In Evangelism Relationship Matters More than Media

     Philip Nation has posted some results of a study regarding evangelism in America as a guest blogger over at Ed Stetzer's blog.  The study shows a correlation between personal outreach/invitation and other means such as mass mailings and other mass media outlets.  Here is a small portion of the post:

The study showed that communicating about your church through personal relationships is more effective than other mass communications means. We found that 63 percent are willing to receive information about a local congregation or faith community from a family member, and 56 percent are willing to receive such information from a friend or neighbor.

One issue that seems to come to us intuitively was validated through the statistics of the study. We found that the effectiveness of the invitation was often tied to its form: the more personal, the more effective.

Such a statement then raises a question: Are Christians regularly engaging people around them about their faith, their church, and, most importantly, their Lord?

To read the entire post go here (Outreach, Evangelism and the New Season).

I remember a few years ago when I was part of a church that planted another church we used mass mailings as a tool to build awareness of the church plant.  If my memory is correct, we had one family come, and stick around, as a result of the mailing.  Has anyone else had a similar experience?  Has anyone had any success from using mass media of different kinds to reach out to communities?  Please share it with us.

At least one important things arises as a take away from this:  Christians must be involved in the lives of those around them.  I know that many will read this and think that this is nothing new (myself included), and they're right.  But until we implement it we need to continue to hear about it.

It's That Time Once Again...5th Sunday!

If you have been following this blog at all you have probably heard of 5th Sunday (I posted about it here, here, here and here).  Basically, every month that has a 5th Sunday in it is a month in which we switch our worship service for worship "service."  We gather together for prayer, then we go out to different locations and serve our community.  Following the service we regather at the church building to share a meal together.  We have only done this once so far, but the second attempt is this Sunday, July 31st.  Please pray for us. 

This 5th Sunday we have three projects for our church to choose to participate in.  Here are the projects for this Sunday:  (1) Wayne/Delaware Manor nursing home, (2) Welcome Lake Fire Dept. and (3) the home and apple orchard of an elderly couple from within our church family.

At the nursing home there will be singing and a lot of visiting and talking/listening.  This is going to be a regular connection point for us on every 5th Sunday.  At the fire department we will be serving those who serve us by washing their trucks and equipment for them.  And last but certainly not least, at the home of the couple from our church a group will help with cleaning, some cooking and working in their apple orchard. 

Why do we do this?  That's a good question.  In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)

We believe that worship is more than just showing up to a building on Sunday morning.  Worship is all about the life lived 24/7 for God.  While gathering together may involve different elements of worship, it fundamentally is no different from worship through service involving our hands, feet and hearts.  As we worship through service we want to implement the point to our church family that God wants our whole life, whole mind and whole heart.  Also, I think that perhaps we have become so use to church as usual.  We come, sit, sing, listen, sing, give, sing, then go home or go to lunch.  That is not bad or wrong, but if that is all our notion of church life and following Christ entails than something is sorely missing. 

Also, quite simply put, we go out not to draw attention to ourselves.  Our goal is not to hear people say, "Boy, that Beach Lake Free Methodist Church is a great group of people."  Our goal in going out is to hopefully make the name of Jesus Christ famous in our community and throughout the world (cf. Ps. 115:1; Matt. 5:16).

"The Roses"

The following are lyrics to a Caedmon's Call song titled "The Roses."  The song is from their 2004 album Share the Well.  I find myself listening to this CD more than any other CD I own.  The songs are powerful.  The album came out of the band's mission trips to India and Central America.  You can feel the impact of what they experienced through their lyrics.

The Roses by Caedmon's Call

High above the valley of Quito

An old man and his bride grow roses

Red and yellow, white and golden

To him they are precious as children

Their daughter she moved to America

One more brick in the tower of Babel

She has a son that they've never seen at all

And they're praying they raised her well

On this mountain high

They will live and die

As time just slips away

And the children grow

In the God they know

As time just slips away

A man, his bride, his children and his roses

Planted in faith, and watered in tears

Honey, that's all they have and they're happier here

Then any of my friends back home

They've met Jesus and they really know Him

Now I'm back at home, all alone, and trying to find my thoughts

About that old man, so inspiring, but the TV's always on

And the phone, it won't stop ringing, and these bills they keep on screaming

To pay for all the things that we never really needed

And I wonder what he's doing right now

Maybe walking through his simple field and thinking about how

God has blessed him so

A man, his bride, his children and his roses

This song raises issues of contenment.  Whenever I listen to it a particular question comes to mind:  When will Jesus be enough for me?

J.K. Rowling, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien: One Big Happy Family?

Yes, this is one of the many posts regarding the Harry Potter series.  The movie series based on the very popular book series by J.K. Rowling has finally come to its much anticipated end.  In full disclosure, I'm a fan of the books and the movies.  I know the series is placed in the context of magic which has caused some concern for many Christians, but I think the story itself contains many touchpoints with the Christian faith.  And this is not surprising since J.K. Rowling is open about her faith.  Scot McKnight (here) and Ben Witherington (here) have both already posted about this.  Just a few of these touchpoints, as I see them, are:  (1) resurrection, (2) sacrificial love, (3) fellowship, (4) the conflicting nature of the Holy Spirit with the sinful nature (Rom. 7; Gal.5:16-17).  These topics could be used as discussion points for non-Christians who are Harry Potter fans.  There are others out there who have already touched on this on a much deeper level.  So I'll leave it at that.

What I really want to talk about, or ask, has to do with the book series itself.  Rowling has mentioned that both Tolkien and Lewis are major influences for her.  Most everyone knows the impact that Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (along with the Hobbit) have had and continue to have on the world.  My question is this:  Do you think that the Harry Potter series is on the same level as these other works?  Should Rowling's work be placed together with the work of Tolkien and Lewis as one big happy family?

What are your thoughts?

Soup for the Soul: A Positive Example of a Local Church 'Going'

My good friend Ken pastors a vibrant and growing church plant (Wallenpaupack Free Methodist Church).  They have been meeting in a school for about three years now.  About a year ago they started renting an old restaurant in a downtown location which they call The Hub.  The Hub has been utilized for everything from the pastor's office to meeting space for Bible studies and other special events and occasions.

A little while ago a layperson from the church approached Ken and asked if they could start a weekly soup kitchen from The Hub.  Ken's response was great.  He basically said, "Build a team and go for it, but you lead it."  They called the ministry Soup for the Soul.  For the first few weeks they either had no one show up or only about 1 or 2 people show up to receive a meal.  Then the leadership of this ministry realized something.  No one is coming but there is a low income apartment complex two blocks away.  What if we take the food to them?

This began a great change.  For weeks now Soup for the Soul, which is completely lead by laity, went from serving 0-2 people each Wednesday evening to serving 30-40 people each Wednesday evening!  They spend time with the residents.  They pray with the residents.  They have distributed about 10 Bibles.  The residents of this apartment complex look forward to this church arriving every Wednesday.  This church is loving on the people of this apartment complex.

This is a positive example of two things:  (1) This ministry is entirely lead by laypersons.  The pastor is available for help and guidance but he did not feel the need to micro manage this ministry and I think we are seeing the results of that decision; (2) This church realized for this ministry to grow and thrive (not just survive) they had to change from an attractional model to a going out model.

I'm excited for this church and this ministry.  I pray that God continues to guide and bless this church.  Do you have any examples like this to share?