If you can't read, go to http://www.joshhunt.com/mail28.htm
| I have found that the Promises Promises Video supplement was a blessing. Each Sunday I was able to FOCUS more on building relationships with attendees than ever before. |
If you can't read, go to http://www.joshhunt.com/mail28.htm
| I have found that the Promises Promises Video supplement was a blessing. Each Sunday I was able to FOCUS more on building relationships with attendees than ever before. |
You can sign up all of your teachers by emailing me their email addresses: josh@joshhunt.com From my mailbox. . .Josh, I know this might sound like a subterfuge, but I have stopped asking for "teachers" for adult classes. I ask for someone to "lead" the class. I show them some of the discussion guides that I prepare for each lesson. I have attached one for the March 2nd lesson. As we have more class leaders using them, and as people see how easy it is, they don't seem to have the same hesitation that I've always seen in the past.
Critics of the church growth movement have often emphasized the need for quality congregations. We should not focus on numerical growth, but rather, we should concentrate on qualitative growth. Christian Schwarz has done extensive research world-wide and found that healthy, growing churches seem to share eight quality characteristics. These characteristics are:
Schwarz uses the illustration of a barrel with eight staves to symbolize the eight quality characteristics. The barrel can only hold water to the height of the lowest stave. So too, Schwarz argues, a church can only grow as far as their 'Minimum factor,' which is the lowest of the eight quality characteristics in their church. He challenges churches to resist the temptation to work on improving areas in which they already excel, for by doing this they do not increase their minimum factor or their church quality. |
I saw it transform the church I was serving for 11 years, and I am seeing it transform the church I am a member of now. A 9:30 contemporary congregation is the single best idea I know. We started a contemporary 9:30 congregation three years ago this January. We call it "Rock the Flock 9.3.0." We started with a youth group of about 50 as well as around 25 adults. After two years, the entire congregation had doubled to about 150. This last year it doubled again to an average attendance of about 300. There were over 397 in attendance yesterday. It is the single best idea I know. It is amazing to think about now, but the service was almost cancelled before it began. First Baptist, Las Cruces is a very traditional, 100 year old church. The idea of a "Rock the Flock" service did not set too well with many of the members. One phrase that helped to "sell" the service was, "for the young people." It seems people will do anything for the young people. I thought of the days when I was on church staff and we used other phrases, "for seekers," and "for baby boomers." As it turns out, "for the young people" makes a lot more sense than these other phrases. "This is going to sound a lot like youth camp," we'd say. People understood that. The other idea that got the idea approved was a four- week trial. We pulled the motion to start the service and replaced it with a motion to try it for four weeks. A specially called business meeting was scheduled for the actual vote on the service. After the four-week trial, the vote passed easily. It seems that the great fear was the fear of the unknown. This was a solvable problem. We could make the unknown known through a four-week trial. Many people tried the service during this first four weeks and they came to three conclusions: 1) Sure enough, as predicted, they didn't like the service. 2) They could see that other people did like the service. 3) They could see that there was not anything really objectionable going on at the service; this was just a matter of taste. A key component here is that we added a choice; we did not change the existing services. We still offer a first-rate traditional service at 11:00 and an early blended service. Our attitude was, "Allow us to start something else for somebody else that we are not now reaching." Another key component was that this is a thorough going contemporary service. It sounds a lot like Passion music. A problem with many contemporary services is that they are blended or transitioned from an existing service. Using this model, you sometimes end up with a blend that keeps everyone equally unhappy. By starting a brand new service, we have the luxury of being a thorough going contemporary service. By the way, we have a really talended musician who plays piano and writes music. To sample some of his music, see www.daviddelgado.com One last component was starting a Sunday School at 11:00. The Sunday School does not have to be fully graded at first, although that is the goal to move toward in time. We started with youth, adults, and preschool available for younger preschoolers. Gradually more classes can be added until it is fully graded. From the viewpoint of a missionaries' kid, this is just common sense. The rule on the mission field is you use the stuff and style of a culture to reach the culture. Nearly every church I know that is reaching young people is using the music of young people to do it. Starting new classes and new congregations is one of the most proven models of church growth. A contemporary 9:30 congregation is one expression of that model. |
Gimmie 13 weeks--one quarter and I can teach your groups to double every two years or less. The design of this 13-week series is to be used in the classroom itself. I will teach 5 basic truths about groups that double: Faith and Confidence. Doubling classes believe that God is God and He can fulfill every promise he ever made. They believe God can use them to double their classes every two years or less. Able to Get Along with Almost Anyone. Surprise! People like to be around people who are doubling classes. These people are the nicest people on planet earth. We will unlock the secret to getting along with almost anyone. Consistently Successful. Doubling classes have tapped into God's success principles and are consistently successful on the job, at school and in the family. Violate these principles to your own demise. Tenacious, Bulldog Determination. How do you become a person who never quits? We will show you how. In addition to exploring these five qualities, we introduce the group to the five disciplines of doubling, and we hold them accountable for these disciplines. This series is the best way I know to get the Double message to primetime—Sunday morning. Only a small percentage will come to training on Sunday evening or some other time. The better approach is to take the message to where they are—Sunday morning.
Lifeway's™ Family Bible Series™ Interactive Video Supplement "I have taught the college class at my church for years. Josh's new interactive video really got my students talking. They listened and discussed the lesson, instead of just setting there in silence. If you have a quiet class who doesn't respond to your questions, try Josh's new interactive video!" -Terry Jeffries Sunday school can be used in a variety of settings for Bible study, fellowship, and outreach. This resource gives you everything you need to make an informed decision about expanding your Sunday school ministry...and provides the guidance your leaders need to implement your plan.
My first book, Let It Grow, deals with the multi-congregation paradigm. My appeal in this book is to start new services like the one described above. | ||
