DBMIM Ezine November 15, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE--

--  Login Leadership: Finding Volunteers, by Tom Hanover.

--  In the Huddle: Discipleship through Intentional Community: David: A Man after God’s Own Heart Who Won the Hearts of Men, by Tim Burns.

--  Will Your Church Be The Next Headline? Part I & II, by Chad Pollard.

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Login Leadership:  Finding Volunteers

by Tom Hanover

hanover@dbmim.net

        “I can’t find any new volunteers.  Everyone is so busy, and I’m starting to burn out the volunteers I have.”

        Finding and keeping volunteers is a tough challenge.  Regardless of whether you are recruiting for children’s ministries or senior adults, administrative committees or mission work camps; the pool of volunteers is less than what it used to be.

        Dr. Gil Rendle, formerly of the Alban Institute and currently with the Methodist Foundation, talks about the “margin of life.”  The amount of time individuals have to give to outside interests has dwindled over the years.

        For example, in the late fifties and early sixties most families had one wage earner.  The other adult – usually the wife and mother – stayed home to raise the children.  She had significantly more time to volunteer at the church, especially if the activity involved the children.

        As a child growing up in that period, we had a few opportunities for involvement in outside activities.  We chose among 4H, Scouting, church, and maybe one sport.  Most sports were not available until children reached junior high age.

        Today most families – if there are two parents – are surviving with two wage earners and many adults are working part-time jobs on top of that.  Additional jobs are necessary to cover health care costs, mortgages, or to save toward college.

        In addition, many young children are participating in year-round sports like soccer, basketball, hockey, and baseball.  Moreover, there are other opportunities.  My grandchildren participate in karate, dance, and music lessons of various sorts.  Parents – and grandparents raising children – have less time to donate time to various interests such as the church.

It is harder to find and keep volunteers.  The margin of life is slimmer in the 21^st century than before.

Making the situation even more serious is the fact that more and more charitable and ministry organizations are turning to volunteers to take up the slack from smaller staffs reduced in size due to financial limitations.  The current economic turbulence and uncertainty will stress many churches and other ministries as they discover their financial resources are more restricted, if not shrinking.

A third complicating component is that volunteers who do donate time and energy will be increasingly stressed by life’s challenges.  Their attention may find be distracted or their availability more irregular.

All of this sounds pretty dismal, does it not?  But it need not become overwhelming.  Here are some hopeful options.

    <Click here to read the rest of Tom's article on 'Finding Volunteers'>

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In the Huddle: Discipleship through Intentional Community

David: A Man after God’s Own Heart

Who Won the Hearts of Men

By Tim Burns

Gleaning lessons from King David’s life seemingly has no end.  From the heights of unashamed worship, to a fugitive on the backside of the desert, David walked with God.  His legacy is admirable -- called, chosen and faithful until he went to join his King. Yet, beyond these accomplishments, it was between Samuel’s anointing and his years on the throne that David learned how to follow, and how to lead. Central to this skill is the ability to make disciples.  One cannot lead if he is alone.  Leadership exists only if people follow you.

The process of discipling others in the faith is essentially leading them from their current level of devotion to deeper, more engaged Christian living.  A new believer moves from old habits from his pre-Christian days into a more active relationship with Christ and his church.  A person who has walked with Christ for years may learn to overcome deeply rooted life issues, moving into freedom from a loving encounter with God.  A mature believer may acquire the confidence to step out of the church pew into active ministry.  The process of building disciples is the process of moving the dial.  If we were talking about a thermometer, it does not matter what the temperature is today. The gauge can rise. 

In David’s life, evidence of his disciple building among his men is most apparent in a small event tucked in away in the book of 2 Samuel 23. The lion’s share of this chapter recounts David’s mighty men and their deeds. Verses 13-17 open a window of the relationship between David and his mightiest warriors. 

Israel was at war with the Philistines, and in the midst of a successful campaign. David made the comment that he was thirsty. David said: “Oh that one would give me a drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate.” (v.15, KJV)

Bethlehem was David’s home town.  Having grown up there, he likely refreshed himself often at this well.  His words were less of a command, and more of a longing for a simpler time, his memories of the town, and an acknowledgement of his thirst.

In response, three of his mightiest men broke off from the party, and went to the well, behind the Philistine lines.  When presented with the gift, David poured it out on the ground. He would have none of it.  David’s response was: “Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Is this not the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?” (v.17, KJV)

What does this vignette show about David, his mightiest men, and the discipling relationship that had created the love between them that would lead them to risk their lives for a flask full of water?  These men risked their lives to give their leader a drink.  His response was to honor them, and by refusing the drink, show them that their safety was much more important than his passing thirst.

Will Your Church Be The Next Headline? Part I

by Chad Pollard

Though hundreds of new churches are being planted each year, the doors of existing churches are closing at an alarming rate. The most prevalent factor involved in this phenomenon seems to be the fact that churches may be dying because of their inability to reach younger generations. This article suggests seven practical principles for reaching the younger generations within your community: (1) be intentional about reaching them, (2) learn their needs and address them, (3) offer a worship format that targets them, (4) establish friendships with them and invite them, (5) get feedback from them, (6) bring them into leadership, and (7) pray with them and for them. Convincing rationale, practical suggestions, and specific examples are given to encourage pastors and church leaders to be intentional about reaching younger generations.

Seven Principles for Reaching Younger Generations

Headlines in a recent issue of our county newspaper read, “[Community’s] oldest church to close its doors.”  The half-page article proceeded to describe the history of the 123-year old church and the circumstances behind its closing. The church, now down to two members, could no longer afford to keep its doors open.

This scenario is representative of a growing trend in America. Though hundreds of new churches are being planted each year, the doors of existing churches are closing at an alarming rate – church growth expert Charles Arn has suggested 3,500 to 4,000 annually (Malphurs, 1998, p. 35). While there could be several factors involved in this phenomenon, the most prevalent seems to be the fact that churches may be dying because of their inability to reach younger generations.

One study shows that the age of the average worshiper in the United States is fifty-two[i] (www.usacongregations.org), but the average age of our population is thirty-five (www.census.gov). How then can an aging church reach the younger segment of the population in their community – sometimes called Generations X and Y?  Having recently read Bob Whitesel and Kent Hunter’s book A House Divided: Bridging the Generation Gaps in Your Church, this question has continued to swirl in my mind. Therefore, let me suggest seven principles for reaching these younger generations.

<Click here to read the rest of Chad's article on, 'Will Your Church Be the Next Headline, Part I and II'>