Christian Standard | June 2017

FROM THE EDITOR

Devoted to the restoration of New Testament Christianity, its doctrine, its ordinances, and its fruits.

The Staff

Mark A. Taylor, Publisher and Editor

Jim Nieman, Managing Editor

Rosemary Mitchell, Editorial Assistant

Teresa Callahan, Marketing and Advertising Manager

Scott A. Ryan, Design Consultant

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Credit Report

BY MARK A. TAYLOR

Some assume a magazine’s editor is alone accountable for the insights and errors that have appeared in its pages. But as I write this, my last editorial for Christian Standard (indeed, my last piece of any kind as an employee of Christian Standard Media, known as Standard Publishing during almost all my 41 years here), I know better.

I must share credit, along with some blame now and then, with a long list of encouragers, examples, and givers of advice. And in this space I have room only to summarize.

I think first about a decades-long line of former and current colleagues, men and women serving sacrificially with excellence to achieve a simple goal, producing true-to-the-Bible resources to build the local church.

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Oh, the stories we could tell! I traveled across the country with them. With them I unpacked and repacked uncounted hundreds of boxes filled with Standard items for display at conventions and workshops. I brainstormed with them about book titles and advertising slogans. I worked with them to conduct training seminars. I collaborated with them to communicate the church’s needs and wants to corporate managers whose decisions would determine our funding to serve.

They taught me how to be careful with words and with ministry. They showed me that publishing is not first about authors or editors but about readers we have the opportunity to teach and encourage and equip.

For the last 14 years I have depended on colleagues and collaborators to help with my final assignment: nurture a longtime friend—150 years old last year!—to meaningful engagement in a time of constant change. Standard’s Publishing Committee, whose names are listed for the last time in this issue, has repeatedly sought ways to continue this ministry. I have appreciated their support, but I absolutely could not have produced this magazine without the ideas and advice from its contributing editors. Before their names also disappear, I must go on record with gratitude deep and profound for their prodding, friendship, and willingness to help.

Meanwhile, managing editor James Nieman’s steady hand, calm demeanor, and concern for detail has created an excellence unrecognized—it would have been noticed only in its absence. I couldn’t have asked for a coworker more congenial or quietly competent. (Thankfully, his name will remain with our masthead!)

Even greater is my gratitude to our readers and the local churches where they serve. They represent a fellowship that grows more dynamic every year. My highest privilege has been giving their leaders a voice and their accomplishments an audience through the pieces we’ve published here.

They will continue to take positive steps, as will this magazine. And as I finally retire from my editor’s desk, I look forward to watching with you what God does through all of it in the challenging future before us.

It’s a long list of encouragers, examples, and givers of advice.

Founded 1866 by Isaac Errett

By Mark A. Taylor

By Pat Magness and Lee Magness

By Brent Storms

By Doug Lucas

By Justin Horey and Jennifer Johnson

Estep

Stephen Bond

Michael Mack Named New Editor

Michael C. Mack has been named the 12th editor of Christian Standard. Jerry Harris, newly appointed publisher of Christian Standard Media, announced that Mack will join him on the staff of the magazine, beginning with its July issue.

“We at Christian Standard Media are truly blessed to have on our team the combination of talent and passion we find in Michael Mack!” Harris said. “We welcome Mike and his wife, Heidi, into a bright future with Christian Standard.”

Mack comes to the position with 28 years of experience in publishing, local church ministry, and national small

PUBLISHING COMMITTEE

groups leadership. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and received the master of arts in practical ministries from Cincinnati Christian University.

After serving in a variety of editorial roles with Standard Publishing 198995, he founded smallgroups .com, a resource to support and equip small group leadership in local churches. The website’s outreach grew to international influence and is now operated as a ministry of Christianity Today, Inc.

Later he served in associate ministry roles on the staffs of churches in Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky, including 11 years as groups minister with Northeast Christian

(Established 1956 by the National Christian Education Convention for liaison with the management and editorial department of Standard Publishing)

Steve Wyatt, Chairman, Phoenix, Arizona

Clark H. Tanner, Vice Chairman, Wichita, Kansas

Marshall W. Hayden, Secretary, Worthington, Ohio

Alan Ahlgrim, Longmont, Colorado

Dennis Bratton, Gallatin, Tennessee

Aaron Brockett, Indianapolis, Indiana

Ben Cachiaras, Joppa, Maryland

T. C. Huxford, Savannah, Georgia

E. LeRoy Lawson, Johnson City, Tennessee

Eddie Lowen, Springfield, Illinois

Pat Magness, Milligan College, Tennessee

Steve Moore, Meridian, Idaho

Dudley Rutherford, Porter Ranch, California

Dave Stone, Louisville, Kentucky

Teresa Welch, Joplin, Missouri

Church in Louisville.

He is the author of 8 books and more than 25 discussion guides. Since 2012 he has been director of Small Group Leadership, a ministry that supports leaders and church ministries through speaking, coaching, and consulting. He has written hundreds of articles and served as a freelance editor and ghostwriter for a wide variety of publications and companies.

He has contributed a monthly column to Christian Standard since 2012.

“Mike brings exactly the combination of publishing experience and heart for the local church this position needs,” said Mark A. Taylor, current publisher and editor, who retires June 2. “I am absolutely delighted in Jerry Harris’s wisdom and God’s providence that have combined to make this transition possible.”

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Contributing editors help define the focus of Christian standard, identify issues facing volunteer leaders and staff members in churches we serve, and suggest future themes. They periodically write for the magazine and regularly consult, advise, and react to the editors regarding past and future content in the magazine.

Becky Ahlberg, Anaheim, California

Ben Cachiaras, Joppa, Maryland

Arron Chambers, Greeley, Colorado

Glen Elliott, Tucson, Arizona

Jeff Faull, Mooresville, Indiana

Phyllis Fox, Milligan College, Tennessee

Randy Gariss, Joplin, Missouri

Jennifer Johnson, Levittown, Pennsylvania

Doug Priest, Indianapolis, Indiana

Matt Proctor, Joplin, Missouri

Jim Tune, Toronto, Ontario

Michael C. Mack

FOUR

CIY Uses Social Media to Take Message to Teens C’s

Christ In Youth (CIY) is well known among the Christian churches—and beyond— for high-quality programs specifically geared to teens and preteens. Many of these events take place during the summer months, but last November CIY launched a new program— and it was all online.

“We’re constantly trying to keep a pulse on the next generation so we can speak to them with the gospel mes-

sage,” says Chris Roberts, communications director. “They are digital natives. They don’t know a world without social media or mobile phones. So, we began talking about how we can use those tools to point them to the kingdom.” The result was “Kingdom Worker Week,” which actually lasted 10 days, from Nov. 6 to 16.

“Half the youth ministers we polled wanted a program that ran Sunday to Sunday,”

Christian Churches & Churches of Christ

Roberts says. “The other half preferred Wednesday to Wednesday. We created 7 days of activities and content but spanned it across 10 days to accommodate both schedules. We chose November because it’s an opportunity for teens to participate in our programming during the school year, in ways that hopefully allow them to influence and share the experience with their friends.”

The experience included The KW7 Show, a talk show recorded live in front of an audience of teens at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, last October.

A variety of devotions, daily challenges, music, lessons, and service project ideas was available online for each day.

Eric Epperson, senior director of Æffect, the online portal offering access to the videos and other resources CIY produces for its annual events, traveled across the country interviewing influential leaders. Epperson broadcast live in front of the White House on Election Day and used Periscope and Facebook Live to share additional interviews from New York, Chicago, and other cities.

“It was all tied together

Eric Epperson, senior director of Æffect, an online portal of videos and other resources, is interviewed as part of CIY’s Kingdom Worker Week.

of

with social media,” says Roberts. “We encouraged students to post with the hashtags #kw7 and #kingdomworker, and so they shared their thoughts, reactions, and experiences throughout the week.”

Kingdom Worker Week ended with a live event at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO, which was also broadcast to the youth groups participating around the country.

CIY is planning another Kingdom Worker Week this fall. Visit https://aeffect.ciy .com/ to learn more!

—Jennifer Johnson

Gather any group of people over age 40 and you’ll hear frustration about how much time younger people spend on their phones. “I’m at a restaurant watching a couple,” a friend told me recently. “They are obviously on a date, and yet they are both staring at their phones instead of talking to each other.”

The friend texted me this information from her own phone.

‘Social’ Event My Take

It’s true that smartphone use is out of control for many of us. One study found the average user checks his phone upwards of 150 times a day. Allowing a generous eight hours for sleep, this means many of us are still looking at our screens more than 10 times an hour. Some researchers have even equated our psychological addiction to apps and websites with the physical addiction smokers have for nicotine; in a recent Atlantic Monthly article, advocates of more responsible software design compared the tech industry’s creation of apps to the Big Tobacco companies that pushed cigarettes.

addiction on our own lack of willpower or the scheming of Silicon Valley, the technology itself is neutral—and able to be used for good. Instead of trying to keep teens off their phones, Kingdom Worker Week encourages kids to use social media, video, photos, and live streaming as a way to explore faith and share it with others. In fact, Chris Roberts, CIY’s communications director, estimates more than 15,000 teens participated in the event in some way last fall.

By Jennifer Johnson

One reason for our addiction to phones and tablets is the principle of variable rewards. Psychologists (and app developers) have known for years that when “prizes”—such as Facebook likes, instant messages, comments, and retweets—happen on a variable schedule, we are likely to check for them more compulsively.

However, whether we blame phone

My own teenage stepkids are digital natives, much happier with a screen in hand, and like many parents, my husband and I have struggled to determine boundaries for their use of technology. As Roberts told me, “For many teenagers, these phones are part of their identity. In fact, some have said they would rather stop breathing than lose their phone.” One wonders what use the phone would be during acute oxygen deprivation, but the point is made—instant communication and real-time experience sharing are now an important part of most young people’s daily lives.

It’s healthy to set limits on screen time (and to ignore phones on a first date), but mobile technology isn’t going away. Instead of lamenting our kids’ dependence on these devices, let’s find new ways to leverage it for something better.

“We’re constantly trying to keep a pulse on the next generation.”

©iStock/Thinkstock

Media Matters

n Listen to original worship music by Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, AZ, at ccvonline.com/music.

n Lucille Williams, on staff at Shepherd Church in Porter Ranch, CA, recently released her new book From Me to We: A Premarital Guide for the Brideand Groom-to-Be. It is available at www.amazon.com.

n Southland Christian Church (Lexington, KY) offers online video courses on world religions, the fruit of the Spirit, evangelism, and more at southlandchristian.org/learn /list/.

n Peter Rasor and Theodore Cabal’s new book is Controversy of the Ages: Why Christians Should

Not Divide over the Age of the Earth. Learn more at www. weaverbookcompany.com.

n Renewal Church of Chicago recently held a two-part discussion on the gospel and race. You can listen online at www.renewalchicago.com.

n The Scholars Community of the Stone-Campbell Journal offers members access to hundreds of archived articles and book reviews as well as content from the current issue. Learn more at www .stone-campbelljournal.com.

n Hope International University offers a YouTube playlist of leadership videos featuring a number of speakers, including Bob Russell, Gene Appel, Todd Clark, and Rusty George. Check it out at www.hiu.edu/churches /ministry-resources/.

n The “theme book” of the 2017 Exponential Conference is Dream Big, Plan Smart: Finding Your Pathway to Level Five Multiplication by Todd Wilson with Will Mancini. Go to www .exponential.org.

n The Scholarship Game by Luke Arnce walks through the college application process and offers tips on how to make it more affordable. Arnce is the grandson of Dr. Lynn Gardner, former academic dean at Ozark Christian College. Available at www.compass -books.net.

n At moredisciples.com, Team Expansion offers podcasts, webinars, blogs, and links to many other resources focused on discipleship.

n Brandon Kelley and Joe Hoagland are coauthors of the new book Preaching Sticky Sermons: A Practical Guide to Preparing, Writing, and Delivering Memorable Sermons. Available at www .amazon.com.

n Every weekday morning, the staff at Southland Christian Church (Lexington, KY) posts a devotion online at southlandchristian.org/blogs /devo/.

The Mountain Riders pool funds to buy a new coat or a bag of groceries for a member in need. They visit each other’s friends and family members in the hospital. They build wheelchair ramps and do home improvement projects. In fact, the Riders— a ministry of Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD—function as the church, offering opportunities for motorcycle riders and motorcycle fans to study, serve, and grow together.

The Riders launched in 2005, and today more than 70 people participate in the group’s activities. While they enjoy their rides, leader Todd Holmberg talks more about the Bible studies, service projects, and life changes.

“We’re the size of a small church, and it takes a lot of people working together to make it happen,” he says. “We do Bible studies on Wednesday and Thursday nights. One person plans our rides and organizes the trips. We have a welcome team, a prayer team, and a visitation team that makes calls and visits hospitals. The church even gave us chaplain badges so a few leaders can get in to the ICU and pray with people.”

Mountain Christian has been supportive since the first days of the Riders, and Holmberg says the ministry has intentionally learned from the church and its leadership.

“We adopted the church mission statement, ‘Love God, Love People, Serve the World,’ as our statement, and we began offer-

‘We’re the size of a small church’

Mountain Riders Have Fun, Do Good

ing two identical Bible studies just as the church offers a variety of service times,” he says. “Mountain uses technology very effectively, so we make sure to use photos and videos to get the word out about our ministry.”

In return, Mountain includes the Riders in outreach events like their “Celebrate the Light” outdoor festival at Christmas. When the church asked Holmberg whether the Riders wanted a spot for the group, he replied, “Give us five spots and you’ve got a deal.” The Riders built a 45-foot-long wall out of galvanized steel and added Christmas trees and Harleys lit up with LED lights.

“We took a 200-gallon oil tank and filled it with hay for a manger, wrapped old tires in lights for wreathes, and hung a chrome and leather sign that said ‘Deck the Halls,’” he says. “Burn barrels kept people warm, and kids loved getting temporary tattoos.

It was a hit. We got 10 spots the second year and built a sleigh pulled by eight motorcycles.”

The Riders are a ministry, Holmberg says, and people want to be part of it. In fact, the group created the “Auxiliary Riders” for

those who want to participate in the studies and service projects but don’t have a motorcycle.

Holmberg says he thinks the group connects so well with others because it is made up of broken people who are real about their struggles. The group works with Celebrate Recovery, since many people in the biker lifestyle struggle with addictions. They have also partnered with an off-roading group in the church and held a big cookout for all three groups last Labor Day weekend.

“We have ex-outlaw bikers, some who have done hard time in prison,” he says.

“We have recovering addicts, single moms, 70-year-old widowers, and folks recently divorced and starting over. We have bluecollar and white-collar guys, blended families, and spouses who have been together for decades. We have guys who have been riding motorcycles since they were toddlers on dirt bikes and some who just passed the test for their license last year. We are all different. But none of us is immune from pain. I guess a lot of church folk try to hide or cover up their brokenness. With bikers, you pretty much get what you see.”

www.mountaincc.org/motorcycleministry

—Jennifer Johnson

There were plenty of photo opportunities when the Mountain Riders ministry— part of Mountain Christian Church (Joppa, MD)—hitched up a sleigh to eight Harley-Davidson motorcyles for “Celebrate the Light.” Members offered up prayer to the real Father Christmas before the annual event. Other activities through the year include home improvement projects, such as building wheelchair ramps.

Residency Catered to Individual

Several of the Restoration Movement’s largest churches have created internship programs, some that involve entire cohorts of students and work with colleges and universities for academic credit.

“Those are wonderful opportunities for students, and we love what those churches are doing,” says Becki Kern. “But we decided our niche would be a more customized program that works oneon-one with each individual. With that goal in mind, we launched the Reveal Residency in 2014.”

Kern, who serves as campus launch pastor and director of Reveal at Pantano Christian Church, Tucson, AZ, designed the program to work with people at every age and every life stage.

“There is a strong focus on personal spiritual development as well as leadership training and hands-on ministry,” she says. “We want the experience to be helpful for the young person just exploring ministry, the person who has completed seminary, and the older person exploring a midlife change or a postretirement ministry. If they feel a calling from God, we want to help them figure out their next steps.”

To facilitate this flexibility, the residency is not based on a calendar year or school year; applicants can begin the program at any time. Because participants are also coming from a variety of backgrounds, the residency has a contingency to include an educational component.

“We’ve partnered with Ministry Resources Institute and their Bible Mastery Course,” Kern says. “It’s a 32-week class that grounds people in what the Bible says and how to interpret it. Many of our staff have also worked

through the course.”

As part of the residency, interns also have the opportunity to grow in their personal spiritual formation and work through the Church Planting Assessment Center’s (CPAC) program.

“CPAC is difficult, but it shows our interns the factors in their lives that can come back to hurt them in ministry if they don’t deal with them,” Kern says. “We want to send them out as prepared as possible, and we’re finding that their personal development as leaders is just as important as their professional development. With the way our lead-

ership team is gifted, we have people able to help. So if a resident is dealing with an integrity issue, or even a broken heart that hasn’t healed, we can help them personally grow in their faith before they go out and try to minister to others.”

Of course, the residency also includes lots of opportunities for hands-on ministry. The experience is designed to provide access to the entire leadership team, including lead pastor Glen Elliott

“Our whole team is invested in this,” Kern says. “The interns are treated as staff. This is important not

only for their own growth and learning, but because we want them to understand what real ministry in the local church is like. Sometimes people leave Bible college or seminary and don’t realize they will be sitting in meetings or having to work with teams in ways that stretch them. We want them to have this experience with us—before they take on the enormity of a full-time ministry on their own.”

The residence program is $12,000 for 12 months and includes housing and utilities, a food stipend, CPAC, involvement in a camp or conference, strengths and personality testing, personal financial coaching, a weekly session with an outside pastoral coach, as well as the year of hands-on ministry training in their area of calling. Visit www.pantano .church/ministries/reveal/ to learn more and apply online.

—Jennifer Johnson

Pantano Christian Church, Tucson, AZ, launched Reveal Residency in 2014.

We want [the interns] to have this experience with us—before they take on the enormity of a full-time ministry on their own.”

A ‘Thirteenth Step’ to Recovery

Laura Setters’s brother has been an addict since he was 12 years old. When he finally celebrated a year of sobriety, she decided to mark the achievement—and ended up creating a new ministry.

“By the time Michael got sober in 2014, our family had been dealing with his addiction for 26 years,” Setters says. “My mom, Beth, passed away the year before, and she had been the only one who never lost hope in him. I wanted to do something to honor her life as well as Michael’s one-year sobriety anniversary, so I donated to a recovery facility called The Healing Place in downtown Louisville.”

Several months later, Setters received The Healing Place’s annual report and

Passages

read about a woman who had lost her daughter to heroin and now donated backpacks of supplies to women completing the recovery program. Setters met with her and decided to start a similar program for the men.

“I attend Northeast Christian Church here in Louisville, and they had challenged us to ‘Love the ’Ville’ by serving

n Thelma Maxine (Haas) Wymore, 93, of Johnson City, TN, died March 6, 2017, just weeks after the death of her husband of 71 years, Leonard G. Wymore, who died Jan. 19. She is survived by three children, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one brother. She attended Manhattan (KS) Christian College and Butler University School of Religion in Indianapolis. She was

our city in tangible ways,” she says. “I had been praying about what I could do to show love outside the church walls, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.”

Setters’s small group donated the first round of backpacks, towels, pillows, blankets, and other supplies in August 2015, and she intended the project to be a one-time thing—until she saw the difference it made for the men who received the gifts.

“We give the backpacks to guys who have completed both detox and the two-week program on campus and who have made the decision to stay and do long-term recovery,” she says. “We include a handwritten note of encouragement with each pack, and some of the guys say earning

very supportive of her husband’s ministries and worked as a secretary for the North American Christian Convention, which he directed. She will be remembered for her hospitality, Bible study, and her love of family and friends. Memorial gifts may be made to the Leonard & Thelma Wymore Scholarship Fund at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan College.

their pack is like a ‘thirteenth step’ in their recovery process.”

Today Backpacks from Beth is a nonprofit organization that donates 25 to 75 backpacks each month. The organization is funded by donations, and supporters have been so generous that Setters may begin delivering the packs to a second facility in town. In addition to donating supplies and money to the effort, a team of volunteers also writes the encouraging notes every month.

“Sadly, addiction is something most people can relate to in some way,” she says. “This is a way for people who have been affected by this struggle to give hope to someone else.”

www.backpacksfrombeth.org

—Jennifer Johnson

n Dr. Derek Vorhees has been named the new president of Boise (ID) Bible College. Vorhees has taught New Testament at the school since 2011. He replaces Terry Stine, who is moving to the presidency of St. Louis (MO) Christian College, starting June 1. Stine had served as president at BBC since 2007.

BY SIMON J. DAHLMAN

Professor of Communications Milligan College, Tennessee

Read Minds

“To know what people really think, pay attention to what they do, rather than what they say.”

René Descartes (1596–1650), French philosopher and mathematician

the sun

shining, I feel obligated to play outside!”

—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000), American cartoonist (“Peanuts”), in The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 1: 1950-1952 (2004)

Radical

Brennan Manning (1934–2013), American author and Christian teacher, in Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging (1994)

The Aging of America’s Ministers: By the Numbers

The typical American senior minister is growing older. While 76 percent of pastors in Protestant churches in 1992 were aged 55 or younger, today only half of them are.

“The aging of pastors represents a substantial crisis for Protestant churches,” says David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group. “In fact, there are now more full-time senior pastors who are over the age 65 than under the age of 40.” While Barna’s research cannot pinpoint the reasons for this trend, Kinnaman pointed to several possible contributing factors, including overall increased life expectancy, the rise of bivocational and secondcareer pastors, financial pressures, the attraction of entrepreneurship among young adults, and “the lack of leadership development among millennials and gen-Xers

and the lack of succession planning among boomers.” “It’s not inherently a problem that there are older pastors in positions of leadership,” says Kinnaman. “In fact, younger generations are often looking for wisdom and leadership from established teachers and leaders. The problem arises when today’s pastors do not represent a healthy mix of young, middle age, and older leaders.”

The Barna Group, The Aging of American Pastors, March 1, 2017. (Based on a study conducted on behalf of Pepperdine University. Current figures compared with Barna’s 1992 study, Today’s Pastors.)

“Whenever

is

“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.”

Quick Quiz for Father’s Day

Who was credited for saying this?

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

A. John Lennon (1940–80), English musician, cofounder of The Beatles

B. C. S. Lewis (1898–1963), Irish-English author, scholar, and Christian teacher

C. John Steinbeck (1902–68), American author and Nobel Prize laureate

D. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) (1835–1910), American author and humorist

True Wonder

“God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners.”

Søren Kierkegaard (1813–55), Danish philosopher and Christian theologian, quoted The Journals of Kierkegaard

To Love

“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone— we find it with another.”

Thomas Merton (1915–68), Trappist monk and American author, in Love and Living (1979)

“When new beautiful thoughts began to push out the old hideous ones, life began to come back to him, his blood ran healthily through his veins and strength poured into him like a flood.”

—Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924), English-American author, in The Secret Garden (1911)

Need New Answers? Ask Different Questions.

If we’re not getting the political answers we need, maybe we should be asking different questions.

A team of political scientists thinks that rather than asking citizens “What do you want?” we should be phrasing our questions for more deliberation: “What should we do?”

“Even this small shift in how we ask questions can have profound effects,” says Michael Neblo of the Ohio State University. “Using this deliberative frame is not a cure-all for the problems of our political culture, but it can help nurture a healthier deliberative approach can help promote democracy,

including a 2015 study that found it worked well in online town halls between members of Congress and representative samples of their constituents.

The team did not look at typical town hall meetings, such as those organized by members of Congress, which usually attract vocal supporters and people with specific grievances. Instead, the town halls for the study featured a randomly selected, diverse group of constituents, many of whom were not politically active. This helped the representatives and constituents move past the partisan talking points and discuss why they believed what they did.

The result, according to Neblo, was that both constituents and members of Congress gave high marks to these town halls and said they would participate again. Many citizens who took part in these town halls said their elected official actually changed their mind on issues—and vice versa.

M. Neblo, K. Esterling, et al., “The Need for a Translational Science of Democracy,” Science, March 3, 2017.

Answer: D. Mark Twain.

BY MARK A. TAYLOR

We wanted experience from church leaders who have led their congregations to build. We were able to spend an hour with four who brought insight and a couple of warnings for any congregation considering a building campaign:

Gene Appel, senior pastor with Eastside Christian Church in Anaheim, California; Gary Johnson, lead servant with The Creek in Indianapolis, Indiana; Darrel Land, senior minister with Redemption Christian Church in Jasper, Indiana; and

David Vaughan, senior minister with Whitewater Crossing Christian Church in Cleves, Ohio.

Here are excerpts from that conversation.

Gene Appel serves in ministry with Eastside Christian Church, Anaheim, California.

Four leaders give their answer to our cover question.

Tell us about your last building project.

Appel: We went through a full relocation in 2012 from Fullerton, California, where the church had been for 50 years, and moved to what had been a former Boeing Aerospace site that we repurposed in Anaheim. It was a $56 million project.

Land: About two years ago we finished the construction of our worship center, about a 1,100-seat worship auditorium, a $3 million project. In December, we completed the build-out of an old retail space a few miles up the road for our first multisite campus. That was about a $1.8 million project.

Vaughan: We’re still finishing up the build-out of offices and classrooms and student ministry space in a building we opened this past December. That new facility includes a 1,200-seat worship center and an all-new Harbortown Kids area. It was a $13.5 million project.

A grant from a local Christian patron allowed us, at the same time, to construct a life center to house our food pantry and recovery programs. It was approximately a $600,000 project. In the first half of this year, we have been repurposing current worship space into student space, new offices, new classrooms, and more restrooms.

Johnson: We just opened our first satellite last September. It is housed in a former fitness location, a ladies-only gymnasium. Re-

configuring it cost us about $1.8 million. Now we’re repurposing the gymnasium on our main campus into a new office complex.

How has your church’s personality, your “DNA,” influenced your decisions to build?

Land: Community and fellowship is very important at our church. So every building we design has a large, oversized gathering space/lobby. We’re a large church in a small town, where community and connections are very important.

We’ve also focused on creating incredible children’s space. This allows us to offer something unique in our area.

Since ours is a rural community, it was important that we didn’t build something looking too extravagant, because that probably could’ve been a turnoff for many of the people we’re trying to reach.

Vaughan: We were the Westwood-Cheviot Church of Christ before we moved here in 2004. In the years since then we had continued to add services, and we agreed we needed more worship space. As we approached our 100-year anniversary in 2016, that seemed like the right time to build again. It was a strategic time to look toward a new beginning even as we celebrated the past.

Eastside Christian Church relocated from Fullerton, California, to this former Boeing Aerospace site in Anaheim, California, in 2012. The cost of the move was $56 million.

SHOULD WE BUILD IT? WILL THEY COME?

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Appel: We’re a simple church with a simple strategy. We pursue God, we build community, and we unleash compassion. We wanted our campus to reflect and help attendees experience all three values.

So our worship space, obviously, is a “pursue God” space. We designed it so that wherever you’re seated in the room, you’re looking at other people, not just at what’s happening on a platform. We wanted there to be a sense that we’re doing this in community together. Like Darrel, we really concentrated on creating large gathering spaces in our hallways—I like to call them freeways, they’re just huge—where people can gather.

We were very deliberate in creating great environments for our children’s ministry, for the benefit of the kids and reaching their families. We have a coffee shop called Compassion Café where visuals and other elements reflect the global and local places where we’re involved in compassion and mission works.

Johnson: It took us a while to determine to do a multisite because we have 60 Christian churches in Indianapolis. Where do you put another satellite? We looked long and hard for a neighborhood that not only was lacking a church, but also had a demographic that was a match as near as possible to ours at The Creek. Once we found that, we went looking for a building and designed its interior to fit that neighborhood. We wanted it to be a seamless part of the community.

So, your decisions to build were all mission driven, correct? Mission not only prodded you to build, but helped you determine what to build.

Appel: Eastside had been out of space for 25 or 30 years. And when the economy took its big dip in 2008, that really afforded us the opportunity to relocate. What was a bad time in many ways was a good time for us, because we were able to hit the bottom

of the California real estate market at just the right time. I don’t know that we could have done it now. I don’t know that the church could’ve done it five years earlier. But it was just the right timing.

Vaughan: For us, the initial driver was to dream new dreams in a new space. I felt like the congregation needed a reboot in a brand-new location. The old space contained memories that were not conducive to new vision.

But it was a risk, 10 years ago, to ask a 90-year-old church to invest $7 million to $8 million and move eight miles away when there was no momentum and dwindling attendance. The church was without debt, and the move put us back in debt. But it was the greatest thing that happened to the church.

We used the relocation as a way to help people decide whether they were all-in, to reenvision the church, with a new name and a new identity, all of which led us to become a healthier church.

Appel: In the month after I came to Eastside, we grew rapidly. We were at five services, and we felt like we were maxed out. Although we believed multisite was in our future, we also felt we needed to relocate first before we considered that.

We, too, needed a reinvention for the next chapter of Eastside, to establish and create a new DNA for the future. So then, when we would go multisite (we have three sites now), we would be replicating that new DNA and that new sense of health in the church.

But some churches out of space would say let’s do multisite now.

Appel: We were going through fundamental shifts in our philosophy and strategy of ministry. We felt our former location was built for different strategies and a different era. We felt the new location, designed much more simply and much more strategically, would better position us to be a multisite church in the future.

The Creek, Indianapolis, Indiana, opened its first satellite location—the Shelby Street campus (above)—last September in a former fitness club. Gary Johnson is lead servant of The Creek.

On November 16, 2014, the Christian Church of Jasper, Indiana (now called Redemption Christian Church), opened Worship Center A with two services (attendance of 1,858 people). It culminated several years of planning and almost 40 weeks of construction. Darrel

So what have you learned that would help you with the next building?

Land: We found that repurposing retail space is just a whole lot less expensive than building from the ground up, if it’s possible. This is a growing trend.

Appel: We saved a great deal of money by remodeling the existing structure we bought. And we’re very thankful we also have room to expand. Here in Southern California, there wasn’t property to buy. Property here is $1 million an acre, and it’s already all developed. We had to find something that had already been developed. It really wasn’t an option if we were going to relocate.

What else?

Appel: I’ve been through three large auditorium builds, a 3,000seat auditorium at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas and then a 7,200-seat auditorium at Willow Creek outside Chicago. Here, we built an auditorium that initially had 1,800 seats; we’ve expanded it to 2,200 now, and it can go as high as 2,800. I think with the multisite model’s effectiveness for us, I’m glad we can look at more sites versus just building larger.

Land: I would certainly echo what Gene said. I’m glad we didn’t build a larger auditorium. It’s a large auditorium for our area, the largest auditorium in our county. But we didn’t go larger because we knew multisite would someday be our vision. And we didn’t want to wrap all of our money up in an extra-large auditorium and not have room to grow and reach people in other areas and other parts of our region.

The first time we built, we used a capital campaign company. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. In fact, they taught us how to do a capital campaign. But next time, I think we will run the campaign from within.

Johnson: Twelve years ago we built a worship center that accommodates 1,500, and we’re very glad we did not build larger than that. We have 50-plus acres of land we’re now trying to sell. With the move to multisites, we know we’re not going to use all that land.

Redemption’s Loogootee Campus held its first service on December 4, 2016, with 520 people in attendance. Richard Crabtree (above) serves as campus minister.

Land, whose image is on the big screen, serves as senior minister.

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Vaughan: Our church has done back-to-back-to-back capital campaigns with only one year of break between them. Our people don’t know what it’s like not to be in a capital campaign. It stretched their faith, and it’s been good. But it’s not for the faint of heart.

So were you energized or exhausted by your church’s building campaign?

Land: I heard a preacher say one time, building programs don’t cause major problems, but like a pregnancy, they can reveal problems already there. I’ve been blessed because I’ve had good people running our campaigns.

Johnson: Twelve years ago we needed to borrow some of the funds to build that auditorium. We said back then that we wanted, from that time on, to wait till we had cash before building. And we have done that.

It’s a commitment we have made to the church family. No more capital campaigns. We decided to teach our people about tithing. Every year, in the last four to five years, we’ve done a four-week series that’s very direct on helping people get their financial house in order. We create a discipleship program, whether it’s Financial Peace University or some other mechanism, by which people can receive a lot of frontline help to move them toward debt-free living.

As a result, for example, this last November when we did our series and we handed out commitment cards, about 74 percent of our people said they were tithing and more. We have seen our giving transform before our very eyes.

Does this mean we must take longer before we build something? Absolutely, and our people know that. It took us a little over two years to build the children’s center. It took us about 15 or 16 months to do the rebuild of the satellite. But, when we open it and we dedicate it, the people are on their feet cheering when they hear there’s no debt associated with that project.

Appel: The traditional capital campaign, whether it’s a two- or three-year campaign, is so demanding on the senior leader and his wife. In our 2011 three-year campaign, I had 70 one-on-one meetings with individuals in our church and I don’t know how many smaller group meetings. Then there were all the preaching and vision casting and public events that go with that. It takes a tremendous toll.

My hope is we don’t have to do any more capital campaigns in our future. Like Gary, we’re trying just to teach good biblical stewardship through strong four-week series every June. And then we also do a year-end giving emphasis in December. We’re planning budgets every year that are smaller than the previous year’s giving, So, if we meet or even exceed the previous year’s giving, that’s creating margin for us.

Johnson: Paul said he had learned to be content, and I think we have that possibility of learning to be content. And it’s not only with regard to our personal finances but also with regard to the house of God. Gone, as we have said, are the days of the mega-mega worship centers, the Joel Osteen gathering places.

When we want our people to learn to be content with driving an older car, with having fewer pairs of designer jeans in their closet, so that they can be generous with people who are living broken and disadvantaged lives, we need to reflect that in terms of the house where we worship.

Appel: We just keep casting vision. So, what is our vision as a church? Who are the people we want to reach? Often I’ll say, “We’re going to move as fast and as far as God provides the resources.” So, we’ll keep casting the vision, and as God provides the resources through his people, we’ll move farther. At whatever level God’s people respond, that’s how fast and far we’ll move. That kind of responsibility really resonates with people.

Land: Once or twice each month we show a video called “Completely Generous” during the worship services. It illustrates where the money is going and the good it’s doing in our community or overseas. We’re hoping to move people from being new givers to occasional givers to regular givers to radical givers. We agree that a grasp of basic stewardship principles will help us meet many needs and goals.

How did building affect growth for each of you?

Appel: When we left our former location (in November 2012), I think we were averaging about 3,300 at the time. The last five weeks in a row we’ve been over 8,000. That includes 7,400 at the Anaheim site, plus our multisites.

Vaughan: We started with about 300 people when we moved here about 10 years ago. We doubled overnight and had 700; so we doubled in size

when we moved. We then systematically tried to double again. We had close to 2,100 last weekend. With our recent opening in December, we’ve been up 20 to 25 percent year to date from last year.

Land: When we opened up our worship center, we had been averaging about 800 to 900 people; sometimes we’d bump up to 1,000 but then go backwards. After we opened up that worship center two years ago, we grew dramatically right away to 1,100 or 1,200, and then 1,500. And then with opening a multisite campus in Loogootee, this past Sunday we were right under 2,000 people for about the fifth or sixth Sunday in a row.

But haven’t some churches been hurt because they built? They went into

debt they couldn’t afford. They built more space than they could fill. Five years later, we’re looking at caverns of space that aren’t being used. So, what do you know that they didn’t know? How can we protect others from that kind of fate?

Land: There were probably other factors that caused such churches not to grow. It wasn’t necessarily that they did or didn’t build. It was that there was a moral failure, a leadership struggle, a split, or some other major problem.

Appel: We spent a year in prayer: discussing, evaluating, considering whether to move forward with the relocation agenda or not. And in that time, we received lots of wise counsel. We spread our net wide, talked to many well-informed

people. I think that’s part of it, not making the decision too fast too soon, getting lots of valuable input from experienced counselors. We were looking at the momentum we had and what would be the cost of not locating.

There’s always that tension of, Are we moving by faith or are we out on a limb of foolishness? Some disappointments could be avoided with the wisdom of much good counsel.

Vaughan: Often the issue isn’t church building but church health. I don’t think a new building will cause growth, but I think poor church health will kill growth. Lack of space, once you get momentum, will kill it. As I talk to people, or people call us, I say focus on the church health and eventually the church growth and the building will take care of itself.

But I think I hear you saying that your decision to build was a process in increasing health.

Johnson: I believe that many times we venture into decisions without being prayerful, without really going before God. Asking the church, the leadership, would you pray? Would you fast over this? Before we enter into a significant investment of resources and time, could we go before God and see how he could provide?

For example, Traders Point Christian Church in Whitestown, Indiana, recently opened a satellite downtown. Somebody in their church family wrote the check for the building. I believe many times we have not because we ask not. We run ahead and we trust the bank to write the check rather than ask God to provide the funds, selling some of the cattle on a thousand hills. It might sound naïve, but I’ve seen it happen.

I would just urge churches to spend time prevailing in prayer before God for both wisdom and resources. If he says move, I believe God will take us in a direction where he can empower us and provide for us.

Land: Make sure what you’re building is a tool for the mission and not the mission itself. The mission is to reach people and to grow people in their faith.

Vaughan: It’s not about the building, and it’s not about the money, even though we must talk about both those things. It’s about investing in changed lives.

Whitewater Crossing Christian Church, Cleves, Ohio, is still finishing up the build-out of offices and classrooms and student ministry space in a building that opened in December. The new facility includes a 1,200-seat worship center and an all-new Harbortown Kids area. It was a $13.5 million project. David Vaughan serves as senior minister with the church.

House Churches FROM Where early Christians worshipped and why

BY PAT MAGNESS AND LEE MAGNESS

How have believers through the centuries used church buildings to express and extend the gospel? A simple survey can lend insight to those making church building decisions today.

Where have believers worshipped God over the centuries? The Psalms picture ancient Israelites giving praise to God as individuals in a variety of settings. But the construction of the tabernacle, the building of the temple, and the development and spread of synagogues demonstrate that the use of buildings for corporate worship was also a high priority among God’s chosen people.

What about the followers of Jesus, the people of the new covenant, the body of Christ, the church? As a young married couple, we led worship services one summer on the rim of the Grand Canyon—an unorthodox but inspiring setting! Today Christians meet for worship in buildings representing a dizzying array of architectural styles, from private homes to corporate complexes to movie theatres to warehouses to traditional rural church buildings to urban cathedrals.

Where we worship says something about our view of the church and of Christian worship. So where did the earliest Christians meet for worship? How did their places of worship change over time and why?

House Churches and the Family of God

In the earliest decades, the followers of Jesus met in “house churches,” private homes, not in “church houses,” buildings constructed specifically for Christian worship. Acts 2:46 describes the believers praising God not only in the Jewish temple but

is clear no specific church buildings were erected in the first two centuries.

also “at home.”* Acts 12:12 describes Peter, miraculously released from prison, going directly “to the house of Mary . . . where many had gathered and were praying.”

While any large room would do, there is some indication the room selected was often a dining room and often on an upper story. In Troas Paul found the believers “in the room upstairs.” Paul preached so long into the night that “a young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window,” not only fell asleep but fell out of a third-

story window (Acts 20:7-12). Now that was an upper room!

In addition to the evidence in Acts, Paul’s Epistles also indicate the earliest believers met in private homes. The book of Romans mentions the church that met in the home of Prisca and Aquila (Romans 16:3-5). Colossians 4:15 extends greetings to the church that met in the house of Nympha.

From the evidence in the New Testament, archeological exploration (there are no church building remains from this period), and an understanding of the political realities (Christianity was not officially recognized), it is clear no specific church buildings were erected in the first two centuries. There was extensive religious architecture, but these buildings were temples dedicated to pagan gods like Jupiter or to Roman emperors (the Temple of Trajan, for example).

Church Houses and the Body of Christ

But by the mid-200s, even though Christianity was not yet an officially sanc-

It

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tioned religion, there were enough Christians that borrowing a room in a private home was no longer sufficient. Christian communities began to purchase and remodel structures for their assemblies.

The Greek word ecclesia is used to mean Christian assembly in the New Testament, and the term used for these meeting places was domus ecclesia, “the house for the assembly,” that is, the house for the church. The believers were transitioning from a house church to a church house.

The primary need was for space—an open, interior space for the assembly of worshippers. There were other needs also—like a platform for bishops (elders), a vestibule for those still being taught, a baptistery, a storage room for charity work, and so on—but the main consideration was a large assembly room.

And while this large assembly room may not have conveyed the image of the “family of God” as well as a private home, it did reflect the symbolic language used by Paul in describing the church in the letter to the Corinthians: “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

In the dominant religious architecture of the time, the Roman or Greek temple, only a relatively few people, the priests or rulers, entered. People in general were outside, and the temple was a backdrop to the ceremonies. The idea that the building should be structured to accommodate the assembled worshippers as a whole was a new idea, conveying in structural terms the body of Christ.

One archeological discovery that demonstrates this transition has been found at Dura-Europos, Syria. Between AD 230 and 260, a private home appears to have been completely remodeled there for Christian worship. Archeologists have also found remnants of early third-century apartment house churches, later incorporated into fifth-century church buildings and (today) often under the floors of these larger, later buildings.

These remains give evidence of two-story apartment houses being remodeled to have a large upstairs assembly room; in one case the remodeling was done to incorporate a small adjoining bathhouse for use as the baptistery. So by the middle of the third century, the transition was well under way to the church house.

Basilicas and the House of the Lord

After the widespread persecution of Christians by Diocletian in the very early

fourth century, during which Christian places of assembly were systematically destroyed, Christianity was made a legal religion in the Edict of Milan by Constantine in AD 313. Once Christianity had official sanction and official funding, the building of churches began in a remarkable way. Many churches were built in a variety of styles throughout the Roman empire.

The basilica was the dominant style used by these fourth-century Christians. A basilica was a large public hall, often a hall of justice, subdivided by rows of supporting columns, creating a central hall (nave) and side aisles. Basilicas also featured an upper “window wall” called a clerestory (pronounced CLEAR-story) and an apse, a semicircular area opposite the front door. It could have a flat ceiling or an open-timbered roof.

The basilica model was useful to Christians for a number of reasons, including the fact that it did not remind people of a pagan temple. It provided a large interior space suitable for gathering the whole congregation. This new Christian meeting place would be called basilica id est dominicum, meaning “assembly hall, that is, the house of the Lord,” continuing the symbolism of the church building as a meeting place for the body of Christ, their Lord.

Central Domed Churches and the Lord of All

After the Edict of Milan, many memorial buildings were constructed in honor of Christian martyrs, commonly round or octagonal structures with a central dome. This central-type building plan became the dominant style in Orthodox churches for well over a thousand years, and you can visit them today from Ravenna, Italy, to Istanbul, Turkey, and beyond. This style has consistently been associated with Jesus as King.

In building after building, the mosaic in the dome floating high above the worshippers features Christ Jesus as the Lord of the Universe (Pantocrator). Entering such a space fills the worshipper with awe and reverence at the greatness of Christ who reigns “forever and ever.”

The Cruciform Church and Christ Crucified

In addition to the use of basilicas and churches with central domes, the fourth century also saw a modification to the rectangular basilica, one that has influenced church architecture to this day. This modification came early in the century, as is evident from

the basilica built by Constantine on Vatican Hill in Rome to honor the apostle Peter.

While this basilica (often called Old St. Peter’s to distinguish it from the current St. Peter’s built in the 16th century) no longer exists, there are records about its structure and decoration. The nave itself was almost as long as a football field. The new feature was a transept, a hall cutting across the basilica, extending arms in both directions. In other words, this basilica became cross-shaped, “cruciform,” proclaiming in its very structure the cross of Christ.

Many other crossshaped churches were built in the fourth century. The cruciform shape became very influential, and for good reasons. Besides being a practical, functional shape, accommodating large groups of worshippers and multiple simultaneous activities, it also by its very shape symbolizes the physical body of Christ, with the nave as the trunk, the transept his arms, the apse his head, and the crossing his heart. The church building made Jesus visible even as Jesus made God visible.

that eventually corrupted church leaders. The same imperial wealth that could build immense and lavish shrines could also detract from the mission of Christ and the simple gospel message.

For more detailed descriptions of the earliest church buildings , see Early Christian Art by F. van der Meer, translated by Peter and Friedl Brown, published by the University of Chicago Press in 1967, and Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture by Richard Krautheimer, published by Penguin Books in 1965. For insights into the symbolic interpretation of architecture , see The Church Incarnate: The Sacred Function of Christian Architecture by Rudolf Schwarz, translated by Cynthia Harris and published in 1958 by the Henry Regnery Company of Chicago.

On the other hand, many of those who have visited these fourth-century shrines, like many visitors to the towering Gothic cathedrals and the soaring domed basilicas of the Renaissance, have found their faith renewed in contemplating these great edifices full of Christian symbolism, full of depictions of the stories of the Bible, full of light and color and music to the glory of God. How should we think about church buildings? It is all too easy to fall into the trap of regarding the building as the church, too easy for a building to swallow up the financial resources of a group of Christians, too easy for the building itself to become a source of pride and object of reverence, and too easy for a building to become a source of division. After all, the world’s most famous sermon was preached on a hillside, the earliest baptisms were in rivers, and the first Lord’s Supper was shared in an upper room.

Objects of Faith or Expressions of Faith?

Constantine’s mother, Helen, made it her mission to build on significant sites in the Holy Land, from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. These buildings, much extended and remodeled through the centuries, can still be visited today.

They differed from both the house church and the church house in a significant way: they were meant as shrines, memorials to great events, not primarily as places for the assembly of believers. They were not homes for a congregation of believers, living and working and worshipping together, but sites to be visited, places to be honored and remembered.

It is tempting to say that here is where the church went astray, building for the past and not for the life of the body of believers. The great Italian writer Dante believed it was Constantine’s legalization of Christianity and the imperial wealth pouring into the church

At the same time, we remember a day of touring in St. Petersburg, Russia, entering what looked like—and was—a very ancient church building. For decades, it had been used by the government as an ice skating rink. Yet when regulations against Christianity were even slightly relaxed, somehow the structure itself inspired local believers to reclaim this building for worship.

Buildings can inspire us and point our thoughts to God and to the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Buildings are neither necessary nor sufficient for the church of our Lord Jesus Christ to fulfill its purpose, but buildings have been and can yet be an encouragement to and an expression of the church’s faith and mission.

*All Scripture verses are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Pat Magness is Professor Emerita of Humanities and Lee Magness is Professor Emeritus of Bible at Milligan College in Tennessee, where they cotaught a course on Jesus in the Arts. They have also led numerous student and alumni trips to visit ancient churches.

Urban Churches, Creative Solutions

BY BRENT STORMS

Where to meet presents special challenges for new congregations in expensive, congested cities. Urban churches are finding solutions that offer lessons for anyone’s church building decisions.

One of the biggest challenges of starting a church in a city center or urban context is finding the right facility for Sunday gatherings. Space is limited. Landlords are skeptical. Prices are (often) outrageous.

One example of the challenges: hotly contested lawsuits have bounced from court to court over whether churches

Renaissance Church in Harlem meets in a public school. It is easily accessible by several subway stops and has great space for both adult worship and children’s classes.

should be allowed to rent New York City public schools for religious services. Some churches have been in public schools, and then out, and now back in again as a result. A new ruling could force churches out at any moment. Imagine living with that uncertainty!

Orchard Group is focused on planting

churches in New York City and in similar cities across the country and around the world. Our church planters must be resilient and creative to find good facilities to use for worship services. The way leaders of new churches in such contexts are forced to think about facility options, and the creativity they demonstrate, might prove helpful even for existing churches in suburban or small-town settings.

Five Factors

When coaching church planters about selecting the right facility, I encourage them to consider five factors, in this order:

1. Is it VISIBLE? Do people in your community know where it is?

2. Is it ACCESSIBLE? Can people reach the facility easily by public transportation and/or major roads?

3. Is it FUNCTIONAL? Can you seat the number of adults you expect and still have room to grow? Will it work without compromising your children’s ministry plans?

4. Does it have the right ATMOSPHERE? Will it feel welcoming to the people you are hoping to reach?

5. Is it AFFORDABLE? Does it fit with-

in your budget?

Think about this order with me. You invite your neighbors to your new church, which meets in a rented facility. When you tell them where your church meets and they say, “I know that place,” that’s a big win from the very start. If they say, “Never

heard of it,” things get tougher. When they agree to visit and they can get there easily, that’s another win. When the church is hard to reach by subway, bus, or car, that presents an unfortunate obstacle. When your neighbors show up, if they can get their kids checked in to a

safe, clean room and can find a comfortable seat, that will really help with their experience. If they can’t, good luck getting them to come back next time. It’s a bonus if the room has a cool vibe or artistic at-

(Above) New City Church in central Phoenix, Arizona, conducts an outdoor Easter service behind her building in April this year. The church (left) is located near a light rail station and directly across the street from the main branch of the public library.

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mosphere, but probably not as critical as the first few factors.

I tell church planters they will probably need to compromise on at least one of the five facility factors. For a brand-new church aiming to reach non-Christians, the first three items are almost nonnegotiable. And if a facility meets the first four criteria, it’s worth revisiting the budget to compromise on number five. It’s an extremely shortsighted mistake to let affordability become a bigger factor than the others.

From Rental to Ownership (Sometimes)

Most new churches in city center or urban settings start out meeting in spaces they rent on Sundays only. We’ve seen new churches meet in school auditoriums, performing arts venues, older church buildings, movie theaters, hotel conference rooms, art galleries, restaurants/bars, concert halls, and neighborhood gyms. It’s remarkable how creative people in the core group can transform a temporary facility into a place that feels like home.

As a new church grows, opportunities to secure a more permanent facility expand—either through a long-term lease or by borrowing funds to purchase a building.

The church I served as lead planter in the Boston area has a long-term lease on 20,000 square feet in a massive industrial mill building. It has red brick walls and rough wood pillars and beams. It’s the kind of ambience architects of new buildings often try to recreate. It’s visible, accessible, and functional. And, amazingly, it has great character and is relatively affordable, as well.

New City Church in central Phoenix, Arizona, is six years old and already reaching more than 1,800 people! A few years ago, New City purchased an abandoned commercial building (thanks to lending from The Solomon Foundation) on the main north/south avenue that runs through downtown. It is directly across the street from the main branch of the public library, so everyone has a readily identifiable reference point. There is a light rail station right in front of the building and a parking lot in the back. New City’s renovations make the space functional and beautiful. However, the church will probably outgrow it too soon!

Missio Dei Community in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, is seven years old and purchased an abandoned warehouse building a few years ago (again, thanks to The Solomon Foundation). It also has public transportation access, is located directly off the main north/south interstate, and has good parking. The views from the church’s windows of skyscrapers in the foreground and the Wasatch Mountains in the background are spectacular!

in the congregation will give it a great atmosphere too.

Restoration Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is in the process of purchasing and renovating an abandoned building (thanks to lending from Christian Financial Resources). Restoration’s new building will allow it to grow and serve its community in ways the rented space on Sundays never would.

Mission Church in Ventura, California, is reaching nearly 1,000 people every Sunday. For its first five years, the church has been meeting in an abandoned movie theater complex. With help from Church Development Fund, Mission hopes to purchase an abandoned building in its community too. Guess what? It is visible, accessible, and functional. Creative people

Some new city churches may never own a building of their own. Renaissance Church in Harlem is two years old and reaching more than 300 people! The church has a wonderful relationship with the public school it meets in on Sundays. It isn’t the most visible church, but it is easily accessible by several subway lines. It has great space for adult worship and kids’ classes, and Renaissance has a great look and feel every weekend. Because of the trust school administrators have in the church, Renaissance is able to serve the students and teachers in a wide variety of ways. The rent is so affordable that Renaissance envisions meeting there as long as it is able. What the church is saving in facility expense is enabling it to invest in a new church starting next year in another section of Manhattan.

Unlike the churches mentioned thus far, Christ Church in Southampton, United Kingdom, was not started by Orchard Group, but it found a creative facility solution that also serves its community.

When Christ Church learned that the public library in its neighborhood was scheduled to close due to lack of public funding, it offered to keep the library open in exchange for use of the space. Now, all the bookcases are on wheels. During the week, the library is open for public use. On Sundays, the bookcases are pushed to the side and chairs are set up for worship services. Everyone wins.

Most new churches in city center or urban settings start out meeting in spaces they rent on Sundays only.

Restoration Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is in the process of purchasing and renovating an abandoned building.

Lessons for All

There are at least two lessons new churches in city settings can offer to the broader church world.

1. Always let form follow function. Ask this question: What is our mission? Then find the facility that helps your church accomplish what you have envisioned.

If your church already owns a building, it’s a good habit to ask these questions: What messages are being communicated to first-time guests by our property and our building? Are there any changes we could make to our property and our building that would improve the experience for our nonChristian friends when they visit?

Too often existing church buildings have been allowed to take on a character

that sends less-than-welcoming signals to guests.

2. Enlist and empower creative people in your church to make the most of what you have to work with. New churches and churches meeting in temporary facilities must mobilize dozens of volunteers every weekend in order to transform their meeting space into an inviting place of worship. Imagine what could happen if churches in permanent facilities channeled the same number of volunteer hours toward making every worship service as inviting and welcoming to guests as possible.

The Egyptian Art Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan houses a building called The Temple of Dendur. It was relocated to the museum

from Egypt. It was originally constructed in the first century BC as a place for worshipping the Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. Amazingly, carvings inside the temple show that by the sixth century AD, Christians were using the building as a place to worship Jesus Christ!

Christians have been doing this for thousands of years—using buildings intended for one purpose for the only purpose that ultimately matters. There’s no reason we can’t use our creativity and imagination to keep doing it for thousands of years to come, or until we find ourselves worshipping in Jesus’ very presence.

Brent Storms serves as president and CEO of Orchard Group in New York City.

Missio Dei Community in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, purchased an abandoned warehouse building a few years ago. The church also has public transportation access, is located directly off the main north/south interstate, and has good parking.

Church Building the New Testament Way

Images courtesy of Team Expansion

BY DOUG LUCAS

Suppose the Restoration Movement churches (Christian churches and churches of Christ) want to restore the New Testament practice of constructing or buying church buildings. What would it look like? Easy answer. To my knowledge, throughout all the New Testament, there’s not a single example of constructing or buying a building.

The book of Acts records exponential church growth without buildings. And, according to Matthew 28:19, 20, our core mandate is to make disciples who will make disciples—not build buildings. Making disciples always needs to be at the center of everything we do, whether it be going, baptizing, or teaching everyone to obey every command.

What did the first church focus on? Acts 2:42 makes it clear: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

And as a normal part of their everyday life, they were constantly telling everyone they met about their new pattern of following Jesus. As a result, the church multiplied. To do Bible things in Bible ways is to focus on being a disciple worth multiplying—then just naturally, to multiply.

The Ethno-Cultural Impact

But throughout the world, culture does seem to play an important role in our focus on church buildings. For example, when the first Team Expansion workers arrived in Uruguay back in 1982 (and my wife and I happened to be on that team), home meetings were looked down upon by the government, if not the entire culture. Why? A communist/socialist insurgency had recently tried to overthrow the government. Their primary method for radicalizing new converts? House meetings.

as it’s now also being called) via Team Expansion’s global intranet and on open social networking sites.

The responses were all over the board. Pictures revealed each society’s attempt to construct something culturally authentic. Missionaries gave example after example of both successes and failures in those efforts. One Team Expansion worker shared that in his land in Southeast Asia (name and country withheld for security’s sake) the people really didn’t take a religious group seriously unless it had a legitimate meeting place. Otherwise, they appear “cult-like.”

Another Team Expansion worker wrote that “in Israel, ‘Messianic’ Jews do not worship in buildings that would be considered a ‘church building.’ Instead, they are more likely to worship in industrial park areas, in large rooms converted for the purpose of holding a service. Israeli Arab Christians tend to worship in places that look like a church.” Again, notice the cultural and ethnic influence.

Still others shared additional stories, all of which proved that societal expectations, along with ethno-cultural norms, can pressure disciples into certain approaches, primarily because those approaches seem to be the only avenues for reducing barriers for growth. And it turns out that growth has a lot to do with one’s views of church buildings.

Men

As a result, it was practically a cultural necessity to meet publicly in some kind of legitimately registered meeting place at a welldocumented day and time. To do otherwise would have been to create additional barriers for church growth—and ignore good missiology.

In preparation for writing this article, I asked about examples of church buildings in the Two Thirds World (or the “Global South,”

Buildings Versus Houses

Donald McGavran, regarded by many as the father to the church growth movement, wrote a landmark book called Understanding Church Growth in 1970. In it, he described the early church (first two centuries) as experiencing amazing church growth, all

work out church leadership issues in an open-air church in northern Ghana. These leaders, in partnership with the team of cross-cultural workers, have baptized more than 650 new disciples in the past 12 months, and attendance in 175 groups like this one is now approaching 1,750 people.

Throughout the world, culture seems to play an important role in our focus on church buildings.

CHURCH BUILDING THE NEW TESTAMENT WAY

Continued from previous page

of which happened by meeting in homes, alongside public markets, and in random locations beside bridges.

He observed that the house church movement of the first two centuries unleashed powerful growth for its day and age by unshackling the church from the cost of building buildings, freeing the movement from Jewish connections, preventing introversion (each new house church exposed the movement to a new section of society), and overcoming the obstacle of limited leadership (so many leaders were needed to facilitate multiple house meetings). He added that, “in modern times, these four factors still retain their importance.”

Still, though house churches seem like the universal answer, McGavran later observed (in the same book) that these movements can sputter if they don’t “supplant the property barrier,” especially in cities and regions where houses are tiny, such as in the crowded inner cities of the

Residents of Caracas, Venezuela, meet in a ventilated “outdoor” church building under a tent rooftop. This church, together with others in Venezuela now average nearly 3,000 in attendance.

Global South.

But even as McGavran admitted this, it was with regret. He bemoaned the cost of buildings for already tight church planting budgets.

communicate the Gospel, where the number of baptized believers is constantly increasing and the smell of victory is in the air, eliminates the building bottleneck in cities much better than a Church which is not growing,” he wrote in the 1980 revised edition of his book.

At Team Expansion, we’ve benefited greatly from the wisdom of a disciplemaking movement trainer named Curtis Sergeant. I asked him for his thoughts on this topic. His words were unsettling, considering the number of church buildings in our world today—and those seemingly tied to them.

He theorized that, perhaps the best way to avoid church buildings is to keep multiplying so rapidly that nobody ever has time to raise the idea of a single church building.

“A Church which has found a way to

We allow buildings to “soak up” an inappropriate portion of our resources. Americans are far from the only ones doing this. The “temple” focus is common and doesn’t just come from Western missionaries. Assumptions even from other religions lend themselves to the same results. People are essentially self-serving in all cultures. Often, congregations spend far more

“We allow buildings to ‘soak up’ an inappropriate portion of our resources,” wrote Curtis Sergeant. “[But] Americans are far from the only ones doing this.”

Images courtesy of Team Expansion

Believers

on their own comfort and convenience and entertainment than on outreach. We tend to justify that as a way to attract people, betraying our primary model of growth, which is “come and see” rather than “go and tell.” We often seem to forget that the task of leadership is far more one of equipping all of us for ministry rather than “feeding” or entertaining us. The nature of our buildings reflects this.

Sergeant shared a story about a wellknown megachurch.

They sent some senior staff members to talk to me about multiplying ministry. At the conclusion of our time together they decided that, although they firmly believed the patterns I was sharing would result in more and better disciples being made, they couldn’t pursue it. The reason was that they had just built a new campus to the tune of many tens of millions of dollars. They thought if they changed their approach, people might decide the building

wasn’t as important and they would be unable to pay for it. I appreciated their honesty but grieved at their attitude. They were not alone. Not close to it. At least they were honest enough to recognize and admit their values.

The Bottom Line

So based on these things, what conclusions can we draw?

1. The Bible says little about church buildings, so we have liberty to proceed as we wish, within the norms of the culture/society in which we labor.

2. House churches avoid many entrapments for rapidly growing movements. If the pace, culture, and society allow, we should use them whenever possible.

3. If other norms dictate, we should find culturally appropriate and reasonably inexpensive ways to stage meetings for celebration and praise.

In the web version of this article, I’ve included pictures from several locations in the Two Thirds World, or Global South, crediting those who were kind enough to provide them. We invite you to contribute your images, as well, along with any comments. May God speed along our disciple-making movements for his glory.

Doug Lucas serves as president of Team Expansion, an organization seeking to multiply disciples and churches among the unreached. Team Expansion is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and has workers in 40 countries. Learn more at www .TeamExpansion.org.

in one of 10 new churches in southern Tanzania celebrate new growth among the 3-million-person Makua tribe. Just 20 years ago, there were few believers among the Makua; they were all animists. Now there is the equivalent of a megachurch—if you add together all the small groups like this one.

The REAL Cost of Facility Ownership

BY TIM COOL

I come from a background of planning and building ministry facilities. I have been blessed to invest 30 years of my life into developing new and renovating existing ministry facilities. That phase of my life brought me great joy and fulfillment. But now I am very burdened by the millions . . . and billions . . . of dollars spent each year on religious construction without a clear understanding of the real cost of ownership.

Most ministry leaders, I think, do not understand that the ongoing costs of a building eclipse the initial costs, and do so in a much bigger way than might be imagined.

Let’s look at the REAL cost of owning a ministry facility.

construction is complete, and this number grows significantly higher if you neglect the capital reserve account during the early years of the building’s life cycle). For the sake of this exercise, let’s assume the church spends $7.00 per square foot for operational items.

1.

Initial Cost

Let’s assume a new ministry facility is 30,000 square feet and is built for a cost of $150 per square foot. Of that, the construction partner’s fee was 4 percent, and the design professional was paid a fee of 6 percent of the construction value. We will assume the land was already paid for and was unencumbered by debt.

So, what do the numbers look like?

INITIAL COST: 30,000 square feet x $150 (per square foot) = $4.5 million + 6 percent design fees [$270,000] = $4,770,000.

2. Cost of “Money”

Let’s assume $3 million was borrowed to pay for the project, and a 15-year loan at 6 percent interest was obtained, but the loan was paid off in 7 years. Under this scenario, the church will pay approximately $1.1 million in interest.

3. Cost of Operation

Based on my company’s research and benchmarking provided by the International Facility Managers Association, the average church in America will spend $4.50 to $7.00 per square foot annually for janitorial services, utilities, and general maintenance. A church will also spend an additional amount in capital improvements that will be in the $1.00 to $2.00 per square foot range (if the capital reserve account is started at the time

YEARLY COST: 30,000 square feet x $7.00 = $210,000. Assume a 40-year life cycle for the building (which is not that long) with a yearly increase of 1.5 percent to account for inflation. (Remember, operational costs are perpetual and are going to increase, and probably at a higher rate than 1.5 percent.)

ONGOING COST (40 YEARS): $210,000 per year initially, increasing 1.5 percent yearly for 40 years (without compounding) = $13.44 million.

So let’s look at what this means:

1. Initial costs (including design)—$4,770,000

2. Cost of money (i.e., interest payments)—$1.1 million

3. Cost of life-cycle operations and capital reserve—$13.44 million (that amounts to $448 per square foot . . . Ouch!)

TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP (40 YEARS) = $19,310,000 WOW . . . that is a BIG number. Now here is the shocking part:

1. The combined cost of the construction partner and the design professionals is only 3 percent of the total cost of ownership.

2. The construction cost, including the design, is only about 22 percent of the total cost of ownership.

3. The interest paid is only about 6 percent of the total cost of ownership.

4. That leaves 71 percent of the total cost of ownership being spent on operation costs and capital expenditures.

What they didn’t teach you in seminary . . .

State Farm Insurance found that over 40 years, it spends about 80 percent of the total cost of ownership of commercial buildings on operational costs. David S. Haviland, in Life Cycle Cost Analysis 2, a book published in 1969 by The American Institute of Architects, wrote: “The INITIAL DESIGN and CONSTRUCTION of a facility comprises about 15% of the total cost of a building over its 40 year lifespan. The remaining 85% is made up of the building’s OPERATIONS and MAINTENANCE COSTS.”

So, what costs more—the initial cost of a building or the cost after that building is occupied? I think the numbers speak for themselves.

But does a church invest the same amount of time and energy in planning its operational costs as it did when it developed the master plans and floor plans? Why do church leaders get all in a tiff about an architect charging 7 percent instead of 5 percent or the construction partner charging 6 percent instead of 3 percent?

The fees that encompass only 3 percent of the total cost of ownership feel so important at the time when an individual or firm is hired, but the decisions, direction, means, and methods that this team suggests and implements will be with a church for the life of its buildings. Do church leaders have our eyes on the REAL cost of facility ownership?

If facility stewardship is really about being wise stewards of all God has entrusted, then I think most of us have our priorities upside down. Facility stewardship must include:

1. Purposeful Facility Planning—taking the time to really evaluate the “genetic code” of the church, reviewing the vision,

determining if facilities are needed to accomplish the vision and mission of the church, in addition to evaluating the potential financial implications.

2. Proper Facility Development—This is not just about construction, but also encompasses the financial stewardship of the resources God has entrusted; it includes planning facilities that meet the ministry objectives . . . and do not bankrupt the church with future operational costs. As seen above, most of a church’s long-term cost of facility ownership will be established based on the planning during the development phase of any project.

3. Proactive Facility Management and Long-Term Care— This is where we too often fall grossly short in our facility stewardship initiative.

Think about it . . . then do something about it. Does your church need some help getting started? I suggest you order a copy of our manual “Facility Stewardship: Managing What God Has Entrusted to You.”

Tim Cool of Charlotte, North Carolina, is the founder of Cool Solutions Group. He has collaborated with nearly 400 churches in the areas of facility needs analysis, design coordination, preconstruction, and construction management, as well as life-cycle planning/facility management. Cool Solutions Group is the developer of eSPACE Facility Management software products including Event Scheduler, Event Registration, Work Order Management, Life Cycle Calculator, and HVAC integration. He is the author of Why Church Buildings Matter: The Story of Your Space, Church Locality (coauthored with Jim Tomberlin), and Plan 4 It: The 4 Essential Master Plans for Every Church, as well as a church facility management manual entitled “Intentional Church Series: Facility Stewardship.” Tim blogs at www.espace.cool/blog; his company’s website is http://coolsolutionsgroup.com. Download a free copy of the new eBook on capital reserve planning from this website.

What costs more—the initial cost of a building or the cost after that building is occupied?

Here Is the

Church

but Where Is the

Steeple?

NONTRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO BUILDING USE AND DESIGN

From urban artists’ colonies in the Southwest to suburban Tennessee, independent Christian churches are challenging—and abandoning—traditional American church design. While every church featured here is seeking to use its facility to further the gospel, each congregation is taking a unique approach.

Keep reading for a sampling of some of the most unconventional church building approaches to be found among Christian churches and churches of Christ.

Bayside Church, Roseville, California

Lots of churches want to save money on their facilities, but Bayside Church is finding new ways to strategically finance its buildings without sacrificing form or function.

At its original campus in Granite Bay, the church has developed a 10-year plan to anchor an area of retail, entertainment, and hotels. The

church occupies one parcel of the development and recently sold another section to Top Golf, a multilevel entertainment area and driving range. Their director of real estate development manages the plan, ensuring that funds for property improvement and parking lots come from new businesses and not from Bayside’s offering plate—

while the church enjoys proximity to thousands of new potential visitors.

At the church’s Blue Oaks campus, an industrial warehouse became an indoor park with Astroturf and huge fake trees. Adirondack chairs provide seating for friends who want to relax with some of the best espresso in America. (Worship pastor Lincoln Brewster knows his coffee!) The ocean-rescue-themed kids’ area includes donated personal watercraft, lifejackets, and oxygen tanks, and printed vinyl graphics add personality without adding much to the bottom line.

Bayside’s facilities aren’t extravagant, but they are effective in facilitating ministry —and cost-effective in facilitating growth.

—Jennifer Johnson baysideonline.com

CrossWinds Church, Pleasanton, California

The land surrounding CrossWinds Church in central California was once used to nurture cattle and provide dairy products to the surrounding area. When the church acquired the Friesman Brothers farm, the property included a house more than a century old, crumbling barns, and bridges originally used to cross the river that divides the property into three sections.

Today, boards from the barn, metal roofs from the outbuildings, and other reclaimed material has been upcycled to preserve the character of this historic land while creating the new home of CrossWinds Church. The buildings are set back from busy Interstate 580, and the parking lot is screened by vineyards. The community is welcome on the property throughout the week to visit the petting zoo, walk the trails, and enjoy ice cream; and a historic barn is a popular wedding spot.

As CrossWinds restored this property, the church prayed it would become a metaphor for God’s restoration in each life. The land that once provided milk and cream for central California now provides spiritual nourishment for the next generation.

—Jennifer Johnson crosswindschurch.org

Journey Church, Three Way, Tennessee

At Journey Church in Three Way, Tennessee (near Jackson), lead pastor and church planter Jeremy Brown likes to ask, “What would we do if we didn’t have to do anything?” That approach led to Journey meeting at the Fun Zone—West Tennessee’s premier indoor inflatable party center—in the early years of its existence. Every Sunday morning, a team of volunteers from the church would deflate and roll up 13 large jumpers before setting up for worship. Afterward, volunteers would unroll and reinflate the jumpers.

Brown liked the message the Fun Zone location conveyed to outsiders. “No one who

came to visit Journey expected ‘their grandma’s church’ when we were meeting in the Fun Zone!” he said with a laugh. When the time came for Journey to find a new, more permanent home, Brown wanted something unusual— something that still wouldn’t look like “grandma’s church.”

Journey purchased 14 acres next to the Fun Zone and then purchased a 16,000-square-foot Sprung structure to serve as the church’s new home. “It looks like plastic, because it is,” Brown said. Some congregations use Sprung structures as temporary facilities while

Crosspointe Church of Cary, Cary, North Carolina

building brick-and-mortar buildings, but Journey plans to use its structure long term.

Since relocating from the Fun Zone to the Sprung building, Journey has attracted more visitors—both on Sunday mornings and during the week. Brown said many people, especially men, are curious about the building. “They want to come and check it out. They want to touch it! They want to see what’s inside.” (The interior is fully finished, with walls, plumbing, and electricity like a regular building.)

Naturally, the structure’s cost per

A hundred years ago, churches were commonly known for building hospitals, schools, universities, and community centers that served their surrounding neighbors instead of constructing buildings that served solely their own purposes. In that spirit, Crosspointe Church of Cary partnered with the YMCA to create a multipurpose facility that provides opportunities for work and recreation as well as worship. The church built the facility on its property and the Y leases space from the church and operates independently. The YMCA doesn’t offer programming on Sunday mornings or evenings, so Crosspointe uses portions of the extended campus as needed for its weekend programming while offering a facility that serves the city in other ways throughout the week. This includes a large atrium and common area with a coffee shop featuring locally grown food, including fruits, vegetables, and herbs from on-site gardens. The café also offers

A drawing of the running track/exercise area at the new church/YMCA.

People are naturally curious about Journey Church’s 16,000-squarefoot Sprung structure. Lead pastor Jeremy Brown admits it doesn’t look like “grandma’s church”—and that’s one reason he likes it.

square foot was lower than a traditional building, and the free span of the facility allowed Journey complete freedom and flexibility with the interior design. But for Journey Church, the greatest benefit is the impact the building has had on the surrounding community.

“The building is a means to an end,” Brown said. “It has really worked well for us, and without question I would recommend it to other pastors or church planters who want to do something different with their building.”

—Justin Horey www.ourjourney.com

Restore Church, Silver Spring, Maryland

In the fall of 2016, Restore Church of Silver Spring, Maryland, opened “The Living Room,” a coworking space where individuals have access to open office space, a kitchen, Wi-Fi, printing, scanning, coffee, and tea for a small monthly membership fee. The Living Room is one of a growing number of shared office environments around the country tailored to freelancers and telecommuters who don’t need a fulltime office but prefer not to work out of their home.

“The Living Room gives us a space where we can connect in relationships,” said pastor and church planter Aaron Thomas. “By day, it’s a coworking space where people can work remotely. By night and weekends, it’s a place for parties, book studies, and other events. It’s our experimentation ground for connecting in relationship with people who are disinterested in a Sunday morning church service.”

Restore Church does hold Sunday worship services, but those are also located in an unconventional setting: McGinty’s Public House, an Irish pub and restaurant located less than one-half mile from The Living Room. Still, Thomas doesn’t view Sunday mornings as the

primary time for evangelism. “Due to the rising number of dechurched people or religious ‘nones’ in our area, we have continually been moving toward a more relationally centric model of ministry,” he said. “Sunday mornings are quickly becoming obsolete to a large part of American culture.”

The Living Room has given Thomas and Restore Church a place to connect with people, introduce them to Christ, and make disciples. “I’m hoping Restore can experience some great fruit from our experiments with The Living Room and share these ideas and practices with many others,” Thomas said. “By no means are we a fast-growing church. We don’t have perfectly designed systems at this point. Innovation is costly, but ultimately this is what the kingdom needs.”

Though The Living Room is new, and Restore Church is still learning from it, Thomas encourages other church leaders to consider new ways to use facilities for evangelistic purposes.

“Our culture is crying out for these types of movements, even if they don’t realize it.”

—Justin Horey www.wearerestore.com

cooking classes, and in addition to the usual variety of exercise classes, the facility also includes park trails, afterschool programs, a pool, and rooms designed especially for children and teens.

Profits from the restaurant are donated to local charities, dirt excavated for construction was used for landscaping, and trees cleared from the property were used to construct rain screens, baseboards, and decorative elements. While both the YMCA and Crosspointe Church have their own staffs and their own goals for the future, they’re working together to do more for their city than either group could on its own.

—Jennifer Johnson thewhyproject.net crosspointe.org

New City Church, Phoenix, Arizona

Downtown Phoenix, Arizona, is home to a burgeoning art scene. In the center of it all—on Central Avenue, in fact—is New City Church.

Lead pastor Brian Kruckenberg describes New City as “a church in the middle of the city, for the city.” In Phoenix, being “for the city” means reaching the local artists’ community.

New City’s first building was a house that doubled as an art gallery. New City Church worshipped in the house on Sundays, but it was also used by local artists who stored supplies on site and even taught classes in the building. Kruckenberg said using the house as a gallery allowed New City Church to interact with the city by participating in what the city was doing.

Today, New City Church meets in a refurbished midcentury building that previously served as a grocery store, hardware store, and government agency office. The church uses the facility for ministry programs four days a week, and it is also open to a variety of “outside groups,” especially artists. The building lobby serves as an art gallery twice a month.

“How we use the building and how we interact with the arts has given us opportunities we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Kruckenberg said.

Conversely, being embedded in the art scene has also presented challenges. Kruckenberg acknowledged it has been difficult to be an urban church that preaches the Word of God, particularly on today’s hot-button issues like marriage. But the challenges—even outright hostility from some in the community—have taught him to be “uncompromising without being stubborn.”

Finally, Kruckenberg said, New City’s facility is itself a kind of artwork. It’s not perfect, but like the people of New City Church, it is being restored, and its original intended beauty is being revealed.

“The building really reflects who we are as a church.”

2|42 Community Church, Brighton, Michigan

2|42 Community Church

(pronounced “Two Forty-Two”) didn’t mind being a portable church in its early years. In fact, lead pastor David Dummitt liked being portable. He found that the weekly set-up and tear-down made it easy to involve men, who sometimes struggle to find their place in a new church. Moreover, the lack of a building allowed 2|42 to invest more money into ministry and community outreach.

During that time, Dummitt said, the number one question he heard from other pastors was, “When are you going to build?” Dummitt and his team didn’t want to spend $10 million or more on a facility that, in his words, “would be used a few hours per week.” Instead, they asked themselves, “When we build something, could we give that building as a gift—the largest gift we’ve ever given—to our community?”

—Justin Horey www.newcityphx.com

The Crossroads Church, Anthem, Arizona

The developers behind Anthem, Arizona, envisioned a community that would be “heaven on earth” for its residents. Waterfalls surround the entrance and a huge park offers fishing, skating, walking trails, and train rides. In 2001, the National Association of Home Builders named this city in the rolling foothills of Gavilan Peak the “Best Master Planned Community” in the country.

While Anthem’s 30,000 residents enjoy an abundance of schools, rec-

The city of Brighton, Michigan, doesn’t have a community center or a YMCA, so 2|42 bought an old tennis and racquetball facility and developed plans to convert it into a community center. After purchasing the facility, 2|42 put up a sign outside that read, “Coming Soon: You Decide.” The sign invited neighbors and passersby to text or e-mail suggestions for what the building could be.

Through this process, 2|42 uncovered three needs in its town: food, art, and sports. With those needs in mind, 2|42 built a facility it calls “The Commons.” As Dummitt explained, 2|42 Community Church takes a backseat to other activities during the week and acts like a tenant at The

reation centers, and greenbelts, The Crossroads Church invites its community to experience true abundant life at a “crossroads” where they can engage in a faith journey.

The design concept includes the four elements of fire, water, earth, and air. A large fire pit offers warmth for chilly evenings, a playground encourages kids to run and jump, and misters and shade fabric cool the hot desert air. A beautiful outdoor baptistery welcomes new believers to experience

living water.

The Crossroads also acquired additional buildings adjacent to its original location, forming a square of facilities surrounding a rectangular courtyard. In the Middle East, paradise is represented by a walled garden, so The Crossroads is transforming this area of drains and concrete into one more concrete example of life for the people of Anthem.

—Jennifer Johnson thecrossroads.church

Commons on the weekend. The church owns the building, but it is designed to address community needs first and church needs second. As a result, those entering the building through the main entrance first see an indoor soccer field where the lobby or vestibule might normally be.

Today, The Commons is home to a school for the arts, where nearly 300 students learn music, dance, cartooning, and culinary arts. The facility houses a CrossFit gym, basketball and volleyball courts, and a seven-day-a-week café (similar to a Panera Bread) complete with a three-story playscape.

Dummitt described The Commons as “a community center that has a church—not the other way around.”

2|42 opened its second Commons location on Easter Sunday in Ann Arbor, a college town about 20 miles away. Both the similarities and differences between the two campuses show how the campuses share

True North Church, Perth, Australia

the church’s DNA while adapting to local contexts.

The Ann Arbor campus features a design that takes a more creative and artistic approach. It features an urban sensibility, and its focus on connecting with Christ and with others both locally and globally is extended into its 2|42 Kids area. Here, children learn about Jesus in a city-themed environment, reflecting how the interdependence of the many people in a city represents our interconnection in the body of Christ.

2|42 has been one of Outreach magazine’s fastest-growing churches for the past four years, and Dummitt credits the building for much of its growth. He said no matter how many campuses 2|42 Community Church opens, “I’ll never build a church building. I will only build more community centers.”

—Justin Horey and Jennifer Johnson www.242community.com

Perth, Australia, is one of the most isolated major urban centers in the world, more than a thousand miles from another large city and closer to Indonesia than to Sydney. Tens of thousands of aboriginal Australians still live in the region, and their myths and legends continue to influence the area’s cultural values. More than a religion, this indigenous worldview of “the dreamtime” shapes their perspective on the creation of the world and how to live in it.

True North Church includes these parts of their story in every aspect of their two campuses, which include a licensed childcare center, an event center, and the Compass Kids Discovery Zone. “The Loft” offers creative and affordable coworking space for groups and individuals, and “115 Collective” features specialty coffee and community events. The details of every design reinforce True North’s story: a tribe of generous and courageous believers at the edge of the Indian Ocean who gather to wake from “the dreaming” and share real stories that lead to life and hope.

Another unique aspect of this project is its funding: in this part of western Australia, money from the public lottery is granted to community and education projects. True North successfully applied for a grant and used the funds to pay for much of the design and building of its campuses. With space for the city and the congregation, this band of believers is creating community and pointing people to the best story of all.

—Jennifer Johnson truenorthchurch.com

Journey Christian Church, Roswell, Georgia

For many years, Journey Christian Church met for worship in a traditional brick building with pews and a steeple. Today the congregation worships in the media room of a local high school. But Journey Christian Church isn’t dying. Journey didn’t lose its building. The congregation willingly sold its seven-acre campus so it could spend more on “ministry and mission” and less on “mortgage and maintenance.”

When senior pastor Dan Garrett arrived at Journey (then First Christian Church of Roswell) in 2011, the congregation was averaging around 150 in attendance. Though Roswell has one of the highest per-capita incomes in the state of Georgia, Garrett discovered his congregation was not wealthy. In fact, the church was struggling to manage the $2.5 million debt on its building and was unable to hire new staff or expand its ministry programs.

Eventually, the church realized it couldn’t fulfill its mission because of the expenses related to the building. Half of the church’s budget was committed to the mortgage payment and building maintenance!

Once the congregation decided to sell, church members became excited about future ministry possibilities. Garrett remembers it as a joyful time as Journey prepared to move out of its building. He said, “It doesn’t negate the past to say that what used to work isn’t working now.”

Journey received more than $1 million in proceeds from the sale, and the church has been tithing that income, giving one-third to global causes, one-third to regional causes, and one-third to local causes.

Now, Journey Christian Church, at age 65, is meeting in a temporary facility, setting up and tearing down each week as if it were a church plant. But instead of struggling to grow, Journey is making an impact in the community and is searching for new staff to hire.

Journey doesn’t plan to be a “portable church” forever. Garrett said the church is already looking for another building where it can do 24/7 ministry—ideally, a warehouse, office, or retail space that can be renovated and tailored to meet the church’s needs.

In the meantime, Garrett is enjoying the spirit of freedom that Journey Christian Church has discovered through the process.

“We are the church, and wherever we meet, God’s going to be there.”

—Justin Horey www.journeyroswell.org

Area 10 Faith Community, Richmond, Virginia

Area 10 Faith Community was established in the fall of 2008 in Richmond, Virginia—a city incorporated in 1742. (The church takes its name from the designation local Realtors have for downtown Richmond.)

Not surprisingly, in a city nearly 300 years old, there is no vacant land available for new churches to buy. Since its inception, Area 10 has met for Sunday worship at The Byrd Theater, a historic, 1,300-seat movie cinema. The Byrd is a local landmark, but it lacks space for children’s ministry and other church needs like offices.

One month before Area 10 held its first worship service, it opened a café in the building next door to the theater. Cartwheels and Coffee is a coffee shop with an indoor play space where parents can relax while their children frolic. On Sunday mornings, the church uses the Cartwheels and Coffee building for children’s ministry.

Last year when the lot next door to Cartwheels and Coffee—an abandoned gas station—became available, Area 10 purchased that site as well. With the addition of the new property—dubbed “The Station”—Area 10 has usage plans for almost an entire city block.

Area 10 lead pastor

Chris Barras said The Station will be used primarily for nonchurch needs and programs. When redevelopment of the site is completed, the parking area will double as an urban courtyard. In Barras’s estimation, the property

Grace Place, Berthoud, Colorado

Sometimes it’s not about the church building, but how buildings can point to the grandeur of God. When Grace Place was able to get its current property fronting U.S. 287 in Berthoud, Colorado, the design team realized the buildings were less significant than the unhindered view of sunrises and sunsets over the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Today the highly-visible church property is not only the gateway to the town but also a community space with glass roll-up doors, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and an upper deck that provides “bleacher seating” for the beauty of creation.

The church’s Trailhead Café offers great food prepared by a commercial chef who found Jesus at the church, and The Outpost welcomes children into an interactive area with kayaks, tents, and a climbing wall. The bold skin of the building takes its inspiration

from the new leaf color of an Aspen tree in the spring. Several years ago, a massive flood affected this area, and Grace Place continues to aid local residents who suffered damage and loss. The flood was a defining moment in the life of the church, and the recovery efforts led to the church’s “Crosscreek Commons,” a mixed-use community center with water features, gathering spaces, and trails. As the church continues to repair and restore what was lost in the flood, it points to the goodness of God inside and outside of its building.

—Jennifer Johnson graceplace.org

will be used for offices, community gatherings, possibly even retail “for 164 hours a week,” and will be used by Area 10 the remaining 4 hours during Sunday morning worship.

Barras said Area 10 seeks to be “not just the best church in the city, but the best church for the city.” The church’s newest property is only a half-acre, but in downtown Richmond, Barras said, “that’s massive.” Together with its worship services at The Byrd, its community outreach through Cartwheels and Coffee, and the opportunities created by The Station, Area 10 Faith Community is prepared to make a massive impact.

—Justin Horey www.area10church.com

Discovery Christian Church, Broomfield, Colorado

Discovery Christian Church already has one slightly unconventional building, but its plans for future development are far more progressive and ambitious.

Broomfield, Colorado, is a high-tech city with rural roots, so Discovery’s existing building—a 20,000-square-foot, multipurpose structure designed to resemble a barn—is a tribute to the city’s history. With that facility in place, lead pastor Steve Cuss said Discovery plans to use the rest of its 18 acres in radical ways “to meet the needs of our city.”

Discovery’s motto is “Loving God and Serving Others,” and the master plan for the church’s site emphasizes those two priorities—half of the property will be for “loving God,” and half will be for “serving others.” Plans call for an affordable-housing neighborhood, an equine-assisted therapy arena, two buildings for licensed counseling, and two more for other nonprofit causes.

Cuss wrote his master’s thesis on poverty in the Bible, and he is convinced the poor and rich have something to offer each other. So while Discovery plans to serve the less fortunate through affordable housing and free or discounted therapy, Cuss also hopes the people who come for assistance

will find ways to contribute—perhaps by volunteering in the equestrian arena or in other programs on campus.

The master plan, while aggressive, is primarily an extension of Discovery’s existing ministry philosophy. “Everything we want to do with our land, we’re already doing as a church,” Cuss said.

Perhaps the most radical part of Discovery’s plan is financial. If possible, the church hopes to build out its acreage without borrowing money. Right now, the church family is paying the mortgage loan on Discovery’s existing building, but Cuss hopes the community will pay for much of the future development through grants from people who share Discovery’s vision—even if they’re not believers.

Cuss sees the future development as an opportunity for the church to reestablish its relevance in the minds of its neighbors.

“In our area, people are getting less interested in what the church has to say,” Cuss said. “But what if the church reclaimed healing and reclaimed caring?” That is what Discovery intends to do.

—Justin Horey www.discovery-church.org

Justin Horey is a writer, musician, and the founder of Livingstone Marketing. He lives in Southern California.

Jennifer Johnson is a freelance writer, editor, and blogger who lives outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The size of your town need not limit the growth of your congregation. But this growth will come with different strategies than those used by megachurches in urban or suburban settings.

Large Church . . . Small Town?

BY JIM ESTEP

It’s easy to understand why small towns have small churches. We can visit a town of 3,500 and find several congregations with fewer than 100 people in each. In fact, some would say that small towns like small churches. Bristow, Iowa, for example (population 160), boasts of having “The Smallest Church in Iowa.”

One can readily explain a large church being in a large city. Finding a church of 1,000 in a city of 200,000 people—that’s reasonable. Most megachurches are in “mega” cities.

But, what happens when we encounter a church of 1,200 in a town with a population of 800? How can a small town have a large church? That was the question of the Large Church, Small Town Summit hosted by Randy Kirk, senior minister with First Capital City Christian Church, Corydon, Indiana, in August 2016.

At first glance, such ministries—large churches in small towns—would appear comparable to megachurches that you’d find in urban or suburban settings. No doubt there are at least some similarities. But what are their differences?

These churches are not in major population centers, but typically rural small towns, and the setting is the shocker! This became personally evident when Randy gave directions to FCCCC, which involved driving on state routes, county routes, and small side streets through a rural community only to find a large building in a location that seemed out of place. (FCCCC averages more than 900 in worship in a town of 3,200 . . . that’s 28 percent of the population!)

One of my first reactions was, “We have to rewrite the book!” Such churches cannot simply adopt the practices of peer megachurches, but must adapt them to fit their setting. While these congregations bear some similarities to their suburban and urban counterparts, the dynamics within them are distinctively different, setting them apart from what conventional wisdom says about ministry in big churches.

Exegete Culture

All “small towns” are not alike. Church leaders cannot assume that small-town culture is always the same, regardless of location. A small town in rural Missouri is different from a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Ministry must be relevant, not just

contemporary, and what is relevant to life in your small town may not appeal to my small town.

What attracts small-town folks in a rural community? Fishing, shooting, four-wheeling, and “mudding” are not on the weekly agenda for a typical megachurch. We need to use a missiological approach to small towns and develop a ministry that responds to their distinct needs.

You Determine DNA, Not the Community

Small towns are often small because they like being small. A large church in such a setting cuts against the cultural grain. Church leaders cannot allow the culture of the small town to dic tate the DNA of the congregation. The church leaders determine the congregation’s DNA: they dare not let the setting determine the reality. Yes, churches are responsive to setting, even sensitive to it; but who a church is as a congregation is determined by God’s calling to make disciples without the perceived limitations of the setting. Congregations must be kingdom-minded in settings that value “smallness.”

Far too often, the reason congregations in small towns remain small is because they adopt the community’s DNA. Larger congregations in small towns often have successfully challenged a “family church” mentality, where people belong to a church because their family goes there (regardless of whether they ever actually attend).

Inclusiveness

Niche targeting is a popular ministry strategy in culturally diverse urban and suburban settings. It prompts churches to target a segment of the population and then design a ministry to reach them. To a certain extent, this is a luxury of their setting, but the situation with small churches is different.

Small-town congregations must be far more inclusive than their city counterparts. Ministry must be more broadly aimed. As one individual metaphorically quipped, “We do ministry with a shotgun, not a rifle.” And this can work in a smaller, less culturally diverse setting.

“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I

not have the support services and options of a larger city. Often the church finds itself filling the role of counselor, support group, event coordinator, or even disaster relief. One simple yet profound ministry common to many of the congregations participating in the summit was providing a funeral meal, not just to those families suffering a loss in their own congregation, but to any community family without a church home! The congregations extended the service typically reserved for church families to their entire community, thus embracing Paul’s admonition: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Large churches in small towns tangibly and publicly engage their communities. They don’t do this because they are large, but they grew because of their community involvement. In small towns, small churches may not cooperate. But this is less likely with larger congregations, which are more intentional about establishing very public, visible relationships with people of the town. If a church builds a gym, it’s not just for members of the church, but also members of the community.

Far too often, the reason congregations in small towns remain small is because they adopt the community’s DNA. Larger congregations in small towns often have successfully challenged a “family church” mentality, where people belong to a church because their family goes there (regardless of whether they ever actually attend).

LARGE CHURCH . . . SMALL TOWN?

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Large churches in small towns have an active presence in high school athletic events and at county fairs, for example. If the church sets up a booth at an event, there won’t be a sign that says, “Ask me how much Jesus loves you. I’ll tell you!” Instead, in big and small things, the church will show its love for the community through selfless service. These congregations work alongside local government and serve with businesses to address community issues and problems, especially when a community crisis occurs.

Church-sponsored events, preferably free activities, are another means of staying connected to the community and drawing people into the congregation. Of course, this means activities are planned with the community in mind. Location, date, time, cost—all these factors are taken into account. Some events can occur weekly or monthly, but establishing a routine is crucial because many participants won’t be in church on weekends to hear announcements.

Financial Management

Many churches and individuals face financial issues, but small towns and the people who live in them typically have a higher level of poverty and a higher percentage of the population dependent on state or federal financial assistance. The community and church are typically comprised of blue-collar families who are more susceptible to plant closings and widespread unemployment. While this is not a challenge unique to the large church in a small town, it is an issue that besets them more frequently and to a higher degree than congregations located elsewhere. A church in such a setting may not have the funds to build a gymnasium like the one mentioned previously, but the church might be positioned to host sports events in a school gym.

Sunday School and Hymns Live!

Adult Sunday school or adult Bible fellowship are still relatively strong in small-town churches, especially

The same is true of using hymns in worship. Even those outside the congregation know the words and tunes because these things are part of their culture. (Just listen to how frequently Christian themes are referenced in country music when compared with other music styles.)

These are specific examples of a larger trend—some of the “old ways” still work in rural, small communities. Cutting-edge, or bleeding-edge, ministry design isn’t really necessary for drawing people to Christ and your congregation in small towns.

However, for large churches, this is not an excuse to stop innovating and improving the quality of ministry. It’s about being relevant to your culture, not just contemporary or current.

Rumor-Milling

Winston Churchill said, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” Small churches don’t typically like larger churches. That’s because larger churches demonstrate what is possible, even in a small community, when smaller churches have convinced themselves otherwise.

In the case of Christian churches that seem to grow and outpace their denominational counterparts, those other congregations sometimes critique and raise issues because they have to explain why another congregation is growing while theirs isn’t. These critiques are usually unfounded rumor, twisted hearsay, and theological diatribes that lead to inaction and jealousy.

In a small town, the rumor mill runs amuck, accentuating the propagation of the myth. Large churches in small towns are always the target of this kind of maliciousness. In fact, one minister said, “We know we’re doing something right when they start rumors about us.”

Becoming a Large Church in a Small Town

Small towns are not alike, and neither are churches. Large churches in small towns choose not to be limited by their setting. They creatively and intentionally engage their communities in disciple-making and kingdom-building ministries, despite the supposed limitations of their setting. These churches share many similarities with their urban and suburban megachurch counterparts, but they have rewritten the book of conventional ministry to flourish where they have been planted.

*Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version

Jim Estep serves as professor of Christian education with Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University and as projects director with e2: effective elders (www.e2elders.org).

Mountaintop Mission

BY STEPHEN BOND

Here’s what I learned from our group climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa.

January 4, 2017, is a day I will never forget. At 8:00 that morning, I stood on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Looming 19,341 feet above sea level, Kilimanjaro is called “the roof of Africa.” The views are breathtaking. Reaching the summit was an over-the-top, bucket-list experience, made even sweeter because I was part of a trekking team that raised more than $140,000 to build classrooms for impoverished children in Kenya.

The vision to climb Kilimanjaro exploded into my life in early 2016. I received an e-mail from Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF) announcing formation of a climbing team to raise money to build classrooms in Turkana in northern Kenya. Before my next breath, I knew God was

calling me to take part.

My wife asked me if I had prayed about it. Smiling, I said this was exactly the kind of challenge for which God had wired me. I knew in a heartbeat this was an invitation I could not pass up!

Twenty-seven people from around the globe comprised our trekking group. Each person covered his or her own expenses and was also challenged to raise $5,000 to build the new classrooms. Our goal was to raise a total $150,000 to build classrooms for 240 children. The school in Turkana already had 1,000 students, but another 1,000 children were on the waiting list!

We arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, where our team assembled for the first time. We had been in e-mail communication for

months. Each of us had been training, but this was the first time we met personally. Most of us were nervous about what lay ahead. We had been told repeatedly that climbing Kilimanjaro would be “the hardest thing you have ever done.” The message sank in. We did not know exactly what was ahead—but we knew the experience would test us to the core.

While in Nairobi, we visited Missions of Hope International (MOHI), CMF’s ministry partner in Kenya. MOHI operates the school in Turkana for which we were raising funds. MOHI, led by Wallace and Mary Kamau, is a remarkable

Trekking to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

A view from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

ministry that now has 15,000 children in its schools. Each child receives excellent education, two meals a day, medical attention, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our trekking team was totally blown away by MOHI’s amazing staff and the phenomenal way they are transforming lives with God’s love and grace!

After an eight-hour bus ride to Tanzania, we met our trekking guides. These men were experienced—one had been to the summit more than 800 times! They assured us that climbing Kilimanjaro would be “a piece of cake!” (That statement proved to be a significant exaggeration!)

But it was clear our guides would do everything possible to get us to the summit. They not only kept us on the trail, they were also cheerleaders and an extra pair of helping arms when we needed them.

Slowly-Slowly . . .

The entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park is 6,100 feet above sea level. The first day, we hiked 5 miles and climbed 2,760 feet in elevation. This portion of the trip meandered through rain forest with a lush canopy above us; exotic flowers dotted the trail, and monkeys frolicked nearby. We really felt like we were in Africa!

It rained off and on throughout the day until we arrived at Mandara Huts for the evening. These “hiker huts” are rustic shelters provided by the park for trekkers. A guide was always in front, setting the pace. But the pace was noticeably slow. The lead guide hiked much slower than I was used to. At first it bothered me. I wanted to go faster! But the guides kept repeating a phrase in Swahili: polé-polé (pronounced like olé at a bullfight). It means “slowlyslowly.” Eventually I realized the guides knew best. They purposely set a slow pace

OUR MOUNTAINTOP MISSION

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to conserve our energy for the final ascent and to allow us time to acclimate to the increasing elevation.

Looking back, I think life might be better if all of us lived each day polépolé . . . slowly-slowly. It’s often been said that life (and ministry) is a marathon, not a sprint. Why are we so often in a rush? A little polé-polé might help all of us!

The second day we hiked 7.2 miles in drizzling rain and climbed an additional 3,280 feet to Horombo Huts. We were now at 12,140 feet above sea level. We stayed two nights to acclimate.

By now the rain forest was far be-

low us, and we were in terrain covered with scrub and rocks. At this point the sky finally cleared, and we got our first glimpse of Kilimanjaro . . . it was both breathtaking and daunting!

Things turned serious on the fourth day. We left Horombo early and hiked 5.7 miles, climbing another 3,280 feet, to Kibo Huts. We were now at 15,420 feet, and it looked like moonscape; there was no vegetation in sight.

We had a light dinner and then received our final instructions before “the ascent.” It reminded me of a war briefing before heading into combat. We rested until 10:00 p.m., and by 11:00 p.m. we began the long-awaited

march to the summit. This was the moment we had all trained for!

Reaching the Summit

From Kibo Huts to the summit is 3.5 miles, with 3,920 feet of ascent. The first seven hours of climbing zigzags virtually straight up through volcanic cinder dust. We slogged uphill all night in single file with our headlamps creating the illusion of a snake slithering up the mountain. Every so often our guides would break out in joyous Swahili songs to buoy our spirits. Their melodies and enthusiasm were invigorating!

We reached the crest of the volcanic crater atop

A progression of images of the climbing team setting out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In conjunction with the expedition, team members raised money to build classrooms in Turkana in northern Kenya.

CHRISTIAN STANDARD

Kilimanjaro at 6:00 a.m., just as the sun was rising. The crest is known as Gilman’s Point, 18,700 feet above sea level. From there, the trail followed the lip of the volcanic crater for two more hours, often through ice and snow, before we finally reached Uhuru Peak (Freedom Peak) . . . the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, 19,341 feet above sea level.

The sky was crystal blue, and it felt like we could see a million miles! But it was bitterly cold with the wind howling at gale force. None of us wanted to stay long . . . so after taking photos, we headed back down. Twenty trekkers from our group made it to the summit. I thought that two women, Luci and Rosiland, showed the most grit. They were the last two to make it to the top. And they both had “I will not quit” tattooed all over their faces!

The best parts of the experience, from my perspective, were mealtime conversations and the heartwarming discussions along the trail. This surprised me! I’m normally a fairly private person. But as we climbed higher and as the challenge of the final ascent loomed closer, a remarkable sense of transparency took place within our hiking team. A special bond began to grow. Most of us had just met, but after a few days on Kilimanjaro, we had become family. Even now, when I think about it, my eyes can tear up. I grew to genuinely love the trekkers I had shared life with!

I’ve been asked many times if I would do it again. Yes, it was hard . . . really hard. But the rewards far outstripped the pain! And I would do it again in a heartbeat! In fact, CMF is organizing another trek to Kilimanjaro in July 2018. To learn more contact Kent Fillinger at KentFillinger@cmfi.org. You can also contact Kent to contribute to the classrooms for the children in Turkana.

Stephen Bond is a co-lead pastor at Summit Christian Church, Sparks, Nevada. Before planting Summit church, Steve and his family spent 10 years as missionaries in Chile, South America.

(Far left) The final approach to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. (Middle) Steve Bond, writer of this article, pauses for a moment atop Africa’s highest point, 19,341 above sea level. In total, 20 of 27 trekkers in the group made it to the summit.

I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together

BY LEROY LAWSON

Reflections on the value of writing about reading

The time has come. Nearly 10 years ago I submitted my first “From My Bookshelf” manuscript, wondering with fear and trembling, Is this what the editor wants? Is it something Christian Standard readers will read? I like talking about books whether anyone is listening or not. Would you listen?

You did, and you kept on listening for almost a decade now. We haven’t always agreed, you and I, but ours were civil disagreements between friends. In today’s rancorous political climate, that civil friendship is to be treasured. I have enjoyed writing for you. Here’s why:

You made my reading more fun. For most of my adult life I’ve tried to read two or three books a week. The habit fed my speaking and teaching, but when I retired as the preaching minister of Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona, the habit lost some of its savor. We read in solitude but it’s in the sharing of what’s read that enjoyment is found. “From My Bookshelf” gave me the opportunity to share again. It’s been fun.

You made me a more careful reader. Just knowing you would be reading the column every month made me pay attention. I didn’t expect you to look at most of the books I reviewed, of course, but in case you did, I had to be certain I hadn’t misled you. If you didn’t, that was OK too. You may be like a close friend who said he enjoyed the column “because after I read your column I don’t have to read the books.” He’s a real encourager.

You made me a more disciplined person. This column appeared every month, whether I was ready or not. If my manuscript wasn’t on the editor’s desk by the deadline, I disappointed him and let you down. So, I had to discipline myself, not to read but to write about what I read. Reading was the easy part. I have never liked writing. I like having written.

People regularly asked, “I’d like to read more, but I don’t have time to. How do you find time?” The answer was straightforward: “I don’t watch TV.” They changed the subject. In some classes, I used to require my students to do a personal timestudy for two or three weeks. They were surprised to discover how many hours a

maxim: “It is not true that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.” I like living many lives. That means, among other things, not limiting my reading to “safe” or approved Christian books.

Would the Christian Standard’s readership be interested in my forays into history, for example, and biographies, the sciences, the arts and other, sometimes quirky, fields? “That’s why we want you to do it,” he said. We share a belief that we should not limit ourselves to what people call “religious” literature. Most readers agreed.

day television held them captive (now the culprit would be social media, I suppose). No wonder they didn’t have time to read.

You encouraged me to explore a bigger world. When Editor Mark Taylor gave me the assignment, I hesitated. For a long time now, I’ve taken to heart S. I. Hayakawa’s

We are in good company—you and I and the editor. Serious thinkers have often warned, “Beware of the person of one book.” The fact is that people who know only the Bible don’t really know the Bible. Our movement has long decried the arbitrary division between “religious” and “secular,” between the priesthood and the laity. Separating “religious” books from all others is also misleading. The Bible that forms our worldview insists all truth is

Our reading frees us—if we let it—from the shackles of ignorance, prejudice, blind partisanship, and spiritual darkness.

I’M SO GLAD WE HAD THIS TIME TOGETHER

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God’s, that facts are facts and truth is truth wherever we find it, whether presented by theologian or scientist or poet or historian or novelist. We can learn from all of them.

You have encouraged my ongoing self-discovery. These columns often surprised me. I often found myself writing things I didn’t know I knew, like the novelist E. M. Forster, who asked, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”

I’m not a very introspective person. I do my best thinking out loud or on paper (or computer). Thoughts come into focus only as I express them to others. Knowing you’d be reading the column forced that focusing. I couldn’t get away with fuzzy thinking with you, and in writing to you I discovered me.

You have made me more grateful for the freedom we enjoy in Christ. The apostle Paul wrote in one of my favorite verses, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of

slavery” (Galatians 5:1). It was because he learned to read, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln’s great contemporary, was able to escape slavery and become a powerful civil rights leader. “Once you learn to read,” he said, “you will be forever free.”

In the same way our reading frees us— if we let it—from the shackles of ignorance, prejudice, blind partisanship, and spiritual darkness. Reading carefully and widely doesn’t make one less opinionated, I confess, but better opinionated.

I must thank Mark Taylor. He has been true to his word. Many times during our years together he must have been tempted to say, “OK, Lawson, this time you stepped over the line.” But he never said it. Instead, he granted the freedom to roam wherever I wanted and to report what I learned, whether it conformed to the prevailing orthodoxy or not.

Others may have accused me of heresy, but he didn’t—or at least he didn’t fire me because of it. He subscribes to one of our cherished slogans: “In essentials unity, in

nonessentials liberty, and in all things love.” Mark gave me the liberty our movement boasts about but doesn’t always grant.

Today I feel a little like Carol Burnett, who signed off her weekly show by singing, “I’m so glad we had this time together.” This is my song too. And looking back on these years together, I’ll be singing with Bob Hope, “Thanks for the memory.”

You’ll still be able to find me if you want. I’m that old guy over in the corner with his nose in a book. I won’t be reading just anything, though. At my age, there’s only time to read books that matter. Besides, I haven’t forgotten P. J. O’Rourke’s advice: “Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.”

LeRoy Lawson serves as international consultant with CMF International. Keep track of the global meanderings of Roy and his wife, Joy, at www .lawsonsontheloose.net.

BY RICK CHROMEY

The Heart of Reunion

Everybody loves a reunion. And there’s no better place to observe a good reunion than outside airport security, as various groups congregate and wait for loved ones to arrive.

During the wait, some families huddle quietly while others chatter loudly. A woman inspects makeup and hair. Several check the flight board. A mom and two kids look for their soldier dad, while grandparents anxiously wait on grandchildren. A nervous boyfriend clutches chocolates and fingers a ring,

while cheerleaders prepare to welcome a victorious team.

Others wait, as well, but with noticeably less enthusiasm. These individuals seem apathetic, nonchalant, and bored. They read, check phone texts, and sleep. Many others opt to park outside in the cell phone lot. For these folks, the pending reunion is nothing special. It’s just another job. Been there, done that. Let’s get it over with. Familiarity breeds complacency and expedience.

In reality, the expectancy of reunion and the desire to reconnect reveals the heart.

Maybe that’s why Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as a weekly reunion for his family. Listen to his words:

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until

that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:26-29).

For Jesus, this meal is about relationship. And for us, every Sunday is “reunion Sunday” until Jesus comes, producing the grandest reunion of all. This begs a few questions: How’s your heart today? Do you eagerly desire to reconnect with Jesus? Do you anticipate this reunion meal or have you grown bored and apathetic?

Reunions are rooted to relationship. Consequently, any energy the connecting parties enjoy is fueled by their desire to reconnect. If we passionately love Jesus, we’ll hunger to congregate and commune with him. On the other hand, if this moment sparks complacency or apathy, it reveals a true heart problem.

As we reunite in this ancient meal, let’s do so with renewed fervor in our God who longs to meet us in this moment. Welcome home, church.

Rick Chromey is the director of leadership and online training programs for KidZ At Heart, International, Mesa, Arizona.

Find a new Communion meditation each Friday at christianstandard.com.

Called to Forgive

BY EDDIE LOWEN

Have you seen the movie The Revenant? In the gruesome film, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, a fur trader named Hugh Glass, is attacked by a grizzly, assaulted by his companions, and left for dead. He somehow recovers, tracks down those who abandoned him, and takes violent revenge.

But the real-life events that inspired the film may have played out differently. Glass was, in fact, mauled by a bear and left for dead. Historians believe he somehow survived, then walked 200 miles to safety. But Glass appears to have forgiven the men who left him behind.

Apparently, Hollywood values vengeance over forgiveness. To be honest, I understand.

Pardon? Me?

You can’t do ministry without being wounded. But when you fantasize about what happens to the critic who attacks your ministry, or to the person who betrays your spouse’s confidence, or to the bully who harasses your child, or to the person who trashes your church on Facebook, does the highlight reel feature forgiveness?

A friend whose spouse had an affair admitted to me he often imagined the other man being “dispatched” in painful, humiliating ways, some of them at his own hand. Many would say such thoughts are justified. What father didn’t consider Liam Neeson the ultimate hero when he lowered his voice and told his daughter’s abductor (in the action film Taken) he would look for him, find him, and kill him? We get it. Revenge seems sweet.

Though very familiar, the words of Jesus in Luke 6:28-30 are staggering: “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one

cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.”*

I often refer to myself as a follower of Jesus. But if these words are the test of discipleship, I am an enthusiast, at best. How often have any of us actually done one of the things Jesus commanded here?

When another driver directs a rude gesture at you, do you reply with a peace sign? (Half a peace sign doesn’t count.)

The last time something was stolen from your car, garage, or purse, did you accept the loss without filing a police report?

How many panhandlers have you passed by in recent months? How many donation requests have you ignored?

How many physical assaults have you pardoned?

Can you imagine telling a thief who has just demanded your wallet, “Wait, I’ve got a couple twenties in my front pocket . . . don’t forget these”? Does anyone practice the radical amnesty Jesus taught his followers? I can’t recall a time when I have.

Too Personal

Early in our marriage, my wife and I lived on the East Coast where we bought a little house on a corner lot. Our favorite feature of our home’s front lawn was a landscaped mound in which daffodils bloomed every spring. One year, just before Easter, about 30 daffodils appeared in our front lawn, right on cue to celebrate

If vengeance comes easier than forgiveness, I understand. But for every Christian, and most certainly for church leaders, there is a better way.

CALLED TO FORGIVE

Continued from previous page

the resurrection. But on Good Friday, some dark soul brazenly cut down and stole our daffodils.

That happened nearly 30 years ago, but if my wife discovered the daffodil thief today, I’d be concerned for the person’s safety. If the thief had stolen our car, she would have generated sufficient forgiveness in a matter of days. But stealing her daffodils? Grace has its limits!

The reason Jesus listed a series of very personal violations—cursing, slapping, theft—is because sin always seems theoretical . . . until it’s not. Being cursed feels very personal. Slapping is more personal than it is physically painful. Daffodil theft from your garden is extremely personal. So, Jesus is teaching this: When it’s most personal, forgiveness is most important.

Ministry insults and opposition always feel very personal. They cut to a deep place. While we don’t wrestle to forgive inconsequential offenses, people in ministry struggle to forgive the deeply personal things people say about us or do to us. Why do the majority of young men and women who enter ministry eventually find another career or calling? Because these things hurt. And many aren’t equipped to forgive and continue serving with joy.

After seeing Jesus forgive his executioners, Peter gave up swordplay (as in the Garden of Gethsemane) and humbly endured persecution. He later wrote, “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). Forgiveness is a mark of spiritual maturity. The question is whether or not we are marked by it.

Notice what Peter says and how it says it: Forgiveness is what God has called us to do. It’s not extra credit. It’s part of our purpose. Isn’t it interesting we use the same term (calling) for the work God asks of us in ministry? Church leadership is what God has called me to do. Preaching is what God has called me to do. And, pardoning insults and excusing offenses is what God has called me to do. Wow.

If this is reading like a campfire devotion for high school students, it’s not. I realize I’m writing to leaders. And lately I’ve noticed Christian leaders frequently hold

on to the bitterness of past wounds. We do not appear to be called to model forgiveness. We excel at singing about forgiveness, preaching on forgiveness, and advising others to forgive, yes. But we are quick to recount the sins of churches and people from the past.

I’m confident I need to be forgiven of more than I need to forgive. I’ve gotten it wrong, many times. But I also have a few scars that were delivered with gusto by some mean-spirited people. My kids have been slighted. My motives have been impugned. My words have been twisted. My work has been credited to others. I’ve been pushed around and pushed out. I’ve elevated people who denigrated me. Now, I’m the first to say I’ve been treated better than I deserve in most instances by most people, but a totally comfortable ministry I have not enjoyed (though it certainly doesn’t compare to the persecution some encounter for Christ).

However, when we welcome the Holy Spirit, he leads us to forgive—not merely to move on, get over it, or suck it up, but to release it through forgiveness, which is often a recurring effort.

Did you give your best years to a church, only to be neglected at the end? That’s not right. But God calls you to trust in him and to exonerate those who were inconsiderate.

Did you make a mistake that was embellished by opportunistic detractors? I wish it hadn’t happened, but your best next step is forgiveness.

Did those who should have rallied around you pull back and leave you exposed? That’s a failure of leadership, but if you haven’t asked for God’s help to forgive them, start now.

Jesus was so gracious on the cross; he asked God to regard his sworn enemies as only mistaken dupes. He didn’t want them held fully responsible. Let’s ask for the grace to feel the same about those who’ve hurt us as we’ve tried to continue Jesus’ work.

*Scripture verses are from the New Living Translation Eddie Lowen serves as lead minister with West Side Christian Church, Springfield, Illinois.

Forgiveness is what God has called us to do. It’s not extra credit.

The Culture of Certainty

BY JOE BOYD

Something has been gnawing at me for more than a year. It’s been hard to put into words, but it’s a frustration that seems ever present. I feel it when I turn on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. It’s there at work. It’s also present at church. Ever present. Everywhere.

For lack of a better way to label it, I’m going to call it the “culture of certainty.” It just seems to me there is no room in any of our political, social, or religious conversations to be unsure, let alone to be wrong.

I once heard theologian N. T. Wright begin a talk by admitting that he was sure something he was going to say during his sermon would be wrong. He just had no idea what it would be. To me, that’s the sort of self-realization we so dangerously miss at most every level of our current culture.

Ever since I heard him say those words, I’ve adopted it as my definition of maturity. A mature person, to me, is someone who knows they are wrong about something but has no idea what it is yet.

What We Have Become

Sadly, it’s nearly impossible to imagine any of our cultural icons saying such a thing. Let’s just say Kanye West’s next single isn’t likely to be called, “I’m Wrong and I Know It.”

Regardless of your political leanings, I hope you would at least admit that our current president can be a little overly-certain, especially when he is clearly uncertain.

I get it. It’s who we have become. We can never be wrong. Never be unsure. Influence seems reserved not so much for the humble questioners as for the loud ones with all the answers.

The problem is, of course, that, just like N. T. Wright, we are all wrong about something that we are very sure we are right about.

Speaking of Wright, in his book Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, he says: “At the heart of Christian ethic is humility; at the heart of its parodies, pride. Different roads with different destinations, and the destinations color the character of those who travel by them.”

I believe this is true. (But then again, I’m wrong about something I believe . . . maybe this is it. But probably not.)

If humility is at the very heart of our faith—that God would humble himself to be born a peasant baby, be rejected by his own people, and be unjustly executed on a Roman cross—then perhaps our coziness with the always-certain culture is antithet-

ical to the gospel itself. Maybe it ought to be called for what it is—our own damnable pride.

My Final Column

I’ve been honored to write this column on culture for the last few years, but this will be my last article.

I’ve spent my time here looking at what the culture can teach the church. I hope that, if you’ve followed along, you’ve been challenged to see that God can teach us things through the culture we inhabit.

I believe less than many others in a sacred/secular divide. I’ve experienced God in places where you’d never expect—movie theaters, rock concerts, casinos. I’ve also experienced real evil in the place you’d least expect it—the church. I’ve tried to show that the human spirit longs for God and points to God even in ways we’d never expect and ways too mysterious to label.

I’ve avoided, for the most part, judging the culture. I felt that others would (and should) do that. However, the culture is broken. It’s not right.

What concerns me the most is not that Christians can’t see that the culture is broken, but that we tend to overemphasize the brokenness of the culture farthest away from our own brokenness, whatever that may be.

I propose to you that perhaps our most ever-present cultural danger is not impurity, vulgarity, or secularism. Those problems may very well be the fruit of our original sin. Our greatest cultural danger may be our pride. Our unwillingness to openly discuss. Our inability to empathize. Our addiction to dehumanizing labels. Our enduring certainty in our own wisdom.

If this culture has taught me anything, it’s that we do not need one more inflexible, myopic ideologue. We need more people willing to face the reality that they may be wrong. Then we can enter into a discussion. Then, and only then, can we be humble enough to pray “thy kingdom come.”

That’s what I think. (But I could be wrong.)

Joe Boyd is the founder and president of Rebel Pilgrim Productions, Cincinnati, Ohio.

We have become a people who can never be wrong. Never be unsure.

©iStock/Thinkstock

PREACHING

The Best Sermon I’ve Ever Heard

BY ARRON CHAMBERS

David Mehrle

David Mehrle serves as lead pastor with Southwest Christian Church in Fort Worth, Texas. He became a Christian while he was in junior high. He has served the church in student ministry and as a lead pastor for more than 22 years. He graduated from St. Louis Christian College and received his master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University.

David’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I have heard is “Speak! Against Culture” by Dr. Shane Wood, professor of New Testament at Ozark Christian College, who also serves on the teaching team at College Heights Christian Church, both in Joplin, Missouri. Watch the sermon at www.chjoplin.org/blog/2017/2/15 /speak-against-culture.

Why David likes this sermon: “We are in a season culturally where everyone is fighting for what they believe is the most important topic, issue, or platform. Dr. Wood does an incredible job of calling us back to what should really be our most important platform. [He says,] ‘Church, we are sacrificing people on the altar of truth . . . and it needs to stop. We want to be right more than we want to love. We want to win the argument more than we want to win people to Christ. We use truth as a weapon to murder people. And it needs to stop.’ Make sure you are focused on what is most important.”

Tim Johnson

Tim Johnson is a graduate of Johnson University Florida in Kissimmee and has served in both youth and preaching ministries for many years. He now serves as discipleship minister with Columbia (Kentucky) Christian Church. His wife, Cindy, and their two children, Michala and Emily, enjoy serving with him.

Tim’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I have heard on depression was by Arron Chambers at Journey Christian Church in Greeley, Colorado, where Arron serves as lead minister. Listen to this sermon at journeychristian.org/media .php?pageID=20&view=mobile.

Why Tim likes this sermon: “‘Jesus . . . and Depression’ boldly and lovingly explains that it is OK to be a Christian and suffer with bouts of depression. I believe this is a quantitative problem in the church that isn’t dealt with outwardly, so many just suffer in silence. Arron’s approach is informative, supportive, and personable. I have shared this message several times as a gift of encouragement, and it is freeing for so many to finally hear it addressed from the pulpit.”

Hoss Ridgeway

Hoss Ridgeway became a follower of Jesus late one night in college after realizing that, though he’d been raised in church, he had never owned his own faith. He surrendered to Christ that night and began following Jesus. He has been in ministry since 1992 and been married to his wife for 23 years. They have one daughter. Hoss is a Christian comedian who travels all over the United States.

Hoss’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard on your identity was by Rick Warren. He walked through the success of his book The Purpose-Driven Life, but then introduced the encounter Moses had with God at the burning bush. View this sermon at www.ted.com/talks/rick_warren_on_a_life_of_purpose.

Why Hoss likes this sermon: “This sermon helped me realize how much God puts in our hands. No one is empty-handed, especially when you lay it down before God. Moses held a piece of dead wood, but when he laid it down before God, the wood became alive.”

Amanda Snow

Amanda Snow, along with her husband and rambunctious 1-year-old-son, live in Greenville, North Carolina, where she serves as children’s minister at Christ’s Church. She was blessed to grow up in the church and to be raised by wonderful parents who overflowed with Jesus’ love. She is a 2008 graduate of Johnson University, Knoxville, Tennessee. Her passions include introducing kids to Christ and making lifelong disciples.

Amanda’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard was “The Way, the Truth, the Life” by Jeff Vines, lead pastor with Christ’s Church of the Valley. Watch this sermon at www .ccvsocal.com/watch/detail/55/278/.

Why Amanda likes this sermon: “This powerful sermon pierced my heart when I was unknowingly going through the motions. Through this message, Jeff reminded me the why of ministry. He explores the tension we experience by coming near a holy God who truly knows us and unmasks us. There is no substitute for intimacy with God. Jesus is the life that brings us near to God, regenerates us, and raises us from the dead. Through him, we have a powerful Spirit that transforms us from the inside out.”

Arron Chambers, a Christian standard contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.

Christian leaders tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.

What Graduates Need to Hear From Their Pastors

Graduation time is an opportunity for pastors to honor, encourage, and speak truth to graduates and all learners who are rising to new levels of maturity.

Church consultant Jim Farrer says graduation ceremonies can be great opportunities to tell graduates, “We’ve pulled for you; we’ve prayed for you; we’re proud of you.” He points to five more important reminders grads need to hear:

1. Never forget that God created you uniquely. You are an intricately designed creation, not a randomly derived “blob.” When God created you in your mother’s womb, he made you “wonderfully complex” (Psalm 139:13, 14, New Living Translation). You are “God’s masterpiece.” He created you in Christ Jesus, so you can do the good things he planned for you long ago (Ephesians 2:10).

2. Be disciplined in taking care of your body (1 Corinthians 9:25-27). Research shows warning signs of health conditions, such as heart disease, at younger ages.

3. Continue to be an active member of a local church. Studies show that “the most important variable in promoting a healthy lifestyle is to be an active member of a church.” Committed church attendees live a longer life (according to studies); committed Christ followers live a fuller life (according to Jesus).

4. Acknowledge and accept that life is difficult. Don’t give up. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,” Jesus told people dealing with difficult life circumstances, “and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NLT).

5. Pursue joy, not happiness. Happiness can depend on circumstances, but you can have joy even in the middle of difficult life situations. “A connected relationship with the Most High God, whom we know best through Jesus of Nazareth, brings meaning, purpose, and a deep-seated joy in the midst of the dark times of life,” Farrer says.

The Top 10 Roles of a Church-Event Planner

Tired, stressed, and ready to crash for at least 12 hours straight.

Does that describe how you felt after your last church event? Yeah, I’ve been there (and don’t want to go back).

But events don’t need to be stressful. They can be energizing, inspiring, and fun moments for staff, volunteers, and attendees alike. An important component in this is to define the role of the person who will run point on planning the event.

1. Work with church leadership to determine the overall vision and scope of the effort. (Why are we doing this and what are we trying to accomplish with this event?)

2. Collaborate with event planning team members (staff and/ or volunteers) to identify the tasks required to make this event a success.

3. Monitor progress of team members assigned to complete tasks.

4. Make sure the team stays within budget.

5 Ways to Improve Group Prayer Time

If you find your prayer time is getting stale or rote, change it up. C. J. Stephens, small groups minister at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, suggests five ideas you can try:

• Ask everyone to share their top prayer concern.

• Do popcorn-style prayer in which you challenge the people to say a short request.

• Pray at a different time in your group. Starting with prayer can make it more on point and shorter.

• Change who prays. As group leader, it is often your role to get things rolling. However, if everyone knows they are in a safe environment, they should feel comfortable praying.

• If you want someone else to pray, talk to them ahead of time and get their permission. No one likes to be put on the spot!

—Adapted from C. J. Stephens’s newsletter, “Leader Connect.”

5. Keep the team on schedule.

6. Raise potential issues with those responsible.

7. Keep senior leadership informed.

8. Ensure team members/departments communicate effectively.

9. Oversee the team’s activities the day of the event.

10. Capture lessons learned and all key event documentation after the event. Sound like a tall order?

It is, but it is also doable.

—Deborah Ike, president and founder of Velocity Ministry Management (www.velocityministrymanagement .com) and author of The Church Event Planning Toolkit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Successful, not Stressful, Church Events

Are You Truly Leading by (Biblical) Values?

Ken Blanchard, widely known author and management expert, challenges leaders to think about this important question: “Are you truly leading by your values?”

Blanchard says he believes “when a company is truly leading by its values, there is only one boss—the values.”

As Christian leaders, our values are God-centered and biblically defined. When a church or any other Christian organization is truly leading by its values, we lead according to God’s purposes under his power. These values guide—or should guide—every aspect of church life: how staff members interact with one another, how senior leaders manage, how all church groups and ministries operate, and how the people themselves, the body of Christ, work together.

On his “How We Lead” blog, Blanchard provided four assessment questions for evaluating how well your values are “ingrained in such a way that they provide guidelines for daily communication, decision making, and problem solving”:

• Do your people use the values consistently to make decisions for the good of the whole organization instead of for one department or individual?

• Do your people participate in valuable, honest discussions because they know they are operating in a safe environment?

• Do your people take pride not only in the organization as a whole, but also in their role in the company?

• Do your people consider the company values to be actual rules of operation, not just suggestions?

Blanchard encourages leaders to clearly and constantly communicate these values to their people. Rather than burying them in a manual or a hard-to-find page on a website, build them into conversations, decision-making, problemsolving, and planning. “Leading by values,” says Blanchard, “means stating and restating your organization’s values until they become second nature.”

Primary Reason to Pursue Growth Strategy

The

Biggest

Motivators for Churches to Expand

Barna Group and Cornerstone Knowledge Network recently conducted research about the current culture and methods of planting and growing congregations. The findings of this research were published in More Than Multisite: Best Practices for Church Expansion.

The research helped identify reasons churches pursue a growth strategy. The three primary reasons cited by most churches for pursuing various expansion strategies were (1) geographical outreach, (2) mission, and (3) calling. Far fewer churches ranked facility restraints and accommodating numerical growth as primary reasons for adopting their expansion model.

The study listed findings for each of five distinct models or strategies for church expansion: multisite beginner (a single church with two or three locations or campuses); planting beginner (two or three semi-independent churches, where the daughter churches

are considered church plants); multisite strategist (a single church organization with four or more locations or campuses); planting strategist (four or more semi-independent churches, where the daughter churches are considered church plants); and location partners (a separate congregation meeting at, and sharing resources with, another church).

Why does this research matter?

“While the churches and leaders included in this study represent a wide variety of approaches to growth and reaching communities with the gospel, one thing is consistent: their calling and commitment to their vision,” says Brooke Hempell, vice president of research at Barna Group.

—“Ten Lessons of Church Expansion,” Barna, February 2, 2017, www.barna.com.

#Ministry Tweets

Have a ministry tweet to share? Please tag @MichaelCMack, #BestPractices.

“Always leave things better than you found them . . . especially people.”

—@DrHenryCloud

“To my #pastor friends: As you prepare for Sunday, remember that it is easier to preach 10 sermons than it is to live 1.”

—@First_Jimothy

“Failure is never the problem . . . not learning from failure is.”

—@AlexBBarrett

“If you want to make an eternal difference make a mature disciple that makes a mature disciple.”

—@rickhowerton

“Just witnessed two older brothers in the faith meet at @Starbucks to encourage one another. Their example greatly encouraged me. #Legacy”

—@DaveClarkJr

“Show up predictably. Show up mentally. Show up randomly.”

—@LeadSmall

7 Summertime Youth Ministry Ideas

Schedules open up for many teens over the summer months, so take advantage of that by spending unstructured time together. These times of hanging out together, even some one-on-one opportunities, can open doors to deeper spiritual conversations.

Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth Ministry (www.thesource4ym.com), gives four simple but effective ideas:

1. Beach Day. Take a group or just a few teens to the beach—whatever a “beach” looks like in your locale—and enjoy the time together.

2. Hike or Bike. Get away from TVs and social media and enjoy a day in God’s creation.

3. Shopping. Take teens to a unique shopping destination, such as a large mall, several hours away. “It’s amazing the conversations you’ll have while shopping for shoes or sharing mediocre nachos in a food court,” says McKee.

4. Summer Movie Release. Watching a recent (and teen-appropriate, Christ-honoring) movie can be a fun and memorable experience, but the best opportunities will occur as you stop to eat and talk about the film afterward!

3 More Summertime Ministry Ideas

Here are three more youth ministry suggestions for this summer: One church uses its bus to take kids who live in nearby public or low-income housing to a local swimming pool for swimming lessons, games, and a simple Bible study.

Another church hosts a free fishing seminar for anglers of all ages. The church has worked with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which holds a variety of fishing demonstrations as well as crafts and games.

A third church has a water ski team. Students meet for about six hours one day a week through the summer for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and barefooting, as well as hanging out, lunch, and Bible study. Churched and unchurched teens from the area are involved in the ministry.

—www.outreachmagazine.com

The Social Side of Best Practices

Discover more “best ministry practices” and share your own on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ChristianStandardMagazine.

What to Expect from Christian standard

BY JERRY HARRIS

Other magazines like Relevant, Outreach, and Christianity Today offer lots of good commentary and resourcing for churches and leaders in general, but they represent no actual tribe. Christian Standard is critical to the Restoration Movement because it serves a vital role unique to us.

We are comprised of about 5,300 churches, all autonomous, without any denominational support to hold us together. It’s one of our greatest strengths, but without something connecting us regularly, we can lose much of the potential of our influence. If we can pull together while maintaining that autonomy, we can be an unstoppable force for the kingdom!

That’s our mission at Christian Standard . . . to capture the power that comes from our unity. We want to discover the most vibrant ministries, the best innovations, the most accessible resources, the greatest voices, and the best practices God has blessed within the Restoration Movement.

We want to be an encouragement to those caught up in the daily struggle of ministry who feel isolated and alone.

We want to fill the void that can be the dark side of our autonomy with relationships and opportunities that build each other up to give us maximum effectiveness for our Lord.

In order to accomplish this, our work will flow out of five core values:

To present a greater harvest to God, knowing that we accomplish more by working together.

To press for our commonalities while being respectful of our differences.

To push innovation and relevance without compromising our core beliefs.

To pull each other up through reproof, rebuke, and encouragement.

To pass our great heritage on to the next generation.

This is what Christian Standard was to be from the beginning. It’s original core values were: “1. To turn the world to Jesus Christ. 2. The union of believers in the fellowship of the gospel. 3. The education of Christians into a nobler spiritual life” (from Sketches of our Pioneers by Frederick D. Power and Bradley S. Cobb, 2013, 146).

You’re going to see a different look. We are going to make C hristian Standard more of a leadership journal, concentrating on the “nuts and bolts” of located ministry. We will be inspired by our greatest preachers and leaders, remember great leaders from our storied past, hear the successes of our next generation, learn how to leverage our resources and finances most effectively, press into issues of unity and reconciliation, and celebrate the harvest God is providing. You’ll hear fresh voices and fresh ideas that make sense, and you’ll have lots of opportunities for speaking out yourself.

Sure, God’s doing some awesome things in our megachurches, but we need to hear what’s going on in all our churches across the country. Do you realize that of our 5,300 churches, only 305 report an average of more than 250 in weekly attendance? That means nearly 5,000 of our churches run under 250! These churches have great stories of what God is doing that need to be told! Our movement is full of great stories and leaders who need to be heard. That’s why feedback and conversation will be a critical part of this approach.

We will hear from all of the groups that organize us both nationally and internationally. The NACC, ICOM, CIY, Exponential, Bible colleges and universities, and our extension funds—all helping us to be more than just a collection of churches. Christian Standard will reflect the voices of our movement so that in each church and from each pulpit, the message of the gospel, fully connected and resourced, will be its most effective and impactful in building the great kingdom of our Lord.

Let other magazines talk about all those things we can’t afford, that don’t apply, and that won’t make a difference. Let’s let our unity, like iron, sharpen the iron of our fellowship until we make the most of every opportunity God lays before us.

Photo ©Abby Harris

Jerry Harris

Jerry Harris, pastor with The Crossing in Quincy, Illinois, assumes full duties as publisher of Christian standard with its July issue.

You’ll hear fresh voices and fresh ideas that make sense, and you’ll have lots of opportunities for speaking out yourself.

Why is the survival of Christian standard so important and what does it offer that other magazines don’t?