I've been doing this gig for 13 years now and there are two things I've learned in that time; namely what I'm good at, and what I'm not good at. The things i'm good at can be listed in another entry. Today, I need to address two things I haven't been so good at for whatever reason, and welcome your helpful suggestions for getting better.
The skills of Gathering a group and truly inspiring others are the things I need help with. Looking back to when I tried planting a youth group out of Fresh Wind, that was my biggest problem. Through the next three youth ministries I led I had a lot of vision and even determination to grow the group (even an amount of success) but not the results I would have liked to have seen, or the success others have had, even with the same groups. I can't blame the groups or the people or the church supports or structures. The common denominator in all these situations is ME.
OK just so you know I'm not whining. I'm not sorry for myself. I'm simply adressing one of my issues and seeking help. Because what I'm doing now, what I'm spending my life on requires these skills that I lack. How can I start a new church when I can't inspire others to dream with me, to go with me, to invest their time and their journey and their energy and their life with this mission? How can I build a church when I can't gather a crowd? Yes, it's easy to say that I need only to be faithful with what I have and let God accomplish the rest. It's fun to think 'if I build it, they will come'. But this isn't Field of Dreams. This is real, and I'm serious. I need some help.
Do you have some suggestions for me? Books or articles, podcasts or coaching materials, time you can spend with me to address some of this stuff? Please leave a comment below.
Thanks.
I relate to you Chad. I'm in like year 4 of spiritual depression burnout from self-perceived failures in ministry. It's an awesome feeling knowing you pastored a group down to zero!
ReplyDeleteOne interesting book I've read recently is "Rabbit and the elephant". In it it talks of the Luke 10 model. check out more here http://lk10.com/ or google "rabbit and elephant"
The idea is that you allow God to lead you to the "Man (person) of peace" that will give you favor in their particular community. They invite you in and you eat with them, if they reject you, you dust off your feet, etc.
It's hard. My ideas of church have radically changed. I'm not so sure the end all/ be all is some social event on Sunday morning. Trying to grow that. I'm still kind of in a fog about most stuff, for now, I'm just trying to fast from my ideas and opinions within my church community and pray and trust God. We'll see!
oh and another book that has been a blessing so far is "forgotten God" by Francis Chan. Really good.
hit up the resurgance and a29 podcasts on itunes...lots of good free church planting resources on there...read perrynoble.com pray alot and be convinced of what you are trying to accomplish and paint a picture of that for people...tough problem to speak to in a 3 sentence response...
ReplyDeleteI am no expert. No, I am not even strong at any of this. So, I don't presume to know how to do this kind of thing at all. Nonetheless, it seems to me that the most effective approaches I have witnessed have included really focussing on building on the existing rather than reinventing the wheel. Searching to see what is already in place, what do people understand, where are they at, what can they relate to, where is God already working? Start slowly there so you can establish relationships, trust and identify specific needs. Then, you can slowly begin to challenge and grow and inspire that way. I don't know if you will feel this applies to you, but it certainly works to help address unhealthy behaviours or inspire healthy behaviours for patients in a healthcare context...
ReplyDeleteI love your ideas, I really hope this works out for you!
Hi Chad, this is your old English teacher and still someone who wants to attend your church because of your ability to teach. Your post makes me a bit sad because I don't want to see you lose your vision. The world is full of churches doing the same old same old; please don't look at yourself by those standards and say "I'm failing." First of all, you've barely started and secondly, not everyone wants the old church. It's sitting on a chair listening to people go blahblahblah. Church as a place to polish good behaviour isn't particularly dynamic. I can get the same through self-help books. Church as a place to be middle class gives me nothing, either. You were writing about church as the place where Jesus crashes in a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteI know you have to make a living and I know you want to succeed, but you are not ordinary. Do not make being ordinary your goal. Remember your target group. It was people who weren't attracted to church culture.
You asked about books people could suggest. I'm reading "What Jesus Meant" by Garry Wills. The number one idea I am getting from it is how very extreme Jesus was. Profoundly unique, completely outside his culture, and always doing the opposite of what was expected of him. The Jesus I am reading about would love a church that wasn't typical. Don't judge yourself, Chad. Just go back to your vision and work at it and be patient. You have such a gift for teaching. People who like sitting in chairs listening to blahblahblah will always have a place to go. People like me need one. Chris W
Chad: I found the answer to my question from Sunday's service:
ReplyDeletehttp://followingjesus.org/ The whole site answers my question.
Hi, you don't know me but I have heard about your church and have planted the idea into a number of my friends who live in that area. I am praying that you will stand strong and forge ahead with your church plant. You asked some good and somewhat tough questions in your last post and I will offer my 2 cents worth...you can take it or leave it. :)
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have a focused vision and a mission in place. Now focus on building community ...not numbers or results. If you have 15 members for your church then PTL!!!! Now build the community with those 15 members. Love them! Pour your energies into THEM. And, focus on loving the community around your church plant. Be visible and active in that area. Pamphlets, door knocking, calling people in the area to let them know you are there,....all these things will help and require lots of work. But, most importantly,....Don't worry about the numbers...that is a trap which undermines the faithfulness and the power of God to work in all situations and to be sufficient for your needs and concerns. I might even dare to challenge you that numbers/results can be a prideful thing. Do you have cell groups (small groups, care groups, whatever you want to call it) that are active in your new church? That will certainly grow the community within your new church. I can't stress enough the need to build community within your members before and during this process of reaching out into the community.
Our church plant church is now 16 years old and we are again in the process of starting a new church plant. The core group met (and the new core group will do this again) for 6 months of praying and meeting weekly in "cell groups" to build the unity and love within the core. Then they had a flyer campaign and a cold-calling campaign within the community where the new church plant would go....all bathed with prayer. The focus was outreach not numbers.
All I can say is that if you have been called to this ministry (like I hear you say that you have) then walk in faith and keep your eyes focused on the vision you have been given. Don't be discouraged by the "little" (but huge to you right now) stuff. You are doing the work of the Lord and spreading the seeds...God WILL water and grow the rest.