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Six Megathemes for the Church in 2010 by Barna Research

In ministry we are always dealing with the agonies and joys of ministry.  The Barna Group revealed six megathemes impacting the church during 2010.  Some are discouraging and others are encouraging.  I want you to look at both as opportunities not obstacles; opportunities to call the church to a new level of dependency on the power of God to bring about revival within the church and spiritual awakening throughout country.  Here are their findings into how the religious movement in the US is morphing into something new.

1. The Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate.
What used to be basic, universally-known truths about Christianity are now unknown mysteries to a large and growing share of Americans--especially young adults. For instance, Barna Group studies in 2010 showed that while most people regard Easter as a religious holiday, only a minority of adults associate Easter with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2. Christians are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented.
Despite technological advances that make communications instant and far-reaching, Christians are becoming more spiritually isolated from non-Christians than was true a decade ago. Examples of this tendency include the fact that less than one-third of born again Christians planned to invite anyone to join them at a church event during the Easter season; teenagers are less inclined to discuss Christianity with their friends than was true in the past; most of the people who become Christians these days do so in response to a personal crisis or the fear of death (particularly among older Americans); and most Americans are unimpressed with the contributions Christians and churches have made to society over the past few years.

3. Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.
When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments and is not necessarily perceived to affect their ability to achieve their dreams.

4. Among Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating.
Largely driven by the passion and energy of young adults, Christians are more open to and more involved in community service activities than has been true in the recent past. While we remain more self-indulgent than self-sacrificing, the expanded focus on justice and service has struck a chord with many. However, despite the increased emphasis, churches run the risk of watching congregants’ engagement wane unless they embrace a strong spiritual basis for such service. Simply doing good works because it's the socially esteemed choice of the moment will not produce much staying power

5. The postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church.
Our biblical illiteracy and lack of spiritual confidence has caused Americans to avoid making discerning choices for fear of being labeled judgmental. The result is a Church that has become tolerant of a vast array of morally and spiritually dubious behaviors and philosophies. This increased leniency is made possible by the very limited accountability that occurs within the body of Christ.

6. The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible.
Christianity has arguably added more value to American culture than any other religion, philosophy, ideology or community. Yet, contemporary Americans are hard pressed to identify any specific value added. Partly due to the nature of today’s media, they have no problem identifying the faults of the churches and Christian people.  In a period of history where image is reality, and life-changing decisions are made on the basis of such images, the Christian Church is in desperate need of a more positive and accessible image. The primary obstacle is not the substance of the principles on which Christianity is based, and therefore the solution is not solely providing an increase in preaching or public relations. The most influential aspect of Christianity in America is how believers do--or do not--implement their faith in public and private.

Concluding challenge: With the likelihood of an accelerating pace of life and increasingly incomplete cues being given to the population, Christian leaders would do well to revisit their criteria for "success" and the measures used to assess it. In a society in which choice is king, there are no absolutes, every individual is a free agent, we are taught to be self-reliant and independent, and Christianity is no longer the automatic, default faith of young adults, new ways of relating to Americans and exposing the heart and soul of the Christian faith are required.  Read the complete article

"When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night..." Nehemiah 1:4-6

 

 

Free Evangelism Webinars by Gary Rohrmayer

Do you want to raise the evangelistic temperature of your church? 

Gary Rohrmayer, in partners hip with Chris Walker of www.evangelismcoach.org, conducted three 90 minutes webinars to help you as a christian leader increase the passion for evangelism throughout your church.

• How pastors can increase the number of spiritual conversations in their life.

• How pastors can better equip their church to reach their sphere of influence.

• How pastors can sow seeds of awareness throughout their community.

Spiritual Warfare: Blinding People

This week is our final post in addressing the question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

14. Blinding People

“A leaders gentle reaction and sound instruction are their greatest weapons” – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 2 Timothy 2:26 - Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Problem: “Satan blinds people to truth”. J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Gently persuade people winning them over by manner as well as truth”. J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• What are some of the natural responses to opposition?
• How can the enemy use our natural responses to add to the problem?
• How can the enemy use youthful passions to derail leaders?  (II Timothy 2:22)
• How can the enemy use quarrels to deceive people? (II Timothy 2:23-24)
• How can the enemy use quarrels and controversies to distract the church?
• Why is gentleness so powerful in these situations?
• How many of the qualifications of elders have to do with emotional maturity? (I Timothy 3:1-7)

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, Gentle Savior, sanctify our hearts through trusting You rather than our own inclinations. May we be empowered through the spirit of gentleness and our trust in the truth of God rather than the force of our personalities.  Father, save us from the temptation to trust our natural inclinations and overreact under pressure.  As we humbly trust You, set people free who are captive to the enemy's will, break the bonds of spiritual death and divisiveness.  In the strong Name of Jesus, Amen.

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Where do I start? Read these 3 church planting manuals by Michael Clark

In the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to speak with several people who have expressed a call to plant churches or at least a strong inclination that this might be what God has for them.  However, after recognizing God’s call it is often difficult to know where to start.  There are so many resources on church planting that it is difficult to know where to start.

If you are starting out the church planting process or have a strong inclination to do so, we would recommend that you begin by reading three church planting manuals.  All three manuals have been invaluable to Sojourn and its leadership.  These manuals will provide a rich theology of church planting, as well as practical information about what is involved in planting a church. Most importantly, the manuals will guide you on where to start.

The first recommended manual is The Reedemer Church Planter Manual developed by Tim Keller and J. Allen Thompson at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York.  The manual “is an extensive compendium of outlines, lectures, essays, exercises and other materials that prepare learners for church planting especially in an urban setting.”  Unlike some manuals which are too general or too context specific, the Redeemer Manual is designed to “equip the reader to think creatively about how to start churches in any context, culture or people group.” The manual is divided into five parts: 1) Owning the Church Planting Vision, 2) Learning and Planning, 3) Launching the Church, 4) Spiritual Renewal Dynamics, and 5) Changing the Fabric of the City.

The second recommended manual is First Steps for Planting a Missional Church by Gary Rohrmayer.  Rohrmayer’s manual is a comprehensive workbook for planting a missional church developed out of FirstSteps Seminars on church planting.  Robert E. Logan, who wrote the forward to the manual, explains the title of the manual.  He states that “The idea of ’steps’ is an important concept, because it is a double entendre. The word evokes both movement and foundation … it explores the idea of moving forward to reproduce churches while being founded and grounded in the glory and mission of God.”

The third recommended manual is actually two manuals available through Global Church Advancement trainings directed by Steve Childers.  The first manual is Church Planting Foundations and the second is Church Planting Essentials.  At Sojourn, we recommend all church planters who are beginning the process to attend the GCA training.  The trainings and manuals guide the church planter through what GCA calls, “the seven seasons of church planting and multiplication.”  The first manual covers vision, calling, focus, prayer, learning, philosophy, purpose, values, styles, ministry model, discipleship model, planting model, finance plan, ministry plan, and personal plan.

These three manuals have played important roles in Sojourn’s development.  I hope that they may help you as well as you seek to obey God’s call and see the Gospel transform your life, your city, and the world. HT