Ken Priddy Blog

The Great Commission Matrix

2010-12-02T05:15:00.000-08:00

HIGH M-PACT Revitalization (HMR) is the process that I have developed over the past eighteen years to lead a church through comprehensive revitalization. Because of its comprehensive nature, many churches have struggled to get revitalization going because HMR is quite demanding of time, energy, commitment and creativity. In light of this, I have moved the starting line back to a "kinder, friendlier" model that I'm calling simply Basic Church Vitalization (BCV).

BCV is a stand-alone approach to establishing health and growth in a church that gives churches and excellent opportunity to move their ministries forward. Seminal elements of HMR are utilized so that, should a church decide to move beyond BCV to HMR, seeds are already planted and momentum already gained so that HMR can be engaged more quickly and effectively. Please note that an entire narrative of HMR is currently available as a download on my website at www.kenpriddy.com.

One of the key concepts of Basic Church Vitalization is the Great Commission Matrix. The idea is simple and yet holds tremendous potential for making ministry happen. First, identify all of the ministries or programs currently active in the church. Then run each through the matrix of the Great Commission. How so? The Great Commission states, "Go and make disciples." Think of "Go" as Outreach, "Make" as Evangelism, and "Disciples" as Discipleship.

Second, run each ministry or program through the Go - Make - Disciples grid. For example, let's say that one of the church's ministries is Youth Ministry. To run Youth Ministry through the grid, church leaders would ask three questions:

1. Go/Outreach: What strategies can we employ to reach out to youth in the community through Youth Ministry?

2. Make/Evangelism: What strategies can we employ to evangelize the youth in the community through Youth Ministry?

3. Disciples/Discipleship: What strategies can we employ in Youth Ministry to disciple youth from the community who have been reached through outreach and evangelism?

Envision every ministry/program of the church having the capacity to reach into the community to build relationships with the lost, to present the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to the lost with clarity, and to grow those who respond to the call of Christ to maturity in Christ through discipleship. The church that is able to make this happen throughout its ministries and programs is a church that will have great spiritual and strategic vitality. The Great Commission Matrix is one of the elements of Basic Church Vitalization.

Leading Worship

2010-11-02T02:56:00.000-07:00

Having been a worship leader for many years and a worshipper for many more, I'd like to speak to the issue of leading worship. Here's a little background. I'm a second career minister; my first career was professional musician. As you might imagine, I spent night after night, hour after hour, on stage and became quite familiar and comfortable with appealing to an audience. As I like to say it, Jesus "ruined my career," calling me to a life and ministry that was a complete reversal from where I was headed in my pop music life.

Now on "stage" as a worship leader, I called on my years of experience as an entertainer to engage the "crowd," now a congregation. Obviously I was off base. This was not a crowd and this was not entertainment, and the worship leader as center of attraction and attention was far off the mark. I was to be a worship leader, not the star of the show. So I retreated into my invisible worship leader period, setting up my keyboard rig in some obscure corner of the platform trying to lead worship much like the Wizard of Oz, behind the curtain. I was determined not to be the center of attention, so I hid myself and let the music simply carry the moment. Again I was off the mark.

The challenge is that the worship leader needs to demand focus and be invisible simultaneously, but how do you pull that off. Over the years I have come to understand that the worship leader needs to function much like a tour guide, say, at Disneyland. The tourists enter the theme park and hop on the trolley, riding around the park guided by the expertise of the tour guide. The guide is intimately acquainted with the main attractions and has in-depth knowledge and experience concerning all the ins and outs of the park. The tourists listen to the guide with interest, taking in all that the guide provides while looking past the guide to the main attractions. At the end of the day, happy and fulfilled tourists leave the park with great memories of the main attractions, having essentially forgotten all about the tour guide.

As a tour guide, the worship leader is intimately acquainted with the main attraction, God, and has in-depth knowledge and experience in worshipping Him. The worship leader is a conduit, connecting God to His people and His people to God. The worship leader is not there to worship but is there to see that God is worshipped by His people. The worship leader is not worshipping but is working hard to see that worship takes place.

What if a preacher walked to the pulpit on a given Sunday and began to study the Bible with language aids and commentaries while the congregation watched? Does that sound ridiculous? Of course it does. The preacher studies during the week and brings the best of his findings to the pulpit and guides the congregation in study. The congregation doesn't watch the preacher study; it watches the preacher preach. Likewise, the worship leader doesn't come to the platform to worship but to lead worship. This leader has worshipped God throughout the week and brings the best of that worship to the platform to guide the congregation in worship. The congregation doesn't watch the worship leader worship; it watches the worship leader lead!

At the end of the worship service, happy and fulfilled congregants leave the church having had a great encounter with the living God, and having essentially forgotten all about the worship leader.

Proclamation & Demonstration

2010-10-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

Last week I heard a missionary speak. He serves in Turkey, a country that he describes as culturally Muslim. To be born a Turk is to be born a Muslim, much as in bygone days to be born an American was to be born a cultural Christian; perhaps not so much these days. When asked to reveal his ministry approach to evangelism, he stated that he simply uses the evangelism model of Jesus, that being to proclaim the Gospel and to demonstrate the Gospel. According to this missionary, making their ministry visible by way of demonstration, by way of being the Gospel, lets people see the nature of Christ. As the Holy Spirit moves in the hearts and minds of people, those people seek out this new breed of people who have come to town, and find them easily because they are so visible in their actions.

I was profoundly struck by this simple model, immediately connecting the concept to my own model for reaching the lost which I describe as outreach coupled with evangelism, or deploying contact strategies and convert strategies. In short, I connected the demonstration of the Gospel to outreach or contact strategies, and I connected the proclamation of the Gospel to evangelism or convert strategies.

As I have considered the streamlined model of proclamation and demonstration, it seems to me that we in conservative evangelical circles are fully committed to proclamation, but fall woefully short in our commitment to demonstration. Yet it is in demostration that the opportunity for proclamation is nurtured. In practice, we proclaim to ourselves, while never getting the Gospel to those who need to hear it, the lost.

How visible is our demonstration of the Gospel? Do we, a la Acts 2, enjoy the favor of the people? Are people being winsomely drawn to the Gospel because of our visible outreach? Will we ever stop talking to ourselves?

The Story of Ministry Priorities

2010-09-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

What are your ministry priorities? Over the course of this year I have served as adjunct faculty at three seminaries. One exercise I have used concerns Ministry Priorities. I identify ten typical ministry priorities as follows:

Worship
Prayer
Teaching/Preaching
Discipleship/Education
Fellowship
Evangelism
Pastoral Care
Missions
Community Service/Outreach
Giving/Tithing

Of course there might be others if you were to design the list, but in general these are priorities of a typical church. I ask students to rank these ministry priorities in their order of importance. You can imagine the consternation this generates. Aren't all ministry priorities of equal importance? Who's to say what ministries are more important than others?

These are not the questions that should be asked. The question should be, "Based on what criterion?" If we are to rank these ministry priorities as to their order of importance, what grid or measuring stick should we use? Church leaders tend to use a default criterion such as history, tradition, or convention, along the lines of "we've always done it this way." I would argue that the true criterion for gauging ministry priorities should be God's vision for a particular church in a particular community. Further, I would argue that God's vision for a particular church in a particular community has much to do with outreach and evangelism, as in "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost," (Luke 19:10); as in "Go and make disciples," (Matthew 28:19), as in "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few," (Matthew 9:37).

Back to seminary classes: so I ask these students to rank these ministry priorities according to their importance. As a final treatment, I ask students to analyze the ministries of their churches in two ways. First, rank the order of these ministry priorities according to what the church says about its priorities. Second, rank the order of these ministry priorities according to what the church actually does about its priorities. Then they are to compare the two lists and note any gaps between what is said and what is done.

Guess what? In almost every case, regardless of how high the priorities of Missions, Community Service/Outreach and Evangelism are listed in the says list, they fall toward the bottom in the does list. The only priority that ranks consistently lower than these in the does list is Giving/Tithing.

Isn't it interesting that most American churches are seeing very little fruit in evangelism and are struggling financially!

Sola Cutting Edge - NOT!

2010-08-01T08:50:00.001-07:00

I'm always on the lookout for new or unknown materials and tools that might be of help to the pastors and leaders I serve in my training and consulting ministry. Recently I have become familiar with two promising resources that might be classified under discipleship or small groups, but that carry an evangelism commitment that takes these materials beyond the typical. First is The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and second is The Acts 29 Kit by Chris Kovac. These were both mentioned in my July 1, 2010 blog. My intent here is not simply to repeat myself, but as I have considered these resources, especially Halter's offering, the phrase "cutting edge" has come to mind. The Tangible Kingdom is, indeed, on the cutting edge of missional, incarnational ministry.

When we use the idiomatic expression "the cutting edge" we are identifying that which has taken the innovative lead in an enterprise or that which is out front, first to the field. The American Heritage Dictionary cites definitions for "cutting edge" as 1. an effective quality or element, and 2. the position of greatest advancement or importance; the forefront. The Collins English Dictionary defines "cutting edge" as the leading position in any field; forefront. As someone who has planted churches and who thrives on the adventure of ministry, I have often prided myself (this is a confession) on being on the cutting edge, as if somehow I've understood something that others haven't understood or been places that others haven't gone. But my recent thoughts on the proverbial "cutting edge" took me to an unexpected place as I began to consider the literal cutting edge, that part of a knife that literally cuts.

Google being what it is, I did a bit of research on knives and I discovered something obvious and yet completely missed in the fascination with the cutting edge. Simply stated, the cutting edge cannot cut anything without the participation of the rest of the knife. Without the entire knife, the cutting edge is just a thin sliver of metal with no purpose, function or capability. A typical knife has at least ten identifiable parts: blade, handle, point, edge, grind, spine, fuller, ricasso, guard, and buff. All need to work in concert or the edge cannot cut.

Not all pastors and leaders, or churches for that matter, can be on the cutting edge of ministry, but all need to be part of the knife, empowering, enabling, and equipping those on the edge to do the innovative, first on the field, forefront work. I don't want to go overboard with this metaphor at this point (point; get it!) as I'm still thinking it through, but I do want to encourage the cutting edge to understand its dependency on the rest of the knife, and I want the rest of the knife to understand the strategic importance of the cutting edge. And if you as a pastor or leader, or even church or judicatory, are not even part of the knife at all, please step up now and put your force behind the cutting edge.

Finally, just to be clear, the cutting edge of the church is the slashing, penetrating Gospel as it cuts into the hearts, lives and communities of the lost. It's the applied Great Commission!

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do? Acts 2:37 ESV

Busy Month - Much to Share

2010-07-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy month and I've come across numerous items I'd like to share as follows:

I'm about mid-way through reading one of the most important books of my ministry lifetime. The title is Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity by Nancy Pearcey. Think intelligence - apologetics - theology - history - L'Abri - Francis Schaeffer, and more. This book is endorsed by folks such as J.I. Packer, Ralph Winter, and J.P. Moreland. It's one of those books that's difficult to highlight because virtually every page would be all yellow. Read it!

Discipleship Recommendations:
I ran into Hugh Halter at a conference a few weeks ago. He gave me a copy of his work, The Tangible Kingdom primer: an eight-week guide to incarnational community. If you're looking to mobilize small groups into missional communities, grab this resource. If your ministry context is not yet ready for this primer, check out the Acts 29 Kit by Chris Kovac, published by Navigators.

Great Speakers:
Last week's EPC General Assembly featured guest speakers Reggie McNeal and Richard Pratt. Both were strong. McNeal's Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church needs a look. His idea of changing what we measure in the church resonates strongly with my concept in HIGH M-PACT Revitalization of identifying the correct criteria for decision-making and resource allocation. He was dead on target with his hilarious reference to the "Six Flags Over Jesus" church, the church model that turns church into an amusement park to draw a crowd. Just to stay ballanced, perhaps a mention of the "Six Feet Under" church should be made, the church that's dead to its own community.

Richard Pratt (see Third Millennium Ministries) was powerful as always and great to see again. I studied Hebrew and Old Testament under Richard at RTS Orlando. What a great reminder that our true value rests in being made in the image of God, a quality that all people share. If only we valued people as highly as God does! Thanks, Richard.

Oh, one other thing - McNeal mentioned a couple of websites worth investigating if you're looking for inspiration and information about connecting your church with the community. Check out www.tituscountycares.com and www.kidshopeusa.org.

Rightly Multiplying the Word of Truth

2010-06-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

In most of my study, teaching and preaching these days I use the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible. But in this case I want to go to the King James Version (KJV). The verse I have in view is 2 Timothy 2:15, which in the KJV reads, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." In the ESV and other more recent versions the word "dividing" is replaced by the word "handling." So the ESV version of 2 Timothy 2:15 reads, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

In the ministry circles where I serve, the emphasis that is placed on rightly dividing, or handling, the word of truth is one of accuracy. To divide rightly is to exegete rightly and then to exposit rightly with a concentration on the preparation and delivery of expositional teaching and preaching that would make a Jonathan Edwards proud. Of course, most of us who have been called into pastoral ministry see ourselves first as preachers, and we work diligently to learn the art and science of preaching well.

So far, so good, but all too often I am finding that those of us who preach view preaching well as the goal, the destination. The finely crafted sermon that is both theologically accurate and intellectually and emotionally engaging is its own reward. At its best, this falls well short of what is intended by the preaching of the rightly divided word.

We need to ask, "What is the goal of preaching? What is its biblical outcome intended to be?" Jesus has said that He will build His church (Matthew 16) and that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19). In putting these two declarative statements by Jesus together we see that He is about the business of building His church by seeking and saving the lost. What, then, is the goal of preaching?

Yes, preaching is in part to strengthen the body of those who believe. Again, I ask, "Why?" Why is the body to grow in strength? The body is to be strengthen so that those who believe will be equipped to join Jesus as He builds His church by seeking and saving the lost. Paul puts its like this, "But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? . . . So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:14, 15a, 16).

To fulfill the Great Commission, preachers, and those who support them, must go beyond rightly dividing the word of truth for the already-Christian community, and move toward rightly multiplying the word of truth by getting the gospel to the ears of the not-yet-Christian community. It's time for us to stop talking to ourselves and to begin taking the gospel to our neighbors. Perhaps then today's church will begin to stem the tide of plateau and decline that so dominates the church in our time.

Insights from a Missional Globetrotter (A Review)

2010-05-17T05:41:00.000-07:00

Critique: The Meeting of the Waters: 7 Global Currents That Will Propel the Future Church by Fritz Kling

The critique of a book is in part a critique of its author and, in short, Fritz Kling is legit. His global ministry commitment and experience have earned him the right to write this book and the church leader who reads it with discernment will be better for it.

To begin to appreciate The Meeting of the Waters: 7 Global Currents That Will Propel the Future Church (David C. Cook) is first to recognize what it is not. This is not a book that laments the shift from modernity to post-modernity, that decries the secularism of new millennium culture, or that chastises post-baby boomer Christians for an apparent lack of focus and commitment or for a skeptical ambivalence toward organized church. There are many such books out there today, ironically authored by baby boomers from the generation that began its adulthood with anti-establishmentarianism and that as senior adults has indeed become the establishment.

So what is The Meeting of the Waters? This refreshing book is a blend of testimony, anecdote and observation that have been lived, analyzed and catalogued by a world class missional explorer. Kling has no theological ax to grind or any philosophical, psychological or social agenda. In an engaging storytelling style, he shares his insights gleaned from what he has seen and experienced first-hand during years of missional globetrotting.

Is there an overarching story to the stories that he tells? Absolutely! Kling identifies seven trends or "currents" that are developing strength around the globe today; currents that affect the way people think and live. The Meeting of the Waters: 7 Global Currents That Will Propel the Future Church presents these currents as both warning and opportunity. The wise Christian leader will pay attention.

Passing the Baton

2010-05-01T05:54:00.001-07:00

In looking ahead at the future of Christian leadership I have two primary concerns. The first is the boomer generation, of which I am a part. In the sixties, my high school years, rebellion against convention germinated and, in the case of things Christian, gave birth to the Jesus Movement. Status quo was out. New music, new approaches and new expressions were in. Boomers led the way.

In the seventies, ministries such as Calvary Chapel, Maranatha!, Vineyard, and numerous Christian artists laid the foundation for the emergence of Christian music as a style and as an industry, spawning a new genre of church. Boomers led the way.

In the eighties, the seeker movement was born, Willow Creek and Saddleback took the spotlight, church planting exploded and the contemporary, culturally relevant church became the church-du-jour. Boomers led the way.

In the nineties, mega churches began to dominate the ministry landscape. Techno church was born with LCD projection, websites, video preachers on multiple screens at satellite locations, and anyone who could push a button was able to record his church's worship CD. Boomers led the way.

As Dr. Phil, a baby boomer, would say, "How's that working for you?" Answer? Well, the church is over eighty per cent in plateau and decline. Membership is down, giving is down, conversion is down, and influence is down. In boomer terms we've lost market share.

Here's my concern: The church under the leadership of boomers is not getting the ministry job done. And, just as we thought we were better qualified to lead than the previous generation, we think we are better qualified to lead that the next generation. Further, we're going to live for a long, long time. How and when will the next generation take the wheel when Dad always insists on driving? Bottom Line: The boomers that led the way are fast becoming boomers who are in the way, as yesterday's innovation has become today's rut.

My second concern is the next generation. If given the keys to church leadership, where will generation next go? I hear the complaints, I hear the criticism, and I even sympathize to a degree. Murmuring and grumbling are not new to the people of God. Read the Bible and you'll find plenty. But murmuring, grumbling, complaining and criticizing don't make things better. Boomers, admittedly egocentric and flawed, were willing to risk taking charge and trying to make a difference. Generation next seems content to drift into the shadows, claiming righteous indignation over failed leaders and homogenized, inauthentic religion. Bottom Line: If boomers are going to step aside, generation next will need to step up.

Strangely Unaware

2010-04-03T05:02:00.000-07:00

Monday, March 29, was our final day in Russia. My wife, Sharon, and I had traveled to Russia to visit with our son and daughter-in-law. Reid is a professional volleyball player who plays for the US National Team during the spring and summer, and who plays professionally in the Russian Super League during the fall and winter. We had a great time with them in their Russian hometown of Novosibirsk, Siberia, and spent the final weekend in Moscow seeing the sights in the city center.

This final day was to be quite simple; wake up, eat breakfast, pack, take a taxi to the airport and fly home. But around 8 am, we began to notice the sound of sirens, lots of sirens, more sirens that I had ever heard at one time. The view from our hotel window was somewhat restrictive with tall buildings all around us, so we couldn’t really see what was going on.

We turned on the TV to a BBC station and learned that there had been an explosion in a metro station near the Kremlin. Interesting, our hotel is near the Kremlin. The news anchor identified the location of the blast as the Lubyanka Metro Station. I looked on the map and realized that this station was just a couple of blocks from our hotel.

Now, of course, the sirens made sense. Soon helicopters were flying overhead and there was a general buzz in the streets. It turns out that the helicopters were airlifting the injured for transport to nearby hospitals. About a half-hour later, the BBC reported that there had been a second blast in another nearby metro station. Sharon and I had just been on the metro the day before – twice!

Though it was the middle of the night in the US at the time, I went to the hotel business center to go online and alert folks back home that we were in the middle of what was going on, but that we were safe. I left the hotel to go to a phone shop to add minutes to my cell phone in case we needed to contact people. Oddly, on the side streets, it was business as usual. People were scurrying to work and hundreds were entering and leaving yet another metro station a few blocks from the blast. I wondered if they knew what had happened and took their chances anyway, or if perhaps the news was so fresh that it hadn’t reached them yet.

The hotel desk advised us to leave very early for the airport in the event that getting through the city would be difficult under the circumstances. We boarded the taxi on the side street in front of the hotel where things were relatively quiet and drove the half block to the main artery that rims Red Square and the Kremlin. Traffic was thick, the street was lined with media vans with large satellite dishes on the roofs, and reporters and camera operators were everywhere. Red Square and the Kremlin were barricaded and bus loads of police and military personnel were arriving one after the other.

Fortunately for us, the main road out of the city was clear. The inbound lanes were clogged, but outbound was open and we made it to the airport without delay. All throughout the terminal people were gathered around flat screens keeping up with the latest developments.

We boarded our plane and ten hours later we were at JFK in New York. There were no sirens, no helicopters, no barricades, media vans or busloads of police and military personnel, just a vague, detached awareness that something had happened in Moscow earlier in the day.

In considering these events on this Easter weekend, it occurs to me that many of us are keenly aware of the life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and reign of Jesus Christ, while many more move through life with a vague, detached unawareness of our Lord and the implications for their eternal souls. Here am I, send me.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? DOES MY CHURCH NEED REVITALIZATION?

2010-03-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

Last week it happened again. A well-meaning colleague pointed out that I use the word "revitalization" in the name of my process - HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training. He, like many before him, observed that using this word might deter certain church leaders from pursuing training with me because to do so would be to admit that their churches in fact need revitalization.
True - from a marketing perspective this barrier of admission might frighten some in the ministry "market" away. But I have found that one of the first steps in real revitalization is to recognize and admit the need. My goal is effective ministry, not sales, so the word "revitalization" will remain prominently displayed. Why would I spend time trying to impose revitalization ministry on leaders who don't see their need?
That said, who needs revitalization? In short, every church needs revitalization, not just those in plateau or decline. Of course, the typical leader who contacts me is serving in a church that is in long-term plateau or decline, so the lion's share of my ministry is to these kinds of churches. But the church that is healthy and productive today is on its way toward plateau and decline, and should seriously consider revitalization before the symptoms begin to manifest.
Let me invite you to find where your church is on the church lifecycle. If you will go to www.kenpriddy.com and scroll to the very bottom you will find a pdf download of Teach a Church to Fish. This document is a full narrative that will walk you through the entire HIGH M-PACT Revitalization (HMR) process. Included in the download is COACHWORKS!, an implementation guide. Tools for a church's self-assessment by leaders are imbedded on pages 23-30 and pages 38-42 in Teach a Church to Fish and page 102 and pages 104-108 in COACHWORKS!
Take a look - no charge - and see what you discover about your church. If you determine that you need, or want, revitalization, you know where to find me.

More to Come . . . Really

2010-02-27T04:36:00.000-08:00

OK! OK! Believe it or not two people told me this past week that they had gone to my blog only to find that I hadn't entered anything for quite a while. Now that I know that someone is actually wanting to read my blog, I am going to make a commitment to write. I'm not going to go crazy with this, just once a month on the first of every month, beginning March 1, 2010. Let's see how this works out!

New Demographics Resource

2009-06-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

I have recently learned of a website that provides significant demographic information free. The site is www.zipskinny.com. The more you can know about the community you are trying to reach the better. For years I have recommended www.perceptgroup.com, still a great provider that is focused on helping churches. Check out both of these resources for demographics.

Cool Cup or Jesus!

2009-06-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last posting (sounds like going to confession!). But I'm determined to get into a regular groove of posting ideas, comments, events, discoveries and who knows what else. So . . . stay tuned.

There is an area of concern that I continue to think and pray through. That area is evangelism. No surprise there, but there is a new twist, at least in my ministry. As a ministry trainer, coach and consultant, I constantly prod church leaders toward outreach. The leading cause of decline in the church is an ever-growing inward focus. The solution is for the church to turn outward in an ever-growing outreach focus. The good news is that many of the churches I serve are doing just that, with the rate of outreach increasing dramatically. However, there has been no corresonding increase in evangelism.

Question: At what point does increased outreach manifest as increased evangelism? How do church leaders make this happen? What are the keys?

Hint: Though a cool cup of water in the name of Jesus has its benefits, it's a poor substitute for Jesus himself.

Korea Itinerary & Highlights

2009-02-20T04:18:00.000-08:00

Ministry in Korea – February 7-18, 2009

I’m back from Korea and thought I would share the ministry itinerary:

Sat. – Feb. 7: Depart from Richmond, VA
Sun. – Feb. 8: Arrive at Incheon International Airport (outside of Seoul)
Mon. – Feb. 9: Adjustment Day
Tue. – Feb. 10: Day 1: HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training – Sarang Church, Seoul
Wed. – Feb. 11: Day 2: HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training – Sarang Church, Seoul
Thu. – Feb. 12: Day 1: HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training – Heavenly Garden Church,
Daejeon
Fri. – Feb. 13: Day 2: HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training – Heavenly Garden Church,
Daejeon
Sat. – Feb. 14: Interview on Far East Broadcasting Company Radio
Sun. – Feb. 15: Leadership Lecture – SooYoungRo Church, Busan (7000+ attending)
Mon. – Feb. 16: Day 1: HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training – SooYoungRo Church, Busan
Tue. – Feb. 17: Day 2: HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training – SooYoungRo Church, Busan
Wed. – Feb. 18: Return to Richmond, VA

HIGHLIGHTS:
Great People
High Levels of Commitment
Fascinating Culture
8 Days of Speaking through a Translator
Working with Rev. Tong Park (CRM Korea & CRC Director of Korean Ministries)
Working with the Board of CRM Korea
My wife Sharon’s Value as Social Liaison
Leading Korean Pastors/Leaders in Worship from the Piano
Receiving a Sung Blessing from 200 Korean Pastors/Leaders in Busan
Receiving So Many Gifts an Extra Suitcase Had to be Purchased
First Steps in Korea Ministry with More Likely
Serving God & His People in Another Country & Culture

Ministry in Korea

2009-02-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I returned from a ten-day ministry trip to South Korea. Sponsored by CRM Korea, I presented three HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Training Conferences in the cities of Seoul, Daejeon and Busan. It was very humbling to see the commitment level of the Korean pastors and leaders, and the stunning commitment to prayer that is expressed throughout church membership. There is much that we in the American church could learn from Korean Christians.

Though there are many huge churches in the small country of South Korea, it's interesting to note that the majority of Korean churches appear to be in stages of plateau and decline. Explosive growth starting in the mid-50s seems to have peaked, and churches that once flourished with conversion growth now find themselves inwardly focused, heavily influenced by church traditions, and stuggling to grow. Sound familiar?!

As I frequently say I wish that no churches anywhere needed my ministry of revitalization. It would be wonderful if all churches everywhere were thriving. But since there is I need, I look forward to working side by side with Korean leaders in the future and pray for God's blessing on the revitalizing Korean church.

THE ACTS 2 - EPHESIANS 4 CHURCH

2008-12-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Acts 2 – Ephesians 4 Church

The Church as Described in Acts 2

One might argue that the coming into being, or genesis, of the New Testament church in Acts 2 would suffice as the creation ordinance of the church. In other words, the description of the church in Acts might well be the genetic code of what the church is meant to be, much as the relationship described between Adam and Eve in Genesis serves as the foundation for what marriage is meant to be. Could it be that the teaching in Acts 2 regarding the church is meant in some ways to be prescriptive, not just descriptive? In his commentary regarding Acts 2:42-47, William Barclay says of this church:

It was a learning Church; it persisted in listening to the apostles as they taught. . . It was a Church of fellowship – togetherness – a band of brothers. . . It was a praying church . . . they were able to meet the problems of life because they had first met him. . . It was a reverent Church. The Christian lives in reverence (fear that has the idea of awe in it) because he knows that the whole earth is the temple of the living God. . . It was a Church where things happened; signs and wonders. Great expectations. It was a sharing Church; these early Christians had an intense feeling of responsibility for each other. . . It was a worshipping Church; they never forgot to visit God . . . It was a happy Church . . . It was a Church whose people others could not help liking. In the early Church there was a winsomeness in God’s people (Ephesians pp. 30-31).

F.F. Bruce gives us another snapshot of first century Christianity, the standard by which the church today must still be evaluated. Bruce comments, “Three thousand added to the church following Peter’s Pentecost sermon was partial fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in John 14:12,’I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father’” (The Book of Acts p. 173). Clearly this is a model of a healthy church, not just a description but also a biblical prescription.

The Church as Described in Ephesians 4

Consider the four characteristics of the healthy church presented in Ephesians 4:1-16. First, the healthy church is a unified church. Verse 3 exhorts us to keep the unity of the Spirit. Our common bond is articulated in the confession of verses 4-6. G. G. Findlay writes of the significance of unity on the mission field and reminds us of how critical unity is:

In missionary fields, confronting the overwhelming forces and horrible evils of Paganism, the servants of Christ intensely realize their unity; they see how trifling in comparison are the things that separate the Churches, and how precious and deep are the things that Christians hold in common. It may need the pressure of some threatening outward force, the sense of a great peril hanging over Christendom to silence our contentions and compel the soldiers of Christ to fall into line and present to the enemy a united front (The Epistle to the Ephesians, p. 218).

Second, the healthy church is a diversified church. Verse 7 speaks of the varied apportionment of grace. Verse 11 identifies a variety of functions for some will serve as apostles, while others serve as prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers. And why do they serve in these various ways? Verse 12 tells us that these leaders are to prepare God’s people for service.

Third, the healthy church is a maturing church. The goal of this God-given unity and diversity is described in verse 13 as becoming mature in our faith. This maturity concerns growing in the knowledge or theology of the faith, the discovery of each member’s respective spiritual giftedness, and the application of that diverse giftedness for the benefit of God, his people, and those who will become his people in the spirit of love and unity.

Fourth, the healthy church is a growing church. Verse 16 gives us an image of an organic church in which each member of the body joins together with other members of the body and continues to grow. With Jesus as the head, the body grows corporately and its members, its body parts, grow individually. The picture is one of constant qualitative and quantitative growth. Verse 16 further explains that this growth is the product of each body member’s doing its work. Francis Foulkes comments, “The gifts are the people. All, in their particular ministries, are God’s gift to the church. . . As it is, the apostle is not thinking of the ministers of Christ in their offices but rather according to their specific spiritual gifts and their work”(Ephesians

p. 125).

The Acts 2 - Ephesians 4 Church

In combining Acts 2 with Ephesians 4, the description and prescription of the healthy church emerges. The healthy church is devoted to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2). The healthy church is unified, diversified, maturing, and growing (Ephesians 4). How is this possible? It is possible through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:33 states, “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and poured out what you now see and hear.” These are the words of Peter as he explains the spiritual phenomenon of Pentecost as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The same Holy Spirit is identified as “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” in Ephesians 1:14 and is the one through whom grace is apportioned in Ephesians 4:7. Finally, the church grows as “the Lord adds to their number” (Acts 2:47), and “the whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16). How does the Lord add to the number? He moves in the minds and hearts of people through the Holy Spirit. How does the body grow and build itself up in love? These are products of the work of the Holy Spirit.

The Five Be’s of the Acts 2 – Ephesians 4 Church

Be Devoted! Be Unified! Be Diversified! Be Maturing! Be Growing!

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2008-11-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

If there's one thing I've learned over many years of ministry, it's that there is always something more to learn. God is taking me to new places and it's exciting. Years of church revitalization ministry have built to this moment when God is leading me to standardize and multiply. The HIGH M-PACT Revitalization Catalog of Materials is nearing completion and will soon be ready for broad distribution. A three-city tour of training conferences in South Korea is scheduled for February 2009. The Catalog will be complete by then, with some components already translated into Korean.

Teaching, training and consulting with local, regional and national church organizations is peaking with promising pastors and leaders emerging to be developed as coaches and trainers, setting the stage for multiplication. Potential for ministry in Zambia and South Africa has been discussed. Most recently an opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. in Missiology through the South Asia Institute for Advanced Christian Studies has been discovered. The institute is in Bangalore, India where I would conduct training and consultation as well as study.

I continue to be amazed at how many dedicated, creative and innovative people are on this planet, serving God in remarkable ways. New writers, or writers that are new to me, are coming into my world weekly and I struggle to keep up with all there is to seek and find. I just want to be part of the global conversation.

Pray for me to run with the Lord, not ahead, not behind, always in step. Life and ministry are good. Welcome to my blog!