U Are Here! Re-Plant Church Planting and Revitalization Conference Baptist Convention of New Mexico May 19 – 21, 2016

Session 3: A New Flight Plan The Pauline Principle: 1 Cor. 9:19-23 “... I have become all things to all men so that by some possible means I might save some....”

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Session 3: A New Flight Plan

Session 3: A New Flight Plan The Changing Fishing Pond: 1. Per Gallup: * Religious preference in Protestant 69% -- Roman Catholic 22% -- None/other 9% * Religious preference in Protestant (“Christian”) 47% -- Roman Catholic 23% -- None/other 30%

Session 3: A New Flight Plan

The changing fishing pond 2. David Olson in The American Church in Crisis * Actual church attendance in 1990 (including Roman Catholic) as 20.4% * Estimated to be at 14.7% by 2020 * At this rate it will down to 10% by 2050

Session 3: A New Flight Plan

Pretty encouraging? Think about this Barna research on Americans and a Biblical worldview: -- 4% of adults -- 9% of “born again” -- 51% of Protestant pastors -- 71% of SBC pastors

Session 3: A New Flight Plan What do we notice in 2015 about the “fishing pond”? 1.The percentage of lostness is increasing significantly. Bad news/good news. 2.More realistic 2015 pie: How many of those who declare a preference are actually born again disciples of Jesus? Actually saved?

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Changing strategies and methodologies – What questions come to mind? – Take a different look at the pie (not scientific, but extrapolation)

Session 3: A New Flight Plan

Changing strategies and methodologies. 1. Where have and where are most of our evangelism, missions, and ministry strategies focused? 2. What theological, religious/church language, customs, ritual, traditions do we assume? 3. Which group is targeted most often by evangelical churches? Think of our programs, events, and outreach? 4. How well do we really know the lost piece of the pie?

Session 3: A New Flight Plan 5. Do we know anyone in the lost piece of the pie? 6. Where are we afraid to go? 7. Where do nice Christians go and who do nice Christians hang out with? 8. Who do we criticize, judge, and stereotype? 9. Have I made my point?

Session 3: A New Flight Plan What about some of the outreach methods/language/strategies we have used over the last few decades? 1. Where do you go to church? 2. If you were to die tonight and find yourself standing before God and he were to ask The Bible says Are you tired of boring and irrelevant sermons? Or positively, “relevant and applicable sermons.” 5. Traditional service at 9:30; Contemporary service at 11:00 6. None of grandpa’s music here!

Session 3: A New Flight Plan 7. Invite your friends 8. “People are just not committed any more. Used to have 3 services per week.” 9. “I was raised in the church: we were there Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, for visitation...” 10. Join us for exhilarating praise and worship 11. Etc, etc.

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Changing expectations – Despair? – Survival? – Thrive? – How do we measure? » Faithfulness » Fruitfulness » Success – Ministry and missions takes longer, costs more, moves slower – Unfortunately, we still hold on to old expectations

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Cultural Exegesis and Engagement 1)Paul and the synagogue: Acts 13:5; 13:14; 14:1 1)Paul went out of love for his people 2)He could assume a lot 3)Also aware of “God-fearers” 4)There was eventually a breach

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Missiological implications: 1)Don’t abandon the “synagogue” field 2)However, truth may be “bouncing” off 3)“Cultural” believers? 4)Where are the people?

Session 3: A New Flight Plan 2) Paul at Mars Hill: Acts 17: V.17 – Reasoned in the synagogue and in the market --V.18 – Group began to dispute --V – Looked carefully --V. 23ff – Am going to proclaim to you --V. 28 – Some of your poets --V – Raising him from the dead --V – Sneered, hear, believed

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Some practical applications: – Don’t assume anything – Work hard at gathering information – Get out – Listen to people – Learn all you can about contextualization

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Some practical resources: – Biblical and Worldview surveys – Cultural issues guideline – Acts 1:8 template – What will your church look like and how will you get there? – Re-thinking church planting

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Questions for further reflection: Have I taken the time to fully evaluate my church’s evangelism, outreach, and missions strategies? Who are they targeting? Are they primarily “synagogue” or “Mars Hill?” Can I describe those who are in the “synagogue” and those in the “Mars Hill” demographics? What do I need to do to get myself and my people more interested in and engaged with the “Mars Hill” demographic? What needs to change in our attitude, our strategies, and our methods? What are some practical, beginning steps we can take as a church to get into the “Mars Hill” community?

Session 3: A New Flight Plan Suggested resources Gibbons, Dave. The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid leadership for a third-culture church. Guder, Darrell L. Missional Church: A vision for the sending of the church in North America. Hirsch, Alan and Lance Ford. Right Here, Right Now: Everyday mission for everyday people. Hunsberger, George R. and Craig Van Gelder, eds. The Church between Gospel and Culture. Hunter, George G, III. How to Reach Secular People. _______________. Church for the Unchurched. Minatrea, Milfred. Shaped by God’s Heart: The passion and practice of missional churches.