CWOWI E-Newsletter

Hi all,

A couple weeks ago Chris was home, sitting in his recliner watching a children's show while Barb and I were in the kitchen holding a debate about a weekend trip to Tulsa (2 hour drive) for our regional conference - should we take 1 car or 2?

 

Barb processes information out loud, while I process internally. I wouldn't really call it talking to herself, just talking out loud as she thinks and does things around the house. She's done that as long as I've known her -since we were kids, so I'm used to it - once I've settled an issue I fall silent - while she often keeps a running conversation going out loud as she continues to debate the merits of deciding one way or the other.

 

That's what happened on this day. If we took 1 car she and I would be together, but we were bringing back with us 2 granddaughters and their pet, Charlie the Wonder Dog. On the other hand, she could run errands independent of what I needed to do if we left early enough, but the 2 hour drive home late Sunday when she would be very tired wasn't something she was comfortable with. Additionally, we had to get Chris to the group home before we left for the weekend which is a process all by itself.

 

I said to her, "If we take 2 cars you can leave right after the conference finishes on Sunday afternoon to run errands, and I'll drive the truck and bring the kids and dog - your decision, I'm fine with whatever you want to do", and I'd said my peace, that was that. Period. Paragraph, Over and out.

 

But she kept the conversation going with herself, processing everything out loud as she walked between rooms: "1 car or 2, I might fall asleep at the wheel and that wouldn't be good, but I might not get to everywhere I need to go if I don't, but I don't want to load John up with the kids, dog and all their things..."

 

Out of the blue came Chris' loud and crisp voice from the living room: "It's OK mom. We'll take 2 cars. Just relax mom, just relax." The authority and clarity with which he spoke ended all debate, and Barb and I burst out laughing.

 

Sometimes there are moments where some one or some thing cuts through all the issues with such clarity it settles all arguments. But it wasn't him telling his mother we'd take 2 cars, it was the 'Just relax mom, just relax' that brought clarity - the decision wasn't a big one so don't make it more than it is; just relax and decide! We focused on the relax rather than the decision, and were suddenly at peace.

 

In the same way

I've recently read several Christian statements people believe - crazy and illogical theological statements that I've wondered how people could say such things about God. Some range from wild conspiracy theories that put God right in the middle of the intrigue, to practically accusing Him of falsifying the historical record just to trick unbelievers into believing a lie, and so much more.

 

And then I had a moment of clarity like Chris' "just relax" - I realized the issue wasn't who was right or wrong about a theological idea and figuring out a way I could show them higher truths, it was that while believing in Him, they don't know Him. If they did know Him they would not make such statements.

 

They believe - they are born again, but they don't truly know Him. They read something in the written Word but don't know the Living Person of the Word who directed that ink to be placed on the page. Therefore what they believe the written Word says isn't even close to the character of the Person the Living Word.

 

They know the page, not the Person.

 

In Paul's most transparent letter, to the Philippians, he shares his greatest desire: "That I might know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings."

 

At the end of his life as he awaits execution in a Roman prison, in his last letter, in II Timothy 1:12, Paul states: "For I know in Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have entrusted to Him until that last day."

 

Paul not only believed, but he knew in whom he believed. That knowing of Him persuaded him of the Lord's character - He is able to keep that which I've entrusted to Him.

 

We believe, then we know, then we entrust. When we entrust, we rest - not in ourselves, but in Him and His sense of rightness and ability to explain at a later time all the confusing things we've gone through in life.

 

That knowing leads us to 'be persuaded' and then entrust our heart's secrets to Him. The phrase 'entrusted (committed) to Him' is 'ten paratheken mou', literally, "my deposit (with Him)". It means something entrusted to another for the means of safe keeping. The use of 'paratheke' implies and was used to indicate a person going on a long journey and who deposits all his valuables with a close friend, trusting them to be returned to him on his return.

 

The important thing therefore, is not to split hairs over doctrine, nor to call out beliefs that seem crazy, illogical, or divisive, but rather to draw back from those which are minor in the big picture, and direct ourselves and our friends to know Him, for by knowing Him we become persuaded of Him, and in being persuaded we are able to entrust our very souls for safe keeping until we go home to Him.

 

The Core

I've been studying how the Lord builds a healthy family based church that meets in homes, and see in scripture and in real life today, that He often takes 1 to 2 years to build a core, a nucleus of people who really get to know each other over that time, and learn to trust Christ in each other.

 

I have a teaching series next month on the subject, for it springs from a visitation in February (some of which I shared in last month's e-newsletter and Weekly Thoughts) about what He is saying to the body of Christ. He has been building 'core' people in small family and home based churches and will continue, but once that core is solid, He builds - and while some flow with Him in that, some choose to stay 'us four no more'.

 

Contrary to church culture of bigger is better right from the start, in Acts we see a core develop in Jerusalem from 1-2 years, seen in Acts 2:4-8:1. Then we see Antioch in Acts 11, where Paul and Barnabus taught them for over a year. We see Paul in Corinth 18 months in Acts 18, in Ephesus 2 years in Acts 19, and on it goes - be patient, let Him solidify the core so that when the time comes, others will be added to that healthy and solid group. More on this next month.

 

Finland, Netherlands conferences

In each of these conferences I will be sharing more about the core, and what He has shown me or told me for Europe and the EU - and some He has said for Finland specifically, so I encourage my Finnish friends to come if you can make it to Helsinki that Saturday, 16 April (marius.palmberg77@gmail.com for information).

 

I will also be sharing about the core at our Dutch conference in April 20-24, but the longer time, Thursday evening -Sunday, allow time for worship, prayer, teaching, and so much more. I'll be teaching on hearing the voice of the Lord, practical things for house church, prophetic updates, and others will be sharing as well in workshops as well. And frankly, I've found the Lord's presence and gifts of the Spirit moving more intensely there, consistently over the years, than any other conference - invest in relationships and yourself!

 

Personal - Thank you for your prayers, friendship, and financial support. Whether your gift if large or small, it is always appreciated - there really is no such thing as a 'small' donation for it means so much to us and directly helps us.

 

I'm way behind in emails with some 250 to answer, but I am trying to catch up - thank you for your patience!

 

House churches are popping up all over as people are feeling more free to start meeting on their own, and so many want to know others doing the same thing in a network, so we are very busy. From the Pacific islands to behind the veil of Islam to dozens of other nations, people are gathering in homes to regularly meet for teaching, prayer, fellowship, food, and worship...the revival going on isn't in the auditorium, it is in the home.

 

    Blessings!

        John & Barb

   www.supernaturalhousechurch.org

 

 

New cd/MP3 series:

 

Angels & Demons II

(2 cd/MP3, $12/set or MP3 $10)

Part 2 features angels and demons and how they are organized over nations and in regions and local areas, what angels can and cannot do for people, and if we can command angels to do something. John shares from visitations he has had an angel's perspective on people and the age to come, and what the Father intended our lives of faith to show the angels and also demons. Included are how demons are organized when they influence or enter a person, and what we can and cannot do about it. You'll gain deeper insights into the realm of angels and demons!

Must Haves for New Small Group Leaders

By Allen White

Essential building blocks for a successful small group ministry.

I recently met with the pastors and small group leaders at Element Church, a great new church plant in Woodruff, South Carolina. Their church and small group ministry is just months old. Josh Bradley and his team are doing a great job bringing a contemporary church into a small community. Here are some essential building blocks for a successful small group ministry that I shared with them last week:
1. Balance Produces Growth
Everyone who joins a group has different needs. Others have an actual agenda. Some members want to create an exact duplicate of a group they were in years ago. Still others want a group to meet their needs. Still others will want a group that is more social or more spiritual or more evangelistic or more, more. The good news is that each group can accomplish a great deal, if they agree on the direction together. Well, except, for resurrecting the great group from the past. You would need a time machine for that one.
The first groups of believers in Acts 2:42-47 met together for Discipleship, Fellowship, Ministry, Worship and Evangelism. Some have tried to say that Acts 2 represents the epitome of what an accomplished church or group should be. The truth is that this passage reveals what the church was doing on its first day! These weren’t things built over time. These were things that needed to happen all at once.
That doesn’t mean that each of these five things should happen in every meeting. But, your group needs to decide together when these things will happen. A group agreement is a great place to start. Read more about forming group agreements here.
2. Shared Leadership
Ownership is huge in developing and sustaining groups. Every member needs to have some skin in the game. As the leader, you should do everything you can to give away every task in the group to a willing volunteer. The only thing a leader shouldn’t give away is responsibility for the group. But, everything else from leading the discussion and hosting the group to bringing refreshments and following up on prayer requests should be delegated.
In the group I lead, I will announce to the group after the first lesson in a new study, “Today is the only day I will be leading the discussion. I’m passing around the calendar, and everyone needs to sign up for a week to lead.” It works every time. Now, a group member can pass, but they all can’t pass.
Another way to share leadership is to listen to what your group members care about. “I think our group should have more socials” or “It would be great if we could all come out on Saturday and help my neighbor build his fence.” Rather than the leader taking on one more responsibility, ask the person who suggested it to put something together. This strategy is known as “you spot it, you got it.” It works well.
3. Group Life Cycle
Every group goes through distinct stages in group life. Just like understanding the path from infancy to adulthood, every group needs to understand their awkward teenage stage and that their mid-life crisis is coming.
Steve Barker from InterVarsity maps out the group life cycle this way: Exploration, Transition, Action and Termination. In Exploration, the big issue is inclusion. Group members want to know that they fit in. They need to feel wanted and accepted.
Next is Transition, which is characterized by conflict. Hopefully, the end result of conflict is shared goals and objectives. This is the review and implimentation of your group agreement.
The third stage is Action. Once the group has agreed on the steps forward, now they have the freedom to act and move ahead together in ministry. The final stage is termination. This is the time to celebrate the time the group has enjoyed together.
The Group Life Cycle usually lasts about two years. Unless the group has made a concerted effort to invite and include new people in the group, most groups will stagnate and eventually fold at the two year mark. Rather than keeping a group limping along, it might be a good idea to plan when the group will end, then regroup and start over again.
While most of us are aware of groups that have lasted for decades, these tend to be the exception rather than the rule. The same leader might still be leading a group, but odds are that the group membership is quite different from where they began. There is nothing wrong with lifelong groups as long as they are bearing fruit.
4. Group Mission
The mission of the group is no different than the mission of the church: “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:18-20). The goal of group life isn’t the comfort of the group members. The goal is to reach others for Christ and grow them up in the faith. And, that makes group members uncomfortable.
The issue groups face is that they develop close relationships over time and want to continue with the group members they are close to. The reality is that given the Group Life Cycle, most groups will stagnate or end after two years. If the group continues to invite and include new people, they can avoid this two year deadline. But, if the group continues to invite and include others, then the group will outgrow its meeting space, overload the leader, and bloat the discussion. These are good problems.
As soon as your group reaches eight people, sub-group. This will allow everyone to get their word in. This is also a great opportunity for an up and coming leader to get their feet wet by leading all or part of the discussion. Who? Since you have rotated leadership in your group, you have an idea of which members are on their way to leadership. Some will do a great job. Maybe they’re 75-80% there. Others will show some potential and might be 40-50% there. A few might need a lot of help.
John Maxwell said, “If someone can do the job 30% as well as you, give them the job.” The reality is the person can probably do it 60% as well, but we haven’t given them credit for it. As your group grows, sub-grouping is essential for discussion, group care, and leadership development. If your meeting place is big enough, keep growing the group. When the meeting situation becomes a problem for the whole group, then it’s time to figure out something else. Caution here: this will be a problem for the leader before it’s a problem for the group. Hang in there. When the group feels the need to change, change will come.
There are many other questions on the minds of new leaders, but this is a good summary of where to start. When you feel overwhelmed, pray and ask God for help. When you need training, seek out your coach. If you need a little information, check out the other posts on this blog.
Great Resources for Getting Groups Started:
Small Groups with Purpose by Steve Gladen (Read my review here).
Connecting in Communities by Eddie Mosley (Read my review here).

6 Reasons Our Discipleship Strategies Miss the Mark

By Mark Howell

“We are in the business of making disciples.”

If your church is like mine, your mission or vision or purpose probably includes some aspect of the Great Commission. Many of us have even gone a step further and proclaimed that we are in the business of making disciples and we’ll know we are succeeding when we make some amount of more and better disciples.

So … if we’re all trying to hit the same target, why are so many of our discipleship strategies missing the mark?
Any theories? I have a few and before you think I believe I have it all together, I’m actually guilty of a few of these myself!
Here are six reasons our discipleship strategies miss the mark:
1. We don’t actually have a strategy. We really have more of a theology of wishful thinking. We spend time planning everything from our weekend services and special events to staff retreats and the updated vacation policy, but we don’t get around to developing a discipleship strategy. In the place of a strategy, we are hopeful. I love this line from Winston Churchill. “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” If you don’t like your results, change the strategy. See also, 5 Signs You May Have a Bad Disciple-Making Strategy.
2. We don’t have a viable strategy. We don’t acknowledge the connection between results and design. We are the definition of insane and often do the same things over and over again, expecting a different result. We’ve never stopped to ask, “What would have to be true for that approach to work?” See also, 5 Signs Your Ministry Design Is Inadequate and Great Question: What Would Have to Be True?
3. We have an outdated strategy. We do have a strategy, but it’s designed for an entirely different era. Although virtually everything is different (pace of life, attention spans, biblical literacy, etc.), we are using a strategy that was tailor made for inhabitants of the 20th century (or earlier). Ed Stetzer has pointed this out saying, “If the 1950s came back, many churches are ready.” See also, 3 Steps to Take When the Flux Capacitor Fails.
4. We don’t actually know what we will call success. We can’t describe what a disciple will look like or how we’ll know when we’ve produced one. I am amazed at the simplicity of Dallas Willard’s words: “A mature disciple is one who effortlessly does what Jesus would do if Jesus were him.” See also, How to Make Disciples in Small Groups and 6 Essential Questions About Making Disciples and Small Group Ministry
5. We position discipleship as an extra credit endeavor. Bill Hull points out in his excellent book The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ: “We evangelicals accept and even encourage a two-level Christian experience in which only serious Christians pursue and practice discipleship while grace and forgiveness is enough for everyone else.”
6. We believe discipleship is a curriculum to be completed. We think discipleship happens in rows and is largely learning information and skills, while discipleship is “fundamentally about the choice to follow Jesus.” We think discipleship happens in 12 weeks or 36 weeks or two years, when as Bill Hull points out, “Discipleship isn’t for beginners alone; it’s for all believers for every day of their life.”

"Leading Effective Bible Studies"

Free eBook: "Leading Effective Bible Studies" by Laura Krokos

"Determine your direction, come up with a plan and lead in a way that gives opportunity for the Holy Spirit to transform the hearts and lives of your group."

Free eBook

Download and share this free eBook with your small group leadership team, Leading Effective Bible Studies by Laura Krokos.
From the author, “Have you ever led a Bible study? If so, I’m sure you’ve come across some issues you werent quite sure what to do about them. If not, you might think you’re not capable or wouldn’t know how to do it.  Whether your an experienced leader or just starting your first Bible study, this guide will help you determine your direction, come up with a plan and lead in a way that gives opportunity for the Holy Spirit to transform the hearts and lives of the ladies in your group.”

Get Download Now

Resource provided by Missional Women
Download Instructions: To download this resource, follow the on-screen directions at the download site.

5 Simple Mistakes That Sink Small Group Ministries

By Mark Howell

“Figuring out why small group ministries fail is not complicated.”

Figuring out why small group ministries fail is not complicated. There is a short list of simple mistakes that sink small group ministries.

5 Simple Mistakes that Sink Small Group Ministries
1. Allowing the senior pastor to delegate the role of small group champion. It may seem logical to delegate the role of small group champion to the small group pastor. After all, why have a small group pastor if not to be the champion? This simple mistake may seem logical, but when this is allowed to happen you announce to everyone that being involved in a small group is an add-on activity. You also fail to take advantage of the most influential voice in the church. See also, Rethinking the Role of the Small Group Pastor and Your Senior Pastor as Small Group Champion Leads to a Church OF Groups.
2. Adding members to existing groups instead of starting new groups. It seems like the right thing to do, doesn’t it? After all, don’t you have a commitment to help small group leaders succeed? Why shouldn’t you provide a steady stream of new members to existing groups? There are at least two very good reasons. First, prioritizing launching new groups is a key to building a thriving small group ministry. Second, it is actually counter productive to add new members to existing groups. Once a group has been meeting longer than about three months it becomes increasingly more difficult for a new member to break through the nearly impermeable membrane that forms. Only the most brazen extroverts,  experienced party crashers, and friends of current members succeed. Everyone else finds breaking into the clique too difficult. See also, Top 5 Ways to Start New Groups. Lots of New Groups and Critical Decision: Add Members to Existing Groups vs Starting New Groups.
3. Starting new groups without providing a coach. While building an effective coaching structure is definitely a challenging part of building a thriving small group ministry, providing someone with experience to walk alongside every new leader is an important key to sustaining the new groups you launch. Failing to provide a coach to guide every new leader is a simple mistake that sinks many small group ministries. You can start as many new groups as you’d like, but if you can’t sustain a high percentage of what you start your ministry will not grow. See also, 5 Steps to Sustaining the New Groups You Launch.
4. Calling everything a small group. In order to invite unconnected people to something more than an opportunity to develop friendships, what you invite them to must be something that provides the essential ingredients of life-change. Unless everything you call a small group provides the essential ingredients of life-change, you will often send unconnected people in the wrong direction, connecting them to programs that detour them from where they need to go. See also, Groups of All Kinds and the Essential Ingredients of Life-Change.
5. Promoting small groups on an annual basis. If the annual emphasis for small group ministry (alongside the annual emphasis for volunteering, student ministry, children’s ministry, foreign missions, local outreach, etc.) is the only time you talk about or promote the importance of being connected to a group, you will never build a thriving small group ministry. In fact, one of the most important reasons explaining Saddleback and North Point’s success at connecting such high percentages of their adult attendance to groups is that they never stop talking about small groups. See also, Top 10 Reasons Saddleback Has Connected Over 130% in Small Groups.
Recognize any of these mistakes in your own small group ministry?
What do you think?  Have a question?  Want to argue?  You can click here to jump into the conversation. 

5 Secrets of Building Ministry Momentum

By Mark Howell

“I also believe that none of these secrets are easy to do. If they were, everyone would have momentum.”

Momentum. Few of us have it. All of us want it.
How do you generate momentum? And how do you build and sustain momentum once you have it?
I believe there are some secrets to building momentum. I also believe that none of these secrets are easy to do. If they were, everyone would have momentum.
And yet … these secrets are not impossible to master. They are a challenge. But not because they are difficult. They are a challenge because they require keener insight and greater courage and discipline than most of us ordinarily have.
With insight, courage and discipline, mastering these secrets is quite obvious and imminently doable.
Here are five secrets of building ministry momentum:
1. Identify one experience that everyone needs. This is where keen insight is required. I often say that you’ve chosen the right church-wide campaign when you can legitimately say, “We’ll still be talking about what happened in the fall of 2015 10 years from now.” If you can’t say that about the campaign you’re considering … you’ve probably not identified the one experience that everyone needs. Another line I often use is that “you don’t want to get to November and wish you had been part of a group that is using the study.” Can you see how these two statements might form a test for whether you’ve chosen the right campaign? See also How to Choose the Right Church-Wide Campaign.
2. Choose the optimum window to offer the experience. This secret requires both insight and courage. In my experience, while the source of momentum may be somewhat of a mystery, the reasons for a lack of momentum are abundantly clear. There is a right window to offer every experience. You know what it is. I know what it is. When the right season is interrupted by an event or program that could (and should) be held some other time … that other event or program needs to be relocated. And that takes both insight and courage. See also When Is the Best Time to Launch a Church-Wide Campaign.
3. Narrow your focus to the experience you’ve chosen. This is an enormously important secret. If you want to build momentum, eliminating all other competing events and programs is essential. I know, eliminating is a very strong word. The key really is this. If you want to create momentum, you need to put a laser focus on the experience you have already declared is the one experience that everyone needs. This is not the time to promote everything equally. This is the time to focus the spotlight on the one thing you’ve chosen. See also 10 Principles for Building a Thriving Small Group Ministry.
4. Make the offer irresistible. Everything matters. The way you talk about the experience in your weekend service (announcements). The way your senior pastor refers to it in the sermon. The insert in the bulletin. The website. The church-wide email. The newsletter. Everything must ring true and ring loudly. Make it affordable (free if you can). Provide incentives for everyone who invites a friend (make it even more affordable). Ask everyone to consider donating a little extra so the resources can be free to everyone who cannot afford to participate. Everything you are doing must feel like a can’t afford to miss this opportunity. See also Budgeting for the Preferred Future.
5. Make the first step obvious and easy. This secret may feel like a no-brainer. But trust me … so many of us are NOT doing this. The first step MUST be totally obvious. Sign-up? You shouldn’t have to figure it out. You shouldn’t have to hope. Or wonder. How you sign up should be TOTALLY obvious. Where you sign-up should be TOTALLY obvious. And it should be EASY. If you have to be psychic (I usually say Carnac the Magnificent) to figure out how to sign up … it is not easy. See also How Would You Rate the First Steps Out of Your Auditorium?

Coaching (#2): Creating a culture of coaching in your house church

Coaching (#2):  Creating a culture of coaching in your house church
March 14, 2016  

Transformation!

In the LK10 Community, we have a high value for seeing people (starting with our own lives) become “conformed to the image of Christ”  (Rom. 8:29).  We believe that becoming clear about what God is initiating in our lives and, then, becoming clear about how to join Him in what He is doing, is the pathway to this kind of transformation.  And, coaching, is a powerful tool for helping each other on this journey.

Coaching is one person helping another by asking meaningful questions and listening deeply with gentile curiosity.  

To learn more about coaching, click on Coach Tim's smiling face below.  (This is Lesson Eight in our Leader 101 Course.)