2014 LUMC Presentation

4/25/2014

LUMC – We’re Working On It Learning to grow vital congregations through effective small groups, vital personal faith in lay leaders, a mixture of traditional and contemporary worship styles, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

By: Alethea Billigslea, Arlin Hodges, Alan Coleman, Daniel Morgan, Bev Hombroek, Steve Ketcham and Tera Ertz.

Special assistance from Hattie Jackson

2014 LUMC PresentationIntroductionWe have been studying these last month the new direction of the United Methodist Church to redirect the resources of the church toward creating more vital congregations. The literature on the subject is vast, and makes for interesting reading. The statistics in the Towers Watson report and the Vital Congregations database are enticing. However, as we seek to grow God’s kingdom, we must be mindful of what powers this vitality. Before we look at some of the Key Drivers of Vitality, we’ll examine what enlivens our efforts to grow vital congregations. We’ll look at the conflict that rises in our minds between intentionality and accountability, and the answer in Scripture for balancing the two.In previous years, the UMC has focused its efforts on intentionality. As I understand it, this approach to vitality was best summed up by Paul’s admonition to the Ephesians in chapter 2:8-9 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The church focused on catchphrases like “walking by faith,” “Open hearts, open minds, open doors,” and teaching the word intentionality. This focus on intentionality, or faith, left us with membership numbers continuing to decline and struggling churches.

2014 LUMC PresentationIntroduction continued

The Call to Action Steering Team and the Towers Watson reports helped us develop a new focus on accountability. The current literature teaches us to measure numbers and build accountability for clergy and leadership to help grow those numbers. This approach is best summed up by James’ admonition in chapter 2:14-17 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,  and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[b] is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”The tension between these two factors: faith and works, is present throughout the New Testament. It is inherent in our nature to desire either accountability or intentionality, Faith Or Works. In examining the results of polls in the GBOD workshops for Developing Your Ministry Plan, this tension is once again swinging the church away from teaching faith toward a focus only on works.

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Scripture teaches that there is another way. Wesley summed up the Scriptural answer to human forces that are in seeming conflict with the idea expressed today as not “either or” but “both and.” We must have both faith and works if we are to succeed in growing vital congregations. Christ promised us that if we seek the Holy Spirit, He will show us how to balance the two.

Today we will explore the need for a variety of small groups, we will investigate the need for deep personal faith in our lay leaders, and we will discover the need for diversity in our styles of worship. As we examine these areas, the other key drivers and vital congregation statistics, let us seek the balance of God in our work.

Vital churches have more small groups for all agesWhy have small groups? The very nature of Methodism calls us to have small groups within our churches. The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church – 2012 states:

P 255-256 “The ministries of the local church are offered so that people encounter God’s redeeming love for the world and respond by participating in God’s action in the world. To achieve this people need to be involved in a variety of small-group settings.”

The Wesleyan movement began as a small group, grew through small groups, and exploded across the globe one small group at a time. The founder of the Methodist Church/Wesleyan movement, John Wesley believed that living a holy life required that believers share their lives in intimate fellowship on a regular basis and that these small groups should provide support, encouragement, and spiritual maturation as Methodists strived to live holy lives. Mr. Wesley also advocated another type of small group, Bands. Bands were a voluntary group of people that were in groupings by gender, age, and marital status. These groups professed a clear Christian faith and a desire to grow in love, holiness and purity of intention. He felt that there is “no holiness without social holiness.”

Church committees UMM UMWChancel choir Praise band Youth ChoirYouth Band Children’s Choir Drama/puppet ministryLadies’ Prayer Group Sunday School Run/walk groupsYoung Adult groups Teachers Bible Study groupsPioneer Club Senior Groups (Bethesda’s Best) Joyseekers (visit homebound)Workout groups Softball teams Basketball teamsCraft groups VBS Accountability Groups

A congregation is a collection of groups…these and many more possibilities!

Of these small groups some may be formed by the church council, some are historical and relate to the ministries of the church, and some are started by members. Each vital church should have a variety of small groups that support the formation of Christian disciples and keep the core of the group focused on God. In doing this they may concentrate on:

• teaching and learning, • fellowship• support• community ministries• accountability

Key Drivers of Vitality

Vital Churches have more small groups for all ages

The nature of Methodism calls us to have small 

groups within our churches.

Why Small Groups?

“The ministries of the local church are offered so that people encounter God’s redeeming love for the world and respond by participating in God’s action in the world. To achieve this people need to be involved in a variety of small-group settings.” 

Book of Discipline 2012 ¶ 255-256 

Why Small Groups?

People  find a sense of roots, place and belonging in significant relational groups.Small Groups Must:Support the formation of Christian disciples. Small groups must have structure and organization. This

can be done around many commonalities.o Age groups (20-somethings, 30-somethings)o Family background (single, married, divorced), o With/without childreno Location of homeo Hobbies and interestso Spiritual Gifts

Each group must have solid leadership.o Recognize, develop and train potential leaders for

success.

Christian formation requires:Teaching LearningFellowshipSupportCommunity ministriesAccountabilitySpiritual growth Empowering lay ministry

A congregation is a collection of groupsChurch committees UMW UMM Chancel choir

Men’s Prayer Group Ladies’ Prayer Group

Accountability Groups Young Adult groups

Senior Groups Pioneer Club

Children’s choir Youth band

Praise band Youth choir

Bible Study groups Sunday School

Run/walk groups Drama/puppet ministry

Teachers Joyseekers (visit homebound) Craft groups

Workout groups Softball teams Basketball teams VBS 

We don’t do faith aloneActive, Christ-focused

small groups:Help the individual grow in

holiness of heart and lifeIncrease the vitality of the

church bodyNurture and equip church

leadership and laity for ministry

People win people to Christ; programs do not10% of visitors will become

new members of a church.Engaging people in small

groups provides relationships with God and people.

50% of visitors who connect with a small group will become new members.

Vital churches have lay leaders who demonstrate a vital personal faithVital churches have spiritually engaged lay leaders who understand that God desires a personal relationship with each of us. Lay leaders that understand this demonstrate personal practices of deliberate faith disciplines. We participate in disciplines that help us grow in faith outside of our normal weekly worship service. We understand that growing spiritually does not just come from hearing the message in the weekly worship service, but there must be other opportunities for spiritual growth. These disciplines include regular prayer, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, attending worship regularly, proportional giving, and sharing our faith with others among others. These disciplines allow us to grow our relationships with God and each other.

FamilySchoolChurch

WorkCommunityMinistry

Areas of Leadership

• Faith

Demonstrations of Faith

First impressionsVolunteer in the communityLead by example

Eighty seven percent (87%) of people between the ages of 16 and 29 who do not attend church say they view the church as hypocritical. They have formed this opinion from watching Christians interact in the world.

Evaluations of Faith

AttitudesActions

Vital congregation lay leaders display continuous personal growth,help develop disciples, attend and/or lead bible studies, are members of church council, and are workers of the church. The fruits of the Spirit are evident in laity who demonstrates a vital and faithful relationship with Jesus Christ. The fruits are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:21-23).

Ways of Increasing Faith

Worship attendanceBible StudyMission ExperienceDiscussing faith & testimony

with other believersTime in prayer

Six Elements for Spiritual Growth

Salvation – develop a relationship with Christ and accept him as your personal savior.

Scripture – Transformation through reading and studying the Bible.Sharing – with the Lord, a Christian friend, and unbelievers.Suffering – one of the tools God uses to mature us (James 1:2-4).Service – an essential part of spiritual growth is engaging in the good

works God has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).Serious & focused prayer – to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit.

How we grow

The Wesleyan tradition states that we must organize and invite laity to be engaged in the Wesleyan Means of Grace

Both

Works of Piety and Works of Mercy

Works of PietyPrayerFastingReadingMeditating and studying ScriptureRegularly attending worshipHealthy livingRegularly receiving sacramentsChristian conferencing (accountability)Bible study

Works of MercyDoing good worksVisiting the sickVisiting the imprisonedSharing faithFeeding the hungryGiving generously to those in needSeeking justiceEnding oppression & discriminationServing with the poor

Vital Churches offer a mix of contemporary and traditional services

There is a wide variety of worship styles offered in today’s churches. Churches that provide a mix of both traditional and more contemporary styles of service appeal to a larger range of worshippers and show a higher level of vitality.

Worshiping with Purpose

Wesley considered worship one of the Means of Grace essential to Christian development and

spiritual growth.

How we worship isn’t as important as why we worship.

Why we worshipPraise GodThank GodConfess our sinsTestify to the Gospel of ChristLearn application of Biblical truth

to our present lifeOffer ourselves to GodPrayers of intercessionUnify us with one another and God

Style Matters

Growth in overall attendanceEngagement of the

congregationSpiritual growth of the

congregationAttract new membersFoster movement of the

Spirit

Traditional Style Service

Praise GodThank GodConfess our sinsTestify to the Gospel of ChristUnify us with one another and God

Order of Worship provides a guideCall to worshipHymn InvocationOld Testament readingLord’s Prayer & Apostle's CreedNew Testament readingSermonHymn

Contemporary Style Service

Testify to the Gospel of ChristLearn application of Biblical truth

to our present lifeOffer ourselves to GodUnify us with one another and God

Topical sermons address current needs and issues in the life of the congregation

Series sermons allow for ongoing engagement over several weeks

Typically incorporate a call to action

Contemporary Style Service, continued

Praise GodThank GodConfess our sinsOffer ourselves to GodUnify us with one another and God

Modern worship music draws people into praise, thanksgiving and repentance with relatable lyrics and easy to remember music

Multi-media engages the visual and audio learning processes allowing better retention and engagement

Which One, Traditional or Contemporary?Know the congregation’s needsFocus on the style that best

helps the congregation and community worship with purpose

Know our limitationsFind ways to make changes easy

for clergy and worship leadersNew meets old