Taking & Transcribing Minutes of a Meeting

(Help for Associational & Church Clerks)

STEPS TO TAKING MINUTES

Meetings may be conducted formally or informally, depending on the objective of the meeting and the circumstances. The following guidelines for taking minutes for committees, ministry teams, or for business meetings are based on Robert's Rules of Order.

STEP 1 – The clerk needs to obtain the meeting agenda, minutes from the last meeting, and any background documents to be discussed. Consider using a tape recorder to ensure accuracy. It is also advisable to have a copy of the organization’s Constitution and bylaws and any other guiding documents.

STEP 2 - Sit beside (or close to) the chairperson for convenient clarification or help as the meeting proceeds.

STEP 3 - Write "Minutes of the meeting of (exact association/church name)."

STEP 4 - Record the date, time and place of the meeting.

STEP 5 - Circulate a sheet of paper for attendees to sign. (This sheet can also help identify speakers by seating arrangement later in the meeting.) If the meeting is an open one, write down only the names of the attendees who have voting rights.

STEP 6 - Note who arrives late or leaves early so that these people can be briefed on what they missed.

STEP 7 - Write down items in the order in which they are discussed. If item 8 on the agenda is discussed before item 2, keep the old item number but write item 8 in second place.

STEP 8 - Record the motions made and the names of people who originate them.

STEP 9 - Record whether motions are adopted or rejected, how the vote is taken (by show of hands, voice or other method) and whether the vote is unanimous.

STEP 10 - Focus on recording actions taken by the group. Avoid writing down the details of each discussion.

Minute Taking Tips

TIP 1 - You do not need to record topics irrelevant to the business being discussed. Taking minutes is not the same as taking dictation.

TIP 2 - Consult only the chairperson or executive officer, not the attendees, if you have questions.

STEPS TO TRANSCRIBING MINUTES

STEP 1 - Transcribe minutes soon after the meeting, when your memory of the event is still fresh.

STEP 2 - Follow the format used in previous minutes.

STEP 3 - Preface resolutions with "RESOLVED, THAT..."

STEP 4 - Consider attaching long resolutions, reports or other supplementary material to the minutes as an appendix.

STEP 5 - Write "Submitted by" and then sign your name and the date.

STEP 6 - Place minutes chronologically in a record book.

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Bobby Gilstrap, DoM

Huron & Southeastern Baptist Assocaitions

Michigan

An Urgent Plea to Listen

It's a good thing that Jesus led by example. Where did we lose the ability to follow His model in evangelism. His example for evangelism was through relationships and not a three point sermon and a fancy poem. Don't misunderstand me, I am certified and trained in a variety of witnessing tools but none of those tools are very helpful without a relationship to "lost" people. Sometime we are motivated by a self-imposed quota for souls. How many have I won? We think of every possible way to share Jesus, when Jesus shared Himself by being himself in relationships.

I wonder what people outside of the church and Christian relationships think about all of our methods and approaches? Could this woman represent what they think?

bobby gilstrap, Director of Missions
Huron & Southeastern Baptist Associations
Michigan

How Do We Know that a Church is Healthy?

A growing church is not necessarily a healthy church but a healthy church is always a growing church. What determines if a church is healthy?

You can see by studying present and past Annual Church Profiles (ACPs). We seem to focus on numbers and numbers are important but we don’t always look at the right numbers and how they reflect the heart of a church. Another problem is convincing some of our churches to submit their ACP. The ACP is such a valuable tool but some churches look on as just another report. When all the churches in a community submit their ACPs, we can then take that data and compare it with demographic reports and have a pretty good idea of how effective we are at reaching the community. School enrollment for each grade level is readily available. I know of one church that had 90 children enrolled in a certain grade of their local school and felt that they were being very successful at reaching that grade until they found out that there were eight schools in that area, each having 90 students enrolled in that grade so even though they were doing a good work, they were not reaching but about 13% of the children in that grade. It is important to know the makeup of your community if you want to know who you are impacting.

The ACP is valuable for comparing statistics for present and prior years. Usually we focus on SS and Worship attendance and giving but what about Discipleship Training, Missions involvement, special missions offerings, enrollment by age group, etc. Associational work would be simplified if every church submitted their ACP each year.

Many churches in the Southern Baptist Convention have not baptized one person in years. That is sad because it means we are not even baptizing our own children. Without something like the ACP to track that information we forget how long it has been since we baptized anyone. A healthy church is a reproducing church. A healthy church is a church with a strong Discipleship Ministry that teaches people who to live out their faith. I’m afraid that statistics show that we have many unhealthy churches that need to be revived. Let’s pray that the church in America will wake up and get busy about the Father’s business.

Jim Ballard
Associate for Church Services
Kauf-Van Baptist Association
Texas

Love Them “AS IS”

Do the people outside the walls know that you and your church care about them? Don’t give the easy answer. Think through this. Do they believe you care about them and their families just because they are important to you or do they suspect some ulterior motive? Do they feel like you love them, “as is”?

It is easy to view them as what they can become. They can fill those critical leadership roles in the organizational chart. They can create the growth momentum that all of us want. With a little encouragement and training they can help with the budget needs that growing ministry creates. The presence of “new people” almost always creates a sense of freshness and excitement.

Loving people for what they become is easy, but do you love them as they are right now. If you don’t, is it any wonder they look at us with a little suspicion, if they look at us at all. We all know of couples that got married and one or the other set out to change their partner. They loved them for what they could become. There is real trouble with that attitude in a marriage or in a church.

You will love some people naturally. I am blessed with a wife that is more attractive than I am physically, intellectually and spiritually. I didn’t have to learn or pray about loving her. While our love has grown through the years, I began loving her very naturally.

Some people you can only love eventually. Have you ever heard this, “He’s a little odd but when you get to really know him you will learn to like him.” What that really means is that he is a jerk right now, but you can learn to love him eventually.

There are a handful of people that you will not love naturally, you will not even learn to love eventually, but you can only love them obediently. Jesus commanded us to love! Love them “as is” in obedience to the Lord Himself.

A handful of folks in the church at Corinth must have accused Paul of not really loving them for who they were. In the final chapter of II Corinthians as Paul is telling of his plans to come a third time to Corinth he says, “I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours but you.” (HCSV) If the Corinthians could have felt that way about Paul after all the sacrifices he went through to bring the gospel, is it any wonder that our world sometimes looks at the church with suspicion.

When we hear someone accusing the church of not caring, it is tempting to say, “Well it’s just not true” and somehow think that fixes it. If we are taking seriously the Jerusalem challenge in the Great Commission, then it is not just their problem, it is our problem. We must first be sure we do love them. We know we are commanded to but do we really love them or do we just love what they might become. When we settle that in our hearts we must develop ways as individuals and churches to communicate that love to them. People want to be loved but they are leery of being used.

Ernie McCoulskey, Director of Missions
Kauf-Van Baptist Association
Terrell, TX

Automatic Termination of Church Membership?

Should membership in a local church grant you “forever status” in that congregation until you choose to “move your membership” or withdraw?

In recent conversation with the several attorneys, it was strongly recommended to me that an automatic termination of membership for nonattendance be included in a church’s bylaws. This provision would automatically, and without any further action from anyone, remove from the church membership rolls any person who had not been in regular attendance during a designated time. Further, it was recommended to NOT move members in an “inactive” or “non-resident” membership status. This is a problem because it is a vague status. For instance,

• May those “inactive” or “non-resident” members vote?
• If not, may they attend “member only” meetings?
• If so, may they have a say on the issue at hand?
• When they are present in a meeting in which a vote is taken, are they counted for the purposes of determining whether a quorum is present?

Most pastors (and members, too) have experienced that when there is internal church dissension, members who have not attended for months often appear and expect to have a say and/or vote in the matter. It is obvious to most of us that someone who has not attended any service in several months is upset at something and are likely returning to defend an agenda or make a point about a personal preference. Providing for an automatic termination clears up any confusion as to who is eligible to vote, attend member meetings, count for quorum purposes, or have a say in a member’s meeting. Obviously, you would exclude from this termination provision such persons as college students, military personnel, shut-ins, missionaries, evangelists or others who are legitimately unable to attend regular activities of the church.

The automatic termination of members who flaunt their sexual immorality spares the church the shame of having to "speak of those things which are done of them in secret" for discipline purposes. By establishing an automatic termination for "going to law against a brother" provides the church with protection against having to retain a person as a member who is willing to harm the church by taking it to court. If this provision is automatic, it will avoid the charge of retaliation.

How do you feel about churches putting provisions in place for automatic termination of church membership?

Make your comments here, or review others comments on original post HERE

Lawyers Recommendations for Your Constitution & Bylaws

(From the Introduction of the
SAMPLE Church Constitution & Ministry Bylaws
document produced by the Christian Law Association)

Every church, must have an operational document. This is the internal ministry document that sets forth how the organization will operate, i.e., the purposes of the organization, the election of officers, when organizational meetings will be held, if and how members will be admitted, etc. This document is commonly known as the bylaws, but may be known as the constitution or the constitution and bylaws.

In most instances, when a dispute as to the authority and duties of church officers or other governing body is taken to court, the court will look to the organization’s bylaws to determine whether or not that officer or the voting members acted within the scope of his or their duties. For legal purposes, the set of bylaws is the organization’s most important document because it sets out in detail the internal workings of the organization. It is vital that this document be prepared properly and that it include all the protections available for the organization to safeguard against many of the lawsuits that are being filed against religious organizations today. Courts generally hold that a member who joins a church with knowledge of the bylaws has agreed to be bound by the bylaws—even to those with which they may disagree.

Each state has enacted laws establishing rules by which ministries incorporated as nonprofit corporations will be governed if it has no bylaws or if the bylaws do not speak to a specific issue. It is important that your organization at least consider all the issues presented in the Sample Church Bylaws that follow. The organization may then decide that its specific method of operation does not necessitate the inclusion of a section included in the Sample.

Many questions are answered in the SAMPLE regarding Church Constitutions and Bylaws including:

• Must the church file its constitution and bylaws with the state secretary of state or any other government office?
• Do we need to take any action to repeal old bylaws when we amend them?
• May we prevent the bylaws from ever being changed by providing in our bylaws that part or all may never be amended?
• May we vote to dismiss or otherwise discipline members who are not in the meeting in which the vote is to be taken?
• If one of the rules in our bylaws is not working for the church, may we just ignore it and amend it later?

Specific questions not covered by this SAMPLE booklet should be referred to your ministry’s attorneys or to attorneys for the Christian Law Association. CLA will consult with a church or ministry free of charge.

The SAMPLE Constitution & Bylaws is annotated by attorneys for the Christian Law Association (CLA). Their comments explain the reasoning behind the recommendations in the SAMPLE.

The SAMPLE Church Constitution & Ministry Bylaws document can be ordered from CLA at http://www.christianlaw.org/ or (727) 399-8300. Search with keyword: Constitution. It is worth the investment.

An Environment for Kingdom Results

An environment for Kingdom results is one of the most important and difficult environments to create in an Association. With the pressures on pastors and church leaders to be focused on their churches and the needs of their members Kingdom-thinking is often pushed to the back burner in the mind and lives of these leaders. The tyranny of the urgent keeps many pastors running from one emergency to another. This accounts for the lack of planning and engagement in Kingdom focused ministry in many churches. It also means that most churches are going to need a change of mindset at the basic level to begin to focus on Kingdom expansion and extension.

So, how do you change the culture to enable churches to look beyond themselves? What are the key issues that must be addressed to begin this change? Finally, what are the steps an association can take to help create this culture of Kingdom focused results? Along the way, I will attempt to address some of the primary barriers and negotiating this difficult terrain.

Some guru of change has made the observation that we can be forced to change what we do for a period of time, but if we do not change the way we think about an issue we will eventually revert to our old actions. No area of church life is more susceptible to this truth than Kingdom focus. Most churches are under the impression that they are the Kingdom of God and therefore anything they do is automatically Kingdom focused. On the one hand, this attitude should contain a considerable amount of truth. On the other hand, most congregations spend the greatest amount of their time, talent, and treasure on work that has a direct and immediate impact on activities inside the walls of the church with the congregation as the focus. This is not a bad thing until the congregation reaches the point where they are maintaining their own comfort and institution ahead of all other needs. Church buildings, staffing, and other fixed expenses absorb the attention of most budgets, and therefore most of the resources of the churches.

The obvious initial strategy here is to begin to pray and ask God to soften the hearts and open the eyes of pastors and key church leaders in the area of Kingdom concern for the work of the Great Commission. Prayer times at Pastor’s fellowships, meetings etc. focused on the task of reaching the world and letting God keep the scorecard can begin this process in changing thinking. Introducing specific opportunities for service through newsletters and the use of the established mission seasons can also be very beneficial to help church leaders see the greater Kingdom purpose for their church’s ministry.

Helping a church think critically about the needs of its community and the world balanced with their own needs is the issue. Some churches are committed to such a debt load and such a saturated budget that they literally cannot assist another ministry with financial means. In many ways that is good because that leaves only the issue of time and talent. A congregation with even one person who is passionate about missional activity can make a huge difference in the involvement of that church in Kingdom activity. Looking at the community can reveal opportunities next door, down the block, across town, in a neighboring community, or around the world or …?

My observations are however, that distance for many churches with regard to their first missional partnership may be a good thing. The distance needs not be great enough to cause concern that the people of the church would have considerable difficulty getting there; however, in many churches I have noted a tendency to go out of their geographical area on their first Kingdom partnership. There remains in us enough catholocism to make most churches think of their church field as geographically defined and therefore if anyone in their area is to be reached they should come directly into the church. The obvious blind spot here is the diversity that exists within the claimed field of most churches in America be they rural or urban.

Teaming up with another church who is already involved in Kingdom focused ministry is another way to activate the passionate in a congregation without placing undue stress on the rest of the system. Sending one or two people on a mission event can get the seed planted in any congregation that given time can take firm root and help change the thinking of the church to be more positive with regard Kingdom kinds of ministry. When a few have gotten the vision, others will follow in time. Remember the effort here is to be a catalyst for the change of the mindset of the congregation.

Promoting these mission partnerships in an association can pay great dividends in Kingdom results. After prayer there is no more important vehicle for Kingdom focused ministry than telling the stories of churches that are making an impact through Kingdom partnerships. Helping churches see the possibilities by telling their stories through associational news letters, recognizing those congregations in annual meetings for their work, and personally encouraging churches to network with active Kingdom focused congregations will create a climate that moves churches to look outside their walls.

Being consistently supportive of missional activity within and outside the area of the association is your best tool as a Director of Missions or associational missionary to move your churches toward a Kingdom focused climate. Allowing God time to work in the hearts and lives of the pastors and key leaders takes patience and commitment. Modeling missional focus in the association by attempting to keep some partnerships going at the associational level can also engage church leaders in initial Kingdom activities. Undergirding all these actions with prayer will help your association turn the corner in missional Kingdom action. Stay with it! Climate change is slow. Be committed for the long haul! Trust God!

Tell the people! You can do this!

Eddie Miller, DoM
Sierra Baptist Association
Western Nevada

The Church of the Future

During the summer of 1964, while on tour with a youth choir, I had the opportunity to see what was for me the most modern design for a church sanctuary I had ever seen. It was a Presbyterian church in north Georgia. I thought the design looked like a space ship. It was very contemporary to say the least. I imagined that churches of the future would look like that. Boy was I wrong! I have yet to see a church that even resembles that architectural design.

What will the church of the future look like? I am not talking, however, about buildings and architecture. I am talking about the living, breathing, dynamic church of Jesus Christ. I affirm what Holy Scripture teaches—that Jesus established the church and the “gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” It is His Church. His Church is not composed of four walls and a roof. Neither is it composed of boards and committees, programs and activities. Today that is what most of us tend to think, because these have defined “church” in our lifetimes. But, in reality, the Church of our Lord consists of those who have responded to his call to salvation, and the call to be instruments of reconciliation, a light to the nations, and a blessing to others as they labor to fulfill the mission the Lord has given. What we have done is we have taken what we believed to be the Church and conformed it into our Church, complete with all the services, activities and membership requirements that we believed were necessary to be a “church,” adopting the corporate or educational model. Now we are experiencing difficulty getting people into this “church culture,” resulting in a significant percentage decline in church participation, membership, and contributions. All this is occurring in “church culture” while the broader culture professes a greater eagerness for spirituality. Somewhere there is a great disconnect. That is not to say the church has been totally ineffective, but rather is saying that we have reached a type of saturation point with our current church culture. Where does that leave us as we seek to chart a course for the future? Hear the words of God spoken through Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Isa. 43:19 (RSV) What will the church of the future look like?

The church of the future will focus more on Jesus. People may be turned off to church, but they are not turned off to Jesus. The church of the future will focus on connecting people to Jesus. Like the Apostle Paul, whose burning passion was to “know Christ,” the church will lead people to Jesus, to live in relationship with Him, to KNOW Him. The church of the past has done an excellent job teaching ABOUT God, ABOUT Jesus. As a result, many of our members know all ABOUT God and His Son, Jesus. But, are they living in an intimate relationship with Him? What have we learned about relating to God, about loving God will all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?

The church of the future will be a church on mission, or missional--focused on connecting people with Christ and with His mission. It will focus more on connecting people with each other and with their culture/world than on gathering them from their world. The church will realize her job is to change the world from her front porch. She will be passionately involved in living out her mission. Mission will be the essence of who she is.

The church of the future will reconnect or connect with its community. The focus will move from revitalizing churches to rebuilding communities. Gone is the luxury of the protective fortress. To survive, the church must move outside the walls and into the streets. I love The Message paraphrase of John 1:14, “And the word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.” Jesus connected with people wherever he went. The church of the future will focus on what she is doing as she goes into all the world.

The church of the future will connect with the world. Artificial boundaries of cities, states, neighborhoods, and nations will fall as the church engages in her world mission. Creative relationships, partnerships, and meaningful associations will develop between Christians on different continents, in different cities, and between different denominations. The focus will be on the common good we can achieve by working together.

The church of the future will be a loving church, exemplifying in action the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Beyond all else, she will be known for unconditional love for all people. After all, that is what characterized Jesus.

Thankfully, some expressions of the church of the future are in existence today. The sad part of the reality is that these expressions are too few. To have a greater impact on our world, we need more churches of the future-TODAY!

Ken May, DoM
Montgomery Baptist Association
Alabama

Seven Vital Signs of a Healthy Church

What is a healthy church? That’s a critical question for which all of my church friends seem to be trying to answer. For my business-minded, chart loving friends the answer to this question is a growth equation: new members + more money + better facilities = a healthy church. My post-modern, flip-flops and t-shirt wearing friends often give a soulful answer saying a healthy church can’t be defined, only experienced in a community of authentic discipleship. My white shirt, navy suit, traditional friends often define a healthy church by belief in the inerrancy of Scripture, sound doctrine, missions, and evangelism. And my purpose driven Hawaiian shirt and horn-rimmed glasses wearing friends might define it as balanced approach to missions, evangelism, discipleship, worship, and fellowship. So with all of these varying thoughts on the matter, I thought why don’t I take a shot at defining a healthy church as well. Hence, with no further ado, here are Lash’s ...

Seven Vital Signs of a Healthy Church

High Sense of Purpose—A church must know its reason for existence and have a clear process for biblically leading people from spiritual lostness to spiritual maturity.

Effective Evangelism—A church must see its community as a mission field and develop ways to contextually communicate the gospel to the people living in the community.

Acceptance of Change—A church must be creative, understanding the changing needs of people and meeting people at their point of need.

Leadership that Empowers—Church leaders must be servant leaders helping others identify spiritual gifts and empowering them to use these gifts in ministry.

Transforming Worship—True worship brings glory to God and leads to change. Each time the church gathers for worship the primary goal is to encounter God and His truth which leads to transformed lives.

Help with Life—A healthy sense of community is built through healthy, caring relationships. Church leaders must be consumed with leading people to live out Jesus’ Great Commandment: to love one another.

Yes to God—Healthy churches diligently seek God’s answers and direction through faithful prayer and study of His Word always bending our will and our beliefs to God’s.

Dr. Lash Banks, DoM

Grayson Baptist Association

Sherman, Texas

SBC: Organizing for Effectiveness

Our convention is statistically beginning a decline, especially looking at our declining baptisms over the past several years. (See Ed Stetzer’s recent blog article of April 23, 2008 by Clicking HERE or his follow up article HERE). It is time to do something about the condition of our convention. Here is a discussion of a scenario that, I believe, has great potential for turning around a floundering giant and generating massive kingdom building results.

I perceive four levels of dysfunctional activity that must be addressed within the Southern Baptist Convention. I will take each level, one at a time, and attempt to clearly make my case.

I. Relationships Between SBC Entities Must Change

The above diagram greatly simplifies, but generally depicts the current operational strategy of the convention. Strategy development is from a top down strategy, with national leaders attempting to generate “programs” that the state and associations will promote in an attempt to encourage churches to adopt. Resource allocation takes Cooperative Program receipts and distributes them down to the states. Some states may allocate some of those resources into associations and churches, but from my observation, it seems that activity is extremely limited, with support for church planting being the main exception. Almost no funds go to associations and churches for church strengthening.

The diagram below indicates the preferred cooperative workings between SBC entities.

In this model, strategy development starts with the needs of churches and a church strategy to meet those needs. The association takes the collective needs and strategy of its churches and develops a strategy to partner with the churches by bringing value to the churches in the form of needed resources tailor-made to facilitate the local church strategy. In turn, the state develops its strategy based upon the strategy of the associations, and NAMB and other entities, develop a strategy based upon the strategies of the state conventions. It is a “grass roots”, bottom up strategy development process.

Based upon the strategies of the various entities, the available resources are deployed, first to state conventions, then to associations, then finally to churches, where the front line of Kingdom work takes place.

It is my firm belief that if church strengthening and church planting can be developed through this kind of model, the local church will be strengthened and be in a much stronger position to bring about the Kingdom impact within communities. Consequently, I would not be surprised at all to see a resurgence of giving to the Cooperative Program as a result of healthier, vibrant churches if this model were instituted. By the way, I believe that NAMB is in a unique situation to lead in the rebirth of our denomination as we move to greater effectiveness.

II. Dysfunctional Life at the Association Level Must Be Resolved

I am not sure how it all started, but at some point in the past and for various reasons, the role of DOM changed. That change necessitated a different skill set for operating effectively as a DOM. Consequently, some DOM’s found themselves in a situation of confusion and frustration as they dealt with a rapidly changing society. Some found themselves becoming less effective than before. When that realization became apparent at the state convention level, the state conventions began trying to cover responsibilities formerly assigned to associations. Duplication of effort began.

To resolve this situation, this still exists in many parts of the convention, DOM’s need to be taught a new series of skill sets. A massive leadership training effort across the country needs to be deployed toward the development of core competencies for DOM’s. NAMB association staff, in conjunction with a group of DOM’s, has identified four core competencies that are needed for a DOM to be successful in his role today: Entrepreneurial Leadership, Establishing Strategic Direction, Achieving Kingdom Results, and Facilitative Leadership. Each of those categories contains several skill subsets that would be useful to DOM’s.

This training emphasis needs to be on a national level. NoBA (Network of Baptist Associations), in cooperation with NAMB, is in the process of developing a leadership diploma program for all new, in-service and prospective DOM’s.

Apart from the training aspect for DOM’s it appears that many associations are too small to generate enough strength to sustain an aggressive effort to resource their own churches. Regional mergers would be a likely scenario to consider developing larger and stronger associations.

III. State Convention Activities Are Not Producing Desired Results

Despite all the good intentions from state staff everywhere, it is obvious that all the money we are putting into state convention activity is not working. Graph your state’s baptism records, Bible Study attendance, worship attendance, and cooperative program receipts over the last 30 years. Don’t be surprised to find that most everything is plateaued, if not worse.

In the past, I worked as a member of a state staff. I find that my work as a DOM is much more effective than my experience as a state staffer. Why? I think because of the proximity to the churches. State staff can become your friend. Association relationships can foster a family atmosphere. In Illinois, I was assigned to work with 1000 churches in Sunday School growth. It was impossible to have consistent contact with the same churches over time in order to help them to find the path to effectiveness. The work of the state convention is not dependent on the number of people they have on the ground working. The state convention can be most effective in looking at its operational systems and seeking a new strategy that would produce greater effectiveness.

Let me say it plainly. The systems of many state conventions are not working. It is not the fault of the convention staff members; it is the system that is being used to operate the state convention. Simply, if a wagon is broken, it will not work right. Bringing in a new horse to pull the wagon is not going to make much difference. The wagon has to be fixed.

I believe, as indicated above, that the effectiveness of the state convention can be massively improved in participating in a new and different resourcing strategy with associations and churches.

IV. Spiritually Dysfunctional Churches

I have consulted in approximately 100-200 individual churches over the past 25 years. My positions in growing churches insulated me from the reality in many other churches. I finally came to believe that many churches have lost their reason for being. They have misplaced their mission. They have lost God’s vision for their church. Many have become inward focused. According to recent research, about 90% of our churches are somewhere in the dysfunctional camp. I recently had an honest conversation with a pastor. He said, “I don’t know what to do to get my church to become more effective, and if I knew what to do, I wouldn’t know how to do it.” That comment is laced with massive leadership needs.

So, the first line of attack on this dysfunctional situation is to do substantial leadership training for pastors. The training should include, but certainly not be limited to, vision development and vision casting, strategy development, situational self-leadership, lay leader development, mentoring skill development, spiritual formation activity, and to be safe, conflict management. This training should be done best, I would think, through the state conventions that might set up regional training schools for pastors. To be more specific, I would suggest that all pastors be invited to attend, but to make a special effort to reach pastors 45 years old and younger.

There remains, however, a most serious situation. Because of the inward focus of most churches, there are spiritual issues in the life of the church. When you can’t answer the question “Where is God working in your church or community?”, you are in trouble at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. It appears that in some if not many churches we have nice, but carnal Christians in leadership positions. No wonder we are in fighting and have taken our eyes off Jesus. We have lost the concept of surrender to the Lord. We no longer know what it means to sacrifice, and we certainly do not understand what it means to die to self. In short, churches are operating out of their own agenda rather than seeking God and working from His agenda.

Well, how do you deal with spiritual issues? Confession first comes to mind. But in reality, it has to do with a person’s relationship with God. I am sure it must have to do in part with intentional transformational discipleship. I am quite sure that it must involve a much more serious approach to prayer. It is probably dependent upon an outpouring of God’s Spirit; but it must accompany an understanding that as hard as we have tried, we have failed. It is time to move off our own agenda and onto God’s. Somewhere, somehow, we need to focus on being transformed into Kingdom People. The term we use today is “missional”. Again, that requires God’s intimate interaction with each of us, but it seems to me that we need to develop some rationale that would facilitate spiritual renewal. I will leave that strategy to the more spiritually minded. I am doing my best to keep my head above water.

If churches are inward focused and plateaued or dying, asking churches to give more to the cooperative program would be futile and is not the answer to our dilemma. We need to strengthen churches and start as many new ones as possible. That activity will address the Cooperative Program issue. Will every convention, association, and church be improved by the approach I am proposing? Probably not, but many will. I believe it is time to look with new eyes at our situation, stop bickering about inconsequential issues, rally around Jesus, and launch off into a new horizon that will hopefully lead to greater partnership with the Lord in His work.

I am just one person. But, I sense God is trying to get my attention. He keeps bothering me about all this stuff. I obviously do not have all the answers and I probably raise more questions than I answer. But, I think it is time for a serious dialogue. What do you think?

Dr. Larry Richmond, DoM
Gateway Baptist Association
Illinois

Associational Impulse

In his book Theology for the Community of God the late Stanley Grenz, Professor of Theology and Ethics at Regent College, Vancouver, wrote that there are two New Testament principles which are basics of the present-day community of God. They are:

1. The principle of congregational autonomy; whereby individual congregations make their own decisions apart from external control; and
2. The principle of associational impulse; whereby this Biblical principle of autonomy of the local church never degenerates into congregational individualism.

As he describes it, Interdependency functions as a counterbalancing norm for these principles. In their autonomy, each church has three defining powers; membership, mandate and organization that make them unique but also identifiable as a church.

Simply put, each congregation establishes how one may become a member and how those members relate to the body and what responsibility the body may have to its members. A congregation is mandated to demonstrate certain basic functions or purposes such as worship outreach and edification. Finally they organize with officers, leaders and a functional polity that meets the needs of their fellowship.

Even though they are autonomous and possess church powers, no congregation is an end to itself. Each is a participating partner with other congregations in a larger whole. Each has a particular local function in life and ministry, and each local body is crucial for the life and ministry of the whole people of God in the world.

To fulfill that associational impulse, each congregation should find a way to express its responsibility to the larger whole by voluntarily joining with sister churches in an associational framework. Associations of various types complete us as we look for ways to fulfill the Lord's will for his bride. They also promote a wider experience of community. Through associations, congregations are able to join their resources in order to unite in fulfilling the commission shared by the entire people of God.

In addition to very practical advantages, the uniting of local congregations into a larger association is theologically significant. Associations of churches demonstrate the importance of wider Christian fellowship, unity, and reciprocal dependence. We surely want to protect congregational autonomy, but have we considered cooperation with others in a larger context than our local field as a measure of church health?

So, how's your Associational Impulse?

Bill Rains, Associate Director of Missions
Tulsa Metro Association of Baptist Churches
Tulsa, OK

What Kind of Church are you Building Today

"According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay that that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 3:10-11 NKJV

It has been said that the "day of the institutional church is over!" I totally agree. The un-churched are not coming to our churches today. Attractional ministry is no longer effective. If we are going to be the people of God we must take the church out to the community where the people are! Where is the focus in the churches of your association? A missional church is focused outside of itself on mission, rather than on itself in a maintenance mode. I've found that maintenance focused churches are declining churches whereas missional churches are growing, vibrant congregations. A brief look at the New Testament church confirms that the early disciples were focused on being and doing. Today's society reflects the same challenges of the first century when Christianity was first introduced to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. New Testament churches today must direct their attention to changing the culture of our age rather than conforming to the culture around us. I would encourage any church to ask themselves, "What kind of church are we building today?" What kind of churches do you have in your Association? What does God want to do in you and your association? Consider the following contrast:

Mission Minded Church vs. Missional Church

• Religious ceremonies vs. Relationships
• Go to church vs. See themselves "as the church"
• Isolated from the world vs. Engaged in the world'
• Focus on maintenance vs. Focused on missions
• Activities vs. Accomplishing God's mission
• Sending and supporting vs. Being and doing
• Representative vs. Participative
• Mission is one expression of its ministry vs. Missions in the essence of our existence
• Teach people to know vs. Teach people to obey
• Explaining vs. Experiencing
• Worship is to entertain people vs. Worship is to exalt God
• Connecting people to the church vs. Changing the culture of our world
• Spend time at the church vs. Spend time getting to know lost
• Holding on vs. Forging ahead
• Design events for members vs. Design activities to connect
• Enlargement vs. Extension
• Retaining members vs. Releasing members to replace them with people outside the church
• Size vs. Sending and serving
• Mega Church vs. Multiplying church
• Compete vs. Cooperate
• Survive vs. Thrive
• Faithful team vs. Flexible team
• Not content to know about God vs. They hunger to know God

References:

• Milfred Minatrea, Shaped by God's Heart The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches
• David Putman & Ed Stetzer, Breaking the Missional Code Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community

Dr. Larry Cheek, Associational Missionary
Stone Mountain Baptist Association
Conyers, GA * 770-483-2776
lcheek@stonemountainbaptistassociation.org

What Believers Can Learn From The Secular World

During a time when statistics reveal that the established church is making little impact on our culture, we need to take some time to examine how we "operate" as the witnesses that God has called to be to our world. The fact of the matter is – so many people that are lost have a negative view of who we are. I heard a couple of statements within the past few weeks that have pierced my heart and caused me to ponder a few things.

The first statement was made by a layperson in our association. Concerned about relationships she was aware of in Baptist life that seem to have "soured," she made a statement and then asked a question in the conversation. She stated, "We Baptists believe that when we accept Christ as personal Savior, He dwells within us." Then she said, "Well---if Christ dwells in me and Christ dwells within you, why are so many of us arguing with each other and acting so unchristian towards one another?" - a question worth pondering.

Later that week I heard a renowned preacher on a local radio station detailing an account whereby a member of his church (who happened to be an attorney) came to him concerned that he had been witnessing to another local attorney when that attorney asked the name of his church. Hearing the name of the church he stated, "Well there's no way I could ever attend that church. The most dishonest attorney in town is a member there." The pastor went own to discuss how many times our personal witness is made more difficult by the negative witness of persons before us that claim to love Christ.

Yesterday one of my pastors shared an incident this past Sunday. He carried a prospective youth pastor out for lunch after church at a local fast food. A well-known member of another church was in line in front of him. When she received her order, her hamburger was not cooked as ordered. The young lady behind the counter was overly apologetic, worked diligently to correct the problem – always courteous to the woman. Nevertheless, the woman – still dressed in her "Sunday best" became irate, disrespectful, and unwilling to accept any apology the young lady gave her. When she walked away with her "proper" order, the young lady stated to another employee – "you can sure tell she's been in church." Her actions had spoken so loudly that anything she would say about Christ – and anything the next person in line (even if he was a pastor or youth pastor that loved the Lord) would say about Christ would not be heard. We need to be aware that we are hurting the cause of Christ in a world that desperately needs to experience Christ.

A few weeks ago I read a post on my son's blog -- his blogsite is meditationsonthelaw.wordpress.com. The title of that particular blog was "Macs and Christianity." A couple of weeks later he wrote a sequel to that blog and I thought it was pretty good. They both speak well to the above examples so I thought I would share them with you - I think he hits the "nail on the head." We - as people who say we are burdened for those around us that are lost, simply do very little to demonstrate that we really care. I think he writes pretty well--of course, I am his father.

"I have recently decided to join the throng in buying a Mac computer. I have been greatly impressed with what people have told me about the Mac and what I've seen the Mac do. Another thing that really impressed me was the customer service I received when I visited the Mac store two nights ago.

The girl that helped me talked with me for well over thirty minutes. She didn't push the most expensive product down my throat. She didn't try to convince me to buy accessories I didn't need. The store was packed with people, yet she didn't try and rush me at all. She wasn't sure if she would make the sale (she didn't), but she gave me her full attention. One thing that really impressed me was that she asked me a lot about my job, schooling and what exactly I was studying. She was trying to help me get the best computer for what I needed.

I know she's trained to do this, but it was a refreshing experience. I do plan on looking for her when I do buy a Mac (hopefully later this week). But, the thing is when I walked out of the Apple Store I wondered, "Do we Christians invest even thirty minutes into someone's life? Do we do it with such attention and care as she did?" It was just a thought that crossed my mind and challenged me. What do you think?"

As Baptists we are "trained to" share Christ with those that are lost and minister in His name to the people around us in need. YET- unlike the young lady trying to sell my son a new computer, we still do not take the time to "close the sell." When was the last time you took 30 minutes to get to know the people around you and offer them the hope for their lives that only Christ can bring? Perhaps we need to take a trip to the closest computer store for some motivation.

His second post reads this way: "I went back to the Mac store two days ago so that I could pick up an adapter for a presentation I was giving at my job yesterday. When I walked in the store I remembered one of the guys who worked with me to sell me the computer. It was the day that he was training and now he was on his own.

When he saw me he said, "How are you enjoying the switch to Mac?" He had remembered that I bought a Mac and he had remembered that I was switching from PC to Mac at that time. He helped me with my purchase and I was on my way quickly.

But, there was something else that caught my attention in the store. There was a lady who was returning an item. It was made by (some company, which will remain nameless…but not Apple). It was an armband that would carry an IPod while working out. It had broken; this was the third one she had bought. She couldn't verify that she had bought it from a Mac store and she was getting pretty upset about it all.

The Apple employee that was working with her was very patient with her. He was telling her she needed to contact (said company) since their product had malfunctioned three times. She didn't like that answer because she thought she wasn't going to get any money back. The employee perceived this, because she did not state it, and told her, "I don't want you to pay anymore money for this product. All I'm saying is that you probably need to notify (said company) of their product malfunction." He was patient with her all the way.

Many people in retail would probably not put up with that. But, this guy was patient. Again, this models the type of behavior I have seen from Apple itself. And of course, I wondered, do we as Christians do this?

Would we take the time to really pay attention to someone and be able to remember them a month later? I know I usually don't. My memory is horrible. But also, how many of us would work patiently with someone who was getting irate with us. At some point, we would demand our rights, wouldn't we? Maybe this is an over-generalization. But, I just wanted to take a moment and reflect on the good service I have received from Apple.

Now, if they can do that with a product that may last me 5 years, how should we be when offering the gospel in word and deed?"

I think there is a LOT we can learn from the secular world. If we paid genuine attention to the needs of people that cross our paths every day, then maybe we would have a more positive impact on our world. Perhaps we just need to stop and think – every day we either are a good or a negative witness for the cause of Christ.

Often times I am asked by member churches, "Which evangelism program do you think would work in our church?" Of course, they are asking about The Net, FAITH, EE, Roman Road, Friends Evangelism, etc. Generally, I answer – "any thing you stick with." Perhaps I also need to relate the importance of looking like a Christian at times when it is not visitation night.

I know when people read these blogs, they are looking for practical and/or associational counsel. I am so burdened that we are not being the church God has called us to be to our world. If we are called to be Great Commandment/Great Commission churches, we must show the character of Christ to those around us in "lifestyle evangelism."

Dougald McLaurin, Associational Missionary
Tar River Baptist Association
North Carolina

7 Essential Pieces for Associations

This column was originally published in unedited form in the
2007 Associational Book of Reports
Southeastern Baptist Association, Monroe, Michigan
October 5, 2007

This week I called home to discover that Brenda had accidentally dropped her favorite casserole dish while preparing our dinner. She was in the process of trying to pick up the pieces, knowing that she could never reassemble the dish.

When I teach at the BASIC TRAINING for Church Planters, we show the need for knowing God’s vision by using a puzzle to illustrate that if you have a picture on the box, you can know where you are going. If the church planter cannot see what he believes God wants the church to look like, then he will never be able to communicate that vision to others.

Puzzles are interesting. Without all of the pieces, you cannot finish the puzzle and see the completed picture. Only one piece has to be missing for the picture to be incomplete.

I ask us today, what are the pieces that must be present for an association to be relevant in today’s world? I believe there are SEVEN pieces that must be present if associations are to be what God wants them to be in the future.

PIECE #1: New churches – A friend once told me that only a church could start a church. After thinking about that comment, I realized that it is really individual people involved in starting churches, not necessarily the churches. Those individuals come from different contexts and backgrounds. They are employed in numerous kinds of professions … but it is a fact, people ultimately start new churches.

My prayer for our area is that we see both people and churches that have a passion to provide a church for all people groups. Starting congregations that are contextually relevant. Every person should have the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to make this possible, we must engage in the process of starting churches in all places with all possible races and with all people groups (Matt. 28:18-20; John 3:16; Acts 1:8; Acts 16:9-10; Rom. 1:16; 2 Cor. 5:20; Is. 56:3-8).

Our association must be positioned and prepared to assist our area churches in the process of pushing back the lostness through starting new churches. We must not settle into a pattern of contentment, satisfied with sitting saints.

PIECE #2: Evangelism and Missions – Associations must value reaching people with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. People matter to God therefore they should matter to us. Evangelism and missions are of utmost importance (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 16:9-10; Isaiah 56:3-8).

As churches, we must never become satisfied to be primping up property and propping up programs. We must remain focused on people … reaching people with the message of Jesus Christ. Associations must find ways to resource member churches so they can be effective in building relational bridges to the lost community around them. Associations must also seek out opportunities to help members to cross over geographic and cultural borders to be directly involved in mission work.

PIECE #3: Training/ Teaching – Associations must provide unique resources that enable our churches to disciple believers. The association should be compelled to help strengthen and assist associational churches in maturing believers to be fully committed followers of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:11-13).

PIECE #4: Working Together – Associations today must value cooperation more than ever in their history. Realizing we can accomplish much more together than separately we value our relationships. Unity and cooperation should characterize the relationship between sister churches in the Association and with those of like faith throughout the nation and the world (Acts 2:44-47). We also value networking, the fostering of partnerships among churches and individuals; linking needs with resources; communicating for rapid response and beneficial assistance. (Psalm 133:1; Eph. 4:1-3).

PIECE #5: Originality & Excellence – Associations must become increasingly entrepreneurial to be successful in today’s society. Innovation and excellence must be the standard in the high-definition world in which we live. Associations must exhibit creativity through a pioneering spirit. This most often will necessitate the reformation of structure and strategy to meet the changing needs of members (Isaiah 43:19; Mark 2:22).

Associations that value excellence will reach for high standards of quality in all they accomplish. The goal is to serve their churches and individuals with reliability and integrity; providing quality resources using state of the art technology; maximizing ministry and minimizing maintenance.

PIECE #6: Relevance – The association of 2007 and beyond must value diversity and cultural relevance. Approaching ministry from a culturally relevant, Biblical base; relying on prayer, research, contextual awareness and sensitivity to needs; taking risks and innovating, rejoicing that God created different people and churches for His glory. Today’s association must esteem cultural diversity, celebrating the intergenerational multi-culturalism of our context; affirming various worship styles and ministry structures; embracing the varied methods of God’s activity (Acts 2:7-11; John 10:16).

PIECE #7: Kindred Spirit – The seventh piece to our puzzle must be the fellowship (Koinonia) of believers with Jesus Christ. Unity among our churches is a precedent as we relate to one another in a spirit of love, focusing together on Kingdom priorities (1 Cor. 1:9).

One final PIECE to our puzzle that must be noted ... that piece is YOU. Without you, the association could not exist. If it were not for your participation and giving, even in tough times, we would not be able to be available to our member churches to resource their vision for reaching, discipling and growing. Thank you for your partnership.

Are Para-Church Groups Spiritual Adulterers?

What would your response be to a person that says:

• I like you, come over anytime, but please don’t bring your wife?
• I love you, but I refuse to spend time with you if your wife is present?
• I can’t stand being around your wife, let’s go spend time together without her?

The hair on the back of my neck stands up just to read such statements. Most of us would find such statements reprehensible. Those would be fighting words if said to us, wouldn’t they?

Are para-church groups that claim to be lovers of Jesus Christ, but do not connect persons to the church (the Bride) spiritual adulterers? How can you say you love the groom (Jesus) and disregard the bride (the Church)? Again, the hair on the back of my neck stands up when I think of it in those terms.

When we support para-church groups or persons that aren’t connecting converts to a local fellowship of believers, it is like supporting a relationship with the “other” woman instead of the bride. How can we even imagine leading people to enter a love relationship with Jesus and not help them to love spending time with his bride, the church?

Are these para-church groups’ spiritual adulterers? The “other” woman? Vying for the affections of new believers?

Ed Stetzer recently asked: Can You Love Jesus and Ignore His Bride? (Read his comments here). He was addressing recent research about the huge number of young people that drop out of church after high school. When they land on a college campus, they often find groups that want to “love Jesus” together, but they don’t intentionally connect the students to the local church. How can that be?

Are these and other para-church groups’ spiritual adulterers? If they don’t encourage those who love Jesus to love His Bride (the Church), it would seem to be the case.

What do you think?

Bobby Gilstrap, DoM
Huron & Southeastern Baptist Associations
Michigan