spring 2016
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president from the
VOLUME 8 n NUMBER 3 EDITOR Bob Putman
DESIGNER, PRODUCTION MANAGER Pam Nelsen
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Fran Anderson Alllison Hurtado Point (issn/1546-3257) is published quarterly (with a special edition in December) by the Baptist General Conference, 2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Printed in U.S.A. Nonprofit Standard postage paid at Arlington Heights, Ill., and at additional mailing offices. © 2016 Baptist General Conference.
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SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
In a recent devotion time, I came across this verse: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). The apostle Paul challenges us to keep our focus on Christ and to let him be the fuel and focus of our service to God. I find this difficult because ministry is very demanding, extremely complicated and always messy. Leading a church requires great knowledge, skill, character and vision. Building effective ministry teams requires good strategies and effective implementation. Overcoming the obstacles that accompany our work requires grit, tenacity, dependence and determination, which cause many to give up. In our winter edition of Point, we challenged our leaders to “open the front door.” Converge exists to help people meet, know and follow Jesus by starting and strengthening churches together worldwide. We open the front door by sending church planters and missionaries while we all live evangelistic lifestyles. And we lead our churches to help nonbelievers respond to Jesus and become a part of the body. In this issue we focus on “closing the back door.” So many factors contribute to a backdoor flight of people leaving the church: pastoral problems, congregational crises, poor systems and lack of succession plans are just a few we experience in our churches. The backdoor problem may be a result of the leadership’s ill health, difficulty with adjustments to change or some other factor. It is paramount for leaders to be able to assess, address and overcome these issues to stay on mission. The desire of our district, national and international team is to see your ministry thrive. Healthy leaders living out a God-centered vision and promoting God-honoring action result in the breakthrough in church health and growth God desires. We pray this issue will give you the tools you need for a vibrant future. Better Together,
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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2 n point | spring 2016
Scott Ridout President, Converge
ERIC JOHNSON
Close the back door
inside features
4 5 states of church health
AN INTERVIEW WITH DRS. MICHAEL HENDERSON, BRUCE HOPLER AND STEVE SMITH
8 Preventing pastoral burnout 16
8
Why Will’s brother still haunts me BY PAUL ALEXANDER
BY DICK LOIZEAUX
12
extras
7 Retaining visitors — a systems issue? 10 Your personal health assessment (pastors only)
12 Take a step back to move your
14 5 ‘must have’ tools for leaders
18 I resign in September
20 It will make or break your church
church ahead
22 Connection n Our aggressive new goal in Bangkok n 2 new Estonia missionaries n Keeping passion alive at Transform
16
on the cover People visit your church but don’t come back. The reasons range from worship and preaching style preferences of guests to problems in the church: weak assimilation, leaders’ spiritual health, missing or ineffective systems, etc. Converge is committed to strengthening churches and their leadership teams.
How to reach us n T o add/remove your name from our mailing list, call 800.323.4215, M-F, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST n E mail us at point@converge.org @convergeww Converge Worldwide converge.org spring 2016
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THE HEALTHY CHURCH CHURCH LEADER
5 S TAT E S O F
AN INTERVIEW WITH DRS. MICHAEL HENDERSON, BRUCE HOPLER AND STEVE SMITH
>> What are the five states of church health? Converge Church Strengthening is a work in progress. We asked three Converge leaders to tell us where it’s headed.
A Dysfunctional Church HENDERSON A dysfunctional church is deeply sick because its operating systems aren’t
healthy or functioning properly. For example, people go to a doctor to ensure every system of their physical body is functioning properly. If one system isn’t performing as it should (i.e., circulatory, digestive, nervous, etc.), the problem needs to be addressed, or eventually it will cause other systems to malfunction. The church is a living organism (called the body of Christ), which means that if the systems are not functioning properly in the body of Christ, then it’s only a matter of time before it dies. HOPLER A dysfunctional church has lost the clarity of its existence. Many years ago God planted that church there for a reason. Then as the community transitioned, he called that church to grow and transform. Some churches turn inward, choosing not to reach out to the next generation. Some fail to grow leaders or let them lead. The ways a dysfunctional church exposes its weakness are too numerous to count. The reason behind it is almost always the same: failure to keep in sync with God’s calling within the body. SMITH The dysfunctional church is deeply sick spiritually and doesn’t know it. They may be chew-
ing up pastors and spitting them out. They may be separatistic or judgmental. There may be toxic personalities and power brokers. Almost all systems are off-line. This church defeats itself and is moving toward disaster and death.
A Stuck Church HOPLER A stuck church is often doing some things right, but they are not holistic in their ministry approach. They might be good at welcoming their regulars, but fail to make guests feel welcomed. They may do well with Bible study, but fail to challenge their mem-
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bers to engage in personal evangelism. The biggest challenge for stuck churches is blind spots. They often want to grow but have the inability to see from within what keeps them from that growth. They therefore get caught up in a cycle of repeating the same behaviors and expecting different results. They are unprepared for the season in which they find themselves. There are, however, growing churches that also are stuck. These churches make a strategic change, such as hiring an evangelistic pastor, but resist the changes that come along with growth. They’re like a yo-yo dieter. Their numbers go up and down due to a lack of long-term behavioral changes. Our hope is these churches will reach out to their district leaders and work together toward building health for the present day, as well as preparing for what God has for them in the next season. HENDERSON A stuck church has lost touch with its part in fulfilling the mandate Christ estab-
lished for the church (Matt. 28:18-20). Churches that are stuck or broken tend to look only inward, which takes their focus off the Great Commission. We read about such churches in the Book of Revelation. They have lost their way and are admonished to repent or make a change.
Dr. Michael Henderson
Executive director of Converge National Ministries and oversees Church Strengthening
A Stable Church SMITH A stable church recognizes they exist to sow the gospel in the community, and they’re doing what they can. They’re not doing it effectively. They tend to be good places to attend, but there are a lot of people watching a few people do the ministry work. HOPLER From an inward perspective, a stable church has every reason to feel everything is fine. They have programs that attendees are showing up for, and there seems to be minimal conflict. Their attendance might even be up. But they’re unware that the new people are coming from local churches or that their 2 percent growth is not keeping up with the surrounding communities’ 10 percent growth. They are rightly celebrating the baptisms of their children, yet there is little attention to the lack of outreach to nonbelievers. Most dying churches were stable churches in their previous season, allowing their comfort zones to become their personal gage for health. HENDERSON A stable church has several systems working, an inward focus and a growing body.
Dr. Bruce Hopler
Converge national director of Strengthening
However, they have not fully understood that personal growth is not the goal. The goal is to grow to go. Once we hear Christ or his Word, it should cause us to grow spiritually. A transformation should take place in our life, compelling us to serve the body. We should discover the unique gifts and talents God has given us for the growth of the overall body of Christ, the church. Then we should move from solely inward growth to outreach.
A Healthy Church HOPLER A healthy church, while enjoying what God is doing today, is actively advanc-
ing in preparation for what God is leading them to tomorrow. They see conflict as an opportunity to grow stronger and wiser. They care deeply about the flock, about being aligned with the Spirit of God, about their neighbor who does not yet know Jesus. Further, they engage in missions, church planting and citywide missions because they are more concerned about God’s kingdom than about what they can gain. HENDERSON A healthy church is totally engaged, with all systems functioning properly. It is
Dr. Steve Smith
Founder of Church Equippers and former executive minister of Converge Southeast
seeing people come to Christ on a regular basis and functioning according to its purpose and mission. The energy is evident because God is breathing the fresh wind of his presence on this church, for it is engaged in the Great Commission. SMITH A church’s health is about its culture. A healthy church is making and retaining new dis-
ciples consistently. People are being trained to make an impact on the community. They think evangelistically and about increasing their gospel footprint in the community. This church is much more participatory.
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A Significant Church HENDERSON A significant church sees its mission as greater than itself and has a global
view of the church. It has invested its energy and resources not just in the local church but in the broader kingdom of God through birthing new churches or satellite campuses. HOPLER A significant church sees their leadership as servants of the surrounding community. They would rather raise the tide by partnering with area churches than create a bubble of their own growth.
>> How can a church assess its current stage? HOPLER There is huge benefit from inviting consultants and employing resources that examine a
church from the outside in. Converge district and national offices are partnering to provide resources, coaches and assessment tools to help churches grow to the next level.
‘ Share your concerns, humbly admit how you might be part of the problem and offer to be a part of the
HENDERSON When we sense something is wrong, church leaders will seek a professional diag-
nosis. There are tools designed to help a church ascertain its stage. Natural Church Development is one of the most effective tools to diagnose where a church stands.
>> How can someone suggest to their leaders that the church needs a checkup? HOPLER Two words come to mind: humility and servitude. Frustrated parishioners can find them-
selves critical of exhausted leadership, or use this as an excuse to go church shopping. It is easy to play Monday morning quarterback, but a true servant chooses to be a part of the solution. The first step is to set up a meeting with the leadership (not catching the pastor in the hallway right after worship service). Then share your concerns, humbly admit how you might be part of the problem and offer to be a part of the solution.
>> How can Converge help? HENDERSON Converge is developing systems so that churches can get the help they need. Just
Need help? If you or your church are experiencing any of these five states of church health, we want to help you move forward. Reach out to your Converge district executive minister.
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as districts and the national office partner in our Assessment Centers to assess potential church planters and missionaries, we are partnering to develop an assessment process for churches and church leaders. President Scott Ridout has challenged Converge leadership to develop systems so that 1) every pastor has a coach, 2) every leader serves on a team and 3) every team has a defined purpose. We are taking this challenge seriously because we believe healthy churches need healthy pastors. Dr. Bruce Hopler has recently been hired as our Church Strengthening national director and will lead our effort. n
Retaining visitors– A systems issue? THE HEALTHY CHURCH
BY STEVE SMITH
Perhaps you know why God put your church in your neighborhood at this time.
You feel ready to lead your church to make and retain more disciples. Except, as you work out your vision strategy, people are coming in the front door and going out the back all too quickly. Why is this happening? It’s probably not your preaching, your theology, your commitment to evangelism nor even your relational skills that are holding you back. It may be due to some unhealthy systems. Tony Morgan of The Unstuck Group points out that many churches have a gap between vision and execution. Without healthy systems, churches are unable to accomplish God’s vision for ministry.
The cure for unhealthy systems “System” is a word used to describe how your church gets a biblical function done regularly and consistently. There is no one right or only way to construct a church system. The challenge is to make sure you construct a system in keeping with the vision strategy you are pursuing. Equally important is that every system include all its parts and also works collaboratively so that you can retain the new disciples God sends. Every church has 18 systems it must develop. Systems in your church may not share the same outward features as those found in other churches, but structurally they function to accomplish exactly the same things. These systems can be grouped into five categories. DNA systems These three systems — Vision, Leadership and Decision Making — define the future direction and strategies that will guide your church. Vision is the bedrock upon which all your other systems will be built. Leadership of the church must be in agenda harmony with this vision. Agenda harmony clears the way for collaborative Decision Making so that leaders can move forward together. Core systems These five systems — Evangelizing, Discipling, Gathering, Connecting and Leadership Training — define the primary work of leaders in developing a congregation. How people come to faith, grow in that faith, become part of the congregation and begin participating in its mission is defined by these systems. Stabilizing systems Two systems — Finances and Facilities — help the church stabilize its place in its community and maintain its ongoing presence. Every church body must have a home, even if using rented facilities or some public area. All churches handle money, either for operational costs, missions, salaries or for a combination of all these. Body Life systems These five systems — Shepherding, Spiritual Life, Teaching, Communication and Community Relationship — tie the people of the congregation together with God, each other and their community. Growth systems These three systems — Small Groups, Ministries and Missions — fuel the growth of a church by helping people connect in new relationships. Many pastors feel inadequate when it comes to assessing and building the right systems for their church. If you need help and are willing to learn what you don’t know, follow this link: churchequippers.com. n Steve Smith is founder of Church Equippers and former Converge Southeast executive minister.
spring 2016
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Why Will’s brother still haunts me BY PAUL ALEXANDER
My full-time ministry journey
began as a youth pastor in a traditional church, with an organ and a choir in the sanctuary. It was a suit-and-tie kind of place. The youth ministry was growing at a quick pace, and students started coming to the church who didn’t look, act, talk or smell as if they had ever been in a church — because they hadn’t. Being a conservative environment, the church had a hard time when these new students walked through the doors. But it felt right to me. A young man named Will came to the student ministry one evening with a friend and said yes to following Jesus. His life began to change, and immediately we started praying for his little brother. Eventually Will’s little brother showed up one Sunday morning. He walked in all thugged out with saggy jeans, black T-shirt, stocking hat pulled down to eye level and a chain hanging from his wallet to his jeans. He walked up the center aisle of the sanctuary and plopped down on the front pew. He slouched down, crossed his arms and didn’t move the entire service, not even when we stood to sing. He just sat there, as if to say, “I dare you.” He stood out in stark contrast to everyone else in their Sunday best. As you can imagine, plenty of people whispered and looked his way. But the students continued to pray for him during the service, excited that God might just do something. As the service ended, out of the corner of my eye I saw a robed deacon descend from the choir loft and make a beeline for the kid. Understanding what was about to go down, I did my best to get there as fast as I could. But I arrived on the scene too late. The damage was done. This church leader had gotten right in the face of this young man and, with a heart full of pride and self-righteousness, said, “Don’t you ever come in here looking like that again.” You know what? Will’s little brother never walked through those doors looking like that again. In fact, he never came back to church. And to the best of my knowledge, Will’s little brother has never said yes to following Jesus because of that moment in his life. The moment has haunted me ever since. I thought the whole reason the church existed was for people like Will’s little brother.
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Once people step inside your church, do they stay? Here’s how to keep them coming back and to assimilate them into church life.
It doesn’t have to be that way Somewhere along the way churches stop connecting with new people, like Will’s little brother, or assimilating them into church life. They become stuck. All kinds of churches are stuck: large, small, old, new, Baptist, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, nondenominational. The condition is such an epidemic that Thom Rainer, president and ceo of LifeWay Christian Resources, stated: “Eight out of 10 of the approximately 400,000 churches in the United States are declining or have plateaued” (Breakout Churches). This happens for many reasons. But the big culprit? Failure to connect and assimilate. It can be different at your church. You can lead it to welcome and assimilate newcomers. Here are steps that can help.
Create an engaging guest experience What I’m about to say may sound a little like heresy, but here goes. Instead of learning from other churches, look at other public spaces people in your community enjoy. Visit resorts, restaurants, stores and other public venues that have a great guest experience and people coming back for more. Take your teams and list what you can learn and the principles and ideas you can transfer to your church.
Create opportunities to self-identify Guest parking, children’s check-in, a guest services location and a communication card in your church program are all simple ways to create avenues for guests to self-identify. By selfidentifying, a guest is essentially “opting-in” or giving you permission to speak with her or him. Instead of butting into people’s lives and spamming them, you can engage them in a dialog with their permission.
Make it personal It’s a nice touch when I make reservations for my wife’s birthday, and we show up at the restaurant to be greeted by “Happy birthday, Mrs. Alexander” (I don’t mind the free dessert either). The more personal you can make your welcome to a new person, the more memorable it will be. Instead of a cookie-cutter guest follow-up letter, could you send a personal handwritten note? Could the person who greeted the guest and escorted her write it? How about a personal phone call to say, “Thank you for being our guest.” Instead of trying to get the guest to return, think: personal without intrusiveness.
Identify next steps Visiting a church campus for the first time can be frustrating. It may seem as if everyone (insiders) already knows where to go and what to do. It’s easy to feel as if you’re an outsider. In fact, the experience can be intimidating. You can make it easier for guests by thinking through a “what’s next” exercise with your team. Imagine a guest driving into your parking lot… what’s next? Imagine he finds the right place to park… what’s next? Asking “What’s next?” — from the moment a guest arrives to the moment he or she leaves — will help you discover opportunities to connect people to your church.
Make it easy to volunteer and join a group People come to church for all kinds of reasons, but they stay because of relationships and responsibility. So instead of making it difficult to volunteer and get into groups, make it easy. The best way to build a great assimilation process at your church is to focus on building a strong culture of volunteering and Bible study groups.
Create an invitation culture When people come to church with friends or family, assimilation becomes easy because relationships already exist. The same study conducted by LifeWay referenced earlier found the following to be true: n Most people come to church because of a personal invitation. n 7 out of 10 unchurched people have never been invited to church. n Only 2 percent of church members invite an unchurched person to church. n 82 percent of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited. If you lead a church long enough, “stuckness” can happen to you. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can make a difference. n Paul Alexander is executive pastor of Sun Valley Community Church, Gilbert, Arizona. He also serves with The Unstuck Group as a ministry consultant. spring 2016
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Your personal health assessment THE HEALTHY CHURCH LEADER
At 4:30 one morning my wife found me on the bathroom floor, dazed and
unable to get up. The months of Bible studies, counseling appointments, meetings, preaching, travel and coffee had caught up to me. I had burned the candle at both ends for too long and now found myself on a paramedic-led trip to the ER, suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. In the maddening pace, I had neglected my mental, spiritual, physical and family health. I concluded I had to make some changes. Pastoral ministry is a vocation like no other, with highs and lows that sometimes defy articulation. There is nothing like the gratification of seeing people receive Jesus and undergo the Spirit’s daily transforming work. What could be more satisfying than serving a community in the cause of the gospel through preaching, teaching, counseling and prayer? But surely I’m not the only one who knows the woes of work that seems endless and often thankless. Is it possible to be healthier as we serve? Yes, and healthy pastors lead to healthy churches. If we want to see long-term success, we pastors should re-think our approach to health and well-being. Let me offer a few suggestions from my journey to greater pastoral health. HEALTHY MIND Pastoral health begins with a shift in our thinking. I wonder if we neglect our health because we think poorly of our worth. (“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them,” Num. 13:33). Until we see our health as a stewardship and statement of our worth, it will not become a priority. If you burn out, your church likely will go on without you. What’s more, no one in your congregation will value your well-being more than you. But if you draw boundaries to prioritize your health, others will have to also. Much jaded thinking comes from selfneglect. Do you embrace your worth to God? HEALTHY BODY Like many pastors in America, I love to eat. But a healthy body is half the battle in ministry. The housing for the Spirit’s dwelling does matter. So since I love to eat, I’ve decided to eat more of what’s good for me. May I recommend the same: less fat, less sugar and less salt? Add a modest routine of exercise, i.e., three to four times a week. Schedule your walk, jog, weight training or yoga before you schedule your meetings. If you make time for it, you’ll have time for it. You’ll be more alert, with increased energy throughout the day. HEALTHY SOUL Anxiety and depression are rampant in our culture. Pastors are not immune. The hurried pace has America frazzled. Our futile attempts to control everything drains us. Our longing to be liked puts us on emotional roller coasters. For many of us the proverbial dam is breaking. Here’s a recipe for restoring the soul. Get a dose of God’s truth, daily. Whether it comes from personal time in the Word, watching a great sermon or reading a biblically based book, get a plate of food for your soul. Add some creative prayer with a walk, a journal or a blog. Take a page from the prophet Elijah: get some sleep. Sometimes it’s the most spiritual thing a pastor can do. Whatever you do, take a day off weekly. We cannot ignore the Sabbath principle and flourish inwardly. Finally, schedule some fun — a good movie, a comedian on Netflix or a musical in the city. When our souls are replenished, we see God, the world and ourselves more clearly. HEALTHY MARRIAGE Pastor, the church may not know your marriage is suffering until it becomes visible to them. Guard your marriage vows at all costs. Get the counseling you need, even it requires driving across two counties. Ministry is easier when marriage is clicking. The church benefits from your healthy union, but your spouse is yours, not theirs. Cover her. Esteem her. Celebrate her. Protect your time with her. Help her find her lane in the church, not theirs. Buffer her from unrealistic expectations, theirs and her own. And guard her from the tyranny of ministry by praying with her daily, dating her weekly, stealing away with her monthly, retreating with her quarterly and vacationing with her yearly. Your union and your church will be blessed. HEALTHY MINISTRIES Finally, the health of our ministries is in direct correlation to our health. “We can teach what we know,” says The Potter’s House pastor Bishop TD Jakes, “but we can only reproduce what we are.” If we are healthy in mind, body, soul and marriage, we can withstand the demands of our calling and leave a legacy of impact that will outlive our tenure as pastors. n Rod Hairston is senior pastor of Messiah Community Church, Owings Mills, Maryland, and former chaplain of the Baltimore Ravens.
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(pastors only) BY ROD HAIRSTON
Investment Options Last year pastor Chris Hansen of Heritage Church, Sterling Heights, Michigan, baptized 331 people, including this young woman (above) who dedicated her life to the Lord. Converge Cornerstone Fund partnered with Heritage Church to help finance their expanding ministry. Every investor in Cornerstone Fund played a crucial role in those 331 transformed lives. Helping churches is the heartbeat of Converge Cornerstone Fund. We are better together. Join the 3100 other investors who invest with a purpose.
VISIT: cornerstonetoday.org EMAIL: csfund@converge.org CALL: 877.228.8810
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$100 $100,000 $250,000 $100 $100,000 $250,000 $100 $100,000 $250,000 $100 $100,000 $250,000 $100 $100,000 $250,000 $100 $30,000 $100,000 $250,000
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1.000% $5,000
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This shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such an offer, solicitation or sale is not authorized. The offering is made solely by the OFFERING CIRCULAR. The offering involves certain risks, which are more fully disclosed in the Offering Circular under the heading “Risk Factors.” spring 2016 These point n 11 investments are not FDIC or SIPC insured. In the event the Fund exercises its right to redeem a Certificate prior to maturity and upon 60 days notice to the holder thereof, payment of the outstanding principal and interest will be made to the holder to the date of redemption rather than to the Certificate’s maturity date.
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THE HEALTHY CHURCH
Take a step back to move your Churches can get lost. Church Strengthening national director Bruce Hopler is traveling the country, helping our districts and their churches find their way and rediscover God’s vision. BY ALLISON HURTADO
“We soon will celebrate
our oneyear anniversary in our first building. I didn’t want our leadership and church feeling we had arrived and put the gospel in park, ending up in maintenance mode,” said pastor Bill Berg. “I wanted us to keep going with the gospel into communities around us. Bruce [Hopler] is helping us do this. I won’t call him a midwife but maybe a family doctor. It fits his nickname, ‘Doc Hop,’ right?” Growing too quickly, leadership changes and ever-evolving neighborhoods can make it difficult for a church to stay on a healthy path. Twelve-year-old New Hope Community, Cambridge, Minnesota, was experiencing the effects of some of these challenges. Pastor Berg and his staff have a vision for their local community and invited Church Strengthening director Bruce Hopler to assist them in establishing a clear picture of what God is calling them to. Fifteen New Hope staff members, lay leaders and board members — a mix of men and women — gathered for a retreat on the Bethel University campus, February 19-20. “We were growing up our systems and structure, but leadership wasn’t growing at the same pace,” Berg said. “Our desire is to have great influence in east/central Minnesota and to expand out from New Hope into other venues such as plants and multisites.” To be sure they were on the right path, Hopler led the group through exercises to celebrate what God has done and to find the hang-ups keeping the church from following God’s call. Oversized sticky notes lined the walls at Bethel, listing celebrations and things that are stuck, missing or confusing to leadership. “When churches move into a facility, they sometimes lose their outward vision. But New Hope hasn’t,” Hopler said. “We are making sure they have the systems set up to keep that going.”
‘A moment to stop and breathe’ James Belmont, New Hope’s worship pastor, didn’t know what to expect heading into the training with Hopler. He knew the church wanted to continue to reach their community, but they had a limited understanding of what that would look like. “This gave us a moment to stop and breathe and celebrate what we’ve come through,” Belmont said. “It’s given us time to round out the edges, cross the T’s and dot the I’s before we reproduce our dna.” Hopler notes that New Hope hasn’t become hung up on individual ministries, as many growing churches do. They deeply care for their community through work with the homeless, but it’s only one small part of how they serve. Berg recognizes that a healthy church needs to do much more. His priority is intentionally seeking what God’s next steps are, not his own. The New Hope team discovered their leadership development needed some work, as did organizational communication. Learning how to be more effective was a goal of the process, but solving problems wasn’t. Part of strengthening a church is the process itself. The team worked toward a resolution plan, not a quick fix. “Ministry keeps moving, Sundays keep coming and the temptation is to Band-Aid the broken systems and put out the most pressing fires,” Hopler said. “It is critical for leaders to pull aside periodically and work on long-term solutions. Sometimes an outsider can aid them toward the right path by shifting their focus towards what is healthy and away from what is urgent.”
12 n point | spring 2016
church ahead
‘Taking steps to do things differently’ The participants finished the weekend with new understanding of what goes into church structure, including some heavy loads the staff carry. Jeff Cheney, a board member, joked he learned new information that also applies to his business. “We talked a lot about leadership and breaking down problem solving,” Cheney said. “Hopler stressed that problems are not necessarily problems, but solutions to other problems. We developed three focal groups to take action to solve some of these.” Justin Domino, director of Student Ministries, appreciated the brainstorming sessions. The only way to get a church to the next level is to challenge the leaders, he concluded. “I like to be able to talk about the strengths of a church in a healthy way, but with Hopler we also got to talk about the weaknesses in a very healthy way,” he said. “We are taking steps to do things differently.” A few recent challenges New Hope has faced included getting new members to have a greater sense of ownership in the church of more than 700, building internal communication and developing leadership and role clarity. As Belmont puts it, if you spin more plates, you don’t increase your talent — you increase the chance you’ll break something. Deciding to do an overall evaluation was the step back the church needed. “How do you continue to grow and be effective and yet maintain being simple?” Berg asked. “A big step is just coming back to that simple church. What do we do well? Let’s focus on that and not break any plates.” n
‘ Fifteen New Hope staff members, lay leaders and board members — a mix of men and women — gathered for a retreat on the Bethel University campus.’
Allison Hurtado is a Point contributing editor.
spring 2016
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THE HEALTHY CHURCH
My grandpa was a carpenter with a workbench in the basement over-
flowing with tools. His garage had another workbench, a storage cabinet and more shelves, each full of tools. The trunk of his car held all the tools he would take with him to work. Everywhere I looked were tools, many so specialized I had no idea of their purpose or what they were called. But when it was time for Grandpa to work on a project, the first thing he would do was strap on his tool belt. In that belt he carried some basic tools that seemed to be needed for every project he worked on. The same is true of leadership development resources. Hundreds, if not thousands, of resources are available. Just think about all the books, articles, dvds, conferences, podcasts, blogs and more that are out there. Most of these resources are fairly good tools for leadership development, but because so much is offered, creating a culture of leadership in a church can be difficult. At Eagle Brook Church we value these leadership resources, but as staff members we constantly teach our leaders and coaches to keep five basic tools in their tool belt. They’ll need these tools every day in their ministry.
1 TEACHING THE TOOL OF
Leaders often have a futuristic mindset. It doesn’t matter if they are helping someone grow in his or her faith or preparing a church for expansion. They seem driven to help them reach a new destination that will be better than where they are today. Leaders leverage one-on-one conversations, small groups and large groups to teach principles, vision, purpose and mission. If you want to be a great leader and coach, learn to draw pictures and diagrams. This teaching tool is one of the most effective ways to help others see where they need to go. I often refer our leaders to the book The Back of the Napkin, by Dan Roam.
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2 ENCOURAGEMENT THE TOOL OF
One of the most important skills a coach brings to a team is management of energy. Leaders seem to have a unique ability to sense when a team or player is losing energy. So leaders look for ways to encourage others. They walk around cheerleading, “We can do this,” “Way to go,” “You did a great job.” They know if they write a note or pat a shoulder, confidence will increase and performance improve. Most important, at ebc we train our leaders to encourage with authenticity. Authentic encouragement of staff and volunteer leaders is one of the most effective tools for closing the back door of a church. But be careful. If your encouragement is not authentic, the team will actually lose energy.
In Converge we believe every leader needs a coach. And every leader is a coach. And each coach needs five basic tools. BY DALE PETERSON
3 WISDOM
THE TOOL OF
About three years ago, we made a conscious decision to deepen the well of wisdom for our staff and volunteer leaders. We believe wise leaders make wise decisions, so first we defined wisdom as “increased perspective.” Then we focused on growing in three kinds of wisdom: godly wisdom, Eagle Brook wisdom and personal wisdom. All our leadership development now emphasizes this tool and has to do with these three kinds of wisdom. As our church grows, we will need significantly more leaders who consider God’s heart, Eagle Brook’s heart and their own selfawareness before making decisions. Studying and praying through Proverbs 4 is a great place to begin to develop wisdom.
Converge is here to help We believe we are better together. If you would like to see further personal development for your church, or want to learn more about how we can partner together, contact your Converge district executive minister.
4 TRUTH
THE TOOL OF
Truth by itself can be pretty harsh and actually push people out your back door. But balance truth with love, and you can improve the entire culture of a church. In fact, telling the truth can be one of the most loving tools a leader employs. If we really love our team and our church, we won’t tolerate the dysfunction of silence. Instead, we will be committed to continuous improvement of ourselves and our ministry. At Eagle Brook we crave feedback, good or bad, because it helps us get better. We also measure everything because it tells us the truth about our ministry efforts. If we are not growing and people are not putting their faith in Christ on a regular basis, the truth is our ministry is not very effective.
Healthy churches need healthy leaders. By using these five tools of leadership we’ve seen an increase in the effectiveness of our staff and volunteer leaders. When the church is being led well, far fewer people leave through the back door, and staff turnover is greatly reduced. Again, many leadership resources are extremely valuable for your team. But if you’re looking for a simple way to create a leadership culture, try using the five tools of leadership coaching. n Dale Peterson is executive director of the Eagle Brook Association, Lino Lakes, Minnesota.
5 ACCOUNTABILITY THE TOOL OF
Accountability is not catching people doing things wrong and then correcting them. Instead, accountability is being willing to go on a developmental journey with people. Think of it as an investment in those you lead over a period of time, possibly a long period of time. As a leader I am making a commitment to use these tools to help another person grow. I’ll be involved in this person’s life and will teach, encourage, provide wisdom and truth and remain committed to his or her development so that the person will reach full potential. The best leaders instinctively move from one tool to the next as they mentor and coach others.
spring 2016
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You know it’s there, that nagging sense you aren’t functioning quite right. But right now your ministry is too important to deal with whatever is going on. You’ll be just fine.
THE HEALTHY CHURCH LEADER
BY DICK LOIZEAUX
Preventi Recently I had a heart attack
on the side of a mountain 1000 miles from home. It came as a surprise since I didn’t have high blood pressure or a cholesterol problem. But it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Later, when I talked to my doctor, we identified clear symptoms of coronary heart disease going back as far as seven months before the attack. See, I knew something wasn’t quite right, but I was too busy with “important” ministry to deal with it. I figured I would push through my health issues and deal with them as soon as my ministry schedule was less demanding. There is a medical term for that kind of behavior. Stupid.
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ing pastoral burnout Too often we pastors act the same way when it comes to burnout. We know we aren’t functioning quite right but don’t have time to deal with it. So we figure we’ll push through it and deal with it later. We will start sabbathing — later. We will schedule balance and margin into our lives — later. We will be rigorous about taking our day off — later. We will eat right and exercise — later. We will invest in things that replenish us — later. And then when we crash and burn, we are surprised. There is a spiritual term for that kind of behavior. You guessed it. How can you and I spot the warning signs of approaching burnout? There is a good acrostic memory device to determine if you are having a stroke: FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911. Got it? Now let me suggest an acrostic to determine if you are in danger of burnout. The word is DANGER. D: Difficulty focusing — It is unusually hard to make decisions or follow through on tasks. Your mind wanders. A: Anger or Apathy — Either you are frustrated or angry all the time, or you just stop caring because you don’t have the emotional energy. Or you bounce between the two. N: No energy — You are exhausted all the time. Even after a good night’s sleep you are fatigued and lethargic. You’re running on fumes. G: Gloomy — You feel down. Everything looks bleak. You struggle with anxiety more than usual, maybe even a little paranoia. You have trouble trusting. All that worry and fear may create physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches or insomnia. E: Excuses — You are making excuses all the time. Excuses for not getting things done, for making mistakes, for not feeling well or for losing your temper. R: Retreating — You are frequently retreating into daydreams, escapist entertainment and addictive behaviors or withdrawing from
people in order to ease the pain. But none of these things help. Of course some of these symptoms can be caused by medical or psychological conditions that require professional treatment, so take that into account. And identifying one symptom does not mean you are burned out. When you have three or more symptoms you should be concerned. So now you know the six DANGER signs that you are heading toward burnout. Discuss them with your spouse and your accountability partner. Ask them to let you know whenever they think they spot them in you. If you find some of the symptoms, then, still talking to your spouse and accountability partner, evaluate the five common causes to see which apply to you. Five things that undermine your health: 1
Unbalanced schedule Do you take too few days off, too few real sabbaths, too short vacations? Do you spend enough evenings at home? Are you failing to schedule margin into your life? Do you fail to say no when you need to? Are you building rhythms into your life?
2
Unregulated emotional drain Do you spend too much time with draining people/problems and too little with replenishing people and activities? Are you failing to deal with critics and resolve conflicts? Do you have unhealed wounds or unresolved anger? Are you struggling with perfectionism or esteem issues? Unrealistic expectations? Are you hiding sin?
3
Unhealthy lifestyle Do you eat too much? Do you eat too much of the wrong kinds of food? Do you sit too much? Do you neglect regular exercise?
4 Uncontrolled escapism Do you medicate the pain or fatigue with behaviors that may temporarily mask the symptoms but create worse problems? Do you indulge in such things as exces sive escapist entertainment, addictive behaviors, impure fantasies, emotional withdrawal or dependence on mood altering medications? 5
Undernourished intimacy Are you failing to guard your time with the Lord in prayer, worship and devotion? Are you letting your marital intimacy grow tired or cold? Are you failing to maintain close, loving, replenishing relationships with family and friends?
Now that you have spotted the DANGER signs and identified the causes: n What are you going to do about it? n When will you start? n Who will hold you accountable? n How will you measure success? n How will you celebrate progress? I had many good ministry excuses why I’d eat right, exercise and take time off — later. There’s a spiritual term for that kind of behavior. Stupid. “As a dog goes back to its vomit, so a fool repeats his stupidity” (Prov. 26:11, God’s Word translation). n Dick Loizeaux is Converge MidAmerica vice president of operations and CMA’s director of Church Health – Illinois.
spring 2016
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How does a pastor keep his walk with God fresh? Sometimes it requires unusual measures.
THE HEALTHY CHURCH LEADER
BY NATE HETTINGA
I resign in September ...every year. It’s the most painful, peaceful moment I look forward to and dread at the same time. But it’s necessary — for my soul, my family and the church I serve. September is archery elk season in the mountains of Washington state. For me it’s a time of reflection, solitude and endurance. And it’s an opportunity to hit the refresh button on my heart. In the silence of the season’s opening day, I quietly relinquish my role as lead pastor and ask Jesus two questions: “Am I still the man to lead Cascade Church? What still needs to grow in me to become the leader this church will require?” The example of Jesus in Mark 1:35-39 is instructive. In the midst of a hectic ministry weekend, Jesus defies the tyranny of the urgent and slips away to a solitary place, where he seeks the voice of his Father. As a result, the expectations of others are usurped by the clarion call of a new plan for the day. When the disciples interrupt Jesus, they breathlessly declare, “Everyone is looking for you!” It’s the kind of moment leaders love to hate: “I’m needed!” “I’m important!” Yet Jesus calmly replies, “Let’s go somewhere else....” He has been redirected — not by the shrill cry of ministry needs, but by the still small voice of God. In our time and place, we are rarely quiet. We’re tethered to electronic devices purported to make our lives more efficient — and which keep us on duty around the clock. We find it difficult to think deeply about anything because we’re distracted by everything. Reflection requires a massive, disciplined choice and ruthless conviction, or it just doesn’t occur. So, for the sake of my soul, I seek solitude. And I attempt to build rhythms of rest into the calendar. n Daily — a few minutes to an hour n Weekly — a block of several hours n Monthly — a full day away (we pay our pastors to take this day) n Annually — a week of rest and reflection My hunting journals are on a shelf in my home office. They’re full of musings, worries, questions and answers. They contain pages that tell me how to pray for each member of my family for that year. Those little books also record the annual migration of my heart as I struggle to hear God’s voice and respond. So far, God has “rehired” me at the end of 18 elk seasons. And he has given direction for who he would like me to become. It is precisely this instruction that provides focus for the next year. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Pretty much. n Nate Hettinga is lead pastor of Cascade Church, Monroe, Washington.
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PURSUE YOUR CALLING. PREPARE TO SERVE WORLDWIDE. MINISTRY TRAINING M.A. (Theological Studies) M.A. in Christian Thought M.A. in Ministry Practice M.A. in Transformational Leadership Master of Divinity Doctor of Ministry
www.bethel.edu
UNDERGRAD | GRADAUTE | SEMINARY | ONLINE spring 2016
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THE HEALTHY CHURCH LEADER
It will make or break your church A church board can help or hinder your church’s pursuit of Christ’s mission. Here’s how any board can become better. BY SCOTT RIDOUT
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June 2003 was a very memorable month in my ministry at Sun Valley Com-
munity Church, Gilbert, Arizona. After 13 years of “church in a box” — setting up and tearing down in rented facilities — we moved into our first permanent home. The previous five years had been an exceptionally hard time for me personally. When the founding pastor had left in 1998, his departure was followed by a mass exit of the crowds who had gathered under his leadership. It had taken five years for the church to grow back to the size it was when he left.
Rookie mistakes and sudden growth
The fact this was my first time leading a church didn’t make it any easier. I made lots of rookie mistakes. I was walking with God, but as a leader I had never explored the path of senior leadership. During this time I learned the power and blessing of having a church board. They were unbelievably supportive, encouraging, wise and prayerful during my first five years as senior pastor. They were my lifeline in times when I couldn’t breathe. They held me up in prayer when I felt I could not stand. I don’t know that I could have survived without the support of our board of servant leaders. Prior to our grand opening in June 2003, God had blessed our ministry to include about 400 people on any given weekend. That year Gilbert, Arizona, was ranked the “#1 fastest-growing
town under 100,000” in the United States. So, we expected some guests to make our church their home when we opened our new facilities. And we were right. On the first weekend the attendance spiked to 550. The next weekend 860 people showed up. Who would have thought this could ever happen? It was one of those moments in life when you sense God can do “immeasurably more than you could ever ask or imagine.”
‘Shocked into reality’
Despite this great moment, the weeks to come brought great difficulty — especially between the board and me. Disagreements became common and, for the first time under my leadership, conversations became heated. We all knew “growth brings change and change brings pain,” but this board had been together in the hardest of times. Surely we could navigate this transition. Who would have believed that within four months this group, who had weathered so many storms together, could feel so distant? At this point I sought advice from a pastor friend whose church was “ahead of us.” He assured me that when they had experienced similar phenomenal growth in a short period of time, he had experienced the same kinds of difficulties. Then he said: “Your church grew from 400 to over 800 in a matter of weeks. When that happened, everything changed. It’s a different church and it will require a different leadership structure.” His statement shocked me into reality. I felt we had done a great job of preparing the staff team for the change. We had worked hard to prepare the congregation and even thought through how to make sure our guests would stay. Yet in the midst of all this we, as leaders, neglected to prepare ourselves. In my conversation with my friend, I realized that, more than anything, our team needed an outside voice to speak into our issues. We needed an expert — someone not from our church, who had unfiltered, outside eyes and had been there and done that.
Roles must change over time
My friend met with our board and taught us that board roles must change over time. Later I found much of what he said had been captured in the book Sticky Teams, by Larry Osbourne. We were reminded that at all levels, board members must have a vibrant personal walk with God and healthy relationships with others. The business of the board changes over time, however. Osbourne describes four stages of a board’s changing role: Do: The small church is an all-hands-on-deck affair. Those who are most involved in the church typically get to join the board and make the decisions. Approve: As the church grows, the work expands. And although the board members continue to be involved, their role changes from doing everything to approving the things to be done. Review: Increased size and complexity begins to bog down decisions in endless meetings. Boards narrow their focus to reviewing the effectiveness of ministry. Direction/Boundaries: At this stage, boards typically limit their focus to the church’s major goals and initiatives and to the morale and health of the people and of the leadership. They narrow their action to becoming the sounding board for executive leadership, the pulse-takers of the congregation and the brakes and gas pedal for implementing the vision. They also serve a crucial role in church-wide crisis management.
Three crucial questions
Regardless of level, it is wise for a board and staff to determine their roles. Here are three questions our svcc board asked ourselves: n What decisions does this group make? n What decisions does this group advise about, but delegate? n What decisions does this group simply ask to be informed about? Having clarity of expectations of what is decided, advised and reported gave us great freedom. When our board let go of decisions that could be made by others, this focused us on the essentials. It also empowered our staff and volunteers. The impact of changes to our board was immediate. Tensions disappeared and trust reemerged. Board meetings became a celebration of what God was doing through our team. As God provided each new wave of health and growth, we consistently adjusted our focus. My prayer is that the lessons learned in my struggles will help your church to thrive. Unity of leadership is essential in every church. I pray you will experience a board “united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Phil. 2:2, nasb). n
‘ His statement shocked me into reality. I felt we had done a great job of preparing the staff team for the change. We had worked hard to prepare the congregation... Yet in the midst of all this we, as leaders, neglected to prepare ourselves.’
Scott Ridout is president of Converge and former senior pastor of Sun Valley Community Church, Gilbert, Arizona. spring 2016
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connection converge
NUMBERS
990
Number of baptisms on Eagle Brook Church’s six Minnesota campuses during the weekend of January 31-February 1.
15/15 by ’25 Number of new missionary families and singles our Thailand team plans to recruit and place in 15 Bangkok locations by 2025. These will focus on evangelism and church planting, using the effective Santisuk English School/ cell church model.
Windmillers to retire Don Windmiller, Converge Network Gatherings director and Church Relations director, and his wife Peg, Network gatherings assistant and data maintenance, will retire April 30. Transform (network gatherings) expanded greatly under Don’s leadership, from three to 25 ministry group tracks. Prior to beginning in the Mission Advance department in 2006, Don served for 20 years as youth/Christian education pastor, and then senior pastor, of Bethel Baptist Church, Bradenton, Florida.
MORE ONLINE... New books from Converge authors
350 22 n point | spring 2016
Number of participants at Ignite 2016 church planting conference, Sun Valley Community Church, Gilbert, Arizona, March 1-3.
Build Deep: developing a transformational culture in your church, by Steve Smith; Finish Well: A Guide for Leadership Transition and Succession, by Dr. Dwight Perry; FirstSteps for Planting a Missional Church (revised and expanded), by Gary Rohrmayer and Lee Stephenson; and Still Restless: Conversations That Open the Door to Peace, by Jan D. Hettinga. Read summaries: cvrg.us/spring2016
Transform 2016 At Transform 2016, January 11-14, in Jacksonville, Florida, 342 Converge leaders explored how to keep passion alive for the church, evangelism and God. In his keynote address, Dr. Michael Henderson, Converge vice president of National Ministries, compared the church of Laodicea to the church today (Revelation 3:14-20). He said Jesus knew this church was using wealth as a substitute for righteousness. Likewise, the church today is rich but morally bankrupt. Henderson continued, “When we understand how wretched we are — how poor, unrighteous, blind, naked — we will not move away from God. [Our] relationship with him is most important.” Give millennials a voice Tuesday, day two of Transform, began three days of networking tracks for more than 25 ministry groups, plus four workshops. Laurel Bunker, Bethel University dean of Student Ministries, hosted a session for more than 40 women, focusing on passion for the Word and for prayer. In a workshop on the Next Gen pastor, Church Planting executive director Lee Stephenson said to connect with millennials, give them a voice, allow them room to fail, create learning experiences and include them in your life. Church planter Vaughn Brown noted, “Millennials are trying to carve out a place to feel a sense of belonging in the church.”
Converge’s first national missionary in Estonia Our Nordic-Baltic ministry partner for 20 years, Helari Puu has been appointed Converge’s first national missionary since the 1980s. He will serve in Estonia. He joins Crick and Mindy Porier and Beth Ann Erickson in reaching Estonia and currently is raising support.
Erickson arrives in Estonia New Converge missionary Beth Ann Erickson (pictured with Estonian girls) arrived in Estonia February 15 to begin her work of making Christ-following disciples in a country whose population is less than 2 percent evangelical. Working with Kolgata Church, she will help start new ministries and disciple the next generation of Estonian leaders.
Correction Nepal is 95 percent Hindu (Winter 2016 issue, page 22).
‘Don’t trust the cultural compass’ L eith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, hosted a two-day session for senior/lead pastors on cultural issues. Anderson touched on evangelical history, saying society has always faced challenges. He added, “A complex group, we live in challenging times.” He said the future of the church depends on immigration. He also discussed Planned Parenthood, race relations and homosexuality. “Don’t trust the cultural compass — fix yourself on the North Star because that is the truth,” he said. “We’re in a culture that’s bending the compass. The North Star is Jesus Christ.” Never lose your evangelistic fire Evangelist Luis Palau combined colorful storytelling and the apostle Paul’s words to emphasize the importance of passion for evangelism. “Woe is me if I don’t proclaim the gospel,” he quoted. “The apostle Paul was a mature man but never lost his fire and passion.” To pastors who have lost their fire, Palau suggested: 1) Know what the Bible teaches about the present state and future destiny of those who are lost, 2) believe it and 3) pray until the fire burns in your soul. The only answer From the parable of the four soils, Converge president Scott Ridout concluded the week with a message about how we are passionate for God. In our world that is not as it should be, the gospel is the only answer. It is hard to have passion for God at times, he said. Our hearts quickly become callous, cowardly and crowded. “God says, ‘Seek first my righteousness and I’ll take care of all of that,’” Ridout continued. He challenged attendees to be free of coolheartedness, fear and sin. spring 2016
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CONVERGE 2016
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We invite you to join us at the Converge 2016 biennial conference as we celebrate all God has done through our movement and unveil the 10-year vision of where God is taking us. Get a fresh take on evangelism from author and speaker Francis Chan and learn about new missions opportunities in your neighborhood and around the world. J U N E 2 9 – J U LY 1, 2 0 1 6 // C O L O R A D O R E G I S T E R @ C O N V E R G E 2 01 6 . O R G
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