http://www.fundamentallyreformed.com/2011/12/20/the-12-days-before-christmas-book-giveaway-day-8/
http://www.credomag.com/2011/12/19/this-weeks-book-giveaways-3/
New Living Translation Giveaway
December 10, 2011https://www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation?sk=app_121121694568521
Simple Church (part four)
December 8, 2011Simple Church: Returning to God’s process for making disciples
© 2011 by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger
Published by B&H Publishing Group
281 pages
The authors define a simple church as “a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth” (p. 186).
To have a simple church, leaders must ensure that everything their church does fits together to produce life change. They must design a simple process that pulls everything together, a simple process that moves people toward spiritual maturity (p. 26).
In this book they authors are encouraging us to design a process for discipleship. They key word of this book is “process.” Simple only comes into play because a complicated or complex process does not produce the desired result.
To help us design this process the last half of the book focuses on four elements: Clarity, Movement, Alignment and Focus. These four must flow. Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people. It eliminates confusion. Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process.
“A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth. The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it. The process flows logically (movement) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment). The church abandons everything that is not tin the process (focus)” (p.67).
Chapter Five explains Clarity:
Five keys to clarity
1. Define
Church leaders must define more than the purpose (the what); they must also define the process (the how). People within a church must know the process because they are integral to fulfilling it. A clearly defined process encourages people to progress through it because they know the expectation. People cannot embrace the ambiguous (p. 114).
2. Illustrate
If you want your church members to see you simple process clearly, you must illustrate it (p. 116). The simple process is more likely to resonate with each person if it is visual (p.117). Choose a visual illustration for your process (p.119).
3. Measure
Our research also reveals that measuring your process is critical. Measuring helps bring clarity (p. 120). What gets evaluated gets done (p. 121).
4. Discuss
Discussion will lead to understanding and ownership with the leaders (p.126). When the process starts to feel old, brainstorm fresh ways to communicate it (p. 128).
5. Increase Understanding
They continually and intentionally confirm that their church members have a clear understanding of their process (p. 129). When you are tired of talking about it, people will just be in the first stages of understanding (p. 131). Share real stories of real people with real names (p. 131).
An article worth reading
December 2, 2011Simple Church (part 3)
December 1, 2011Notes from Chapters Three & Four:
Spiritual growth is a process. It always has been. Thus, it would make sense for church leaders to design their churches around the process of spiritual growth (p. 59).
They are talking about a design for discipleship. A design of church ministry. How a church is designed and structured so people can be transformed by God’s grace (p. 59).
In First Corinthians 3 believers are called God’s children (v. 1), God’s field (v. 9), God’s building (v. 9). Children, fields and buildings grow in process. Not only do simple church leaders understand that spiritual transformation is a process, but they also respond to this reality (p. 60).
What is the definition of a Simple Church? A simple church is a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth (p.60).
There is a highly significant relationship between a simple church design and the growth and vitality of a local church. A simple church strategy is effective (p. 67).
The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it. The process flows logically (movement) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment). The church abandons everything that is not in the process (focus) (p. 68).
Clarity – Movement – Alignment – Focus (p. 68ff)
Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people…it eliminates confusion (p. 70).
Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment…it is about assimilation (p. 72). Movement is how someone is handed off from one level of commitment to a greater level of commitment (p.73).
Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process (p. 74).
Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process (p. 76).
While movement is the most difficult simple church element to understand, focus is the most difficult to implement (p. 76).
The last half of the book will deal with these four steps.
In chapter four, the authors give us some real life examples. One I found particularly interesting involved the content of the adult Bible fellowships coinciding with the message in the worship service. The pastor writes what he calls “coordinates” each week that supplement his message. The Bible fellowship leaders use these coordinates as curriculum. The pastor is able to invite the people at the worship service to attend a Bible fellowship “to get more information and go deeper.” (p.89)
“Bible fellowship” or small groups are offered on Sunday Morning, Wednesday nights, and in homes during the week (p. 95).
An example of a simple process is (1) come to a worship service, (2) be in a small group, and (3) serve in a ministry (p.95).
Simple churches reject the menu philosophy of ministry that encourages church leaders to offer huge menus of programs. The authors believe ministry is done poorly in most churches. It is impossible to do things with excellence when energy and attention are divided. These churches have an inability to focus (p. 103).
Book Giveaway
November 29, 2011http://www.credomag.com/2011/11/28/this-weeks-book-giveaways-christmas-from-crossway/
Simple Church (part 2)
November 15, 2011Simple Church
Notes from Chapter Two:
Before I came to Community Bible Church I took a couple of classes at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. One of my professors was Thom Rainer, one of the authors of this book. “Simple Church” was conceived out of a study of Southern Baptist Church (SBC) health. It was expanded to non-SBC churches, but you can definitely detect the SBC influence. Many SBC congregations are bogged down with committees. They have a committee on committees. They have a large menu of program options. In many cases this gets in the way of actually making disciples.
In that respect, I came away from reading this book slightly encouraged. I don’t believe our congregation has a complex process. I’m not sure we need to streamline. My concern is we don’t a process at all.
A process is not about “programs.” Programs are not ends in themselves. They are to be used as tools to move people toward spiritual maturity (p.42).
Programs were made for man, not man for programs. If the goal is to keep certain things going, the church is in trouble. The end result must always be about people. Programs should only be tools (p. 43).
I believe in preaching. I believe that the gathering of the church should be centered on the Word of God. The main Sunday morning preaching service is the heart of worship. The question is however, is that alone enough to produce spiritually mature disciples?
No it is not. It takes a process that begins on Sunday morning, but that doesn’t end there. The goal is to move people from stage to stage so people naturally progress through the process of spiritual transformation.
The authors clearly believe in the value of small groups. People who attend worship services are encouraged to move to a small group. From small groups people should be challenged to serve on a team that reaches out to others. This is what they mean by a simple process.
Simple Church
November 10, 2011In the beginning of 2011 we announced that the church leadership was going to begin a yearlong process of evaluating how Community Bible Church (hereafter CBC) functioned. I called it “The Year of the Church” and took our text from First Timothy 3:15. “…so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”
Starting in January and ending right before Easter, I preached through the book of First Timothy, which I consider to be a policy manual for the local church. This sermon series was titled “Life in the Father’s Household.” You can listen to it here
In our board meetings we began the time consuming and slow moving conversation about how we do things, why we do them, how should we do them and can we do them better. Progress has been snail pace at best. However my sermon series on Sanctification came as a result as was the just completed membership class. This is a conversation that will continue on into 2012.
One of the things we did as a deacon board was read a book together. This Saturday morning we are meeting to begin our discussion of it and hopefully eventually our implementation.
I am going to be sharing my thoughts about the book on my blog. You are welcome to follow along. I hope you do. This is the first installment. More will be forthcoming.
Simple Church: Returning to God’s process for making disciples
© 2011 by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger
Published by B&H Publishing Group
281 pages
This book was originally published in 2006. This paperback edition has been updated with a new final chapter on what the authors have learned since the book was first released.
Many churches have “business meetings.” If the church was really a business what business is it in? If the business had a product, what would the product be? The church is in the disciple making business. Our product is a disciple. We want fully functioning followers of Christ. These followers or disciples aren’t made, they are grown. They are produced by spiritual transformation, or in other words the process of progressive sanctification. The church is to be assisting people in their spiritual growth.
The authors define a simple church as “a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth” (p. 186).
In this book the authors are encouraging us to design a process for discipleship. The key word of this book is “process.” Simple only comes into play because a complicated or complex process does not produce the desired result. The book follows the old adage “keep it simple stupid.”
To have a simple church, leaders must ensure that everything their church does fits together to produce life change. They must design a simple process that pulls everything together, a simple process that moves people toward spiritual maturity (p. 26).
Only God is the producer of growth. The church is one of His tools in this growth process. The church is to move people toward spiritual maturity.
The authors have varied ministry experience, including pastoring and teaching. They are also researchers. This book is based upon their research of “vibrant” churches compared to churches that are struggling. Churches without a process or with a complicated process for making disciples are floundering (p. 14).
Simple churches have realized this. Because they are consumed with the call to make disciples, they have implemented a simple design for church ministry. They have designed a simple process to reach and mature people. Thus, these churches are getting people’s attention and commitment (p. 15).
Many churches know what they should be doing but struggle with the how. There is not a clear process in place that streamlines the ministry and keeps everybody on the same page (p.22).
There is a big difference between simple and easy. Simple is basic, uncomplicated and fundamental. Easy is effortless. Ministry will never be easy (p. 16).
As church members and especially leaders, can we clearly articulate how someone at CBC moves from being a new Christian to becoming a mature follow of Christ? Do we have a process? Is it simple enough to be understood and communicated?
Book giveaway
September 14, 2011http://www.credomag.com/2/post/2011/09/more-awesome-book-giveaways.html
