Five Marks of An Effective Church
It's simple. It's stuff I already "know," but boy, did I need to read it.
Here they are:
A plethora of invited guests
Congregational care
Regular influx of spontaneous guests
Spontaneous congregational ministry
Regular adult baptisms
Friday, March 6, 2009
"Is the Lenten Season Bringing More Visitors to Your Church?" Ummmm, No
Yesterday I received an email from the good folks at the publishing and supply arm of my tribe (The United Church of Christ). One of the product categories they were highlighting were tools for visitors (lanyards, name tags and such). The headline for the section was what I posted above: "Is the Lenten Season Bringing more Visitors to Your Church?"
It is a small thing, dashed out by a marketer at a church publisher and not intended as an ecclesiological or missiological statement, I know. However, it points to a bigger issue within the church: the fact that we still expect the Lenten season to bring visitors to our church. Lent is an opportunity to asses our relationship with God, a chance to correct the course of our life and remember that God loves us. It is a wonderful season for Christians in church. With the possible exception of a displaced Catholic or two (who we love!), no unchurched person showed up at church last week because it was the first Sunday of Lent ("Lent? You mean the stuff in the dryer?") Possibly, someone came because of a cool, creative Lenten worship series or event, marketed well, that spoke to a felt need in their life. But, what is much, much, much more likely is that someone came to church for the first time last Sunday because they were invited by someone with whom they have a relationship and in whose lives they have noticed a difference. People come to Christ (and to church) because of other lives that are overflowing with joy and confidence and peace as a result of their relationship with God.
It is a small thing, dashed out by a marketer at a church publisher and not intended as an ecclesiological or missiological statement, I know. However, it points to a bigger issue within the church: the fact that we still expect the Lenten season to bring visitors to our church. Lent is an opportunity to asses our relationship with God, a chance to correct the course of our life and remember that God loves us. It is a wonderful season for Christians in church. With the possible exception of a displaced Catholic or two (who we love!), no unchurched person showed up at church last week because it was the first Sunday of Lent ("Lent? You mean the stuff in the dryer?") Possibly, someone came because of a cool, creative Lenten worship series or event, marketed well, that spoke to a felt need in their life. But, what is much, much, much more likely is that someone came to church for the first time last Sunday because they were invited by someone with whom they have a relationship and in whose lives they have noticed a difference. People come to Christ (and to church) because of other lives that are overflowing with joy and confidence and peace as a result of their relationship with God.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Stapled to My Forehead, Print Facing Me:
If you hear my idea but don't believe it, that's not your fault; it's mine.
If you see my new product but don't buy it, that's my failure, not yours.
If you attend my presentation and you're bored, that's my fault too.
If I fail to persuade you to implement a policy that supports my tribe, that's due to my lack of passion or skill, not your shortsightedness.
If you are a student in my class and you don't learn what I'm teaching, I've let you down.
-Seth Godin
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
I Hadn't Thought of That
A value that is very important to us as a church is the open communion table, to which anyone, no matter who they are or where they are on life's journey, is welcomed. I strive to make that clear each month as we come to the table together.
However, someone asked me an interesting question this week. How does a guest know how we take communion. You might be thinking the same thing as I was: "Well you just do it." But a guest will have no idea what it is that we "just do." If they come from a different tradition or no tradition at all they will be confused and maybe even embarrassed. In fact, the family of the person that brought this to my attention told me that they didn't come to church on communion Sundays because they didn't know what they were supposed to do!
You can bet that we will be correcting that. You see, hospitality is more than just saying that everyone is welcome. It includes making sure that we are actively ensuring that everyone is welcome by removing the obstacles that stand in the way of them becoming as involved as they want to be in the life of our church.
However, someone asked me an interesting question this week. How does a guest know how we take communion. You might be thinking the same thing as I was: "Well you just do it." But a guest will have no idea what it is that we "just do." If they come from a different tradition or no tradition at all they will be confused and maybe even embarrassed. In fact, the family of the person that brought this to my attention told me that they didn't come to church on communion Sundays because they didn't know what they were supposed to do!
You can bet that we will be correcting that. You see, hospitality is more than just saying that everyone is welcome. It includes making sure that we are actively ensuring that everyone is welcome by removing the obstacles that stand in the way of them becoming as involved as they want to be in the life of our church.
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