Possible Approach

Hi Everyone:

I told you all about the book "Leading Beyond the Walls" which provides way to reach the community around the church. There is another book "The Master's Plan for Making Disciples" by Win Arn and Charles Arn. The books presents 2 ways of reaching beyond church walls to make disciples.

Leading Beyond the Walls: The author studied the community, set up the church staff to reflect and support the makeup of the community, used marketing, follow up visits and calls to make disciples. Communication is essential to disciples making process. Communication to the uchurched so they know about church activities (not the building but the church body - the members). The book also addresses the steps taken to assimilate new members into the church community.

The Master's Plan for making Disciples: Uses a method similar to John 4:27-42 where members reach out to their extended families (relative, neighbors, co-workers, etc...) to make disciples. The book also addresses the steps necessary to assimilate new members into the church community.

Suggestion: maybe we could investigate both methods, provide biblical and the 21st century environment support for both methods and maybe come up with a combined approach.

Any comments?

Lillian

John 4:27-42

As I m praying about our project I am reminded of John 4:27-42. How in order to grow Christ's church we must have a mindset of the Samaritan woman. After her encounter with Jesus she went to testify to the village of her encounter with Christ. She did not know scripture or doctrine. All that she had within her was the excitement she felt. To me this is what back to the basics is, being on fire for Jesus and being so excited that we can't wait to share with the world what our Savior has done for us. Also; to be aware that the harvest in great.

I just needed to share this.

Reference Material

Hi,

I purchased several books that I thought would be useful. The first is "Leading Beyond the Walls" written by Adam Hamilton. The books tells how the author, the Pastor of a UMC.
The book is great. I am half way through and it contains a wealth of information. Believe it or not once I started reading the book it was hard to put it down. The hardcover edition is $15.64 on Amazon. I encourage you all to purchase it if you can. I will continue to read and write a report on the book when I am finished.

One of the things that the author (and others)suggest is that we do a demographic study of an area we might want to focus on. I have some information on how to do that but if anyone knows how to go about doing a demographic study it might be something we might went to consider doing.

Lillian

JOHN WESLEY AS CHURCH GROWTH STRATEGIST

I came across this article on the internet, looks like it would be useful to our theme of getting back to the basics.

http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyan_theology/theojrnl/21-25/21-02.htm

Reference Material

You all might want to take a look at the information at the following web site:
http://outreachtraining.com/documents/Smallchurchoutreach.pdf

Let me know if the link works.

Also check out the 2007/08 LUMC Research Projects in DISCIPLESHIP
on http://www.ngumc.org/related_organizations/board_of_laity/

Lillian

Home Churches

The Rush Chapel web Site is as follows: www.gbgm-umc.org/rushchapel/

thanks
Lillian

Mike,

Please add my church name to the list of home churches involved: Rush Chapel UMC.

Lillian

Home Churches

Hi Mike,
Please add my church name to the list of home churches involved: Bethel-Atlanta.