It’s time to get out of the (church) box, says the gifted and creative rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Mohegan Lake, NY.

The Rev. Claire Woodley says the Matthew 28 command to ‘Go!’ has sent her to regular visits to local businesses where the offers to pray with employees, open up a coffee shop for local teens, and to approach just about every community leader to ask, ‘How can St. Mary’s help you?’

Rev. Claire says the Gospel compels her outward, and it’s paid off in attendance, health, and vitality at St. Mary’s. Heed the words of this energetic and inspiring leader.

Watch the Full Program.

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Synopsis
Clare Woodley has a contagious love for her church and community that she’s bent on sharing with as many people as possible. Here are my notes from the interview:

The Central Question
‘What Does God Want to Have Happen Here?’ is the oft repeated question for her and her leadership. And it’s the most important question stalled and declining congregations need to be answering as well. How often do your leaders ask it?>

Applaud Rector-Free Activities
These are the terrific events and goings on at congregations that lay people take upon themselves to organize and run. Claire says this is often where the ‘real’ ministry takes place, meaning the clergy’s job is to point out how God is present in it and using it.

Sing Top 40 Hits
Stealing from the Wesley’s playbook Claire likes to take pop songs, re-write the lyrics, and have her congregation sing them on Sunday mornings. She says it’s one reason her congregation has grown threefold in Sunday morning attendance in her 12 years there.

About Claire Woodley
Claire Woodley is an Episcopal Priest in the Diocese of New York and for the past 12 years has been the rector of a small parish in the northern suburb of Mohegan Lake.  She was chased mercilessly throughout her teen and young adult years by keen eyed Christians who knew low hanging fruit when they saw it. She resisted with all her might to further a career as a no account partyer, with a side business in becoming a star of stage and screen, and sometime comic. She is an Episcopalian with a date of November 22, 1975 when Jesus Christ started prying her sorry rear end out of the ditch.

Claire has served God primarily in troubled parishes doing interventions and after-pastorates. To keep her happy God has always provided a sideline of out-of-parish ecumenical youth ministry including working with the New York National Guard Challenge Program and the Freezone Middle School Music Club.  The primary question that guides her work is, “What does God want to have happen here,” and the dictum, “You have been blessed, go be a blessing.” She believes firmly that evangelism ministry starts wherever you are standing, so go someplace interesting.

Books Claire Recommends
Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life
The Celtic Way of Evangelism (text only) by G. G. Hunter III
A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix

Nearly every other industry has its own online learning component – now it’s the Church’s turn.

Join me and a bevy of e-Formation pioneers as we try to figure this thing out at a ground-breaking conference at Virginia Theological Seminary.  It’s called e-Formation: Faith Formation for a Digital, Connected World.

It’s taking place at VTS May 31 – June 2. Experts on social media, blogging, video-conferencing, and web design will be there. I’ll be speaking on online learning for Christians and congregations. Click here for more info.

The popular vision of monastics may include ancient religious observation in drafty, stone chapels – is this hardly a place of innovation?

Jamie Coats works for the Society of St. John the Evangelist near Boston. He helps this community of 20 monks, who are devoted to preaching and teaching, get the word out in some pretty cool ways.

In this interview, Jaime talks about the innovative spirit at SSJE and his role as a, ‘witness to a cycle of kindness.’

Watch the Full Program.

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Synopsis
For generations, the Cowley brothers of Boston have blessed the Church with their gifts of teaching and preaching. Jaime says they may be so gifted at change because their eyes are not on preserving the past, but on God who is leading into the future. Here are my notes from the interview:

Get Your Stuff Online
Religious institutions generate solid content every week. Why hide it under a bushel basket? Jamie says sharing these gifts, in print and digital formats, is a call from the Spirit so that the world may now God’s love.

Brother, Give Us a Word
There’s an amazing hunger for God. Jamie says the brothers are meeting this by sending out daily words (aphorisms from recent sermons) that are getting amazing traction. At least 20 new email sign ups a week (mine was today!).

How Do They Stay Current?
Yes, it may sound cliche: by listening to and for God. The brothers build listening into their common life of prayer and devotion. Their core commitments to wisdom and beauty help guide, but it’s listening for the Spirit that is at the SSJE foundation.

About Jamie Coats
Jamie Coats, serves as the Director, Friends of The Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE), an Episcopal monastic order in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He helps the Brothers of SSJE with communication programs, development, finding advisors and long-range planning. Recent projects include the $12m Stone & Light Capital Campaign to renovate the monastery, a more in-depth Cowley Magazine from SSJE, and creating Brother, Give Us A Word, a daily email devotional from the Brothers. He describes himself as a winged-boot fitter, helping people and organizations take spirited steps to better radiate the ever present love of God.

One of the advantages to leading a church in a country where few people go to church is that you can be creative.

That’s what’s behind the Fresh Expressions movement in the U.K. – where David Male has the job of training ‘pioneer missionaries.’

These are folks are entrepreneurs and innovators who listen for the Spirit’s voice outside church walls – and are creating congregations in some invigorating ways.

Watch the Full Program.

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Click here to visit www.livingcompass.org

Synopsis
There’s not ‘one way’ to do church anymore – different contexts are giving birth to different kinds of congregations. Here are my notes from the interview:

The Rise of Spirituality Not Atheism
Given the rise of a number of British high-profile, neo-atheists, one would think the UK’s forgotten about God. Not so, says David Male, who says there’s been an even larger rise in spiritual questing – which has birthed a number of ‘fresh expressions.’

Take Time to Listen
When church planters were asked to pass along their most important piece of advice to other church planters it was nearly unanimous: take time to listen, from the beginning, to God, community, and context. Prayer and attention to the place of ministry is crucial.

Repurposing Is In
Some churches are hosting cafes (standing-room only), markets, even a post office – and reclaiming their relevancy in today’s world. What kinds of partnerships is your church awaiting?

About David Male
The Reverend David Male is Tutor in Pioneer Mission Training at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, UK. He is also the Director of the Centre for Pioneer Learning and Fresh Expressions Adviser for Ely Diocese. David served for seven years Vicar of the Net Church, Huddersfield. This ‘network type’ church, which he started with a small team, was one of the pioneers of fresh expressions in this country, and is the first church mentioned in the Mission Shaped Church report.

He helps Dioceses and churches throughout the church think about and develop fresh expressions of church and church plants. He is an Associate Missioner of the Fresh Expressions team and Leader of the Mission Shaped Ministry Course for Cambridge and Suffolk. He has also been regularly working in Australia, Canada and the USA helping to encourage pioneers and help the church in these countries consider how they might connect with people outside the church. David has written or contributed to Church Unplugged: Remodelling Church without losing your soul, Pioneers 4 Life, (BRF), and The Word’s Out, (BRF)  Married to Heather, they have 3 children, Jenny, Holly and Callum. He loves playing and watching most sports which involve a ball and no water! He is an avid Huddersfield Town fan. His other interests include the media, films and eating!

Books David Male Recommends
The Art of Neighboring – Jay Pathak
Going Deeper – Gordon MacDonald
Imagine Church – Neil Hudson

Sponsors I Mentioned
Living Compass points individuals, families and organizations in a whole new direction for healthy living by providing them with resources, coaching and education. The Living Compass program is based on the belief that each individual knows what she or she needs to do to become more whole. It is also based on the belief that we cannot be whole by ourselves: this journey will require the support and care of others as well.

Gone are those church planting days of door to door questionnaires and neighborhood polling. Anglican Church of Canada minister Ryan Sim is starting his church with an iPhone app.

It will be called ‘Redeem the Commute’ – and it’s stage one of a process to introduce Christianity to unchurched residents of Ajax, Ontario.

Enjoy the innovation and passion of this young entrepreneur.

Watch the Full Program.

Click here to download the Mp3 to your digital device.

Click here to visit www.livingcompass.org

Synopsis
New generations need new says of evangelism – this is a clever one. Here are my notes from the interview:

Missional Listening
It’s Ryan’s mantra. The first part of his mission plan called for 6 months of it. Missional listening is hearing with the intention to serve: ‘how might I meet this person’s needs?’

Ministry in Context
Ryan says his suburban Toronto town is empty during the day, then full of busy families at night – who spend upwards of 2 hours a day commuting. His attempt to reach the unchurched has to take this into account.

An App is Born
The app, ‘Redeem the Commute’ will include marriage and family courses as well as Christianity 101 classes (videos taught by Ryan).

About Ryan Sim
Ryan is a pastor, church planter and entrepreneur starting a new community in Ajax, Ontario, where he lives with his wife Kristin and their young son, Elliot.  He blogs at Adventures in Church Planting. Ryan has a history of entrepreneurship and community building.  He was the founder of StormWeb, one of Canada’s first web hosting companies.  He studied as an engineering physicist, and was a leader in two non-profits before becoming a priest in the Anglican church.  He led four churches through restructuring and revitalization before joining the staff of a large urban church, where he led the planting of reconnect – a new church of young professionals in Toronto. Ryan is leading the development of a new approach to church for busy commuters in Ajax, starting with a mobile app and community called Redeem the Commute.

Books Ryan Recommends
The Road to Missional – Michael Frost
Jesus’ People – Steve Croft

Sponsors I Mentioned
Living Compass points individuals, families and organizations in a whole new direction for healthy living by providing them with resources, coaching and education. The Living Compass program is based on the belief that each individual knows what she or she needs to do to become more whole. It is also based on the belief that we cannot be whole by ourselves: this journey will require the support and care of others as well.

It’s been said of one mainline denomination that its average member brings a friend to church once every 27 years.

Think of the impact that denomination would have if that number was doubled, or tripled! Sharing our faith can be so uncomfortable that we avoid it – yet we know that there are people in our circle of friends who would likely benefit enormously from exposure to our faith community.

Consultant, speaker, author, and head of Wycliffe College’s Institute of Evangelism’s John Bowen – knows that well.

In addition to writing the book Evangelism for Normal People, John has led dozens of seminars that teach people how they can invite others to church, and share their faith in authentic and comfortable ways. You can learn more about John in this interview. In this class John will teach us:

• What is the Gospel we have to share?
• Why sharing our faith is critical to our lives, and the lives of others
• Discovering your part in the process of evangelism
• How to invite someone to church (or not!)
• How to effectively communicate the Gospel to others
• Getting over fears and frustrations that come with faith sharing
• How to help your church become an evangelizing community

This course is perfect for every member of your congregation, especially your greeters, ushers, small group leaders, and leadership team. This is a great way to inform and begin discussion around this important topic.

Every ChurchNext course includes:

• The video course – downloadable in several formats
• An Mp3 of the course – for those who can’t make it, or to review, for listening on any mobile device
• An eBook containing a complete written transcript of the Master Class
• Our exclusive Keep Following Worksheet that makes it easy to take notes on the class AND it includes discussion questions

$25 buys the course for you or your church, and, as always, if you’re not completely satisfied, I’ll give you your money back.

Sure, it’s a cheeky way of putting it – but Wycliffe College Evangelism Professor John Bowen has some very serious things to say about how Christians witness to their faith.

His helpful definition for evangelism is: ‘Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, helping people take steps toward discipleship.’

In this interview, this seasoned academic unpacks this definition, shares with us the things that are ‘working’ in the Fresh Expressions movement in Canada, and gives us some best practices toward building healthy congregations.

Watch the Full Program.

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Click here to visit Turnaround 20/20

Synopsis
John Bowen has devoted his life to helping others reach people with the Gospel, and says today’s enterprise begins by asking church leaders to discern; ‘where is God at work in the community around us?’ Here are my notes from the interview.

Slow Down Church! Evangelism is a Process
Dr. Bowen points to research suggesting the average amount of time is 6 months to 5 years for a person to travel between the convictions: ‘I need to figure this faith thing out’ to ‘I want to be baptized.’ Churches hurt these folk (and themselves) by asking people to move any faster.

One Day a Week…
Dr. Bowen suggests clergy and church leaders need to spend one day a week in the community. Period. Not visiting parishioners or tending to church-related errands, but making friends with our neighbors.

Ministry in the Skyscraper
Pointing to some research, Dr. Bowen says people who live in high rise buildings are 7 times more likely NOT to go to church. Finding a way to bring community, then, to these places is fertile ground for evangelism.

About Dr. John Bowen
John P. Bowen is Professor of Evangelism and Director of the Institute of Evangelism at Wycliffe College in Toronto. He is the author of Evangelism for ‘Normal’ People (2002), The Spirituality of Narnia (2007), and Growing Up Christian (2010); he is also the editor of The Missionary Letters of Vincent Donovan (2011). He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from McMaster University, and is an Anglican layperson living in Hamilton. His wife Deborah is an English Professor at Redeemer University College in Ancaster. They have two married children and three grandchildren.

Books John Recommends
Christianity Rediscovered – Vincent Donovan
Church for Every Context - Mike Moynagh
Church Planting – Stuart Murray

Sponsors I Mentioned
Turnaround 20/20 – Learn from experts who have conquered obstacles to growth and watched God turn things around. Turnaround 20/20 is a unique congregational development conference that brings together 20 experts who speak for 20 minutes each. People like Nelson Searcy, Charles Arn, George Hunter, and Elmer Towns will focus on a specific area of congregational development and are out to spark new ideas and innovations for you and your church. Turnaround 20./20 is Tuesday, October 23 in Nashville, TN.

Megachurch pastor Doug Schmidt of Woodside Bible Church in Metro Detroit pioneered a novel way to advance the Gospel: by merging with struggling congregations and investing in them with the intention of turning them loose.

It’s not a takeover plan aimed at building a new denomination, rather a way to help declining congregations re-tool and re-energize. Doug, who started 21 years ago at Woodside, has seen it grow from 675 people to 7,000.

Hear how from a Godly man whose heart for the Gospel is contagious.

Watch the Full Program.

Rather Listen?  Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Click here to visit wildgoosefestival.org

Synopsis
Doug Schmidt’s passion for the gospel led him to pioneer a unique way of church planting – by merging with struggling congregations and breathing new life into some pretty old bones. Here are my notes from the interview:

Who Owns the Church?
Doug says this is the biggest problem many churches face – having a deep conviction that the church is not owned by people or by traditions, but by God. In what ways is your church convinced of this?

Going Missional Woodside has had small groups meet in homes during the week for years – usually their purpose was fellowship spiritual growth – but now it’s being missional: members ask how they can serve the world around them.

Rekindle the Passion Doug cites polls showing 80% of America’s pastors would leave if they could find another job. Where has the passion gone and how can church leaders continually rekindle it in them for the sake of the world?

About Doug Schmidt After years of ministry in college & seminary administration and education, Pastor Doug entered pastoral ministry and after serving at Ross Bible Church in Port Huron and came to Woodside Bible Church in Troy, MI as Senior Pastor in 1991. Woodside Bible Church is a multi campus church of 7,000 in the northern suburbs of Detroit whose goal it is “to help people BELONG to Christ, GROW in Christ and REACH the world for Christ.” Pastor Doug holds 2 graduate degrees, he and his wife, Carolyn have been married since 1974 and have 3 children.

Books Doug Recommends
And – Hugh Halter
Tactics – Greg Koukl
Bonhoeffer – Eric Metaxas

Sponsors I Mentioned
Are you headed to the Wild Goose festival? Thousands of campers are headed to the beautiful hills of North Carolina June 21-24. Wild Goose is a festival at the intersection of justice, spirituality, and art. Some of this year’s guests are Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren, and Shane Claiborne. ChurchNext is a proud sponsor – find out more at wildgoosefestival.org 

23 books and 53 recordings later, 0ne of Contemporary Christian Music’s pioneers, John Michael Talbot, is still going strong.

The 58 year old Talbot tours most of the year, allowing the Spirit to breathe through his heart-touching gift of meditative music. He does it out of obedience to a Francis-esque call to ‘rebuild God’s Church.’

In this interview, hear about what it was like to be on the cutting edge of Contemporary Christian Music, where it has taken him, and how he keeps spiritually attuned. Be blessed by this saint’s testimony.

Watch the Full Program.

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Click here to visit wildgoose.org or click here to visit vts.edu

Synopsis
Making meditative Christian music is John Michael Talbot’s most profound gift. However, he is also a gifted orator – called to revive congregations and energize Christians. Here are my notes from the interview:

That 70′s Show
John Michael shares what it was like to play alongside his brother, Terry, as well as Barry McGuire, and Keith Green –  pioneers of CCM.

A Life of Ministry, not Money
Charging money for concerts never felt right to John Michael, which is why he asks only for free will offerings these days. He continues to rely on God to meet his financial needs through generous patrons.

Renewal in Monasticism and Meditative Music
John Michael says he’s overjoyed as seeing a growing number of people turn from the faster-paced music to the slower, calmer tone of his own brand of meditative music – a gift he is keen to keep on sharing.

About John Michael Talbot
John Michael Talbot is a Roman Catholic singer/songwriter and one of the pioneering artists of Contemporary Christian Music. He is recognized as Catholic music’s most popular artist with over 4 million sales and compositions published in hymnals throughout the world. A respected (and prolific) author, John Michael’s 24th book “Blessings of St. Benedict” was published in 2011. John Michael leads his very active ministry from the Little Portion Hermitage where he is the founder and Minister General of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity. His artistic and humanitarian efforts have been recognized with awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and the Gospel Music Association.  John Michael Talbot travels worldwide over nine months per year with his wife Viola fulfilling a call as a modern St. Francis, rebuilding God’s Church “one parish at a time, and renewing hearts one life at a time.”

Books John Michael Recommends
The Life of St. Francis of Assisi - Thomas of Celano
The Rule of St. Benedict - St. Benedict
The Faith of the Early Fathers – William Jurgens

 Sponsors I Mentioned
Are you headed to the Wild Goose festival? Thousands of campers are headed to the beautiful hills of North Carolina June 21-24. Wild Goose is a festival at the intersection of justice, spirituality, and art. Some of this year’s guests are Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren, and Shane Claiborne. ChurchNext is a proud sponsor – find out more at wildgoosefestival.org

Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest Episcopal Seminary in the U.S., forming men and women for leadership in the church. In addition to the MDiv, Anglican Studies and DMin degrees are their Masters of Arts degrees with a fous on Theological Studies, Christian Formation, Religion & Culture, and Biblical Interpretation. Check them out atvts.edu.

It may be the best kept secret in North American Christendom… The Congregational Resource Guide.  It’s a 10-year-old publication packed with thousands of useful articles – a free gift, says director Martin Davis, for your church.

The CRG is a Lilly Endowment sponsored venture that amalgamates every useful church article, program curriculum, worship guide – you name it – into one place. And every day Martin and his staff scour the landscape looking for more. Be blessed by this introduction to a truly useful resource compiled by a man who’s passionate about helping congregations like yours.

Watch the Full Program

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your mobile device.

Click here to visit vts.edu

Synopsis
The CRG is a 2,300 piece (and growing) collection of helpful resources for congregations. It’s split into 6 categories  and is highly searchable – so chances are you can find what you’re looking for. In this interview Marty takes us for a tour and tell us how we can use, and contribute to, this one-of-a-kind resource that’s bound to have something for you.

The Six Categories
Martin teases out the CRG’s 6 categories, (Care, Discover, Engage, Lead, Manage, and Worship) and describes what kinds of information the guide offers.

Keeping it Current
Every day Martin keeps track of 450-500 blog posts – pulling down only those most relevant and current to his users. Also, one of his staff puts together a free weekly email, a weekly blog called Soul Food for Thought, that offers reflections on current events based as they relate to faith.

Not a Substitute for Your Own Creativity
Martin is a strong believer in entrepreneurship – and believes the CRG is best used to inspire your imagination to dream up an adaptation, or a brand new idea based on his resources.

About Martin Davis
Martin Davis is director of the Congregational Resource Guide and a graduate of the University of Chicago Divinity School. He spent many years as a reporter. At National Journal magazine, he covered the faith-based initiative in the early days of the Bush Administration, as an editor for Philanthropy magazine, he interviewed some of America’s leading donors and told the stories of their greatest successes. Before coming to CRG in 2009, he wrote for an education reform group in Washington, D.C. His works have been widely published in outlets like the Washington Post, New York Daily News, and National Journal. He has brought to the CRG his passion for passing along vital information. Following the model of “resource consulting” developed by the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, the CRG marries context and content so that visitors not only find the resource materials they need to further their work, but also discover the richer conversations around those materials and how others have put them to use, successfully.

Resources Martin Recommends
Fumbling – Kerry Egan
getreligion.org
stateofformation.org

Sponsors I Mentioned
Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest Episcopal Seminary in the U.S., forming men and women for leadership in the church. In addition to the MDiv, Anglican Studies and DMin degrees are their Masters of Arts degrees with a fous on Theological Studies, Christian Formation, Religion & Culture, and Biblical Interpretation. Check them out at vts.edu.

Reports on the death of the Church of England are greatly exaggerated, says the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Missioner, Bishop Graham Cray.

The bishop is the C of E’s head church planter – and leads a movement called Fresh Expressions, which consolidates the evangelism efforts of several UK denominations into a united front that majors on mission. Sure, the challenges are formidable and the reality, sobering -  but Bishop Cray sees signs of vibrancy and new life in several places. Be inspired by the bishop’s zeal and deep commitment to engage in Christ’s mission for the world.

Watch the Full Program

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to listen on your mobile device.

Click here to visit vts.edu

Synopsis
The decline in the Church of England has “significantly halted,” according to Bishop Cray – as fireweeds begin to bloom in the form of Christian festivals like Soul Survivor, emerging Fresh Expressions congregations, and the appearance of ‘Street Pastors,’ who go to where the need is. What do Christian leaders need to do to catch this wave of the Spirit? Here Bp. Cray explains the C of E’s emphasis on church planting – and the importance of discernment. Here are my notes:

Street Pastors?
They’re clergy who fan out on Friday and Saturday nights working with authorities while their supporters stay in church to pray (9p to 4a?!?) as they help everyone from binge drinkers to robbery victims. And they’re having a real impact – how is your church meeting the community’s dire needs?

The Attractional Model is Dead
We can no longer expect people to show up at our place, so we’ve got to go to them. The core of the Fresh Expressions model is tending to this mission – which begins with listening, service, and paying close attention to context.

Ordained Pioneer Ministers
They’re not full-fledged ordained clergy – but the C of E’s entrepreneurs – who pay attention to where the Spirit is moving, then get on board with it. It’s bringing younger ministers into the fold.

About Bishop Graham Cray
Graham Cray is the Archbishops’ Missioner and Leader of the Fresh Expressions Team.  He is married to Jackie and they have two daughters, Catherine and Sarah. He was consecrated in March 2001 when he became the Bishop of Maidstone and the Bishop for Mission in the Diocese of Canterbury. Before this, he was Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, a Church of England theological college, after fourteen years as vicar of St Michael-le-Belfrey, York, where he worked with and then succeeded the late Canon David Watson. His special concerns are the engagement of the Gospel with contemporary culture, youth ministry and the theology of renewal.  He has been chairman of the Greenbelt Festival and is currently chairman of the Soul Survivor Trust.  He chaired the working party which wrote the Mission Shaped Church report on church planting and fresh expressions of church – you can see it here.

Books Bishop Cray Recommends
The Forgotten Ways – Alan Hirsch
Missional – Alan Roxburgh
Mision, Action, Planning – Mike Chew and Mark Ireland

Sponsors I Mentioned
Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest Episcopal Seminary in the U.S., forming men and women for leadership in the church. In addition to the MDiv, Anglican Studies and DMin degrees are their Masters of Arts degrees with a fous on Theological Studies, Christian Formation, Religion & Culture, and Biblical Interpretation. Check them out at vts.edu.

We’re all familiar with the numbers – there are fewer and fewer people in traditional church pews – yet how did it happen – and what can we do from here?

Dr. Greg Smith is a popular blogger and teacher who says church decline is nothing new and there’s plenty that traditional churches have to offer. For example, today’s seekers are looking for whole-life discipleship, and a place to live with ambiguity that play to mainline strengths.

In this interview hear why Dr. Greg is hopeful for the Church and why we should be too.

Watch the Full Program

Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 on your smartphone or iPod.

If you’re enjoying this article, share it on Twitter by clicking here.

Synopsis
Dr. Greg Smith says that today twice as many people go to conservative, new paradigm, start-up churches than traditional mainline churches – which is a flip-flop from one generation ago. The two attributes leaders need to address that trend are education and authenticity. Here are my notes from the interview:

The Four Reasons
Quoting Mark Chaves’ popular work on contemporary religious trends, Dr. Smith says a combination of smaller fertility rates, declining denominational loyalty, decreased ability to keep members, and taking unpopular stances on some (mainly sexual) issues contribute to the majority of mainline decline in the last generation.

The Nones Are Done
In the 1990′s the number of people polled who answered ‘None of the Above’ when asked about religious preference, doubled. However, these days that number is increasing slowly, if at all – while churches are challenged to regroup and begin making room for ambiguity.

Leaders Are Learners
Dr. Greg says this is the number one attribute today’s church leaders need to cultivate: continuing education! He says the risk-aversion many people have is fueled more by ignorance than reasoned consideration, which would have many congregations more open to technology, communication, and worship innovations.

About Dr. Greg Smith
Dr. Greg Smith is a self-described progressive postmodern postdenominational follower of Jesus who has served in lay and pastoral positions in local congregations within what was once known as mainline Protestantism. His journey has included calls in congregations affiliated with four denominations: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lutheran (ELCA), Presbyterian (PCUSA), and United Church of Christ (UCC). Additionally, he has consulted with and trained leaders of congregations affiliated with many other denominations (and those associated with churches that are proud to be known as nondenominational). Currently, Greg balances parish ministry, blogging (sowhatfaith.com), and work for a private university.

Books Dr. Greg Recommends:
The Jesus Creed - Scot McKnight
Who Stole My Church? – Gordon MacDonald
Deliberate Simplicity – Dave Browning

More than 5,000 U.S. churches are using the Alpha Course to bring people to Christ, and AlphaUSA’s director says many of these churches are seeing significant growth.

Gerard Long, an evangelist, author and speaker, heads up AlphaUSA and says that the number of churches using Alpha grew by 29% in 2011.

In this interview Gerard outlines the course and talks about the effectiveness of invitational evangelism in making congregations more vital and energetic.

Watch the Full Program
Rather Listen? Click here to download the Mp3 to your smartphone or iPod.

If you’re enjoying this article, share it on Twitter by clicking here.

Synopsis Alpha has been offering its 10-week course, which is usually run through churches, for nearly 20 years and it’s executive director is excited about recent partnerships that are bringing the course to even more congregations: its goal is to quadruple the course’s saturation in the next 3 years. Here are my notes from the interview:

Encourages Commitments to Christ
Gerard says half the people who go through Alpha make first time or renewed commitments to Jesus – and few other programs can match this.

Growing Partnerships One of the benefits of secularization is increased partnerships with once-distant denominations. Look for Alpha partnerships with the United Methodist Church, the Assemblies of God, Young Life, CRU, and Willow Creek.

Alpha Invitations
Alpha is now coordinating work between course offerers (churches, jails, schools etc.), and sharing the advertising, so that whole cities will hear of this work in large campaigns.

About Gerard Long
Born in the U.K., Gerard Long holds a degree in banking, working for HSBC for 30 years. He also served as chairman of Christians in Finance. Concurrently, Gerard worshiped in a house church, serving as pastor for 17 years, and becoming acquainted with The Alpha Course which is in 169 countries and has seen more than 16 million people participate.

In 2006, Gerard was named head of AlphaUSA, overseeing its use in the United States. In 2010, approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. made a commitment or re-commitment to Christ on an Alpha course.

Gerard is also author of the book The Breakthrough, developed in cooperation with world-renowned business expert and bestselling author Ken Blanchard and is now working on a book on loss and grief. Gerard blogs on evangelization and church growth. He lives with his wife Jeannie near Chicago and enjoys spending time with family and friends, his two golden retrievers, golf, skiing, tennis and gardening.

Books Gerard Recommends
Crazy Love – Frances Chan
The Holy Spirit - Billy Graham
Sowing, Reaping, and Keeping – Lawrence Singlehurst

Too many church leaders get caught up in the ‘administrivia’ of their congregations, says Dr. David Gortner from Virginia Theological Seminary, and it keeps them from getting out and involved in their neighborhoods, which harms both their faith community and the community at large.

David, who is the professor of evangelism and congregational leadership at VTS, wants to revitalize the old model of the Pastor as Parson – or as a community figure who is deeply in touch with the wants, needs, and challenges of the community at large. Let’s face it, the church maintenance model is dead – and the church mission model, for many congregations, needs to be one of greater community involvement. Here’s David’s take on it.

Watch the Full Program
Rather Listen? Click here for the Mp3. 

Synopsis
While many people think the pastoral skills of a clergy leader are the most important, David Gortner says what’s really needed are the skills of a community organizer. How do we transition from the maintenance model to the mission model? Here are my notes from the interview:

Link Mission with Tradition
David says few young people are drawn to join the ranks of clergy because churches can’t make the case that involvement in ‘the institution’ has the capacity to change the world. We all know churches can, but how intentional are we about linking the two?

Community Organizing
Many of the tools community organizers use, like listening to others via 1-on-1′s, and taking accountability for the neighborhood, should be learned (or re-learned) by clergy and church members if we really want to make an impact on our communities.

Parish as Parson
Not only should clergy be actively caring for the community, but so should church members. Understanding Parker Palmer’s concept of the church as a ‘public’ means opening minds, and doors, to the possibilities of God’s redemptive work in the wider community.

About David Gortner
Professor David Gortner joined the VTS faculty in 2008 as Director of the Doctor of Ministry programs and Professor of Evangelism and Congregational Leadership. David holds degrees from the University of Chicago, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Wake Forest University in North Carolina, and Wheaton College. Previously he served on the faculties of Church Divinity School of the Pacific and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. David has authored Transforming Evangelism (Church Publishing, 2008). He is completing books on clergy leadership effectiveness and young adult religious engagement, and leads conferences and seminars on these topics across the U.S. and Canada. David’s wife, Heather VanDeventer, is an Episcopal priest and assistant chaplain at Episcopal High School in Alexandria. David and Heather have two young daughters.

Books David Recommends
Forces for Good – Leslie Crutchfield
Boundary Leaders - Gary Gunderson
The Third Side – William Ury

Sponsors I Mentioned
Church Post – If you are looking to improve your church’s communications you’ve got to check out this great email platform.  I’ve found it easy-to-use, reliable, and John, Debra and Kim are great to work with.

Wistia – If you’re still hosting your videos at YouTube or another ‘free’ video sharing site you know the drawbacks.  Wistia helps me put out great looking videos and see who’s watching for how long.  The Wistia staff is easy to work with and very professional.

The Grow My Church Store – Everything from mugs to pens to fridge magnets, this is a promotional products store aimed at helping churches become closer communities, more hospitable, and welcoming.  I started this store and shop there often because I couldn’t find anywhere else to go for these products.

Are you ‘up a Willow Creek without a Hybels?’ Trying to carbon copy the modus operandi of another church is just one of the stupid things veteran pastor and author Geoff Surratt warns those of us interested in building healthy congregations.

Sure, it was the catchy book title that caught me, but Geoff’s deep passion for the Church, and his position as head church planter for Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, has given him some great advice that I really needed to hear.

Watch the Full Program
Rather Listen? Click here for the Mp3. 

Synopsis:
With a world of good intentions, congregations that are trying to grow often do counterproductive things. Geoff Surratt tells us what some of those things are and why Saddleback Church is working to plant 100 churches per year.

Pastors Do Too Much Ministry
Surratt says pastors routinely fail to delegate their work to capable workers, which leads to burnout and inefficiency. Clergy too often fall victim to building a ministry in lieu of a deeper relationship with Christ.

Pay Attention to the Congregational Life Cycle
Churches come and go, ministries come and go. Ailing churches should take seriously the corporeal nature of their congregations and, when the downhill slide comes, work to give resources to vibrant ministries while there are still resources to share.

Don’t Be Afraid to Call in Consultants
Ailing congregations need to realize their blind spots, which they, by definition, can’t.  So outside eyes are key. This doesn’t mean pricey pros, but frank opinions of others who can shed light on our blind spots are critical.

About Geoff Surratt
Geoff Surratt recently joined Saddleback Church staff as Pastor of Church Planting. Before that he served Seacoast Church based in Charleston, South Carolina overseeing their 13 campuses. He has over twenty-seven years of ministry experience in a variety of roles in local churches, and works frequently with other churches across the country in strategic planning and staff development. Geoff is the author of several books including The Multisite Church Revolution and 10 Stupid Things that Keep Churches from Growing. Geoff lives in Orange County, California with his wife Sherry. They have two amazing children and the most beautiful grand daughter on earth.

Books Geoff Recommends
Switch – Chip and Dan Heath
Viral Churches- Ed Stetzer
Bonhoeffer – Eric Metaxas

Sponsors I Mentioned:
Church Post- If you are looking to improve your church’s communications you’ve got to check out this great email platform.  I’ve found it easy-to-use, reliable, and John, Debra and Kim are great to work with.

Wistia- If you’re still hosting your videos at YouTube or another ‘free’ video sharing site you know the drawbacks.  Wistia helps me put out great looking videos and see who’s watching for how long.  The Wistia staff is easy to work with and very professional.

The Grow My Church Store – Everything from mugs to pens to fridge magnets, this is a promotional products store aimed at helping churches become closer communities, more hospitable, and welcoming.  I started this store and shop there often because I couldn’t find anywhere else to go for these products.

Do you want a congregation filled with people who routinely invite others to church?  Who doesn’t?  Veteran church growth pastor and author Elizabeth Geitz explains what she means by motivation and invitation as she outlines a program that had her adding dozens of new families to her church every year.

Elizabeth is the author of six books, including Entertaining Angels and Fireweed Evangelism that are two of the best books out about practical hospitality.  She knows how to grow a congregation.  When she gives advice, I listen.

Watch the Full Program:
Prefer Audio? Click here to listen to the Mp3 

The Synopsis
I was immediately drawn to Elizabeth when I found her book, Fireweed Evangelism.  In it she gives practical advice about how churches can establish and jump-start their hospitality ministries.  She has a real gift at being able to communicate these important ideas to pastors like me.  That’s why I wanted to sit down and do a 1 hour interview with her.  And boy was it worth it.  I have a couple of ideas I am going to take right away to my hospitality team. Here are my notes from the interview:

Motivation and Invitation 
Elizabeth says that motivation and invitation are the key concepts to helping a congregation get back in the game.  Elizabeth is convinced that once  Christians identify their motivation for spreading the Gospel the will be more inclined to invite people to church.

Welcoming Prayer and Friendship Tablet
Elizabeth points us to The Welcoming Prayer, which she believes congregations need to incorporate into the regular live of their community.  Elizabeth also explains what a Friendship Tablet is – when she brought it up I was skeptical – but after she explained it, I’m going to suggest we start using these in my church.

Holding Onto Visitors
This is a huge problem for many of us, and Elizabeth says we need to set the clock for one year – and that if we don’t have people plugged in by then, we’ll probably lose them.

About Elizabeth Geitz
A gifted author and keynote speaker, Liz has a passion for the Gospel.  In addition to her books, she writes a regular newspaper column and blog.  You can learn more at www.elizabethgeitz.com

Books Elizabeth Recommends
Magnetic Church – Herb Miller
Evangelism in the African American Community - Louis Jones
The Hispanic Challenge – Emmauel Ortiz
Radical Welcome – Stephanie Spellers

Sponsors I Mentioned
Church Post – If you are looking to improve your church’s communications you’ve got to check out this great email platform.  I’ve found it easy-to-use, reliable, and John, Debra and Kim are great to work with.

Wistia – If you’re still hosting your videos at YouTube or another ‘free’ video sharing site you know the drawbacks.  Wistia helps me put out great looking videos and see who’s watching for how long.  The Wistia staff is easy to work with and very professional.