Summer, Summer, Summertime!

Summer is for sunshine, Italian Ice, and Water Slides! But it’s also a great time to evaluate the systems of our churches. At Epic Church, where I pastor we take the summer months of June, July, and August to adjust our internal processes for maximum effectiveness. So when the next growth season of ‘Back to School’ and Christmastime comes, we are running on all cylinders! 

This is not to say we as church leaders shouldn’t be always improving. But I do believe a case should be made to not make major changes right in the middle of the ‘busy’ seasons of church growth. It probably isn’t smart to replace a major leader the week before Easter (barring something illegal going on). Summer months allow for just enough of a relaxing mindset to step back and rethink the internal work. 

A great framework for evaluation I learned from Matt Keller at Next Level Church (MattKellerOnline.com), is to ask the questions

1) What was Right,

2) What was Wrong,

3) What was Missing, and

4) What was Confusing.

We use this framework to evaluate the overall success of the previous growth season (January through Easter or October through Christmas). And what was GOOD, throw gas on it. What was WRONG, stop it. What was MISSING, add it. And what was CONFUSING, clarify it. 

Through the month of July I’ll be focusing our weekly emails on systems that should be healthy as we approach the Autumn/ Winter growth season, so we can all effectively expand the Kingdom of God on the earth!

Enjoy! 

Here is Week 1 - 8 Systems for a Healthy Church

http://www.communicatejesus.com/8-systems-for-a-healthy-church/

3 Church Trends Bringing Revival from ARC Conference 2019

We recently returned from Birmingham Alabama, the home of Dreamland BBQ ribs and the ARC Conference 2019. The ARC (Association of Related Churches who recently signed an historic agreement with the Church of God), is primarily a church planting organization, also hosts an annual conference to encourage pastors, inform members of the network, and celebrate the growth of the capital “C” Church around the globe. 2019’s theme for the conference was Family Vibes. 

While at this year’s conference I noticed some amazing trends that seem to be fostering a new brand of revival across the nation. Regardless of whether a pastor finds himself in skinny jeans and a man bun, or dockers and Nike Monarchs, these trends are relevant to any ministry hoping to reach more people for Jesus. And all of which fit under the theme of Family Vibes. 

1 - Tribes

Even though ARC is a relatively young organization itself, there was an unspoken push towards finding smaller tribes to plug into. Doing a quick Google search I was able to find numerous networks and smaller families to connect to through their respective organizations: Next Level Relational Network, River Valley Network, Gateway Network, Relate, etc. 

The Church of God has been standing behind an initiative for these smaller tribes through their Pastoral Covenant Groups. These Covenant Community Groups have seen a recent revival in our Region by uniting pastors from all points geographically as well as ages and styles. The most important part of these groups is the openness, transparency, and trust that is built among them. 

This type of connection brings an innovation that not only challenges us as leaders to grow outside of our comfort zone, but brings us to a place where the Spirit of God meets us in the newness. For information on these groups click here. 

2 - Multi-Cultural Ministry 

Let’s be clear - this is more than making sure we use stock photos showing a diversity of races on our websites. This is more than adding a gospel song to the 3 other Chris Tomlin songs in the weekly worship setlist. Rather this is intentionally building relationships with those in our communities that don’t look like us, talk like us, vote like us, and think like us. 

In a recent series on racial reconciliation a caucasian pastor from New York formed a group of African American attendees from his church in the hopes of having a transparent and vulnerable conversation. The two questions posed to the group was, “What is like to be African American in New York City?” and “What is it like to be African American in our church?” The dialogue that came from that room drastically changed this pastor’s approach to everything he does, and has brought a fresh wind of unity and God’s presence upon this congregation and even into the surrounding community! 

Viewing those in our church as family - not attendees, tithe payers, or potential volunteers - should alter us deeply and indelibly, and create a culture for a spiritual renewal that the enemy undoubtedly will fight tooth and nail. 

3 - Family, Family

In one of the breakout sessions, Shawn Lovejoy (former Church Planter and Pastor) spoke of the urgent need for ministry leaders to redefine our priorities. He presented the urgent need to change our definitions of success. One of his most pointed comments was, “Success is being fully where my feet are.”

We must be fully present in every environment we find ourselves. Most importantly with our family at home. If when we are with our spouses and children, yet our mind is back in the office, then we cannot claim true success as leaders. Our success as parents and spouses IS our success as leaders. Because we all know the reverse to be true - the demise of the health of our families will be the demise of our success as leaders. 

How do we make our families priorities? Here are couple ideas from the session: 

• Make a stop doing list

  • Write down all of your tasks for 4 weeks and at the end separate the tasks between what you can delegate, and what you cannot.

• Develop a healthy rhythm

  • When do you start working? When do you stop working? When is your date night? When is your family vacation? Write them down and stick to it!

• Don’t walk in your front door still on the phone

  • By being on your phone as you walk in, you are communicating to your family that they are not as important as your final call. But the opposite is also true. 

I believe a healthy home-front paves the way for receptivity to the Spirit of God in our churches. And the attacks on the unity in our homes is a sure sign that the enemy knows this too, and will stop at nothing to disrupt it. 

In addition to our focus on Jesus, the Word, prayer, and worship how could you pursue revival through the family? Perhaps linking up with a few other pastors in your area and creating covenant? Maybe, redefining the priority of your home? Or through choosing empathy and uniting with those in your communities that wouldn’t normally connect with? 

We cannot deny that God designed the family, as well as the human race to be united. So regardless of how and when, by us finding, feeding, and protecting our families will bring new life to our churches, homes, and communities like never before! 

Which trend do you see already in your area? Which trend do you need to implement most?

Don't Forget About Jesus

The praise and worship set has been finalized. The invites have all been given out. The new guest gifts have all been ordered. The team has been pumped up with the vision. Now all is left is actually having the Easter Sunday services. But one vital piece is still missing. 

Jesus. 

Paul, awaiting his death at the hands of a corrupt Roman regime, pens one final letter to his protege, Timothy. With the church in Ephesus left under his care, Timothy struggles against all kinds of stresses, dysfunction, and organizational gangrene. Yet Paul knows God’s gospel is unstoppable and is producing fruit under Timothy’s leadership, so he encourages him one more time. In his final paragraphs as an apostle, a spiritual father, a servant of God, Paul takes pause to remind Timothy of the crux of this whole thing - Jesus.  

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:8-10

This Easter weekend as you awake remember Jesus. As you dress remember Jesus. As you drive to the church remember Jesus. As you greet your team members remember Jesus. As you worship, remember Jesus. As you step on stage to deliver the message branded on your heart, remember Jesus. As you serve and make a difference in the lives of other, remember Jesus!

Let us not, become so preoccupied with the intricacies of the service flow that we miss the point. May we not become distracted with the endless moving parts that we forget why Easter is Easter.  Let us become so overwhelmed with what Jesus suffered, endured, and conquered, so that it consumes us in a way that we struggle to have conversations about the weather, baseball, and lunch. Fight hard, to fall so deeply and madly in love with Jesus this Easter, that you struggle to perform common tasks.

And if this Easter doesn’t meet your expectations, let not your heart be discouraged. Because as Paul said, “God’s word is not chained.” Regardless of whether you served a church of 30,000 or 30, nothing can impede the unstoppable message that the tomb is still empty. 

Let us remember Jesus, who has raised from the dead. Allow that memory to lead to gratitude, and that gratitude lead to passion. To breathe on an unquenchable fire from within that shines on the empty tomb. A light so bright that it is impossible for those you come in contact with to forget Jesus.

Happy Easter.