Reach Magazine Q3 2021

EQUIPPING

& LEADERS TO FURTHER THE GOSPEL INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

+ EQUIP ISSU E

Leadership. Training.

VOLUME 1 • NUMBER 3 THIRD QUARTER 2021

sbtexas.com/reach

AN SBTC PUB L ICAT I ON

CHURCHES

SCAN QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE’S CAMERA AND READ THIS ISSUE ONLINE

Lance Crowell Senior Strategist, Digital Ministries & Communications

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ATI ON C PUB LIC reac h AN SBT xas.c om/

EQUIP: sbtexas.com/equip Online Training: sbtexas.com/online Contact us: sbtexas@sbtexas.com

GOOD NEWS

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SCAN QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE’S READ CAMERA AND THIS ISSUE ONLINE

We will continue to update you about SBTC events and resources in upcoming quarterly issues of REACH Magazine. As they release, each can be viewed online at

sbtexas.com/reach Use your phone’s camera to scan the QR code.

LIVNG OUT THE GOOD NEWS

Additionally, the SBTC has hundreds of free video training sessions that anyone has access to at any time. There is no need to sign up or create an account.

If you feel you need individual help, our staff stands ready to assist you in your ministry need. We are here for you with events, tools and individual helps. May God bless you as you work to reach your community with the gospel.

•

I

f you could attend one training event a year, or take your leaders to one event in 2021, I would encourage you to consider the EQUIP Conference. EQUIP provides so many incredible options with nearly one hundred speakers who are experts in their ministry area and over 275 unique sessions from which to choose. Assisting your leaders with more tools, encouragement and development in their particular area of ministry is essential. The world is running away from the things of God, and it is in desperate need of lay leaders and followers of Christ who will stand tall and connect others to him; having the right tools to accomplish this is essential.

3RD QUARTER 2021 VOL. 1 • NO. 3

Right tools for the job

Contents THIRD QUARTER 2021 Volume 1 • Number 3

co n feren c e SBTEXAS.COM/EQUIP

D E TA I L S PA G E S 8 - 9 CHAMPION FOREST BAPTIST CHURCH

M EN ’ S M I N I ST RY RACIAL HARMONY

Are You Building Kingdom Men?

4

T RAI N I N G

EQUIP-ing Your Lay Leaders

10

8

“Equip provides churches an opportunity to invest in their lay leaders by equipping them to be more prepared, more energized and more knowledgeable about what they are supposed to do in helping their classes and their churches grow.”

—Mark Yoakum SPECIAL NEEDS MINISTRY

5 Details to Include on Your Church Website About Your Disability Ministry

Calming the Storms of Racial Division

Houston

14

“We are in the midst of a racial storm and we all need to be in rescue mode.

People need rescuing from the winds of racism, rescuing from the waves of prejudice, rescuing from using language as lightning bolts to blast each other out of existence ... such actions occur, but there is always good news.”

—Tony Mathews

Contents THIRD QUARTER 2021 Volume 1 • Number 3

LEADERSHIP

How to Minister to Individuals with Various Personalities

16 MISS IO NS

Our Plans Got Canceled, But Not God’s

WOMEN’S MINISTRY

18

Practicing Forgiveness as a Pastor’s Wife

SERVING ON THE MISSION FIELD DURING A PANDEMIC

MUSIC MINISTRY

22

30

“Why Aren’t They Singing?”

EN ESPAÑOL

24

Cuidando el Corazón del Adorador

S M A L L G R O U PS

WHY SMALL GROUPS?

REVITALIZATION

Where Does Church Revitalization Begin?

32

“I have been asked a few times over the past few years, ‘Why small groups?’ I always respond with ‘Why not?’ I believe small groups are a vital part of the Christian walk.”

—Shane Kendrix

28

Does your church need training, fellowship & encouragement?

Visit sbtexas.com/events

JULY

5-9 M3 Camp, Highland Lakes, Spicewood 9-10 Capacitarte Regional Conference, Iglesia Bautista Trinidad, Loredo Special Needs Ministry Sunday 11 15-19 M3 Camp, Glorieta, NM 26-30 M3 Camp, Camp Zephyr, Sandia SBTC Chapel, Grapevine 28

AUGUST

Does your church need training, fellowship & encouragement?

The SBTC seeks to equip and support it’s churches through a host of events. See the 2021 calendar of events to find out where you can plug in. Together we can reach Texas and impact the world.

2-6 Youth Week, Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose Today’s Interim Pastor, Houston 13 14 EQUIP, Champion Forest BC, Houston SBTC Chapel, Grapevine 25 RevTalks Online, Zoom 26 Pastor Mentor Initiative, Union Baptist Association, Houston 31

SEPTEMBER

2 55+ Adults Ministry Training, Victoria Parkway BC, Victoria Children/Family Ministry Luncheon, Austin 9 55+ Adults Ministry Training, Bay Area Church, League City 9 SBTC Chapel, Grapevine 15 55+ Adults Ministry Training, Southcrest BC, Lubbock 16 17-18 Español Florece Retreat, Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose 19-26 Reach Texas Offering Week of Prayer 23-24 RevForum, SBTC, Grapevine 24-25 Come Away - Pastor Wives Retreat, Plano

OCTOBER

1-2 5 9 12-14 14 16 20

Hombres de Impacto, Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose Pastors Masters Golf Tournament, Tour18, Flower Mound She Stands Women’s Conference, FBC Forney Send Summit, Redeemer Church, Lubbock RevTalks Online, Zoom Disaster Relief Phase 1, SWBTS, Fort Worth SBTC Chapel, Grapevine

NOVEMBER

7 8-9 8 8 18

Spanish Session, Flint BC Annual Meeting, Flint BC Young Pastors Network Late Night, Flint BC Today’s Interim Pastor, Flint BC Pastor Mentor Initiative, Jacksonville College

DECEMBER 3-4

Student Ministers Getaway, Lone Star Court, Austin

For more about SBTC events & to view a more detailed calendar, visit

sbtexas.com/events All in-person events subject to change based on COVID conditions.

Check sbtexas.com/events for more details. All registrants will be notified of a change prior to the event.

C H U R C H H E A LT H

M E N’ S M I NI STRY

Are You Building Kingdom Men?

By Jeff Lynn SBTC Church Health & Leadership

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“Society has deteriorated to an alltime low. Our world is on a downward path of self-destructive behavior. That must change—but how?” writes Pastor Tony Evans in the flap of his book Kingdom Man. The premise of the book is the call for men to step up to what God has created them to be: men who “visibly demonstrate the comprehensive rule of God underneath the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of life.”

When I first started pastoring 25 years ago at a small church in West Texas, my mentor told me, “The biggest bang for your buck will be investing in men.” Why would he conclude that? It’s because statistics show that the role of a man in a home is a game-changer.

As Tony Evans writes, “Virtually every adult social pathology has been linked to fatherless homes or homes with a father and/or husband who was absent, abusive or neglectful.” I certainly don’t want to minimize the role of a mother, but research reveals that the father has a major influence in the home.

If men have so much impact in the lives of families, and subsequently the church, are you investing in the men in your church? And how might we go about doing that?

CREATE A CULTURE.

Every church has a culture, an environment that speaks volumes, whether you want it to or not. If I were to mention the names of a few churches, a certain culture might come to mind, such as “purpose-driven,” “prayer-focused,” or “missional.”

I don’t believe those are mutually exclusive. But, if you want to reach men with the gospel and raise them to be “kingdom men,” you must create a culture that speaks to men. I’m not necessarily talking about the music,

“

IF MEN HAVE SO MUCH IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF FAMILIES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE CHURCH, ARE YOU INVESTING IN THE MEN IN YOUR CHURCH?

”

kind of encouragement in a church setting creates an atmosphere to be real.” Here’s another: “[You played] a strong role in grabbing men and getting them interested in church. ... It wasn’t a small agenda for you; it was a major item, and you poured your heart into it.” Does your church have a culture which is inviting and convicting to men?

C H U R C H H E A LT H

CAST A CHALLENGE.

I believe men want to be challenged. Gordon Dalbey, author of Healing the Masculine Soul, once said this concerning challenging men—“Most often, we draw back from challenging men to greater commitment, assuming their laziness. We then wonder why men have so little respect for the church— even as we presume so little respect

Gives men a proper framework of what it means & what it looks like to be a biblical man. This free resource is designed for men of all ages, single or married. Get your copy of the DVD & leaders guide at SBTEXAS.COM/MEN WRITTEN BY ERIC REED & DON MUNTON Published by SBTC Men’s Ministry Made possible through Cooperative Program giving.

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the facilities, the messages, the dress code, etc., all of which David Murrow addresses in his book Why Men Hate Going to Church.

I’m speaking about a culture that is open for men to “come as they are.” In the first church I pastored, one of the men in our church was a “country and western” singer who entertained in bars and nightclubs and, by his own confession, would often come to church somewhat “hungover.” He wrote, “Looking back, I can see a few components that were effective in reaching me and others, one of which was a conducive environment. In other words, [our church had created] an environment conducive for men to be broken. One thing that caught my attention was men hugging each other after praying at the altar. This

C H U R C H H E A LT H

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for them. But what if we told men up front that to join the church of Jesus Christ is to enlist in God’s army and to place their lives on the line? This approach would be based on the warrior’s spirit in every man, and so would offer the greatest hope for restoring the authentic Christian manhood to the Body of Christ.” Author Dennis Rainey, in his video series, Stepping Up: A Call to Courageous Manhood, concurs when he writes, “I found men eager to answer a clear call to grow up, man up and step up to the great adventure of the Christian life.” Are you lowering the bar for the men in your church, or are you willing to issue a bold challenge to step up and be the men God has designed them to be and in which design they will be most fulfilled and effective? Here is another testimony from a man in our church concerning this very issue, “A big part of it to me was your passion and ability to challenge us to stand up and be accountable. Plainly, I just did not want to let you down. I think most men have that desire in them not to fail, especially when they have a dedicated leader.” This is why I started weekly meetings with men to challenge them to be “kingdom men.”

CULTIVATE THEIR CALLING.

Russell Rainey, executive director of Adventures for Life, asked a number of men why they didn’t go to church. A common response was “There’s nothing for me to do.” Far too many times we

T H E S B T C H A S D E V E L O P E D A L I B R A R Y O F R E S O U R C E S F O R M E N AVA I L A B L E A T S B T E X A S . C O M / M E N

6

“ ARE YOU LOWERING THE BAR FOR THE

MEN IN YOUR CHURCH, OR ARE YOU WILLING TO ISSUE A BOLD CHALLENGE TO STEP UP AND BE THE MEN GOD HAS DESIGNED THEM TO BE AND IN WHICH DESIGN THEY WILL BE MOST FULFILLED AND EFFECTIVE?

” ask men to serve, when some of the only spots we offer are parking lot attendant, greeter, usher, teacher, etc. I certainly am not diminishing those roles, but what do you do with a man who has the spiritual gift of leadership? Let them lead or at least be a part of your leadership team. Instead of attempting to put a square peg in a round hole by trying to fit your men into a position in your church for which they are neither gifted nor passionate, why not find out to what God has called them and then resource and release them to fulfill that calling? There was a gentleman in our church who had a passion for prison ministry. Consequently, his ministry would preclude him from attending many church events, but this was his calling, and now he is a most fulfilled and effective kingdom man.

Feel free to contact me, jlynn@sbtexas. com, for recommendations on how more specifically you can reach, raise and release men to be what God has created them to be, and for what our families, churches and nation are desperate for.

REACH OUT SBTEXAS.COM/MEN

C H U R C H H E A LT H

A FREE 30-day sexual detox tool.

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?

cravefreedom.com Made possible through Cooperative Program giving.

C H U R C H H E A LT H

T RA I NI NG

EQUIP-ing Your Lay Leaders

By Mark Yoakum SBTC EQUIP Consultant

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Harry Piland, noted SBC Sunday School leader, believed that most lay leaders are not doing the job they are asked to do for one of three reasons: 1. They are unspiritual.

2. They do not understand what is being asked of them.

3. They do not know how to do what is being asked of them.

He told me that in his 50-plus years of church ministry, people often assumed lay leaders were failing for the first reason listed, but he found that the last two were the cause of most ineffectiveness. EQUIP is a training event specifically designed to help churches help their leadership with the last two areas—understanding what they are to do and how to do it. This event also helps leaders grasp why what they are doing is so important to God’s kingdom.

This year EQUIP will be held on Saturday, August 14, at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Ronnie Floyd, president of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, will be the keynote speaker. This one-day event provides churches an opportunity to invest in their lay leaders by equipping them to be more prepared, more energized and more knowledgeable about what they are supposed to do in helping their classes and their churches grow. EQUIP is one of the largest training events for lay leadership in the nation with over 2,500 in attendance in Houston in 2019.

Breakout sessions are provided at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and will focus on training leaders in all areas of ministry: preschool to 55+ adults, special needs, first impressions, finances, deacons, church libraries, church security and children’s worship. Sixteen sessions will be taught in Spanish and eight will

be taught in Korean for children’s ministry leaders. With the growing online and technological needs of the church, eight sessions will be offered for worship technology, worship lighting and online services. In all, over 275 breakout sessions will be available. Some sessions will also be offered for pastors and staff members, but EQUIP’s main emphasis is training lay leaders in the church.

In addition to breakout sessions, there will be five lunch panels:  Teaching Children in a Crazed Culture  Effects of Anxiety on the Family  Women’s Ministry  Reaching Generation Z  First Impressions Ministry At EQUIP, lay leaders come away feeling enthused, energized and prepared to go back to their local church as better leaders.

I do not know of one pastor who does not want this for his lay leaders, which is why it is imperative to register your lay people for this training event today. The cost is only $10 per person, which helps to cover lunch. Group registration is also available for churches, allowing a church to secure spots for their people now and finalizing names as EQUIP approaches. Late registration is $15 after August 8.

REACH OUT SBTEXAS.COM/EQUIP

Houston

AUGUST 14, 2021

c on f erence

C H U R C H H E A LT H

CHAMPION FOREST BAPTIST CHURCH

9

SBTEXAS.COM/EQUIP

Breakouts for staff, volunteers & lay leaders in these areas of ministry:

+ Preschool

+ First Impressions/Security

+ Leadership

+ Children

+ Men

+ Library

+ Preteen

+ Women

+ Pastoral

+ Student/Collegiate

+ Discipleship

+ Chaplaincy

+ NextGen

+ Family

+ Missions

+ Adult Sunday School

+ Communication & Tech

+ En Español

+ Adult Home Groups

+ Worship

+ Equipping Black Churches

+ Single Adult

+ Evangelism

+ Equipping Asian Churches

every church wants more leaders.

Made possible by your Cooperative Program giving.

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9:00am-3:00pm

MISSIONAL MINISTRIES

Calming the Storms of Racial Division

By Tony Mathews SBTC Missional Ministries

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D

o you remember several years ago the two hurricanes named Harvey and Irma? These hurricanes consumed our news media, prayer time and conversations as we witnessed the devastation and destruction of homes, land and human life.

During that time, some meteorologists reported that as a result of Harvey, somewhere between 25 to 30 trillion gallons of water were dumped on Southeast Texas and southern Louisiana. It is difficult to imagine that amount of water falling in such a relatively short period of time. When experts showed the image of Irma overlaying the Sunshine State, it blew me away. This dynamic duo—Harvey and Irma—is still being discussed. My guess is that they will be spoken about for years and decades to come.

“

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”

MISSIONAL MINISTRIES

During that time, I was pleased to discover that in some quarters, the primary conversation that rose above the rhetoric of the storms focused on something more powerful than Harvey and mightier than Irma. I am referring to the help people gave each other regardless of race or skin color.

Though we find ourselves in several crises that are racial, political and COVID-19 related, we can still help each other no matter the color of a person’s skin or their ethnic background. Additionally, although much communication occurs on social media (in terms of race relations), we WE ARE IN THE should do our best to circulate language that unites us rather than divides us.

MIDST OF A Let me go back to my observations during the RACIAL STORM hurricanes. I am intentionally treading very lightAND WE ALL NEED ly when writing about “silver linings” with HarTO BE IN RESCUE vey and Irma as I do not want to be insensitive or spiritualize those two hurricanes that ravaged MODE. PEOPLE property and resulted in the loss of lives. HowNEED RESCUING ever, we must not overlook how people treated FROM THE WINDS others with dignity and respect and helped each other regardless of race. My prayer is rescuing from using OF RACISM, that this would occur in our current racial language as lightning RESCUING FROM challenges. bolts to blast each othTHE WAVES After those hurricanes, if you were an er out of existence just African-American and you saw Asians because there are differOF PREJUDICE, who needed help, race and ethnicity ent opinions on matters RESCUING FROM didn’t matter—you just helped them. of race. Such actions ocUSING LANGUAGE If you were White and you saw Hiscur, but there is always good panics or Latinos who needed help, AS LIGHTNING news. race and ethnicity didn’t matter— Though those storms were BOLTS TO BLAST you just helped them. Everyone, destructive, I found comfort in EACH OTHER OUT including those who were not in knowing that Harvey and Irma OF EXISTENCE ... the direct path of the storms, did not sneak up on God. Even bewas in rescue mode. We are fore those hurricanes were way less SUCH ACTIONS in the midst of a racial storm than a Category 1, God knew they OCCUR, BUT THERE and we all need to be in reswere coming. God is omniscient, and IS ALWAYS GOOD cue mode. People need nothing sneaks up on him or takes him rescuing from the winds by surprise. The psalmist says, “Great is NEWS. of racism, rescuing from our Lord and abundant in strength; His the waves of prejudice, understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5), and Matthew reminds us that God has numbered “the very hairs” of our heads (Matthew10:30). He is all-knowing.

God knew those hurricanes were coming, and he also knew that race wouldn’t matter when people needed rescuing. Just as the winds

MISSIONAL MINISTRIES

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from the storms caused abnormal surges that rose some 6-12 feet above sea level, we saw humanity rise above racial divisions. We can do it again. We must. I believe we will.

How can we continue to be light that shines in the storms of racial division?

1. Communicate about race without becoming angry. This is easier said than done. Nevertheless, it must be done if we are going to grow in our understanding of one another. We have to be willing to intentionally listen without being defensive.

James is correct—“Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). Next time you are in a conversation about race, racism or anything in that vein that can potentially be “stormy,” intentionally listen even if you disagree. Listening will help move the conversation forward, as mutual respect will obviously be present.

2. Develop cross-racial or cross-cultural relationships.

If you do not have such a relationship, ask the Lord to bring someone from another race into your life who will become a good friend. For 30-plus years, I have had the privilege of providing pastoral and ministerial care not only to African-Americans (which is the racial majority at the current church where I serve) but also to other races and people from other cultures.

One thing I have learned is that we have more in common than

we may realize: “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall” (Ephesians 2:14). If any group of people should be an example of racial unity, it should be the body of Christ.

3. “Carefront” people publicly and privately. One need not be afraid of speaking directly to those who oppose racial unity.

You do not have to be mean-spirited, just be filled with the Spirit and the love of God. Avoid embarrassing and humiliating people, but never compromise your convictions by just “going along to get along.” At times, you may have to do what Paul did. He writes, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:11-12).

Use your influence to steer people in the right direction.

4. Forgive people. When we forgive people, it is like giving them a cool, refreshing glass of water on a hot day. Therefore, when someone asks for forgiveness, forgive him or her. Give that

person a new start as if the offense never occurred. Remember to “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

5. Share the gospel in both word and deed. 1 John 4:10-11 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” In other words, because of the gospel, because of what God did for us in sending his Son to die for our sins, we should love one another. The gospel is the cure for racial tensions; the gospel unites us. So let us declare the gospel with our mouths, but let us also declare it with our hands—“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18).

Just as sustained hurricane winds are put into categories ranging from “some damage” to “catastrophic damage,” let us sustain our effort to build unity across racial lines. By doing so, we will cause catastrophic damage to the kingdom of darkness.

RACIAL HARMONY PANEL DISCUSSION AVAILABLE TO VIEW AT SBTEXAS.COM/RACIALHARMONY

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

2021 november 8-9

Flint Baptist Church

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sesión en español 7 de noviembre

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C H U R C H H E A LT H

S P ECI A L NE E DS M I NI STRY

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5 Details to Include on Your Church Website About Your Disability Ministry

By Sandra Peoples SBTC Special Needs Ministry Consultant

A

s a family with a teenager who has autism, we can’t visit just any church. We have to look specifically for churches that offer accommodations for our son James. The first place I look to see if a church would be a good fit is the church website. Your church website is the new front door to your church, and if special needs families can’t find the information they need on the website, they may never make it into your church building.

In my role as special needs ministry consultant for the SBTC, I’m looking at church websites across the state to see what they provide. After looking at dozens of sites that offer accommodations for people with special needs, I recommend making sure your website includes these five details: 1. Information about where to go when they arrive. Special needs families need to know where the handicapped accessible parking and building entries are. If your church is large, they don’t want to walk in a door on the opposite side of the church from where they need to go.

2. Contact information for a real person who can answer their questions. No matter how much info you have on the website, families may want to talk to someone who can answer their questions. This could be the special needs ministry coordinator or the church receptionist who can then contact the appropriate Sunday School teacher or youth minister to help even more.

3. What accommodations you make during your services. Every church has different families who attend and can meet

C H U R C H H E A LT H

“ THESE SIMPLE ADDITIONS TO

YOUR WEBSITE CAN HELP REACH SPECIAL NEEDS FAMILIES BEFORE THEY VISIT YOUR CHURCH.

”

REACH OUT SBTEXAS.COM/SPECIALNEEDS

SUNDAY Making the gospel accessible to everyone

JULY 11 for more info visit

sbtexas.com/specialneeds

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different needs. Potential visitors may want to know if you have buddies during Sunday School or a sensory-friendly class.

Is there a sign language interpreter during one of your services? Do you offer largeprint bulletins? If the accommodation is a regular part of your Sunday morning, share it on the site so families know your church could be a good fit.

4. Activities beyond Sunday morning services. Church doesn’t happen just on Sunday mornings. You probably also have small groups that meet in homes, a youth group on Wednesday nights, or an awesome sports camp each summer.

Families like mine would love to know what else we’ll be able to participate in if we join your church.

5. Real pictures of the kids and the spaces they are in. First, make sure you have the permission of the families featured in the photos you post. Having pictures of the room and the people visitors will see when they come to your church will help them feel much more comfortable, especially if they want to create a social story for their child so he/ she knows what to expect.

These simple additions to your website can help reach special needs families before they visit your church. Make it as easy as possible for them to know if your church is a good fit. Every family deserves to have access to the gospel and a church home.

C H U R C H H E A LT H

LEADERSHIP

How to Minister to Individuals with Various Personalities

By Angie Catron Administrative Assistant, Graceview Baptist Church, Burleson

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W

hen I was a young girl, God gave me a desire to serve others. Little did I know that at the age of 24, God would lead me into a season of serving on a church staff. Last March, I celebrated my 21st year as a full-time staff member. During these decades, I have served alongside four senior pastors and over 30 staff members. God has blessed me with some amazing friendships for which I will be forever grateful, but other relationships have brought hurt and pain. It has been through those painful relationships that God has grown me. I want to share how God has helped me in the ministry to serve people with various personalities.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and

“

GOD MADE EACH OF US UNIQUELY DIFFERENT. TRY TO FOCUS ON THE STRENGTHS GOD GAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU SERVE.

”

over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).

The first thing we can do when serving people with various personalities is to remember we are made in the image of God. God made each of us uniquely different. Try to focus on the strengths God gave those individuals that you serve. We all have areas of weakness, so find those that are strong in your areas of weaknesses and learn from them.

In struggle we grow. Ask the Lord to help you

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learn from those who are different from you. Be take it to the church. As the body of Christ, we ready when the Lord moves you to serve in areas should always be striving to glorify God with you never expected. unity in our relationships and within the body of “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, Christ (Romans 15:5-6). but in humility count others more significant “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you than yourselves. Let each of you look not only do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). to his own interests, but also to the interests of As we serve others and serve alongside our others” (Philippians 2:3-4). brothers and sisters in Christ, we cannot Another way we can minister to a forget what God’s Word tells us— wide variety of personalities is by man was created in order to bring guarding our hearts against glory to God. Tim Challies in pride. Those we serve, or his blog, Christian Living, serve with, should be given said it this way: “Our THE WORLD IS grace and mercy. None primary responsibility WATCHING US. OUR CHURCH of us are without sin. is to ensure that we are IS WATCHING US. OUR FAMILIES When others hurt us, bringing glory to God ARE WATCHING US. ARE WE BEING whether intentionally through our lives as we FAITHFUL, HUMBLE AND LOVING or unintentionally, we use the gifts and talents WITH THE GIFTS AND TALENTS should be humble in God has given us and offering grace, mercy and that we constantly GOD GAVE US AS WE SERVE? forgiveness—exactly what submit our time and our we want to be given when talents to Him.” The world we fail. May we extend the is watching us. Our church same love, grace and mercy that is watching us. Our families are God extends to us. watching us. Are we being faithful, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell humble and loving with the gifts and talents him his fault, between you and him alone. If he God gave us as we serve? If we are not glorifying listens to you, you have gained your brother. But God within the body of Christ, how can we share if he does not listen, take one or two others along the gospel to a world that desperately needs Jesus? with you, that every charge may be established Serving the Lord and others has been one of by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he the most rewarding parts of my life. I wish I could refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. tell you it has been easy and without struggle, but And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let I cannot. But God (love those two words) has him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” taught me so much while serving on a church (Matthew 18:15-17). staff about him and about my own sin struggles.

Conflict is inevitable while serving. As Always be open to what God is teaching you, Christians, we must follow God’s Word when especially when serving is difficult. I promise dealing with conflict. Hopefully, your church you this: God is with you. He knows every detail structure is set up to handle conflict and sin of your life, and he will give you the strength to biblically. First, pray. Then with a humble spirit, persevere when you are struggling or want to go to the person. We should always be seeking quit. We serve a God who is able to restore and to restore and reconcile with others. If that renew. I pray your strength and hope is in the relationship cannot be restored between the two Lord each day as you serve (Isaiah 40:31). of you, then bring in another brother or sister in Christ that can help both of you work through the REACH OUT SBTEXAS.COM/LEADERSHIP issues. If the relationship still cannot be restored,

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A

WO M E N’ S M I NI STRY

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Practicing Forgiveness as a Pastor’s Wife

By Melody Schmidt Pastor’s Wife, Lakeland Baptist Church, Lewisville

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

— E P H E S I A N S 4 : 32

s a young child, it was my heart’s desire to please my dad and make him proud.

When I was in middle school, I was heading to meet my friends when my dad caught a glimpse of my skirt and called me into the living room to talk about the appropriateness of my outfit. As a rule-follower who rarely got in trouble, I was devastated. I will never forget how my heart sank when I felt like I had disappointed my daddy.

When I think of that distant, middle school memory and the longing I had to please my earthly dad, I cannot help but think how much more we should want to do everything we can and know to do to please our Savior—including forgive those who hurt us.

Yet, forgiveness is often easier to talk about than practice, even for pastors’ wives. When our husbands are criticized, people leave our church, and others set unrealistic expectations for us or our children, our hearts are wounded. These scenarios can make forgiveness challenging and forming friendships undesirable because of the risks of being hurt. But it is still God’s expectation that we forgive.

Thus, we do need to know why and how to do so.

EVEN IF YOUR HEART IS NOT IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT FORGIVING, IT IS MY PRAYER YOU ARE WILLING TO GROW IN YOUR PRACTICE OF FORGIVENESS, KNOWING YOU ARE CALLED AND EMPOWERED TO FORGIVE.

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“ ”

WHY DO WE FORGIVE?

HOW DO WE FORGIVE?

Many people do not forgive because they do not know how to get to that place of forgiveness.

So, I want to suggest five steps to help us practice forgiveness as pastors’ wives.

1. Confess Your Own Sin to the Lord and Ask for His Forgiveness

In Matthew 7:4-5, Jesus tells us to take the “log” out of our eye before confronting the “speck” in another’s eye. Before we confront the sins of others, we must confess our own sin to the Lord. This step is so crucial that if we do not focus on our own sin and our need for forgiveness, we will struggle to forgive others.

We must remember that in comparison with the perfection and holiness of God, we fall short. We are great sinners (Isaiah 53:5).

But here is the good news—1 John 1:9 tells us that when we confess our sin to the Lord, he will forgive us. Once we confess our sins to the

2. Choose to Forgive in the Context of Prayer

In Matthew 6:12, Jesus teaches us to pray in this way: “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” It is important to practice the discipline of speaking our forgiveness of others in the presence of God naming (1) the offender, (2) the offense and (3) the damage he has done. As we talk the details out to the Lord, our hearts will begin to heal.

3. Release Your Offender to God Trusting Him to Enact Justice

Romans 12:19 says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” The Bible forbids revenge, so it is not an option no matter how horrible the offense against us. Instead we must release our offender to God, trusting he will enact justice in his timing.

4. Choose Either to Overlook the Sin or Confront the Offender

Proverbs 19:11 says, “A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to

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First, we are called to forgive because we have a forgiving God (Ephesians 4:32). Second, we can and should forgive because we are empowered to do what God calls us to (2 Peter 1:3). And finally, we forgive because we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus and now live to serve him (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Lord and receive his forgiveness, our hearts are softened and prepared to extend forgiveness to others.

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overlook a transgression.” While we recognize a sin has been committed against us, it should be our default to overlook or minimize someone’s sin privately in prayer (Proverbs 10:12; 12:16; 17:9, 14; 1 Peter 4:8).

Yet we also see throughout Scripture there are times when God calls us to confront (Proverbs 9:8, 27:5-6; Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1-2; James 5:19-20). In Luke 17:3, Jesus says, “If your brother sins; rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Confrontation is not comfortable for most of us. But Proverbs 27:6 tells us a true friend is actually willing to wound a friend through the ministry of reproof. Each time we are offended, we need to wisely and prayerfully decide whether or not we need to bring the matter up to the one who offended us.

5. Choose to Do Practical Good to Your Offender

In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

While this idea might sound unreasonable to you if you are in a place of hurt, Romans 12:20 tells us the evil others do against us, as well as the evil in our hearts, is overcome when we take this step of forgiveness. It is a huge help in the process of reconciliation for the repentant offender. And for the unrepentant, it is our hope that kindness will bring about his repentance (Romans 2:4).

So, let me ask you, sweet friend and pastor’s wife—where are you in your journey to forgiveness? Even if your heart is not in a place where you are excited about forgiving, it is my prayer you are willing to grow in your practice of forgiveness, knowing you are called and empowered to forgive. I do not know about you, but I want to hear my Lord Jesus say, “Well, done good and faithful servant. I put you in the ministry, and you were hurt a lot, but you forgave well.” May it be our hearts’ passion as pastors’ wives to do that which is pleasing to Christ by practicing the ministry forgiveness.

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The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:17 We are here to offer help and guidance in those times of discouragement, disheartenment and distress, either in your personal life or church life.

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WOMEN’S MINISTRY

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M U SI C MI NI STRY

“Why Aren’t They Singing?”

By Tony Wolfe SBTC Associate Executive Director

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very worship leader has asked the question—“Why aren’t they singing?”

You put in the work of planning and rehearsal. The service has been bathed in prayer.

The stage personalities are modeling expressiveness in worship. But for some reason, the congregation just isn’t singing. Let’s be honest—when they’re not singing along, it’s discouraging. It doesn’t take a PhD in worship studies to know the whole idea of congregational singing is that those who congregate would actually sing—out loud.

God loves it when his people sing to him together. Joining our voices in corporate praise and worship is a tangible expression of the joining of our hearts in praise and worship. We sing together in church not only to worship together, but because we worship together. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together wrote, “It is the voice of the Church that is heard in singing together. It is not you that sings, it is the Church that is singing, and you, as a member of the Church, may share in its song.”

BUT WHAT IF THE CHURCH JUST WON’T SING?

Certainly, there could be many reasons. The volume of the music, the setting of the atmosphere, the distance between worshippers, the prayer and devotional lives of the worship team members, the spiritual condition of those gathered and much more. All of these possibilities impact the degree to which worshippers sing out loud, but song selection is the factor I would like to address in this short article. Here are four suggestions to think through when selecting songs for worship services if you want your people to sing along: 1. Select songs that are theologically rich and doctrinally sound. It is incumbent upon you in your role as the worship leader to choose songs that are doctrinally sound. Doctrinal error, no matter how small it may seem, has no place in congregational worship. You should also choose songs that

express the depth of your congregation’s most cherished theological convictions.

In this way, worship invites church members into reflection on and recitation of their common confession of faith. But this suggestion is not merely positional or philosophical; it carries with it a practical element as well. The saints in the congregation who can sniff out weak emotionalism or doctrinal error simply will not sing if the song is not doctrinally sound or is theologically anemic. Their refusal to participate will be noted by others in the congregation.

If you are selecting theologically weak or doctrinally unsound songs, don’t expect mature Christ followers to sing along. And do expect others in the congregation to take notice.

2. Select songs that highlight or enhance the sermon text/series. When the sermon and the song selection are aimed at the same target, both benefit from the other’s bullseye. If your song

“

IT IS THE VOICE OF THE CHURCH THAT IS HEARD IN SINGING TOGETHER. IT IS NOT YOU THAT SINGS, IT IS THE CHURCH THAT IS SINGING, AND YOU, AS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, MAY SHARE IN ITS SONG.

”

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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vocal training to sing. I’m not advocating a dry, quarter-note melody on a five-note scale for every congregational song. But I am saying that some songs out there—good songs—are just not easily singable for a congregation because of their rhythm, range or melodic structure. There are opportunities to give full expression to your giftedness as a vocal musician who loves Jesus. But congregational singing in the weekly worship service is not that opportunity. Simple and singable for the win.

4. Select songs that are familiar. Scripture teaches us to sing new songs to the Lord (Psalm 96:1). And we should. But Scripture also bears witness to the beauty and value of singing familiar songs as well (Colossians

3:16, Ephesians 5:19). Indeed, the book of Psalms is organized as a hymn book for God’s people.

The goal of the worship service is not to sing the best new songs.

The goal is to get the people lifting their voices together to God. If you are constantly putting new songs in front of them, they will never have the confidence they need to sing out in the gathering.

Use the offertory or prelude and postlude times to introduce new songs to the congregation. After a few reps of hearing a new song in these spots, people may be ready for you to add them to the worship set. If a song is put in the congregational set list, it should be one they know. They will sing louder and better when they know the song. Predictability and repetition in congregational worship is not a bad thing.

If you want them to sing along, they need to know the song and have confidence in your leadership of it.

Many factors could lead to a lack of congregational participation in the worship service. But I pray these four simple suggestions with regard to song selection may help get you pointed in the right direction.

I leave you with another quote from Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, “The more we sing, the more joy we derive from it. But, above all, the more devotion and discipline and joy we put into our singing, the richer will be the blessing that will come to the whole life of the fellowship from singing together.”

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selection highlights key biblical themes of the sermon for the day, or reiterates overall biblical themes of the current sermon series, the congregation’s voices are tuned into what their hearts become ready to receive. If your congregation knows they can come every week expecting the song selection to line up with the biblical exposition, they will be much more open to participatory expressions of worship. Work with your pastor to get a list of upcoming biblical texts or sermon topics/series and ask if he has any suggestions for song selection. Don’t hesitate to run the set list by him before you settle on it. When it is obvious that the worship leader and the preacher are on the same page, the congregation will be more apt to join them and sing along.

3. Select songs that are singable. Much of the time, your people are not singing because the songs are not easily singable.

The average vocal range of your worshippers is about one and a half octaves, the safe zone landing somewhere between Db3-D5 for women (Bb-D4 for men). If the song is too low, they may be singing, but you just don’t hear them. If it is too high, they may vacillate between octaves or they may not sing at all. Melodies should be simple and easy to follow. Complicated melodic structures are often beautiful for musical expression but may not be conducive to congregational participation.

The rhythms should not be overly jagged or syncopated, and the rate of note-change should be simple, not requiring

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E N E SPA ÑOL

Cuidando el Corazón del Adorador Por Iván Orellana Spanish Pastor, Champion Forest Baptist Church Jersey Village Campus

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a música juega un papel importante en la historia de la humanidad.

Existe evidencia

arqueológica de civilizaciones muy antiguas, y entre ellas se encuentran instrumentos de música y varios otros elementos que muestran que antiguamente personas se dedicaban a este arte de forma muy activa y compleja; y que incluso era considerada una profesión de vida. Y es que la música tiene la capacidad de llevar un mensaje muy directo a la vida de las personas, y de ahí proviene la importancia de ésta.

Dios ha creado la música con un propósito y nosotros debemos usarla de la manera correcta.

En muchas de las reuniones de nuestras iglesias, la música tiene un lugar importante. Debemos estar siempre conscientes y enfocados de que ese espacio en nuestros programas de reunión debe tener un propósito muy claro: dar gloria a Dios y enviar el mensaje correcto a la vida de las personas. Por eso es que debemos tener cuidado al colocar a la persona asignada a dirigir el área de la música y adoración de la iglesia.

Cuando hablamos de la diferencia entre un “líder de Música” y un “pastor de Adoración” debemos entender que ambos son muy importantes, sin embargo, existen algunas diferencias entre ambos roles.

Comenzaremos diciendo que el líder de música es el encargado de la ejecución correcta de la parte musical de nuestras iglesias. Esta persona posee el conocimiento necesario para guiar a músicos y cantantes a una correcta interpretación musical en nuestros servicios o reuniones.

También provee los elementos necesarios para los diversos ensayos, así como las

“

ÉL NO NOS HA LLAMADO NADA MÁS A FORMAR MÚSICOS Y CANTANTES, NOS HA LLAMADO A FORMAR “ADORADORES QUE ADOREN EN ESPÍRITU Y VERDAD A NUESTRO PADRE CELESTIAL”. ESO SÓLO LO PODEMOS LOGRAR CUANDO NOS ENFOCAMOS EN LOS CORAZONES DE LAS PERSONAS.

”

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es que lo estaba llevando a cabo de forma muy similar a como nosotros hoy en día podemos ver a las personas, sólo por sus capacidades externas y no por lo verdaderamente importante, su corazón.

El pastor de adoración sabe que cuando hablamos de un grupo de alabanza y adoración no estamos hablando nada más de voces de un coro, tampoco estamos hablando de guitarras, pianos o de cualquier otro instrumento musical.

El pastor de adoración sabe que estamos tratando con lo mismo que Dios trata, el corazón de las personas, ya que del corazón brota la vida de la persona.

La alabanza y adoración de nuestras congregaciones debe ser llevada a cabo por personas que están constantemente siendo capacitadas, no sólo en el área musical, sino también en el área de ser discípulos de Jesús cada día. Debemos discipular a nuestras personas que son parte de esta hermosa asignación en nuestras iglesias. No podemos descuidar sus corazones ni sus vidas, ya que, si lo hacemos, tarde o temprano comenzarán a brotar los frutos de lo que hemos cultivado.

Como líderes de música, debemos dar lo mejor para Dios y guiar a otros a re-

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“… EL SEÑOR NO VE LAS COSAS DE LA MANERA EN QUE TÚ LAS VES. LA GENTE JUZGA POR LAS APARIENCIAS, PERO EL SEÑOR MIRA EL CORAZÓN.” 1ª Samuel 16:7 (NTV)

herramientas que llevarán al grupo a un buen nivel musical. Esta posición es muy importante, ya que como la Biblia nos dice, debemos glorificar a Dios en todo lo que hagamos. Damos gloria a Dios al dar lo mejor de nosotros en cada área de nuestras vidas y de allí partimos para decir que la música que ejecutamos en nuestras congregaciones debe ser siempre dando lo mejor de nosotros. Así que esto requerirá nuestra mejor preparación; no olvidemos que Él es digno de suprema alabanza y necesitamos hacerlo bien, con lo mejor de nosotros.

Ahora bien, el líder de música puede tener la tendencia a enfocarse demasiado en el área de ejecución musical y entonces se olvida de otra parte muy importante: cuidar del corazón de las personas. Ahí vemos la diferencia con el pastor de adoración, quien es el encargado de cuidar la vida de las personas y no sólo de sus habilidades musicales.

En lo personal, he tenido la oportunidad de prepararme en el área musical, de dar clases de música y preparar diferentes ministerios de adoración en varias iglesias. En mis años de experiencia, me he dado cuenta de que, en muchos casos, las personas que conforman lo que llamamos “grupos de alabanza y adoración” en nuestras congregaciones, tienen las mismas necesidades que cualquier otro miembro de nuestra congregación; y cometemos el error de sólo ver sus talentos y descuidamos sus corazones.

Recordemos lo que Dios dijo a Samuel en la segunda parte del versículo que encontramos en 1ª Samuel 16:7 (NTV) “… El Señor no ve las cosas de la manera en que tú las ves. La gente juzga por las apariencias, pero el Señor mira el corazón.” Samuel estaba a punto de escoger quién sería el encargado de guiar al pueblo de Dios y algo muy interesante

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“

conf e re n c i a

14

de

agosto

Champion Forest Baptist Church, Houston

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sbtexas.com/espanol

17-18 de septiembre Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose

Para más información, comuníquese con Juani Shelton sshelton@sbtexas.com • 817.552.2500 ext. 2668 1.877.953.7282 Número de teléfono gratuito

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TENEMOS UN PRIVILEGIO HERMOSO, EL PODER SER INSTRUMENTOS EN LAS MANOS DE DIOS PARA RESTAURAR LA VIDA DE ESAS PERSONAS QUE SON INSTRUMENTOS QUE TRAERÁN GLORIA A SU NOMBRE.

” alizar lo mismo, pero no podemos quedarnos nada más en ese nivel. Como dije al principio, ambas funciones como líder y pastor son importantes, pero creo firmemente que Dios anhela que nunca descuidemos la vida de las personas por encima de sus talentos. Cuando cuidas de ellos, las personas realmente encuentran para sus vidas ese lugar al cual Dios les quiere llevar: un lugar de amor, de propósito, de restauración, de gracia, ese lugar que solamente encontramos en Dios. Él no nos ha llamado nada más a formar músicos y cantantes, nos ha llamado a formar “adoradores que adoren en espíritu y verdad a nuestro Padre celestial”. Eso sólo lo podemos lograr cuando nos enfocamos en los corazones de las personas.

Si eres líder de música, recuerda que no estás tratando simplemente con instrumentos ni voces, estás tratando con vidas que necesitan de Dios. Es allí donde entra el pastorear, el cuidar, el animar, el corregir, pero lo más importante, el enseñar a las personas a amar a Dios por sobre todas las cosas y amar a su prójimo como a sí mismos. Eso es lo que Jesús nos mandó, el id y haced discípulos, bautizándoles y enseñándoles todas las cosas que Jesús nos enseñó. Tenemos un privilegio hermoso, el poder ser instrumentos en las manos de Dios para restaurar la vida de esas personas que son instrumentos que traerán gloria a Su nombre.

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C H U R C H H E A LT H

SM A L L G R O U PS

WHY SMALL GROUPS?

By Shane Kendrix SBTC Associate

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have been asked a few times over the past few years, “Why small groups?” I always respond with “Why not?”

I believe small groups are a vital part of the Christian walk. They are effective tools for discipleship and fellowship because they equip people for evangelism, worship and service.

Small groups, like anything else, depend on the foundation on which they are built. Consider Paul’s words in Colossians 2:67, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, being rooted and built up in him, established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.”

If your small group is meeting together solely because you are a church and there needs to be a small group, it will fail every time. You must know the who, what, when, where, why and how before the first meeting ever takes place. But instead, ask those questions in this order: Why Why are we meeting? Is it to fill a time slot, to address a specific need, to connect certain people, to study a specific scripture or topic or to advance a certain agenda? While none of these are bad reasons, they are insufficient on their own. We must address the needs of the individuals, the group, the church and the community—all for the glory of God. Small groups can be either “open” or “closed” groups. An open group is one where people can join at any time.

A closed group is one where the group gets too involved in the subject right off the bat for others to catch up. Neither open nor closed are bad, but if a group isn’t clearly defined as to which kind it is, the ambiguity can hurt everyone involved.

Who Groups have the potential to address many dynamics in our community. Gender-specific groups can address gender-specific needs. Age limits can

When Timing is everything. A group at night will limit senior adults. A group before the sun comes up will limit the younger generation. Sundays and Wednesdays can help get more there but may not be best for a particular group. Evaluation is key.

Where Meeting at the church, a house, a coffee shop, an office, a park ... it does matter. It affects who is willing to show up and how comfortable they will be to share.

The key point is to consider everything. Don’t just start a group and “figure it out as you go.” To clearly define the purpose and plan of a small group from the beginning is a foundation for success. Will the group change? Absolutely. Builders change the plans some as the building goes up. Flexibility is important, but a foundation is paramount.

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What What are we going to study? The topic is defined by the type of group as much as the group is defined by the topic. Is it a topical study or an exegetical verse-by-verse pursuit? Neither is a problem; it just needs to be clear before starting.

allow the group to address similar life stages. Intergenerational groups can create some amazing mentoring opportunities. They can also be detrimental for the same reasons, so be sure to define the group dynamic from the beginning.

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How How are we going to structure this group? The ideal size of a small group is six to eight people.

Too few, people feel awkward and pressured to perform. Too many, people can become part of the wallpaper and miss out on what God could do in their lives. Is there homework? Work outside of the group can be extremely helpful to the discussion, but not everyone is up for such a commitment, so it needs to be explained before starting. Discussion or lecture? Too many times people come into a discussion group and it becomes a weekly lecture. Or a planned lecture series gets continually redirected by well-meaning people who are looking for something different.

MISSIONAL MINISTRIES

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M I SSI ONS

OUR PLANS GOT CANCELED,

BUT NOT GOD’S

SERVING ON THE MISSION FIELD DURING A PANDEMIC

By Johnny and Donna Maust Missionaries to the Afro-Ecuadorians, Ecuador

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

—PROVERBS 19:21

LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD, we had lots of plans for 2020. The pandemic began with cancelations.

In March, we had two major events planned with volunteer teams. First, our youth retreat was canceled over virus concerns. Then the Ecuador government closed the airports and a team that was coming for an evangelistic volleyball tournament had to cancel.

We were scheduled to spend May-August in the U.S. on stateside assignment. Instead, we spent those months on full lockdown in our home in Rioverde, Ecuador. Businesses were closed, the churches couldn’t meet and people were without work. We could only drive one day a week. Our volunteer partners, an important part of our strategy, canceled their trips for the rest of 2020.

However, God opened new opportunities for us. We worked with local believers and government officials to organize and distribute food baskets three times to local people with funds from Send Relief, the Southern Baptist Convention’s organization for disaster relief and community development (formerly known as Baptist Global Response). Local believers from other areas of Ecuador also sent donations.

GOD OPENED NEW O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R U S . ...

EACH BASKET CONTAINED A BOOKLET OF THE GOSPEL

MISSIONAL MINISTRIES

OF JOHN AND OUR CONTACT INFORMATION. IN TOTAL, O V E R 600 F O O D B A S K E T S WERE GIVEN TO PEOPLE DIRECTLY THROUGH THE BAPTIST WORK HERE.

know attempted suicide. Donna was able to be at the hospital with one and pray with her and her mother. We have been working closely with the other young girl and have had her in our home. Pray for the people that fight depression and for wisdom for us as we minister to them.

As the pandemic continues, we are focusing on discipleship of believers and development of leaders. Limiting the number of people we have contact with has decreased our evangelism opportunities, but the local believers have that responsibility and our role is to equip them. One Afro-Ecuadorian young woman is taking the gospel to her remote community. While doing our best to maintain precautions, we accompanied her there and also to Chachi villages. The Chachi are an unreached indigenous group who live upriver in difficult-to-reach areas. We are obtaining copies of the Chachi Bible in print and audio for use in evangelism. Please pray for local believers to carry the gospel to difficult areas that we cannot reach.

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Each basket contained a booklet of the Gospel of John and our contact information.

In total, over 600 food baskets were given to people directly through the Baptist work here.

Although we were forced to limit our contact with people, we both began online Bible studies and discipleship. At one point, I (Johnny) was leading four online studies weekly. Disciples from our former place of ministry in the Andes Mountains contacted us and asked me to meet with them weekly also. To fill the gap left by canceled church services, myself and a man I disciple, John, began making short videos, teaching from the life of David and uploading them to social media. These videos have reached many people. Although the pandemic led us to this ministry, we have plans to continue using videos as an evangelism and discipleship tool. Donna hopes to begin a video series on family issues soon.

We were able to do some in-person ministry as well. In October, Donna began a women’s Bible study in another community. The women meet weekly outside by the river, and Donna tried to maintain social distancing, although it’s difficult. Until it is safe again, she has suspended her normal activities of baking with the women and teaching cooking classes.

In late September, five of our local church plants began to meet again. Three are doing well, but the other two have not returned to pre-pandemic attendance. Pray for the local bodies of believers to come together again and to grow, both spiritually and in number.

When our church plants meet, we follow the protocol set by the Department of Health.

Before people can enter, their temperature is taken and they are given hand sanitizer.

If they don’t have a mask, we give them one.

Seats are spread out. Masks are worn by all during the service.

As is true in other places, depression is an issue here. Recently, two young women we

C H U R C H H E A LT H

R E V I TA L I Z ATI ON

Where Does Church Revitalization Begin?

By Jim Grant Executive Director, Galveston Baptist Association

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T

he topic of church revitalization has been a subject of interest for several years now. Most people are familiar with David Olsen’s American Church in Crisis often quoted statistic about plateaued, dying and dead churches. While the information from Olsen may be a little outdated, the question of what to do about the epidemic is still relevant for anyone in ministry. I have done enough research on the topic to discover that every denomination is struggling with how to stop churches from closing their doors. I discovered there are multiple reasons why a church will die, including the following: the location, church history and leadership issues. As a result of the emphasis given to the number of churches closing, there are various philosophies, approaches and tools that have been developed in hopes of finding the root cause of the epidemic.

I appreciate the high level of interest and energy so many denominations, including my own, have given to find a solution, but church revitalization has no easy solution. There are too many variables to investigate and filter through to determine a “common cause” for church decline. There are no quick fixes or answers, but when a church does find new life again, the results are remarkable.

Some of the variables that must be taken into account before starting any church revitalization project includes age of the church, age of the congregation, past church history (successes and failures), community demographics (growing or declining in population) and whether current leadership is capable of leading through the process.

Often church revitalization enthusiasts are eager to do the research, conduct community and church surveys and crunch the data in hopes of uncovering the hidden secret to turning around a failing church. In our current technological age, a researcher can find

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33 Q UA RTE R 3 • 2 02 1

just about any information to diagnosis a church’s perceived condition. The conclusion may point to a problem that is geographical as well as spiritual.

Do not misunderstand me, there must be sufficient homework accomplished before settling on a course of action. Yet, life has taught me that we must be careful not to rely on statistical information alone.

Church revitalization is not a one-dimensional issue.

If a church is to begin a revitalization process, it must first know where to start. But it’s even more important to know where the church is headed.

Church revitalization inherently carries with it the idea that at some point the church, now languishing, was at some point successful and alive. Even having said that, the question comes to mind—”What does it mean to have a successful past?” If a church cannot identify a time when it was healthy and accomplishing kingdom work, it may need to start with a strategic planning team to develop—for the first time—a clear vision of what it means to be a New Testament church.

Church revitalization’s purpose is to bring about renewal within the life of redeemed people and the church’s current dilemma. Revitalization is not revival; it is more than revival. I have pastored four churches and have found some steps that will help determine a successful church transformation.

First, every church is different in its context, its people and its particular ministry for the kingdom of God. There have been enough attempts at reviving dying churches to provide a plethora of books documenting the many success stories.

Second, revitalization is difficult work. While reading these stories, one quickly learns that it is an arduous process. As with any work within the church, one can expect opposition and discouragement along the way. Church revitalization requires diplomacy and perseverance.

Third, revitalization requires the right leader. Even though many churches are experiencing warning signs of decline and death, not every pastor is a

church revitalization

C H U R C H H E A LT H

CHURCH REVITALIZATION IS NOT A ONEDIMENSIONAL ISSUE.

C H U R C H H E A LT H

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L E A D E R S M U S T S W I T C H F R O M B E I N G C A R E TA K E R S T O R I S K TA K E R S .

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revitalizer. Revitalization is as much about the pastor/leadership as it is about the overall church. Some churches would rather die than change; there are also pastors that would rather change pastorates than embark on the struggles of changing a church. Scripture is filled with examples of resistance to God’s will, in particular the nation of Israel. This should not sound strange; individuals and churches often revert to a place of comfort.

In a church situation where revitalization is being considered, and before all the research is done, leadership must answer a question: “Are they the ones to attempt revitalization?” While it might sound like a dumb question, in reality, this must be the first point to investigate. Long before studies and demographic analysis is attempted, there has to be clear direction from the Lord Jesus that the leadership is called to the work of revitalization. Specifically, is the pastor the right person? This question cannot be easily answered.

According to Luke 14:28, before attempting a work, the cost must be considered. If the pastor/ leadership is not willing to invest at least five to seven years towards the work, they should not start. The work will go unfinished and the people will become further discouraged, hindering any future work. Many reading this article now are trying to determine if they are called to revitalization. This pertinent question—“Am I the one to lead revitalization?”—must be asked and answered with a peace and clear understanding from God. A word of caution: Revitalization will not be like anything you have done before.

Joshua in the Bible is an example for potential revitalizers. Joshua had much to consider about his new position as leader of Israel. As ministers of the gospel, we are under obligation to the one who called us. Right now, many pastors find themselves in less than the best of church health situations. Our faithfulness in the difficult times will reflect God’s preparing us for the task.

Pastors, we are in difficult times. It is our watch and we must be found faithful.

Joshua had to reflect on what God had been doing in his life. As a valiant warrior, Joshua

experienced great victories and witnessed the powerful presence of God. While he was part of the disappointing “committee” that chose not to enter the Promised Land, he didn’t quit or give up. He stayed faithful for 40 years in the position of captain of the Israeli army. Before Moses died, Joshua was anointed as heir apparent to lead Israel to the Promised Land. This was quite a change of positions. No longer was he the executor of the plan, he was the vision caster. God gave Joshua words of encouragement and challenge (Joshua 1:1-9).

The leadership changed but the goal remained the same. Forty years in the wilderness did not alter God’s goal. Israel was always supposed to inhabit the Promise Land. Likewise, God commands churches to fulfill the Great Commission. Pastors and leadership will change, but God always remains the same. Those encouraging words from God, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with You” (Joshua 1:5), are for us.

Joshua was given a task; the outcome was already determined. The Lord said, “I am giving this land to them” (Joshua 1:2). There would be fighting, but God told Joshua that no man would be able to stand against what God was doing. Joshua did not let the circumstances and past dictate future obedience or the work of the Lord. We may all find ourselves from time to time in situations that seem impossible, but do not fret; God is still on his throne, and we have been called to shepherd his church. Three times in Joshua 1, Joshua is told to “be strong and courageous.” While it is imperative that churches and pastors remember what happened in the past, they cannot let it paralyze them. Now, Joshua could have struggled in the shadows of Moses, or he could accept his new role as valiant leader. Furthermore, Joshua had fought many battles in the typical manner of warfare. But in his new role, right from the beginning, Joshua and the people had to trust in unorthodox ways—God’s ways.

So, where does church revitalization begin? It begins with the pastor. Before a pastor embarks on revitalization, he must look at himself. Leaders must switch from being caretakers to risk takers.

Many qualities have been used to help identify if

August 26 10:00am (CSDT) video conference events that cover a variety of topics in church revitalization, ministry and leadership.

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church revitalization

September 23-24 SBTC Office, Grapevine

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35 Q UA RTE R 3 • 2 02 1

CHANGED HEARTS MEAN— 1. Repentant hearts over sin, sins and rebellion 2. Passion for the lost 3. Brokenness over community, church and city 4. Leaders’ hearts changing first 5. A holy discontent 6. Reading and obeying God’s Word 7. Praying without ceasing 8. Desire for intimacy with God

C H U R C H H E A LT H

someone is a church revitalizer. God looks for only one—being a man after God’s own heart.

God will build his church. If God has called you to revitalization, do not look for another church. What I am trying to say is that church revitalization is difficult, but when God is in the church, the church has a future. There are no easy answers and no quick fixes. God called us to shepherd his church, so let’s model our own Good Shepherd and be willing to lay down our life for the sheep.

Revitalization cannot remain with the pastor; it must become a church-wide urgency. King Josiah’s work of reform is laudatory, but it failed because the people didn’t get it. The sheep must have changed hearts, not just the shepherd. Yet, changed for what purpose, and how does this change come about?

The beginning of revitalization is the place where the church stopped. There must be a heartfelt change for the lost and unredeemed in the community, city, country and cosmos. Luke 19:10 has to be the passion of the believing church.

The heart of the problem in revitalization is the hearts in the problem. There must be a genuine spiritual attitude change towards people. Out of the heart flow the issues of life. If revitalization begins, it will happen because there is a radical change in the soul of the church.

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Revelation 7:9

Encouraging crosscultural interchange among churches with a special emphasis every July.

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As you celebrate these exchanges, please send photos, videos and/or testimonies so that we may highlight some of them during our annual meeting in November.

Ideas include: Pulpit, praise team or choir swap Joint revivals & worship services Coffee or breakfast with other pastors

August 13

Union Baptist Association, Houston

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