Dedicated to helping the church in America find their purpose, define their mission and reach their community. Vol. 4
March / April 2015
3 7 9 13
No. 1
Editorial The American Church Magazine moves to publishing six times a year! By Steve Hewitt
Article ‘I’m Not Being Fed at This Church’ By Thom Schultz
Reviving the Small Church The Effects of “Unbelief” on the Small Church
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By Michael Henderson
Cover Story Loving Your Enemy By Steve Hewitt
Editor-in-Chief
Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com
Staying Power Confronting the Lies
Contributing Editors Thom Schultz Tim Kurtz Michael Henderson George Cannon
By George Cannon
Copy Editor
15
Church Hoppers Guest Follow-up
18
No Longer Church As Usual Is There a ‘Black House Church’ Movement?
By Church Hoppers
Gina Hewitt
© Copyright 2015 by The American Church Magazine. All Rights Reserved Written materials submitted to The American Church Magazine become the property of The American Church Magazine upon receipt and may not necessarily be returned. The American Church Magazine reserves the right to make any changes to materials submitted for publication that are deemed necessary for editorial purposes. The content of this publication may not be copied in any way, shape or form without the express permission of The American Church Magazine. Views expressed in the articles and reviews printed within are not necessarily the views of the editor, publisher, or employees of The American Church Magazine.
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The American Church Magazine®
March / April 2015
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Editorial
The American Church Magazine moves to publishing six times a year! You might have noticed that you didn’t receive an issue of The American Church Magazine in February. We made the decision this year to move from publishing twelve times a year to six. So you should note that this is the March/April 2015 issue. I would personally like to thank all of our contributing editors for the columns each month, and I would like to remind our readers that we are always looking for new writers! We don’t pay for articles, but for many, writing and being published in The American Church Magazine is an extension of their ministry. I would also like to thank all of our readers who respond to my questions, such as the question this last month on loving your enemies. As you read the cover story this month you will note that it was responses from our readers that really made the article. Watch your email for new The American Church Magazine®
questions, and if you can take a few minutes, please respond. I want The American Church Magazine to be more than just a small group telling a larger group what they should do. I love it when we get responses from our readers and can share their experiences with the rest of our readership and staff! Together We Serve Him,
Steve Hewitt steve@ccmag.com
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Cover Story
Loving Your Enemy By Steve Hewitt
Luke 6:27-28 and Luke 6:35New International Version (NIV) 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. I am an ordained minister from a major denomination that placed a very high emphasis on evangelism. I grew up as a teenager attending Kansas City Youth for Christ. In all of that, I used to go out to parks, swimming pools and other public places in order to tell people how they could become a Christian. We would walk these strangers through a little track and invite them to pray a prayer to become a Christian. Then we would tell them how happy we were for their decision, encourage them to find a church and go on our merry way. We felt we were accomplishing our part of the great commission. However, when I think about what the The American Church Magazine®
great commission really stated (go into the world and make disciples and teach them to observe what Jesus commanded) we were missing the mark. If you go through the Gospel accounts and write down what Jesus commanded, you will find it is consistently about loving others, specifically your enemies. THIS is how he says people will find God and THIS is how people will know we are Christians. In retrospect, I know I hit on the subject of love now and again, but now, decades later, I realize the true importance of Jesus’ consistent message and teachings about the importance of loving others, especially our enemies.
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I recently asked our readers of The American Church Magazine about this subject. I gave an example of when I was a pastor and had a difficult couple that seemed to cause me a lot of trouble. I committed to praying for them daily, which I did, but now wish I had done something more. I have been counseling a friend recently who has had a true enemy in their lives. They have spread lies about them, pulled some friends away from them, etc. That enemy suddenly had a physical problem that put them in the hospital. I advised my friend of the great opportunity they had to “love their enemy” and encouraged them to take this enemy some flowers and visit them in the hospital. Unfortunately my friend didn’t grasp the opportunity before them. For me, it seemed like an obvious opportunity to do what our Lord commanded, but in talking to others, they also found my suggestion to be extreme. Is it? How do you interpret “do good to your enemies”? I am not able to publish all of the responses I received from my question to our readership, but here are a few responses from The American Church Magazine readers; “The first thing to definitely do is to pray for that person. Praying for them will take the focus off the hurt they have done to you and will lift them up to the Lord. The second thing to do is realize who the real enemy is, which is Satan. The person you think is your “enemy” isn’t your real enemy. Satan is. Any opposition they are performing against you Satan is using them as a tool against you, and they may not even realize it. Pray that the Lord will expose what Satan is trying to do to oppose your ministry and to help your “enemy” see it so they can come before the Lord in repentance and get back on track with Him. If that person continues to be used by Satan to oppose you and be your “enemy”, then surrender them to the Lord. Tell the Lord you do not wish to have personal hard feelings against them, and that you are surrendering your feelings and this person to the Lord. Ask the Lord to help get this person back on track, even if that means chastisement in some sort (this is not acting out of revenge, it is asking the Lord to do what is required to bring this person back into submission to the Lord and allow The American Church Magazine®
the hand of the Lord to work in this person’s life). In some instances, it may even involve walking away if all else fails. In churches I have served in, apostates have come into the church to oppose the work I have attempted to do, and at times when that opposition was not being resolved, I have had to walk away from the apostasy that had come into the church and pray that the Lord would deal with the situation the way He saw best.” Another wrote; “Loving people who are obvious enemies was always a challenge. I appreciate your take on it, Steve. I have often done the same thing - I prayed for my enemies and asked God for help to love them. But even that became very difficult to do when a couple who I thought had been very good friends to my wife and me, inexplicably betrayed us, turned against us, and worked to remove us from the leadership of the church we were pastoring. To this day, I don’t know what happened in their minds, or what it was that caused them to turn on us so fervently. Over the years I’ve had to forgive them repeatedly as the Holy Spirit would reveal yet another nuance or hidden wound. Then one day, I was urged by the Holy Spirit to send an anonymous gift to the offending couple. It had been years since the offense had taken place. I had not successfully weathered the storm and we had been forced from leading that church. But I had eventually recovered and we were now successfully leading a beautiful and loving congregation. Why even think about this former situation? Why send a gift? But I sincerely prayed about it and eventually I determined to follow through. It was not an insignificant gift. It was fairly costly, but anonymous. The note that accompanied the gift simply said, “I love you. First Corinthians 13”. Buying the gift was difficult. But once sent something came over me. One might think it would be freedom, a sense of righteousness or spiritual superiority. But, it was none of these. What flooded me was joy. An overwhelming love for these people whom I had loved so dearly at one time came upon me and joy rose up in me. As that joy rose to
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the surface of my heart, the offense became insignificant. Since that day, forgiving others has become far easier because my focus is now on loving them, rather than focusing on their offense.” And one more wrote; “I think to love your enemy means to make every effort to get out of the way and let God shine through in your interactions with them. Your personal reaction may be to brush off or shun someone that mistreats you, but remembering that while you may not love them too much, God loves them enough to die for them, and it is His love that is required in those situations. At a small youth church camp I attended as a teenager, I had to spend time with an unpleasant older boy, who was particularly unfriendly and hostile. I attempted to be nice, and even shared my food with him, but without success. I prayed that his attitude would soften, but I also prayed that I would be able to love him more. A couple of days
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later, God answered my prayer- this boy had decided to move to my church, and once there, became a youth leader. Now I would have lots of time to learn to love him more! As with many occasions since, God hadn’t helped me by directly giving me the gift, but rather, He had provided opportunities for me to develop through actually practising them.” When I look at the work many are doing in trying to understand the decline of the church in America, it might be just this simple. We have forgotten how to love, especially to love those who are outside our church and even our enemies. We are known for our judgement and condemnation (just do a Google search on “Why are Christians so ___” and see what the responses are from the number one searches to this question. Many outside the church believe Christians are “mean”, when we are commanded by Jesus to love. Teach/preach to your church the importance of loving your enemies. And, more importantly, show them how by doing it yourself!
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March / April 2015
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Article
‘I’m Not Being Fed at This Church’ By Thom Schultz
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don’t feel we’re being fed at this church,” Bill admitted. He’s thinking about switching to another church–where he can be “fed.” What does Bill mean? It seems that Bill, and many others who express similar feelings, go to weekend services expecting to receive encouragement, solace or inspiration. Their expectations are often unmet. These expectations now form what many consider to be the essence of a church’s mission or purpose. It’s to satisfy the appetite of the audience. A church elder in the documentary When God Left the Building, states his church’s mission this way: “I believe it’s to keep the membership up, keep it fortified, keep everyone feeling good about being there, keep people desiring to come there and want to be there.“ Many church leaders advocate a similar The American Church Magazine®
consumer mindset for church involvement. They often say, “You need to go to a church where you’ll be fed.” This whole image bothers me. There’s something very self-focused about it. I can’t help thinking of Audrey, the gluttonous flesh-eating plant in the show The Little Shop of Horrors, bellowing out, “Feed me!” I’m all for spiritual nourishment. But I worry we’re producing a generation of pudgy pew
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sitters who desire nothing more than to gorge themselves on super-sized feasts of knowledge and anecdotes. Many teachers and preachers believe it’s their job to satisfy this big appetite with ever-more-tempting platters of “deep” Bible details, soaring oratory, and five steps toward a happier life. What’s the outcome? Are we producing healthy, productive disciples–or well-fed, complacent gluttons? We’re seeing some telling effects among the Dones, the mature Christians and life-long church members who are now leaving the institutional church. Sociologist Josh Packard reports in his upcoming book Church Refugees that these people are feeling overstuffed. They’re tired of the same high-fat meal that’s dished out for them weekly. They want to actively exercise their faith. A question of mission Should people view their local church as a spiritual fast-food joint? Is the prime objective to make sure patrons amble out rubbing their stomachs, feeling well-fed? I think not. I don’t believe God intended the church to be a diner for self-absorption, even spiritual self-absorption. Rather, the church should strive to be the healthy Body of Christ, the community of believers coming together to experience and love God, and to love one another and the larger community.
Some churches today are doing it. They have chosen to intentionally step beyond the “feed me” mentality. One such congregation, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, even incorporated its bigger mission into its name–The Point Is to Serve. From the get-go, people understand the point is not merely to “be fed.” Instead, these Jesusfollowers are known for how they feed others. Sometimes literally. Like the time they delivered 32,000 pounds of ham and bacon to the needy. Pastor Allen Kjesbo said, “We believe service is a key (and often neglected) path of spiritual formation.” The church’s small groups, called LifeServe Groups, “not only study the Bible and pray together, they also serve together,” Kjesbo said. This church isn’t striving to fill pews with satiated spectators. “We were challenged to consider how to measure success differently,” Kjesbo said. “It’s about transformation–not ‘nickels and noses.’”
For those ready for a healthier diet, some suggestions: MEMBERS & ATTENDERS. Stop looking for a trough where you can be “fed.” Look for a Jesus-centered community where you can be the church, where you’re given full access to love one another, to experience God, and to exercise your faith. CHURCH LEADERS. Don’t pander to those who wish to sit, gorge, and grow obese. Shift the primary focal point from a mere mass-feeding to a time for the Body to connect, love one another, experience God together, put their faith into action, and share stories with one another of God’s recent interactions. The American Church Magazine®
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Reviving the Small Church
The Effects of “Unbelief” on the Small Church By Michael Henderson
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ebster’s 1828 Dictionary defines “Unbelief” as: “Incredulity; the withholding of belief; as, unbelief is blind.” Unbelief is wrought from purposed blindness. It refuses submission to the general truth that Jesus taught in Matthew 5:29 NKJV: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” He also stated in 6:22-23, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” A person who is physically blind is hindered in life because of the great limitations that are placed upon him. So it is with spiritual awareness and understanding. In the passage above Jesus is not really talking about physical sight. The whole concept of “plucking” and “casting” is not meant to be an actual physical reaction but a spiritual one; a principle which teaches that just as physical sight induces The American Church Magazine®
us to do, act, and appreciate things seen by being aware of our physical surroundings; spiritual sight allows us to trust in Jesus to be the caretaker of things we do not see. It is called faith. In a nutshell Jesus is telling believers to pluck out and cast away those things that will hinder our walk with God. But how do we know what to pluck out and cast away? How does this hinder small church growth?
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They’re “spiritual but not religious.” They’re eager to talk about God, but done sitting through sermons. Want to reach young adults? Start a conversation. They’re looking to participate, not to be an audience. So let them ask hard questions. Grapple with tough stuff. Discover how God is reaching out to them. And Lifetree Café is all about conversation. Relaxing around tables, Lifetree participants hear inspiring stories, tell their own stories…and draw closer to God and each other. On college campuses, at coffee shops, and even in churches, life-changing conversations are underway. When you’re ready to connect, connect with us. We’ll help you provide tested, ready-to-go, hour-long guided conversations that let young adults experience God in a fresh, new way. Call 877-476-8703 or visit Discover.LifetreeCafe.com to learn more. “ D o i n g l i f e . D o i n g g o o d .”
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*Projected 2025 church attendance from George Barna’s Revolution
The American Church Magazine®
March / April 2015
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Americans Rarely Read the Bible One of the guiding principles that should undergird every small church is a solid teaching ministry. A recent American Bible Society survey found that only 26% of Americans read their Bible regularly (four or more times a week) while 57% only read it 4 times a year or less!1 Is it any wonder that our churches are full of carnal or worldly minded Christians? Is it any wonder why growth is stagnant or slow moving? And why the power of God is rarely manifested? The Holy Spirit revealed through the Apostle Paul that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). We can urge our church members to read the Scriptures all day long but we cannot make them do it. Pastors and Teachers must make it a point to not only teach the historical and prophetical content of the Bible but to make Bible application and relevance a priority. It is through knowing the Scriptures that we are able, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to know what to pluck and cast away. Consider the following: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). The weapons Paul speaks of are weapons used in the battleground of the mind. What we allow into our thinking must be judged against what we know to be spiritually true (the knowledge of God). The principle of plucking and casting is seen in Paul’s final thought which is to “punish disobedience” (what spiritually hinders) when personal “obedience” to illuminated truth is recognized. We punish disobedience (that which results from not trusting Christ) when we choose to walk by faith believing that which is true according to God’s knowledge and as given in the word of God being illuminated by the Holy Spirit (cp. 1 Cor. 2:10). Unbelief Reveals Blindness in Two Groups of People Both those in the church and those who are unbelievers suffer the blinding effects of unbelief The American Church Magazine®
when they are not taught Scriptural principles or choose to deny what they hear or what is generally revealed in creation by suppressing the truth in order to live unrighteously. These shun God’s word and revelation in order to place faith in their own reasoning. This type of spiritual blindness leads only to a ditch, (cp. Matt. 15:14). As leaders in the small church we must strive to make the word of God relevant to those in the pew. When we receive the implanted word we begin to grow in Christ. Why did Jesus Speak of the Right Eye? Metaphorically, Jesus used the illustration of the “Right Eye” because of its exalted purpose in Near Eastern thought. It was thought that the gouging out of the right eye, such as in 1 Sam 11:2, would hinder a soldier in battle. “For in those times [ancient times] they fought with shields in their left hands, which covered their left eye, so that a soldier without his right eye was in effect blind.”2 This partial maiming had a twofold purpose: It would leave the opposing army crippled and simultaneously be an act of mercy leaving the person only half-blind so as to allow the carrying out of general labors. This well-known fact had exalted the right eye to a place of prominence and those who heard Jesus teach would immediate recognize the significance. But even greater in scope is the blessing of “sight” in general. Jesus’s reference to the eye being the “lamp of the body” has even greater spiritual significance. Eyesight is by far the greatest of the bodily senses. Mentioned six times with reference to David being the leader of the nation of Israel, the “lamp” became a metaphor for the leadership and guidance instilled in David that would light up the path of truth for Israel to follow. 1 Kings 15:4 states, “Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem.” Ultimately, Jesus is that lamp—the light of the world for all to follow. The Effects of Unbelief Pastor and Teacher John Butler posed the following question to his congregation. “Why was Thomas not present with the other disciples the first Easter Sunday night when Christ manifested Himself to the disciples? The primary answer was his lack of faith. People who lack faith are not eager to fellowship with the saints. To put it in present day vernacular, people who lack faith are not going to
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set many attendance records at church! When our faith is deficient, our fellowship with the saints will be deficient; our church attendance will be deficient. People offer many excuses for their lack of fellowship with the saints, for their lack of attendance at the church services; but, the fundamental reason can often be labeled “unbelief.”3 If our churches are going to start reaching more people for Christ we primarily are going to have to address the fundamental problem of unbelief. 1 – Poll: Americans love the Bible but don’t read it much; http://www.religionnews.com/2013/04/04/ poll-americans-love-the-bible-but-dont-read-it-much accessed 2/1/2015 2 - Henry, Matthew. 1 Samuel. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete). N.p., 1706. http://www.biblestudytools. com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1samuel/11.html. 3 - Jesus Christ - His Incarnation - Copyright © 2003 by John G Butler. Studies of the Savior Number One. Published by LBC Publications, 325 30th Avenue North, Clinton, Iowa 52732.
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March / April 2015
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Staying Power
Confronting the Lies By George Cannon
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he greatest struggle that a pastor will face as he serves in a small church is not opposition from within the church, but discontentment with his ministry at the church. If a pastor is going to seriously considering approaching his pastoral ministry at a small church from a long-term perspective, he has to confront the issue of discontentment in his life.
Oftentimes, pastors mistakenly assume the source of their discontentment is with the church itself. But to control their discontentment, pastors must begin by identifying where their standards of a successful church originate. If a pastor wants to deal with his discontentment, he should put aside his frustrations with the church and look within himself. If he does this he may be surprised to discover the discontentment has arisen from lies he has embraced about pastoring a small church. The Lies that are Embraced A pastor’s view of pastoral ministry can be easily corrupted by subtle lies. Once these lies are embraced, a pastor’s discontentment with his ministry consistently emerges. Without realizing it, these lies become the standard by which pastors measure themselves and their ministries. Some of these lies include: The American Church MagazineŽ
1. Pastors should minister to large churches. - The number one lie that pastors can find themselves believing is that God wants the pastor to serve in a large church. They assume that is their calling. However, in reality, statistics show that 80% of churches in North America are classified as small churches. There are not enough large churches for every small church pastor. Not every small church can become a large church. The fact remains that these small churches still need qualified pastors to shepherd them. 2. God wants pastors to grow their church. - Though the focus of the American church has turned from church growth to church health over the past twenty years, there still remains the assumption that God expects pastors to bring numerical growth to their
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church. Dealing with the health of a congregation should be a pastor’s concern. However, many pastors accept the lie that a healthy church will always result in growth. While this is true in some respects, growth in a healthy church does not always mean numerical growth. 3. Only insignificant, less qualified pastors have small churches. - The assumption that small churches are only for less qualified pastors is rooted in pride. Oftentimes, having achieved a certain level of theological education and pastoral skills, pastors assume their ministry would be more successful in a larger church. Many consider small churches to be suited only for insignificant, incompetent pastors. 4. Small churches are stepping stones into larger churches. - This lie assumes that small churches are the training ground for attaining a larger church. If a pastor performs well at a small church, he can possibly advance to a larger church in the future. While this is true in some cases, the reality is that a majority of pastors are going to find that they will always serve in one of the 80% of churches which are small. The Breeding Ground of Lies Once a pastor identifies the subtle lies that are creating discontentment in his life, he must recognize where those lies originate. Often it is simple factors in pastoral ministry that cause this breeding ground for the lies. The pastoral culture in North America is one factor that influences these lies. In the achievement oriented culture of North American Christianity, successful pastors of large churches often have greater platforms of influence. When under constant exposure to these outwardly thriving ministries, it is easy for a small church pastor to begin formulating lies about his ministry’s success which results in discontentment because the congregation is not experiencing that type of growth or success. Similar to the North American pastoral cultural, a pastor’s denominational culture can also serve as a breeding ground for lies. Many denominations promote their own standards for success that place pressure on small church pastors. In addition to these two factors, a pastor’s personal ambitions can create these lies. The pastor begins to believe that his success at a church will help him achieve his The American Church Magazine®
ambitions such as denominational prominence or outside speaking engagements. The Impact of Deception If a pastor embraces these lies, it will negatively impact his pastoral ministry in three significant ways. 1. Unnecessary Pressure - When a pastor operates on a standard that is based on lies, he will apply pressure on his church to reach that impossible goal. Though moving the church to reach this standard may be possible achieve, established churches may react to this pressure by road blocking the pastor’s efforts, resulting in frustration for both the pastor and the church. 2. Discontentment - A pastor will never find satisfaction in any progress the church makes when he is acting on a false standard. This is because he is not operating from a Biblical perspective of ministry. 3. Poor Self-image - By pursuing standards based on lies, a pastor takes his church’s failure to accomplish those standards personally. The pastor believes he is hindering his church from reaching the standard, which negatively affects his self-image. This poor confidence level is especially prevalent for pastor who frequently moves from church to church, failing to achieve his goals. Heart Check So how does a pastor address his discontentment with his small church? First, the pastor must recognize and renounce the lies about pastoral ministry that he has embraced. Next, he must consider this key question: If God wants me to serve in the church I am currently serving in, am I okay with that? A pastor decision to stay at a small church should not be determined by its ability to achieve a pastor’s personal standard of success. These unrealistic standards are unbiblical and will create discontentment within a pastor. A pastor should be willing to minister to small church if God has convicted him to serve that congregation long term. George Cannon has served as the pastor of the Curwensville Christian Church in rural Pennsylvania since 2001. george@curwensvillechristian.org
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Church Hoppers
Guest Follow-up By Church Hoppers
H
ow can I come to your church on Sunday morning and you never ask my name, why am I here, where I am from, and even if I have any questions? How can I come to your church on Sunday morning and you want to separate my family by putting everyone in different places? I am unsure of where anything is located and who will be working with my kids. How can I come to your church on Sunday morning and you try to corporately recognize me with a name tag and assume that I know what you are doing in the service by standing up, sitting down, and coming up for offering or invitation? How can I come to your church on Sunday morning and try to figure out which book, which hymnal, which screen, which door that I must choose so I do not look like I am lost? I can somewhat understand all of the above because it is new to me. The big question is how can I come visit your church on Sunday morning, complete a guest card, give you my email, give you my phone number, give you my address and NEVER hear from you? Churches across America request information every week from potential members with the expectation the guest to take all the responsibility
The American Church Magazine®
to connect to the church’s ministry. Oral presentation and cards will typically say come, attend, join, call, schedule, find, etc., putting everything on the guest but normally not conveying what the ministry will commit to doing. Guest On-site There are three simple things that can be done when new guest attend the facility so the help desk, greeters, ushers etc. can get an understanding of the people who visit. 1. Never assume guest’s purpose for a visit. There is nothing wrong to ask why a guest is here today. A simple statement is “Tell me what brings you to First Assembly of _________ today”? 2. Always accompany your guest to a location and never point with your hand in a direction. A guest is in a new place and does not see what you are seeing. Lead them to any location plus it allows you to get to know them. Furthermore a healthy practice in larger facilities is to make them aware of the signage.
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3. Be clear that you will contact the guest to gain important information about the visit. Give guests freedom to determine how they want to be contacted on the “guest card.” (Phone, email, text, visit, etc) People are fine with contacting them if they get to choose how the initiation is done. During the service the welcoming minister should never say what we “will not do” for it leaves doubt about the freedom the guest has in choosing how to be contacted. After Guests Leave A follow-up strategy must be developed and defined to assure the guest that their visit was meaningful to you. The responsibility is to allow guests to know their presence means something to the ministry. If a promise is made to connect then follow through with the commitment. The following is a simple strategy that can be used to engage your guest. 1. Email: An email can carry three or a combination of forms.
The American Church Magazine®
March / April 2015
a)The content can be of gratitude for them attending and making the service special. People enjoy being encouraged through written words, especially when it is personalized to them. b)The content can be information about the ministry and what you want them to do. The presentation must be a simple step, from “continue attending” or meet our pastor, small groups, Sunday school, etc. that you want to present. c)The content can be a survey to assess the visit so the ministry can continue to follow excellence. The survey must be five questions or less and have a place for additional comments. The questions can validate your presentation of the ministry to a guest by asking about the areas you may be struggling. Always ask how they found out about your church.
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2. Mailing a letter: A letter can be a form letter to all guests that contains gratitude, information, and the introduction to the next step (See above). The guest can discard written letters very quickly so make the envelope very attractive. 3. Phone call: Making a phone call must entail two things. a) If the guest answers the call: A greeting, gratitude, and purpose of the call will be a professional approach. Then open-ended questions (Tell me about…) will allow you to inquire deeper into the person’s life to find why and what they are looking for in your ministry. A rule of thumb in openended questions is to allow them to assist you in helping the ministry to find excellence. Developing three questions pertaining to the experience will be very helpful to your ministry presentation. b) If the phone goes to voice mail: A
greeting, gratitude and request a return call by presenting to them “Their Help” in one thing. The one thing will create a curiosity in assisting the church they just attended. A reminder a guest is looking to get and/or give when attending so requesting a return call allows an opportunity to speak with them. 4. Return Call: If you leave a message and they return the call then you should be ready (See “a” above). If a call is not returned then try again in 24 hours and/or text them if it is a cell phone. It is better to over kill with persistence than be complacent and miss an opportunity that can be interpreted as “not caring.” a) Repeat within 7 to 10 days b) Repeating the process has more to do with you doing everything possible. Success is not determined if the guest returns and commits but if you do it. People who attend church are looking for something. There is a plethora of reasons to consider: tragedy, loss, searching, relationship, guilt and conviction of sin, moved into the community, kids and so forth. In the search they came looking for answers with some hope they would find it with you. Understanding the importance will help you present to them a solution. The responsibility lies on the church to initiate the contact then see the response of the guest. Do not place a majority of the responsibility on the guest if you really want people to become a part of your church. These simple steps will allow you to engage your guest and hopefully see numerical growth in the ministry. The Church Hoppers is a coaching company than can help you revitalize your church by building balance through systems, business and marketing. Follow: Tweeter: @churchhoppers Facebook: Church Hoppers Contact: Web: churchhoppers.org Email: info@churchhoppers.org
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No Longer Church As Usual
Is There a ‘Black House Church’ Movement? By Tim Kurtz
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s there a ‘Black House Church’ movement? If there is one – it shouldn’t be. However, if there isn’t one – it should be. Confused? Let me explain. I have vacillated since 2013 whether or not to write what you are about to read. Since February is the month we celebrate Black History, I believe it’s time that I tackle this issue. In 2006, when the Lord first began to speak to me about house churches, specifically in America, I went on a quest to learn as much as I could. My goal was to find examples in scripture and in practice that I could learn from and use to help teach this to the congregation I was pastoring. It is important to this article that I share some of the early experiences I had in this journey. First, I found in scripture a pattern of believers gathering from house to house (Acts 2:46; 5:42; 28:30; 1Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15). Secondly, I found a myriad of written materials – books and articles – on the subject. But what I found to be the most difficult was to locate groups that were gathering in homes, in my area here, in Michigan. There were some networks listed online, but very few responded when I attempted to make contact. Those that did, were at the point of dissolving for various reasons. Needless to say, this was somewhat discouraging, but I continued searching. The American Church Magazine®
This may shock some of you – but I am a black man. I bet you hadn’t noticed my picture on this page. Seriously, my point is, that in my early research, I could not find ‘house churches’ of color anywhere. No, I wasn’t specifically looking for such, but it was very noticeable that there were few people of color everywhere I looked. As stereotypical as this may sound, even most of the pictures and videos I saw were groups of white believers, gathered in a living room with acoustic guitars singing their favorite worship songs. I began to wonder if any black people, or people of color participated in these type of gatherings. Some may state that this should not have mattered – and generally speaking they would be correct. Yet, I instinctively knew that without some cultural familiarity, many blacks would shun house churches. Then it happened, I found a black man who was practicing and teaching principles on the simple church. He was in Philadelphia, and I made it my business to contact him. We spoke by phone, and he was very encouraging to me. He referred me to
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another believer, also a black man, in Virginia. I remember calling the number I was given and leaving a message. Based on my previous experience with attempting such contacts, I did not hold out much hope of receiving a return call. But to my surprise, this man called me back the next day, and our first conversation lasted well over an hour. Since that time, he has journeyed to Michigan several times to encourage, strengthen, and support the transitional work we are doing here. He has introduced me to several other blacks who are pursuing the New Testament structure. Now I can get back to my original question. Is there a Black House Church movement? I will answer this in two parts. First, if there is a Black House Church movement – there shouldn’t be. Dr. Martin Luther King stated that, “At 11 a.m. Sunday morning . . . we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation”. Recent studies have shown that this has not changed. In a January 2015 article released by LifeWay Research found that today, 86% of Protestant pastors, they surveyed, still lead congregations of one predominate racial group. The report also indicated that many people are content with the ethnic status quo in their churches. We are so used to what we are familiar with, that we become uncomfortable with anyone outside of our racial world. Jesus commanded that we, “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The word translated as nations is ethnos. In other words, Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all races. We must never forget that God, our creator, created every race on the earth (Acts 17:24-26). Yet, we demonstrate to the world how segregated we are as the Body of Christ. The simple, organic, and house churches appear to be no different from the traditional churches. Many of the groups I have witnessed are racially sterile. They are predominately white believers. My concern from the onset was the isolationist spirit I encountered. There was very little openness to ‘outsiders’. These believers only seem to gather with people they were comfortable with. This is why I will strongly advocate ‘whole church’ gatherings from time to time (Acts 15:22; Romans 16:23; 1Corinthians 14:23). The whole church gathering is when several house churches come together in a city or region to fellowship, break bread, pray, and above all seek to become a vivid example of the multifaceted Body of Christ in the earth. These The American Church Magazine®
whole church gatherings would be more than just a coming together for surface fellowship, only to retreat back into our comfort zones. This would be a time when we, as a body of believers seek ways to pour into each other our resources, our talents, and our time to insure we are all equipped to demonstrate the Gospel of the Kingdom wherever we are planted. As long as the world sees us as divided along denominational, cultural, and racial lines, we have little or no hope of making a real impact in the earth (John 17:21-23). So to answer my question, if there is a black house church movement - a white house church movement – a Hispanic house church movement – or any other racially distinct house church movement – it shouldn’t be. Now for the second part. If there isn’t a Black House Church movement – there should be. I state this at the risk of sounding like I am contradicting everything I just said. Yes, the fact that most of my early experience with the simple, organic, and house churches found only whites participating caused me to ask some serious questions. Why is it that this ‘movement’ missed the black community? Why is it that when this is taught within black communities, that there is a resistance to these types of gatherings – from both the Pastors and the church members? To understand my answer, you need to grasp some of the historical context of the ‘black church’. During slavery, the ability to gather as a church, or for any other reason was a privilege – not a right. Often, the slave owners would have these meetings monitored and censored. Thus, in the church meetings, code songs and messages were developed among the slaves. After slavery, when Jim Crow laws ruled, the church became a place of social respite for many blacks. The black preacher was often revered and highly respected. Often they were targeted for speaking out against racial injustices of the times. Far too often, they had to preside over the funerals of men and women who had been lynched. Up until the early seventies, the black church was the common place to be informed about social ills both locally and nationally. The weekly trek to a church was the norm. Unfortunately, during this time, because of the oppression and disfranchisement felt by many blacks, the Gospel most often preached was ‘otherworldly’ in context. In other words, your rewards for living holy was in heaven – not on earth. It almost became a theological presupposition that
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you should not expect anything on earth – but you would get your mansion in the great by and by. Heaven was an escape from hell on earth. In recent years, various new messages have taken root in the black community. Most predominate is the ‘prosperity gospel’ flavored with Pentecostal and Charismatic influences. I would be the first to interject that prosperity teaching in all sectors has become somewhat distorted. Yet, it has served to provide hope for a better life in the ‘here and now’ rather than the ‘great by and by’. Other culturally distinct teachings have also arisen – some in direct opposition to messages from some white churches that seem oppressive to people of color. So once again, in some – clearly not all – the black church has proven to be a place to coalesce around social and political ideas. Because the ‘Pastor’ is still highly revered, house churches can appear to be a threat to the church system we have become accustomed to. For the most part, many believers in the black church are content with being religiously dependent. Space won’t allow me to explore this in detail. I pray the brief historical context I shared gives you some indication why this is so.
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I personally believe that accurately structured house churches will empower and mature believers – regardless of their race. I believe it can release believers to fulfill their calling, purpose and ministry in the earth. I want to see this take root among my peers. This is why I say that if there isn’t a black house church movement – it should be. There should be Black believers, White believers, Asian believers, Hispanic believers and more, interdependently expanding the Kingdom of God in the earth through a church patterned after the first century. Jesus is still building His Church – His Way in the 21st Century. It is not a white church. It is not a black church. It is His Church filled with bloodwashed believers who are committed to Him. Are you ready for that church? Facebook: The Center for New Testament Church Development Website: www.ntcdonline.org Twitter: timkurtz712
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