What Are You Doing This Friday?

Orginally published on Monday, April 17, 2006 at 6:00 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Granger Community Church is really blazing some trails in reaching their community for Christ.  I've privileged to live fairly close to Granger (about an hour and a half away) and have been able to attend there from time to time; and take part in many of their WiredChurches workshops.

This Friday, Granger is offering another round of one-day workshops that I would highly recommend to you.  If you're available this Friday, and anywhere close to Granger, I would encourage you to sign-up and attend one of these workshops.  (Granger is just a few hours drive from a lot of places; and all planes land near Granger; so it's not too late to consider attending!)

Here's what they have on tap this Friday...

Discipleship:  Turning Off the Autopilot
In my pursuit of “the meaning of discipleship” and my conversations with other church leaders on this topic, I’ve discovered one truth: I’m not finished discovering. Probably never will be. In fact, I might venture to say that is the entire point of discipleship. (I might, but I won’t – because I’m still discovering, remember?)

I admit up front that I’m extremely interested in seeing discipleship from lots of different perspectives. One observation I’ve found especially relevant came from author Brian McLaren, in an article he wrote for Leadership magazine: “In my evangelistic conversations and in my visits to a variety of churches, I am becoming more and more sure that, both for our current church attenders and for the unchurched we wish to reach, one question is increasingly paramount: ‘Can your church help me experience God and experience personal transformation?’ By this question, they're telling us they don't just want to learn about. They want transformation. They want to learn Christ.”1

McLaren’s article summarizes the comprehensive nature of discipleship – including both the opportunity to learn Christ (as opposed to learning about Christ) and to fully explore and engage Christian disciplines because of a desire to experience transformation.

Engaging in traditional Christian disciplines for the right reasons – the ones McLaren mentions – moves one closer to transformation. But when those same activities become either an obligation or a badge of honor? Not so much.

Not long ago, I had all but abandoned a number of core practices that had been regimented habits – a set time for Bible reading and prayer, for example – because, for me, they had become more important than the process of transformation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The roller coaster of the spiritual high followed by the dip through Guilt Valley had taken its toll, zapping me of any joy of knowing Christ (rather than merely knowing about Him).

The gnawing question for me these days is this: How do we explore and engage spiritual practices that help people experience transformation in Jesus – without creating “gold star” comparisons that equate our commitment to spiritual practices with an artificial measurement of “spiritual maturity?”

See, I told you I was still discovering. Even if it’s only learning which questions to ask.

Discover ways to encourage a more intimate walk with God, beyond traditional "programming." In this workshop, presented by Mark Waltz, you’ll:

Learn how to turn small group ministries into conversations about God’s personal redemption.

Explore new relational paradigms for evangelism.

See spiritual maturity from an “out of the box” perspective.

Discover how to present the Bible as a living story, inviting people to enter.

Presenter: Mark Waltz, Pastor of Connections
As Pastor of Connections, Mark Waltz is a unifying force at Granger. His First Impressions teams of more than 450 volunteers create an inviting experience for both newcomers and core leaders. And the “Wow”-making initiatives that have sprung from his teams include the Granger Connection Café, free shuttle service in the parking lot, greeting services and easily accessible information – all designed to help people connect with the church and each other. Mark’s book, First Impressions: Creating "Wow" Experiences in Your Church, addresses the issues of guest attendance growth and volunteer development, offering strategies for making high-impact first impressions. Mark’s ministry expertise is complemented by his marketplace experience, which includes retail management, employment and recruitment. He and his wife, Laura, have a daughter, Olivia.

OR

Maximizing the Arts
What kind of impact could your church make? Let’s just say a big one. But how do you get from “just church” to “creative, compelling, exciting and culturally-relevant?” You speak the native language of the people you want to reach. You learn their concerns, expressed more clearly through today’s movies, music, lyrics, books and television shows than through any other avenue. The arts are the heart of a culture.

This is not a new concept. The Apostle Paul understood it when he went to Athens. Instead of condemning the people for their icons, he used them as a foundation on which he could build both a rapport and an understanding of his message. Paul knew about the altar “To an Unknown God” – which gave him the opening to speak of his God. He quoted one of the popular poets of the day, using a message his audience already related with to teach the Gospel.

There is a direct parallel between Paul relating to Athenians on their terms and today’s church using today’s music to touch the hearts of those who don’t yet know God’s love. Author Tim Stevens, in Simply Strategic Growth, acknowledges that some of today’s pop culture is disturbing. “But there is so much that is exciting!” he adds. Listen to the lyrics of the Top 40 at any given time and you’ll hear about loss, confusion, despair, longing and emptiness. One song among many, Stevens notes, expresses a yearning that is virtually universal in our culture today: We were meant to live for so much more! It seems the perfect place to start a conversation, does it not?

[... Oh, and the earnest young man mentioned at the beginning of this article? Ed Young, now senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas – one of the ten largest churches in America.]

How can you use the arts to express Biblical messages in relevant, relatable ways? In this workshop, Butch Whitmire will show you how to:

Use secular music to unlock hearts for Christ.

Recruit, train and work with volunteer artists and teams.

Craft God-centered worship services using compelling dramas, medias and set design.

Develop effective visual elements for your services.

Entertain and inform and invite people to Christ.

Presenter: Butch Whitmire, Executive Director of Creative Arts
With the substantial focus on creative arts ministries at Granger – including music, drama and media – Butch Whitmire has his work cut out for him. But he is definitely up to the challenge. He’s demonstrated his commitment to excellence in the arts during his 10 years as a volunteer on the Granger drama team and with the band. Now overseeing a team that includes 12 staff and nearly 200 volunteers, Butch combines his volunteer perspective with his management expertise, drawing from his career background in sales and marketing management. A graduate of Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Butch understands the importance of developing compelling vehicles to bring the message to the audience – and conveying the benefits of your "product" in ways that grab their attention and their hearts. Butch and his wife, Christine, have two children, Alex and Audrey.

OR

Simply Strategic Growth
WORD UP:  I've been told that Tony and Tim will be including alot of information on the recent MyLameSexLife.com series held at Granger in this seminar.  It's a must-attend, to be sure!

“Tim and Tony have compiled some phenomenal ideas that can help any church, regardless of its size, experience strategic growth by doing ministry in ways that reach out to this generation,” says Ed Young, senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas. “Their fresh ideas and practical insights can provide the fuel for a new move of God in your church.”

Stevens and Morgan entertain and inform workshop participants with surprising advice that includes: Encourage people to sleep in on Sundays; Don’t use the “R” word; Expect complaints; Dress “appropriately” (If the shoe fits your target, wear it); Cut out the “Christianese;” Become an entertainment expert; Give ministry away; Go with the flow and much more.

With Granger’s extraordinary growth over the last 20 years, the two have an abundance of experience with strategies that work – and don’t – for not only growing your church but also for sustaining that growth in an ever-changing culture. It’s a workshop that’s truly worth it. And admit it, you really want to know what the “R” word is.

Discover a wealth of practical tips and tools to reach the community for your local church. You’ll find out:

How to make sure the obstacles in your path are not of your own making.
What really matters to the unchurched (hint: it’s not salvation).

How to engage people by creating relevant, meaningful experiences – not just church services.

What strategies work best for promoting services to the community. 

That other churches aren’t your competition – and how to deal with those who think they are.

Seek ability over availability.

Presenter: Executive Pastor Tim Stevens
Tim Stevens uses his considerable skills and experience to help develop Granger’s vision, values and ability to make an impact in the community. He has played a major role in taking weekly church attendance from 400 and a staff of four to more than 5,000 with a staff of 70. The "point man" for the church’s day-to-day operations, Tim has also been instrumental in completing five major construction projects and developing Granger’s nationally recognized Children’s Center. Prior to serving at Granger, Tim served nearly 10 years in various leadership positions with Life Action Ministries, including executive management. He and his wife, Faith, have four children – Heather, Megan, Hunter and Taylor.

Presenter: Tony Morgan, Pastor of Administrative Services
Tony Morgan develops creative solutions for campus operations, communications, information technology, finances and other areas. He leads WiredChurches.com, an empowerment arm of Granger that provides church leaders across the country with innovative resources, workshops, Enewsletters and other elements to help them enhance their worship services and facilitate ministry. Tony has also written several articles on staffing, technology, strategic planning and leadership, published by the Christian Management Association, the National Association of Church Business Administrators, Pastors.com, PurposeDriven.com and Microsoft.com. Tony served 10 years in local government. He and his wife, Emily, have four children – Kayla, Jacob, Abby and Brooke.

OR

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid
(My wife and a group of Children's Workers from my church are going to this one!)

So, how do you develop a children’s ministry that is better than any other church’s? You don’t. Other churches are not your competition. Your competition is Chuck E. Cheese. And Nickelodeon. And Xbox.

Kids today are conditioned to need high stimulation, to be fully engaged – if we’re going to grab and sustain their attention. Whether they’re surfing the Internet for cheat codes to the latest Lord of the Rings PS2 game or checking out your kids’ program, what they find had better be fun and interesting. Because boring or intimidating just doesn’t cut it.

In a world where our society pushes adults to have and achieve more, parents have been known to extend that mindset into their parenting practices. So the last thing your children’s program should be to an “overscheduled” child is this: another obligation. How can they come to know how much Jesus loves them if they don’t even want to be there? Right, you say. And precisely how do we avoid the boring and intimidating syndrome? Glad you asked.

First, think like a child. (And by this we mean: not like an adult who has preconceived notions of what’s “proper.”) If you can’t spend a service in one of your kids’ classes (and we use that term loosely) without saying, “Man, I wish church had been like this when I was a kid!” then something is seriously missing.

Second, think like a parent. (As in, needing a major break from your kids – while knowing that not only are they in good hands, they will quite possibly be leaving in a better mood than the one they arrived with.) As precious as children are to us, their parents are even more so. Because it all rolls downhill. So if we hit it out of the park with the parents, their children will benefit in huge ways.

Third, think like a volunteer. (And by this we mean: Yikes! Children!) Even the most maternal (or paternal) of volunteers will get frustrated if there is no leadership and there are no systems in place to make their tasks easier. And burnt out if they’re so overscheduled that they never get a weekend off.

Fourth, think like a newbie. Is your children’s center an inviting place? A place that takes guests a bit by surprise? It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, you know. Bright, fun colors and themed rooms are more conducive to kids’ learning than “institutional looking” rooms.

Plus, there’s a side benefit to these creative kids’ spaces. According to Stevens and Morgan in Simply Strategic Growth: “Volunteers are more likely to better serve children in a room that is fun, engaging, interactive and exciting.” Why? “Because they don’t feel like they have to bring all the fun and excitement with them; it’s already built into the environment. They can just offer themselves.” And what kid couldn’t use a little more interaction with an adult who considers him a masterpiece of God?

Learn how to create a children’s ministry that’s inviting, engaging and safe enough so that parents can get the most from the service while you care for their kids. Discover how to:

Invite volunteers who can serve according to their SHAPE.

Relieve anxious or skeptical parents, so they can focus on the service.

Create a comfortable, appealing space for children based on age groups.

Develop a Biblical, child-friendly curriculum that’s interactive and fun.

Plan for children’s events where kids can bring their friends – and where parents can introduce other parents to the church.

Presenters: Children's Ministry Director Georgia Fawcett and Children's Team
As Director of Children’s Ministry for Granger, Georgia has her hands full. Not only does she guide a team of more than 350 staff and volunteers for the church’s nationally recognized interactive children’s center, she also coordinates a care team for special needs children. Her role – and her goal – is to help her teams create unique, safe, stimulating environments where kids can meet Jesus through drama, song, Bible study and creative play. Prior to joining the Granger staff, Georgia worked 16 years in the public school system and was part of a corporate management team for six years. She and her husband, Craig, have a daughter, Elizabeth.

If you'd like to register for any of these one-day seminars this Friday, you can just follow the links above or find out even more information at the WiredChurches.com website!  It's gonna be a great day!

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.

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