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New Realities And Needs Of The Denomination Develop A...
On behalf of the, 2010 Call to Action Steering Committee of The United Methodist Church, the
following UMC Vitality Indexes are provided to the denomination research on the characteristics
and common practices of highly–vital congregations within the Church. The following models
utilize the Annual Local Church Reports to model churches progress or change over time.
We believe that the use of metrics and the creation of a Vitality Index is an important step forward in
helping the denomination develop a shared understanding of vitality. Although this index is a useful
step forward in the process of transforming United Methodism, it is an iterative step. It should be
examined, considered, and scrutinized by the wider connection it is ... Show more content on
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Executive Summary:
This report puts together a workbook with each version and summary comparison for the August
28th meeting or work with Bishop Schol and others before the meeting. This comparison should be
viewed as a first draft and for comparison and review only. As we continue to update the index we
strive for new concepts and to make it easier. Thus, we research, reflect, refine, and redefine. As we
move through these steps we wish for input and guidance from all.
Two models were proposed. First, the original 2010 model which has been continually edited,
henceforth referred to as TowersWatson, breaks the vital measures into standardized quartiles. Due
to the complexity of this model, an additional model was created. Bishop Schol's model, now
referred to as Schol, simplifies the index into basic calculations. More details about these models
will be explained and analyzed below.
A comparison between the two models showcases the stark variation between high vitality. Within
the Schol model over twenty thousand churches are considered highly vital; however, in the
TowerWatson model less than nine thousand churches are considered highly vital. Moreover, there
are variations among growth and expense factors.
Schol model considers medium–sized churches vital, while larger churches are typically medium
vital. Conversely, TowerWatson model's missional and financial variables increase from best to
worse relative to the vitality scale. For
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God's Mission Of The World
God 's mission in the world. For me as a pastor, I enter into this mission field through the local
church, but not exclusively based in the local church, but constantly reaching out to near and distant
neighbors. This definition is a simple introduction to the concept of "missio Dei" which is basically
saying that the work or mission of the church is a part of the work of God in the world, rather than
something with an independent disposition. The overwhelming motive for mission is the
compassion and love of God for his creation and the telos of mission is the Kingdom, the reign of
God over his people.
As missional leader, my task is to help my congregation, synod, and church wide to understand the
need for adaptive leadership if we are to be vital and thriving hubs for missional outreach in the
world. Additionally, I must motivate parishioners and lay leaders to be agents of change; not to be
agents of status quo. Additionally, my goal allow the Spirit to transform my congregations from an
inward focus of maintenance to an outward focus of mission and to invite my congregation to be
agents of adaptive leadership and transformation beyond their comfort zones of homogeneity in
their current community context. In other words, my assignment is to help my congregation to
understand that the task of the church is to be the church. I must show them the importance of
evangelism and outreach, but our doing is important must be married with our being the church. I
must help my
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The Azusa Street Revival By William J. Seymour
"What if Fire at Azusa never happened"
Nupur James
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II:
THE REFORMATION AND MODERN CHURCH
HIST 0562
INSTRUCTOR: REV. DR. RON KYDD 13th April 2015
Mail Box # 344
The Azusa Street Revival was a historical Pentecostal revival meeting that occurred in Los Angeles,
California and is the beginning of the Pentecostal movement. It was run by William J. Seymour, an
African American minister. It started with a meeting on April 9, 1906, and proceeded until about
1915. The revival was portrayed by euphoric spiritual encounters joined by miracles, speaking in
tongues, inter–racial socialising during worship services. The members were criticized by media and
theologians for their behaviour as it was considered as outrageous and unorthodox, particularly at
the time. Today, the restoration is considered by historians to be the essential push for the spread of
Pentecostalism in the 20th century. This paper will aim to analyze how history may have unfolded if
it had not happened, it will be examining the event and setting it in context that how it has impacted
the history of Christianity for the reformation and modern Church. It will analyze how this event
impacted the historic Pentecostal movement. Being born and bought up in Christian Orthodox
Church, for a long time I could not understand the real meaning of Pentecostalism, but things
changed dramatically in my life, and so did my theology about Church. Throughout the year I have
learnt a
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Religious Religion Essay
This past United States presidential election caught religious leaders by surprise. For the first time
the number of non–religious voters outnumbered any single religious bloc of voters in a national
election. This is the latest in a string of sobering reminders churches face a challenging new era in
America. The number of Americans identifying themselves as having no particular religious faith
(nones) has accelerated the past decade. The Pew Research Center reported one–fifth of registered
voters in America were "nones." There were more "nones" registered than protestant Christians.
There were more "nones" than Roman Catholics. How the Church in America got Blindsided Like
so many other parish pastors, I worked with elders to discern ... Show more content on
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Most were laser focused on their own members and their own brand of ministry. Others were
engrossed with the seeker–sensitive movement, which was marketing by Christians for Christians.
"Nones" were not seekers. Where Conservative Churches in America Stand Now Membership in
North American churches is being whittled down to the most committed members. These members
are faithful to a denomination or congregation or pastor. Outside of the largest "box store" churches,
I think congregational members are more unified in beliefs and values than they were a quarter
century ago. Opposition and disrespect from society is forging tighter bonds among members of
Confessional, Evangelical or Fundamentalist churches. The is also causing church members to
increasingly distrustof outsiders. It seems like churches are almost subconsciously erecting new
barriers to new people in order to protect themselves. Installing invisible security systems to protect
our churches has the unintended consequence of making participation in God's mission more
difficult. God's mission is about God sending and gathering. As the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends
us (John 20:21). Church leaders are hesitant to send their members into the teeth of persecution.
Members are not enthused about inviting their neighbor to church when their congregation is
suspicious of new people. The Remnant of Americans
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F-1.0201 Usa Analysis
) F–1.0201 presents the authority of Christ in PC(USA). "God has put all things under the Lordship
of Jesus Christ and has made Christ Head of the Church, which is his body. The Church's life and
mission are a joyful participation in Christ's ongoing life and work" (F–1.0201). Furthermore,
"Christ gives to the Church its faith and life, its unity and mission, its order and discipline" (F–
1.0203). Therefore, church should be guidance by the Word and the Holy Spirit. Since God is the
only one who has the authority of the church, constitution in PC(USA) does not "wish to see any
religious constitution aided by the civil power" because of "protection, security, equality and
common to all others" (F–3.0101–b). PC(USA) is only governed with justice ... Show more content
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Elders have responsibilities to "guide and govern the life of the congregation for the up building of
the whole church" (G–1.0103). Elder is not the lordship position in church. Elders have
responsibility to commend the joy and justice of gospel to all people by seeking "for a quality of life
and relationship" (G–2.0504). Furthermore, elders should "[exercise] pastoral care, devoting special
attention to the poor, the sick, the troubled, and the dying" (G–2.0504). These roles for elders are
important to achieve the Church
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Missional Religion
Introduction I have analyzed four churches and interviewed four leaders/pastors, each belonging to
their specific church. From my interviews and church analysis, I have concluded that each church
has a slightly different view of what it means to be a missional church, and I have identified two
areas that all four churches should focus on. For each church, I will use my interview notes and
gathered information to analyze what each church believes to be a missional church, and the steps
they are taking to become more missional. I will base my analysis off of Scripture, class–assigned
readings, scholarly sources, and personal insights. For this paper, I am using the definition for a
missional church found within Craig Van Gelder's book, The Ministry of the Missional Church: A
Community Led by the Spirit. Gelder defines a missional church as "a community created by the
Spirit and that it has a unique nature, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Andrews Anglican Church Youth Director, Darryl Fitzwater, describes St. Andrews Anglican Church
as a spirited, Evangelical church of about 180 people. The church's focus is on preaching the gospel,
as past leaders have ill–treated the congregation with weak theological teaching. The church has
refocused on remaining faithful to Scripture and the early–history of the church. According to
Darryl Fitzwater, a missional church is one that "mobilizes each believer into their specific calling,
gifts, and passions." Darryl Fitzwater believes that St. Andrews tries to be a missional church, but is
not quite there. The church is often hampered by the centralized hierarchy of the church. Because
many tasks are only able to be handled by specific individuals, many individuals are not able to be
placed into ministries and roles that would mobilize their gifts and callings. Fitzwater believes that
this aspect of Anglicanism has held the church back from being a more Spirit–led church. To many
hands are tied because of extreme adherence to ancient church
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Congregation Analysis Paper
In the small congregation I attend, which consists of sixty mostly older faithful believers, the Book
of Common Prayers is their Bible. The congregation uses the Book of Common Prayer or the
bulletin in church. There seem to be no question on which Rite is used. The Prayer Book class was
offered to them as a group, no one step forth. I have never seen anyone from All Saints congregation
holding or having a Bible with them. Reverend Janis has tried to get some of the congregation to
take classes through the Stevenson School for Ministry. The congregation follows traditional old
ways and they do not like change. Four Episcopalians have left our small congregation and moved
to other churches, due to the change in the policy of the Episcopal Church ... Show more content on
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They seem to be focus on their own church and not the whole Episcopal Church. Many in the
congregation believe that new members should be confirmed and be baptized in their home church
and not in the other local Episcopal Churches in the Northern Tier. (Congregation belief, when a
person joins a church or comes to be baptized, it is an individual response to the gospel and their
new home church). Last year we had two new members join All Saints and were confirmed over at
St. Paul's Episcopal Church. The Bishop has a Diocesan Schedule, time when she visits each of the
Northern Tier Churches. All Saints bishop visitation is this year 2017. There were only four All
Saints members which showed up for the confirmation. One significant problem in this small church
is their feeling of isolation from the "institutional church," Episcopal Diocese. The congregation
often considers themselves as the church, as a family of local Christians. The Church congregation
lives mostly in the past and clings to the historical Church as their Church. The congregation has old
embedded ways of thinking and old ways of the heart. I have commented at the vestry meetings on
the parish lack and loss of fellowship in the last few years. No more coffee hour, no fellowship
meals, and lack of Church mission. Their response is lack of volunteer and lack of funds and
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The Church And The Community
The Church and The Community The mission of the church, to share the message of Jesus Christ
with the world, has not changed, however, culture is constantly changing forcing the church to adapt
its approach to fulfill its mission. There is no specific way to reach a culture with message, as long
as the message is Christ. The church and its leaders face many challenges contextualizing the
message within their specific community they aim to reach. Each community provides challenges
and opportunities the church and its leaders must navigate.
Church Ministry and Community Relevance "This Three–One God has come into the world in grace
and love, has been sent to us and dwells among us, is and speaks the word of grace to the world, and
sends us with a similar word. Just as there is no separation between God 's being and acting so there
can be no separation between the being and acting of those joined to Christ or between our work of
prayer for the world and our work of mercy in the world (Anderson, 2014 page 21)." The church is
to show Christ to the world through grace and mercy. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount calls his
followers to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Following Jesus cannot be fulfilled
unless it incorporates engaging the world that reveals Jesus.
Culture is transformed one life at a time. For the church to transform culture or community through
Christ, the church must understand were the community is, to best formulate its approach for change
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The Incarnation Of The Triune God
At the core of our faith is the living Christ, the incarnation of the triune God. During his time among
us Christ brought us a new covenant based in grace and salvation through alone, setting up the
beginning of theological tradition that would become the Christian. After his death and resurrection
Jesus ascended into heaven leaving the immediate task of continuing his mission to us. How we
carry the mission of Christ out today is known as our theological task or the process by which we
are "drawn into a deeper relationship with 'faith's pioneer and perfecter.'" This is no simple task and
so as United Methodists we turn to Wesley for guidance. "Wesley believed that the living core of the
Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is the collective knowledge of generations of Christians faithfully seeking through the Holy Spirit
to participate in the transformational work of God. Tradition can include a variety of source
including non–scriptural reading from pastors and theologians, interpretations of scripture, and the
practice of the people of faith who have gone before and engaged in this same theological task. This
is not to say that tradition cannot be wrong or never changed but that we can ask why things have
been done in a certain way. We say that tradition illumines Christ because it shines a light through
scripture by the understandings of the past that we continue to carry with us now. Experience, the
next lens, alone could never be enough to discern the will of God; however as we live our lives and
live out our faith in the new life in Christ, God is revealed to us. Each us will experiences God and
the world in a different and unique way. This also extends into the communities of faith because it
not just the personal but also the communal experience that we remember as well as the Spirit works
in and through each of us and each community of faith. Experience is then what breathes life in into
scripture and tradition. Reason can be thought of as less of a source and more of a tool through
which we bring together our understanding scripture, tradition, and experience using it to confirm
our understanding of God and our theological task. In using reason, "we seek nothing
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The Attractional Model In The Marine Corps
In the Marine Corps, accomplishing the mission is the number one priority. "The mission of the
Marine Corps rifle squad is to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or
repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat." In comparison, the mission of the church is to
locate the enemy (devil) and destroy him at all cost. The mission of the church, whether missional or
attractional, should be to win the lost to Jesus Christ. Subsequently, the church has a mission which
is to go into all the nations making disciples, baptizing them, and to teach them to observe the ways
of Christ as noted in Matthew 28:19–20. When looking at the differences between the missional
model and the attractional model is the missional goes out to win the lost, and the attractional seeks
to bring the lost in not focusing the cultural boundaries. Stetzer and Hirsch state, "Missional
represents a significant shift in the way we understand the church. As the people of a missionary
God, we are entrusted to participate in the world the same way He does–by committing to be His
ambassadors." In retrospect, Hirsch cites that, "The attractional model, which has dominated the
church in the West, seeks to reach out to the culture and draw people into the church–what I call
outreach and in–grab. But this model only works where no significant cultural shift is required when
moving from outside to inside the church." Both have their uniqueness, however, they are designed
to seek and make disciples. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Often, pastors think within the four walls of the church, and rightfully so, when they look at their
ministry. However, getting involved in community events, i.e., city commission meetings, business
leaders, local stores, and business, etc., are important to change the culture around the church. Trull
and Carter
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Compassion Ministry Research Paper
There are challenges in implementing the compassion ministry in the local church. Most of the
members of the congregation are middle class. Often "the church has pursued wealth, success, status
and influence." The church does not see the need of the poor. It is, as Archbishop Mtetemala says,
"we challenged them to start a day feeding Centre for street children. They did not understand why
as a church they had to be involved in this community work." The members need to in the context of
those in poverty. "Contextualization is not just knowledge of the other context, but being willing to
identify yourself with the context and become vulnerable." The church should encourage the
members to "go to the poor if we want to meet them." We ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
A proper theological education to help the congregation to understand the poor and the poverty
based on the Old Testament, the Gospel, the New Testament and in the church history will be
needed. Theology needs to be systematic and relevant in each of the context the church is in. We
have to impart the congregation the message that "to hold the poor central in our mission we need to
have God's heart. We must be motivated by him to render service to the poor. God himself must
move our hearts (see Jas. 5:11; Lk. 6:36)." Partnership with other churches and local communities is
important but it is also very challenging. Different parties may employ different lenses when
carrying out the compassion work. Chester says that "the church can best address poverty by
working with the poor and other stakeholders like civil society, government and the private sector
with mutual respect and a recognition of the distinctive role of each partner." It is a journey that the
church needs to walk with the community to transform it. The church also needs to develop the
compassion "serving holistically in their
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Importance Of Prayer Walking In Trinity Lutheran Church
We were gathering in a church parking lot on a Saturday morning for a prayer walk. A man I had
just met peered through steam rising from a styrofoam cup and asked:
"So we're going to mill around the neighborhood muttering to ourselves?"
"Yes," I replied with a nod. "Yes, we are."
He smiled, shook his head side–to–side, and said, "OK."
This kind of questioning observation serves as a healthy reminder to congregational leaders. It is
important to explain why the church is prayer walking. Here are the four most common motivations
for churches:
"As you are going, make disciples of all people groups..." (Matthew 28:19 my translation)
Bethany Lutheran Church in suburban Cincinnati is holding a prayer walk this Saturday. There is a
fair amount of turnover among the residents living ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For some members, praying aloud was a challenge. Others were stretched by talking about their
faith or church with strangers. Prayer walking created such opportunities.
"(Jesus)...sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go."
(Luke 10:1 NIV)
Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore, OH has a prayer walk scheduled later this month in Elmore.
While the prayer walk will certainly benefit the neighborhood, the ultimate purpose is not blessing
the community or congregation. The prayer walk is training members to prayer walk in another
community.
Trinity – Elmore is the nearest Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod congregation to the city of
Sandusky, OH. Trinity received an inquiry to consider helping start a new congregation in Sandusky.
The future prayer walks in Sandusky are motivated by the desire to discern whether God is opening
a door for mission work.
What are additional motivations for prayer walks? Leave your thoughts in social media or shoot me
an email. If you have any questions about prayer walking, post or send them as
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Victory Baptist Case Study
INTRODUCTION "On this rock I will build My Church." This is the timeless promise Jesus gave as
he spoke to Peter in Matthew 16:18. Over the ages this bell of truth has rung resoundingly
throughout church history, as the church has experienced periods of growth and decline. It provides
assurance for churches as a whole. The Church must remember that Christ is it's head and that only
by his power will a congregation experience revival and revitalization. Today there are many
congregations that are experiencing decline. This decline is evident across all denominations. This
should come as no surprise, because all organizations, both secular and spiritual, experience periods
of growth, stagnation, and decline. It is possible to bypass this cyclical ... Show more content on
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A new elementary and middle school opened up not too far form where the group had been meeting.
The moved the meeting place to the middle school. Fred and the congregation invested in chairs,
tables, a sound system, and even a pulpit. They began meeting for Sunday school followed by
corporate worship. All the while experiencing growth as locals began to hear word of the work God
was doing though Victory Baptist Church and Fred Dyess. It was not long before Fred decided that
the church needed a building. Fred casted a vision to his church, which called for land and a
building. The church did not have any financial resources, but this did not dissuade Fred. He
believed that God had given him this vision and that He would provide. Two years later the church
acquired fourteen acres of land. Amazingly they paid the land off in two years, three years earlier
than agreed too. They broke ground and laid the foundation in October. This was a strategic decision
to allow the foundation to set as winter rains came in. On January second the following year, they
began constructing the
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Brethren Essay
Brethren
Brethren a German Baptist religious group. They were popularly known as Dunkards, Dunkers, or
Tunkers, from the German for "to dip", referring to their method of baptizing. The Brethren evolved
from the Pietist movement in Germany. Alexander Mack, a miller who had been influenced by both
Pietism and Anabaptism, organized the first congregation in the town of Schwarzenau, Germany in
1708. Though the early Brethren shared many beliefs with other Protestants, issuers which separated
them from the state churches included discipleship and obedience, reinstitution of the New
Testament church, church discipline, biblicism, and nonresistance. They also shared their faith
enthusiastically with others, sending evangelists to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The largest branch after the schism was the German Baptist Brethren, who changed their name to
the Church of the Brethren in 1908. From the Church of Brethren there have been separations into
the Seventh–day Baptists, German Baptists, Church of God, Old German Baptist Brethren, and the
Brethren Church. The local churches are united by an annual conference that elects a general board
to supervise the national church program. During the 20th century the focus areas of Church of the
Brethren have included educating its young people by developing Sunday schools, camping and
youth programs; strengthening its emphasis on service, foreign and home missions, and
peacemaking; increasing its ecumenical involvement; and developing a new denominational
structure. Today the Church of the Brethren maintains the basic beliefs of the first Brethren and
seeks to find new ways to continue the work of Jesus in the world. While the Church of the Brethren
started in Germany, it has no congregations in Europe today. Instead, the denomination's
congregations stretch from coast to coast across North America, with especially strong
concentrations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana. In all, more than 1,000
churches can be found in 38 states and Puerto Rico. There are also nearly 20 international churches
in the Dominican Republic, and a large sister denomination in Nigeria.
There are four key locations in the denomination. One
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The First Half Of Discovering Missions
The first half of Discovering Missions written by Culbertson and Gailey introduce the countless
aspects of missions and related terminology in reference to missions. Throughout the book, the
focus is then directed to the important factors that play a part in missions. Chapters eight through
fourteen covers the importance of intercultural communication, volunteerism in mission,
development of missionaries, the contrasting philosophies and strategies of mission, the new
contexts from missions, the importance of mobilizing the local church and the changes affecting
mission today. From this reading, I have learned the important factors that have an effect on
missions and various ways in which they effect missions.
Intercultural communication is a form of communication that aims to share information across
different cultures and social groups. A form of communication is language. It is often viewed as an
important factor in relation to the cultural perspective. The cultural perspective refers to the way that
individuals are shaped by their environments as well as social and cultural factors. It affects how
people relate to one another and their ability to communicate. Language is essential in the study and
practice of global mission.
It is of great importance in the study and practice of global mission that we are able to communicate
effectively through having the knowledge of various languages. Being able to effectively
communicate enables us to reach those who we are
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Western Theological Seminary
Western Theological Seminary
A Congregation Care Analysis: Describing
We chose to do our Congregation Care Analysis on Western Theological Seminary. The work being
doing with and for the students at Western Theological Seminary can be further explained through
this institution's stated "Identity Statement," "Mission Statement," and "Vision Statement" that can
be found on the institution's website.
MISSION: The purpose of Western Theological Seminary is to prepare Christians called by God to
lead the church in mission.
IDENTITY: Western Theological Seminary is an evangelical and ecumenical community of faith
and learning in the Reformed tradition that serves the church of Jesus Christ. In covenant with the
Reformed Church in America, Western ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Each track offers various classes which include diverse course and work loads. There is one or two
specific tracks which have been framed out by the faculty to aid in the ease of completion for these
degree programs, but it is rare that any student follows those tracks exactly as they have been
planned. Many of the students at Western Theological Seminary are considered second career
students meaning that they are adult learners who found themselves working in the secular world
and were called to study and transition their career into one of ministry and leadership. This lends us
to recognize on top of the pressures of maintaining the blanket expectations that the faculty have for
all students is also mingled with the responsibilities that come from having families, including
children. In addition to school and home life responsibilities, some of the various roles the students
in our interview group hold at Western are, Chapel Host, Lab Leader and Research Assistant.
Western's Masters of Divinity program, full–time, is a three year program. When approaching the
program as part–time, the expectation is that students will complete the expectations for graduation
within five years of matriculation. Our interview group consisted of students who
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Peter Steinke's Four Core Issues In Counseling
The purpose of this essay is for this Author to analyze when to withdraw and understand along with
diagnosing an exercise that will support God's activity in individual lives and the church. With this
said, the Author will examine and analyze the system, to include: 1) Congregation Core issue; 2)
Goals and applicable actions; 3) Characteristic of a Virus; 4) Signs of Congregational Virus; 5)
Present and Past congregational viruses; 6) Congregation response to viruses; 7) Viruses and the
Health of the Congregation; 8) Congregation rigid or not and those involved; 9) Congregation need
to learn; and 10) Why need to learn and Learning does for life and mission.
Background
This author feels that the complete absence of conflict may indicate ... Show more content on
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Here, the congregation response to the virus is that it is not life–giving, in that, it takes away from
the spiritual growth and maturity of the congregation. Indeed, the response to the virus pandemic
within the Church is that the Congregation willing leave and resign their membership. In saying this,
the viruses and the health of the Congregation was able to put faces on the viral disease sources
readily identified as the Pastor, Deacon and Board members and trickled down to the Subsystems
spreading the disease of spiritual death that includes: 1) anxiety; 2) murmuring, 3) lust, 4)
voraciousness, 6) self–indulgence, 7) indolence, 8) madness, 9 resentments and 10)
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Ethical Leadership
I believe that as a part of the role and authority as an ethical leader in the community of faith, a
pastor is called to be a guide, namely to provide information on current ethical issues of note in
society, offer her view of how the gospel's teaching and model of Christ intersect with these issues,
and advocate that time and safe space be created in the congregation to discuss and debate these
issues.
I believe that the role of the pastor as an ethical leader in the community of faith is to emphasize to
the congregation that we have collective responsibility to address the structural sin and brokenness
of the world and bring healing. Moreover, the pastor must underscore that God enters into solidarity
with a broken humanity through love, and we are called to do the same. Thus, as a community of
faith, we must take accountability for finding ways to ensure the full dignity, flourishing, ... Show
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This sometimes entails preaching a "hard word" and exploring how our Christian faith and
understanding of the gospel intersects with commitments to human rights, economic justice, issues
of war and violence, and other difficult topics. It is important in a faith community to recognize that
even the earliest Christians did not shy away from difficult topics, nor did they agree on all issues,
and as a result argued, debated, and negotiated in community.
As an ethical leader in the community of faith, I believe that my role is to help develop ethical
frameworks and guide conversations about the congregation's ethical stances. By grappling in
community with its normative ethical position on issues, the congregation may transform its sense
of what is good, fair, and right, and possibly introduce new avenues of thinking and action that
could not otherwise be
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North Cleveland Worship Analysis
In order to evaluate the worship at North Cleveland Church of God, there must first be a working
definition of worship. For many in the church world today, music and worship have become
synonymous. However, limiting worship to music is a very dangerous thing. Jerald Daffe (D.Min.),
professor at Lee University, defines worship as, "our response to God declaring His worth as He has
revealed Himself to us." According to this definition, worship is not something that can be put into a
box; moreover, worship is an overflow of the heart, and that overflow is a response that will be
unique to every individual. So if worship in its true essence is really more of a personal language
through which an individual can express his or her thanks and adoration to the creator God, then the
most meaningful way to evaluate the worship at North Cleveland Church of God would be to
analyze the actions of the leaders and the environment that is created to lead people into that special
moment. To begin, the most understood form of worship at North Cleveland would be the music
during the Sunday morning service. Corporate worship through song is highly valued at North
Cleveland. There is a heavy emphasis on tradition and the power of worship. Looking around the
sanctuary, I noted that worship seemed less optional. The congregation seemed to understand ...
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This reflects God's heart for benevolence. Benevolence at North Cleveland, economically speaking,
is the highest valued form of worship. More money goes to benevolence than any other area. While
you would not see this from the budget outline, most benevolence giving is done outside of the
congregation as whole's knowledge. When someone comes to the church with a need. The church
addresses the need immediately and privately. North Cleveland sees benevolences as a form of
worship where they can reflect the compassionate heart of
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Sisters Of The Precious Blood Research Paper
Sisters of the Precious Blood was founded by Maria Anna Brunner, from Switzerland, a widow with
six children. After a an eye opening religious experience in Rome, Mother Brunner gathered around
several women who had the same desires as her, which were to minister to the poor and adore the
Eucharist. Following her death, the women left behind were able to grow and sustain the order into
what it has become today. Sisters of the Precious Blood are an active order who strive to serve God
by serving others. In 1844 when three sisters first came to the United States, they found a home in
Peru, Ohio, by the invitation of Bishop John Baptist Purcell. Within the next few years, they became
a part of ten foundations in Western Ohio as well as Jay County, Indiana. In 1957, some sisters
landed in Chile, establishing the congregation's Chilean Vicariate. The sisters have manage to
minister all across the states, from California to Michigan. Despite their popularity in the United
States, Sisters of the Precious Blood travel and do missions all around the world, helping those in
need of God's love. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Their mission is to bring healing and reconciliation to those around the world who have lost touch
with God. They started off by instituting schools and orphanages for children, specifically for, but
not limited to, German immigrants. As they grew in size, the order expanded their ministries to care
for the sick and elderly, domestic work, as well as ministry to Native Americans. In addition to
starting schools, many members of this order also provide housing for students attending University.
Although they are focused on education, many sisters of this order also focus on ecology and
preserving God's land. Many also serve in countries such as Guatemala and Chile, who lack some of
the necessities of
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Kingdom Politics Review Essay
Jessa Doom
Kingdom Politics Review
Norris and Speers' journey sent them out around the US in search for five different churches that
undoubtedly worship differently but at the same time follow the universal Christian belief of the one
true God. The goal of their expedition was to set out to explore the amount of politics that are found
in many congregations. Out of these five distinguished churches, Norris and Speers' focused on
analyzing the congregation's worship tactics, along with their leaders and mission of the church.
The five congregations examined first began with the Saddleback church located in Orange County,
California. This Evangelical conservative mega–church was home to Rick Warren and his model of
political engagement being ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"A kingdom is a human political reality", which is both earthly and physical. (pg 176) People see it
as a negative impersonal political institution but rather it should positively flipped into community
based. This includes individuals under one common influence. The power that kingdom has over
politics transformed the power God has on earth through the churches until the day when He finally
makes all things new (Rev 21:5). Together, the term kingdom politics is metaphor to what we should
be basing our lives onto, the kingdom above under the political allegiance of God. As Christians, we
must build this kingdom before God within the community of those living for the
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Techniques Used For Classify The Models Of Church Planting
Techniques used to categorize the models of church planting Things that lay influence on various
models used in planting of churches include: one is denominational ecclesiology, two is if a mission
agency or church is carrying out the actual planting, three is the planting body ethos, four is the
spiritual and theological planting body outlook, five being the direct correlation of factors to the
context which includes a community/area sociological understanding of where the church is to be
planted and six is the planting team size. The terminology employed in describing the different
planting models are divergent and a lot of terms are gotten from the obstetrics or horticulture world,
but others are derived from the military, nautical and astronomical worlds (Murray, Laying
Foundations, 260). Christine groups planting models in terms of the body performing the sponsoring
say the agency, church or any other body (Robinson and Christine, Planting tomorrow's Churches
Today, 126). Murray defines four historical church planting categories: one is the replacement
planting where it is conducted in places where the church is being closed, two is the pioneer planting
which is done in places where there are no Christian witnesses, three is the saturation planting that
mainly concerns with ensuring that each group of people that is identifiable has unlimited church
access which has relevance on a contextual basis, and the fourth and last one is the sectarian
planting that ensures an
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Attractional Model Research Paper
The difference between missional model of ministry and attractional model is one serves as a
commission to go (mission) and the other serve as a commission to convince (attract), following
God's instruction on places and timing for His people. Moses is an example of a person being sent in
Old Testament following the commands of God, (Exodus 3: 1–22, NASB). The disciples were sent
out in the New Testament on a mission of God, (Lk. 14:23, NASB). Both illustrations identifies a
mission and purpose in the act of obedience to God. Therefore, pastors should live out their calling
in the community as a light of God's word. Reason being, Jesus spoke the same proclamation to the
disciples on The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:14, NASB). Furthermore, pastors are to be example
in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Every culture is corrupted by sin. At the same time, the gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful: Societies
can be transformed." As a result, the missional model can be suitable to the congregation, if it is
learned and the congregation teaches the importance or significance of the missional model.
Likewise, attractional model is fitting as well, depending upon the hunger and thirst a person may
have about the truth of God demonstrated in others. In fact, a personal observation prefers both
models to be the best, because both models can make an impact in the lives of the community. By
the same token, both models will do well for the congregation, because it is the exaltation of Jesus
Christ and God's love for the world that make a difference in reaching God's people. Trull and
Carter, "One fact remains: the church is in the world and the world is also in the church. A
community, therefore, can be for a minister both a threat and an opportunity." In other word,
programmatic should not overpower systematic, nevertheless a little of both can be of use to help
minister to the congregation and the congregation to the
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Gary United Methodist Church Case Study
Gary United Methodist Church is a small congregation of less than fifty members with an average
worship attendance of ten or less. The congregational leaders, known as the administrative council,
are looking for ways to increase attendance, which has been dwindling over the last few decades,
and find new ways to engage in mission work in their small northern Minnesota community of less
than 3,000. A decrease in employment opportunities over the last thirty years and the shutdown of
two major employers in the town have led to the mass exiting of families with children. The town
has several properties that are either condemned or dilapidated. Recently their schools combined
with a neighboring town to offset the lack of enrollment and suspend the closing of both sets of
schools. To prevent the closing of their church, the administrative council over the years became
creative. Originally, the congregation was part of the Presbyterian denomination. As the leaders of
the denomination began discussions with the administrative council to close their church and
consolidate to another local Presbyterian congregation, the council sought other denominational
avenues to prevent ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The chapel contains a modest sanctuary, two small offices and a small social hall with a kitchen in
the basement. The chapel is not handicap accessible as it has one small flight of stairs to enter into
the church, another few steps going up to the sanctuary, one flight of stairs going down to the social
hall, and no elevator. They have a very small parking area behind the church of less than ten spaces
in addition to on–street parking. To remedy this need, the council has consulted with contractors to
provide ideas for possible infrastructures to their chapel. However, their suggestions where either
impossible to construct with the chapels current layout and small lot size or far too costly given their
current finances and small tithing
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David Wesley's Five Healthy Patterns
The argument/thesis/main idea of the book David Wesley's main idea is a set of best practices, or
what he terms "healthy patterns," in congregational mission partnerships. Wesley observes that in
the emerging "third way" of missions that began at the end of the 20th century and is coming into its
own in the early 21st century is focusing on congregational partnerships. As such, Wesley seeks to
lay out "common patterns for healthy global partnerships observed in these congregational
partnerships." Consequently, Wesley presents five healthy patterns around which common mission
can flourish.
An evaluation of the sources used for the study The primary source used for this study is based on
Wesley's own observation and research of the partnership ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
A pattern of reciprocity is a partnership that includes mutually reinforcing activities that allow each
partner to teach and learn from one another that avoids dependency and paternalism. Wesley
interacts with the work of Philip Thomas and his typology of communication moving from one–
direction relationships to transformative relationships. However, Wesley concludes with
Yoshikawa's dialogical relationship model that describes a synthesis of the donor and recipient into
something greater than the sum of its parts. This is the pinnacle of congregational partnerships
where reciprocity becomes the very nature of the relationship and challenges the approaches
traditionally taken by denominations and mission
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New England Church Case Study
Dear Elders of the Highland church of Christ,
I hope you are all well and thriving continuously in the Lord. As you may know, my wife and I are
planning to move to London, England this winter, Lord willing before the summer to work with the
Stratford church of Christ. We are excited and are grateful for all the encouragement and prayers
that have been lifted in His Name for this work and our success in fulfilling the Great Commission.
We also thank God for the Highland congregation in your example of servitude and love for Christ
and lost souls.
The Stratford church of Christ was first founded in October 2002 after years of the East end of
London being without a congregation. These passionate, faithful saints grew in number and today
stand ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We desire this so that we may together model ourselves after Jesus and His Kingdom.
Secondly, we want to help grow and nurture Stratford to be an encouragement and blessing to not
just congregations in London but also to congregations throughout England, the United Kingdom,
and abroad.
Thirdly, we plan to engage in the outreach of this populated and diverse section of London through
one–on–one and group discussions and studies of Christ and His Word, developing a strong
presence, relationship, and service in the community, and by showing the city of London the beacon
of light the Stratford congregation is and can continue to be.
The Stratford congregation is a congregation of passionate Christians who have a desire to fulfill the
work of the kingdom, and they desire for us to labor with them in a full–time capacity. A work of
this magnitude in a city ranked in the top 30 most populated cities in the World would require for
someone to help them on a full–time basis. In order for my wife and I to move to London and begin
this work full–time, we need to raise living expenses for this commitment of about $1800 US dollars
per month. The Stratford congregation is going to be able to support us with £500 a week, which is
roughly $633 USD. Their generous help will allow us to pay rent, utilities, and transportation. The
eventual goal of the congregation financially is to be completely self supporting in the future. Until
that time, we will need stateside help financially with living
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Presbyterian Church in America
About this Denomination: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was started in December
1973 and their origin can be traced to John Calvin. The theological distinction of PCA is
conservative reformed and the ecclesiology is Presbyterian. "This church was first known as the
National Presbyterian Church but changed its name in 1974 to Presbyterian Church in America."
The PCA became a separate denomination from the Presbyterian Church in the United States
(PCUSA) due to the "opposition of long–developing theological liberalism which denied the deity
of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy and authority of Scripture." The Evangelical Synod and the
Reformed Presbyterian Church joined the PCA in 1982. The belief system of the PCA is based on ...
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The vast amount of windows illuminated the inside of the sanctuary which is aligned with plenty of
wooden pews for around 800 people. The art displayed is inside the stained glass windows/panels.
One of the windows was inspired by Revelation 4:7. There is a rather large stage for live music and
worship and a stunning wooden cross on display hanging above the altar. There is another building
located across from the sanctuary with adequate classrooms for all age groups. The children's
playground is massive and filled with fun outdoor activities. The congregation started in 1975 and
there is over 500 multiracial members. I attended the Sunday 10:00 am service, but prior to service
IPC offers an "Education Hour" that focus on a variety of topics to help you engage in Scripture and
look for life applications in a more intimate setting. All worship services are spoken in English.
After the service, the IPC offers coffee, tea, and donuts to its members so they can enjoy fellowship
time on the patio. The bulletin includes weekly interactive ministries such as: music and the arts,
Wednesday night refuel, spiritual mentoring, men's, women's, youth, young adults, and seniors. I
had the opportunity to briefly speak with Lead Pastor Scott Bullock who informed me that the PCA
is one of the faster growing denominations in Orange County. He also specified that all members of
IPC are entitled to vote on the electing of their congregation officers, but neither women
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Purpose And Plan For Meeting The Spiritual Need Of A...
Thesis: The effectiveness of communication will begin with a purpose and plan in meeting the
spiritual need of a congregation. The project will serve as a purpose to enhance the congregation's
growth in a deeper knowledge of God. This project will serve as purpose to connect with sound and
creative ways of communicating through an informative description of healthy communication.
Synopsis
The purpose of life is found in our relationship with God and others during this lifetime.
Communication done properly can help someone to be inspired to live a life for Jesus Christ and
become a disciple. The primary way, we initiate, develop, and maintain these relationships is
through the process of communication. Whether small, medium, or large, churches are challenges in
the area of communication. The vision is to bring about the awareness of ineffective
communication. How communication is express verbal and nonverbal from one person to another.
The primary focus consists of designing a plan to show how communication connects and
disconnects with people in different levels and areas of life. In addition, how communications help
with understanding, where talking may cause confusion, base on the levels of maturity and
education. Therefore, effective communication requires teamwork within leadership. The goal is to
strategize methods of communication to enhance spiritual growth in the life of believers. This
assessment will bring about a model of unity and the role of leadership.
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Jesus Christ And The Holy Spirit
These words are so popular for many Christian communities, they might be considered a brilliant
dogmatic theology, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (28:19). This commission turns the church's
attention to the Gentiles mission without excluding the Jews. The Great Commission challenges the
church of the twenty first century still, to bring others into a relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and
the Holy Spirit while remaining the mission of the church, and molding our call to mission and
ministry in our contemporary world. Our task, as a church, is just as crucial today to teach and
embody Jesus' teaching, life, and attitude as when the gospel writer penned these words. Just as the
writer of Matthew noted, we too must be confident that God's abiding presence in Christ is available
to us as we seek to share the gospel news. "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the
age" (NRSV 28:20).
As I have read this scripture within the context of our recent studies, I have gained a new
perspective. A theological and spiritual perspective that calls me to an awareness of a much greater
mission, to seek to understand more fully what it "really" means to be a church or community that
desires to respond to the call and ministry within the world and community that we live and have
influence.
The Abundant Life Center (ALC), a Community of Christ congregation, is nested in the Midwestern
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Temple Beit Hayam Analysis
Temple Beit HaYam
Reformed Judaism
951 SE Monterey Commons Blvd.
Stuart, Florida 34996
772–286–1531
16 September 2016 7:00P.M.
Site Visit: Shabbat Service On the evening of the sixteenth of September, I was able to experience a
fascinating affair of which was utterly unfamiliar to me beforehand. I found the Friday Shabbat
service at Temple Beit HaYam to be enlightening of the beliefs held by members of Reform Judaism
while also simply intriguing. The Temple is located in Stuart, Florida and was founded in 1978
(Temple Beit HaYam). The building, as well as its inhabitants, appeared welcoming and inviting. As
such, I was greeted several times before entering for the service. Not only did I leave the Temple
with a better understanding of Judaism, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This phrase translates to "repairing the world" (What is Reform). In support of this mission, Reform
Jews strive to bring peace, liberty, and amity to all people of the world through the works of good
and charitable deeds. In addition to carrying out good deeds, Reform Jews meet weekly for the
welcoming of Sabbath on Friday evenings in services. Sabbath is seen as an everlasting sign of the
covenant between the Jewish people and God. It is often viewed as a point in which the Jewish
people can discard of the cares or burden of the previous week and welcome a peaceful state of rest
(Fisher 285). These services are offered at 7:00P.M. on Friday and 9:00A.M. on Saturday at Temple
Beit HaYam. The Shabbat proceedings are lead by rabbis of Reform Judaism. At Temple Beit
HaYam, the services are administered and lead by Rabbi Matthew Durbin. The congregation is
committed to "avodah", or worship through prayer and observance, both while in and outside of the
service (Temple Beit HaYam). As supplement to the services, the Temple also offers educational
services for both the youth and adult members of the congregation. This educational program aims
to teach Judaism as an active experience in the lives of its students. The congregation also
recognizes the importance of social unity and the value of wholesome fun. The Reform
denomination of Judaism remains to be seen in easy contrast to other Jewish denominations for
some of these
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The Church And The Community
The Church and The Community The mission of the church, to share the message of Jesus Christ
with the world, has not changed, however, culture is constantly changing forcing the church to adapt
its approach to fulfill its mission. There is no specific way to reach a culture with message, as long
as the message is Christ. The church and its leaders face many challenges contextualizing the
message within their specific community they aim to reach. Each community provides challenges
and opportunities the church and its leaders must navigate.
Church Ministry and Community Relevance "This Three–One God has come into the world in grace
and love, has been sent to us and dwells among us, is and speaks the word of grace to the world, and
sends us with a similar word. Just as there is no separation between God 's being and acting so there
can be no separation between the being and acting of those joined to Christ or between our work of
prayer for the world and our work of mercy in the world (Anderson, 2014 page 21)." The church is
to show Christ to the world through grace and mercy. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount calls his
followers to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Following Jesus cannot be fulfilled
unless it incorporates engaging the world that reveals Jesus.
Culture is transformed one life at a time. For the church to transform culture or community through
Christ, the church must understand were the community is, to best formulate its approach for change
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Simple Church Model Of Self Leadership
God's timing is perfect and there is a reason why I felt a sense of urgency in beginning the MOL
program this summer. The ministry at the church I serve is experiencing some growing pains and as
a church we are assessing the mission and vision to determine whether it is still God's mission and
vision for our congregation. Regardless of whether our vision remains the same or we develop a
new mission and vision, our church needs to realign our ministries around that mission and vision
and determine what ministries will continue, what needs to be let go of, and what new plans God
may have waiting in our future. Much of what I've been discovering about self–leadership and my
personal leadership effectiveness goes hand in hand with what we as a ... Show more content on
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The old saying, actions speak louder than words, is certainly true if leaders want to be effective in
transforming the lives of others. If my words and actions don't align, I have no credibility and no
hope that people will want to follow. Focus – Commitment to the process and abandoning
everything outside of the process, saying yes to doing the best things and no to the rest. (Rainer &
Geiger, 2011) Focusing on the principles of self–leadership and seeking God's wisdom and guidance
will help focus my life and ministry on doing the best things.
Our culture needs leaders that can be trusted, that lead with humility, authenticity, and integrity, that
focus on building that ladder of influence. (Throll & McNicol, 1997–2003) They are searching for a
culture of trust and communities of grace where it is okay to be vulnerable and share struggles,
without the fear of judgment and
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The Case For Clarity Analysis
Expressing clarity in my leadership something I have been working on for a couple years now. I
have a tendency to see what I want done and I Know how we are gonna get there however, I do not
always clarify that to everyone else. In this weeks article 'The Case for Clarity: A Key Leadership
Ingredient" it states: "Effective leaders don't have to be passionate. They don't have to be charming.
They don't have to be brilliant...They don't have to be great speakers. What they must be is clear."
(pg. 1) If I'm honest this statement caught me completely off guard. After dissecting the statement I
completely agree. (Although charming does help) If as a leader I am not clear on what I want to get
accomplished and how we will do it I set my team up
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The Importance Of Congregation In The Danville Community
For my site visited, I wanted to visit a congregation in the Danville community so I could
experience a small part of the religious community around me. I figured what better way to do this
than to attend the church that I have a view of outside my dorm window. On countless Sunday
mornings, I have watched many Danville residents and friends walk into the doors of the Danville
Presbyterian Church every Sunday and figured it would be interesting to observe a church that is
literally in my backyard. Along with this, I also wanted to visit a Presbyterian church since this is
what Centre College was founded in. Whenever I walk or drive by the church, I am in amaze of the
beauty of this church. Grounded in lots of history, this church was ... Show more content on
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Christian's constantly struggle with being masters of their own destinies when they should be
trusting God's plan for them. Our temptations are driven by our own limitations and insecurities.
God knows what these are and will not test more than you can handle. The Pastor ended the sermon
by reminding the congregation that each individual is capable of the things they are given and that
the rest must be let go and turned over to God. I can't help but notice the highly ambiguous language
that has been used throughout the entire sermon. It is evident that everyone at some point will face
temptations but these temptations were never fully defined. I believe this was done purposefully so
everyone in the congregation could relate to the message since everyone faces different difficulties
in life. Overall, I thought the message of the sermon was a reminder to Christians that they, unlike
God, are not perfect and therefor need God in their life. The temptations a person is test with is a
reminder of their limitations and that they need God to overcome the situation they are facing. This
reminds me of our class discussions that God is all–mighty and that humans are sinful and need God
to forgive their sin. It reaffirms that humans are lesser than God and him to be a driving factor in
their lives. For the most part, I found my experience at Danville Presbyterian to be very similar to
the experiences I had in the Methodist church I grew up in. The idea that God
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Ethnographic Analysis Of Discipleship Plan
Introduction Discerning the mission of God, for a congregation in a particular community, is one of
the most important tasks of the church. Through discernment a congregation can come to understand
how God is calling them to faithfully participate in the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God in a
particular place and around the world. The following is a comprehensive study of Lansing
Woodview Church of the Nazarene including a detailed ethnography, a sermon series, discipleship
plan and a short–term mission project to shape the congregation to the end of discerning where God
is calling the congregation to faithfully participate in the mission of God.
Ethnography
The first section of this study is an ethnographic study of the congregation at Lansing ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The congregation of Lansing Woodview is located on the edge of Lansing, Michigan just inside
DeWitt Township. The church building is located next to a large park and down the road from two
large trailer parks. There are several single–family homes around the church, but it's located
somewhat in a less dense area between Lansing and DeWitt. The members of the congregation come
from around the greater Lansing area and work throughout the city of Lansing. In the larger
community around the church there are a number of student housing developments on the outskirts
of East Lansing, Michigan home of Michigan State University. There are a number of small
businesses, restaurants, and shopping
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Hillcrest Baptist Church Case Study
STATE OF THE CHURCH
Hillcrest Baptist Church began in 1954 as a mission church, seeking to target families with children
on the east side of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Since inception, the church has worked with under ten
senior pastors. Pastoral longevity is a rarity in the prominent churches of the region. The newest lead
pastor has a tenure of eighteen months, following tenures of twenty and eighteen years respectively.
However, Hillcrest exists in a unique and blessed group of churches in Western Kentucky. Nine
years ago, an administrative pastor position began with the purpose of aiding the senior pastor,
relieving him of certain duties and expanding effectiveness. Additionally, a discipleship pastor
joined the team within the last nine months. Other part–time and temporary hires helped facilitate
the growth. In the last eleven years, the church has doubled in Sunday Bible study, erected a new
worship center, hired two full–time ministerial staff, paid off the building debt, and is poised to
break ground on facility expansion with a significant percentage of funds in the bank.
The growth of the church is consistent with the original impetus for the church plant. God continues
to pour His blessing through a vibrant ministry to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There will be gaps between expectation and reality that necessitates a commitment to the vision. If
God is the author of the vision for Hillcrest, it will be large and somewhat intimidating apart from
His intervention and power. The new vision for Hillcrest's future will contain a thread of the vision
that precluded her existence in 1954. Each member of the body, whether old or young, will invest in
the fresh articulation of direction. Due to the size of the vision, the transformation must involve
delegation of responsibilities and authority to move
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Sin Of Achan Essay
"The sin of today's worshipping church is burning incense and genuflecting to it's own preferences,
nostalgic interests, and religious conditioning to the detriment of the broad–based mission and unity
of the Body of Christ in the world." – Paul E Wells The OEC had committed the sin of Achan
(Joshua 7), an Israelite of the clan of Zerah who had participated in the assault on Jericho. After the
battle, the Lord instructed Joshua to burn everything in the city that belonged to the people of
Jericho except for the silver and gold. Joshua then brought these things to the House of the Lord.
Joshua, obeyed God in imposing a herem on Jericho, which Achan subsequently violated. He stole a
beautiful garment and hid gold and silver under his personal tent. After discovering Achan's
thievery, Joshua brought the matter before the twelve tribes of Israel. God declared (7:12) that Israel
could not move forward, or have the Lord's help, until Israel judged Achan for his grievous sin.
Achan eventually confessed; but it was too late. His selfishness and covetousness had already
weakened Israel. Thirty–six men had died in the Israeli military defeat at the hands of Ali. Having
been found guilty by a tribunal for hoarding and burying "a piece of Jericho" under his own tent and
for stealing something that rightly belonged to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When priests fail to protect the worship space, small factions begin worshipping God according to
their personal preferences, faulty religious conditioning, nostalgic interests, and temporal
attachments. Congregations claim the Praxis of worship for personal pleasure, although the worship
space rightly belongs to all the baptized. In allowing this, priest passively genuflected to the
congregational sensitivity and not to the to true Tradition of the Greater Church as is rooted in
Scripture and handed down by the apostles and
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The Kentwood Christian Church : Evaluation Of Church...
Church Evaluation Paper I chose to evaluate my home church's missions program for this paper. A
big part of this decision was curiosity; I had never in my five years at my home church heard
anything of a well–formed missions program, and upon receiving this assignment became very
intrigued. I interviewed a good friend of mine, who is also an elder at Kentwood Christian Church,
by the name of Mike Boumis. As it turns out, my church does have a missions program, and a well–
formed one at that. The backbone of the missions program is a committee made up of two elders and
three members of the congregation. The main job of the missions committee is to keep in good
contact with the missionaries, not only receiving reports, financial needs, and ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition, some KCC partners to a certain extent with a larger local organization that has a similar
goal. Finally, KCC holds what they call "love offerings" from time to time. These are presented as
separate from the general offering during Sunday morning service when the church leadership feels
called to give to a certain person or cause that has been brought to immediate attention. The
missions budget which supports the ministries first listed comes as a percentage of the annual yearly
offering. This year it was 7.5% of last year's offering. The hope is to soon raise the missions budget
to 10% of the yearly offering; however, it is a work in progress. The missions program has not been
stagnant at KCC over the past few years. Here a look at some of the progression in the program, as
well as some anticipated change. KCC used to have a Sunday each year where their missionaries
and organizations would come set up booths in the fellowship area to raise awareness and educate
the congregation. This hasn't happened for a couple of years. Also, the mission giving used to come
from a separate offering each Sunday morning, whereas it is now taken as a percentage from the
yearly offering. Just recently a formal application was developed for those missionaries and
organizations to fill out first, before meeting with the missions committee. Also, KCC just began
hosting a body of Nepalese believers in the student ministries
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
Developing A Strategic Plan For Increasing Evangelism And...
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR INCREASING EVANGELISM AND MISSION
INVOLVEMENT AT NEW BIRTH CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE IN SHERMAN, TEXAS
The Great Commission has been left to the Body of Christ by Jesus Christ. The instructions have
been given in Matt 28:19–20. The heart of this mandate is to make disciples of all nations. There are
many congregations but one church. Christ is the head of the body, the church (Col 1:18). The
churches and their congregations must share the gospel by way of evangelism. We must be obedient
so that Christ receives the glory and his Kingdom is advanced by making disciples of all nations.
New Birth Cathedral of Praise is part of his plan; however, the reality is that the church is not
fulfilling the commission to the degree that they ought or could in the power of the Holy Spirit. .
Context
This ministry project is designed to develop a strategic plan for increasing evangelism and mission
involvement among the members of New Birth Cathedral of Praise . My observation as an active
member of New Birth is that it has the right environment to make disciples. The church is
welcoming, loving and genuinely caring for one another. The word of God is preached with power,
conviction and clear application. The environment is welcoming for the lost person or the new
believer.
However, the congregation of 50 people thinks that the primary responsibility for evangelism rests
upon the pastor alone.. The current practice demonstrates this belief as only the
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

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New Realities And Needs Of The Denomination Develop A...

  • 1. New Realities And Needs Of The Denomination Develop A... On behalf of the, 2010 Call to Action Steering Committee of The United Methodist Church, the following UMC Vitality Indexes are provided to the denomination research on the characteristics and common practices of highly–vital congregations within the Church. The following models utilize the Annual Local Church Reports to model churches progress or change over time. We believe that the use of metrics and the creation of a Vitality Index is an important step forward in helping the denomination develop a shared understanding of vitality. Although this index is a useful step forward in the process of transforming United Methodism, it is an iterative step. It should be examined, considered, and scrutinized by the wider connection it is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Executive Summary: This report puts together a workbook with each version and summary comparison for the August 28th meeting or work with Bishop Schol and others before the meeting. This comparison should be viewed as a first draft and for comparison and review only. As we continue to update the index we strive for new concepts and to make it easier. Thus, we research, reflect, refine, and redefine. As we move through these steps we wish for input and guidance from all. Two models were proposed. First, the original 2010 model which has been continually edited, henceforth referred to as TowersWatson, breaks the vital measures into standardized quartiles. Due to the complexity of this model, an additional model was created. Bishop Schol's model, now referred to as Schol, simplifies the index into basic calculations. More details about these models will be explained and analyzed below. A comparison between the two models showcases the stark variation between high vitality. Within the Schol model over twenty thousand churches are considered highly vital; however, in the TowerWatson model less than nine thousand churches are considered highly vital. Moreover, there are variations among growth and expense factors. Schol model considers medium–sized churches vital, while larger churches are typically medium vital. Conversely, TowerWatson model's missional and financial variables increase from best to worse relative to the vitality scale. For ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 2.
  • 3. God's Mission Of The World God 's mission in the world. For me as a pastor, I enter into this mission field through the local church, but not exclusively based in the local church, but constantly reaching out to near and distant neighbors. This definition is a simple introduction to the concept of "missio Dei" which is basically saying that the work or mission of the church is a part of the work of God in the world, rather than something with an independent disposition. The overwhelming motive for mission is the compassion and love of God for his creation and the telos of mission is the Kingdom, the reign of God over his people. As missional leader, my task is to help my congregation, synod, and church wide to understand the need for adaptive leadership if we are to be vital and thriving hubs for missional outreach in the world. Additionally, I must motivate parishioners and lay leaders to be agents of change; not to be agents of status quo. Additionally, my goal allow the Spirit to transform my congregations from an inward focus of maintenance to an outward focus of mission and to invite my congregation to be agents of adaptive leadership and transformation beyond their comfort zones of homogeneity in their current community context. In other words, my assignment is to help my congregation to understand that the task of the church is to be the church. I must show them the importance of evangelism and outreach, but our doing is important must be married with our being the church. I must help my ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 4.
  • 5. The Azusa Street Revival By William J. Seymour "What if Fire at Azusa never happened" Nupur James HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II: THE REFORMATION AND MODERN CHURCH HIST 0562 INSTRUCTOR: REV. DR. RON KYDD 13th April 2015 Mail Box # 344 The Azusa Street Revival was a historical Pentecostal revival meeting that occurred in Los Angeles, California and is the beginning of the Pentecostal movement. It was run by William J. Seymour, an African American minister. It started with a meeting on April 9, 1906, and proceeded until about 1915. The revival was portrayed by euphoric spiritual encounters joined by miracles, speaking in tongues, inter–racial socialising during worship services. The members were criticized by media and theologians for their behaviour as it was considered as outrageous and unorthodox, particularly at the time. Today, the restoration is considered by historians to be the essential push for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century. This paper will aim to analyze how history may have unfolded if it had not happened, it will be examining the event and setting it in context that how it has impacted the history of Christianity for the reformation and modern Church. It will analyze how this event impacted the historic Pentecostal movement. Being born and bought up in Christian Orthodox Church, for a long time I could not understand the real meaning of Pentecostalism, but things changed dramatically in my life, and so did my theology about Church. Throughout the year I have learnt a ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 6.
  • 7. Religious Religion Essay This past United States presidential election caught religious leaders by surprise. For the first time the number of non–religious voters outnumbered any single religious bloc of voters in a national election. This is the latest in a string of sobering reminders churches face a challenging new era in America. The number of Americans identifying themselves as having no particular religious faith (nones) has accelerated the past decade. The Pew Research Center reported one–fifth of registered voters in America were "nones." There were more "nones" registered than protestant Christians. There were more "nones" than Roman Catholics. How the Church in America got Blindsided Like so many other parish pastors, I worked with elders to discern ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Most were laser focused on their own members and their own brand of ministry. Others were engrossed with the seeker–sensitive movement, which was marketing by Christians for Christians. "Nones" were not seekers. Where Conservative Churches in America Stand Now Membership in North American churches is being whittled down to the most committed members. These members are faithful to a denomination or congregation or pastor. Outside of the largest "box store" churches, I think congregational members are more unified in beliefs and values than they were a quarter century ago. Opposition and disrespect from society is forging tighter bonds among members of Confessional, Evangelical or Fundamentalist churches. The is also causing church members to increasingly distrustof outsiders. It seems like churches are almost subconsciously erecting new barriers to new people in order to protect themselves. Installing invisible security systems to protect our churches has the unintended consequence of making participation in God's mission more difficult. God's mission is about God sending and gathering. As the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends us (John 20:21). Church leaders are hesitant to send their members into the teeth of persecution. Members are not enthused about inviting their neighbor to church when their congregation is suspicious of new people. The Remnant of Americans ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 8.
  • 9. F-1.0201 Usa Analysis ) F–1.0201 presents the authority of Christ in PC(USA). "God has put all things under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and has made Christ Head of the Church, which is his body. The Church's life and mission are a joyful participation in Christ's ongoing life and work" (F–1.0201). Furthermore, "Christ gives to the Church its faith and life, its unity and mission, its order and discipline" (F– 1.0203). Therefore, church should be guidance by the Word and the Holy Spirit. Since God is the only one who has the authority of the church, constitution in PC(USA) does not "wish to see any religious constitution aided by the civil power" because of "protection, security, equality and common to all others" (F–3.0101–b). PC(USA) is only governed with justice ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Elders have responsibilities to "guide and govern the life of the congregation for the up building of the whole church" (G–1.0103). Elder is not the lordship position in church. Elders have responsibility to commend the joy and justice of gospel to all people by seeking "for a quality of life and relationship" (G–2.0504). Furthermore, elders should "[exercise] pastoral care, devoting special attention to the poor, the sick, the troubled, and the dying" (G–2.0504). These roles for elders are important to achieve the Church ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 10.
  • 11. Missional Religion Introduction I have analyzed four churches and interviewed four leaders/pastors, each belonging to their specific church. From my interviews and church analysis, I have concluded that each church has a slightly different view of what it means to be a missional church, and I have identified two areas that all four churches should focus on. For each church, I will use my interview notes and gathered information to analyze what each church believes to be a missional church, and the steps they are taking to become more missional. I will base my analysis off of Scripture, class–assigned readings, scholarly sources, and personal insights. For this paper, I am using the definition for a missional church found within Craig Van Gelder's book, The Ministry of the Missional Church: A Community Led by the Spirit. Gelder defines a missional church as "a community created by the Spirit and that it has a unique nature, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Andrews Anglican Church Youth Director, Darryl Fitzwater, describes St. Andrews Anglican Church as a spirited, Evangelical church of about 180 people. The church's focus is on preaching the gospel, as past leaders have ill–treated the congregation with weak theological teaching. The church has refocused on remaining faithful to Scripture and the early–history of the church. According to Darryl Fitzwater, a missional church is one that "mobilizes each believer into their specific calling, gifts, and passions." Darryl Fitzwater believes that St. Andrews tries to be a missional church, but is not quite there. The church is often hampered by the centralized hierarchy of the church. Because many tasks are only able to be handled by specific individuals, many individuals are not able to be placed into ministries and roles that would mobilize their gifts and callings. Fitzwater believes that this aspect of Anglicanism has held the church back from being a more Spirit–led church. To many hands are tied because of extreme adherence to ancient church ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 12.
  • 13. Congregation Analysis Paper In the small congregation I attend, which consists of sixty mostly older faithful believers, the Book of Common Prayers is their Bible. The congregation uses the Book of Common Prayer or the bulletin in church. There seem to be no question on which Rite is used. The Prayer Book class was offered to them as a group, no one step forth. I have never seen anyone from All Saints congregation holding or having a Bible with them. Reverend Janis has tried to get some of the congregation to take classes through the Stevenson School for Ministry. The congregation follows traditional old ways and they do not like change. Four Episcopalians have left our small congregation and moved to other churches, due to the change in the policy of the Episcopal Church ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... They seem to be focus on their own church and not the whole Episcopal Church. Many in the congregation believe that new members should be confirmed and be baptized in their home church and not in the other local Episcopal Churches in the Northern Tier. (Congregation belief, when a person joins a church or comes to be baptized, it is an individual response to the gospel and their new home church). Last year we had two new members join All Saints and were confirmed over at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. The Bishop has a Diocesan Schedule, time when she visits each of the Northern Tier Churches. All Saints bishop visitation is this year 2017. There were only four All Saints members which showed up for the confirmation. One significant problem in this small church is their feeling of isolation from the "institutional church," Episcopal Diocese. The congregation often considers themselves as the church, as a family of local Christians. The Church congregation lives mostly in the past and clings to the historical Church as their Church. The congregation has old embedded ways of thinking and old ways of the heart. I have commented at the vestry meetings on the parish lack and loss of fellowship in the last few years. No more coffee hour, no fellowship meals, and lack of Church mission. Their response is lack of volunteer and lack of funds and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 14.
  • 15. The Church And The Community The Church and The Community The mission of the church, to share the message of Jesus Christ with the world, has not changed, however, culture is constantly changing forcing the church to adapt its approach to fulfill its mission. There is no specific way to reach a culture with message, as long as the message is Christ. The church and its leaders face many challenges contextualizing the message within their specific community they aim to reach. Each community provides challenges and opportunities the church and its leaders must navigate. Church Ministry and Community Relevance "This Three–One God has come into the world in grace and love, has been sent to us and dwells among us, is and speaks the word of grace to the world, and sends us with a similar word. Just as there is no separation between God 's being and acting so there can be no separation between the being and acting of those joined to Christ or between our work of prayer for the world and our work of mercy in the world (Anderson, 2014 page 21)." The church is to show Christ to the world through grace and mercy. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount calls his followers to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Following Jesus cannot be fulfilled unless it incorporates engaging the world that reveals Jesus. Culture is transformed one life at a time. For the church to transform culture or community through Christ, the church must understand were the community is, to best formulate its approach for change ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 16.
  • 17. The Incarnation Of The Triune God At the core of our faith is the living Christ, the incarnation of the triune God. During his time among us Christ brought us a new covenant based in grace and salvation through alone, setting up the beginning of theological tradition that would become the Christian. After his death and resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven leaving the immediate task of continuing his mission to us. How we carry the mission of Christ out today is known as our theological task or the process by which we are "drawn into a deeper relationship with 'faith's pioneer and perfecter.'" This is no simple task and so as United Methodists we turn to Wesley for guidance. "Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... It is the collective knowledge of generations of Christians faithfully seeking through the Holy Spirit to participate in the transformational work of God. Tradition can include a variety of source including non–scriptural reading from pastors and theologians, interpretations of scripture, and the practice of the people of faith who have gone before and engaged in this same theological task. This is not to say that tradition cannot be wrong or never changed but that we can ask why things have been done in a certain way. We say that tradition illumines Christ because it shines a light through scripture by the understandings of the past that we continue to carry with us now. Experience, the next lens, alone could never be enough to discern the will of God; however as we live our lives and live out our faith in the new life in Christ, God is revealed to us. Each us will experiences God and the world in a different and unique way. This also extends into the communities of faith because it not just the personal but also the communal experience that we remember as well as the Spirit works in and through each of us and each community of faith. Experience is then what breathes life in into scripture and tradition. Reason can be thought of as less of a source and more of a tool through which we bring together our understanding scripture, tradition, and experience using it to confirm our understanding of God and our theological task. In using reason, "we seek nothing ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 18.
  • 19. The Attractional Model In The Marine Corps In the Marine Corps, accomplishing the mission is the number one priority. "The mission of the Marine Corps rifle squad is to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat." In comparison, the mission of the church is to locate the enemy (devil) and destroy him at all cost. The mission of the church, whether missional or attractional, should be to win the lost to Jesus Christ. Subsequently, the church has a mission which is to go into all the nations making disciples, baptizing them, and to teach them to observe the ways of Christ as noted in Matthew 28:19–20. When looking at the differences between the missional model and the attractional model is the missional goes out to win the lost, and the attractional seeks to bring the lost in not focusing the cultural boundaries. Stetzer and Hirsch state, "Missional represents a significant shift in the way we understand the church. As the people of a missionary God, we are entrusted to participate in the world the same way He does–by committing to be His ambassadors." In retrospect, Hirsch cites that, "The attractional model, which has dominated the church in the West, seeks to reach out to the culture and draw people into the church–what I call outreach and in–grab. But this model only works where no significant cultural shift is required when moving from outside to inside the church." Both have their uniqueness, however, they are designed to seek and make disciples. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Often, pastors think within the four walls of the church, and rightfully so, when they look at their ministry. However, getting involved in community events, i.e., city commission meetings, business leaders, local stores, and business, etc., are important to change the culture around the church. Trull and Carter ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 20.
  • 21. Compassion Ministry Research Paper There are challenges in implementing the compassion ministry in the local church. Most of the members of the congregation are middle class. Often "the church has pursued wealth, success, status and influence." The church does not see the need of the poor. It is, as Archbishop Mtetemala says, "we challenged them to start a day feeding Centre for street children. They did not understand why as a church they had to be involved in this community work." The members need to in the context of those in poverty. "Contextualization is not just knowledge of the other context, but being willing to identify yourself with the context and become vulnerable." The church should encourage the members to "go to the poor if we want to meet them." We ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... A proper theological education to help the congregation to understand the poor and the poverty based on the Old Testament, the Gospel, the New Testament and in the church history will be needed. Theology needs to be systematic and relevant in each of the context the church is in. We have to impart the congregation the message that "to hold the poor central in our mission we need to have God's heart. We must be motivated by him to render service to the poor. God himself must move our hearts (see Jas. 5:11; Lk. 6:36)." Partnership with other churches and local communities is important but it is also very challenging. Different parties may employ different lenses when carrying out the compassion work. Chester says that "the church can best address poverty by working with the poor and other stakeholders like civil society, government and the private sector with mutual respect and a recognition of the distinctive role of each partner." It is a journey that the church needs to walk with the community to transform it. The church also needs to develop the compassion "serving holistically in their ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 22.
  • 23. Importance Of Prayer Walking In Trinity Lutheran Church We were gathering in a church parking lot on a Saturday morning for a prayer walk. A man I had just met peered through steam rising from a styrofoam cup and asked: "So we're going to mill around the neighborhood muttering to ourselves?" "Yes," I replied with a nod. "Yes, we are." He smiled, shook his head side–to–side, and said, "OK." This kind of questioning observation serves as a healthy reminder to congregational leaders. It is important to explain why the church is prayer walking. Here are the four most common motivations for churches: "As you are going, make disciples of all people groups..." (Matthew 28:19 my translation) Bethany Lutheran Church in suburban Cincinnati is holding a prayer walk this Saturday. There is a fair amount of turnover among the residents living ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... For some members, praying aloud was a challenge. Others were stretched by talking about their faith or church with strangers. Prayer walking created such opportunities. "(Jesus)...sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go." (Luke 10:1 NIV) Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore, OH has a prayer walk scheduled later this month in Elmore. While the prayer walk will certainly benefit the neighborhood, the ultimate purpose is not blessing the community or congregation. The prayer walk is training members to prayer walk in another community. Trinity – Elmore is the nearest Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod congregation to the city of Sandusky, OH. Trinity received an inquiry to consider helping start a new congregation in Sandusky. The future prayer walks in Sandusky are motivated by the desire to discern whether God is opening a door for mission work. What are additional motivations for prayer walks? Leave your thoughts in social media or shoot me an email. If you have any questions about prayer walking, post or send them as
  • 24. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 25.
  • 26. Victory Baptist Case Study INTRODUCTION "On this rock I will build My Church." This is the timeless promise Jesus gave as he spoke to Peter in Matthew 16:18. Over the ages this bell of truth has rung resoundingly throughout church history, as the church has experienced periods of growth and decline. It provides assurance for churches as a whole. The Church must remember that Christ is it's head and that only by his power will a congregation experience revival and revitalization. Today there are many congregations that are experiencing decline. This decline is evident across all denominations. This should come as no surprise, because all organizations, both secular and spiritual, experience periods of growth, stagnation, and decline. It is possible to bypass this cyclical ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... A new elementary and middle school opened up not too far form where the group had been meeting. The moved the meeting place to the middle school. Fred and the congregation invested in chairs, tables, a sound system, and even a pulpit. They began meeting for Sunday school followed by corporate worship. All the while experiencing growth as locals began to hear word of the work God was doing though Victory Baptist Church and Fred Dyess. It was not long before Fred decided that the church needed a building. Fred casted a vision to his church, which called for land and a building. The church did not have any financial resources, but this did not dissuade Fred. He believed that God had given him this vision and that He would provide. Two years later the church acquired fourteen acres of land. Amazingly they paid the land off in two years, three years earlier than agreed too. They broke ground and laid the foundation in October. This was a strategic decision to allow the foundation to set as winter rains came in. On January second the following year, they began constructing the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 27.
  • 28. Brethren Essay Brethren Brethren a German Baptist religious group. They were popularly known as Dunkards, Dunkers, or Tunkers, from the German for "to dip", referring to their method of baptizing. The Brethren evolved from the Pietist movement in Germany. Alexander Mack, a miller who had been influenced by both Pietism and Anabaptism, organized the first congregation in the town of Schwarzenau, Germany in 1708. Though the early Brethren shared many beliefs with other Protestants, issuers which separated them from the state churches included discipleship and obedience, reinstitution of the New Testament church, church discipline, biblicism, and nonresistance. They also shared their faith enthusiastically with others, sending evangelists to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The largest branch after the schism was the German Baptist Brethren, who changed their name to the Church of the Brethren in 1908. From the Church of Brethren there have been separations into the Seventh–day Baptists, German Baptists, Church of God, Old German Baptist Brethren, and the Brethren Church. The local churches are united by an annual conference that elects a general board to supervise the national church program. During the 20th century the focus areas of Church of the Brethren have included educating its young people by developing Sunday schools, camping and youth programs; strengthening its emphasis on service, foreign and home missions, and peacemaking; increasing its ecumenical involvement; and developing a new denominational structure. Today the Church of the Brethren maintains the basic beliefs of the first Brethren and seeks to find new ways to continue the work of Jesus in the world. While the Church of the Brethren started in Germany, it has no congregations in Europe today. Instead, the denomination's congregations stretch from coast to coast across North America, with especially strong concentrations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana. In all, more than 1,000 churches can be found in 38 states and Puerto Rico. There are also nearly 20 international churches in the Dominican Republic, and a large sister denomination in Nigeria. There are four key locations in the denomination. One ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 29.
  • 30. The First Half Of Discovering Missions The first half of Discovering Missions written by Culbertson and Gailey introduce the countless aspects of missions and related terminology in reference to missions. Throughout the book, the focus is then directed to the important factors that play a part in missions. Chapters eight through fourteen covers the importance of intercultural communication, volunteerism in mission, development of missionaries, the contrasting philosophies and strategies of mission, the new contexts from missions, the importance of mobilizing the local church and the changes affecting mission today. From this reading, I have learned the important factors that have an effect on missions and various ways in which they effect missions. Intercultural communication is a form of communication that aims to share information across different cultures and social groups. A form of communication is language. It is often viewed as an important factor in relation to the cultural perspective. The cultural perspective refers to the way that individuals are shaped by their environments as well as social and cultural factors. It affects how people relate to one another and their ability to communicate. Language is essential in the study and practice of global mission. It is of great importance in the study and practice of global mission that we are able to communicate effectively through having the knowledge of various languages. Being able to effectively communicate enables us to reach those who we are ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 31.
  • 32. Western Theological Seminary Western Theological Seminary A Congregation Care Analysis: Describing We chose to do our Congregation Care Analysis on Western Theological Seminary. The work being doing with and for the students at Western Theological Seminary can be further explained through this institution's stated "Identity Statement," "Mission Statement," and "Vision Statement" that can be found on the institution's website. MISSION: The purpose of Western Theological Seminary is to prepare Christians called by God to lead the church in mission. IDENTITY: Western Theological Seminary is an evangelical and ecumenical community of faith and learning in the Reformed tradition that serves the church of Jesus Christ. In covenant with the Reformed Church in America, Western ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Each track offers various classes which include diverse course and work loads. There is one or two specific tracks which have been framed out by the faculty to aid in the ease of completion for these degree programs, but it is rare that any student follows those tracks exactly as they have been planned. Many of the students at Western Theological Seminary are considered second career students meaning that they are adult learners who found themselves working in the secular world and were called to study and transition their career into one of ministry and leadership. This lends us to recognize on top of the pressures of maintaining the blanket expectations that the faculty have for all students is also mingled with the responsibilities that come from having families, including children. In addition to school and home life responsibilities, some of the various roles the students in our interview group hold at Western are, Chapel Host, Lab Leader and Research Assistant. Western's Masters of Divinity program, full–time, is a three year program. When approaching the program as part–time, the expectation is that students will complete the expectations for graduation within five years of matriculation. Our interview group consisted of students who ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 33.
  • 34. Peter Steinke's Four Core Issues In Counseling The purpose of this essay is for this Author to analyze when to withdraw and understand along with diagnosing an exercise that will support God's activity in individual lives and the church. With this said, the Author will examine and analyze the system, to include: 1) Congregation Core issue; 2) Goals and applicable actions; 3) Characteristic of a Virus; 4) Signs of Congregational Virus; 5) Present and Past congregational viruses; 6) Congregation response to viruses; 7) Viruses and the Health of the Congregation; 8) Congregation rigid or not and those involved; 9) Congregation need to learn; and 10) Why need to learn and Learning does for life and mission. Background This author feels that the complete absence of conflict may indicate ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Here, the congregation response to the virus is that it is not life–giving, in that, it takes away from the spiritual growth and maturity of the congregation. Indeed, the response to the virus pandemic within the Church is that the Congregation willing leave and resign their membership. In saying this, the viruses and the health of the Congregation was able to put faces on the viral disease sources readily identified as the Pastor, Deacon and Board members and trickled down to the Subsystems spreading the disease of spiritual death that includes: 1) anxiety; 2) murmuring, 3) lust, 4) voraciousness, 6) self–indulgence, 7) indolence, 8) madness, 9 resentments and 10) ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 35.
  • 36. Ethical Leadership I believe that as a part of the role and authority as an ethical leader in the community of faith, a pastor is called to be a guide, namely to provide information on current ethical issues of note in society, offer her view of how the gospel's teaching and model of Christ intersect with these issues, and advocate that time and safe space be created in the congregation to discuss and debate these issues. I believe that the role of the pastor as an ethical leader in the community of faith is to emphasize to the congregation that we have collective responsibility to address the structural sin and brokenness of the world and bring healing. Moreover, the pastor must underscore that God enters into solidarity with a broken humanity through love, and we are called to do the same. Thus, as a community of faith, we must take accountability for finding ways to ensure the full dignity, flourishing, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This sometimes entails preaching a "hard word" and exploring how our Christian faith and understanding of the gospel intersects with commitments to human rights, economic justice, issues of war and violence, and other difficult topics. It is important in a faith community to recognize that even the earliest Christians did not shy away from difficult topics, nor did they agree on all issues, and as a result argued, debated, and negotiated in community. As an ethical leader in the community of faith, I believe that my role is to help develop ethical frameworks and guide conversations about the congregation's ethical stances. By grappling in community with its normative ethical position on issues, the congregation may transform its sense of what is good, fair, and right, and possibly introduce new avenues of thinking and action that could not otherwise be ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 37.
  • 38. North Cleveland Worship Analysis In order to evaluate the worship at North Cleveland Church of God, there must first be a working definition of worship. For many in the church world today, music and worship have become synonymous. However, limiting worship to music is a very dangerous thing. Jerald Daffe (D.Min.), professor at Lee University, defines worship as, "our response to God declaring His worth as He has revealed Himself to us." According to this definition, worship is not something that can be put into a box; moreover, worship is an overflow of the heart, and that overflow is a response that will be unique to every individual. So if worship in its true essence is really more of a personal language through which an individual can express his or her thanks and adoration to the creator God, then the most meaningful way to evaluate the worship at North Cleveland Church of God would be to analyze the actions of the leaders and the environment that is created to lead people into that special moment. To begin, the most understood form of worship at North Cleveland would be the music during the Sunday morning service. Corporate worship through song is highly valued at North Cleveland. There is a heavy emphasis on tradition and the power of worship. Looking around the sanctuary, I noted that worship seemed less optional. The congregation seemed to understand ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This reflects God's heart for benevolence. Benevolence at North Cleveland, economically speaking, is the highest valued form of worship. More money goes to benevolence than any other area. While you would not see this from the budget outline, most benevolence giving is done outside of the congregation as whole's knowledge. When someone comes to the church with a need. The church addresses the need immediately and privately. North Cleveland sees benevolences as a form of worship where they can reflect the compassionate heart of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 39.
  • 40. Sisters Of The Precious Blood Research Paper Sisters of the Precious Blood was founded by Maria Anna Brunner, from Switzerland, a widow with six children. After a an eye opening religious experience in Rome, Mother Brunner gathered around several women who had the same desires as her, which were to minister to the poor and adore the Eucharist. Following her death, the women left behind were able to grow and sustain the order into what it has become today. Sisters of the Precious Blood are an active order who strive to serve God by serving others. In 1844 when three sisters first came to the United States, they found a home in Peru, Ohio, by the invitation of Bishop John Baptist Purcell. Within the next few years, they became a part of ten foundations in Western Ohio as well as Jay County, Indiana. In 1957, some sisters landed in Chile, establishing the congregation's Chilean Vicariate. The sisters have manage to minister all across the states, from California to Michigan. Despite their popularity in the United States, Sisters of the Precious Blood travel and do missions all around the world, helping those in need of God's love. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Their mission is to bring healing and reconciliation to those around the world who have lost touch with God. They started off by instituting schools and orphanages for children, specifically for, but not limited to, German immigrants. As they grew in size, the order expanded their ministries to care for the sick and elderly, domestic work, as well as ministry to Native Americans. In addition to starting schools, many members of this order also provide housing for students attending University. Although they are focused on education, many sisters of this order also focus on ecology and preserving God's land. Many also serve in countries such as Guatemala and Chile, who lack some of the necessities of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 41.
  • 42. Kingdom Politics Review Essay Jessa Doom Kingdom Politics Review Norris and Speers' journey sent them out around the US in search for five different churches that undoubtedly worship differently but at the same time follow the universal Christian belief of the one true God. The goal of their expedition was to set out to explore the amount of politics that are found in many congregations. Out of these five distinguished churches, Norris and Speers' focused on analyzing the congregation's worship tactics, along with their leaders and mission of the church. The five congregations examined first began with the Saddleback church located in Orange County, California. This Evangelical conservative mega–church was home to Rick Warren and his model of political engagement being ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... "A kingdom is a human political reality", which is both earthly and physical. (pg 176) People see it as a negative impersonal political institution but rather it should positively flipped into community based. This includes individuals under one common influence. The power that kingdom has over politics transformed the power God has on earth through the churches until the day when He finally makes all things new (Rev 21:5). Together, the term kingdom politics is metaphor to what we should be basing our lives onto, the kingdom above under the political allegiance of God. As Christians, we must build this kingdom before God within the community of those living for the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 43.
  • 44. Techniques Used For Classify The Models Of Church Planting Techniques used to categorize the models of church planting Things that lay influence on various models used in planting of churches include: one is denominational ecclesiology, two is if a mission agency or church is carrying out the actual planting, three is the planting body ethos, four is the spiritual and theological planting body outlook, five being the direct correlation of factors to the context which includes a community/area sociological understanding of where the church is to be planted and six is the planting team size. The terminology employed in describing the different planting models are divergent and a lot of terms are gotten from the obstetrics or horticulture world, but others are derived from the military, nautical and astronomical worlds (Murray, Laying Foundations, 260). Christine groups planting models in terms of the body performing the sponsoring say the agency, church or any other body (Robinson and Christine, Planting tomorrow's Churches Today, 126). Murray defines four historical church planting categories: one is the replacement planting where it is conducted in places where the church is being closed, two is the pioneer planting which is done in places where there are no Christian witnesses, three is the saturation planting that mainly concerns with ensuring that each group of people that is identifiable has unlimited church access which has relevance on a contextual basis, and the fourth and last one is the sectarian planting that ensures an ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 45.
  • 46. Attractional Model Research Paper The difference between missional model of ministry and attractional model is one serves as a commission to go (mission) and the other serve as a commission to convince (attract), following God's instruction on places and timing for His people. Moses is an example of a person being sent in Old Testament following the commands of God, (Exodus 3: 1–22, NASB). The disciples were sent out in the New Testament on a mission of God, (Lk. 14:23, NASB). Both illustrations identifies a mission and purpose in the act of obedience to God. Therefore, pastors should live out their calling in the community as a light of God's word. Reason being, Jesus spoke the same proclamation to the disciples on The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:14, NASB). Furthermore, pastors are to be example in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Every culture is corrupted by sin. At the same time, the gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful: Societies can be transformed." As a result, the missional model can be suitable to the congregation, if it is learned and the congregation teaches the importance or significance of the missional model. Likewise, attractional model is fitting as well, depending upon the hunger and thirst a person may have about the truth of God demonstrated in others. In fact, a personal observation prefers both models to be the best, because both models can make an impact in the lives of the community. By the same token, both models will do well for the congregation, because it is the exaltation of Jesus Christ and God's love for the world that make a difference in reaching God's people. Trull and Carter, "One fact remains: the church is in the world and the world is also in the church. A community, therefore, can be for a minister both a threat and an opportunity." In other word, programmatic should not overpower systematic, nevertheless a little of both can be of use to help minister to the congregation and the congregation to the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 47.
  • 48. Gary United Methodist Church Case Study Gary United Methodist Church is a small congregation of less than fifty members with an average worship attendance of ten or less. The congregational leaders, known as the administrative council, are looking for ways to increase attendance, which has been dwindling over the last few decades, and find new ways to engage in mission work in their small northern Minnesota community of less than 3,000. A decrease in employment opportunities over the last thirty years and the shutdown of two major employers in the town have led to the mass exiting of families with children. The town has several properties that are either condemned or dilapidated. Recently their schools combined with a neighboring town to offset the lack of enrollment and suspend the closing of both sets of schools. To prevent the closing of their church, the administrative council over the years became creative. Originally, the congregation was part of the Presbyterian denomination. As the leaders of the denomination began discussions with the administrative council to close their church and consolidate to another local Presbyterian congregation, the council sought other denominational avenues to prevent ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The chapel contains a modest sanctuary, two small offices and a small social hall with a kitchen in the basement. The chapel is not handicap accessible as it has one small flight of stairs to enter into the church, another few steps going up to the sanctuary, one flight of stairs going down to the social hall, and no elevator. They have a very small parking area behind the church of less than ten spaces in addition to on–street parking. To remedy this need, the council has consulted with contractors to provide ideas for possible infrastructures to their chapel. However, their suggestions where either impossible to construct with the chapels current layout and small lot size or far too costly given their current finances and small tithing ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 49.
  • 50. David Wesley's Five Healthy Patterns The argument/thesis/main idea of the book David Wesley's main idea is a set of best practices, or what he terms "healthy patterns," in congregational mission partnerships. Wesley observes that in the emerging "third way" of missions that began at the end of the 20th century and is coming into its own in the early 21st century is focusing on congregational partnerships. As such, Wesley seeks to lay out "common patterns for healthy global partnerships observed in these congregational partnerships." Consequently, Wesley presents five healthy patterns around which common mission can flourish. An evaluation of the sources used for the study The primary source used for this study is based on Wesley's own observation and research of the partnership ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... A pattern of reciprocity is a partnership that includes mutually reinforcing activities that allow each partner to teach and learn from one another that avoids dependency and paternalism. Wesley interacts with the work of Philip Thomas and his typology of communication moving from one– direction relationships to transformative relationships. However, Wesley concludes with Yoshikawa's dialogical relationship model that describes a synthesis of the donor and recipient into something greater than the sum of its parts. This is the pinnacle of congregational partnerships where reciprocity becomes the very nature of the relationship and challenges the approaches traditionally taken by denominations and mission ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 51.
  • 52. New England Church Case Study Dear Elders of the Highland church of Christ, I hope you are all well and thriving continuously in the Lord. As you may know, my wife and I are planning to move to London, England this winter, Lord willing before the summer to work with the Stratford church of Christ. We are excited and are grateful for all the encouragement and prayers that have been lifted in His Name for this work and our success in fulfilling the Great Commission. We also thank God for the Highland congregation in your example of servitude and love for Christ and lost souls. The Stratford church of Christ was first founded in October 2002 after years of the East end of London being without a congregation. These passionate, faithful saints grew in number and today stand ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... We desire this so that we may together model ourselves after Jesus and His Kingdom. Secondly, we want to help grow and nurture Stratford to be an encouragement and blessing to not just congregations in London but also to congregations throughout England, the United Kingdom, and abroad. Thirdly, we plan to engage in the outreach of this populated and diverse section of London through one–on–one and group discussions and studies of Christ and His Word, developing a strong presence, relationship, and service in the community, and by showing the city of London the beacon of light the Stratford congregation is and can continue to be. The Stratford congregation is a congregation of passionate Christians who have a desire to fulfill the work of the kingdom, and they desire for us to labor with them in a full–time capacity. A work of this magnitude in a city ranked in the top 30 most populated cities in the World would require for someone to help them on a full–time basis. In order for my wife and I to move to London and begin this work full–time, we need to raise living expenses for this commitment of about $1800 US dollars per month. The Stratford congregation is going to be able to support us with £500 a week, which is roughly $633 USD. Their generous help will allow us to pay rent, utilities, and transportation. The eventual goal of the congregation financially is to be completely self supporting in the future. Until that time, we will need stateside help financially with living ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 54. Presbyterian Church in America About this Denomination: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was started in December 1973 and their origin can be traced to John Calvin. The theological distinction of PCA is conservative reformed and the ecclesiology is Presbyterian. "This church was first known as the National Presbyterian Church but changed its name in 1974 to Presbyterian Church in America." The PCA became a separate denomination from the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUSA) due to the "opposition of long–developing theological liberalism which denied the deity of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy and authority of Scripture." The Evangelical Synod and the Reformed Presbyterian Church joined the PCA in 1982. The belief system of the PCA is based on ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The vast amount of windows illuminated the inside of the sanctuary which is aligned with plenty of wooden pews for around 800 people. The art displayed is inside the stained glass windows/panels. One of the windows was inspired by Revelation 4:7. There is a rather large stage for live music and worship and a stunning wooden cross on display hanging above the altar. There is another building located across from the sanctuary with adequate classrooms for all age groups. The children's playground is massive and filled with fun outdoor activities. The congregation started in 1975 and there is over 500 multiracial members. I attended the Sunday 10:00 am service, but prior to service IPC offers an "Education Hour" that focus on a variety of topics to help you engage in Scripture and look for life applications in a more intimate setting. All worship services are spoken in English. After the service, the IPC offers coffee, tea, and donuts to its members so they can enjoy fellowship time on the patio. The bulletin includes weekly interactive ministries such as: music and the arts, Wednesday night refuel, spiritual mentoring, men's, women's, youth, young adults, and seniors. I had the opportunity to briefly speak with Lead Pastor Scott Bullock who informed me that the PCA is one of the faster growing denominations in Orange County. He also specified that all members of IPC are entitled to vote on the electing of their congregation officers, but neither women ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 56. Purpose And Plan For Meeting The Spiritual Need Of A... Thesis: The effectiveness of communication will begin with a purpose and plan in meeting the spiritual need of a congregation. The project will serve as a purpose to enhance the congregation's growth in a deeper knowledge of God. This project will serve as purpose to connect with sound and creative ways of communicating through an informative description of healthy communication. Synopsis The purpose of life is found in our relationship with God and others during this lifetime. Communication done properly can help someone to be inspired to live a life for Jesus Christ and become a disciple. The primary way, we initiate, develop, and maintain these relationships is through the process of communication. Whether small, medium, or large, churches are challenges in the area of communication. The vision is to bring about the awareness of ineffective communication. How communication is express verbal and nonverbal from one person to another. The primary focus consists of designing a plan to show how communication connects and disconnects with people in different levels and areas of life. In addition, how communications help with understanding, where talking may cause confusion, base on the levels of maturity and education. Therefore, effective communication requires teamwork within leadership. The goal is to strategize methods of communication to enhance spiritual growth in the life of believers. This assessment will bring about a model of unity and the role of leadership. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 58. Jesus Christ And The Holy Spirit These words are so popular for many Christian communities, they might be considered a brilliant dogmatic theology, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (28:19). This commission turns the church's attention to the Gentiles mission without excluding the Jews. The Great Commission challenges the church of the twenty first century still, to bring others into a relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit while remaining the mission of the church, and molding our call to mission and ministry in our contemporary world. Our task, as a church, is just as crucial today to teach and embody Jesus' teaching, life, and attitude as when the gospel writer penned these words. Just as the writer of Matthew noted, we too must be confident that God's abiding presence in Christ is available to us as we seek to share the gospel news. "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (NRSV 28:20). As I have read this scripture within the context of our recent studies, I have gained a new perspective. A theological and spiritual perspective that calls me to an awareness of a much greater mission, to seek to understand more fully what it "really" means to be a church or community that desires to respond to the call and ministry within the world and community that we live and have influence. The Abundant Life Center (ALC), a Community of Christ congregation, is nested in the Midwestern ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 60. Temple Beit Hayam Analysis Temple Beit HaYam Reformed Judaism 951 SE Monterey Commons Blvd. Stuart, Florida 34996 772–286–1531 16 September 2016 7:00P.M. Site Visit: Shabbat Service On the evening of the sixteenth of September, I was able to experience a fascinating affair of which was utterly unfamiliar to me beforehand. I found the Friday Shabbat service at Temple Beit HaYam to be enlightening of the beliefs held by members of Reform Judaism while also simply intriguing. The Temple is located in Stuart, Florida and was founded in 1978 (Temple Beit HaYam). The building, as well as its inhabitants, appeared welcoming and inviting. As such, I was greeted several times before entering for the service. Not only did I leave the Temple with a better understanding of Judaism, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This phrase translates to "repairing the world" (What is Reform). In support of this mission, Reform Jews strive to bring peace, liberty, and amity to all people of the world through the works of good and charitable deeds. In addition to carrying out good deeds, Reform Jews meet weekly for the welcoming of Sabbath on Friday evenings in services. Sabbath is seen as an everlasting sign of the covenant between the Jewish people and God. It is often viewed as a point in which the Jewish people can discard of the cares or burden of the previous week and welcome a peaceful state of rest (Fisher 285). These services are offered at 7:00P.M. on Friday and 9:00A.M. on Saturday at Temple Beit HaYam. The Shabbat proceedings are lead by rabbis of Reform Judaism. At Temple Beit HaYam, the services are administered and lead by Rabbi Matthew Durbin. The congregation is committed to "avodah", or worship through prayer and observance, both while in and outside of the service (Temple Beit HaYam). As supplement to the services, the Temple also offers educational services for both the youth and adult members of the congregation. This educational program aims to teach Judaism as an active experience in the lives of its students. The congregation also recognizes the importance of social unity and the value of wholesome fun. The Reform denomination of Judaism remains to be seen in easy contrast to other Jewish denominations for some of these ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 61.
  • 62. The Church And The Community The Church and The Community The mission of the church, to share the message of Jesus Christ with the world, has not changed, however, culture is constantly changing forcing the church to adapt its approach to fulfill its mission. There is no specific way to reach a culture with message, as long as the message is Christ. The church and its leaders face many challenges contextualizing the message within their specific community they aim to reach. Each community provides challenges and opportunities the church and its leaders must navigate. Church Ministry and Community Relevance "This Three–One God has come into the world in grace and love, has been sent to us and dwells among us, is and speaks the word of grace to the world, and sends us with a similar word. Just as there is no separation between God 's being and acting so there can be no separation between the being and acting of those joined to Christ or between our work of prayer for the world and our work of mercy in the world (Anderson, 2014 page 21)." The church is to show Christ to the world through grace and mercy. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount calls his followers to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Following Jesus cannot be fulfilled unless it incorporates engaging the world that reveals Jesus. Culture is transformed one life at a time. For the church to transform culture or community through Christ, the church must understand were the community is, to best formulate its approach for change ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 63.
  • 64. Simple Church Model Of Self Leadership God's timing is perfect and there is a reason why I felt a sense of urgency in beginning the MOL program this summer. The ministry at the church I serve is experiencing some growing pains and as a church we are assessing the mission and vision to determine whether it is still God's mission and vision for our congregation. Regardless of whether our vision remains the same or we develop a new mission and vision, our church needs to realign our ministries around that mission and vision and determine what ministries will continue, what needs to be let go of, and what new plans God may have waiting in our future. Much of what I've been discovering about self–leadership and my personal leadership effectiveness goes hand in hand with what we as a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The old saying, actions speak louder than words, is certainly true if leaders want to be effective in transforming the lives of others. If my words and actions don't align, I have no credibility and no hope that people will want to follow. Focus – Commitment to the process and abandoning everything outside of the process, saying yes to doing the best things and no to the rest. (Rainer & Geiger, 2011) Focusing on the principles of self–leadership and seeking God's wisdom and guidance will help focus my life and ministry on doing the best things. Our culture needs leaders that can be trusted, that lead with humility, authenticity, and integrity, that focus on building that ladder of influence. (Throll & McNicol, 1997–2003) They are searching for a culture of trust and communities of grace where it is okay to be vulnerable and share struggles, without the fear of judgment and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 66. The Case For Clarity Analysis Expressing clarity in my leadership something I have been working on for a couple years now. I have a tendency to see what I want done and I Know how we are gonna get there however, I do not always clarify that to everyone else. In this weeks article 'The Case for Clarity: A Key Leadership Ingredient" it states: "Effective leaders don't have to be passionate. They don't have to be charming. They don't have to be brilliant...They don't have to be great speakers. What they must be is clear." (pg. 1) If I'm honest this statement caught me completely off guard. After dissecting the statement I completely agree. (Although charming does help) If as a leader I am not clear on what I want to get accomplished and how we will do it I set my team up ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 68. The Importance Of Congregation In The Danville Community For my site visited, I wanted to visit a congregation in the Danville community so I could experience a small part of the religious community around me. I figured what better way to do this than to attend the church that I have a view of outside my dorm window. On countless Sunday mornings, I have watched many Danville residents and friends walk into the doors of the Danville Presbyterian Church every Sunday and figured it would be interesting to observe a church that is literally in my backyard. Along with this, I also wanted to visit a Presbyterian church since this is what Centre College was founded in. Whenever I walk or drive by the church, I am in amaze of the beauty of this church. Grounded in lots of history, this church was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Christian's constantly struggle with being masters of their own destinies when they should be trusting God's plan for them. Our temptations are driven by our own limitations and insecurities. God knows what these are and will not test more than you can handle. The Pastor ended the sermon by reminding the congregation that each individual is capable of the things they are given and that the rest must be let go and turned over to God. I can't help but notice the highly ambiguous language that has been used throughout the entire sermon. It is evident that everyone at some point will face temptations but these temptations were never fully defined. I believe this was done purposefully so everyone in the congregation could relate to the message since everyone faces different difficulties in life. Overall, I thought the message of the sermon was a reminder to Christians that they, unlike God, are not perfect and therefor need God in their life. The temptations a person is test with is a reminder of their limitations and that they need God to overcome the situation they are facing. This reminds me of our class discussions that God is all–mighty and that humans are sinful and need God to forgive their sin. It reaffirms that humans are lesser than God and him to be a driving factor in their lives. For the most part, I found my experience at Danville Presbyterian to be very similar to the experiences I had in the Methodist church I grew up in. The idea that God ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 70. Ethnographic Analysis Of Discipleship Plan Introduction Discerning the mission of God, for a congregation in a particular community, is one of the most important tasks of the church. Through discernment a congregation can come to understand how God is calling them to faithfully participate in the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God in a particular place and around the world. The following is a comprehensive study of Lansing Woodview Church of the Nazarene including a detailed ethnography, a sermon series, discipleship plan and a short–term mission project to shape the congregation to the end of discerning where God is calling the congregation to faithfully participate in the mission of God. Ethnography The first section of this study is an ethnographic study of the congregation at Lansing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The congregation of Lansing Woodview is located on the edge of Lansing, Michigan just inside DeWitt Township. The church building is located next to a large park and down the road from two large trailer parks. There are several single–family homes around the church, but it's located somewhat in a less dense area between Lansing and DeWitt. The members of the congregation come from around the greater Lansing area and work throughout the city of Lansing. In the larger community around the church there are a number of student housing developments on the outskirts of East Lansing, Michigan home of Michigan State University. There are a number of small businesses, restaurants, and shopping ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 72. Hillcrest Baptist Church Case Study STATE OF THE CHURCH Hillcrest Baptist Church began in 1954 as a mission church, seeking to target families with children on the east side of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Since inception, the church has worked with under ten senior pastors. Pastoral longevity is a rarity in the prominent churches of the region. The newest lead pastor has a tenure of eighteen months, following tenures of twenty and eighteen years respectively. However, Hillcrest exists in a unique and blessed group of churches in Western Kentucky. Nine years ago, an administrative pastor position began with the purpose of aiding the senior pastor, relieving him of certain duties and expanding effectiveness. Additionally, a discipleship pastor joined the team within the last nine months. Other part–time and temporary hires helped facilitate the growth. In the last eleven years, the church has doubled in Sunday Bible study, erected a new worship center, hired two full–time ministerial staff, paid off the building debt, and is poised to break ground on facility expansion with a significant percentage of funds in the bank. The growth of the church is consistent with the original impetus for the church plant. God continues to pour His blessing through a vibrant ministry to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... There will be gaps between expectation and reality that necessitates a commitment to the vision. If God is the author of the vision for Hillcrest, it will be large and somewhat intimidating apart from His intervention and power. The new vision for Hillcrest's future will contain a thread of the vision that precluded her existence in 1954. Each member of the body, whether old or young, will invest in the fresh articulation of direction. Due to the size of the vision, the transformation must involve delegation of responsibilities and authority to move ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 73.
  • 74. Sin Of Achan Essay "The sin of today's worshipping church is burning incense and genuflecting to it's own preferences, nostalgic interests, and religious conditioning to the detriment of the broad–based mission and unity of the Body of Christ in the world." – Paul E Wells The OEC had committed the sin of Achan (Joshua 7), an Israelite of the clan of Zerah who had participated in the assault on Jericho. After the battle, the Lord instructed Joshua to burn everything in the city that belonged to the people of Jericho except for the silver and gold. Joshua then brought these things to the House of the Lord. Joshua, obeyed God in imposing a herem on Jericho, which Achan subsequently violated. He stole a beautiful garment and hid gold and silver under his personal tent. After discovering Achan's thievery, Joshua brought the matter before the twelve tribes of Israel. God declared (7:12) that Israel could not move forward, or have the Lord's help, until Israel judged Achan for his grievous sin. Achan eventually confessed; but it was too late. His selfishness and covetousness had already weakened Israel. Thirty–six men had died in the Israeli military defeat at the hands of Ali. Having been found guilty by a tribunal for hoarding and burying "a piece of Jericho" under his own tent and for stealing something that rightly belonged to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... When priests fail to protect the worship space, small factions begin worshipping God according to their personal preferences, faulty religious conditioning, nostalgic interests, and temporal attachments. Congregations claim the Praxis of worship for personal pleasure, although the worship space rightly belongs to all the baptized. In allowing this, priest passively genuflected to the congregational sensitivity and not to the to true Tradition of the Greater Church as is rooted in Scripture and handed down by the apostles and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
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  • 76. The Kentwood Christian Church : Evaluation Of Church... Church Evaluation Paper I chose to evaluate my home church's missions program for this paper. A big part of this decision was curiosity; I had never in my five years at my home church heard anything of a well–formed missions program, and upon receiving this assignment became very intrigued. I interviewed a good friend of mine, who is also an elder at Kentwood Christian Church, by the name of Mike Boumis. As it turns out, my church does have a missions program, and a well– formed one at that. The backbone of the missions program is a committee made up of two elders and three members of the congregation. The main job of the missions committee is to keep in good contact with the missionaries, not only receiving reports, financial needs, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In addition, some KCC partners to a certain extent with a larger local organization that has a similar goal. Finally, KCC holds what they call "love offerings" from time to time. These are presented as separate from the general offering during Sunday morning service when the church leadership feels called to give to a certain person or cause that has been brought to immediate attention. The missions budget which supports the ministries first listed comes as a percentage of the annual yearly offering. This year it was 7.5% of last year's offering. The hope is to soon raise the missions budget to 10% of the yearly offering; however, it is a work in progress. The missions program has not been stagnant at KCC over the past few years. Here a look at some of the progression in the program, as well as some anticipated change. KCC used to have a Sunday each year where their missionaries and organizations would come set up booths in the fellowship area to raise awareness and educate the congregation. This hasn't happened for a couple of years. Also, the mission giving used to come from a separate offering each Sunday morning, whereas it is now taken as a percentage from the yearly offering. Just recently a formal application was developed for those missionaries and organizations to fill out first, before meeting with the missions committee. Also, KCC just began hosting a body of Nepalese believers in the student ministries ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 77.
  • 78. Developing A Strategic Plan For Increasing Evangelism And... DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR INCREASING EVANGELISM AND MISSION INVOLVEMENT AT NEW BIRTH CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE IN SHERMAN, TEXAS The Great Commission has been left to the Body of Christ by Jesus Christ. The instructions have been given in Matt 28:19–20. The heart of this mandate is to make disciples of all nations. There are many congregations but one church. Christ is the head of the body, the church (Col 1:18). The churches and their congregations must share the gospel by way of evangelism. We must be obedient so that Christ receives the glory and his Kingdom is advanced by making disciples of all nations. New Birth Cathedral of Praise is part of his plan; however, the reality is that the church is not fulfilling the commission to the degree that they ought or could in the power of the Holy Spirit. . Context This ministry project is designed to develop a strategic plan for increasing evangelism and mission involvement among the members of New Birth Cathedral of Praise . My observation as an active member of New Birth is that it has the right environment to make disciples. The church is welcoming, loving and genuinely caring for one another. The word of God is preached with power, conviction and clear application. The environment is welcoming for the lost person or the new believer. However, the congregation of 50 people thinks that the primary responsibility for evangelism rests upon the pastor alone.. The current practice demonstrates this belief as only the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...