I am sending the following announcement to our churches and pastors sometime today or tomorrow:
The Region Board and I wish to inform the churches, pastors and leaders of the ABC-Northwest that we have contracted with Dr. Bill Hoyt to conduct an assessment of the Region. Significant changes in the Region's vision, ministries and structure have transpired over the last seven years. The Region Board and Dr. Revis believe it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of these transitions, and also map out additional improvements as we move together into the next seven years.
Dr. Hoyt was a logical choice to conduct this review since he's already familiar with many of our ministries and churches. Dr. Hoyt is the executive director of NexSteps Consulting, a mentoring, coaching and consulting ministry. In addition to having successfully led a denominational region for fifteen years, Dr. Hoyt has extensive experience consulting with denominations and churches. He is also involved with mission work in Vietnam. (for more information go to www.nexstepconsulting.org)
A major part of the consultation will be an On-line Survey. The primary people we are requesting to complete the survey will be pastors, church staff, and church leaders (officers and ministry team leaders). We are assuming these folks will be more familiar with the Region and its ministries than the average attender of an ABCNW church. Dr. Hoyt will activate the survey on August 12th and he will close it on September 16th. It is our plan to invite all the people listed above from as many of our churches as possible to participate in the survey.
There are two ways you can help us as we conduct the survey. You can provide the names and email addresses of your staff and leaders. (Many of you have already forwarded this information to Cherie' in the ABCNW office. Thank you!) As we launch the survey they will receive an email invitation with a link inviting them to go on-line and complete the survey. Some pastors may choose to invite their staff and leadership by forwarding the email invitation directly from their own list. Either way will work. The link to the survey will also appear on the home page of the ABCNW web site (www.abcnw.org).For folks with limited internet access we suggest that the church print out a hard copy of the survey. Have them complete the hard copy and turn it into a designated person in your church who will enter this information on-line for them.
I wish to express my appreciation for your help with this project. It is our desire that we excel in our efforts to “grow healthy, mission-focused churches that mulitply disciples.” The survey, along with Dr. Hoyt's recommendations will assist in pursuing our God-given vision.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
City View Church--Growing & Reaching Out
As a Region, ABCNW is passionate about churches growing through reaching out to their surrounding community. One of the wonderful stories of church transformation as a result of renewed external focus is unfolding at City View Church in Renton, WA. Pastor Chester Gross has led the church in renewal and outreach since coming to the church almost two years ago. At the time he accepted the call as pastor the church had dwindled to 35 in worship, and now they are up to 150. Chester reports that since the congregation has been focusing more on reaching its immediate community it is becoming a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural congregation. In other words, it looks more like the surrounding community. That's a sign of successful outreach. The worship music has also become more multi-cultural. Other initiatives have included renewed focus on children and young families.
They also changed their name from First Baptist Church to City View Church. After the name change attendance jumped by 30 people in one month. Unfortunately, the name "Baptist" has negative connotations for many in the Renton environs who are searching for a spiritual family. In changing their name, they removed this unnecessary hurdle. They continue to be a Baptist church. However, they are demonstrating what we Baptists have always believed and practiced when we are at our best: It is more important to be effective in reaching the lost than to hang on to a tradition that has become a hindrance to that goal.
I love their description of the kind of church they are striving to become (taken from their web site).
The Church that we see....
Is passionate about saving the lost
Is a church which loves and honors God through relevant and genuine worship
Is a multi-cultural church diverse in age, gender, culture, race and creativity
Is a church of thriving disciples who are equipped to live the message of Jesus in view of the community
Is a church which empowers believers to become leaders in the church and the market place
Is a church which partners with other churches and ministries to advance the Kingdom of God
Is a church which sees beyond it's own time and leaves a legacy for succeeding generations
Find out more about City View Church at www.cityviewchurch.com.
They also changed their name from First Baptist Church to City View Church. After the name change attendance jumped by 30 people in one month. Unfortunately, the name "Baptist" has negative connotations for many in the Renton environs who are searching for a spiritual family. In changing their name, they removed this unnecessary hurdle. They continue to be a Baptist church. However, they are demonstrating what we Baptists have always believed and practiced when we are at our best: It is more important to be effective in reaching the lost than to hang on to a tradition that has become a hindrance to that goal.
I love their description of the kind of church they are striving to become (taken from their web site).
The Church that we see....
Is passionate about saving the lost
Is a church which loves and honors God through relevant and genuine worship
Is a multi-cultural church diverse in age, gender, culture, race and creativity
Is a church of thriving disciples who are equipped to live the message of Jesus in view of the community
Is a church which empowers believers to become leaders in the church and the market place
Is a church which partners with other churches and ministries to advance the Kingdom of God
Is a church which sees beyond it's own time and leaves a legacy for succeeding generations
Find out more about City View Church at www.cityviewchurch.com.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Making Jesus Famous?
One of our solid pastors has been criticized for making this public statement, "We want to make Jesus famous in our city."
Should we attempt to make Jesus famous? My response would be, "Can you imagine doing the opposite? Hiding Jesus from a lost world?" Of course we are to make Jesus famous. We are to publish His name in all the earth. The Bible expects this to be our number one job. We are to proclaim from the rooftops, "Jesus is the Lord, the Savior of humankind." We are to lift Him up so that all will know his wonderful grace and love.
Habakkuk prayed, "Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord." (3:2).
Paul, in his incarnational hymn of praise writes, "Therefore God exalted Jesus to the highest place...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." (Phil 2:9-11) That's just a little bit famous.
Our culture is obsessed with worshipping the "famous ones" of Hollywood and pop music stardom. Many, at this very moment, are grieving the death of one who proclaimed himself the "King of Pop."
In the midst of this misdirected obsession is it not right and proper to lift up the name of the True King? And, make Him more widely known than any of the pretenders who display only a fading glory. His is the glory that will shine for ever. Why not get a head start on worshipping the One who has everlasting glory? Why not make Him the truly "Famous One" in all the earth?
Of course, we want people to move beyond knowing about Jesus to personally encountering Him as God, and as Savior, and as Lord. That goes without saying. But for some people you have to fill in the lines so they can see the full picture, which is impossible to do when the real issue is not the presenting issue.
Perhaps the objection is rooted in a misunderstanding, that we are to avoid recasting Scriptural principles in the vernacular of our culture. No doubt there is always a danger of miscommunication when we attempt to employ contemporary cultural idioms. Yet, there is a greater danger if we do not. And that is to fail to communicate to this generation at all. It seems to me it's well worth the risk to employ popular language and concepts to convey biblical truth, which is exactly what the pastor was attempting to do. The beloved paraphrase of the Scriptures, The Message by Eugene Peterson, attempts this very thing, and in spades! And, I would add, with great success.
This is a lengthy way to say that I agree with the pastor. Let's make Jesus famous! In all the Northwest! In all the world! I can't think of a greater calling than this one thing!
I'll close this long posting with words from a "famous" modern hymn:
You are the Lord
The famous one, famous one
Great is Your name in all the earth
The heavens declare
You're glorious, glorious
Great is Your fame beyond the earth
For all You've done and yet to do
With every breath I'm praising You
Desire of the nations and every heart
You alone are God
(Chris Thomlin)
Should we attempt to make Jesus famous? My response would be, "Can you imagine doing the opposite? Hiding Jesus from a lost world?" Of course we are to make Jesus famous. We are to publish His name in all the earth. The Bible expects this to be our number one job. We are to proclaim from the rooftops, "Jesus is the Lord, the Savior of humankind." We are to lift Him up so that all will know his wonderful grace and love.
Habakkuk prayed, "Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord." (3:2).
Paul, in his incarnational hymn of praise writes, "Therefore God exalted Jesus to the highest place...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." (Phil 2:9-11) That's just a little bit famous.
Our culture is obsessed with worshipping the "famous ones" of Hollywood and pop music stardom. Many, at this very moment, are grieving the death of one who proclaimed himself the "King of Pop."
In the midst of this misdirected obsession is it not right and proper to lift up the name of the True King? And, make Him more widely known than any of the pretenders who display only a fading glory. His is the glory that will shine for ever. Why not get a head start on worshipping the One who has everlasting glory? Why not make Him the truly "Famous One" in all the earth?
Of course, we want people to move beyond knowing about Jesus to personally encountering Him as God, and as Savior, and as Lord. That goes without saying. But for some people you have to fill in the lines so they can see the full picture, which is impossible to do when the real issue is not the presenting issue.
Perhaps the objection is rooted in a misunderstanding, that we are to avoid recasting Scriptural principles in the vernacular of our culture. No doubt there is always a danger of miscommunication when we attempt to employ contemporary cultural idioms. Yet, there is a greater danger if we do not. And that is to fail to communicate to this generation at all. It seems to me it's well worth the risk to employ popular language and concepts to convey biblical truth, which is exactly what the pastor was attempting to do. The beloved paraphrase of the Scriptures, The Message by Eugene Peterson, attempts this very thing, and in spades! And, I would add, with great success.
This is a lengthy way to say that I agree with the pastor. Let's make Jesus famous! In all the Northwest! In all the world! I can't think of a greater calling than this one thing!
I'll close this long posting with words from a "famous" modern hymn:
You are the Lord
The famous one, famous one
Great is Your name in all the earth
The heavens declare
You're glorious, glorious
Great is Your fame beyond the earth
For all You've done and yet to do
With every breath I'm praising You
Desire of the nations and every heart
You alone are God
(Chris Thomlin)
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