Simple Church Model COGPC 2007 Matthew 28

Simple Church Model COGPC 2007

Matthew 28: 18 -20 18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. " 2

Romans 12: 1, 2, 6 • I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: 3

Clarity > Movement > Alignment > Focus 4

Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people (SC 11). 1. Define it 2. Illustrate it 3. Measure it 4. Discuss it 5

1. Define it: Step one: Agree on the What and How – How do we build the building? What is discipleship? People will join something if they know where it’s going. People will not embrace ambiguity. 1. Determine what type of disciple we want. 2. Determine the purpose as a process. 3. Demonstrate how each part fits the process. 6

Define it - COGPC • COGPC exists to be part of a movement of the gospel of Jesus Christ that changes the people and the city of New York in every dimension – spiritually, socially, culturally – and through NYC, the world. We want to worship God, be transformed by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to serve Christ in the church, the city, and the world. • COGPC exists to: – worship Jesus Christ as Lord, – be transformed by the power of the gospel, – serve Christ in the church, the city, and the world. 7

Worship - COGPC Worship provides a gospel-centered celebration where everyone is called to submit to Jesus Christ as Lord. • Primarily Sunday AM 8

Transformation - COGPC • Transformation – understanding and applying the implications of the gospel for all of life Transformation provides relational environments where the Bible is studied and applied. • Primarily in Small Groups 9

Service - COGPC • Serving – ministering the gospel to the church, the city, and the world – Service includes those venues within and outside the church where one’s gifts may be used to strengthen and advance the kingdom of Jesus Christ. • Equipping through Ministry Teaching/Discussion Groups like our present ‘How People Change’ group. 10

2. Illustrate it: Step two: • Visual images will help people remember the process and reinforce participation. 1. The illustration should reflect the process. 2. The illustration should show the progress. 3. The illustration should help simplify. 11

• Church logo and illustration conveying what we are about. 12

3. Measure it: Step Three: “What gets evaluated gets done” - Will evaluation aid progress? • Seriousness and urgency will be encouraged and the right things will be focused upon, if evaluated. 1. We should measure horizontally not vertically, i. e. we cannot measure one’s relationship with God; we can only measurement levels of involvement. 2. We should measure at each level in our process, i. e. worship, transformation, service. 13

Measure it! Worship Transformation Service John Doe + + + Jane Doe + - - 14

4. Discuss it: Step Three: Develop continual communication tools (needs work!) - What are three rules of memorization? - repetition, and repetition 1. 2. 3. 4. We should be passionate all the time. We should communicate all the time. We should keep it fresh. We should share testimonies about it. 15

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>Movement Defined • “Movement is the sequential steps in the process that causes people to move to greater areas of commitment. ” (SC 139) We have designed a simple process that moves people. We want to relieve congestion! What are our patterns of movement? 17

>Movement 1. Strategic Programming 2. Sequential Programming 3. Intentional Movement 4. Clear Next Steps 18

1. Strategic programming • “We place our programs along our strategic process. . . Each program is designed to move people from the foyer to the kitchen. ” (SC 141) • How do we do this? 19

1. Strategic Programming, cont. • Begin with our clearly defined process. • Choose one program for each phase of our process. • Design each program for a specific aspect of the process. • Place the programs in sequential order. 20

2. Sequential Programming • • Raft Illustration What should we do for a smooth journey? • “Our programs are sequential, based upon our process. The vibrant churches are more than twice as likely as the comparison churches to set up their programs sequentially. ” 1. Order the sequence of our programs to reflect our process. 2. Design a clear entry-point to our process. 3. Identify the next levels of programming. 21

3. Intentional Movement 1. Create Short-term Steps 2. Capitalize on Relationships 3. Consider the “Now What? ” 4. Connect people to Groups “People stick to a church when they get involved in a small group. ” (Tom Rainer) 22

4. Clear Next Step • Take new believers to the next level • Clear next step to discipleship 23

Movement • Romans 12: 1 ff • Present your bodies >>>> be transformed >>>>> having gifts … let's use them 24

Movement COGPC • Worship >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Transformation>>>>>>>>>>> Service>>>>>>>>>>> Sunday Worship Transition Small Group Transition Ministry Discussion Group Transition 25

Transitions • Church-wide Events, Membership Class, and other special events serve as Bridges (transitions into one of the three segments of discipleship. • Bridges to Worship • Bridges to Transformation • Bridges to Service 26

Transitions • Example: • A church wide picnic can be designed to introduce new people to the church and invite them to worship; or to take time to introduce small group leaders and their groups to transformation opportunities. • A retreat can be focused on building relationships and introducing people to transformation opportunities or service opportunities. 27

Transitions • Any special event needs to be designed as a bridge to transition people into one of the three segments of discipleship. 28

>Alignment • Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. • Maximizing the energy of everyone. 29

>Alignment “If you want to maximize everyone’s energy, you must recruit on the process, offer accountability, implement the same process everywhere, unite leaders around the process. ” How do we do that? 30

>Alignment 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Recruit on the process Offer Accountability Implement the Process everywhere Unite around the process New Ministry Alignment 31

>Alignment 1. Recruit on the process • • • “I’m not looking for the best players. I am looking for the right ones. ” Leadership that is moving in the right direction. Leadership that is Theologically Aligned 32

>Alignment 2. Implement the same process Everywhere 1. Put the logo of the process everywhere. 2. E. g. “Worship Christ, Be Transformed, Serve Christ and others. ” a. understanding is increased b. unity is promoted c. the church family experiences the same process 33

>Alignment 2. Offer Accountability 1. Vibrant Churches said, “Our church staff is held accountable for how the church process is implemented. ” 2. Annual checks on the process. 3. How is the program designed to move people through the process? 4. Each person is to see their role as part of the team. 34

>Alignment 4. Unite around the process “When a local church body is not united in the same direction, the body is ineffective. The World watches this confusion. . . A simple church is a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth. ” 35

>Alignment How do we keep focus? 1. Remind people of the process 2. Highlight contributions to the process 36

>Alignment 5. New Ministry Alignment “New furniture is easier to fit into a house than trying to make the old furniture fit. ” How to fit new and existing ministries: Check the fit: 1. Does it fit the simple process? 2. Ministry additions must fit the simple process to be launched. 37

Alignment COGPC Worship Transformation Service Corporate Worship Welcoming Small Groups Adult S/S Youth Group Ministry Disc. Grp. Serve the World Everyday Evang. Community Outreach Serve the Church Ministry Teams Administrative 38

Ministry Discussion Group • ‘Leadership Training Development’ • The Bi-Monthly 60 minute meeting is divided into three segments. – First Segment – Motivational Word or Training – Second Segment – Small Meeting. Meet in three teams (divided by ministry areas) with Session members directing the three separate meetings. Actual planning and work should be done in this segment. – Third Segment – Large Meeting. Session member gives a short synopsis of what was discussed - issues raised and suggestions given. • Comprised of mostly Ministry Team leaders. We will expand this to include not only the leader of a ministry but a minimum of 2 others involved in that ministry. • There is always an open invitation to anyone who wants to know more about serving Christ at COGPC. 39

Organizational Structure Session Ministry Discussion Group Worship Wilson C. Transformation Wilson W. Junior High Children’s Sunday Worship Special Worship Welcoming Small Groups Adult Ed Service David C. Finance Missions Website Outreach Other Prayer ESL/tutoring 40

MDG -Three key questions • We should always ask these three questions at each meeting. Even if it seems redundant, we should do it each meeting. – Are more of us worshipping the Lord as a church? – Are more members of the church experiencing transformation? – Are more of us serving one another, the community, the city and the world? 41

>Focus “Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process. ” (SC 203) 42

>Focus • “Art is a process of elimination. The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the block as are not needed. ” Elbert Hubbard 43

>Focus 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Eliminating nonessential programs Limit Adding Reducing Special Events Easily Communicate Simple to understand 44

>Focus 1. Eliminate nonessential Programs 1. E. G. Google 2. Eph 5: 15 -16, “Pay close attention to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time because the days are evil. ” 3. Be wise stewards of time. 4. Be wise stewards of money. 45

>Focus 2. Limit adding 1. We must be careful not to add 2. We must have the ‘less is more’ 3. We must provide options, not programs. 46

>Focus 3. Reduce special events 1. Funnel existing Events into an Existing program. 2. Combine the Event with an Existing program 3. Use Special events Strategically 47

>Focus 4. Easily Communicated 1. We must communicate the simple process. 2. It must be our conviction and who we are. 3. It must be easily communicated by us. 48

>Focus 5. Simple to Understand 1. Choose simple language 2. Be brief 3. Focus on the greatness E. G. IPOD & Google 49

Focus - COGPC • Worshipping – continue developing a welcoming, relevant, biblical worship Sunday AM worship experience • Transformation – strengthen and expand SG, Youth Group and S/S • Serving – retool MDG with a focus on developing service opportunities in the church, the city, and the world 50

Focus • Develop and Define strategic transitions • How do we move more people into Sunday AM worship? • How do we move more people from Worship into Small Groups, etc? • How do we move people from Small Groups into service? 51

Focus - Transitions into Worship • • • Spontaneous Evangelism for Everyone, including. . . Living Praying Inviting Sharing 52

Focus - Transitions into Worship • • Corporate Evangelism Becoming an inviting church Making the gospel clear in each message Making the invitation clear in every service Provide periodic evangelism training Periodic Church-wide Outreach events Creating optional services that are especially oriented to outreach. 53

Focus - Transitions into Worship • • • Small Group, Youth, S/S Praying regularly for the lost Planning group events to which the unsaved can be invited Planning periodic small group meetings that focus on evangelism Follow-up of visitors to the church and involvement of them in a small group. 54

Focus - Transitions into Worship • • • One on One Model Focus on every member’s responsibility for everyday evangelism Encourage tract distribution Teach and encourage life-style evangelism Make available information and other tools that encourage life-style and neighborhood evangelism. 55

Focus - Transitions into Worship • • • Mercy-ministry based evangelism Teaching on the social implications of Christianity. Developing ministries that meet felt needs both as genuine expression of Christian love and as an avenue for sharing the gospel. 56

Focus - Transitions to Transformation • Sunday service recruitment of greeters • Small Group Mini Church (2 groups or more) • Bridge events designed to highlight Small Groups • Personal invitation and discipleship • Membership Class • Guest follow-up 57

Focus - Transitions to Service • Service Mercy Projects (i. e. - Autistic Parent Fellowship) • Invitation to Ministry Discussion Group • Special event community Service (i. e. English Club in Beacon Sat. program). • Mission Trips • Teaching on Spiritual Gifts • Ministry Fair 58

Complexity • Complexity – "Church complexity is costly. The cost is beyond time and money. The kingdom is not expanding. Lives are not being changed. Transformation is not happening. Churches are not growing" (SC 228). 59

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