Two exciting things (among many) happened this week. Monday evening our newly reorganized Commission on Worship had its first meeting of 2012. Richard Hagan serves as Chairperson. The other members are Joe Bender, Bob Crosby, Dianne Dunn, Donna Stehman, Craig Underwood, Dr. Steve, Stacie Reber. Last night our Feeding Team made its bimonthly trip to Christ Lutheran downtown to serve more than 150 poor and homeless persons in the city. Persons from both Sunday morning congregations and BURN shared in this effort. Carol Snader leads this team.
Saturday several of elders and pastors will be attending the Conference’s Empowering Elders Seminar at the Swatara Church of God in Harrisburg.
Sunday Dr. Steve will bring his final message in the series, “Being the Best Church for the Community” before leaving on a much-needed and well-deserved sabbatical. His message is “The One Who is Essential”, reminding us of who is the church’s most important leader (clue: he doesn’t think it’s him). We are encouraging all members of our church family to be present to hear this important message.
Sunday we also dedicate our new Sound and Video System.
Looking ahead to next Friday night, our Fellowship Commission is showing the new release COURAGEOUS in a church family film night. Childcare and nursery care are provided. It is absolutely free.
Each Tuesday, Dr. Steve publishes an in-house on-line newsletter for those who serve in leadership roles in the Church of God of Landisville. These are the 11 questions he is sharing with them today, challenging to be reflecting on the “answers” during his sabbatical. As a part of the church family, or as a friend of the church–what answers would you offer? Post them as comments or email them to him at sdunnpastor@coglandisville.org.
11 Questions Church Leaders Should be Asking
January 23, 2011 in Growing Strategies,Leadership by Tony Morgan.
A friend in ministry recently asked me what questions church leaders should be asking. I thought about the types of questions I try to help answer when I’m working with them in the church consulting or coaching relationships. Here are the first questions and some bonus thoughts that came to mind:
- When was the last time I heard from God? Am I doing what he called me to do? This is the “Acts 6″ question. Acts 6 is a great reminder that it’s possible to be doing the ministry of God without doing the ministry God has called us to do.
- What should our church be known for in this community? For a moment, ignore anyone who attends your church. What does the rest of the community know about your church? That’s a better reflection of whether or not you’re really accomplishing your vision.
- Are we really focusing our time, money, leadership, prayer behind the things that will produce life change and community impact? If not, there’s a good chance that “fairness” is driving these decisions. Fairness never produces revolution.
- Is our church growing both spiritually and in numbers? Churches that are stuck and not bearing fruit hate this question. As I’ve shared before, I don’t believe healthy churches are necessarily big churches, but healthy churches are growing churches.
- Is there a clear path to help people take steps in their faith with the ultimate goal of them becoming fully-devoted followers of Christ? Having a vibrant Sunday worship experience is only one component of that. I’m amazed at how many churches haven’t really established a discipleship strategy beyond Sunday morning.
- Have you taken the time to identify what a fully-devoted follower of Christ looks like? Most churches haven’t done this, so they end up just “doing church” without any intentionality of purpose or process.
- Are you empowering the people of God to do God’s work? This is the “Ephesians 4:12-13″ question. Declining churches pay people to do all the ministry. Growing churches challenge people to use their gifts.
- Are you developing leaders? This includes both spiritual discipleship and leadership mentoring, and I think it’s what’s going to distinguish the churches that last longer than one generation.
- Is my community any different because of my ministry? We may need a whole new set of measures to confirm whether or not our churches are really making an impact.
- Do believers see their ministry happening only at the church or have they become missionaries to their families, their neighborhoods, their workplaces, their schools, etc.? Honestly, I’m really tired of Christians thinking God saved them to go church on Sunday and then eventually experience Heaven. Our purpose is much bigger than that.
- Do I have the right leaders around me to accomplish the vision? Read Exodus 18:18-23. This isn’t some new business leadership principle. This is biblical advice that’s been around for thousands of years and still applies today.
Forty men of all ages from the church and the community joined together for our first men’s event for 2012. Dr. Bruce McCracken of House on the Rock Ministries helped us put together a dinner at the Black Knight with Pittsburgh Steeler star Dan Krieder as our featured speaker. Dan shared about his growing up in Manheim, his journey into football and into faith. We were reminded that there have been good solid Christians in pro sports before all the hoopla in the media over Tim Tebow. Afterwards there were conversations and photo ops. Another men’s event will be early in the spring.
Agape Kids is back tonight from 6:00-8:00 pm. Children from the church and community are welcome for an evening of food, fun, and fellowship in the MPR.
In three weeks, our Lead Pastor, Dr. Steve begins a five week sabbatical. He has completed more than ten years as our pastor and the church has granted him a sabbatical to rest, reflect and recharge before he begins what we hope is another ten years in this role. To help prepare us for his time away and to give as an agenda for reflection and ministry, Steve is preaching a three-part series from Philippians called “Being the Best Church for the Community.” He will be highlighting three core essential to being a healthy church on mission. The first from Philippians 2 is called “Sacrificial Servanthood.” Please make every effort to join as our pastor brings us a very special word from the Lord.
This past week our new sound and video system was installed in the sanctuary. You will have a chance to see how these new tools will enhance our ministry as a congregation, and ultimately help us reach the community beyond the four walls of the building. Our thanks to our Technology Commission and its chair, Randy Lefever, for helping the sound contratotr, B&J Sound get this work completed in a timely manner.
As we begin a new year, I would like to share with you a little teaching from Andy Stanley. He is a person who has blessed many, many of us. – Steve
A little quieter week here at the church. The Property Commission began the process of repairing the entrance to our side yard parking lot. When finished we should be able to eliminate much of the mud that occurs when there is inclement weather. Lynn Byers has joined the Worship Band for a season.
Charles Nathan took this magnificent picture of early morning at the church
Our GLOW Group for older girls met this week and is studying what it means to be friends with Jesus. Sunday GLOW Jr and GLOW are having a fun outing at That Bounce Place on Granite Run starting at 4:00 pm.
Leadership and the Table of the Lord will be celebrated this Sunday in our worship gatherings. Our 2012 Ad Council will be installed by Dwight Forry who began his first term as our Council President last Sunday. Dwight, who is one of our elders and a pig farmer by profession will be our youngest council president to date, Dwight also is the co-teacher for our Senior High Sunday School Class.
Communion will be served in the pews at our 8:15 Traditional Service, but at the 10:45 service we will try something new. At the conclusion of the service Dr. Steve will help us participate in a season of prayer out of which you will be invited to go to one of four stations around the sanctuary for a quiet communion with two elders. Parents whose children are taking communion are invited to go to the Children’s Church and bring them into the sanctuary at the conclusion of the service so they can have communion as a family.
Dr. Steve will share one final voice “yet to be heard” from the first Christmas as he shares a message about the Second Advent called “The Returning.’ Please be sure and join us in worship.
Dwight exercising his gift if hospitality as he hosts a barbecue at Forry Farm.
2011 was a powerful year for us at the Church of God of Landisville. In this blog, on our Facebook, and in our photo blog we are reviewing the year in pictures. The youth of our church and a number of adults will be ushering in 2012 with A Night to Worship beginning at 8:00 pm Saturday and running into New Year’s morning where a number of them will also help us in worship by sharing us stories of their spiritual journeys in the past year,,
Our one service (again no Sunday School) meets at 10:00 am and is again informal. The Worship Band will again lead as we give Lucy another week to recover from pneumonia. Dr. Steve’s brief message (yes, brief) is “A Jealous God.”
During the next few days, we will be looking back at 2011 and sharing the highlights of our ministry through some of the memorable pictures taken by various persons throughout the year. You can add to this collection by emailing your favorites to sdunnpastor@coglandisville.org.
Tyler Ruhl as Jesus inviting the children to come into the Kingdom of God
Mary and Joseph for our Children and Their Families Christmas Eve Service
Greg Nauman teaching at our Good News Club at Landisville Primary CenterMark Haldeman gave us another solid year as Council PresidentJoe Bender was elected as our newest Elder
Magnificent worship throughout the year
Roger Fry leads another Easter Sunrise Service in the cemetary next door
The Kids from BURN and their families Easter Week
The Couriers come to FLOW
