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THE DRIFTING CHURCH

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Drifting church

By Ken Blue

If a church is drifting, one of two causes exists: The church has no charted destination, or the captain is asleep at the wheel.

The church that is adrift, with no clear destination, is at the mercy of the current. Its only objective is to get through another Sunday. Next Sunday will be another day, and we will deal with it as we did today.

This is the status of many churches. Their only goal is have church Sunday and observe another phenomena. The bulletin is printed because churches are expected to have them. The songs are selected with no relevance to the pastor’s message, and the sermon is preached with no intended purpose or expected results. Everything rises and ebbs with the tide. This is the church without clear objectives or destination and is adrift.

Some churches have a purpose statement, somewhere, but like a New Year’s resolution; they write it and forget it. It has no bearing on anything that actually happens. Statements are easy to write, but old habits are hard to break. Unless we plan everything according to a clear destination, we are simply drifting in circles.

Even with a clear destination, it is difficult to keep a church on course. Churches are like ships and airplanes. All are prone to drift. The only hope is to have a strong rudder and an alert captain at the wheel.

The question is, is your church adrift; if so, why? Is it because you don’t have a clear vision of what you are trying to do, how to do it, and where you want to go? Or, is it because your church activities have nothing to do with the purpose statement you have misplaced? Only you can stop the drifting.

AN EVEN BALANCE

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even balanceAN EVEN BALANCE
By Ken Blue

“Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.” Job 31:6.

I am so thankful that we have the book of Job, in which God attests to Jobs integrity. Without it, I am confident that most of us would have chimed in with his interrogators. An even balance has two sides to it; one is your side and the other is God’s. Most of us are unable or unwilling to use just weights when weighing others. We have our own set of weights deep down in our pockets, and we are quick to draw them out and throw them on the scales when prompted. We have become adept at finding just the right weight in order to tip the scales in our favor or that of a friend. This is what Job’s “friends” did. They had their “weights” of tradition, experiences and observations with which they weighed Job, and still they were all wrong.

Dr. Charles Keen said, “The devil knows nothing of balance”, and it is obvious that many of God’s children are lacking in this grace also. Job knew that his heart was right with God, and his desire was to be weighed by Him. Aren’t you glad God doesn’t use the same weights to measure you as others do when judging you? Not only should we pray that our personal life be pleasing to God, but we must also pray that our judgment of others, with whom we agree and disagree, will be carried out by a just weight and an even balance.

A VIEW TO GROWTH: ENLARGEMENT

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Crafting ministries with a view to growth

view to growth

 

By Ken Blue

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;” Isaiah 54:2.

God will keep his promises to Israel. In anticipation of the returning remnant, Israel is called upon to enlarge their facilities in order to accommodate them. Their faith will determine how they respond to that command.

The question is; are your plans, facilities, and ministries crafted with a view to growth? Do you really expect God to bless your church with a numerical increase? You need not answer; your plans reveal your faith.

Is your baptistery ready to baptize new converts, or is it like many that are decaying in dry rot? Are your nurseries staffed, clean, and ready for the infants of young families? Do you have trained teachers and workers for children when they arrive? Are your greeters prepared for guest each Sunday? If not, why not? Is it because of a lack of faith?

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Your preparation shows your faith or the lack thereof.[/pullquote]

Don’t wait for families to show up before you prepare. Get ready for them now! “And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.” Luke 14:17. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” The average church is surprised if they have visitors on Sunday. You should be surprised and disappointed when you don’t have visitors. Is your church pregnant with expectation, that visitors will come? Once again, your preparation shows your faith or the lack thereof.

The experts tell us that the average church building can only maintain about 80% of its seating capacity. So, if your building is 80% full, you must take action to grow. “…lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;” Isaiah 54:2

Sad to say, some pastors do not want their church to grow. It is just large enough to pay them a salary, and just small enough to be a comfortable little family. If a church is doing what the Lord commanded, it ought to see new visitors and new converts each week. Pastor, the truth is we plan our church ministries according to our faith and vision. I challenge you; enlarge your existing ministries and expect growth from the Lord. Get a view to growth!

HOW TO LET YOUR CHURCH GROW

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CHURCH GROW

 

By Ken Blue

I am aware that there are pastors who subconsciously do not want their church to grow. Fear and selfishness are the two main reasons. They fear they cannot pastor or lead a larger congregation. In addition, the existing attendance may be just enough to provide a salary, and also maintain a small family atmosphere. This article will be of little help to those in that category.

If you want to let your church grow, there are some specific things you must do.

• You must want it to grow. This must be a driving force in your heart and soul. You will get what your desire.
• You must strive to have a quality ministry in every aspect. Look around and ask yourself, what should we improve?
• Print first class quality invitations, and give people a reason to come.
• Stop trying to appeal to the saved. Make your target young couples.
• Have at least three special major events each year, and target the community. These events should be Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day. Pull out all the stops. Have something that will draw the lost to church. Make these yearly events. They will grow in time.
• To grow, you must have visitors, and they must come back. If you have unsaved visitors, you will have many conversions.
• Have new member classes about four times a year. Have all converts to attend these classes before they become members.
• You must train people to take places of service within the church, or you will not grow.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]God wants you to reach the lost at any cost. It cost Him His Son. You can do it![/pullquote]

• You must have adequate parking and seating. Save the best parking for visitors.
• If you go to two services, you will reach those who like an early service. Also, it is cheaper to start additional services than it is to build new buildings.
• Finally, visit some churches that are a little larger than your own, and find out what they are doing to bring in the lost. Learn from those who are doing it. You must stop listening to the negative naysayers, who are doing nothing. God wants you to reach the lost at any cost. It cost Him His Son. You can do it, if you change your strategy and mentality.

THE NOVICE

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THE NOVICE
“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” 1 Timothy 3:6.

The NoviceEvery man possesses some pride, but pride must not possess the man. That is the danger and likely outcome for the novice who is rushed into the ministry without proper preparation. His primary problem is not his age, although that is a factor; his greatest liability is his inability to comprehend God’s grace in relation to his own sinful nature and his lack of the experiences needed for humility and maturity. Paul’s concern is not only for the young minister, but also for the testimony of Christ.

The instruction and the reason are clear. The novice must not be put in charge of that which requires experience and maturity. Both David and Moses were chosen as young men, but neither was appointed until thoroughly trained and tried. No man is qualified to oversee the souls of others until his own soul has been subdued and humbled.

For the novice, the office itself is exhilarating; He stands before others and instructs them. He is applauded and admired by those who respect and esteem his office. The more successful he becomes, the more precarious is his standing and the more haughty his spirit. This is evidenced in posture, poise and pronouncement. No matter what topic is announced, in short time, the novice becomes the topic. Most of his preaching and teaching will be in the first person.

It is not the Devil who condemns the novice; his is the same sin that caused the fall of the Devil, and it will bring the neophyte down too. Pride goes before a fall. The novice is so inexperienced and self-confident he doesn’t know his own heart, thus, the thought that he could fall never enters his mind. If it does, he dismisses it immediately.

The lives of young men and the reputation of the ministry are far too important to be taken lightly. The warning is clear and the outcome is certain; so don’t ignore Paul’s counsel.