Transcript Looking Forward

Becoming the Vital Disciples and Churches
that Tomorrow Requires
[email protected]
David Schoen – Congregational Vitality and Discipleship

Exodus 3:13 - 15
 Then Moses said to God, "If I come
to the people of Israel and say to
them, `The God of your fathers has
sent me to you,' and they ask me,
`What is his name?' what shall I say
to them?"
God said to Moses,
 I AM WHO I AM. (Yahweh)
YAHWEH
I Will Be
What Tomorrow
Requires
The Future Question
God will be what the future
demands,
but,…….
Will we be the churches and disciples
that tomorrow requires?
Times Have Changed

96% claim spirituality

48% participate in faith communities

Total church participation in US has declined
even though 51 million new people

Younger generation opting out in masses

Growth in Racial ethnic population
decline in Anglo growth rate

Mobility rates increased

500 Year Phenomena
Vital Disciples and Churches
Missional, Relational & Conversational
 Missional in purpose
 Relational in outreach
 Conversational in witness
in person and online
Missional Discipleship
 “The Church exists to serve God’s Mission”
~ Mission as Missio Dei, UCC Committee on Structure, 1992
 The church of Jesus Christ is the instrument and
sign of God’s mission and realm.
 God’s mission is calling and sending us,
the to be to be a missional church
in our own societies,
in the cultures in which
we find ourselves.
Missional in Purpose
 Vital disciples
 clear sense of purpose
 Vital disciples
 are sent people
 Vital disciples
 reach out beyond themselves
 reclaim Biblical focus on neighbors
 Vital disciples
 multiply new disciples/ministries/congregations
No Matter Who You Are, or Where You Are on Life’s
Journey, You Are Welcome Here!
Who are they,
and where do they come from?
(Revelation 7:14)
 MissionInsite Demographics
 http://missioninsite.com/
 flexible web based information system
 comprehensive socioeconomic and lifestyle data
 interactive mapping platform
 strategic information resource for ministry
Meeting Your Neighbors
MissionInsite Reports
1.5 Mile
12 Mile
Racial/Ethnicity
1.5 Mile
12 Mile
1.5 Mile ^
12 Mile v
< 1.5
12 v
1.5 Mile ^
12 Mile v
Socio-Economic-Consumer Types
1.5 miles v
12 miles v
Who Are they?
Mission Impact and Outreach Guide
How to use MissionInsite
 Map your congregation homes
 Learn their mosaic types
 Compare to communities, learn your niche
 Gear programs, small groups to meet population
needs and interests
 Track guests and friends
 Cluster home groups
How to Register
Faith,In Project
Faith,In Spanish Lake, MO
Faith,In Belleville
WE HAVE FAITH,
in Belleville!
God is still speaking.
Missional in Purpose
Relational in Outreach
 The days of waiting for people to us to welcome
them in church are over.
 Instead of waiting inside, we go outside
 Bridge the gap by building relationships
Missional Outreach
 Walk or Drive your neighborhood
 Watch for where God is at work
 Take notes, make a map, collect contact data
 Who lives where
 What are community needs
 Who are allies and good neighbors
 Do this again and again
 Talk to your neighbors & community leaders
 What are the hopes and challenges of
neighbors
 How can the church be a good neighbor?
Relationship Building
 ‘Hang out’ with your community
 Meet neighbors where they gather
 Spend Sunday morning with your neighbors
 Soccer matches, Lowes, Coffee Shop, Exercise
 Pastors ‘office’ in a coffee shop, fast food,
bookstore.
 Have meetings outside the church.
 Bible/book studies in coffee shop, book store
 Council meetings in neighborhood context
 Create Community Garden
 Engage in conversation, build relationships,
Collect data of names/addresses/e-mails
Joining God in the Neighborhood

Getting Started

Develop New Eyes for Your Neighborhood

Teach Radical Neighborliness – “No matter who you are, or where
you are on life’s journey…”

Listen to Neighborhood Stories

Discern What God is Up to in the Neighborhood

Get Involved

The congregation will begin to do ministry “with” the community—
not “to” it.

What am I/We learning - What Do I/We Do Next?
Relational in Outreach
Conversational in Witness
 Conversational ministry is central to the future of
the church in 21st Century
 Count conversations, not conversions
 Brian McLaren, More Ready than You Think
Conversational Ministry
 The postmodern world calls for disciples
who reach out to a world that is hungering
for good conversation about faith, values,
hope, meaning, purpose, goodness, beauty,
truth, life after death, life before death and
God. Engaging in everyday faith
conversations will not only help others
become disciples, it will help us become
disciples, who know and love the
stillspeaking God more than ever.
Conversational in Witness
 Spiritual Seekers want to talk.
 We are the ones not talking
 Missional outreach is faith-sharing.
 An unchurched world doesn’t know
why we do what we do and believe
what we believe.
Conversational in Witness
 Learn to talk and be transparent about
money. Tell your Church’s Story.
Be Bold !
If God is still speaking,
Shouldn’t we be?

Still Speaking Conversation and Invitation
with Neighbors
 Informal moments at work, shopping or….
 Be attentive for moments for a still speaking word
 Become a Still Speaking Voice
 Wear your still speaking witness
 Home dinners with neighbors
 First Welcomers
 New Neighbors
Sunday Guests
 Public Worship
 Ashes to Go
 Communion to the street

Are You Ready to Talk?
Why do you love your church?
What impact has believing in God and
following Jesus made in your life?
How is God still speaking in your life?
E. Word = Elbow
 “The e.word today is elbow.”
 Jim Griffith
 Still today the way most folks find a community of faith is
when they are invited to come and brought by a friend or
neighbor.
Go Forth into the Virtual World
Social Media and Network
Outreach on-line
 Church Website
 Invitational
 Interactive
 Messaging
 E.newsletter
 Links
 Facebook
 Church fanpage
 Your own
 Links
 Advertising
Outreach with new Technology
Twitter
Yelp.com
Becoming the Disciples that Tomorrow Requires
Living and Telling the Story
 Missional in purpose
 Relational in outreach
 Conversational in witness
in person and online
Becoming the Vital Disciples and
Churches that Tomorrow Requires
 What have you learned today?
 Who are your neighbors?
 How will you use this
information?
 What one thing will you do to
start?
Making a Decision
 Given our resources, passion and
skills: What is God calling us to do?
 What would that require us to give
up?
 What would we look like when we are
doing it?
 How would the world be different if
we did?
Being Vital Disciples and Churches
Blessings as you discern God’s mission
for your congregation,
and discover what God is calling you to
be and do as a
Vital Disciples and
Churches
Thank You!
 Thank you! Your financial support is
Changing Lives: That’s Our Churches’ Wider Mission
 Thank you for your vital leadership and discipleship!