Leadership UMC Small Group Presentation Blessed Merciful

Vital Congregations (How churches can engage in the 16 key ministry strategies to become more vital) Project Report April 2014 Prepared by the Blessed Merciful small group

Front row l to r:Danielle Neal, Brandon Adams Back row l to r:Joseph Dobrowolski, JB Bass, Steve Lawrence, Mary Gilmer, Brad Whitener

Welcome To The Family Feud!!!

Introducing The Mary Family Mary Gilmer Danielle Neal JB Bass

Introducing The Joseph Family Joseph Dobrowolski Brad Whitner Brandon Adams

Engagement of disciples in small groups and the number of ministries for children and youth How can vital churches have more effective and engaging programs for youth? In vital churches, youth participate in their own youth focused service, which includes discipleship, community building, and music, but are also involved in the Sunday morning worship services. (d) In vital churches, strong youth ministries include service (mission) opportunities, small group support, fellowship and spiritual growth opportunities such as retreats. In vital churches, inter-generational activities and conversations are an integral part of a strong youth ministry. In recognition that youth have different needs from children, adults and the elderly, vital congregations have separate programs for youth to meet the needs of their life stage. In these programs, the youth are supported, mentored and guided by those who have gone before.

Engagement of disciples in small groups and the number of ministries for children and youth, continued How can vital churches have more effective and engaging programs for youth? In vital churches, images of youth are included in the artwork on the walls, the church website and on social media. Vital churches meet the youth where they are and do not shy away from new technologies and social media, to include the youth in their communities. In vital congregations, the youth are included in all areas in the life of a congregation, including, but not limited to, worship planning, missions and outreach. Vital congregations do not exclude the youth membership, but view them as a valuable part of the body of Christ with gifts and graces that God has given them.

Engagement of Disciples in small groups and the number of ministries for children and youth  How can vital congregations have more effective and engaging programs for youth?

Correct Answer Vital congregations offer separate programs for youth.

Incorrect Answer Vital churches send their youth on retreats, alone!!!

Correct Answer Vital congregations include their youth in event and worship planning.

Correct Answer In vital congregations, youth participate in their own youth focused service, and are participants in the Sunday morning worship services.

Vital churches place an emphasis on rotating lay leadership in order to involve more people over time. How can vital churches establish a system that places an emphasis on rotating lay leadership in order to involve more people over time? To answer this question, let’s first look at what a lay leader is. An effective Lay Leader functions as the primary representative of and role model for Christian discipleship and faith lived out in the church and in daily life for the people of a congregation. The Lay Leader works with the pastor to fulfill the mission and vision of the congregation. Lay Leadership

This leader should be a living example of one who "loves God and loves neighbor." It is important for a lay leader to listen well and communicate with people of all ages. This person should show evidence of working well with both clergy and laity, with various teams and task groups. The Lay Leader must have the ability to keep a broad view of the separate parts of the congregation and help align the entire ministry toward the mission of the church. The lay leader should show interest in connecting the congregation with the community and the world in order to participate in the petition of the Lord's Prayer "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven." A Lay Leader should be a growing Christian disciple who understands that everyone has spiritual gifts and experiences that are vital to the Body of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 12). This person benefits from knowing his or her own spiritual gift(s) and living out those gifts in congregational life. Lay Leadership, continued

What does the Lay Leader do? This leader represents the lay people in the congregation and is a role model of Christian discipleship for the congregation. This leader examines ways the congregation as a whole and as individuals can be involved in caring ministries in the community. He or she works with the pastor and other leaders to launch or strengthen ministries that build discipleship and increase God’s presence of caring, justice and love in the world. The Lay Leader makes plans with leaders in the congregation for celebrating the ministry of laypeople throughout the year, and especially on Laity Sunday. The Lay Leader learns about the actions taken at annual conference and by the General Conference and shares this information with members of the congregation. The Lay Leader meets regularly with the pastor to discuss the state of the church and the opportunities for ministry. (e)

Spiritual Gifts Effective Lay Leaders are in a place God wants them to be. They have been carefully chosen through a process of observation and identification of their God given talents and passions. An excellent means of identifying future Lay Leaders is the Spiritual Gifts Assessment. What Spiritual Gifts should a Lay Servant possess? Spiritual gifts : servanthood, faith, compassion, apostleship The gift of leadership is a visionary, and forward looking gift that enables people to stay focused on where God might be leading us as individuals, congregations, and communities at any given time. Leaders look more to where we are going rather than where we currently are, or where we have been. Leaders motivate others to work together in ways that help them achieve more together than any could on their own. Leaders provide examples of how we should order our lives to honor and glorify God. Spiritual Gifts Assessment The Spiritual Gifts Assessment helps individuals identify their God-given gifts for living faithfully as Christian disciples day by day and find meaningful ways to use their gifts in connection with others through the community of faith. The process helps people understand the nature of spiritual gifts and ways to enhance the effectiveness of their gifts by linking together with others.

Rotation of Lay Leadership Vital churches stagger a three year rotation of lay leaders on key committees. This serves to insure a skill development process in which new, incoming lay leaders observe and learn from more experienced leaders. Mentoring One aspect of a job well done as a servant leader is what we do to prepare others to carry on after our season of leadership is completed. Your personal succession planning efforts will speak volumes about your motives as a leader. It is likely that anyone leading from an ego involved in the promotion and protection of self is not going to spend much time training and developing their potential successor. Just as avoiding or discouraging honest feedback on a day- to-day basis is a mark of an ego-driven leader, so is failure to develop someone to take your place. In the use of His time and efforts on earth, Jesus modeled sacrificial passion for ensuring that His followers were equipped to carry on the movement. He lived his legacy in intimate relationship with those He empowered by His words and example.

Mentoring, continued Leighton Ford in Transforming Leadership notes that “Long before modern managers, Jesus was busy preparing people for the future. He wasn’t aiming to pick a crown prince, but to create a successor generation. When the time came for Him to leave, He did not put in place a crash program of leadership development— the curriculum had been taught for three years in a living classroom.”

Lay Leadership  How can vital congregations establish a system that places an emphasis on rotating lay leadership in order to involve more people over time?

Correct Answer Vital congregations identify spiritual gifts of their future leadership through observation and through use of the Spiritual Gifts Assessment.

Correct Answer Vital congregations stagger a three year rotation of lay leaders in key leadership positions.

Incorrect Answer Lay leaders in vital churches always pick up the tab when having lunch with the pastor!!!

Correct Answer In vital congregations, lay leaders mentor their successors.

Worship Vital churches use more contemporary music (less blended music that includes traditional tunes) in contemporary services. Using more contemporary music and worship helps the church connect with what groups? In contemporary worship, the songs ideally reflect the current surrounding culture. In other words, instead of an organ and choir, the music is led by a “praise band,” which generally consists of some mixture of a drum set, guitars (acoustic and electric), electric bass, a keyboard, and one or more singers. Contemporary worship music has spanned across denominational lines, blurring some of the differences between congregations. Where once different denominations had their own hymns, with only some overlap, today, contemporary worship services have much of the same repertoire, regardless of denominational differences.

The general idea behind contemporary worship music is fairly simple. If the Church is going to connect with people, it needs to speak a language that they can understand. It doesn’t matter how accurate the theology is behind a church, if people can’t understand it, it won’t impact their lives. Because of this, we should incorporate modern elements into our worship, such as electric guitars, video presentations, and dramas to illustrate a spiritual point. These things are meant to work together to help the worshippers feel more engaged and connected, to their church, to their faith, and to God. Worship, continued

Because contemporary worship is primarily about musical preference, it is hard to offer any sweeping statements about what such churches believe. Such churches come from many different theological backgrounds. Some are extremely conservative in their beliefs, while others are rather liberal. Some churches that use contemporary music are also part of the Pentecostal movement, while most are not. Some churches come from mainline denominations, such as Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians, while others are independent churches that don’t belong to any denomination, often identifying themselves as “Evangelical Churches.” For all of these diverse groups to share a similar collection of songs is really quite remarkable. Worship, continued

The obvious strength within contemporary worship is that church services generally do feel less foreign to newcomers, and church members may have an easier time connecting their faith with their lives because of this. Worship, continued

Worship  Vital congregations use more contemporary music and worship to connect with what groups?

Incorrect Answer Vital churches don’t have music in their contemporary service!!!

Correct Answer Using more contemporary music and worship helps the church connect with younger audiences who relate better to drums, guitars and praise songs than an organ and hymns.

Correct Answer Using more contemporary music and worship helps the church connect with those that are new to Church.

Correct Answer Today, contemporary music and worship spans the denominational and cultural spectrum while conveying the traditional message of Christianity.

And The Winner Is… Ephesians 1:13 (NIV) 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

Vital Congregations Are: Spirit-filled, forward-leaning communities of believers that welcome all people (Gal.3:28) Places where Disciples of Jesus Christ are made through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:18-20) Communities that serve like Christ through justice and mercy ministries. (Micah 6:8, Luke 4:17-21)

Thank YOU Reference Section From the umc.org/how-we-serve/vital-congregations web site.umc.org/how-we-serve/vital-congregations An excerpt, slightly adapted, from Bishop Robert Schnase’s episcopal address at the August 2012 South Central Jurisdictional Conference of the UMC in Oklahoma City. Bishop Schnase oversees the Missouri Conference of the UMC. An excerpt from Jane Finley’s welcome letter to new Leadership UMC participants. Jane Finley is the Director of Leadership UMC. According to a statement from the website of Rush Church, a UMC congregation in Rush, NY. From the web sitehttp:// From the websitehttp:// From the web sitehttp:// According to an informal survey of pastors from the seven churches represented in The Blessed Merciful Leadership UMC team. Blanchard, Ken ( ). Servant Leader (pp ). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. From the website created by Matt Brown.