ways to reach out to those outside your church? Are you looking for a model with a proven track record of effectiveness in reaching the growing percentage of the population who have no interest in church? If so, you’re going to want to attend a Fresh Expressions “Vision Day” training experience.

In 2020, the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church is partnering with Fresh Expressions U.S. to offer the following Vision Days:

• Southwest District –  February 22 at Blue Grass UMC, Evansville; to register Click Here
• East District –  March 7 at Union Chapel Ministries, Muncie; to register Click Here  
• North District – May 2 in South Bend
• North Central District – September 26

Vision Days are designed to help teams from churches understand this successful missional model of outreach, which is created by the Anglican and Methodist churches in England fifteen years ago and is based on Jesus’s sending of the 72 as recorded in Luke 10.

Over 700 people have attended Fresh Expression training in Indiana through United-Methodist sponsored events, including Vision Days, the past two years. And more and more churches are launching Fresh Expressions of church–dinner churches, messy churches, biker bible studies, kid’s clubs in mobile home communities, bible studies for runners, groups in coffee-shops, bars, YMCAs, and retirement centers. The list goes on and on! Wherever people meet, churches are taking the church to them on their turf in normal natural ways.

If you’ve already attended a Vision Day but need more help, contact me at ed.fenstermacher@inumc.org. Also consider attending the National Fresh Expressions Gathering, April 1-3, 2020, in Reston, VA. Those from the Indiana Conference get $50 off the $149 registration price if registered by November 30th. Contact Ed for details.

Don’t miss out on this new movement of God in Indiana. Plan to attend one of these Fresh Expressions “Vision Days” and bring your friends!

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director for Church Development

Round Tables: Your Fresh Expressions next step

Have you already been to Fresh Expressions training? Are you ready for additional help? Or, are you new to this biblical-based outreach approach and you want to know more about it? In either case, you will find attending Fresh Expressions “Round Table” training, June 29th, helpful.

A Round Table is a three-hour session focused on helping a church design and develop a Fresh Expressions outreach effort in its community.

The Indiana Conference is holding two Round Tables, on June 29th.  One will be held at Covenant UMC in Fort Wayne from 8:30-11:30am (Eastern) and one will be held at Fishers UMC in Fishers from 2:00-5:00pm (Eastern).

This training will be ideal for a team from a church to attend together. Both sessions will cover the same material.   The cost to attend is $15 per person.  Sessions will be led by experienced practitioners from Fresh Expressions U.S.  To register for either event, click here.

The Fresh Expressions model has been shown to be a highly effective way to reach and disciple unchurched persons, especially those uninterested ever attending a church.  With nearly 4 million unchurched folk in Indiana, Church Development has a dream of having at least 150 Fresh Expressions meeting throughout the state by 2025.  We hope your church will have launched one or more of these!  Let’s keep this effort in our prayers.  All for God’s glory!

—Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development

Focusing on connecting people to Jesus!

The Indiana Conference has a goal that by 2020 100% of our churches and pastors will be engaged in life-giving changes for Jesus Christ in their mission fields.  This is referred to as the Conference’s “wildly important goal” or WIG.

Of course The United Methodist Church’s mission is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”  Our WIG would have us do just that, focusing our efforts, however, especially on those outside our church walls.  Did you know that, according to MissionInsite, six out of every ten Hoosiers are unchurched?  That’s nearly 4 million people!  And as you’re probably aware, a growing percentage of these people have no interest in attending church.  In order to reach them, we’ll have to take the church to them!

So how do we do that?  The Methodist and Anglican churches in England give us a model called “Fresh Expressions,” which has been found to be highly effective in reaching and discipling such people.  In fact, the Methodist Church in England is reaching 500,000 persons every week through Fresh Expressions of the church, and 75% of those reached are non-church going folk!  If Fresh Expressions has proven so effective in such a secular culture, just think of the potential here in Indiana.

So the Conference’s Church Development Team has entered to a partnership with Fresh Expressions U.S. and they will be working with our districts in launching Fresh Expressions training opportunities to help churches figure out how they might use this missional outreach model as they pursue the WIG. Here are upcoming training dates. Put them on your calendar and bring a team from your church with you!

Together with God, we’re going to do something incredible in Indiana. Don’t miss out.  It’s going to be awesome!  — Ed Fenstermacher, Assoc. Director of Church Development

FX Training Events in 2019

Fresh Expressions “Vision Day”–March 16, 2019, Columbia City UMC, Northeast District  (See below for registration and details.)

Fresh Expressions “Vision Day”–May 18, 2019, St. Paul UMC, Bloomington, Southeast District

Dinner Church(A popular model of Fresh Expressions)–June 1, 2019, Lakeview Church, Indianapolis

Details on the March 16th Fresh Expressions “Vision Day”

Date:  March 16, 2019

Time:  9:30am-3:30pm (Eastern Time)

Location:  Columbia City UMC, 605 Forest Parkway, Columbia City, IN  46725-1255 (Near Fort Wayne)

Description:  Fresh Expressions is a model of outreach especially for churches that are seeking to be more missional.  It is one of the most effective ways for a church to reach and disciple persons who have no interest in attending a church.  It is a model that can be initiated by as few as a single person and it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of money.  It is a model that all sizes of churches can do, and in all ministry contexts.  All it requires is a bit of understanding and a heart for those outside the church that Jesus referred to as the lost.

At the Vision Day participants will discover…

• How fresh expressions of church are renewing the church around the world
• What it means for your church to be Mission-Shaped
• How to intentionally engage with the community beyond your church walls
• Tools for starting fresh expressions of church in your area

To Register:  Click Here

Sponsor:  the Northeast District and Church Development of the Indiana Conference UMC.   Workshop Leadership:  Provided by Fresh Expressions U.S.

Cost:  (includes lunch) Prior to March 11^th $25 for Indiana United Methodist laity & clergy, $40 general public.  After March 10^th $30 for Indiana United Methodist laity & clergy, $45 general public.

 

 

It’s time for a fresh expression of church!

How are we to reach the growing percentage of our population that has no interest in attending our churches?  In Indiana nearly 4,000,000 residents aren’t affiliated with any church, synagogue, or mosque according to MissionInsite.  That works out to be more than every-other household!  That’s your neighbors, co-workers, the people you rub shoulders with everyday.

What has worked in the past doesn’t seem to be working today.   Jesus said, “New wine must be poured into new wineskins.” (Luke 5:38)  It’s clear we’re in a “new-wineskin” moment!  We need a new way to connect with and disciple folk.

What better place to look for such a model than England, a post-modern culture in which the church is viewed by many as irrelevant.  The Methodist and Anglican churches in England have discovered such a model that they call Fresh Expressions.  One in five Methodist churches have at least one Fresh Expression and on average they are reaching a half-million people each week!  More importantly 75% of those reached are not involved in traditional church.

Fresh Expressions is a model of outreach especially for churches that are seeking to be more missional. It is one of the most effective ways for a church to reach and disciple persons who have no interest in attending a church.  It is a model that can be initiated by as few as a single person and it doesn’t necessarily require money.  It is a model that all sizes of churches can do, and in all ministry contexts.  All it requires is a bit of understanding and a heart for those outside the church that Jesus referred to as the lost.

The Indiana Conference is holding a special training day for individuals and teams from churches that are interested in learning more.  It will be held on October 20th and there’s a special discounted registration fee for United Methodists from Indiana.  The event will be held at Fishers UMC near Indianapolis and be led by Fresh Expressions U.S.  You can register right now by clicking here.  Those churches with people attending will be eligible for up to a $1,000 Fresh Expressions grant from Church Development.  (There’s a limited number of these.)

Wouldn’t it be awesome if every Indiana UMC launched at least one Fresh Expression effort to reach Indiana’s unchurched?  So, don’t miss out.  Attend the October 20th and learn how you can launch a fresh expression of church in your community.

For more information, feel free to contact me at ed.fenstermacher@inumc.org.

— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development