Monday Morning Insights

Photo of Todd
    .

    The “Git R Done” Church

    Bookmark and Share

    Too bad churches don't go with that mentality. What if we said, lets do it. Lets reach people for Christ. Lets be all things to all people. Lets throw out tradition if it isn't relevant. Lets be real. Lets make a real difference in our communities. Lets really love people. Lets accept them no matter what their background or how they dress or how much or little money they have or what are their sinful patters. Lost people will act like lost people. It is time to get serious church and do whatever it takes, I mean whatever it takes to reach our lost and dying world. This is my one true passion that I am willing to take to my grave!"

    So... the question for all of us to ponder this week is, "What if...?"

    What if your church did everything they could to reach the lost in your community?  What would that look like?

    And what is keeping you from getting there?

    I find it amazing that most churches I've seen have a rather complicated formula in place to make sure that this type of ministry never has a possibility of ever happening.

    Committees halt progress.  Some churches have so many committees that nothing ever gets done (except meetings).

    Tradition holds many churches back.  How many times have you heard, "We've never done it that way before?"  (Talk about a leadership killer!)

    Ministry keeps many churches occupied.  Many of your best workers are right now 'getting tired in well-doing'.  Many churches are so over-programmed for in-reach, outreach is just not even a possibility.

    But what if?

    What if the whole committee structure somehow evolved into a team approach where teams were empowered to make decisions and carry out ministry?  What if we stopped doing things just because we've always done them this way?  And what would happen if we just stopped doing some ministry programs that just aren't effective; and took that time and energy to reach out to our community?

    Dream a little.

    What would happen?

    What steps can you take today... this week... in 2006... to help make this happen?

    What measureable steps can we make today that will help our church 'Git R Done' in the next year?

    Reminds me of an old saying that goes (something like this)... "If we keep doing what we've always done; we'll always get what we always got."

    It's time to try something new.  Let's, "Git R Done!"

    Have a great week!

    Todd

    At his blog "Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee"  Kevin Bussey says, "I love the apostle Paul. He was all about reaching people for Christ. He was the first relevant minister after the death of Jesus. Paul said in I Corinthians 9 that he was going to be all things to all people in order that he might win some. He was willing to do whatever it takes! He was like [Larry the Cable Guy], GIT R DONE! 

    Comments

    if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.

    1. Brian La Croix on Sun, November 27, 2005

      I like it!


      However, I can already hear the responses of some who visit this forum, taking exception to the idea of “doing whatever it takes,” because to them it reflects a desire to water down the gospel to add to their numbers, leading people to a false salvation, etc.

      I liked what he said: Lost people will act like lost people.


      How many times does a lost person come to a church, in all their lostness, dressing in a way that advertises their lostness, using language that does the same, etc., and find out that while the church says, “Jesus loves sinners!” what they really mean is “Jesus might love you, but we won’t until you get your act together.”


      I’ve often said to my people that you cannot expect regenerate behavior from unregenerate people.  Only the Holy Spirit can regenerate people.  Churches can’t, and unbelievers certainly can’t.

       

      So my point in all this is that I agree with the article - let’s do what we can to reach as many as we can, focusing the essentials of the gospel rather than the hindrances of complacency or “cliqueiness.”


      One other thing: he says to throw out tradition when it’s irrelevant.  I agree.  At the same time, we need to be careful that we don’t become such slaves to the “anti-tradition” mindset that we automatically accept new things without testing them against Scripture.

    2. Ed Mooneyhan on Sun, November 27, 2005

      I certainly can agree with what you are saying. I always hear that it takes money to do ministry. I know it cost money, but if we weren’t so busy spending money on church programs, maybe we would have the resources to reach out to those who need Jesus.


      As far as getting there, I don’t know if it’s possible for most churches that have become accustom to doing church the way they’ve always done it. I spent 8 years in a fairly traditional church trying to help them change. The work is extremely slow.


      I’m now in the process of planting a new work partly because I can’t spend these last days trying to change Christians when I am called to change sinners. Of course it’s Christ that changes them, but you know what I mean.

      Anybody interested in partnering with me can contact me at [removed]
      //<![CDATA[
      var l=new Array();
      l[0]=’>’;l[1]=‘a’;l[2]=’/’;l[3]=’<’;l[4]=’ 109’;l[5]=’ 111’;l[6]=’ 99’;l[7]=’ 46’;l[8]=’ 110’;l[9]=’ 115’;l[10]=’ 109’;l[11]=’ 64’;l[12]=’ 100’;l[13]=’ 105’;l[14]=’ 111’;l[15]=’ 110’;l[16]=’ 100’;l[17]=’ 101’;l[18]=’>’;l[19]=’”’;l[20]=’ 109’;l[21]=’ 111’;l[22]=’ 99’;l[23]=’ 46’;l[24]=’ 110’;l[25]=’ 115’;l[26]=’ 109’;l[27]=’ 64’;l[28]=’ 100’;l[29]=’ 105’;l[30]=’ 111’;l[31]=’ 110’;l[32]=’ 100’;l[33]=’ 101’;l[34]=’:’;l[35]=‘o’;l[36]=‘t’;l[37]=‘l’;l[38]=‘i’;l[39]=‘a’;l[40]=‘m’;l[41]=’”’;l[42]=’=’;l[43]=‘f’;l[44]=‘e’;l[45]=‘r’;l[46]=‘h’;l[47]=‘a ‘;l[48]=’<’;
      for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){
      if (l.substring(0, 1) == ’ ‘) [removed](”&#”+unescape(l.substring(1))+”;”);
      else [removed](unescape(l));
      }
      //]]>
      [removed] in the Albuquerque, NM area.


      In the words of Unkle Rico (Nepolean Dynomite), “Why don’t ya do sumpn’ while your doin’ nuttin?”

       

      Keep preachin’


      Ed.

       

    3. ld on Sun, November 27, 2005

      “I love the apostle Paul. He was all about reaching people for Christ. He was the first relevant minister after the death of Jesus. Paul said in I Corinthians 9 that he was going to be all things to all people in order that he might win some. He was willing to do whatever it takes!  I think what today’s churches lack is the discipleship method that Paul was exposed to. Although he was a man steeped in Old Testament theology from youth, he needed about twelve years after his conversion to actually go out and preach the gospel. I think too many new converts are pressured into sharing the “good news” without actually being taught how and being unaware of the cost, they falter and collapse under the pressure. Within our society where the Bible is being disregarded as outdated and judgemental, I think that new converts need to be saturated with The Word and understand exactly Who they are following. There is a distinct lack of teaching people to read the Bible for themselves and a current teaching that encourages them to just take someone else’s word of what the bible says :ie so many studies out where you just believe God’s revealed word to the teacher instead of finding out for yourself what God is saying to you.Basically what I am saying is that once you reach the lost be sure to educate them into what Christianity is and give them the skills to do that and not be dependant on teachers but rather the Word of God. We are such a literate society when it comes to everyday life and yet such an illiterate society when it comes to the Word of God! Pray for godly teachers and hungry hearts. Amen.

    4. BeHim on Sun, November 27, 2005

      A wise man once said:


      It takes less time to create 1,000 children than it does in effort to learn and teach one to stand in life, correctly.


      The first scenario (1000 children) is very easy and has little responsability (but is necessary) the other takes time, effort and a tremendous amount of responsability (and is also necessary).


      The great thing about taking more time and effort is the process is easier to repeat with another one or two or three.


      Jesus took twelve, poured His life into 3 and Built on ONE.


      Evangelism is one part of the long effort (and lost art) of Discipleship (which requires one to search, research and KNOW Sound Scriptural Doctrine).

    5. Evangelist Jeff on Mon, November 28, 2005

      Amen!Hallelujah! Someone finally has it. Just do it man, and git R done. To be honest with you guys I am sick and tired of tradition. I am a Baptist/ Baptistcostal I should say and have been called.



      The heck with tradition. With some of the Baptist Churches you have to form a committee form rules and regulations before you decided to buy a needy family food and such.


      For instance one church my wife and I attended the pastor and everyone kept saying we need to get people to church and the pastor kept saying we are going to form a group one Sat. and go visiting.


      Six months later nothing, nine months later nothing, when some of us asked them about it. We are going to do it, just wait…


      Next thing you know a year went way past still nothing. So a friend of mine and myself made plans to just go out and do it. Next thing you know people started coming and the church was filling up.

      One of the guys he and visited was wayward Christian drinking drugs etc. He started coming to church and is now a Sunday School teacher

       

    6. Peter Hamm on Mon, November 28, 2005

      At our church our pastors are encouraged, pretty much required, to get involved in the local community in some form or fashion, to be in touch with it. That’s a great idea.


      Also, EJ, you are so right, I’ve seen committees squelch and kill great outreach ideas siimply by their own inability to get the job done.

    7. Pastor Andy on Mon, November 28, 2005

      Evangelism is great, and man I agree with everything you’ve said! One thing I’ve observed though is that if we are going to reach people. We really need to change some things about how we do church. It seems like the only people that enjoy church are, well…church people. I’m a worship and youth pastor and I often try to observe our services objectively, taking into account how an outsider would view our meetings. There are many things that are good, but overall I think most people on the street wouldn’t fit in.

      Now, I’m not saying that we water down our services or cater to every fad out there, but we really do need to do away with some of the traditional “churchy” things we do. I’ve been reading Dave Pagitt’s book, “Church Re-Imagined” Pretty thought provoking stuff. It’s totally revolutionizing my whole concept of what church can be like. Imagine a place where people can come off of the street, will not feel judged, but are openly accepted and encouraged to ask questions and dialogue about faith and the Bible. Often we send this impression that we have the truth, we do it the right way and people will just have to fit our mold. Rather, perhaps we could put up for debate some of our beliefs and practices. Often we do alot of things that we can’t even explain why we do them. Maybe then we’d learn how to explain what’s so great about Christianity to a world that thinks Christianity is a hoax.

       

      Anyway…I rambled on an on about this and that. Hopefully it makes sense to someone out there.


      Blessings, and may we quit doing church and be the Church!

       

    8. Brian La Croix on Mon, November 28, 2005

      I would also agree that discipleship is necessary as well.


      Having new believers is great (my main spiritual gift is evangelism, so it’s my main heartbeat), but we do need to make sure they get grounded.


      This will, in both the long and short terms, help us get the gospel out the fastest and in the most effective fashion.

      I also appreciated the comment in the article that states:


      “What if the whole committee structure somehow evolved into a team approach where teams were empowered to make decisions and carry out ministry?”


      This is where we’re at now, thanks be to God!  When we form a committee (which is VERY rare http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif), we give them the authority to carry out what we’ve asked them to do.


      This is so much more effective!

       

      Anyway, let’s git-er-done!


      Brian

       

    9. Greg on Mon, November 28, 2005

      The problem with the Git-R-Done mentality is we miss Paul’s real passion; Jesus Christ! Reaching people is certainly a divine call, but that call proceeds from a rich, submitted, and abandon love for Jesus as a personal friend and Lord of life.


      BTW, If you have ever heard Larry the Cable Guy’s routine you would stay clear of using anything he comes up with including his monicer trademark descriptive. 


      Oswald chambers reminds us that service to Jesus is Not what we do for Him, it is what we ARE to Him.  Forget the “plan” and live every day a life submitted to Christ. Nearly every major denomination has an evangelistic plan for winning the world, most are not working well! God’s plan is to so saturate us with the person of Christ that we can be used of God every day in all places.

      Paul preached but he also worked on tents, traveled with sailors, made breakfast for the hungry, and spent the most productive years of his life as a prisoner of the Roman government.  He got done what God wanted done as a result of relationship and not a formulated one night a week outreach plan. We have a lot of rethinking to do.


      Certainly we must reach out to the lost, but the local church is not the place to do that best. The local church family is a training ground for equipping for the work of the ministry outside the walls of the assembly-house.


      Thanks for reading my rantings! They are the result of much frustration with plans and programs that miss the mark.

       

    10. Chad Dvoracek on Mon, November 28, 2005

      EJ you are right on, we need to motivate and enourage those with the gifts to get out there.  To many committes are formed and run by the wrong personalities.  We put people in leadership that don’t have the ability to be results oriented or even desire to “Git R Done.”  Those that do desire to see it happen get fed up with the red tape of the committee.” Choose your leadership wisely and make sure you are providing the “tools to succeed” to the right people. Quit dumping resources ($$) into ministries that accomplish nothing for the kingdom.  If most of our Church Boards and Elders in the “traditional” churches got measured on their performance like the business world does, how many should hear those words “you’re fired!”

      Chad

       

    11. Jeffery Goodwin on Mon, November 28, 2005

      Paul’s letter was addressed to “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” NIV (1 Corinthians 1:2-3)


      His description is interesting in that it does not sound like the local church is filled with the “unchurched,” the “seekers,” or even the “churched.”


      Your description of 1 Corinthians 9 seems to imply that it is describing what it should look like inside the local church.  When I read it seems to be describing the individual Christian and how he is to engage his relational world while in the world. How do you get it to be the “local church” rather than the “I” that Paul so clearly describes?

      1 Corinthians 9:19-23 “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” NIV (emphasis mine)


      The “I” makes it clear that this is talking about the individual - not the local church gathering. Paul is addressing those in the local church about how they are to operate outside the local church – in the world! However, if you would like it to be the local church, as you have suggested, then we need strictly Jewish church for the Jewish seeker, a church built on laws for the lover of laws, a homosexual church, a worldly church, and more. Of course, getting people to come and keep coming requires a slight modification of the Word but that OK - we don’t have to say that Jesus is the Messiah, that homosexuality is a sin, or that you must give up your life to gain life in Christ. Or perhaps we are already doing this…


      You seem to imply that Paul would promote the “seeker” service messages of today.  When looking at his writing to the local church…can you give me any indication that Paul was sounding anything like a “seeker” message today?  QUITE THE CONTRARY!  Paul is sounding NOTHING like the “seeker” message or services of today.  What Paul is presenting to these “infants in Christ” would be totally ruled out today by the CGM as difficult, confrontational, unloving, unwelcoming, unnecessary, unproductive and more!

       

      Let take a look at another verse (1 Corinthians 14:23) typically utilized to promote “seeker” services but let’s expand it (+/- a verse) to look at what it might really be saying.


      1 Corinthians 14:22-25


      22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbelievers or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” NIV (bold emphasis mine)


      Are you getting that “seeker sensitive” or “seeker service” feeling? I’m not.

       

      And yes - Jesus’ audience was full of seekers…just as my audience and your audience while in the world! This is not the same thing as the fellowship of believers (local church). Jesus gave us great insight on how to be in the world but not of the world.  However, he was not describing the local church - something that was formed after his time on earth. He used others, primarily Paul, to provide to us descriptions of the local church.  Both Jesus and Paul provided for us clarity of how we are to operate in the world but Paul provided much more clarity on the local church/fellowship of believers.  Paul spent his life both in the world reaching the lost and in the church edifying the saint.


      We seem today to be mixing the two in an unhealthy manner. I am not sure why but I suspect it has a lot to do with Christians like you and me that did a poor job of operating in the world as Jesus and Paul presented so we have found a “better” way (God’s ways do not always seem as good/comfortable/easy as my ways) – bring them into the local church.  However, preaching like Paul will not get them “churched” so let’s make a change with that also.

       

      Thoughtfully – from a man seeking to learn the Truth in this very confusing time…

       

    12. S. Williams on Mon, November 28, 2005

      You’ve GOT to be kidding! Right?! I can totally understand the excitement that is generated by hallucinations about an organized church that has goals, and maintains its focus without becoming “traditional”. Nice idea, and it would be great if we were wired that way. But “git-er-done”?? Um, have you HEARD what Larry, the cable-guy has to say in his stand-up routine? Have you SEEN what the comedy show is about? And by the way, in this oh so chummy and catchy little phrase, who or what exactly is “er”? Isn’t it fairly clear and down-right disturbing how easily Christians are drawn to things that are less-than-respectable, no matter how clever?


      Personally, I think there are many churches that are getting IT done, at varying speeds, and I don’t think THAT “tradition” is going anywhere anytime soon, thankfully.

    13. Jimmy Hammett on Mon, November 28, 2005

      A very refreshing insight. I am pastor of a new church start ( over 2 years old )and the “What if” that you included this morning reminded me of one of my first sermons and a part of our church’s info packets….


      “WHAT IF” IDEAS OF THE GRACEROCK MOVEMENT


      What if there was a group of Christ followers that decided to truly follow the teachings and examples of the New Testament? Acts 2:42-47


      What if there were no long-term needs in this community of believers?

      What if they had unconditional love for all, no matter who that person was or is?  No matter what they had done in the past or were doing in the present. But the group believed if that person has a personal relationship with the living God and His followers that their future would be a whole different story. John 4:7-10


      What if these folks were extremely and profoundly changed in their personal and their families’  lives because of the relationship, discipleship and guidance with and through Jesus Christ?


      What if they were so excited about their life change, that they invited others to join them on their journey?


      What if they became so infectious in their everyday lives, that the community and region that they live in and serve would be dramatically changed forever?


      What if people stopped these people while they were shopping or working to ask them why they were so different in their actions and reactions to life situations, and they were happy to share it with them?


      What if these people couldn’t wait to go to a gathering of the church, and when they left, they were enlightened, fulfilled and ready for the days ahead?

       

      Let’s not get so hung up in church that we don’t understand what Jesus has and is teaching us about why we are here.

       

    14. Todd on Mon, November 28, 2005

      Todd here…


      The question was, ‘what would your church look like if it did all it could to reach the lost’?


      Not anything about seeker sensitive or, really, for that matter discipleship (I am NOT saying discipleship is not important).

      Why must we continue to argue about whether people get saved in or out of a church service.  Does it really matter?


      Again, it seems to me that there needs to be balance.  No one is saying that we shouldn’t make more Christians until we grow up the ones we have, are they? (or are they?)  I don’t understand this.


      A simple comment… let’s ‘git r done’; meant as an encouragement… now we’re going down that same road again.  Let’s make a u-turn before it’s too late.  Please re-read the original post and let me know how your church should change.

       

      Thanks,


      Todd

       

    15. Out There on Mon, November 28, 2005

      Lets buy U2 iPods for everyone on the face of the earth. That’ll Git R Done.

    16. Page 1 of 4 pages  1 2 3 >  Last »

      Post a Comment

    17. (will not be published)

      Remember my personal information

      Notify me of follow-up comments?

    Sponsors

    • Generosity
    • The Show
    • ChurchPlanters
    • churchunique