Annual meetings can be most effective when they communicate clearly and adequately. This takes multiple considerations:
1. Timeliness: getting the information out in a manner that allows people to make appropriate plans on their calnedars.
2. Adequate: Two points here. First there is adequate communication in terms of frequency. As a minister of education I told my church leaders they should seek to announce an event or other information at least thirteen times in at least four different media. Second, there must be adequate information conveyed that will allow the targeted particpants to know what is going on and how they are to be involved.
3. Target group: The right people must get the necessary information. Chains of communication must include the right people. Assume nothing!
4. Level of importance: The method of communication must convey the importance of the event/information. People with tight schedules and full calendars will make choices.
5. Value of the event/information: It is important to you. Why should it be important to them?
Annual meetings can be special times for local church members. Today's members, however, don't need an associational annual meeting to catch up on the latest social events. Determine the reason for the annual meeting, and convey its importance for the churches in no uncertain terms. If it conveys nothing important, then say so, drop it, and stop cluttering up the calendar!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Those Annual Meetings
Our 2010 associational annual meeting is now history. The usual comments were made: thankful there were not a lot of boring oral reports, the speakers were exciting mostly, we had good numbers, where was so-and-so's preacher. I have to step back and ask why do we have these things.
1. They are great times of fellowship. The fact is that so many people came in just before starting time that there was no time for greetings except for the silver head generation members who always arrive 45 minutes early. Some stayed afterward for the refreshments, but probably less than half. It seems that fellowship is where you find it; it is not programmed. Even the sit-down meal of the second session kept people talking to those they already knew mostly form their own church.
2. We have a great worship experience. That I guess comes under your definition of worship. The prgram does not lend itself toward heart preparation for hearing the voice of God. There is a general watching of clocks to see if we are on schedule to get out on time, though that sounds a lot like Sunday mornings as well. The opening devotion and prayer do point in the right direction but their emphasis is often soon lost. I hear more effort at humor than is given to offering our time to God.
3. We are doing the Lord's work. That again may be a matter of your defintion of Kingdom work. Voting on committee recomendations related to other committees and other meetings has little connection to Kingdom work. Hopefully an examination and approval of the next year's budget will draw attention to Kingdom priorities. Mission and ministry testimonies most assuredly ought to be considered Kingdom work. Songs, devotions, and keynote speakers should be focused upon Kingdom work. These areas I can agree are Kingdom work areas.
4. The time together is inspirational. That remains to be seen. If positive change occurs in the churches because of what is experienced or decided in these meetings, then we have accomplished much. If we have been inspired to go back to our congregations and repeat what we did last year, then the time has been wasted and the inspiration was of the shallowest kind. The time together made us have a short period of good feelings and that was the end.
Should associational meetings be like ideal church homecomings? Should there be a greater focus on what we are going to do because of what we have done instead of lingering over successes and efforts out of the past? Reports that stir to greater efforts and testimonies that inspire deeper commitment perhaps should be the centerpieces of annual meetings. That is true Kingdom business.
1. They are great times of fellowship. The fact is that so many people came in just before starting time that there was no time for greetings except for the silver head generation members who always arrive 45 minutes early. Some stayed afterward for the refreshments, but probably less than half. It seems that fellowship is where you find it; it is not programmed. Even the sit-down meal of the second session kept people talking to those they already knew mostly form their own church.
2. We have a great worship experience. That I guess comes under your definition of worship. The prgram does not lend itself toward heart preparation for hearing the voice of God. There is a general watching of clocks to see if we are on schedule to get out on time, though that sounds a lot like Sunday mornings as well. The opening devotion and prayer do point in the right direction but their emphasis is often soon lost. I hear more effort at humor than is given to offering our time to God.
3. We are doing the Lord's work. That again may be a matter of your defintion of Kingdom work. Voting on committee recomendations related to other committees and other meetings has little connection to Kingdom work. Hopefully an examination and approval of the next year's budget will draw attention to Kingdom priorities. Mission and ministry testimonies most assuredly ought to be considered Kingdom work. Songs, devotions, and keynote speakers should be focused upon Kingdom work. These areas I can agree are Kingdom work areas.
4. The time together is inspirational. That remains to be seen. If positive change occurs in the churches because of what is experienced or decided in these meetings, then we have accomplished much. If we have been inspired to go back to our congregations and repeat what we did last year, then the time has been wasted and the inspiration was of the shallowest kind. The time together made us have a short period of good feelings and that was the end.
Should associational meetings be like ideal church homecomings? Should there be a greater focus on what we are going to do because of what we have done instead of lingering over successes and efforts out of the past? Reports that stir to greater efforts and testimonies that inspire deeper commitment perhaps should be the centerpieces of annual meetings. That is true Kingdom business.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Using the Annual Congregational Profile
As the statistics come in, I determine again what I will do with them. We ask our churches to go through the rigorous and time consuming process of filling in names and numbers. We should be able to tell these hard working citizens of the Kingdom that we intend to make productive use of their efforts. These are a few of the ways I analyze their details that lead to a deeper involvement in the lives of the churches.
With Sunday School, numbers that show average attendance and enrollment being nearly equal reveal a church that probably has little tolerance for absentees. This church has lost a vision for ministry. It is more concerned with percentages than transforming lives. Helping them to see the importance of enrolling prospects should be a priority. Stats that indicate enrollment in age groups that do not reflect the demographics of the community can also indicate a congregation that has turned inward and is no longer in contact with its context. These people need to be awakened.
Mission statistics should lead a Director of Missions to determine where people are involved in mission work, on campus or off. Sending packages by mail brings a different impact on a church than does sending people out to get their hands dirty. Is the missions financial support staying local or going global? Are mission funds being used in cooperative efforts such as the local association and Cooperative Program or are they primarily used for designated projects and personnel? Additionally how committed is the church to funding missions as revealed by its ratio of mission gifts to total church receipts?
I personally have an interest in how churches are seeking to disciple their members from the time the individuals first start relating to the church and on through the following years. Determining how many are involved in discipleship training as a ratio with resident membership can lead to questions concerning a core group receiving the bulk of the training or if there is a wide spread interest in growing as disciples.
Seeing these statistics as windows into the life and priorities of a church can generate questions that will allow an associational missionary to approach a church with relevant offers of assistance. Needs will become obvious and the biggest hurdle will become getting the church leadership to see the needs as well. This will take sensitive and patient communication.
With Sunday School, numbers that show average attendance and enrollment being nearly equal reveal a church that probably has little tolerance for absentees. This church has lost a vision for ministry. It is more concerned with percentages than transforming lives. Helping them to see the importance of enrolling prospects should be a priority. Stats that indicate enrollment in age groups that do not reflect the demographics of the community can also indicate a congregation that has turned inward and is no longer in contact with its context. These people need to be awakened.
Mission statistics should lead a Director of Missions to determine where people are involved in mission work, on campus or off. Sending packages by mail brings a different impact on a church than does sending people out to get their hands dirty. Is the missions financial support staying local or going global? Are mission funds being used in cooperative efforts such as the local association and Cooperative Program or are they primarily used for designated projects and personnel? Additionally how committed is the church to funding missions as revealed by its ratio of mission gifts to total church receipts?
I personally have an interest in how churches are seeking to disciple their members from the time the individuals first start relating to the church and on through the following years. Determining how many are involved in discipleship training as a ratio with resident membership can lead to questions concerning a core group receiving the bulk of the training or if there is a wide spread interest in growing as disciples.
Seeing these statistics as windows into the life and priorities of a church can generate questions that will allow an associational missionary to approach a church with relevant offers of assistance. Needs will become obvious and the biggest hurdle will become getting the church leadership to see the needs as well. This will take sensitive and patient communication.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Communication within the association
Our churches are very slowly turning in their ACPs. My administrative associate is about to pull her hair out. Is this just paper work to keep the statisticians happy? Is there real value in putting our laity through all these numbers when apparently very few care what those numbers are now or were twelve months ago?
Some thoughts on how I use the numbers as comparisons from year to year:
1. Which churches are trying something new
2. Which churches are losing as many members as they are gaining
3. What is the ratio of baptismal additions versus other additions
4. Which churches are putting an emphasis upon discipleship training including new members classes
5. Which churches are developing mission education
6. Which churches are increasing or decreasing their spending on missions
7. Which churches are using mission activity to reach out into their communities
8. Knowing their demographic situation, which churches could use various kinds of resources and encouragement
9. Which churches can I cluster together for a focused training event
I'm open to other good ideas that are more than just comparing last year's numbers to this year.
Looking at numbers alone is not enough. Too many variables can make an effective disicple-making church look like it is in trouble (a major population shift) and a sleepy inward-focused church look active (a split in a nearby church sends several members to them). An ACP is useless unless you know the DNA of the church and have a good sense of its life dynamics. An ongoing awareness, good communication, of what each church is facing is still a key to being able to use ACPs effectively,
Some thoughts on how I use the numbers as comparisons from year to year:
1. Which churches are trying something new
2. Which churches are losing as many members as they are gaining
3. What is the ratio of baptismal additions versus other additions
4. Which churches are putting an emphasis upon discipleship training including new members classes
5. Which churches are developing mission education
6. Which churches are increasing or decreasing their spending on missions
7. Which churches are using mission activity to reach out into their communities
8. Knowing their demographic situation, which churches could use various kinds of resources and encouragement
9. Which churches can I cluster together for a focused training event
I'm open to other good ideas that are more than just comparing last year's numbers to this year.
Looking at numbers alone is not enough. Too many variables can make an effective disicple-making church look like it is in trouble (a major population shift) and a sleepy inward-focused church look active (a split in a nearby church sends several members to them). An ACP is useless unless you know the DNA of the church and have a good sense of its life dynamics. An ongoing awareness, good communication, of what each church is facing is still a key to being able to use ACPs effectively,
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Why Blog?
Blogging is for people who have something to say. That may be insightful thoughts on life in general or ministry in particular. It may also be in the form of questions for which answers are sought. That is more my reason for blogging. I have more questions than answers and everyday brings more revelations about how little I know even after 60 years of life and 35 years of service in the gospel ministry. In these brief comments I will be looking for help in finding answers. I need answers to troubled relationships. These exist between individuals and God, between individuals and society, between individuals and their churches, between individuals and the Church. They exist between individuals and their families, between individuals and their friends, between individuals and their own desires.
I will share what little I have gleaned along the pilgrim path and reveal what I still need to learn. I seek help from God and all fellow pilgrims. I look forward to your comments.
I will share what little I have gleaned along the pilgrim path and reveal what I still need to learn. I seek help from God and all fellow pilgrims. I look forward to your comments.
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