Jumat, 28 Juli 2017

Episode 013: Gospel Conversations

Episode 013: Gospel Conversations

By Brad Watson on Jul 26, 2017 05:00 am

How can we encourage and equip our people to have more frequent and deeper gospel conversations in the everyday rhythms... Read more »
The post Episode 013: Gospel Conversations appeared first on Saturate.

[Lifeschool Podcast] How to Create a Lifestyle of Discipleship

Hey guys! Caesar here,
 
Feeling a little stuck in the Christian loop of Sunday church… CRAZY BUSY WEEK… Sunday church… crazy busy week… ?
 
If you are, is this producing a transformed life for you and your family? How’s that helping your neighbors come closer to God and his love? What you need is a “lifestyle upgrade”. (Big time!)
 
Good news: that’s what Jesus came to give us.
 
In this episode of the Lifeschool Podcast, we’re gonna talk about true discipleship and look at what discipleship as a lifestyle looks like when it is all woven into the normal rhythms of your everyday life in community.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:
  • A working definition of discipleship that will reshape your thinking on this immediately
  • How Jesus lived life with his disciples and what he then hoped/commanded them to do
  • Why a series of 8-10 classes done in a classroom will never produce mature disciples
  • Why an integrated lifestyle “apprenticeship” was Jesus’ model for us
  • What to do if your first attempts at discipleship in community fails
 
 
You really can break out of the “Christian cycle” of the busyness of life and work with a just a little Sunday church or weekly small group jammed in–when it fits. We want this for you…
 
ALSO check out... If you’re feeling stuck about how to get started on living your life on discipleship, join me and my family to see this lifestyle in action and learn how to live and replicate this lifestyle.
 
Live a vibrant lifestyle of discipleship and mission.
 
Blessings!
–Caesar
 
P.S. If you have any questions or thoughts, please hit Reply...I love hearing from you.
 

Why Leader Must Always Be Content but Never Satisfied

Why Leader Must Always Be Content but Never Satisfied

Mastering the power of this statement is novel and can provide new innovations and invigorate change.
Why Leader Must Always be Content But Never Satisfied
I love this sentiment: “Be content, not satisfied.”
I can’t remember when I first heard it. It sounds like something John Maxwell would say, but I’m not sure. It’s certainly not a new idea. But for many leaders, mastering the power of this statement is novel and can provide new innovations and invigorate change.
At Woodstock City Church where I lead, we are constantly fighting to remain content, but not satisfied. Content because we are partnering with God and his church. Unsatisfied because the mission of God’s church is too big to ever feel like it is complete. We take this so seriously around our church that we even labeled it “Make It Better,” one of our six core staff behaviors. “Make It Better” means never fall prey to believing we have arrived.
You know that in an ever-evolving culture, we can never stop evolving our approach, our model or our strategies. As my friend and boss (Andy Stanley) likes to say, “We must be married to our mission, not our model.”
As a leader, the first question you need to ask yourself is “Am I content?” Discontent leaders are often disasters. Discontentment typically leads to poor leadership behaviors and lack of valuing people over products. But dissatisfied—well that’s a good thing.
The second question, “With what are you unsatisfied?” is where I am living as a leader right now.
Here’s my current list of “content, but not satisfied:”
  • Decreasing attendance patterns from regular attendees
  • Mission engagement
  • Lack of enthusiasm from our 4th and 5th grade attenders compared to their elementary peers
  • Disengagement from high school students as they progress in our church
  • Finding optimal ways to make non-optimal service times more optimal
  • We should baptize more people
  • Increasing generosity
  • Engaging new guest more quickly
  • Volunteer recruitment and retention
  • Increasing our staff’s voice to make everything better
I don’t know how many of these we can solve at Woodstock City Church, but I’m grateful that we aren’t satisfied with where we are!
What about you?
This article originally appeared here.
Gavin Adams
Gavin Adams believes the local church is the most important organization on the planet, and he is helping to transform them into places unchurched people love to attend. As the Lead Pastor of Watermarke Church, (a campus of North Point Ministries), Watermarke has grown from 400 to 4000 attendees in five years. A student of leadership, communication, church and faith, Gavin shares his discoveries through speaking and consulting. Follow him on Twitter or at his blog.

5 Hidden Habits of Healthy Churches

5 Hidden Habits of Healthy Churches

These are habits that, while they have a profound impact on their ministry, remain largely unseen by the masses.
5 Hidden Habits of Healthy Churches
I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most remarkable churches across the country over the last 10 years. Perhaps one of the greatest honors is that I have witnessed the incredible leadership in these organizations personally. Working so closely with churches, I’ve noticed several hidden habits that many of the largest and most healthy churches in the country maintain. These are habits that, while they have a profound impact on their ministry, remain largely unseen by the masses. Here are five of the most prominent and recurring healthy habits that I have encountered:
Leaders Park Far Away – Arriving a few hours before a church service begins can tell you a lot about the leaders of a church. If they are all parked right up against the building it indicates that they don’t instinctively think about their first-time guests or people outside the church. Leaders who park their cars at the farthest away spot and stroll over make a symbolic statement; a guest’s needs come before a leader’s. These leaders are actively living out the fact that the first will be last in their churches. This attitude ultimately weaves its way through the organization as people see humility and servanthood lived out in a million small ways!
Limited Green Room Time – Most church leaders have a room or area within their church dedicated to providing them respite from people. While setting aside some time to gather your thoughts is an important part of serving at any church, it is important to limit the amount of time leaders are away from “the people.” Recently, I took a friend to visit one of the largest churches in the country and we arrived about an hour after an evening service had wrapped up. As we stepped into the main auditorium, it was humbling to see their lead pastor still talking with people at the front of the church. There was a leader of a church of tens of thousands of people who knew that slowing down and serving people one-on-one is vitally important part of leadership. Get out of the green room and talk to the members of your congregation more this coming Sunday than you did last weekend!
Lots of Thank You Notes – I’m still convinced that the thank you note is one of the most powerful tools a senior leader has at his/her disposal. Slowing down to handwrite a quick note to someone conveys so much in a world of depersonalized digital communication. It doesn’t take long, and the notes you write are often held onto months, or even years, later. Many leaders in thriving churches have a thank you note writing regime where they regularly identify people within their community to reach out to through this medium. All you will need is a stack of simple cards and a pen; just half a dozen notes a week and you’ll start to see all kinds of benefits within your community.
First In/Last Out – Running a church is challenging work. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to “do” ministry. One of the things I’ve noticed in thriving churches is that their leaders are often the first to arrive when the church is doing something and the last to leave at the end of the event. These people want to be part of what’s happening and ensure that their presence is felt and known on “game day” when the church is at its best. This selfless act demonstrates to your people that you are as deeply committed to the mission as they are. Churches are fueled by a group of amazing volunteers who are giving up their personal time to make the mission happen. Then how much more committed to the mission should the “paid staff” be that are leading the mission? Sure, you have lots of places you could be but your team is choosing to serve with your ministry, so why not show them some love and care through your presence with them while they serve?
Do for one what you wish you could do for all – As a church grows, a natural pressure creeps in. The scale of the ministry starts to push to the point where the leader can no longer provide the individual care and support that they used to when the church was smaller. The natural pull is toward not doing individual care for people because of the mass of people attending the community. But healthy and thriving churches are led by people who figure out a way to serve individuals in their church in a way that they wish could serve everyone at the church. Rather than being paralyzed by the dual pressures of the scale of people attending the church and your desire to serve them all individually, healthy church leaders look for places to slow down and care for people at a personal level. They understand that although there are a lot of people attending church, people have individual reasons for journeying with a church. Taking time to slow down to send flowers, make a phone call, help with meals or attend a funeral are never a bad idea to ensure you, as a leader, remain connected to the people.
I’d love to hear from you. What are some “hidden habits” that you see being lived out by church leaders you admire!? Let’s share those stories.
This article originally appeared here.
Rich Birch
Rich serves as Operations Pastor at Liquid Church in the Manhattan facing suburbs of New Jersey. He blogs at UnSeminary.com and is a sought after speaker and consultant on multisite, pastoral productivity and communications.

Why Planters Must Be Flexible or Die

Why Planters Must Be Flexible or Die

“Be flexible or die … those are your options.”
Why Planters Must Be Flexible or Die

This week, we’re hearing from various voices on the topic of church planting to celebrate the release of the July/August 2017 issue of Outreach magazine, which is all about church planting and multiplication. Click here to learn more.
Recently, a church-planter’s wife was asking me for some advice about her situation. I didn’t really premeditate my answer; it just came barreling out.
“Be flexible or die…those are your options.”
Her eyes got big, and so did mine (the advice was a strong blow to me, too). But, if anyone is looking for a word from a church-planter’s wife today, I guess this would be it.
If we are going to survive the tumultuous waters of church planting, we will have to learn to be flexible.
The definition of flexibility, according to Google, is “the quality of bending easily without breaking.” To be honest, this word hurts my stomach right now. Growing up, I took pride in the range of motion in my joints. I stretched constantly and could bend in any direction. But recently, I tore the cartilage in my hip joint, which has robbed me of all my flexibility. I’m in pain just watching my daughters at gymnastics class.
According to the American Council on Exercise, each group of joints in our body can have a different level of extensibility. We may be flexible in our hamstrings, allowing us to touch our toes, but not in our quadriceps, affecting our posture.
You might think of yourself as flexible, but this isn’t really an all-or-nothing issue. Let’s think about the different areas where we need to stretch in order to develop flexibility.

1. We must be flexible about scheduling.

When something comes up that is unplanned (and it will), are we willing to let our preferences go? Will we hold on with white knuckles or learn to trust God with every moment (I’m preaching to myself here, just in case you’re wondering…).

2. We must be flexible about family time.

Yes, we scheduled Thursday night as “family night,” but if “x-y-z” comes up and prevents this, couldn’t we as easily protect Sunday night? You love your family, but you may need some grace arranging all the puzzle pieces.

3. We must be flexible in our expectations of others.

We have both legitimate and illegitimate expectations of the people around us. While we may argue about which category it falls in to, we can all agree that people will at times fail us. How will we respond? We’ve got to stretch far enough to reach grace.

4. We must be flexible in our expectations of ourselves.

Even as I’m typing this, I’m frustrated because I was supposed to finish this blog post before picking up my daughter from her homeschool writing class. I guess I need to adjust what I think I can accomplish in an hour. Anyone else with me?

5. We must be flexible in our patience.

Not every season is equal. When my husband first started at Pillar Church, he needed more space to figure things out. If we want this church plant to flourish, we’ve got to stretch ourselves to develop patience. Especially when we or our spouses are stressed and fatigued under their heavy load.

6. We must be flexible in our ability to take criticism (real or perceived).

This might be coming from someone in the church or even from someone in your home. We’ve got to stretch in our ability to not be so easily offended. After all, “It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense” (Prov. 19:11).

7. We must be flexible in our desires.

We want too many things. Some of our desires are good, some are bad. Many times, these desires are in conflict (i.e., “I really want to finish writing this blog post, but I also really want to exercise this morning”). Everything becomes hard when we don’t bridle our desires and we compare our lives (and our salaries) with those around us. This is so dangerous. We can’t have it all, so we’ve got to learn to be content with what is in our hand (1 Tim. 6:6).

8. We must be flexible in our moral commitments (just kidding…just checking to see if anyone is still reading this).

We all know there are some things we can’t be flexible about. Knowing the difference is key.
Our jobs as church planters and church-planting spouses, and therefore our lives, can be so unpredictable. This is not something we can control. The only thing we can control is how we respond to it. There is great freedom in this. But, we have to get our workout clothes on and do the hard work of training in righteousness. “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail” (Prov. 19:21).
Let’s trust our God and put all our confidence in him, not our perfectly constructed plans.
Read more stories about church planting »
Annie Garman is a pastor’s wife and author of Unexpected Grace: When Your Child is Born With Half a Heart. She and her family serve at Pillar Church in Northern Virginia. This article was originally published on NewChurches.com.
This article originally appeared here.
Annie Garman is a pastor’s wife and author of Unexpected Grace: When Your Child is Born With Half a Heart. She and her family serve at Pillar Church in Northern Virginia. This article was originally published on NewChurches.com.

5 Reasons Every Leader Needs A Coach

When it comes to helping pastors craft, communicate, and organize their churches around vision, few are better than Shawn Lovejoy, the Founder & CEO of CourageToLead.com.
I recommend Shawn to all church leaders who need assistance with overall church health, maintaining momentum, pastoral coaching, preaching assistance, organizational development, and mission and vision construction.  If you are looking for pastoral coaching, click HERE or on the image above to reach out to Shawn and start a conversation.
Recently, he wrote a great post on why all leaders need to coach.  I wanted to make his thoughts available to my audience as well.  Check out Shawn’s comments below.  And if you are a pastor in need of a good coach, he is a great place to start.
___________________________________________________________
I just simply believe that every leader should have a coach. I’m so high maintenance I usually have 3-5 coaches regularly speaking into my own life! I process every major decision through a coach…and lots of minor decisions, as well!
Why do I believe in coaching so much? Why do I believe every leader needs a coach? In the next couple of posts, I’ll give you five reasons!

Five Reasons Every Leader Needs A Coach:

1. Coaching is Biblical.

God reminds us over again in Scripture about the importance of seeking counsel and getting advice from wise people around us. Proverbs 19:20 is a great example: “Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” Proverbs 20:18 says “Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.” Notice it says wise advice. It’s easy to get counsel from all our friends. However, what we often need is counsel from someone who’s been where we’re going. Someone more experienced than we are. Someone wiser than us. It’s Biblical!

2. Coaching protects us.

I’m proud of the fact that in 20 years of vocational ministry, I never had a trainwreck. The ministries I lead never went off the rails. Because I’m perfect? No. Because I stayed in relationship with Godly, wise coaches in my life, it helped keep me sane, centered, and married. I sought counsel before every major decision, so it made my decisions better! We never had a trainwreck in the ministries I led because coaches always helped me see the potential train coming and helped me navigate around it. Coaches have helped to save my butt many times!

3. Coaching gives us permission.

I have found that many times we as leaders have a sense deep down in our minds what the issues are. We have a sensing of what God wants us to do. We just need to hear someone else say we’re not CRAZY for thinking what we’re thinking! We need courage to move forward. I call that giving leaders permission.

4. Coaching talks us off the ledge.

There have been many days I have called a coach because I thought the sky was about to fall. Things were not good. Things were about to crumble. The stuff was hitting the fan. My mind was stuck on worse case scenario. However,

5. Coaching inspires us.

Not one time in a coaching conversation did I ever come away discouraged. I went into almost every coaching conversation that way..but didn’t leave that way! I can honestly say that I have been most inspired to think and dream bigger and pursue the vision God has placed on my heart on the heels of coaching conversations. Coaching has that kind of power!  Good coaches inspire their players. I have been inspired and I love doing the same for other leaders.
These are just five reasons why I have surrounded myself with coaches and given my life and ministry to coaching leaders. Couragetolead.com would love to provide all of this for you! Why would you NOT get coaching? Because it costs something? What will it cost you if you don’t have a coach? I believe a far greater cost! Get. A. Coach!
Have Questions? Drop us a line and schedule a Free Consultation Phone Call with one of our coaches to consider how our coaching can help!

About Brian Dodd

Brian Dodd is the author and content coordinator for Brian Dodd On Leadership. In addition to overseeing this site's content, Brian is Director of New Ministry Partnerships for INJOY Stewardship Solutions where he helps churches develop cultures of generosity. Brian has also authored the critically-acclaimed book The 10 Indispensable Practices Of The 2-Minute Leader.

5 Essential Qualities of Great Pastors and Church Planters

5 Essential Qualities of Great Pastors and Church Planters

What do you think are the basic, essential qualities a leader must have to be an effective church planter?
5 Essential Qualities of Great Pastors and Church Planters
Danny Kirk, Grace Hills’ Community Pastor, started a back porch discussion off the other day with this question: What do you think are the basic, essential qualities a leader must have to be an effective church planter?
The more we talked, the longer our list became. And I even thought of Charles Ridley’s excellent list of 13 characteristics of a church planter, which I can’t improve upon. But before I get into it, let me issue this disclaimer to ward off those who will nail me for being overly pragmatic… God can use anyone he wants to use to do anything he wants done. Skilled or not, talented or not, charismatic or not, God can do amazing things through ordinary people.
Having said all of that, some people seem to lead well while others struggle. In general, these are the characteristics of leaders I see influencing growing numbers of people for the kingdom’s sake…

Character in the Heart

Every leader’s influence is merely temporary, no matter how large, if there isn’t solid character being developed at the core. Trustworthiness is really the foundational quality of a leader. It’s not the product or the fruit; character is the root. Often, the character of a leader is best revealed out of their home life—their marriage, their relationship with their kids, and who they are when the public isn’t watching.
The good news is, character can be developed.

Confidence in the Vision

A movement leader must possess the ability to paint a clear picture of a grand vision, to reduce complex strategies to simple next steps, and to convince others that the vision is bound to become a reality and is therefore worthy of the time, energy and resources they will sacrifice for it.
The good news is, confidence can grow.

Charisma From the Front

I don’t care a hill of beans for the kind of charisma that probably just came to your mind. Flash-in-the-pan rock stars are a dime a dozen and are usually here today and gone tomorrow. I mean the kind of charisma that helps a person communicate in a clear and compelling way. Communication skills are more essential than ever to influencing movements.
The good news is, communication skills can be learned and practiced to proficiency, even by us introverts.

Compassion for People

It may be possible to lead a nation or a business without being a people person, but people are the ministry to which God has called us as pastors and church planters. The world is looking for real love. We are starving for genuine affirmation. And we need friends like never before. Church leaders must pour their lives into people—loving them, serving them and developing them to their full potential.
The good news is, we can work on this. We can pray for people, make eye contact, become better listeners and tune into the needs of those around us.

Commitment to the Work

My favorite quote is from Shelton Smith, Editor of The Sword of the Lord:’
The difference between mediocrity and excellence is midnight oil, elbow grease and the power of God.
While leading a movement requires a proper rhythm, it also doesn’t happen only between the hours of 9 and 4 each day. It’s hard work. People debate Malcolm Gladwell’s assertion that it takes 10,000 hours of doing something to become great at it, but even if Malcolm is wrong, I think it’s a goal worth going for.
And let me say something particularly applicable to aspiring church planters. If relationships will be built, budgets formed, vision statements written, facilities rented, print pieces designed, postcards sent, banners ordered, donuts made ready, musicians recruited, small group hosts recruited, children’s workers trained or any of dozens of other little duties performed in the planting of a church, there absolutely must be a leader, from day one, who will see to it that it all gets accomplished. If you’re planting a church, no one will wake you up in the morning and tell you to keep going when the going gets tough. If you’re not willing to be a self-starter, don’t plant a church.
If you aspire to lead or plant a church as a pastor, there are plenty of things you can do to develop yourself in all of these areas. Read books and blogs. Network with other leaders. Stay on your knees and in the Word. Make lists of people and show them love intentionally. But you must start somewhere. This basic list is just what I would consider the core, essential qualities—the non-negotiable starting package.
The good news is, God can start with anyone, anywhere, and do anything through them he wants done. But he tends to look for those willing to be faithful, available and teachable.
This article originally appeared here.
Brandon Cox
Brandon Cox is Lead Pastor of Grace Hills Church, a new church plant in northwest Arkansas. He also serves as Editor and Community Facilitator for Pastors.com and Rick Warren's Pastor's Toolbox and was formerly a Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. In his spare time, he offers consultation to church leaders about communication, branding, and social media. He and his wife, Angie, live with their two awesome kids in Bentonville, Arkansas.

If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ

If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ

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“How we treat the poor, the oppressed, the immigrant and the incarcerated is directly related to our intimacy with God.”

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The Scriptures are clear that Jesus was born into poverty as an oppressed minority. The only begotten Son of God, who was in the beginning as God and with God, speaking creation into existence (John 1), came to Earth as a Jewish, multiethnic, poor and marginalized human being.
This ought to challenge, inform and guide how the Christian lives in society today.
If it indeed is true that Jesus sets us free, then shouldn’t all of Christ direct how we live as his liberated followers? We are set free by Christ’s birth, earthly life, death on the cross and rising from the grave.
God’s work of bringing salvation to sinful and fallen humanity begins with Christ’s birth. How he was born and grew up ought to shape our understanding of living for Christ in this politically, racially and economically divided world.
Our living as citizens of the kingdom of God is deeply connected to the countercultural life that Christ lived on earth. Christ’s birth and upbringing was a threat to oppressive political systems and religious power structures of his time.

Christ on the Wrong Side of Town

If we are open to our Christian lives being informed and guided by the birth of Christ, we must ask, “How does Christ being born into poverty as an oppressed minority shape how we live our Christian lives in society today?”
Christ was not only born into poverty—he was raised by an earthly working-class family. He grew up in the wrong community on the wrong side of town. One of the reasons people questioned his claims of being a King, the Son of God, and the Son of Man is where he grew up.
Soon after he was born, the leader of an oppressive government system ordered all male babies that looked like Jesus to be murdered. This forced Joseph, Mary and Jesus to flee into Africa and live as refugees and undocumented immigrants.
Will Christians in the United States today allow this journey, right on the other side of Christ’s birth, empower how they love refugees and the undocumented for the advancement of God’s kingdom?

How We See the Marginalized

The birth of Jesus and the life he led as he journeyed toward the cross and the resurrection is about the road to our individual salvation, and the roadmap for how we live as disciples in this divided and dysfunctional world.
How we see the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the immigrant, and the incarcerated is directly connected to how we see Christ. If we see these people falsely, then we see Christ falsely. How we treat the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the immigrant and the incarcerated is directly related to our intimacy with God, or lack thereof. This truth is shown to us in Matthew 25.
Christians, whether evangelical or mainline, must be set free from the politics of left and right in order to live missionally and humbly among the groups of people that Jesus lived among.
I yearn for a church set free from captivity of left- and right-wing politics, as well as the social matrix of race, class divisions and other broken and divisive systems that have caused Christians to compromise the gospel. I will continue to participate in movements of church planting, multiplication, leadership development and reconciliation that prophetically put the kingdom of God over the sinful and broken systems of this world.
Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Efrem Smith »
Efrem Smith is an author, international speaker and pastor of Bayside Church’s Midtown campus in Sacramento, California. This article was originally published on MissioAlliance.org.

Senin, 24 Juli 2017

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Hai saudara dan suadariku dalam Kristus Yesus,

Terimakasih untuk selama beberapa tahun terakhir ini telah dengan setia mendoakan dan mendukung kami dalam pelayanan yang telah Tuhan percayakan pada kami. Saya secara pribadi sangat menghargai persaudaraan yang telah kita bangun bersama-sama selama ini. Mohon maaf bila ada kekurangan dan hal yang kurang berkenan dalam kehidupan saya maupun keluarga.
Apa yang telah didoakan dan didistribusikan kami pastikan tidak sia-sia. Kami bersyukur, bahwa 1,5 tahun terakhir ini, saya sudah dapat kembali aktif pelayanan dan mengerjakan visi yang telah Tuhan berikan. Saya kini berjejaring dan melayani bersama-sama anggota tubuh Kristus lainnya diantaranya lembaga missi Youth With A Mission Bandung, rekan-rekan sesama pergerakan gereja rumah di Bandung, rekan-rekan pergerakan pemuridan dan penanaman gereja di tengah suku terabaikan (DMM = Discipleship Making Movement), Komunitas We Are Family yaitu kumpulan keluarga besar YWAM baik bagi yang masih aktif maupun sudah tidak pelayanan dalam lembaga YWAM, juga rekan-rekan frontier mission yang melayani khusus orang Muslim dan suku Sunda, gereja denominasi yang menjadi sahabat pergerakan kami seperti GPK, GIAT dan GPKDI selama berada di Bandung.
Saya sangat menyadari bahwa saya tidak dapat bergerak lebih lanjut tanpa doa, masukan, motivasi dan dukungan dari saudara-saudara seiman lainnya. Bila saudara memiliki bahan atau materi atau buku yang baik mengenai pemuridan, missi atau penanaman gereja (dalam konteks suku terabaikan) kami akan sangat senang menerimanya. Entah itu dalam bahasa Indonesia atau pun Bahasa Inggris.
Saya juga sangat menghargai bila ada bahan atau materi bacaan, untuk memperlengkapi sisi enterpreuner dan manajemen keuangan untuk UMKM. Sebab saya merasakan keperluan memperlengkapi hamba-hambaNya yang ingin melakukan pelayanan mandiri (self support ministry) hingga tidak bergantung pada donatur atau pun jemaat yang dilayani.
Seringkali kami terbatas atau terhambat pergerakannya oleh karena terbatasnya dana namun melihat bahwa visi besar Amanat Agung harus dapat tercapai maka kami melakukan segala daya upaya agar hal ini bisa terwujud. Saya percaya bila kita semua bergandeng tangan dan berupaya secara optimal bersama, sesuatu akan terjadi di tengah bangsa ini. Saya percaya kuasa doa... Kuasa ketaatan akan FirmanNya...... Kuasa kesatuan tubuh Kristus. Ada banyak kota dan desa di Indonesia terbuka bahkan negara-negara lain (kami juga melayani para TKI di luar negeri melalui dunia maya). Saya acap kali merasa terbatas sebab tidak dapat melengkapi saudara-saudara saya di daerah maupun luar negeri, sebab saya tidak punya dana. Tetapi saya siap bekerjasama dengan saudara seiman lainnya yang mau dengan tulus untuk pergi melayani mereka. Demi pencapaian Amanat Agung secara optimal, saya siap untuk melayani bersama anggota tubuh Kristus lainnya untuk kemuliaan dan pelebaran Kerajaan Tuhan. Harapan saya sebelum kembali pulang ke Rumah Bapa, melihat setiap anak Tuhan menjadi murid Kristus yang bermultiplikasi.
Terimakasih sudah menyempatkan diri untuk membaca surat saya yang jauh dari sempurna ini. God bless.

Selasa, 11 Juli 2017

5 Ways to Reach More Millennials at Your Church

5 Ways to Reach More Millennials at Your Church

5 Ways to Reach More Millennials at Your Church
Hi, I’m Brandon, and I’m a millennial.
I am one of those “entitled,” “snowflake” babies born between 1980 and 2000.
Being a millennial comes with many unfair stereotypes:
  • We are lazy.
  • We want trophies just for participating.
  • We can’t find stable jobs or move out of our parents’ basements…
While some of the stereotypes are true for some millennials, I know a lot of millennials who break the trend.
But there is one stereotype about millennials that is scary because it’s true. Millennials are leaving the church in droves.
So while I cannot pretend to speak for all millennials, I can tell you what my millennial friends and I want to see in your church.

1. PUT MILLENNIALS ON STAGE

When we go to church and see a bunch of gray-haired guys on stage and a bunch gray-haired people in the crowd, we wonder if we fit in.
Find ways to get younger people on stage. And let a millennial pastor preach every once in awhile.
If you don’t have one on staff (or at least as an elder or high-capacity volunteer), that may be part of the problem.
Show us that your church isn’t just an old-person club, but a place that we can serve and use our gifts too.
I know from experience how hard it is for millennials to break into ministry. We are starving for someone to give us a chance.
Just look at the churches that are reaching millennials and tell me if any of them don’t have young people on stage.

2. BE REAL WITH US

We crave authenticity.
Don’t pretend like everything in life is rosy when you follow Jesus. If you do, we will know you’re fake.
You aren’t fooling anyone. We all know you aren’t perfect. We loathe impostors, and many of us are skeptical because church leaders can seem fake.
So quit talking to us like we are naive and skipping around sensitive subjects.
Be uncomfortably vulnerable with us about your shortcomings and struggles in your faith. Tell us how you continue to wrestle with your imperfections while trying to follow Christ.
We want the ugly truth about the messy issues in life, even when it stings.

3. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

Stop pretending like it’s 1985 and we don’t all have smartphones in our pockets.
Technology has dated many practices of the church.
Stop asking everyone to fill out a physical communication card with a dull pencil when you can just ask us to send you a text, email or fill out a quick form on your website.
Don’t ask us for our “home phone number.” Does anyone still have a landline? Just ask for a phone number and assume it’s a cell phone.
Also, just so you know, most millennials don’t carry cash anymore. Many of us can hardly remember the last time we saw a checkbook. We use debit cards (or even our phones) and pay bills online. So it’s awkward when you pass an offering plate and don’t give us an option to give online.
I could list a hundred more examples.
If nothing else, start here: Update your church website and make it the central hub for all church information, registration and giving.

4. USE VISUALS

Like it or not, we are a visual generation.
It’s harder than ever for a preacher to hold our attention. But we are drawn to pictures and video. Please use them.
If you are talking about a location in the Bible, show us a picture of the area.
If you are preaching about an abstract concept, find a concrete way to demonstrate it.
Take advantage of the excellent video illustrations at your disposal.
Even just painting word pictures and telling stories helps.
In every sermon, ask yourself, “How can I both show and tell?” (I have an entire chapter on this in my book Preach and Deliver).
Use visual elements and imagery to help us see what you say.
Not only will you hold our attention, but you will help us understand in the way that we have been conditioned by our culture to learn.
Preaching isn’t dead to millennials, but it needs to adapt to our culture.

5. BE CLEAR

We like things that are clear and simple.
This goes for everything: your preaching, your theology, your programming, your mission statement…even the church signs.
We don’t like 12-point sermons. Stick with one big point.
We don’t like signs we have to stop to read, just point us in the right direction.
And please, for the love, stop reading every church announcement from the stage. Highlight a thing or two that’s coming up and point us to where we can get more information.
Also, understand that simplicity does not mean stupidity. It takes more intelligence to make the complex simple.
Cut the clutter.

THE POINT

Don’t believe all the stereotypes you hear about millennials. We don’t have to be the generation that leaves the church.
But if you want to reach us, some things in your church will have to change.
These five things alone won’t do all the work for you. But if you want your church to reach millennials, this is a start to creating an environment that will help.
Otherwise, your church might keep fishing with the wrong bait.
This article originally appeared here.

How to Minister to the Fatherless

How to Minister to the Fatherless

How to Minister to the Fatherless
Summer has been hard for my boys since their father died six and a half years ago.
First comes Father’s Day. Watching my kids over the years, I have realized that it’s very easy to dismiss Father’s Day as an irrelevant Hallmark marketing ploy when your own dad is still around. But for my boys, Father’s Day is a big deal. Then comes June 30, which would mark my husband’s 49th birthday, if he were still here for us to celebrate. July 4 used to be a big family occasion for us, and seven years later, we still have not settled on a new tradition to replace the old.
I remember in particular one rainy Fourth. We were stuck indoors, and one son was glued to ESPN. Late that night he came to me crying because all day ESPN had run patriotic stories about military service persons returning home and being reunited with their families. Over and over he saw husbands and wives surprising their families, and he watched their tears of joy and relief after months and sometimes years of painful separation. My son cried because he knew he would never have that joyful reunion this side of heaven, and he cried because he wanted to be happy for those families, but he felt so sad for himself.
There are many ways a child can become fatherless. Death, abandonment, abuse and incarceration remove the dad from a child’s life completely, and divorce can (but does not always) have a similar effect. The loss of a father, no matter how it happens, has profound and lifelong impact.
God takes the plight of the fatherless very seriously, making their welfare an urgent priority for His church.
James 1:27 in the Amplified version reads: “External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and the widows in their affliction and need…
In other words, God is saying, “If you really love Me, take care of the kids who don’t have a dad.”
God declares Himself “a Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5), and one of the primary ways he expresses this Fatherhood is through His church, the body of Christ whose hands and feet He uses to accomplish His purposes.
Here’s where to start: Build a relationship with a child who doesn’t have his or her dad. This takes time, effort, consistency and patience, but if you want to show a fatherless child the love of their heavenly Father, there’s no other way to do it. Demonstrate commitment and dependability. When you place yourself in God’s hands and ask for His love to flow through you to a hurting child, He will answer that prayer and show you what to do.
One of my husband’s best friends has taken my youngest son out for breakfast on Fridays for nearly seven years now. This man isn’t trying to replace his dad or rescue my son; he just wants to love him. He sometimes gives advice, or attends a school event, or takes my boy jet-skiing, but mostly this friend just listens. He spends time with him, and tells him God loves him. Another of my husband’s closest friends has walked through the college process with my two older sons, taking them on tours and helping them make decisions. Just this past week, yet another friend took my 15-year-old out to practice driving, and when my son expressed interest in his job, he took my boy to work with him for the day.
All these years later, these godly men (and others) are still investing time and attention in my fatherless sons. Together, they have formed a community that loves, protects and provides for my boys. They have become God’s gracious provision to our family.
Some things to keep in mind as you show love to the fatherless:
  • Know what the milestone days are. Dad’s birthday, or the anniversary of his leaving—these dates matter, and the grief can be fresh and raw years later. On my husband’s birthday every year, my brother-in-law comes over and we eat a meal of all my husband’s favorite foods. It’s a way to acknowledge the loss and remember the fun stuff.
  • Help the child do very practical dad things. One time my son angrily kicked a hole in the wall. A friend of my husband’s came to the house and very calmly, without judgment or lecturing, taught him to repair the sheetrock damage. He made my son do the actual work himself, and came back to supervise the repainting a few days later. This friend led my son to take responsibility for his childish behavior, and encouraged him to act with greater maturity in the future, exactly as his father would have done.
  • Don’t try to fix the fatherlessness. You can’t. Losing a parent is a great grief and a deep sadness and nothing anyone does will change or compensate for that fact. You cannot heal a brokenhearted child; that is God’s job. What you CAN do is “comfort those who are in any tribulation with the comfort with which [you yourself] are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). A child may be fatherless, but he or she does not have to be a spiritual orphan too.
Finally, whatever you do, don’t give up on a fatherless kid. Children who lose their fathers are often angry and wounded, and this can lead to some long-lasting, unloveable behavior. Don’t quit loving them. Wait on that front porch for the prodigal, and pray for him continually. He desperately needs to know that the love of the Father “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).
God in his grace must instill in you His love that never fails, because you can’t do it in your own strength.
Though an earthly father may leave or abandon or die, our fatherless children can hear from His body the promise of our perfect heavenly Father: “I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let you down, relax my hold on you. Assuredly not!” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP)
This article originally appeared here.