Do they understand the Gospel?

Mark Broadbent makes a positive case for checking that young people understand the Gospel, in a recent post on neoleader.
Using eight points, he discusses what he and his church have learned about reaching young people.
1. Make sure you and your leaders understand the Gospel.
2. Emphasize key doctrines
3. Take every opportunity to bring out the Gospel
4. Do 6-8 messages a year specifically on the Gospel
5. Do at least two series in depth on the Gospel each year
6. Stop asking people to make a commitment
7. Don't ask them to become Christians - many think they already are
8. Run a basic Christianity course.

These are just the headings. Check out what he has to say in detail on the post itself.

Compelled by Love

In this book, Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation challenge their readers to look at love within the context of God, the church, and the lives of individual believers. Compelled by Love gives readers a basic theological grounding and a platform for personal application as they understand what missional living is all about—it is simply the calling to love others. Look at the love of God; begin to truly understand what is at the center of the church’s foundation, commission, and direction; but most importantly, understand your role within the mission of God as you integrate love into all aspects of your missional calling.

There is a brief interview with Ed Stetzer on neoleader about the book where he says, amongst other things: Biblical love is willing to die. Culture paints love as the building up of the heart and the completion of life. The Bible shows that the loving Great Shepherd dies for his flock. Biblical love is heroically sacrificial.

Without love, churches will not release people to go to the mission field. You have to love God enough to be obedient to him. You must love the world as Christ does in order to die for sin. You must love your neighbor enough to tell them the truth of their sin, aid in their time of need, and walk them (even ploddingly) toward the cross.
Book published May 2008

Nine Do's and Don'ts

Tony Morgan, on the neoleader blog, offers nine do's and don'ts for those in ministry leadership. I've just listed the nine here, but you can see his additional comments by going to the blog itself.

1. You don’t need a logo.
   
2. Your fancy flyers won’t help.
   
3. Put people first.
   
4. Lead your ministry.
   
5. Remember: print is dead.
   
6. Don’t wait on the church to establish online community.
7. You probably need to cut programs and events.
   
8. Grow through volunteers.
   
9. You are not competing against other ministries.

What he has to say beyond these nine statements is well worth considering.

MAKING DISCIPLES' above 'GROWING HEALTHY CHURCHES'

Neoleader suggests we should prioritize 'MAKING DISCIPLES' above 'GROWING HEALTHY CHURCHES'.

I've included the headings to the post here - check out his comments on the blog.

> Otherwise there might be a lot of people who never come to faith.

> Otherwise I might be tempted to do what is best for the church, rather than the person.

> Otherwise I might spend all my time celebrating the things that make our church healthier, rather than the stuff that is happening outside the church.

> Otherwise I might try and convince all our Christians to serve inside the church, and give 10% of their money to the church.

> Otherwise I will do whatever I can to make our church healthy and growing, even if it is sick and dying.

There'll be follow-up discussions on:

We should prioritize 'GROWING HEALTHY CHURCHES' above 'MAKING DISCIPLES'

We should consider them both to be equally important.

How Rick deals with criticism

Rick Warren on dealing with critics and criticism.

1. Turn your critics into coaches by hearing what they are saying and humbly considering if there is any truth in their criticisms to learn from.

2. Never engage the critics on their terms because it only escalates the conflict and is not productive.

3. Be very careful with firing off emails or leaving voicemails and responding out of anger in a way that you will later regret.

4. Shout louder than your critics to define yourself and do not allow them to define you. [This last might have an element of tongue-in-cheek!]

Source Neoleader blog