When your "no" doesn't mean "no"

After reading my previous entry, and all the things that the new church WON'T have, I feel the need to clarify a few things. Some of you are just finding out about this blog, which to this point, has been for those in the foundational group of the new church. So I need to explain myself better about a few things from the last entry.

1. When I say we won't have Vacation Bible School, I'm not saying it isn't a worthwhile ministry to children. It's obviously been successful at getting kids to hear the gospel in a concentrated atmosphere, and has led to thousands of decisions for Christ. So it obviously has merit and value.

However, we won't have VBS(as it's been done) for a couple of reasons. One, it doesn't really flow with our calling to engage the community IN the community. It's strictly a "come and see" event, rather than a "go and tell" ministry. So if we have summer ministry programs for kids, I envision them being smaller, more numerous, and happening out in the city. Second, and more practically, we wouldn't have a place to host a big VBS anyway, so we're forced to be out in the city as opposed to holed up in a building, hoping people show up.

2. When I say we won't have Sunday School, I'm not saying we won't have small group bible studies. But they won't be called "Sunday School", because that's a term that, to the people we're trying to reach, probably has a negative connotation. It definitely isn't a positive one. Plus, the long-held format of S.S., which consists of people getting together before a worship service to hear a teacher teach a lesson and engage in limited discussion, doesn't flow with our calling, which is to engage people with God, His Word, and others.

That can't happen in the traditional S.S. format...or at least not well. The people we're trying to reach will connect more readily with a more casual format...another night of the week, in someone's home(or even at a restaurant), where the leader is a teacher, but also a facilitator, helping lead the group to engage the text and each other. Having this format also allows more time for relationship-building, prayer, and ministry. While Sunday School(in its usual form) has worked for a long time for a lot of people, it is not the most efficient way to minister to these new, disconnected generations.

We will have small groups(or life groups, or cell groups, or whatever), that will focus on bible study, prayer, ministry, and fellowship(sharing our lives with one another).

3. When I say we won't have committees, I mean that-we won't have committees. I could go on forever about committees, but here is a list of why we won't have them...

-They are usually dead weight in the church leadership structure. Many of them either don't meet at all, or meet for no apparent reason.
-They usually involve the same people, just rotated around different committees like car tires.
-People usually are on committees for one of two WRONG reasons. They either love having power and influence(which is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Jesus taught...in fact, He spoke openly against those who sought that kind of influence), or they can't say no when asked to be on a committee, so they serve grudgingly.
-They usually suck a lot of time and energy from those involved.

I envision a more streamlined structure of leadership(which, to be honest, I'm still praying/studying/reading through) that involves ministry TEAMS rather than committees. I want people to serve who WANT to serve on a team that actually DOES something and has a task. When people feel a sense of purpose, they're energized to serve. Our ministry teams will have a purpose, goal, task, etc. We'll keep things simple so that people can serve where they're passionate about serving, and won't lose precious family/community time just so they can sit stone-faced during a meeting about nothing.

So there are your clarifications. Will we have children's ministry? Absolutely. Will we have bible study? Definitely. Will we have ways for people to be involved in ministry? All the time. But we will not use structures that are either relics of days gone by, or don't flow with our calling and mission. We will stay true to the calling that God has given us.

P.S....Did anyone accidentally pick up a DVD of "Pete's Dragon" on Wednesday night? The library needs it back, and I can't renew it forever.