Church Priorities

In a recent survey by The Barna Group, pastors most frequently mentioned these ministries as top priorities for their churches:

47%  Discipleship and spiritual development

46%  Evangelism and outreach

35%  Preaching

The lowest priorities among the dozen ministries described by pastors were ministry to families (4%) and prayer (3%).

Source: The Center for Missional Research

The Fear Factor of Church Planting

by Les Dobbins, Church Equipping Manager, Church Planting, NAMB

"Imagine a world where your greatest fears become reality." This first line on tv.com describes the television phenomenon "Fear Factor." On this program, contestants face tasks so ominous that most become mentally and physically paralyzed and unable to continue. Even though they may reap huge rewards for finishing, their fears bring failure and they miss the goal for which they strive.

Believe it or not, the major reasons given by churches for not engaging in church planting boil down to fear. We're afraid to work with people who aren't like us, of spreading ourselves too thin, of losing good leaders and members, of upsetting a fellow pastor and the list goes on.

But here's the heart stopper, the number one fear of involvement in church planting is fear of failure. As I thought about this reality, three passages of scripture surfaced- Matthew 26:69-75, Romans 8:15, and Matthew 28:20. In the first, Peter's mind was so distorted by fear he denied even knowing his best friend. In the second, Paul says we have not received a spirit of fear, but the Spirit of sonship. In the third, we're told by Christ that He never leaves us-He's always with us.

Why did Peter fear for his life? Why are churches afraid of trying to reach the lost and unchurched people groups in North America through church planting? One reason is that they face a journey into the unknown-into something they've never done before. What if they fail? The fear of venturing out alone into new territory often brings paralysis. But, churches need not travel alone; they have the Holy Spirit and a host of partners (local, state and national) with tools to equip, guide, support and nurture them in their journey.

Over the last year, the Partners in Church Planting Guide has been providing the resources, tools and support needed to complete the church planting journey successfully. Coupled with this guide are more than 390 church planting consultants nationwide who help local churches understand how to effectively use the Partners in Church Planting Guide and begin their planting journey.

As missional leaders, we have the opportunity and responsibility to help churches fulfill their "Great Commission" from God. They can experience the journey of a lifetime as we help them take their first church planting steps:

1. Commit as a partnering church
2. Develop and implement a prayer strategy
3. Train and deploy a church planting leadership team
4. Become aware of and understand the people groups God is revealing
5. Develop a planting strategy
6. Enlist and equip a planting team
7. Secure needed planting resources
8. Enlist supporting churches
9. Implement planting strategy
10. Evaluate accomplishments

Scary? Yes, at least the first time, but not debilitating! Uncertainties? Of course, but nothing crushing! When churches can see the steps in the church planting journey, focus on the One who is guiding and going with them, and be encouraged and nurtured by partners who stand beside them, what's left to fear?

As missional leaders, it's up to us to help our existing churches see the beautiful, exciting picture of people experiencing Jesus in their lives and in a church body of their own. It's up to us to help them take those first steps in their church planting journey. Tools and equipping resources that support the Church Planting Process are as close as your state convention office or the churchplantingvillage.net.

Imagine a world where a church's church planting fears never become reality! Talk with your state convention's church planting leadership about becoming part of their growing partnership planting team. Help God's people overcome fears of the unknown and of uncertainty. Help them experience God's adventure-No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV).

Increases in spiritual activity

In 2006, 47% of adults said they read the Bible during a typical week, up dramatically from 1995, when the number hit a 20-year low of just 31%. Increases were also registered in four more areas: church attendance, involvement in small groups that meet for Bible reading and other spiritual practices, church volunteerism, and Sunday School attendance.

The only two areas out of the seven that did not see an increase were prayer and evangelism. In the survey, 84% said they had prayed during the preceding week-a high percentage that has not changed since 1993.

As for personal evangelism, 60% of born again Christians said they had shared their faith with someone they knew was not a Christian. As with prayer, this percentage has not changed during the last decade.

Where are the people?

Where do those who identify themselves as Christian go to experience their religious faith traditions?

74%  attend only a conventional church

19%  attend both a house church and a conventional church

5%  attend only a house church

2%  small group, but not considered a house church

Source: The Barna Group, 2006

Tips for Creating Strong Sermons

By Jay Raines and Toby Frost

"Nothing surely is more alive than a word," said J. Donald Adams as he attempted to capture the power of language. Preaching has always been timeless, biblical and essential in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. "How shall they hear without a preacher?" Paul asked in Romans 10:14. Not only preaching but good preaching is essential. Effective communicators must capture the attention of the congregation and move them to action. Hear are some simple suggestions:

• Develop the sermon like a story. Preaching to multiple generations is a challenge for today's pastor, but everyone seems to enjoy a good story. Stories have three main elements: characters, setting and plot.
• Bring the characters to life. Each sermon has three kinds of characters: Biblical characters in the text, present-day characters in the pew--the audience, and Jesus Himself who is both subject and guide during the presentation of the message.
• Set the scene. Strong Biblical sermons guide the imagination of the audience to experience the setting and circumstances of the biblical text. Once the historical scene is set, simply transition the characters and plot to crescendo in relevance to the present-day lives of the audience.
• Create suspense with a strong plot. A Christ-centered sermon already contains the most powerful plot in all of history-the work of the cross. Each message, then, is an application of that plot to the text. Consider the elements of plot: conflict, crisis, climax and resolution. For example, in the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1-9), the sower of the seed is fighting an uphill battle in three of the four types of soil. Conflict: Birds, boulders and brush seem to prevent any lasting results for the seed. Crisis: One begins to relate to the plight of the sower and the tragedy of the soil. Climax: Listeners are reminded of their own vain attempts to be productive and fruitful in life. They understand how effortless it is to blame the environment for their failures. Resolution: Right next to this tragedy, within arms reach of the sower, there is something good, something alive! Now listeners want to know: How can I become like the good soil? That's when you take them to the cross.
• Call the listener to action. The gospel of Christ inherently demands a decision from your audience. Some need to receive Christ. Some need to follow Jesus in baptism and church membership. God is calling some to dedicate anew to His lordship. Find ways to encourage listeners to take life-changing action. Give the audience a mechanism (response card, availability of an encourager, come-forward invitation, etc.) to record their decisions.
• Use vivid language as you make your points. Use action verbs to provoke listeners to action. Employ precise, descriptive nouns and verbs that engage the senses and transport listeners to the world you are creating in your sermon.  
• Leave some questions unanswered: Sermons should create discussion. Often, preachers tend to give all the answers leaving no room for discussion. Discovery, however, is one of the most powerful methods of learning. It's what drove gold miners to travel west and astronauts to risk a moon landing. Leaving a few key questions unanswered could prove to be the most productive element of the sermon. For example, in John chapter eight, Jesus writes on the ground with His finger when the woman caught in adultery is brought to Him. We don't know what he wrote, but it's captivating to imagine the possibilities.
• Challenge the listener to greatness. Lee Hamilton, Director of the Smithsonian's Woodrow Wilson Center, likes to recount an incident in the life of Abraham Lincoln. After a visit to a Washington church service Lincoln told a friend that the sermon had excellent content, eloquent delivery and scholarly preparation. "Then you thought it was a great sermon," the companion asked. Lincoln's reply was, "No." Upon being asked why, Lincoln replied, "Because the pastor forgot the sermon's most important ingredient...he forgot to ask us to do something great."

A great preacher is an artist who paints the gospel with words. Practice your pulpit skills. Prepare your presentation. Pray with passion. There is no greater craft than the art of powerful preaching to answer the questions of life, introduce multitudes to new life in Jesus Christ, move people to action and spark their imaginations to do something great for eternity.