Life Here and There

I found this clip to be extremely moving. It’s a profound illustration of how Jesus gets into our mess…

Social media. What in the world is it? Well, think about it. “Social” has to do with people who converse, gather, and relate to each other. “Media” is any platform for spreading any message. Mass media is speaking to the masses through radio, television, etc. Print media is magazines, newspapers, and other printed periodicals. Social media, then, is promoting a message through people, and the phrase is typically used in reference to online media outlets.

I’m a firm believer that the rise of social media is a revolutionary moment for the church’s ministry. We’ll either embrace it (as we did print media and mass media) or we’ll begin to fade (as perhaps we are already doing). John Saddington runs a couple of great blogs and wrote a pertinent article related to why churches don’t “get” social media.

Before you read it, know that I don’t always get it either. I’ve learned a few tough lessons recently, and find it hard to keep up at times, but I’m determined to be a student of a movement that absolutely must be embraced and studied by thinkers and leaders in the kingdom today.

Last night, I had an epiphany. Well, several actually. We intended to kick off our new outreach program at Bethel using the GROW strategy. Justin worked excessively hard making copies, arranging the room, preparing a video, and of course praying about this new opportunity. Aside from he and I, two others showed up. We have twelve Sunday school classes, eight active deacons, and about 220 people attending worship. Two?

Times are hard, people are busy, some are under the weather, old methods don’t work, evangelism is scary… we talked about it all. We few brainstormed and prayed. And I had some significant thoughts about the situation…

The evangelistic temperature of a church begins to rise with its Pastor. That’s right, if there’s a weak link in the chain, it’s the leader. And it’s the other leaders alongside him. My own passion needs stirring. Like John Wesley, I need God to set me on fire and set me before the people so they can watch me burn with evangelistic fervor.

We need an evangelistic culture. I’m quite weary of hearing complaints about stuff. I hear people getting emotional about trivial matters, but few hearts seem to be breaking over the lost culture in which we live. Did you realize millions are speeding toward hell today? We can stop them with the good news of Christ, but we’re too busy arguing over silly issues and personal preferences.

We need some confidence boosting. Okay I admit, witnessing is hard. It’s hard for you, it’s hard for me, it’s hard for Billy Graham. Do you expect any different? I don’t think Jesus commissioned us to tell the whole world about Him… if it’s easy to do so. Nonetheless, the leadership of our church needs to help folks understand how to witness with confidence, which means…

• Providing resources such as videos, CD’s, tracts, books, etc.
• Providing training, but apparently not on Tuesday nights.
• Telling stories – sharpening each other by mutually inspiring experiences.
• Prayer, prayer, and more prayer for a brokenness about the lost.

We’re growing a bit. We’re adding a second service. We’re seeing visitors come, and return. Great. But these are things that are happening without much effort. We can’t get to the throne some day and say, “Well Lord, I didn’t do much, but growth happened anyway… where’s my crown?” No, I need to evangelize. It’s a need in my life. I can’t grow if I don’t share, and if I try to grow without sharing, I’ll become a grumpy, self-centered believer.

We must turn up the heat, increase our passion, and get involved. I, as a Pastor and Leader, promise to prayerfully find ways to encourage and equip. I won’t resort to guilt trips (except in the beginning of this article), but will instead challenge you to search your own heart. Are you sharing the faith? You’re His child, His ambassador, saved and covered by the gracious provision of the blood of Christ. You remain alive today for the primary purpose of bringing the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God’s glory by telling them about Jesus. Do you have a fever?

The Six Church Marketing Bad-Attitudes | Ministry Marketing Coach.

Chris Forbes, over in Okhahoma, has done another awesome job of articulating the attitudes that I believe are killing so many churches today. These six bad-attitudes represent six small-minded, closed-minded ways of thinking about outreach. Well worth the read!

I just opened my mail and received a postcard in an envelope. There is no return address and no organization or individual named anywhere. Just a postcard. And it reads…. “Friends, Neighbors, Americans, Be hastily preparing all for the fall of ‘That Great City’ as described in Revelations Ch. 18. Repent and be baptized and join Jesus on a white horse as described in Revelations Ch. 19. God bless.” (more…)