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… It has to be mentioned! Church is not totally divorced from Monday through Saturday or Friday.  World Series and Super Bowls and hurricanes and elections and tragedies cannot be omitted in church, or it appears we are already living in another world.   (Which is still to come.)

… The outcome should not be celebrated in a partisan way because you want members of both parties very involved in your church (one would think:-).   Or if you took sides clearly before the election, I guess you should celebrate.  But be careful!

… The pastoral prayer should recognize God’s sovereignty and ask for wisdom for the transition and future and  help for all of us to be citizens in line with Bible teachings.     (You do have a pastoral prayer? 🙂

… If we knew how God has protected us (as the president-elect testified), we could all be thanking God that He saved our lives a number of times.

… Candidates should never be used as a model for how to differ with somebody else in opinion or doctrine.  Duhhhhhh….

There is a whole chapter on this in Romans!

… Our responsibilities to God’s clear teachings come before our responsibilities to our country, which God also explains in his teachings.

… Would you dare to sing one of the two or three patriotic hymns that have very strong words about God’s grace and how we should live?   (None of which have been revised for guitars:-)

What do you think?

The old way was pretty full — Sunday school, morning worship, youth group, evening worship (often called “evangelistic service,”) — and that is just Sunday.

Then Wednesday prayer meeting, a visitation evening in many churches, youth group, and some social events!

And, sometimes, week-long revival or evangelistic meetings.

Plus district get-togethers in some church groups.

Now many churches have slimmed down to one worship service.

Perhaps these should be essentials:

SUNDAY OR WEEKEND WORSHIP: all ages, special class-care for infants and young children ‘

COMMUNITY GROUP’/ADULT BIBLE FELLOWSHIPS: Size 8-80, and involving Bible and its application and promoting strong connections, with care built in (a care director or couple to organize this). The best pastoral care come out of the group you meet with —they know if you are missing, or grouchy, or critical.

Many see these groups doing better meeting at a time of their choice, at least twice a month, rather than scheduling them at one cemented hour on Sunday. (An hour that calls for a second class for the young children and teens, and sometimes a second “lecture” lesson instead of real friendship building. The old-time Sunday school for all ages can be draining on church attendees and workers and teachers.)

And when done well these groups can pray together as an essential part of their time together. They pray more that we used to in the special “prayer meeting.” Especially if they use P-R-A-Y! Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield. (See guidelines.)

SERVING-OTHERS OPPORTUNITY: Most church leaders wish many of the involved would assume a role in serving — teaching, outreach, hosting, greeting, worship, and much more — in addition to careful loving daily living of course. Often that serving should be in some type of outreach ministry, a way for the church to connect with unchurched people in the area — single moms groups; grief support, divorce recovery; youth specials to bring in friends, sports teams, and more of course.

So all of this raises the questions: Should we have many more events scheduled to keep our people busier?

Should we renew the traditional Sunday school for all ages, to double the need for nursery workers, child-care, and lessons for the young?

Is a Biblical way to do church mostly about the believers getting together for various but similar purposes? Or is there meant to be strong strategic purposes for all the official “meetings,” so that family life and personal time are deemed important?

The pastor and staff and oversight board are certainly responsible for deciding and planning these very strategic plans, not the remaining few who like to be at the church building “every time the doors are open.”

PRESUPPOSITIONS
*** “THE GREATEST OF THESE (FAITH AND HOPE AND LOVE) IS LOVE.” SO IT MAY BE THE BEST THING A PASTOR CAN DO.
*** LOVE IS TO BE SHOWN AND SAID. ONE ONLY IS INADEQUATE.
*** A GOOD SHEPHERD MAJORS ON RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL AS METHODS.

TO THE CHURCH
… Say it on Sunday every five or six weeks! Not a sentimental, dramatic statement, but more like, “A reminder that I love you and your staff loves you, and we will do what is best for you, which is the way of love. It is so good to be connected this way!”
…A monthly pastoral letter with updates about church life, finances, and statements full of care for the people.
…An end-of-week text to the people with short thoughts about what is coming Sunday, Or a 15-second video mentioning the theme, that they can use to invite a friend. A loving invitation! (Some people decide Friday or Saturday whether they will do church on Sunday!)
… Preach hard truth with the mood of love and sympathy, and knowing that you also are a “frail child of dust.”
… Listen, listen, listen. “Be quick to listen and slow to speak,” one of the brothers of Jesus said. When you are listening to a person in need after the service and someone tries to shake your hand, go ahead and shake the hand, but keep listening to the person. You are modeling love.
…. Be kind. You will be known by your manner more than by your preaching or your leadership. Remember how the King of the universe described himself in Matthew 11!

TO THE OVERSIGHT BOARD
…Whenever new board members are called to serve, have one-on-one breakfast and see where they work if possible. They come to see where you work every Sunday.
…Start your part in every board meeting with appreciation to the board in general and also to one or two in particular if there are ways of service or love that jump out.
…Personal birthday wishes and appreciation!
…Step in with care when arguments start to enflame! “This is not the way we differ…”

WITH THE STAFF
…MBWA — Manage By Walking Around at least once a week with a large staff, and more with small, just to see how they are doing and thank and be personal.
…Make sure staff meetings include eating and fun regularly.
…Use the seven-minute assignment for each person — you go first — “The Ten Most Important and Influential Decisions or Events of My Life”! Guaranteed that all will know each other better afterwards, and also see why we are the way we are!
…Again, recognize birthdays with appreciation!
…When appropriate, have occasional breakfast or coffee with those who report to you, without talking about church business. Just listen to how they are!
… Do not allow emotional arguments on text or email — must to eye to eye!

WITH THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AND WHEN LEADING IN PUBLIC
… Do not quote yourself.
… Remember that your manner and kindness are more important than your position.
… Do not tell how big your church is if it is big.

1. Personal and Master Schedule

Best: The pastor sees pulpit time as his most important way to lead, teach, and shepherd. It is not just about sermon content, but mood and vision, and love.

Best: The pastors plans and follows a “Master Schedule” for each week, changing for special needs, family needs, and tragedies of course — but otherwise keeping it!

Needs: When the pastor does not seek evaluation of his sermons, and just repeats habits and needs.

Needs: When the pastor just sees what he can do each day, instead of following a carefully planned schedule.

2. Staff and volunteers

Best: When everyone on paid staff knows exactly which areas are their responsibility, and has from 2 to 5 or 6 of these.

Best: When there is a clear volunteer ministry manager for each area, and this person does much of the administration and scheduling and coordinating.

Needs: When some areas have no one giving them thought or prayer.

Needs: When the pastor or staff members become the administrators and managers and thus become administrators instead of visionary and people persons.

3. The board

Best: When there is one main board, and only one, and its main function is oversight, not daily details which belong to staff and volunteers. When the board responsibilities are clearly defined, not made up by whim or suggestion.

Best: When there are printed agendas given out ahead of time, so there can be thought and prayer; and when the senior pastor is the only staff voting member of this board.

Needs: When the board simply does building and grounds issues or specific decisions that volunteer or staff member could do rather than giving oversight goals and policies and “guardrails” and vision along with a senior pastor.

 Needs: When Biblical goals give way to petty traditions and personal ideas.

4. Love

Best: When the pastor and other staff are known for their agape-care for people even more than their expertise in their jobs.

Best: When the leaders adopt specific ways to communicate healthy love. (I have a list:-)

Needs: When the pastor hides on Sundays and at other services.

Needs: When people are neglected because of their needs or status.

5. Worship services and sermons

Best: When there is some variety in the worship order, a pastoral prayer (rather than a“transition prayer”) is regular, worshipers do not stand to sing six songs in a row, all ages are honored, and the sermon is given to change lives. That’s all!

Best: When the timing is carefully planned and consistent every week, the Bible is taught and exposed rather than serving as a launch pad only, and the sermon is given to change lives. (An intentional  repeat.)

Needs: When volunteers help lead worship not because they are good at it but because leaders want to ”get people in ministry,” as one church put it. (As if “ministry” is synonymous with being up front!)

Needs: When people are looking at their watches and phones rather than their hearts.

6. Groups

Best: When the leaders know the differences between the big group for worshipcelebration (10-10,000) and the community group for study and connections (8-80) and the small group for true discipleship and accountability (4-7, all men or all women).

Best: When everyone on staff has their own discipleship-accountability group, rather than calling the whole program, the discipleship of the church.

Needs: When true discipleship-accountability is not deliberate and planned.

Needs: When the different groups are treated the same.

7. Values

Best: When all the regulars at church can name all the values (so they are simple and Biblical and memorable and practiced!).

Best: When the values are reviewed publicly every six weeks in worship and regularly by the leaders.

Needs: When there are 11 values and six mission statements and more….

Needs: When the church has goals unrelated to its values. Based on the coaching guide, “Major Concerns,” about these seven most important areas for a pastor and church to care about, by Knute Larson, And affirmed after meeting with over 135 pastors and their churches the last 15 years.

On the receiving of new members witness of the others

The early church knew who was in the family and who was not sure yet. They kept numbers and had church-family goals and ministries.

We are happy to do the same.

Today we gladly receive as members of this local body of believers the following, upon their noted desire to join this team and their completion of the classes and acceptance of our goals together.

Today we welcome. (Names…..and up front)

Questions to the new members

* Do you confess again your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, believing that He died with all your sins on His back, being judged at that moment, and rose again to provide eternal hope and the gift of righteousness for you?

I do believe that.

* Will you seek to build this body of believers with your love and service and seek to live in unity with this church body and in faithful obedience to your Lord and Savior?

I will.

Question to the church

* Do you receive these friends as members of our church family, and will you

seek to serve and build each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Statement from the pastor

It is with joy that I represent the church saying we receive you as members of this local body. I and the staff and all of us love you and rejoice with you at this public witness.

Prayer for the new members and the church

Sermon message at River Oaks Church . May 12, 2024

Pastoral staff

Suggestions for staff or readiness for a lead pastor or self- improvement — all normal in many churches….

Pastoral staff
…. All operate by a “master schedule.”
…. Written reports to one you report to, every two weeks (see sample). …. Attend all staff meetings, unless excused.
…. Do not handle cash from people of the church.
…. Have true discipleship group of 4-6 men meeting at least twice a month.

Scripture text that meets the heart, not discipleship books that simply fill in the blank with facts.
…. Greet on Sundays before and after services.
…. Sign the statement of faith and “staff agreement” every year.
…. Be reviewed by one report to every year.
…. Have salary reviewed every year by one report to and senior staff.
…. Senior is reviewed every year by the board of oversight. (A standard review guide.) …. Report to finance person any personal gift over $100 (or set amount).

Help with “school spirit”
…. Always participate out loud in staff prayer.
…. At meetings on time.
…. Offenses handled one on one.
…. Attend all worship services and sit toward front.
…. Appreciation and thanks to other staff.
…. One on one promise to senior when he arrives, and asking for suggestions. ….Positive demeanor at staff meetings.

Not based on a Barna survey or a Gallop poll but clearly true!

1. The pastor and other leaders forget that the greatest of church strategies is love.

2.  The leaders forget who got them there in past years and staff for everyone except the seniors.

3.  Leaders forget that it is in real estate that it is,  “Location, Location, Location,” but in church it is,  “Communication, Communication, Communication.”

4.  People like to count on what time a service starts and also what time it ends.   Even if they do not tell you.

5.  A worship set that is all performance with little participation from the pews is a concert, not a worship service.

6.  The opinions of the speaker given in a sermon are much less important than the exposition/explaining/applying of the Word of the Lord as found in the Bible.

7.  Greeters and ushers who talk mostly to each other are disqualifying themselves.

8.  People hate changes and surprises,  so we should not surprise them with a change!

9.  Politics divides people and eliminates up to half the potential audience;  true doctrine from above unites and promotes love.

10. Every person who walks in the door of the church or lives in the nearby community will live forever somewhere.

The goal for each week, so you stay on target for goals and make the best use of time, and prioritize

If there are 21 sections to a week, three for each day, how will you use them? Consider making a schedule
and sticking with it except for tragedies and family.

Some of us like to make 35 blocks for a week, putting in an early morning breakfast time and a lunch-noon hour in each day, or at least five of them.

Here are “ingredients” that might best show in a target week, a Master Schedule:

PERSONAL, FAMILY
* Personal worship of our Lord
* Physical exercise
* Date with wife
* Time with children (and each is different one-on-one that when all together
* Evenings at home

SUNDAY AND CHURCH SERVICES
* Sermon prep time (should be at your best hours, not when tired or sleepy)
* Church services and classes on Sunday or weekend
* Wednesday services or studies or community groups
* Planning meetings (for instance, essential to meet with chair of oversight board to plan before the regular meetings)

OUTREACH, PASTORAL
* Breakfast or lunch or coffee with a new man at church (the new way of visitation)
* Shut-in visits
* Discipleship of group of 4-6 men (should be at minimum twice a month, and must be Bible verses that hit the heart, not just facts) — See sample.
* Counseling (good to have regular hours or people get used to just walking in)
* Service club or other local place to meet people (Some study at coffee shop once a week)
* Coffee or more individually with oversight board members twice a year

Notes:” Best to make one in August for the new “church year,” and then revise over
Christmas break….Show your wife and secretary….Show your oversight board….Refuse to feel guilt when broken, but refuse to break for selfish reasons

** Many churches do not add an extra service and should.

** It is one Sunday when you can add a service at 6:30 or 7:00 am and call it the “Sunrise Service.”

** Extra greeters and parking lot assistants are a must.

** The pastor is often the best one to start the service with  joy and call to worship and “He is risen!”  (and the crown responds, “He is risen indeed!”)

** Shorter sermon is in order.  Certainly not longer.

** 15-20 second video to your people the week before that is joyful and rather light — one they can forward to invite a friend.

** Sing “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today!” to start the service, whether your worship leader wants to or not! 🙂

** Smile more than usual, especially if you have a beard.

** Do  not overpressure the guests.  You want them back next Sunday.

** Have a place to meet guests — pastor and wife and someone or three who get names.

** Use no big theological words in sermons.

** Announce any outreach workshops coming up — on parenting or Celebrate Recovery or the like.

** Smile.

** The pressure should be on you, not the guests.

** Have good volunteers with umbrellas if it rains.

** Be sure to explain what it means to have faith in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross and in rising.  This is more than,  “Believe in Jesus.”  Most of them would say they already do that.

** Close the service with joy, not, ‘This is your last chance….” :-).

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