Johnny@TheBOD.tv

It's the people...

Group Magazine did a "Cool Church" survey, asking teenagers to rate factors that influence their commitment to church. The things most frequently rated "very important" were:

• A welcoming atmosphere where you can be yourself (73%)
• Quality relationships with other teenagers (70%)

What did teenagers rate as least important?

• A fast-paced, high-tech, entertaining ministry approach

Found this from Church Volunteer Central this morning.  Ministry is about people.  Nothing else matters if you don't get that right.  Evangelism is done through people loving others enough to invest their lives in others.  It has very little to do with cool... facilities, technology and entertainment.  Impacting churches of the future will be real and raw, focused on people not the institution.  Others will die a slow painful death.  A couple of key points "where you can be yourself" and "quality relationships".  What does that look like to you?

Job or Ministry

Whether volunteer or full time paid staff, you either have a job in the church,

or you're engaged in ministry.

 

What’s the difference?

 

 

If you do it just because no one else will . . . it’s a job!

If you do it to serve God . . . it’s a ministry!

 

If you quit because someone criticized you . . . it’s a job!

If you kept on serving in spite of criticism . . . it’s a ministry!

 

If you’ll do it only so long as it doesn’t interfere with other things . . . it’s a job!

If you’re committed to staying with it, even when it means letting other things go . . . it’s a ministry!

 

If you quit because no one ever praised or thanked you . . . it’s a job!

If you stay even though no one notices your efforts . . . it’s a ministry!

 

If you do it because someone else said it needs to be done . . . it’s a job!

If you do it because you sensed God saying it needs to be done . . . it’s a ministry!

 

It’s hard to get excited about a job.

It’s almost impossible not to get excited about a ministry!

 

An average church is filled with people doing jobs!

A great and growing church is filled with people involved in ministry!

Taken from www.volunteercentral.com.  BODers be ON-MISSION in Ministry.  Your service is to God.  DON'T BLINK!

Megaphone Man...

Popped in on the BodSquad tonight as they were watching Rob Bell and Megaphone Man.  Incredible teaching that drives home something very dear to my heart.  Rob was talking about the preacher man on the corner with his megaphone telling people to repent.  Jake experienced this last year on campus at the UofA.  Preacher guy yelling at students walking by... looking like a fool.  Him I mean.  He became a joke.  IRRELEVANT.  Shame.  Another blow to our cause.  People are sick and tired of being preached at and told they are going to hell.  The reality is most, at least according to polls, believe in hell and don't really want to go.  They also believe in God.  The problem is that legalistic religion creates huge barriers between these folks and God.  Let's try a fresh approach...  Let your life be the megaphone and your message be love and grace.  We'll let the Holy Spirit do the convicting and rely on God for results.  We'll work like it all depends on us and have faith that it all depends on God.  Love and grace... LOVE AND GRACE...LOVE AND GRACE...LOVE AND GRACE...

Life Groups are not about head knowledge...

1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (New King James Version) from BibleGateway.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

Life groups will thrive when we grasp the heart of verse eight.  Did you catch that.  AFFECTIONATELY LONGING FOR YOU, YOU HAD BECOME DEAR TO US... WE IMPART OUR VERY LIVES.  It's doing life together, putting our personal comforts and desires behind us and giving away our hearts to others.  Gently caring for others as a mother would for her child.  We will grow in the knowledge and truth of our Lord, we will fall in love with Him, and this will enable us to fall in love with others.  The fallout of this will have incredible impact. 

The Party

OK I'm trying to figure out what would be the best way express to your "guest services" team what the Sunday morning experience should "feel" like.  What the average guest should experience.  Anyway I'm thinking it should feel like a party.  We've all heard it called a celebration but I can't remember anyone ever using the term party.  Here's my argument.  The elements of a quality party should include: fellowship, food, music, meaningful dialog, giving/sharing, fun, welcoming environment, you may dread coming but once there you are glad you came.  How do these elements translate to the Sunday morning experience?  So I'm suggesting we make it the best party these guys experience all week.  Something they look forward to.  I've heard experiences called everything in the world, so why not "The Party"?