Ministry Strategy 201 The Strategy of History, Class 3

Darrell Owens Recap of our last class Men’s Ministry is the Leadership Track No elders Missional by nature—Darrel’s cell phone example 50 men invited on Saturdays

Guest Lecturer Mike Erre is the Senior Pastor of EvFree Fullerton, located in Fullerton, California and is one of the best known of the no-clichés- tolerated voices in today’s church. He has authored five books: The Jesus of Suburbia, Why Guys Need God, Death By Church, Why the Bible Matters and Astonished.

Guest Lecturer Austin Helm is the Teaching and Venue Pastor at EvFree Fullerton and being mentored by Mike Erre. His specialty is leading and teaching in a multi-generational, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic local church context. He also speaks at many retreats and conferences across the country, from Orange County, California to New York City.

Class 3—The Strategy of History Mike Erre inherited tradition at EvFree. It makes Fiddler on the Roof look like a Sunday School picnic. Chuck Swindoll was pastor at EvFree for 23 years and then Dale Burke for 14 years. That’s a strong sense of history and embedded culture. Mike inherited traditions such as staff, boards, elders, worship styles, adult classes, preaching styles, missional outreach, community groups, etc. How has Mike both honored tradition as well as challenging and “betraying” them? How has tradition worked for him and against him? For example, the church has a high regard for the preaching of the Word but a low coefficient of change.

What a misnomer?  What is the strategy of History?  What would Mike call it?

Lessons from Pastoral History  EvFree  Mariners  Rock Harbor  Mariners  EvFree

History of EvFree  Chuck Swindoll, pastor for 23 years, a season of growth  Malvern campus & Brea campus  The original video venue & the Conditional Use Permit

History of EvFree  Dale Burke for 14 years  7 good years and 7 harder years  Major building campaigns  Worship in the Sanctuary & Commons

Traditions at EvFree  Staff  5 Boards plus elders  Worship styles  Adult classes  Preaching styles  Missional outreach

Changing History  Honoring tradition  Challenging &“betraying” traditions  How has tradition worked for Mike and against him?  Preaching of the Word  Low coefficient of change  Missional to the world but not the community

Austin’s Role  New Venue and the Preaching Associate role  Similarities to the past  Differences from the past