hy You Should Go on Vacation...

The article below contains some excellent reasons why you as the team leader should go on vacation. I need to be reminded that I'm not indispensable!

Marty

Great Leadership: 10 Reasons to go on a Vacation

Decade of Decline: 590,000

590,000! In the last decade the US conferences of The United Methodist Church has plummeted. While here in NC we have posted modest gains, primarily due to our efforts to plant new faith communities, we still see the decay happening around the edges. Each year we close (or should close) churches with fewer than a dozen members who hang on out of obligation rather than effectiveness.

Here is the article outlining the losses and some insights. Remember, numerical loss is a symptom, not a disease. We must find the disease before we can determine a treatment!

Marty


U.S. conferences report declining numbers - UMC.org

Ed Stetzer - Four New Church Planting Books

Four great Church Planting recommendations from Ed Stetzer!

These are also good resources for those of us challenged with the task of renewing existing congregations.

Marty

Ed Stetzer - Four New Church Planting Books

What Are You Waiting For?

What is in your Adventure Book? What is is that you would do if you knew you could not fail? What mountain would you climb, business you would start, ministry you would launch if you knew you had just a year or two to live? What are you waiting for?

I struggle between two extremes. Due to my upbringing and how unstable our financial situation was growing up, part of me practices risk avoidance. I want to play it safe, not take any chances, and do the predictable thing.The other side of me wants to boldly follow my passion to change the world.

I have seen so many people put off living. They delay for another day. This clip from UP reminds us that life is precious. Take a reflective moment and think about what it would take for you to launch out on a dream adventure, maybe even create your own Adventure Book!

Consumed by the Call,

Marty

Are pews bad for the church? Yes.

I have often been accused of being anti-pew, and the truth is, its true. Pews limit seating options, actually reduce seating capacity in a room, and lower the friendliness factor of a sanctuary/auditorium. Here is somebody else who thinks the same thing. Oddly enough this is the third time I have had conversations about pews at St. Paul and their limitations, but even I know that God will have to convince most of our people that pews should be replaced with flexible seating.

Marty

Are pews bad for the church? Yes. � The New Methodists

The Alban Institute - 2010-07-12 Why Do We Worship the Way We Have Always Worshiped When People Keep Changing?

Alban is always good for solid research and sound recommendations.

The Alban Institute - 2010-07-12 Why Do We Worship the Way We Have Always Worshiped When People Keep Changing?

Tribute to The Dad Life!

To all my posse rolling in up to the hood in the mini-van!
Marty

When Are We Going to Quit Playing it Safe?

When are we going to quit playing it safe? In the world of the church we tend to be risk adverse. We want certain returns on any investment and are not willing to take big, honking, God-sized risks because we are afraid to lose. Here is the bad news, look around, we already lost. Our culture is far from being what most of us pray each week in worship, "thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." We are surrounded by people who need the loving hand of Christ and the helping hand of Christians, but we spend our time playing it safe.

The video clip below is from a movie that depicts the struggle between two brothers. The stronger is genetically engineered and superior in every way, except that he loses. The reason he loses is because he refuses to take risks. The other brother swims and refused to hold anything back for the return journey. In life, which swimmer are you? The one who gives it all, or the one who plays it safe.

God chose to take a risk, God chose to give it all. When Jesus came He gave everything, and then left the future of the church in the hands of a small group of flawed people. That is all any of us really are, a small group of flawed people. The question is will we swim and not hold anything back?

Consumed by the Call,
Marty

Ed Stetzer - Transformational Churches and The Value of Community

Required reading for our small group leaders! Good insights.
Marty

Ed Stetzer - Transformational Churches and The Value of Community

What The Church Can Learn From Lady Gaga | ChurchCrunch

Excellent article about how the church needs to put down its "judgement sticks" and start learning lessons from today's icons. Lady Gaga has one of the most committed and evangelistic fan bases I have ever seen, yet when you hear her speak in interviews she comes through as authentic and real. This article shows what we can learn from her!

Peace,
Marty

What The Church Can Learn From Lady Gaga | ChurchCrunch