2008 January | Street to the Seat

« Older Entries

Newer Entries »

Monthly Archive for January, 2008

B.E.L.O.N.G.ing revisited

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 25, 2008

in B.E.L.O.N.G. and Community

. 0 Comments

We have had several requests for a repost of our B.E.L.O.N.G. strategy. For future reference you can find all our posts categorized in the far right hand column of our blog. Click on the category and see every post associated with that particular category. Thanks for your feedback and desire to learn with us.
_____________________________________
repost of B.E.L.O.N.G. strategy developed by Pastor Kerry while on staff at Saddleback Church.

While serving at Saddleback Church over the past couple of years I developed a simple way of helping people take their next steps in church life. I call it B.E.L.O.N.G.

It is the road map I developed for Saddleback Church’s 1st base of Membership. See also an article I published in the Ministry Toolbox of Pastors.com on the same topic.

As it relates to STS and our 4 C’s this is the “COMMUNITY” piece.

B.E.L.O.N.G. is your road map to discovering a life of purpose through biblical community.

Become a follower of Jesus Christ through salvation and baptism.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:41)

Next step: Get persons into a new believer mentoring relationship or class and move them to baptism.

Embrace a life of purpose through the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

“’Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. ‘And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:36-40)

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

Next step: Get people involved in a mentoring relationship and/or class on “membership”.

Live life together in the context of a small group.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

Next step: Help people see that doing life in the context of Sunday School and/or Small Group is the key to being healthy and balanced in life.

Offer your time and resources to others.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Next step: Help people see that they don’t have to be theologians to serve others. Serving others is a key step in being healthy. Serve early and often.

Nurture relationships within the community by sharing your faith in Christ.

“In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Next step: Assist persons in sharing their faith in community through relationships. (family, neighbor, co-worker, colleague, and classmate)

Grow in spiritual health.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31)

Next step: Assist people in take their spiritual next steps. (bible reading, daily devotion, prayer, and worship)

8 weeks before Easter - CONNECTION - touch points

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 24, 2008

in Connection

. 1 Comment

Think about this for a minute. A first time guest arrives on your campus to a parking lot and a building in the distance. Regardless of whether or not they are a Christ follower what do you want them to do? You see, CONNECTION begins as touch points along the way from the street to the seat if you will, curb to the cushion, pavement to the pew…OK enough of the one liners. You get my point.

The key is eliminating every uncertainty a guest has in their experience on your campus. Predict their need in advance. Think about it. When you go to an unfamiliar place for the first time you are looking for any signs of directional information, guest services, parking attendants, signs, kiosks, screens, etc… that will give you the information you are looking for and/or the information they want you to have.

Be prepared come Easter to provide a seamless experience for your guests. Think about every question that may be raised and put a plan together to address that need. I know what you are thinking…Pastor Kerry we are a house church, we meet in a store front, we meet in a theater, we meet in a school. OK…you will still have to address the following areas regardless of where you meet.

1. Traffic / Parking - when I arrive where do you want me to park (starts at the curb)
2. Greeters - when I get out of my car who welcomes me and let’s me know where I go and where my kids are to go
3. Signage - appropriate communication for where a person is, where they need to go, and where they are when they arrive.
4. Welcome Centers - kiosks or information booths/tables where persons can find maps of the facility, and information from a personal host.
5. Ministry Promotional areas - these could be patios, tables, booths, etc… that highlight your major ministry areas where guests can speak with ministry leaders about next steps. (New Believers, Small Groups, Children, Youth, Celebrate Recovery, C.L.A.S.S. 101-501, etc…)
6. Prayer area - garden or open air areas where persons can go for prayer
7. Coffee House / Bookstores - refreshment areas are great areas to make first connections. Be intentional with your staffing. Don’t worry if you don’t have a coffee house or bookstore. Make it a coffee & resource area. Have something that requires mingling.
8. Ushers - where do I sit?, where can I sit?, can my 5 year old sit with us?, what’s an offering plate?, do you have a family room? can we bring our coffee in?, what do you mean I can’t bring m dog inside with me. Train your ushers well.
9. Digital Imaging - if technology is available make every means necessary to leverage the connection through media. Computer Kiosks, Video loops, free sermon downloads, wifi, etc…
10. Hospitality areas - safe places where persons can go and feel safe to ask any question they’d like without feeling pressured.

Here is another one. I just couldn’t stop on 10. Consider setting up a Family Photo Op. Have a photographer shoot a digital image and have them pick it up the following week. Let the church make this an Easter gift to the community.

Just a thought!

8 weeks before we begin CELEBRATING Easter - COMMUNICATION

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 23, 2008

in Communication

. 0 Comments

It truly is a celebration. It is the day we celebrate the Death, Burial, and RESURRECTION of the King. So hear are a couple of tips.

By now you should have a COMMUNICATION strategy in place. Consider the following:

1. Email/Blog blast to your database (text or HTML, podcast or video)- give them the basics, dates, times, locations, etc…
2. Mailer to a select number of zip codes in your area…new home owners, associations, ect…
3. Website updates that already has the number of services you’ll be hosting, times, locations, etc…
4. Print pieces for church members to post in businesses around town, business card sized invites, etc…
5. Newspaper ads are always an option; however, sometimes cost prohibitive, but available.
6. T.V. - public stations sometimes give free advertisement for churches in some areas of the U.S.
7. Radio spots are always a possibility
8. Banners on your church campus promoting your upcoming Easter events.
9. Movie Theatre ad space on screens prior to movie showings - not cheap, but effective
10. Leverage your Small Group network to begin getting the word out.

Stay tuned for more tips on Connection, Contribution, and Community in the next few days.
________________

POST your COMMENTS on COMMUNICATION ideas your have - let us know what part of the country you are from and what you’ve tried, what worked, what didn’t, etc…

What we need to understand about emerging generations

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 23, 2008

in Communication and Community

. 0 Comments

Once again during my readings of “They Like Jesus but Not The Church”, I was stimulated to ask myself some questions about how we do church, how we help the church do a better job of communicating the gospel, and how we train believers in basic apologetics when I ran across Dan Kimballs thoughts on, “What we need to understand about where people are coming from.” (pg. 167-186).

Dan lists a couple of things that I think are important. Not sure I agree completely with his take on it, but they are helpful as we think about addressing a culture that is very different than anything we’ve known in the past.

Here is Dan’s List:

1. We need to view our world as a Post-Christian culture.

2. We need a basic understanding of world faiths.

3. We need to train our churches to understand world faiths.

4. We need to be able to explain why not all paths lead to God.

5. We need to understand that not all religions are wholly wrong.

If you have read Dan’s book it would be interesting to hear your take on pages 167-186.

“Just when the church adopted a business model, the culture went looking for God.”

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 22, 2008

in Communication and Street to the Seat

. 4 Comments

Reggie McNeal wrote,

We have a church in North America that is more secular than the culture. Just when the church adopted a business model, the culture went looking for God.

(p. 59 - The Present Future, McNeal)

What are your thoughts on McNeal’s quote?

Let’s share our thougths by posting a comment here in our learning community.

Ouch…article on workaholics by Seth Godin

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 19, 2008

in Communication and Street to the Seat

. 0 Comments

Seth Godin’s latest post hit me…right between the eyes.

Workaholics

A workaholic lives on fear. It’s fear that drives him to show up all the time. The best defense, apparently, is a good attendance record.

A new class of jobs (and workers) is creating a different sort of worker, though. This is the person who works out of passion and curiosity, not fear.

Read the rest of the post.

Street to the Seat and the Services we Provide

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 19, 2008

in Audio Podcast

. 0 Comments

Pastor Kerry answers the request from StS email subscribers for a podcast on Services that StS provides.

Services provided by Street to the Seat [10:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Three steps to healthier emerging generation churches

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 19, 2008

in Communication and Community

. 0 Comments

This is my research weekend so while perusing through some old articles I came across this one that I believe will be helpful for you.

Bill Cornelius, Pastor of Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi Texas shares his thoughts on three healthy choices churches can make.

“If you do not pound the table or cry your eyes out when you talk about the next generation, you are not ready. You don’t feel it to the point it is going to take for actions to take place.”

1. The emerging church must begin with a burden to reach the unchurched of the next generation.

2. Prioritize the purposes evenly.

3. Structure your church for effective leadership.

(Read Entire Article)

Evangelism without Additives - What if sharing your faith meant just being yourself?

Published

Kerry Mackey

on January 18, 2008

in Communication and Connection

. 0 Comments

I like to think of myself as a learner; therefore, my reason for hanging out people from all walks of life and persons who challenge me. During the summer of 2007 I had the privilege of hanging with Jim Henderson and Matt Casper after their book, “Jim and Casper Go To Church” caught my attention. I then traveled to Seattle, Wa in the fall of 2007 to attend Jim’s, “Off the Map” conference where once again I found myself challenged.

During my visit to Seattle, Wa I recall thinking…you know it’s not everyday you find an East Texas country boy, baptist by birth, raised by a penecostal mom, with a Bacelor of Science in Forestry, and a Master of Arts in Christian Education sitting at table with 14 people who consider themselves atheist telling them his faith story by interpreting his half sleeve tattoo as he shares his testimony while they are throwing back a few cold ones.

BUT…that is where I found myself when I learned of Jim’s book, “Evangelism without Additives: What is sharing your faith meant just being yourself“. The following day Jim told me he’d send me a copy in the mail. Sure enough he did and…well…it is a great read.

So good in fact that I have encouraged my students at Rockbridge Seminary to pick it up and give it a read. I am teaching The Theology and Practice of Evangelism this spring and continue to learn something new each day.

I hope you enjoy the read.