If the Church Were Christian by Philip Gulley

Philip Gulley, author of the "Porch Talk" book series, has a new book out, "If the Church Were Christian: Rediscovering the values of Jesus".  Gulley's simple statement about the values of Jesus is too good not to share.

If the Church Were Christian...


Jesus would be a model for living rather than an object of worship.

Affirming our potential would be more important than condemning our brokenness.

Reconciliation would be valued over judgment.

Gracious behavior would be more important than right belief.

Inviting questions would be valued more than supplying answers.

Encouraging personal exploration would be more important than communal uniformity.

Meeting needs would be more important than maintaining institutions.

Peace would be more important than power.

It would care more about love and less about sex.

This life would be more important than the afterlife.

The Last two secrets; Administration and worship

The NCLI Seven Secrets

1. Understand the current situation and start where you are.

2. Be Positive and map your assets.

3. We must reclaim evangelism.

4. Reclaim our compelling Mission; "Why are we the church?"

5. Create small groups for spiritual formation.

6. Administration is Ministry: empower creative people and programs.

7. Transformational Worship.

 #6 Administryation How to do it right 

The title "Administryation" indicates that administration should be viewed as ministry and that whatever we do in business sessions should refelct the priority of ministry.

Michael and Carmen recommend adopting an attitude of experimentation.  A motto to keep in mind is;
"If no one is going to die, give it a try".
They encourage leaders to "De- "not" your church. Which means to create a culture that is accepting of experimentation and to get rid of old policies that are not needed.  Many old policies prevent people from doing the things they want to do.

1. Maintaining an accurate membership database is key.  Gather contact information from everyone about everything.  Visitors and potential members are especially important to stay in contact with.  The rule is "Know Thy People".

Wild Apricot and icontact are two church database systems that they recommend.

2. Test your ideas. 

Keep a jar in a visible place for only  positive, creative ideas. In all things, foster a culture of experimentation.  Consider where are the creative places in our congregation?

How are you protecting the leaders who are doing good things?

How are you incorporating them into the larger church?

Keep repeating the fact that over 90 % of all people who come to a church for the first time come because someone invited them.  Find ways to remind church members to invite.

Have a public greaseboard for announcements about stewardship, mission and events so that anyone can post an announcement or begin a new group.

Experiment, pilot, and play and remember that failure is good when we learn from it.

Train people how to invite; role play, give gifts for the best answer, reward heroes and

always be consistent with the values and vision of Jesus.

Workshop on Contextual Stewardship

Studies have found that most churches have the capacity with a little work to increase their donations by 33%. Paul Tillich provided a guiding image for our work of stewardship when he said, "The church is a treasure chest just waiting to be opened."

Two Books were strongly recommended;  Turning tippers into tithers" and "Not your parents offering plate".

Three closing points;

It is essential to connect spirituality with giving.

Don't be afraid to talk about money in the context of faith.

Define the word stewardship for people.

Secret #7 Transformational Worship

Worship is an experience that changes lives.

Reformation of worship is the engine that drives everything else.

Worship should always have the goal of serving its members.

Worship rightly orders the entire life of the congregation including such areas as; education, spiritual formation, pastoral care and fellowship. 

Two rules guide worship planning.
"There is one God and you are not it."

"Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength and love your neighbor as yourself."

When planning worship, we have to plan as if everyone today has ADD.  Everything in our culture moves so fast that we all have an attention deficit disorder.  People do not tolerate pauses and silence. Services should not contain "dead air".

Remember that in our world today, one size fits some.  We need to offer a variety of worship services with different styles. Don't just think about the people who come to worship, worship should be designed for those who are not there.  Churches should consider the question; How would your worship change if it was designed for people who aren't there?

First, you need to identify  the market you need to reach.

What is worship designed to do?

-make disciples

-promote peace and justice

-turn fear to hope

-remind people that they are servants

-express both Transcendence and immanence... hope beyond us and God within us.

-authentic expression of love for God

Worship like you mean it.

Encourage interfaith and intercultural services.  Worship with congregations that have different styles.

Let's look at worship revitalization as trying to reinterpret what "Sunday best" means. Sunday best used to refer to the clothing we wear to Church.  Think about putting on your "Sunday best" attitude and approach to God in worship.

Installation of Officers: 1947 Book of Worship, Evangelical and Reformed Church

About ten years ago, the United Church of Christ had a large supply of the 1947 version of the "Book of Worship" of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, one of the forerunners of the UCC.  I purchased a large hard copy edition and have altered and arranged services from it for worship and special occasions.  This Sunday I used the "Order for Ordination and Installation of Elders and Deacons" to install our officers and Consistory members.  Several people asked me after worship about it's origin so I am reprinting it here with only slight changes to the original to match contemporary positions and duties. The language has also been changed to make it gender inclusive.

(Addressing the Congregation)
My friends, these people have been chosen and called by you, as a Christian Congregation, to take part as leaders in the care and service of this Church.  They have accepted your call.  I therefore proceed, in the name of our Lord, to set apart each into their own office, to the work of the ministry among you and on your behalf.

(Addressing the Candidates)
My friends, it is a great honor to bear office in God's house, so it is a trust that should not be taken lightly.  Although your election has been by the free choice of your fellow members, you should not regard yourselves merely as their servants, but as servants of Christ.  You should therefore expand your office, and consider its duties as a service to be rendered to god and not simply to them. 

(Elders in the E and R Church)
Some of you are being appointed to assist and support the Ministry of the Word and the general government of the Church.  With the Minister, they form a Consistory for the spiritual supervision of the Church which is committed to their care. They are the advisers and counsellors of the Minister in the work of his Holy office;  they are to be eyes and hands, acting with the Ministers and for the Ministers and representing the Church's Ministry throughout the congregation.  They go before the Church as Christian examples, to watch over it, to take an active interest in its spiritual welfare, to feel a responsibility for its condition, to be available in all circumstances with spiritual aid for its necessities and wants. 

(Deacons in the E and R Church)
Some of you are being appointed to assist and support the Pastor in those ministries which pertain to the more outward needs of the general household of the faith.  They aid in securing the funds necessary for the support of the Church and its various activities.  They are to labor among the people in making known to them the needs of the Church, fostering the principle of stewardship, and thereby cultivating a spirit of liberal and cheerful giving.  In performing these duties, they must not lose sight of the true spiritual character of their office, which although it may be occupied with outward and temporal things, remains a proper branch of Christian ministry.

(To all Candidates)
Having considered the nature of the offices to which yo have been called by this Congregation, do you accept the call as coming from God, and do you undertake the work and service that is set before you in the name of Jesus Christ?

If so, please answer, "I do." 

We used the affirmation of the people from the 1986 United Church of Christ Book of worship.

We gather in celebration of the joy that is ours to be partners with you in the service of Jesus Christ.  We promise to love you, honor your leadership, and assist you so that together we may be a faithful Church of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Formation

The seven secrets of church re-vitalization

 

1. Understand the current situation and start where you are.

2. Be Positive and map your assets.

3. We must reclaim evangelism.

4. Reclaim our compelling Mission; "Why are we the church?"

5. Create small groups for spiritual formation.

6. Administration is Ministry: empower creative people and programs.

7. Transformational Worship.

 

#5 Spiritual formation in small groups

As a Christian we are always asking two questions; Who are you becoming? Where do you practice life? Relationships formed in small groups are essential.

Christianity is not a set of beliefs but a lifestyle...a "way". A disciple is a person who has a discipline.  We need to have a place where we can practice faith. There are individual practices and there are also communal communal practices.

NCLI sees the need to find more creative ways to name this process beyond "Sunday school"  or "Church School".

With so many of our institutions and families in crisis we need to find ways to support one another.  One helpful method to facilitate community support for individuals that was suggested is the circle process.  A good video to refer to is from the Just peace organization.

 

Chapter 5 – Designing Good Process: The Circle Process | JustPeace

 

 

Key areas of spiritual formation are spirituality and worship, discipleship, service and care groups

World cafe is a program where a public notice of a discussion about a timely topic is given to meet in a public space.  Recently the topic of racism has been discussed in our community as a form of sacred conversations.

Those interested in spiritual formation come with head and heart, embrace our incarnational natures

and expect transformation.

Formation must be real and it must also abandon church speak. 

In the Bible God calls us to "be still".  To listen for God's voice and allow God to become our

anchor in prayer.

It's hard to believe, but Southern Baptists started 49,000 churches last year!  This movement was largely a lay movement where small groups gathered in homes.  The majority of American Churches have under 100 members.  Spiritual formation and intimate relationships are fostered in small group settings.

 

Michael Piazza continued with a workshop on leading change in worship. 

 

We should begin to think about the concentric circles of a congregation in worship;

 

the community

visitors

attendees

members

leaders

council

staff

 

Consider how people can be moved along to grow closer to the center of the worshipping congregation.

 

Small growth groups are essential to worship. Michael began a renewal group within his congregation and they pledged to;

Pray twice a day

Worship Every Sunday

tithe in lent-just try it for 7 Sundays (some groups start out trying tithing for Just one Sunday a year)

Stewardship and giving is an antidote to consumerism.

Engage in hands on service projects

Study together and read a spiritual growth book together for discussion.

 

He suggested that Lent is a good time to begin this process.

 

 He also suggested that we use another adjective for "contemporary" worship  like "Lively" worship.

One church calls their alternative service "Indescribable".