260 likes | 352 Views
Mission in Transition. Lutheran Hours Ministry ROC Chicago. Agenda – Mission in Transition. How serious is the need? What are the symptoms? What can we do?. How Serious is the Need?. Mission in Transition Lutheran Hour Ministries ROC Chicago. LCMS Trends (numbers shown in millions).
E N D
Mission in Transition Lutheran Hours Ministry ROC Chicago
Agenda – Mission in Transition • How serious is the need? • What are the symptoms? • What can we do?
How Serious is the Need? Mission in Transition Lutheran Hour Ministries ROC Chicago
LCMS TrendsAverage Weekend Worship Attendance* * Based on average of reporting congregations
What are the Symptoms? Mission in Transition Lutheran Hour Ministries ROC Chicago
Canaries • Declining worship attendance • Decreased giving or “I’ll only give for…” • Can’t pay people to serve on the and the Boards • Members define the “problem” as lack of money • People propose as the “solution” to the “problem” • People put up with (quality) • “If only…” becomes the hope / reason / excuse
Toxins in the Body • Lack of belief in God’s promises and provision • Poor stewardship • Complacency/ self satisfaction • “Inside” perspective • Poor quality • Few Christ-centered relationships • Money is the problem and the answer
Sin and Programs Programmatic responses What we observe Word and Sacrament
The Lutheran verses • Ephesians 2:8-9 • “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” • Ephesians 2:10 • “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
What do we do? Mission in Transition Lutheran Hour Ministries ROC Chicago
Survival or…? • Israel in the wilderness • Abraham • Moses • Barak • Gideon • David • You • Me
Transformed • “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2,3 (NIV)
Outreach vs. Engagement • Outreach • “to reach out” • Engagement • “a: the act of engaging: the state of being engaged • b: emotional involvement or commitment”
What do we do? • Jesus is the point, the center, the direction, the answer, the… • Pray for your pastor and his family • Do an informal assessment: inward or outward focused • Website • Signage • Visitor’s POV • Programs • Quality • Board and Voter’s meeting subjects
What do we do? (cont.) • Mission of the congregation • Purpose • Direction • LCEF / Mission InSite Study • Point of engagement • Long-term • “Emotional commitment” • Start small and keep going • The flywheel principal • Requires engaged people to be engaged!
Together • “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)
Contact Information Bob Gleason Robert Gleason Consulting LLC bob@robertgleasonconsulting.com 414-530-3195