Imagine a church that loves the lost

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How's the building going

People keep asking me how is the building going? Here's a week by week progress shoot that Andre and Nick put together.

Cathie's home

We called in to the hospital this morning to see Cathie. The registrar
had just been through and told her that she could go home. So we took
her home. Praise God for this amazing recovery - 48 hours after
surgery and she is in less pain than she has been for several months.

She has been asleep for most of the day. But she would rather be here
sleeping than at hospital (even with the sound of kids squabbling).

It's been a quiet day otherwise. Hannah and Solomon's sport was
cancelled. Abraham has gone for a sleepover at a mates. Solomon's
AFL game tomorrow has been cancelled as well.

There's a BBQ after church that I'm looking forward to.

ps Our phone is being switched over to a new phone company so we have
a few days with no home phone.

A vision template from Stuart Robinson

This is a template for formulating a ministry vision that Stuart Robinson gave me in 2001 that I have frequently lookd back on.

1. Passion – for the Lord - share own heart - if not with me on this one - need to talk or you need to walk

2. Passion – for the Lost - share own heart - if not with me on this one - need to talk or you need to walk

3. Prayer – Personal

4. Prayer – Corporate

5. Plan – Core Values ( the priorities and assumptions which describe the personality or character of a ministry. C.V’s are essential for clarifying direction). Examples of C.V.’s include;

• the priority of reaching the lost
• the priority of mutual ministry
• the priority of equipping believers for ministry
• the priority of fellowship with God and each other

Note: Structures such as house groups or cell groups are not to be thought of as core values. Rather, they are the/a vehicle by which we can live out our core values.

1. Plan – A clear statement of Mission – (the ‘why does this particular church exist’ question). Examples include;
• ‘we exist to know Christ and to make him known’
• ‘we exist to reach people and to teach them to follow Jesus’
• ‘we exist to engage with our community, to evangelise the lost and to equip and establish the saints’

1. Plan – A clear statement of Vision – (the ‘where are we going’ question or the ‘what shape ought our church take’ question). Examples include;

Where do we want to be in five years ?? lets dream ??
• ‘Our vision is for men, women, boys and girls to move from being ‘outsiders’ (Colossians 4:5) to ‘disciples’ (Matthew 28:19) within eighteen months.’
• ‘Our vision is to exercise pastoral care and outreach through a developing network of cell churches’
• ‘Our vision is to engage in gospel growth by multiplying congregations’
• ‘Our vision is to provide a safe place for emotional and spiritual healing’

Note: Vision is very much a function of leadership. A vision which is borne out of prayer, consultation and research will ‘resonate’ with those in the planning group and will be a unifying focus for the whole church.

Strengths/Weakness/Opportunities/Threats

1. Plan – A clear statement of ministry Objectives – ( the ‘what specific areas will we target in order to fulfil our mission and realize our vision’ question). Objectives are generally non-negotiable. (In setting objectives always ask, ‘can I assign a person to take responsibility for this area?’). Examples include;

Set clear objectives - in which we will principally invest - people/money/prayer
- non negotiable core ministries for the next two years
- contain all ministries under ten !
- work out a goal schedule

• To provide a Christ-centred ministry to children
• To provide a Christ-centred ministry to adults
• To provide a christ-centred ministry in stewarding resources
• To provide a christ-centred ministry in leadership development

LETS HAVE A LOOK AGAIN AT THE CORE VALUES - SO THE CORE VALUES WILL AGAIN SHAPE THE GOALS THAT FLOW OUT OF THE OBJECTIVES. THE CORE VALUES FORM A CHECK LIST AGAINST WHICH GOALS CAN BE SET FOR MEETING OBJECTIVES.

A REAL SENSE OF OWNERSHIP - BRAINSTORM FOR EVERY OBJECTIVE, TO WORK OUT THE GOALS. ASSIGN THE GOALS - HIGH ACCOUNTABILITY - SHARE THAT WITH THE WHOLE CHURCH.

1. Programmes – An Ideas Shedule. In order to set goals (which facilitate objectives), the planning group need to take the time to brain-storm, dream and record their ideas – no matter how ‘out there’ they may seem. Time ought then be spent in prayer. An ideas schedule is to be completed for each objective.

2. Programmes – Goals. Out of the Ideas Schedule a series of

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Result-oriented and
• Time-dated goals are to be set.

Note: Unlike Objectives, Goals are flexible and mid-course corrections may be appropriate.

1. Programmes – Evaluation. Goals which are ‘S.M.A.R.T.’ can and must be regularly revised and evaluated. Quarterly and annual evaluations are oft-used time frames.

2. Programmes – Celebration. Often overlooked, celebration (of goals which have been met) are a wonderful way of encouraging the ‘body’ and bring honour to Christ. Context is also created. This means the church can look back to what God has done in their midst and then boldly step forward with new faith-filled goals.

Note; Programmes put flesh on our Plans which inflame our Passion and inform our Prayer.

After postmodernity? Pragmatism!

The Introducing God course we wrote a few years ago is still seen by lots of people as the Christian course most suited to Introduce a postmodern to God.

But what is next after post modernity?

If after evidence based modernity (with it's search for truth), comes post modernity (with it's conviction that truth cannot be found), then I am tentatively suggesting (I can't remember where I read it but I now think I agree with the suggestion) that after post modernity comes pragmatism.

In that if the world has given up caring about what is true then we will do what works.

I see this in the way the world functions but also in the wider church.

Is this thesis right and if it is how will it impact communicating Christ to an increasingly pragmatic world? As we come to write version two of Introducing God what changes would you suggest?

The thinking behind what we are Imagining

A friend has emailed ...

I'm inspired by the vision stuff you are doing at church.
We are trying to work out a process of developing a vision.

From watching and listening to your talks I've worked out some of your steps but is there a document you could send me that maps out the steps you are taking to establish your vision?

I think we are 'building the bridge as we walk on it' and are making it up as we go along. But I'll try to use this blog for the next little while to think aloud about what we are doing.

Pastor church to Team church

I think Arlin Rothauge has lots to teach us about church size theory.

http://www.congregationalresources.org/article0132.asp

I can see we as a ministry are on the verge of the change from pastor
church to team church.

We have been in some ways operating as a team church but it most ways
operating as a pastor church.

In order to grow we need to become wholistically a team church.

Applications of this are:

1. Last Sunday the data projector had the top of the display cut off
meaning you couldn't easily read the top line of any of the songs. My
temptation (acting in the pastor church model) was to take
responsibility and get up and fix it. But acting under instructions
from Matt Lemsing (our executive pastor) I sat on my hands. He says I
need to train others to take responsibility for things by not fixing
the problems myself.

2. On Monday night we have a meeting of our new finance and property
committee (church council in Anglican speak). I am not going. This
is not because I don't care about what decisions are made, but the way
to train others to own the issues is to give them freedom to make
decisions by me not going, then others will step up and lead.

I am really excited about both seeing these areas of applying the
theory and us starting to live them out.

The church size theory says that it's hard to move from one size model
to another. The hardest is the change from pastor church to team
church. The difficulties are the pastor not letting go and the
members not stepping up (and the recursive pattern that develops).

Please pray for us that both I, our new elders (next post) and our
members would all make this change.

Cathie is up and about

Cathie had neurosurgery yesterday and I have learnt a lot about this
subject in the last 24 hours.

She has had serious back pain for a few months now. She had an
injection a fortnight ago, it reduced the pain somewhat. But she
started to loose function below the waist. So the doctor on Monday
said go straight to surgery do not pass go. The operation was
yesterday afternoon.

I dropped her at the hospital at 11am and waited with her till 12:30.
The operation list started at 12:30, there were two of them on the
list and she was second. Theatre for her didn't actually start till
3pm. She was out by 5:30pm and when I arrived at her ward (30 mins
earlier than they told me to be there) she had just arrived and was
groggy but conscious.

There's a scar about two and a half inches long on her lower back.
This morning while I was there she did two walks down the corridor.
Her brain is functioning normally, the pain is much reduced and
although she appears to have pretty much full function back. So it's
so far so good.

I've pulled out of a regional planning day on Saturday. Hannah's
doing netball on Saturday morning, then we will visit Cathie in
hospital, then Solomon will do AFL and Hannah take Barack to dog
training.

I am expecting to be at church on Sunday and looking forward to
speaking on 'Imagine a church that loves the lost.'

Thanks so much to all those who have prayed and offered support.

Dominic

Abraham chairing school assembly :)

Great Keppel Island

It's a day off so I spent a little time editing up a video from September 17, 2008 - on long service leave.

Church building from the inside.

Ian's tour of upstairs

Hannah playing for the Bobcats