1. David Schoen Evangelism Ministry Team Local Church Ministries United Church of Christ Including material used with permission from Rick Morse, V.P. New Church Ministry, Christian Church (DOC) Church Extension © 2007 All rights reserved

2. IT‘S A WHOLE NEW WORLD  Taxes done in India  McDonalds order taken 2 states away  Hundreds of marketing choices in any area  Instant communication  44% of Christians change traditions/denominations  60-80% Unchurched

3. Congregational life has changed too: Mimeograph Yellow pages Volunteers Hospital visits Organ Stairs Committees Budgets

4. Churches are stressed today: Sustainability levels Generational Challenges Population shift Birth rates Numerous cultural factors

5. Sustainability Levels 1930: 30 AWA 2000: 130 AWA  Factors leading to growing sustainability factor: Health Insurance & other benefits Higher cost of construction Utility costs Lack of volunteers BASICALLY EVERYTHING

6. More generations today than ever… Gen Z (0-6) Millennials (7-26) Survivors (27-43) Boomers (44-62) Silents (63-80) Builders (81+) Each generation has unique events that formed it, and a different view of life.

7. For church development purposes we tend to think of two main cohorts: Boomer +The rest of those youngsters…

8. Dominant values and behaviors of older boomers and older groups Whatever is right for the group is right for me Appreciate sameness (i.e. Traditional liturgy) Committee structures that are tried and true Deferred pleasure until you have what you need to make the purchase Spirituality of place Organize as a group to form a block (tenacious about position) Circle the wagons; get people on your team to protect what’s important Get it done! 35% of the US Population

9. Dominant behaviors of young boomers and younger groups: Ask first, what is good for the individual Individualized style and differentiation Appreciate Difference/multiple choices Trained to look for segments of population so that one size never fits all See themselves as the correctors of the previous generations Spirituality of journey…find spiritual insight wherever they are and in relationship, not primarily place Tribal 65% of the US Population

10. Churches didn’t use to worry about generations… Founders Their children Grandchildren & families A few transplants Stephen Compton

11. Many Churches have Lost a generation or 2: Churches do not anticipate loosing youth…(even though that has been the pattern for 40 years) Young adults report:  Relocation after college or school  Difficulty in assimilation because church style  IF they visit—little generational affinity  Most mainline youth become unchurched Roof and McKinney

12. Another part of the issue is “membership orientation” Pay dues…sign line EXPECT care, access, privilege, control, service by staff…etc. Loses vision for a mission that can be characterized by God’s love in Christ for the world. It is Exclusive The post-modern world has little interest in membership organizations POWER SURGE, Michael Foss

13. The result is aging congregations While the younger cohort equals 65% of the population, they are only on average about 30% of existing congregations Growing Gaps in understanding

14. Age of Protestant Populations 18-29 30–49 50-6465+ Total Population 20 39 25 16 Total Protestants 17 38 26 20 Nondenom Charismatic Churches 18 54 22 6 Nondenom Evangelical Churches19 51 22 8 Church of God in Christ 29 33 28 10 Assemblies of God 14 41 33 12 American Baptist Churches 18 36 23 23 Southern Baptist Convention 13 37 27 22 African Methodist Episcopal 14 31 30 25 United Methodist Church 11 34 29 26 Ev. Lutheran Church of America 8 36 29 27 Disciples of Christ 10 33 21 35 Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod 11 32 31 26 Presbyterian Church in America 12 29 32 27 Episcopal Church in the USA 11 29 34 25 Presbyterian Church USA 8 31 30 32 United Church of Christ 11 27 34 28 Anglican Church 7 26 33 35

15. Beloit Mindset: Typical 28 year old… They can never think of a time without computers in the home They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era, and did not know he had ever been shot. They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart, and do not remember the Cold War. They have never feared a nuclear war. "The Day After" is a pill to them—not a movie. Their lifetime has always included AIDS. Bottle caps have not always been screw off, but have always been plastic. They have no idea what a pull top can looks like. The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. Star Wars looks very fake to them, and the special effects are pathetic. They may never have heard of an 8-track, and chances are they've never heard or seen one. They have always had an answering machine. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black & white TV or a TV without a remote! There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what Beta is.

16. They were born the year Walkmen were introduced by Sony. Roller-skating has always meant in-line for them. "The Tonight Show" has always been with Jay Leno. Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI and WWII or even the Civil War. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. They don't know who Mork was, or where he was from. They never heard the terms "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel" or "De plane, de plane!" They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. is. The Titanic was found? I thought we always knew where it was. Michael Jackson has always been white. McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers. There has always been MTV, and it has always included non- musical shows.

17. Another cultural factor is Population Shift: The majority of housing in the US was built since 1970. Population has moved to metropolitan areas Migration to South and coasts Population has moved away from existing congregations!

18. Birth Rates: Since “the pill” Anglo birth rates dropping 11960 24/1000 22000 13/1000 22002 11.7 Mainline Anglos have a very low birth-rate due to aging populations VERY Little Biological Growth!

19. There has been significant change in our racial-ethnic population Racial ethnic composition of most neighborhoods has changed since 1960 Many congregations have little or no affinity with their neighbors

20. Racial ethnic growth must be recognized Ethnic growth:  In the next 50 years the US Pop. Will grow by 50%. 90% of that growth will be people of color  In 2000, Hispanics became the largest racial ethnic minority  The US has the 3 rd largest Spanish speaking population  By 2050 there will be no majority racial group  By 2100 Hispanics will be the largest group

21. Did you know? More people of African descent live in America than any country except Nigeria More Cubans live in Miami except than in Havana In the 90’s the Asian population grew by 107%, Hispanics by 38%, Native Americans by 38% while the general population grew by just 6%!

22. Racial Ethnic Birth Rates: African Am. 16.1 Native Am. 13.8 Asian Pac. I. 16.5 Hispanic 22.6 (Anglo 11.7) Per 1000 Most future growth will be in Racial Ethnic congregations

23. There is also a shifting attitude towards “organized” religion 65% of the US population cannot remember a time when clergy were respected. Denominational loyalty means nothing to most people. The average person believes that no particular religion has claim to truth.

24. Shifting attitudes towards faith

25. Since 1991 adult population in the US grew by 15%. During that same period the unchurched population grew by 92%! 75 million US adults do not attend church 'Unchurched' Americans say church is 'full of hypocrites' consider Christianity to be more about organized religion than about loving God and people, …“unchristian”. Unchurched USA

26. New Generations – Outsiders to Christian Faith Age% OutsidersPopulation to Christianity 18-4137%34 Million 16-29 40%24 Million 42-6027%21 Million 61+23%12 Million

27. Mr. Bean Goes to Church

28. 44 percent -- agreed that "Christians get on my nerves.“ Vast majority of young non-Christians view Christianity as anti-gay, judgmental hypocritical, unwelcoming, too political, out of touch. But 78 percent said they would be willing to listen to someone who wanted to tell them about his or her Christian beliefs. Almost three-quarters -- 72 percent -- agreed that God "actually exists“ and an even larger percentage -- 86 percent -- said they believed they could have a good relationship with God without church involvement.

29. It’s a Whole New World UCCvitality.org

30. 21 st Century Culture and Church Post-Modern – It’s a Whole New World “Big Five” of hallmark modern values: Anthony Robertson  Reason  Optimism & Objectivity  Universality & “The Grand Story”

31. 21 st Century Culture and Church Post-Modern - Modern World is crumbling Reason  Where moderns wanted their preachers to explain mystery, post-moderns want to experience mystery. Optimism  Post-moderns are not so sure that salvation is around the corner or that science and technology are our saviors. Universality  Post-moderns revel in the local and the particular.

32. 21 st Century Culture and Church Post-Modern - Modern World is crumbling Objectivity  “Everybody is coming from somewhere,” say post- moderns. “What you call ‘objective truth,’ we call the interests of the powerful and privileged.” “the grand story”  Post-moderns tend to be skeptics about this big story. Small stories, particular stories, and different versions of reality appeal to the post-modern mind.

33. 21 st Century Culture and Church Post-Modern – It’s a Whole New World While modernity was liberating and powerful in many ways, it was also and especially for Christianity, reductive.  highly moral, but not especially spiritual  modern Christianity explained miracle and mystery (away) and proposed moral values and lessons as universal truth.  What was missing was spiritual connection and experience, the experience of a sacred, numinous, transcendent Other.

34. 21 st Century Culture and Church Post-Modern - Modern World is crumbling In the last thirty years while interest in “spirituality” has been huge People felt yet church was not the best place to pursue their “spiritual” interests. Transformation was lacking

36. We are all at a threshold, a ‘kairos’ moment: God is Still Speaking has shown that the harvest is ready. There has been a great response of people looking for a church like the United Church of Christ.

37. Knowledge of the Community  Potential disciples and worshippers  Potential service to community  Two markets with natural overlap

38. Know your neighborhood Know your mission field Demographic Information  Uccvitality.org (ucc.org/vitality)  Percept  Mission Insite Using Demographic Information  Community knowledge  Missional outreach and program

39. Online Demographics Report

40. Ready, Set, Grow

43. Project: Work on your target neighborhoods What did you learn? Did the data confirm something you suspected? Did you consider that there may be another target neighborhood. How do you use this demographic information? V I T A L I T Y

44. Vital Churches in 21 st Century are: Missional in purpose experiential Relational in outreach cultural Conversational in witness spiritual

45. “True Life” Story of Vital Church Involved in Community

46. Postmodern Culture and Church Christianity in North America has moved (or been moved) away from its position of dominance  loss not only of numbers  but of power and influence within society. Rather than occupying a central and influential place, North American Christian churches are increasingly marginalized,  in our urban areas they represent a minority movement  It is now a truism to speak of North America as a mission field. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, Edited by Darrell Guder, the Gospel and Our Culture Network

47. Missional Church “The Church exists to serve God’s Mission” Mission as Missio Dei, UCC Committee on Structure, 1992 The church of Jesus Christ is the instrument and sign of God’s mission and realm. God’s mission is calling and sending us, the church of Jesus Christ, to be a missionary church in our own societies, in the cultures in which we find ourselves.

48. What is Missional Church? Mission is not a program or project some people in the church do from time to time; the church’s very nature is to be God’s missionary people. We use the word missional to mark this big difference. Mission is not a project or a budget, or an event somewhere; it’s not even about sending missionaries. A missional church is a community of God’s people who live into the imagination that they are, by their very nature, God’s missionary people living as a demonstration of what God plans to do in and for all of creation in Jesus Christ. The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World

49. Vital congregations discern God’s call and mission The greatest characteristic of a vital congregation is the ability to articulate and live God’s purpose. What is God calling this church to be and do at this time, in this place, with the gifts we have on this corner of God’s realm that we are placed?

50. Missional in purpose Living your strengths and calling. Who you are is a gift from God. What gifts does your church have? Who needs your gifts? Where are they? Are you vital enough to reach them? What branding message will you carry?

51. Missional Statement – Branding message God is still speaking!  No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey you are welcome here.  Never put a period where God has put a comma

52. Missional Statement – Branding message Cathedral of Hope  The Mission of the Cathedral of Hope is to reclaim Christianity as a faith of extravagant grace, radical inclusion and relentless compassion. We are a people of compassion We are a people of inclusion We are a people of liberation We are a people of hope We are a people of Jesus

53. Missional Statement – Branding message First Grace UCC, Akron OH  First grace…..then faith and works! First Congregtional UCC Santa Rosa  Making God’s love visible Others  Strangers no more  Jesus loves you…this we know!  Keeping faith, reaching out, welcoming all!  In the Heart of the City with the City in our Heart

54. Missional in Purpose What is Your Mission Statement? Mission Statement should be:  7 – 9 words or less  Engaging  Compelling  Visionary  True

55. The Church Vital-O-Meter This brief survey takes the pulse of your congregation. Like a pulse, it gives only a rough estimate of how strongly your “heart” is beating. We are always ready to try something new The current morale of this congregation is high This congregation is strongly focused on serving the widercommunity beyond the congregation

56. Exploring Your Congregation’s Vitality

57. Discerning Your Church’s Mission

58. Vital churches are vital in community where they are located No congregation can afford to ignore its context or those in the surrounding community. “Congregations that live only for themselves are ‘starting a trip toward extinction’.” Herb Miller, How to Build a Magnetic Church “Vital congregations are vital on the corner of God’s realm where they are planted.” Gil Rendle

59. Missional Church outreach to community and neighborhood God is still speaking to us in culture and community. God’s purpose is that our communities are not forsaken or the land desolate. Church no longer center of community, but it can be good neighbor. Church can accompany community to be all that God’s realm would want the community to be.

60. Location, Location, Location? Congregational Life Survey points to the relative unimportance of location in predicting either congregational strength or numerical growth.  Congregational location plays a minimal role in the numerical growth that congregations experience.  Few measures of location had an impact on strength or growth.  Vital growing congregations, as well as non-vital declining congregations can be found in any location. Places of Promise: Finding Strength in Your Congregation’s Location: US Congregation Survey 2008

61. The One important factor The one location factor that does play a role in congregational vitality is the match between a congregation’s worshipers and the people in the community who are between 18 and 44 years of age. This critical age group must be recruited and openly welcomed in our congregations and we need to ensure our worship and activities meet their needs.

62. Community Involvement = Growth? Involvement or focus on the community does not necessarily lead to growth Congregations scoring high on focusing on the community place considerable emphasis on serving the needs of those outside the congregation. They may de-emphasize or overlook the importance of inviting people to become part of the congregation and welcoming them warmly when they visit. Focusing on the community must be one of the other aspects of vitality, including welcoming new people, meaningful worship, caring for children and youth, engagement in the congregation and a sense of belonging. Places of Promise

63. Places of Promise Finding Strength in Your Congregation’s Location www.uscongregations.org Traditionally we think about context as location. In this view: Community context determines who we were, what we are, and what our future holds. Congregations are passive—location has the upper hand! Leaders use contractual language about location—our location is a piece of real estate with a specific land value, appraised as a retail outlet might appraise a location. It’s a commodity.

64. Places of Promise Finding Strength in Your Congregation’s Location www.uscongregations.org Instead—Think about context as place. Location is God’s gift to us. The congregation is in this place at this time for a reason—God’s reason. Congregations can achieve strength and effectiveness in their present location. God claimed this place for us; the place claims us as people of faith. We have inherited this place from those who first worshiped here, and we have an obligation to use it wisely and care for it.

65. Ready, Set, Grow

66. Knowing Your Neighborhood

67. Vital Churches are Relational in Outreach Post-modern ministry is relational Bridge the gap by building relationships

68. Relational in Outreach What do you think when you hear the word….  EVANGELISM ?

69. Celtic Evangelism In The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West... Again, George Hunter writes about the difference between what he describes as the evangelism approach in Roman and Celtic Christianity.

70. Celtic Evangelism Roman Model Celtic Model Presentation Fellowship Decision Ministry and Conversation Fellowship Belief, Invitation to Commitment

71. Belonging and Believing Christianity is more caught than taught! As Professor Robin Gill observes, belonging comes before believing. For this reason, evangelism is now about helping people to belong so that they can believe.

72. Vital Churches are Relational in Outreach The days of waiting for people to come to church to welcome them are over. Instead of waiting inside, we go outside

73. Missional Outreach is relational Post-modern outreach is relational Bridge the gap by building relationships Go to where the unchurched are: Starbucks, Borders Parks, Gymns

74. Relational in Outreach “ I stopped wondering about how to draw younger folks into my church and started focusing on how to draw my congregation out of its building and into relationship with the world outside its doors.”

75. Welcome and Hospitality Hospitality is an act of worship Greeting the Divine Shekinah

76. Welcome and Hospitality What is your experience of welcoming those who come in?

77. Becoming a Welcoming Church You won’t magically turn your church into a welcoming church overnight. However, with organization and planning you can make it feel that way to visitors and seekers. What you are planting today will eventually transform your congregation into a welcoming place... expect it to take time.

78. Becoming a Welcoming Church Does your church actively invite others into its worship and ministry? Do visiting guests feel welcome in your church? Avoid the perfection trap, often a mask for fear. Are there things you can do better to be a visible witness and active presence of God’s radical and all-inclusive welcome? Tracking progress How did use of these techniques change your church?

79. Conversational in Witness The postmodern world calls evangelists to be conversational in witness and invitation. Count conversations, ……….not conversions. More Ready than You Think, Brian McLaren

80. Conversational in Witness Buzz Marketing Evangelism One beggar telling another where there is food Come and See!

81. Conversational in Witness Good evangelists are People who engage others in good conversation about faith, values, hope, meaning, purpose, goodness, beauty, truth, life after death. Life before death and God. Good evangelism is the process of being friendly without discrimination and influencing all of one’s friends through good deeds and good conversations. Engaging in spiritual friendship will not only help others become Christians, it will help us become better Christians, who love God more than ever.” Brian McLaren – More Ready Than You Think,

82. Conversational in Witness Spiritual Seekers want to talk. We are the ones not talking.  Reverence for God – silence and service. Tell it Like it is: Reclaiming the Practice of Testimony - Lillian Daniel An unchurched world doesn’t know why we do what we do.

83. Witness and Invitation UCC-Style “Tricking” the church into Evangelism – Taking it back! What do you say when someone asks you about your comma? “For us it means God’s not stuck. God still has more light and truth for us today.” “My church believes that God is still speaking to us today.” “It means that no matter how bad things are in my life or in the world, God is in the midst of it.”

84. Are You Ready to Talk?

85. Conversational in Witness Who are conversation partners?  Audiences for conversation Outsiders Become Insiders Forgetters made Rememberers Beloved Children become Belief-ful Adults

86. Are You Ready to Talk? Why do you love your church? What impact has knowing Jesus made in your life? What Bible text has made a difference in your life?

87. God is still speaking, Through you and me!

88. Go Forth… into the Virtual World We seek to build Christian community online because that’s where we can encounter members and potential members of our church:  1.1 billion Internet users worldwide  100 million on MySpace  70 million bloggers  34 million students on Facebook  4-8 million on SecondLife

89. Go Forth…. Into the Virtual World. In Asia, Europe and North America—an entire generation has experienced the Internet as a means for maintaining relationships with family and friends. The Internet is a lifeline for users whose mobility is limited by disability, chronic illness or advanced age. The Internet is where we can find and engage seekers.

90. Connecting in the virtual world From NativeChristian my name is ricardo. i am a native american. i was thinking about god and at that moment, a commercial came on tv about this website and about this church. i read some things on the site, and that was enough for me to love to learn more of this website and more especially of the people who attend and also learn from here. again, thank you for having this site for many people to learn about the word of god. tlazohcamatl

92. i.UCC.org Outreach to spiritual seekers Create Virtual Community online Foster online network and relationship Provide opportunity for discussion, information, spiritual development, questions and prayers Serve as teaching tool and opportunities for congregations, conferences and national ministries

94. V I T A L I T Y

95. David Schoen Evangelism Ministry Team Local Church Ministries United Church of Christ Including material used with permission from Rick Morse, V.P. New Church Ministry, Christian Church (DOC) Church Extension © 2007 All rights reserved

96. Step 1: Select a team Step 2: Know your identity and strengths Step 3: Know Culture and Community Step 4: Know your purpose and mision Step 5: Know your plan and strategy In Five Parts