Monday Morning Insights

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    Re-Thinking The Church (Change or Die!)

    Re-Thinking The Church (Change or Die!)

    OK... today, we'll start with an assignment.  Take a look at this video from YouTube:




    After watching this, I was impressed at how much the church needs to change in our ever-changing culture.  The computer, the internet, cell phones, wi-fi... everything has changed and is changing.

    Yet many churches remain exactly the same.

    40 minute sermons.

    Stodgy environments.

    Irrelevant settings and messages.

    As our culture changes to a fast-paced, instant, information 'tidbit' society, the church must adapt.

    But many in the church can't or won't.  We'll just go on, with our head in the sand, thinking that the social media culture will not affect us.  It will.  It is.

    Many church leaders are busy arguing about online community, online campusus, twitter, facebook, cell phones, and if the church should use them.  "If" is the wrong question.  "If" actually will kill your church.  If you're not already asking "How", you need to start today.

    How can your church tap into the hearts and minds of young people who have known nothing else but instant, continuous flows of digital information?

    How can your church reach the millions in your community (and in your church) already using social media like twitter and facebook?

    How can your church reach your community through new media?

    How does this ever-emerging media affect they way you do church currently?  The music you play?  The length and style of your sermons?  How you take your offering?  How you greet?  How you gather people in small groups?

    You have to be asking these questions and changing your methods (but not ever your gospel message).

    Go ahead... watch the video again.  What ideas does this video give you? 

    Comments

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    1. Fred on Sat, November 14, 2009

      I agree that there are times when the service needs to go longer, but everyone has an attention span. There comes a point where people say,(maybe subconsciously) “this is very uncomfortable and I choose not to put myself through this anymore.”
      Good teachers teach with the attention span in mind and they use the latest good teaching tools.

    2. John Burton on Sat, November 14, 2009

      I agree when it comes to traditional teaching, study, etc.  But, for example, when I was at the Lakeland Outpouring, the services lasted 5+ hours… and nobody wanted to go home at night.  The sermons usually lasted well over an hour.  Ministry time was mixed in.

      When you are in that kind of environment, 40 minutes is barely enough to get the introduction out.

    3. MxBX on Sat, November 14, 2009

      Building a house is not the same as building a church. If you want to connect with people, you must connect with them in the way that they connect. You must go where people are. People are socializing and meeting online as a precursor to meeting in person. If the church doesn’t do that, they will flounder. Paul went to the marketplaces where the people were. Jesus went to the cities and synagogues where the people gathered. People gather online now. Don’t confuse the issue: Online relationships are simply a starting point, not the goal.

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