Archive for the 'Community' Category

G2G “Grow to Go: Reaching Your Potential”

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on October 27, 2008
in B.E.L.O.N.G., Communication, Community, Connection and Contribution
. 2 Comments

Grow to Go

I am so excited to share with you how we have been unpacking the 4 C’s at Christ Fellowship (CF) in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  As you recall the 4 C’s are Communication, Connection, Contribution and Community.

As we think through helping persons take next steps on the journey of faith see if this helps you.  At CF we are doing this through G2G - Grow to Go: Reaching your Potential.

G2G can be unpacked this way.

Discover - Now that you’re on the JOURNEY and have made the most important decision of your life…what’s next?

Develop - no matter what stage of life you’re in, if you have a desire to grow in your relationship with others and Jesus… here are more NEXT STEPS.

Deploy - Jesus commands us to GO… check our next steps that will take your FARTHER than you’ve been before.

First Impressions and the effect on Multi-Site Campuses

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on June 9, 2008
in B.E.L.O.N.G., Communication, Community, Connection and Contribution
. 0 Comments

I am so blessed to be in the midst of thinking though First Impressions and its relationship to a multi-site campus environment.

What does it mean to standardize First Impressions and all that that entails across multi-site?

I.e. -

Communication - oral, print, broadcast, & digital media (branding look/feel)

Connection - traffic, greeters, ushers, first aid, security, welcome centers, campus cleaning, ministry promotions

Contribution - enlistment, training, and placement of ministry partners and the need for cross training

Community - standardization of B.E.L.O.N.G.ing (Become, Embrace, Live, Offer, Nurture, & Grow)

What does it mean to have a standardized assimilation strategy that is organic enough to allow for real community yet strategic enough that follow-up and next steps are taking place.  Stability that creates flexibility.

The more I am researching the more I can see how standardization makes “intentionally”, “clarity”, “alignment”, and “focus” home runs for unity and productivity across an organization.

What are your learnings in this area?

No One Ever Got To The Top Alone

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on May 17, 2008
in B.E.L.O.N.G., Community and Street to the Seat
. 0 Comments

OK… bear with me this is a long one. I am sitting in a hotel in Seminole, Texas on a 4 day consulting gig and I just had to write this post. I have been reading Dr. John C. Maxwell’s book, “Leadership Gold” when I stopped to think of all the people who have help me get to where I am today.

So, I’m stopping right not to say THANK YOU for investing in me over the years. You have made me who I am today. I am indebted to you. My success is your success. I have never been lonely on this journey. You are with me and I with you.

FAMILY

Faye B. Mackey (mom)
Stephanie (wife) Caleb, Josiah, Levi, Silas

PRE SEMINARY

Mark Wiley, James & Gaye Calhoun, Ken & Barbie Stogsdill, The Kensel’s

SEMINARY DAYS

Daryl Eldridge, Gary Waller, Ken Hemphill

MAYFIELD ROAD

Wayne C., Keven F. and their wives Jana & Regina and the ministry partners we work alongside.

WOODLAND HEIGHTS

Wayne & Amy B., Patty, Doug, Lee, Kristi, Rob & Donna, Jase & Tami, and the many ministry partners (volunteers).

FIELDER ROAD

Gary, Michael, Clayton, Jerry & Jerry, Dorthy, Ginger, Lonnie, Jim, Larry Dan, Yevonne, David, Analisa, Jarrod, Glen, Kyle, Elizabeth, Lee, Barbara, Kevin, and the hundreds of ministry partners (volunteers) on our team, and the list goes on…

SADDLEBACK

Gina, Erin, Linda, Stacey, Denise, Dee Dee, Janelle, Susan, Carey, Lance, Doug S., Forrest, Jan S., Jan W., Clayton, Pat, David Upton, Eric, Bill, Buddy, Mike, Steve, Rick W., Stevy K, Rick M., Tim L., Tony Steward, Brad, Dan, David, Mark, Dawn, Michelle, Glen, Tom, Tim D., Tony G., Charlotte, Shaun B., Doug F., Doug H., Kurt, Josh, Jana, Dick, Tom A., Todd, Debbie, Louis, David A., David G., Ron, Jim, Liz, Bob, Tommy, John B., Johnny B., Kevin, Chuck, Matt, Dave, Curtis, Bob, Bob, & Bob, Justin A., Oz Genis, Sam, Rick B., Jon, Kathy, Jim D., Steve R., Skip, David W., Craig, Brian, Shawn K., over 1100 ministry partners (volunteers) on our team, and the list goes on…

CHRIST FELLOWSHIP (just in the past 2 weeks)

Tom & Donna, Todd & Julie, Dave & Betsy, Lance, Patricia, Kathryn, Kelly & Brad, Shila, Ruth, Reid, Time, Brian, Peter, Mona, Gail, Tina, Julie J., Angela, Christy, Johnathan, Matt P., Don, Jon, Shaun B., Chis, Heather, James, Greg, Jay, Meagan, Lenora, David K., Robert, Heidi, Yvonne, Bill, Leo Nathan, Jason, Joe, Jeremy, Cindy, Spring, Katie, Stephen, Keven, Danny, Joe M., Char, Michal & the twins, Debbie, Pam, Tom, Darvan, Pam, Dale, Daniel, Danielle, Ricky, Bill, Paul, Dr. John Maxwell, the ministry partners we are getting to know and the list continues to grow..

I can’t tell you how blessed I have been to have been taught by so many. These people have made me who I am today. I am a blessed man!

Thank You All!

Join the ONLINE COMMUNITY at Christ Fellowship

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on May 7, 2008
in Community
. 0 Comments

Let me encourage you to join our online community at Christ Fellowship.

Watch Online This Weekend

Since late 2005, Christ Fellowship has offered LIVE online services every week. A large group of people all over the world now participate from where they are, and we are thrilled you may watch along with us.

Worship experience times:

  • Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. GMT -4
  • Sundays at 9:00 GMT -4 & 11:00 a.m. GMT -4

The video player is available during live services each weekend. Once the video player loads, it will buffer the video to get ready to play. If the service takes more than 30 seconds to load, there is a problem. Try the process again and if it still does not work, notify support via the options below.

The Online Worship Experience includes:

1. Live worship music.

2. Printable sermon notes, or you can take notes in the player box and then print or e-mail them.

3. An Internet Pastor to connect with online.

4. Join a Skype Chat after message.

Having Trouble Launching the Player?

Once the video player loads, it will buffer the video to get ready to play. If the service takes more than 30 seconds to load, there is a problem. Try the process again and if it still does not work, notify support via the options below.

Technical Problems?

If you are having some technical problems with viewing our services, please contact us by using our online form. Also, low-bandwidth users should try our Low Speed (Dial-up and Handheld) connection.

“The people Jesus misses most” and “Is this what your Jesus told you to do.”

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on April 14, 2008
in B.E.L.O.N.G., Community and Connection
. 1 Comment

I’ve hi-jacked this phrase from Jim Henderson at Off the Map, “The People Jesus Misses Most“. When I pair that with Matt Casper’s phrase, “Is this what your Jesus told you to do” it causes me focus in on asking questions about creating organic community to use Joseph Myers terminology, that moves persons in the direction of Jesus.

I find myself asking more critical questions about why we do what we do the way we do it. A discussion this past weekend triggered me to ask myself even more questions about topics that Jim, Matt, and Joseph are speaking of.

I was reminded of, “the people Jesus misses most” when I proposed the question to some clergy of how their church might react to someone who enters their church with tattoos and piercings. When the clergy replied, “they wouldn’t be welcome”. Why not, I asked? The clergy replied, “they would feel out of place, our people wouldn’t know how to respond to them and people like that just don’t come to our churches.”

My response was, “then I wouldn’t be made to feel welcome would I, because I have 2 half-sleeve tattoos from my shoulders to my elbows”. You can imagine the facial response. I responded by saying, “Do you get my point”. We have put limits on who we feel comfortable with in our services, how we treat them, and our expectations of them. This goes way beyond tattoos and piercings to persons of different ethic backgrounds, mix race marriages, persons living a different lifestyle, persons with criminal records, and the list goes on.

That begs the question, if we are to focus on, “the people Jesus misses most” - (to clarify, I’m referring to persons who are not moving toward Jesus) - it has nothing to do with piercings or tattoos, then we most ask ourselves the question. Is what we are doing the way we are doing it, “what your Jesus told you to do”?

As you look at the week ahead critically evaluated what you are doing and ask yourself these two questions:

1. Does this address the needs of the people Jesus misses most?

2. Is this what my Jesus told me to do?

4 Weeks Until EASTER - COMMUNITY

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on February 25, 2008
in B.E.L.O.N.G. and Community
. 0 Comments

We are 4 weeks out from Easter and it is none to soon to consider helping persons to take spiritual next steps toward biblical community. I call biblical community, “belonging”. In fact, I created an acronym to help us B.E.L.O.N.G. Look under the category of the same name to find all my writings on B.E.L.O.N.G. and Community.

I recognize that Dan Kimball in his writings speak of belonging before believing and there is merit to that; however, I believe there is another level of belonging that requires another level of commitment which would include choosing Jesus and the church.

As you look toward Easter make sure you have a well defined assimilation strategy to help persons move from the outside - in. Clearly communicate your expected next steps for those who have been prompted by the Holy Spirit to take a next step. And give them the opportunity to choose a next step. Leverage your services to help persons act.

My non-believing friends greatest criticism of his limited church experience is that it didn’t call anyone to action. SO, let’s call people to action. Help them see their next step to being a part of your community.

Tips:

  • leverage the response card to call persons to action
    • be clear about what you want them to do
  • challenge people to choose Jesus and the church
  • provide a New Believer kit and have it ready to distribute at Easter
  • have a team of volunteers ready to meet with anyone choosing Jesus
  • have the baptismal pool open and active with every service (before, during, and after all services)
  • promote a new member class or discovery class for the following weekend
  • small group teams should have a ministry table ready to help persons take a next step
  • make available listings of ministries that persons can be involved in - show them they are needed
  • make relationships high on your priority meter
  • simplify your program promotions during this time
    • just give them the big bucket ministry items and their next steps (preschool, child, youth, adults)
    • how to choose Jesus
    • how to get baptized
    • how to choose the church (101-membership class)
    • how to get connected to a small group
    • how to begin serving others
    • how to tell their story

    If you have other ideas that help persons Become, Embrace, Live, Offer, Nurture, and Grow please share them with us.

The Church…please don’t be a weakling - those who like Jesus need you.

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on January 27, 2008
in Communication and Community
. 0 Comments

How the Church can Respond…A Great Hope for the Future, Kimball’s final thoughts about the church in, “They Like Jesus But Not The Church”.

  • The church is an organized community with a heart to serve others.
  • The church is a positive agent of change loving others as Jesus would.
  • The church holds women in the highest respect and includes them in the leadership of the church.
  • The church is a loving and welcoming community.
  • The church is respectful of other people’s beliefs and faiths.
  • The church holds beliefs with humility and strives to be thoughtful theologians.

Just another thought!

Dan capstones his book with a quote from Nenri Houwen:

When we have been wounded by the Church, our temptation is to reject it. But when we reject the Church, it becomes very hard for us to keep in touch with the living Christ. When we say, ‘I love Jesus, but I hate the Church,’ we end up losing not only the Church but Jesus too. The challenge is to forgive the Church.

This challenge is especially great because the Church seldom asks us for forgiveness, at least not officially. But the Church as an often fallible human organization needs our forgiveness, while the Church as the living Christ among us continues to offer us forgiveness.

It is important to think about the Church not as ‘over there’ but as a community of struggling, weak people of whom we are part and in whom we meet our Lord and Redeemer.

Nenri Nowen
Bread For The Journey

Offering an Apologetic and an Apology

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on January 27, 2008
in Communication and Community
. 0 Comments

Here is a good one…page 250 in Dan Kimball’s, “They Like Jesus But Not The Church”. I love this paragraph. Let me put it in bullet points for simplicities sake.

  • We need to offer and apologetic to correct misperceptions.
  • We also need to offer an apology when the church hurts people in the name of Jesus.
  • We need to offer an apology for arrogant and shameful things we’ve said and for presenting as truth our fallible opinions.
  • We need to offer an apology for straying from the mission of the church and becoming self-absorbed citizens of the bubble.
  • We need to apologize whenever the beautiful bride of Christ is prostituted for a church leader’s or a politician’s agenda.
  • We need to apologize when we aren’t honest with people and become so seeker-friendly that we don’t tell them the hard truth about sin and repentance.
  • We need to apologize when we say that we are all sinners saved by grace but show contempt for those who are still in sin.

This really made me think.

A Great Hope For The Future

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on January 27, 2008
in Communication and Community
. 0 Comments
When we say, ‘I love Jesus, but I hate the Church,’
we end up losing not only the Church but Jesus too. The challenge is to forgive the Church. This challenge is especially great because the Church seldom asks us for forgiveness.

Henri Nouwen
Bread For the Journey

 

Chapter 13 in “They Like Jesus But Not The Church” rings of being prepared to have some answers for the emerging generation. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone…with gentleness and respect.” We sometimes forget the “gentleness and respect” piece of that scripture.

Dan Kimball proposed the following set of questions that are good for all of us to wrestle with as we think of the great hope for the future.

1. Who are you having ongoing relationships and conversations with?

2. Are you training the people in your church to have a missional heart?

3. Are you creating in your church a culture and encourages people to hang out and develop relationships with those who like Jesus but not the church?

4. When you answer questions, do you do so with “gentleness and respect”?

Never forget where so many of us came from.

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on January 27, 2008
in Communication and Community
. 0 Comments

Something else for us to ponder. Dan Kimball addresses the unlikely people Jesus misses most on page 241 of his book, “They like Jesus but Not the Church.”

The highly unlikely whom all have access to the kingdom of God if they are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus.

See if you see yourself in one of theses?

  • murderers (Acts 8:1)
  • Tax collectors (Matthew 10:3)
  • sexually immoral
  • idolaters
  • adulterers
  • male prostitutes
  • practicing homosexuals
  • thieves
  • greedy
  • drunkards
  • slanderers
  • swindlers (1 Cor. 6:9-11)

Just a thought!

Dan Kimball also proposing a few questions I believe we should start each day asking ourselves.

1. Am I numb or neutral to people outside the church?

2. Do I intercede daily for people outside the church?

3. Who am I praying for now who is not a Christian?

4. When’s the last time I had coffee or dinner or gone to a movie and just hung out with someone who is not a Christian?