Statistics gathered by The Church Planting Center, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Dr. J.D. Payne reveal the presence of evangelical Christians in the United States. Dr. J.D. Payne has compiled this information from several sources and created a powerpoint that displays the number of evangelicals in each state, broken down by county. However, Payne notes that the definition for "evangelical" is a broad one and therefore the numbers in the statistics are higher than in actuality.
He gathered this data to give missionaries information to formulate better strategies. Dr. Payne says that "We have proven ourselves in areas of research related to other countries... but little knowledge of the same people group living on the other side of our city." This data is to give missionaries a better idea of the reality in our own backyards. This information can truly help the missionally minded church. Missionaries will be able to create an effective plan to impact an area.
I like to focus on areas of the world outside of the United States. I think this data really puts into perspective the need for the gospel even here in the United States.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Crisis of the American Church
The American Church is on a steady decline. David T. Olson, writer of The American Church in Crisis, notes that 3500-4000 churches close each year in America. And, according to The Condition of the Church in America, 1400 pastors leave the church permanently each month. The cause: moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention with the church.
The declination of the church is surely a multifaceted issue with a plethora of problems and possible solutions. What I find interesting is the rate at which pastors leave the church. How is it that 1400 pastors a month leave the church? A sudden change of heart? Or perhaps unexpected responsiblities arose. I saw that a reason listed for a pastor's leaving the church is from them being spiritualy burnt out. I think that taking a leadership role in a church, especially becoming a pastor, has incredible spiritual strain. And, although the reasons for such strain remain unlisted, I believe some of these strains could be avoided and therefore a church could retain its leaders. I think the way some churches are set up put an incredible amount of pressure on certain people in the church, like the pastor, while other members of the church feel no pressure at all. For instance a pastor who is really involved with the community and a congregation that only shows up on Sunday. The amount of work the pastor does, in comparison to the congregation, seems unfair. Certainly leaders must put in extra hours but not to this extreme. I think putting more responsibility on the congregation or the "average church goer" would ease the burden of a pastor. I visiting a church in Washington D.C. and the pastor tells us that the church's lease on the space they were renting for the past years to hold services was now being closed. He then asked for the entire congregation to fast and pray with him and to look for a solution. In that way, some of the pressure is eased off the pastor and distributed to other members, making them more accountable.
The declination of the church is surely a multifaceted issue with a plethora of problems and possible solutions. What I find interesting is the rate at which pastors leave the church. How is it that 1400 pastors a month leave the church? A sudden change of heart? Or perhaps unexpected responsiblities arose. I saw that a reason listed for a pastor's leaving the church is from them being spiritualy burnt out. I think that taking a leadership role in a church, especially becoming a pastor, has incredible spiritual strain. And, although the reasons for such strain remain unlisted, I believe some of these strains could be avoided and therefore a church could retain its leaders. I think the way some churches are set up put an incredible amount of pressure on certain people in the church, like the pastor, while other members of the church feel no pressure at all. For instance a pastor who is really involved with the community and a congregation that only shows up on Sunday. The amount of work the pastor does, in comparison to the congregation, seems unfair. Certainly leaders must put in extra hours but not to this extreme. I think putting more responsibility on the congregation or the "average church goer" would ease the burden of a pastor. I visiting a church in Washington D.C. and the pastor tells us that the church's lease on the space they were renting for the past years to hold services was now being closed. He then asked for the entire congregation to fast and pray with him and to look for a solution. In that way, some of the pressure is eased off the pastor and distributed to other members, making them more accountable.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Philadelphia- Set the City on Fire
The Ember Cast's maiden launch landed in the City of Brotherly Love the weekend of January 22nd. We stayed in and around Chinatown, partnering with a local Chinese Christian church. LT, pastor of the Chinese church and our guide around the city, explained to us that Chinatown was originally built to keep the immigrant population from expanding into the surrounding parts of the city. There are literally walls built around Chinatown and buildings placed specifically to keep the immigrant population living and working in a condensed area. At first I was shocked. My thinking tells me that if there is a new culture emerging in a community that isn't going to cause direct harm to anyone, I should help them grow and I can learn something from them. Then again, I am part of the "world culture generation", where other cultures are viewed as interesting instead of as a threat to "the American way of life." In fact, LT's church is the first church to move and expand outside of the boundaries of Chinatown. And, after talking with some of the kids from the Chinese youth group, I found out that most of them live in suburbs outside of the city.
I think this observation points out how different generations of church or christian leaders can view a different culture. Recently, and even currently, there have been churches and other christian organizations that have become territorial and therefor hostile towards outside help. LT was telling us that in his generation, church pastors and leaders tend to work in solitude rather than partner with other organizations, even if the other organizations are christian and trying to get the same goal accomplished. LT said that there was a sense of ownership over the church, which, among other things, caused churches to become isolated from one another and from the rest of the world. In the same way the builders of Philadelphia wanted to keep the American Philadelphia separate and different from the Chinese Philadelphia because they felt this new culture would be a threat, different churches (even ones of the same denomination or lack thereof) will not associate themselves with one another. This solitude can be detrimental to the impact that the church (as in the body of believers in an area) can have on its community because there are churches competing against one another and against other community-based organizations.
LT has branched out from the rest of his generation by connecting his church in the community so that the community can help the church, and the church can help the community. Although this kind of partnership seems like common sense, most leaders in the church world of his generation are not engaging their community in this way. The next generation of leaders in the church will have to be connected to their community. The old model of "do it yourself" has proved to be lacking. I feel that if a church engages in its community in such a way that the relationship it has with local community oriented organizations is almost symbiotic, we can see in a short time how a church can mold its community, both in what is seen (community clean up, rebuilding) and in what is unseen (mindset, moral).
For a more in depth look at the Ember Cast's stay in Philadelphia, visit
http://faithinhighdeff.blogspot.com/
I think this observation points out how different generations of church or christian leaders can view a different culture. Recently, and even currently, there have been churches and other christian organizations that have become territorial and therefor hostile towards outside help. LT was telling us that in his generation, church pastors and leaders tend to work in solitude rather than partner with other organizations, even if the other organizations are christian and trying to get the same goal accomplished. LT said that there was a sense of ownership over the church, which, among other things, caused churches to become isolated from one another and from the rest of the world. In the same way the builders of Philadelphia wanted to keep the American Philadelphia separate and different from the Chinese Philadelphia because they felt this new culture would be a threat, different churches (even ones of the same denomination or lack thereof) will not associate themselves with one another. This solitude can be detrimental to the impact that the church (as in the body of believers in an area) can have on its community because there are churches competing against one another and against other community-based organizations.
LT has branched out from the rest of his generation by connecting his church in the community so that the community can help the church, and the church can help the community. Although this kind of partnership seems like common sense, most leaders in the church world of his generation are not engaging their community in this way. The next generation of leaders in the church will have to be connected to their community. The old model of "do it yourself" has proved to be lacking. I feel that if a church engages in its community in such a way that the relationship it has with local community oriented organizations is almost symbiotic, we can see in a short time how a church can mold its community, both in what is seen (community clean up, rebuilding) and in what is unseen (mindset, moral).
For a more in depth look at the Ember Cast's stay in Philadelphia, visit
http://faithinhighdeff.blogspot.com/
Monday, December 14, 2009
Iraqi Party
On Saturday, Columbia Presbyterian Church hosted an Iraqi refugee welcoming party. Despite the arctic conditions, around 100 Iraqis were able to come. Upon arrival, we were greeted by manual labor such as moving tables and chairs, wrapping Christmas gifts and repositioning boxes from one corner of a room to another.
Volunteering as a greeter, I had to be aware of certain cultural rules so that I did not offend anyone out of ignorance since many of the guests from Iraq have strong ties to traditional practices and customs. About a week before the event, an email was sent out to the volunteers describing certain cultural norms of the Iraqi people. It listed appropriate attire, special greetings and customs that are foreign to America and pointers for conversation. I was able to observe some of the aspects of culture when I talked to a group of teenagers. The email had mentioned that when shaking hands with men, a strong grip is considered aggressive and offensive. When I shook hands with one of the teenagers, I was a little taken back at just how light of a handshake I received. To Americans, it would have been considered "a dead fish handshake", where the hand is almost limp, whereas the Iraqi culture considers it respectful. The email also outlined taboos concerning women. It is inappropriate to look at, talk to, or talk about an Iraqi woman with an Iraqi man. I was able to bring a good friend of mine to this event, so I sent her the email given out to volunteers. I noticed as I was talking to the teenage boys, they did not even acknowledge that she was with me. In fact, I had to introduce her to them before they even looked at her. After talking with her about it later, she told me that she didn't know how appropriate it was for a girl to start a conversation with a guy and that she didn't want to offend anyone.
This party, although it highlighted many differences between the American and Iraqi culture, also showed me just how well people can get along. The Iraqi parents trusted the volunteers to take good care of their children during the program. This American church had hosted an event to help Iraqi people in America. When it comes down to it, people are people. I loved seeing people loving people simply because they were people. The countless differences in culture made absolutely no difference in how much we were able to help one another.
Volunteering as a greeter, I had to be aware of certain cultural rules so that I did not offend anyone out of ignorance since many of the guests from Iraq have strong ties to traditional practices and customs. About a week before the event, an email was sent out to the volunteers describing certain cultural norms of the Iraqi people. It listed appropriate attire, special greetings and customs that are foreign to America and pointers for conversation. I was able to observe some of the aspects of culture when I talked to a group of teenagers. The email had mentioned that when shaking hands with men, a strong grip is considered aggressive and offensive. When I shook hands with one of the teenagers, I was a little taken back at just how light of a handshake I received. To Americans, it would have been considered "a dead fish handshake", where the hand is almost limp, whereas the Iraqi culture considers it respectful. The email also outlined taboos concerning women. It is inappropriate to look at, talk to, or talk about an Iraqi woman with an Iraqi man. I was able to bring a good friend of mine to this event, so I sent her the email given out to volunteers. I noticed as I was talking to the teenage boys, they did not even acknowledge that she was with me. In fact, I had to introduce her to them before they even looked at her. After talking with her about it later, she told me that she didn't know how appropriate it was for a girl to start a conversation with a guy and that she didn't want to offend anyone.
This party, although it highlighted many differences between the American and Iraqi culture, also showed me just how well people can get along. The Iraqi parents trusted the volunteers to take good care of their children during the program. This American church had hosted an event to help Iraqi people in America. When it comes down to it, people are people. I loved seeing people loving people simply because they were people. The countless differences in culture made absolutely no difference in how much we were able to help one another.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Catalyst One Day
Catalyst One Day- a one day leadership package with innovative church guest speakers Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel. This conference was held at Grace Community Church in Fulton, Maryland. I had the opportunity to spend a day as a wide eyed student ready to learn! Craig and Andy used their time at Catalyst to discuss momentum. They talked momentum in the church and personal spiritual momentum. Thank God they handed out an extensive note taking packet because I would've been crippled if I had to do it on my own. Some key notes I got out of the day's speakers:
- New things create momentum
- Be sure to tweak your programs, but know that tweaking doesn't create momentum
- "The quickest way to forget what God thinks of us is to concern ourselves with what ohers think of us."-Craig Groeschel
- Limitation breeds innovation
- Instead of asking someone who is successful what they do, ask why and how they do it to get insight on their leadership strategies
- "The secure and confident person is attractive. The secure and confident church is attractive."-Craig Groeschel
- The longer something is established, the more stagnant it becomes
- Create systems that promote the mission of the church. Avoid systems that work against the mission of the church
- Create artificial ministry deadlines to cut back on time and force people to be productive
- Don't delegate responsibilities, delegate authority
- "I'm the only one who can seek God on my behalf." -Craig Groeschel
- As culture changes, many of the questions remain the same, but the answers don't
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Reaching A City
More than half of the world's population live in cities and it is estimated that in 2050 more than 2/3 of the world will live in cities. Cities have been the epicenter of human growth. As a port of trade, cities facilitate different cultures, ideas, goods, and people to interact with one another. I think that it is interesting that the flocking towards cities seems universal as a uniting human characteristic. The incredible flow into cities will call for massive reforms in energy consumption, waste management, transportation, education and health. An initiative known as 19.20.21 will gather and organize information regarding the growth of cities and the impact of consumers around the world.
Understanding global trends in and towards cities is imperative to grasp future trends and how as followers of Jesus we can respond. Blogger Jon Tyson proposes that urban christian communities adopt the city parish model. The city parish model is an urban church community composed of several neighborhoods working together for the common good of the city. This kind of community should have a missional focus with each member of the community using his or her gifts to build the ministry. In turn, each member of the church community will have intimate relationships with smaller groups within the larger community. Every so often, these separate church communities would meet together for worship and to share stories. To prepare the Jesus follower in an urban setting it is important for them to know that within a large city there will be innumerable subcultures and once those subcultures are recognized, how to integrate them to create a large christian community. While people will flock to one city, the mashing together of so many diverse people will result in tribal communities, each with their own values and methods of doing things. Finding veins of similarities between people groups will find a common goal that all people value.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Missional-Incarnational Impulse
The Forgotten Ways- Pages 128-138
In Alan Hirsch's words, the missional-incarnational impulse "is, in effect, the practical outworking of the mission of God and the Incarnation. It is thus rooted in the very way that God has redeemed the world, and in how God revealed himself to us." By combining the idea of mission, or sending, with the idea of incarnation, or living amongst, we have a community that sends a group or individual to live amongst and impact another.
To help us understand the idea of the Incarnation of God in Jesus the Messiah, Alan uses the 4 P's, which include:
Presence: In Jesus, we have the full presence of God. Jesus was not a prophet or a representative, he was the real deal. Proximity: Jesus lived within proximity of all sorts of people. He ate with Pharisees, tax collectors and prostitutes. He lived and walked on the earth with us. Powerlessness: The all powerful, all knowing God became human, renouncing all coercive power and taking on the role of a servant. Proclamation: The proclamation is the gospel invitation. Jesus called people to repentance and faith and in doing so, opens a door for a relationship.
By studying the Incarnation, we get an idea of what God would be if he were human. By implementing the missional-incarnational impulse with the 4 P's, we are able to engage our communities in a way the Jesus himself might have.
In Alan Hirsch's words, the missional-incarnational impulse "is, in effect, the practical outworking of the mission of God and the Incarnation. It is thus rooted in the very way that God has redeemed the world, and in how God revealed himself to us." By combining the idea of mission, or sending, with the idea of incarnation, or living amongst, we have a community that sends a group or individual to live amongst and impact another.
To help us understand the idea of the Incarnation of God in Jesus the Messiah, Alan uses the 4 P's, which include:
Presence: In Jesus, we have the full presence of God. Jesus was not a prophet or a representative, he was the real deal. Proximity: Jesus lived within proximity of all sorts of people. He ate with Pharisees, tax collectors and prostitutes. He lived and walked on the earth with us. Powerlessness: The all powerful, all knowing God became human, renouncing all coercive power and taking on the role of a servant. Proclamation: The proclamation is the gospel invitation. Jesus called people to repentance and faith and in doing so, opens a door for a relationship.
By studying the Incarnation, we get an idea of what God would be if he were human. By implementing the missional-incarnational impulse with the 4 P's, we are able to engage our communities in a way the Jesus himself might have.
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