Hello Church,
Sometimes unconditional love is a 2-way street.
I was shown a flyer for our Breakfast With Santa event on Dec. 21st. It was on a red paper with the date and time and a place for RSVP-ing. It had a picture of a little Santa on it too. This red flyer was printed out and handed out to the kids at Holly Hill Elementary. But here is the cool thing....
Emmanuel didn't make the flyer....
As it turns out, Holly Hill made the flyer and took the initiative to pass it out to the kids. The info I received was that 'they wanted to help us out'.
This is affirmation in my mind. Taking risks and spending energy making connections to those outside the church can be worth it. There are those in the world who recognize and appreciate unconditional love. And, wow, how awesome it is when such love is reciprocated.
Now it is Holly Hill who is helping us do what we do.... not just us helping Holly Hill do what they do.
I hope you recognize the significance of this and the ramifications it has on how the church looks upon its work and ministries. I also hope you are able to dream ahead as to what it could look like as unconditional love could multiply with multiple relationships among multiple organizations.
I want to see this effort grow, expand, multiply. I want to watch as the fruit of the work ripens into the growth of the church. It takes time and diligence and patience... but oh so worth it.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, November 25, 2019
Monday, November 18, 2019
Church Is Changing Around Us
Hello Church,
9 new Methodist worship services have been started in the Cincinnati area. All 9 are working and growing.
But here's the catch.... none of them are in church buildings.
A nursing home. An art store. A brewery.... to name three of them...
They aren't huge worship services. Most are 50 or less. That's okay because most of our church buildings are worshiping 50 or less. One difference is that these new worship sites have worked up to 50, not down to 50. This new trend is known as Fresh Expressions. The idea isn't local, but the idea is catching hold.
Church is changing. Perceptions of church are changing. Worshiping congregations who understand this shift are changing how they go about reaching people. They are naming their fears; taking risks and putting it all out there. Relationship building is taking precedence over brick buildings. 9 times it has been tried by the Methodist church in the Cincinnati area. All 9 times it has and still is working. Relationships built; Holy Communion; baptisms, new members, etc.
What does this mean for Emmanuel? I'm not sure, but I would like to have the conversations. I have been to a Fresh Expressions service. I can't say it was really my thing, but I'm not sure that's the point. If we are trying to reach people who are put off by the institutional church, then we need to think outside the institution. As one who was raised in the faith by the institution, this is scary indeed. I would still like to have the conversations.
In the end, God wants people to feel loved and connected to a faith community. What that means today isn't any different than in years past. Yet when and where that happens has often been pigeon-holed to Sunday mornings in a specific kind of building. What does this mean? I don't know, but I'd like to have the conversations.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
9 new Methodist worship services have been started in the Cincinnati area. All 9 are working and growing.
But here's the catch.... none of them are in church buildings.
A nursing home. An art store. A brewery.... to name three of them...
They aren't huge worship services. Most are 50 or less. That's okay because most of our church buildings are worshiping 50 or less. One difference is that these new worship sites have worked up to 50, not down to 50. This new trend is known as Fresh Expressions. The idea isn't local, but the idea is catching hold.
Church is changing. Perceptions of church are changing. Worshiping congregations who understand this shift are changing how they go about reaching people. They are naming their fears; taking risks and putting it all out there. Relationship building is taking precedence over brick buildings. 9 times it has been tried by the Methodist church in the Cincinnati area. All 9 times it has and still is working. Relationships built; Holy Communion; baptisms, new members, etc.
What does this mean for Emmanuel? I'm not sure, but I would like to have the conversations. I have been to a Fresh Expressions service. I can't say it was really my thing, but I'm not sure that's the point. If we are trying to reach people who are put off by the institutional church, then we need to think outside the institution. As one who was raised in the faith by the institution, this is scary indeed. I would still like to have the conversations.
In the end, God wants people to feel loved and connected to a faith community. What that means today isn't any different than in years past. Yet when and where that happens has often been pigeon-holed to Sunday mornings in a specific kind of building. What does this mean? I don't know, but I'd like to have the conversations.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, November 11, 2019
I Have A New Friend!
Hello Church,
I can't help but reflect on Sunday morning's worship experience. For me, it was one of the most rewarding services of the year. We heard the direct results of showing Christ's unconditional love, a very pure consequence of trying to be a pure and simple church.
Erin--someone who is not part of Emmanuel--shared in a most heartfelt way how Emmanuel is showing genuine love (specifically, to the staff of an entire elementary school). Mary Lou--who IS part of Emmanuel--shared how she made a new friend by showing unconditional love. Both talks were clearly authentic and sincere. And, additionally, the staff of Holly Hill sent a great-big 'thank you' which is displayed in the lobby.
I was so glad to be a part of Emmanuel.
So often we get caught up in 'churchy' issues. In-house politics; numerical statistics; public perceptions; personal agendas... go ahead and add to the list.... These are all present in every church. There is no way around it. We are human. We get distracted.
But for an hour in worship at Emmanuel yesterday I felt like I was part of a church that Christ hopes for. During Erin's and Mary Lou's talk, I felt like we were as close to a church in the purest sense as we could get. Showing and receiving and feeling love for no other reason than that God loves us.
Being a church doesn't have to be complicated.
So I will keep this blog simple.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
I can't help but reflect on Sunday morning's worship experience. For me, it was one of the most rewarding services of the year. We heard the direct results of showing Christ's unconditional love, a very pure consequence of trying to be a pure and simple church.
Erin--someone who is not part of Emmanuel--shared in a most heartfelt way how Emmanuel is showing genuine love (specifically, to the staff of an entire elementary school). Mary Lou--who IS part of Emmanuel--shared how she made a new friend by showing unconditional love. Both talks were clearly authentic and sincere. And, additionally, the staff of Holly Hill sent a great-big 'thank you' which is displayed in the lobby.
I was so glad to be a part of Emmanuel.
So often we get caught up in 'churchy' issues. In-house politics; numerical statistics; public perceptions; personal agendas... go ahead and add to the list.... These are all present in every church. There is no way around it. We are human. We get distracted.
But for an hour in worship at Emmanuel yesterday I felt like I was part of a church that Christ hopes for. During Erin's and Mary Lou's talk, I felt like we were as close to a church in the purest sense as we could get. Showing and receiving and feeling love for no other reason than that God loves us.
Being a church doesn't have to be complicated.
So I will keep this blog simple.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Monday, November 4, 2019
Why Easter Egg Hunts and Trunk-Or-Treats Don't Work (and what to do about it).
Hello Church,
Question: Why should a church get connected with other organizations?
This is a question I have asked myself many times as we have refocused our attention on connectional ministries this calendar year. It has been a shift away from stand-alone, annual Emmanuel events. Some of you will note that past seasonal, stand-alone events haven't been implemented this year (trunk-or-treat being an example). Instead, we have invested our energy into connecting with an elementary school, an animal shelter and are working on other partnerships with groups such as Eastern Stars, Camp Allen and Cub Scouts.
Outreach events sponsored by Emmanuel and only Emmanuel can certainly have a lot of value. People can come to the church building and meet us. We have had great and not-so-great turnouts for these events. We've had as many as 400 community people and as few as just a handful. It's exciting to hold a well-attended event. It makes us feel good. But here is what we have learned over the years in terms of our task of 'making Disciples of Jesus Christ': they are not effective.
Annual, stand-alone or seasonal events don't work. Baptisms, new members, worship attendance, small group attendance, Youth ministry and Childrens ministries (all measurements of spiritual and numeric growth in 'making disciples of Jesus') are not affected positively or negatively because of stand-alone annual or seasonal events.
Why?
In my conversations with other Pastors and church leaders, large stand-alone outreach events (Easter Egg hunts, Halloween, Christmas events, car shows, special meals, etc) don't work because the key to making disciples is establishing long-term, consistent relationships. It's extremely difficult to establish relationships when you see someone only 1 or 2 or 3 times a year (I would say 'impossible'). There isn't enough consistency of contact to gain trust, garner interest, make friends and invite to worship.
So what is the solution? The solution is to put ourselves in a position to make consistent contact with a group of people so that relationships can be built over time. This can lead to gaining trust, garnering interest, making friends and inviting people to worship or youth group or a study group... now we have the foundation for Disciple-Making.
Now... why should Emmanuel get connected with other organizations? Answer: to establish consistent contacts with people to establish relationships, build trust, garner interest and eventually to extend invitations to be a part of the church.
I understand this is a major shift. It demands more commitment of time and energy and money. However, Jesus sets the example. He invested in the same people over and over again until some of them committed themselves to His purpose.... then the Church was born.
Yes, sometimes the Gospels suggest that Jesus had some magical touch...that He asked a person once and they dropped everything and followed Him. Well we aren't Jesus and people are perhaps living in a much more cynical world-view today. Combine the two and we have to work much harder to make disciples.
If we are serious about making disciples and will not exist only to entertain the community a few times a year, then we need to reflect that attitude in how we plan and implement ministry. Otherwise we will find ourselves doing the same ineffective events over and over again, expecting different results. That's literally an insane Church.
Instead, let's work hard to be the vital, growing church that Christ calls us to be. Let's get into position to be a trusted, friendly, inviting and welcoming church with whom others will feel connected.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
Question: Why should a church get connected with other organizations?
This is a question I have asked myself many times as we have refocused our attention on connectional ministries this calendar year. It has been a shift away from stand-alone, annual Emmanuel events. Some of you will note that past seasonal, stand-alone events haven't been implemented this year (trunk-or-treat being an example). Instead, we have invested our energy into connecting with an elementary school, an animal shelter and are working on other partnerships with groups such as Eastern Stars, Camp Allen and Cub Scouts.
Outreach events sponsored by Emmanuel and only Emmanuel can certainly have a lot of value. People can come to the church building and meet us. We have had great and not-so-great turnouts for these events. We've had as many as 400 community people and as few as just a handful. It's exciting to hold a well-attended event. It makes us feel good. But here is what we have learned over the years in terms of our task of 'making Disciples of Jesus Christ': they are not effective.
Annual, stand-alone or seasonal events don't work. Baptisms, new members, worship attendance, small group attendance, Youth ministry and Childrens ministries (all measurements of spiritual and numeric growth in 'making disciples of Jesus') are not affected positively or negatively because of stand-alone annual or seasonal events.
Why?
In my conversations with other Pastors and church leaders, large stand-alone outreach events (Easter Egg hunts, Halloween, Christmas events, car shows, special meals, etc) don't work because the key to making disciples is establishing long-term, consistent relationships. It's extremely difficult to establish relationships when you see someone only 1 or 2 or 3 times a year (I would say 'impossible'). There isn't enough consistency of contact to gain trust, garner interest, make friends and invite to worship.
So what is the solution? The solution is to put ourselves in a position to make consistent contact with a group of people so that relationships can be built over time. This can lead to gaining trust, garnering interest, making friends and inviting people to worship or youth group or a study group... now we have the foundation for Disciple-Making.
Now... why should Emmanuel get connected with other organizations? Answer: to establish consistent contacts with people to establish relationships, build trust, garner interest and eventually to extend invitations to be a part of the church.
I understand this is a major shift. It demands more commitment of time and energy and money. However, Jesus sets the example. He invested in the same people over and over again until some of them committed themselves to His purpose.... then the Church was born.
Yes, sometimes the Gospels suggest that Jesus had some magical touch...that He asked a person once and they dropped everything and followed Him. Well we aren't Jesus and people are perhaps living in a much more cynical world-view today. Combine the two and we have to work much harder to make disciples.
If we are serious about making disciples and will not exist only to entertain the community a few times a year, then we need to reflect that attitude in how we plan and implement ministry. Otherwise we will find ourselves doing the same ineffective events over and over again, expecting different results. That's literally an insane Church.
Instead, let's work hard to be the vital, growing church that Christ calls us to be. Let's get into position to be a trusted, friendly, inviting and welcoming church with whom others will feel connected.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
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