alvin reids last blog post..Amen to Akin-Axioms of a GCR

tims last blog post..Dr. King, Race and the Gospel

I think you made some really great points.

“We do have to change on many fronts but I think the most important part is getting our people trained properly as lay leaders who actually study the Word and know what they are talking about.

For one, lifeway can stop trying to cram whole lessons of theology into one sunday school lesson. Why do we have to cover a topic in one week? Sometimes..oftentimes… a portion of scripture really needs a few weeks studying but yet we think someone knows it just because they had a sunday school lesson on it. “

Your first point is absolutely spot on and as a pastor I speak this from my heart. The greatest testimony to my ministry is first whether the church survives if I leave abrubtly (like dying for example) and second if the church remains healthy in my absence. If those two things can take place without me, then I have done my job. My job is not to do all the ministry of the church; my job is to equip the members to go out and do the ministry of the church.

As far as your second point, this is something we have to teach ourselves. I have taught the discipleship class Worship believers experiencing God two times now. The problem with this study is it is designed for six weeks. The first time I taught it, it took eight weeks (1 hour sessions). The second time took 9 weeks. So it takes “ministers of education” involved in the lives of the Sunday School teachers trainging them to better teach and that everyone is on the same page (for example, lets take two weeks on this lesson instead of one).

Olon Hydes last blog post..Looking Down at Catholics

I think it fits a lot of our problems within the SBC. The problem we will always have with leaders serving is that they all think everything should be done their way and so will always be busy trying to make everyone conform to that rather than doing any actual serving.

We do have to change on many fronts but I think the most important part is getting our people trained properly as lay leaders who actually study the Word and know what they are talking about.

For one, lifeway can stop trying to cram whole lessons of theology into one sunday school lesson. Why do we have to cover a topic in one week? Sometimes..oftentimes… a portion of scripture really needs a few weeks studying but yet we think someone knows it just because they had a sunday school lesson on it.

It’s terrifying to me that we try and take our Savior to a lost and dying world but yet so many of us don’t have the faith to believe that He can actually do anything for us.

I’m not sure we can change and make a difference but I’d like to believe its possible. Changes, no matter what they are, though, won’t make a difference if we don’t know what we really believe and why.

In Christ,
Sallie

Sallies last blog post..Health and Healing Service

My concern when it comes to the SBC is that we string together half-measures that have some effectiveness in the short term but primarily satisfy the people that we already have who are giving to support the mission. We should not be the target group. Until we reposition ourselves to exist for God and others, a Great Commission Resurgence will be something that is done in name only and it will eventually fail. A true missional lifestyle means that we start as disciples of Christ. If we are a disciple of Jesus, our concern is not for ourselves. Yes, keep what is effective and working. No doubt about that. But the willingness to see things differently and sacrifice our own lives must accompany any structural changes.

I have no doubt that Dr. Reid, Tony, and everyone here agrees with that. I just wanted to clarify that change for the sake of change is a dangerous as staying the same. A heart change, followed by structural change to assist the mission is what is required. I’m praying for it.

Alan Crosss last blog post..The Full Meaning of Holiness – It Might Be Different From What You Think

But when I am still cautious about the outcome. When the conversation turns to specifics, will the desire for change be strong enough?

alvin reids last blog post..Toward a Great Commission Resurgence: Convergent Evangelism, Part One