27 Sep Going First

At the MinistryCOM conference, the closing speakers (Jon Acuff, who runs the delightful StuffChristiansLike blog), made this point about people and churches who break new ground:

“When you go first, you give everyone else the gift of going second.”

I don’t know if we were the first denomination to oppose slavery–we probably weren’t–but our stand in the early 1800s no doubt emboldened other denominations to take such a stand. If we didn’t go first, we at least went early.

In 1853, we sent a whole wagon train of UBs from Iowa to start churches in Oregon. I’ll bet no denomination had done anything like that.

In 2005, we eliminated regional conferences–the middle-management layer–and cut assessments to a mere 3.5%. Churches in most denominations would salivate over paying just 3.5% to higher church administration. I know our example hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Several years ago, on vacation, Pam and I attended a Vineyard church that planned to always use rented facilities, rather than pour megabucks into facilities. We haven’t had a church follow through on that strategy. We need a first.

Where else have we gone first?

Where else do we need a United Brethren church to go first?

24 Sep Transitions

I read a lot of business-related books that have implications for the church. A book I read recently is “Transition: Making the Most of Change,” by William Bridges.

I’m intrigued by the idea of transitions. I believe that becoming a fully-devoted follower of Jesus is all about transitions. You have a conversion experience, but go through other transitions toward becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ. As a preacher, I want to see changes in people’s lives.

19 Sep My One Magazine: Golf Digest

I don’t subscribe to a lot of magazines. I only subscribe to one, Golf Digest, which I read cover to cover, though not all at one sitting. It takes me a month before the next one comes, but by then I’ll have worked my way through it. It’s not that I want to become an expert in golf, but it’s a way my mind can escape into almost a vacation type mode when I think about golf, the land, the greens, and walking the fairways. Golf takes the stress away. To some people, it would add stress. But I don’t play it that well.

17 Sep Target the Young, Get the Old

One of the blogs I follow is TonyMorganLive.com. Tony Morgan is on staff with Newspring Church in South Carolina, one of the fastest-growing and innovative churches in the country (as was his previous church, Granger Community Church, which he was lured away from two years ago).

Morgan told about a couple in their 60s who found Christ at one of their satellite churches. The curious thing, he said, is that the service isn’t designed for people that age, but for much younger people–loud music, video teaching, coffeehouse atmosphere.

“Here’s what we’ve learned,” he wrote. “If we design our service experiences for a younger audience, we’re more likely to reach that younger person and we’ll also reach older folks. The reverse is not true. If we designed our service experience for an older audience, the younger crowd would not show up.”

There is a lot to talk about here, and most of us have talked about it plenty. How much to cater to the younger set, while seemingly ignoring older folks. The mix of hymns vs. contemporary songs. Etc.

But in the end, there are several inescapable and competing realities:

• In most churches, the people calling the shots are older folks (baby boomers, like me, tend to be in control nowadays).
• Young people aren’t necessarily thrilled with the shots they are calling.
• Older Christians need to say, “The church shouldn’t need to cater to me. I’ll let other people’s tastes and preferences take precedence over my own.”
• Most older Christians aren’t mature enough to say that.

Do you agree with Tony Morgan?

16 Sep Hurricanes and Best-Laid Plans

Cathy Reich, administrative assistant to Bishop Ron Ramsey, is scheduled to leave on a cruise this weekend. She and several other friends. Here’s the original plan:

• They fly into Houston.
• They leave from Galveston.

What’s the chance of that happening?

15 Sep A One-Flight Book

When I traveled with Scripture Press, I always took books with me, since I sold books. I tried to read all of the Victor Books, which Scripture Press published.

But I also took a Louis L’Mour book with me wherever I went. A good Louis L’Mour book averaged 250 pages, and I could finish it on a flight from Chicago to L.A. A one-flight book. Some people can do work on a plane, but I can’t.

I don’t read much fiction now. I like Tom Clancy, John Grisham, and Lillian Jackson Braun, who writes the “Cat Who” books about her Siamese cats.

What do you like to read? Any particular authors?

10 Sep Voting in the Church

When I talk to churches about the governance model, several questions typically come up. One involves voting. 

In many of our churches, 10-25% of the people are on the board, and you vote for people on those boards. The issue of American democracy and having a vote is vital to people– they want to have a say in who sits on the board. But as I talk to people, I look at them straight, and say, “Would you agree that your voting doesn’t necessarily put the best people in the best spots?” Their answer is generally “yes.”

Voting is not a biblical model for putting leaders into place. It’s an empowerment issue. Under the governance system, we encourage letting people nominate persons for various positions. But your leadership team makes appointments to put gifted people in proper places. This follows the Acts 6 model. Deacons were “nominated” by the people but appointed by the Apostles.

08 Sep Organize for Growth

You always need to organize yourself beyond what you are. If you’re a church of 200 and want to be a church of 500, you need to organize like a church of 500. Otherwise, you won’t get there. 

When I became pastor of Mainstreet Church in Walbridge, Ohio, we started at about 220, grew, and began adding staff. I took the staff to larger churches on little field trips. How does it look and feel? How do they structure themselves? We began to tinker. God blessed us and the church grew. 

Over half of our growth was new converts. You get people who don’t know anything, and it’s fun. You get a chance to infect them with the real disease. 

I covet that for you. Not that you get big; that doesn’t make any difference to me. What makes a difference is that you become effective in what God has called you to do. 

05 Sep Ride of a Lifetime

Donna Hollopeter is a big Nascar fan. Her son-in-law builds cars for Jeff Burton, #31.

A couple weeks ago, she took the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Daytona speedway in Florida. It’s something she’s always wanted to do.

• You put on a fireproof suit and helmet.
• You climb through the window of a modified Nascar vehicle.
• You get strapped in real tight (including a device to support your neck).
• The driver looks over and asks, “Are you ready?”
• You give him the thumbs up…and off you go.

About halfway around the track, the driver asked, “How are you doing?” Donna gave another thumbs up.

At which point he floored it, taking the car to 170 mph. Donna says she wasn’t aware of how fast they were going, just looking straight ahead. But then she looked at the wall, “which was pretty close,” and realized–yes, they were going fast.

After three laps, it was over. Then Donna’s husband, Jason, took his turn.

“It was totally awesome!” Donna says.

28 Aug Ruth Boggs, Mother of Titus Boggs

We learned that Ruth Boggs, the mother of Titus Boggs (director of Laurel Mission in Kentucky), passed away Tuesday, August 26. Ruth’s late husband, Alvin, grew up at Laurel Mission and later served on staff there. Titus’s address:

Titus J. Boggs
77 Cedar Chapel Road
Big Laurel, KY 40808-7611