Amy Schenkel
I am the Great Lakes Regional Mission Leader for Home Missions, and currently serving as the interim Operations Director as we prepare to become a new mission agency with World Missions! My husband, Henry, and I had the joy of planting and pastoring a church plant from birth to adulthood, and so I have a special passion for church planting. I also find joy in Adventure Races, triathlons, National Parks, and doing anything with our two children.
Posted in: Growing Churches
Harry,
The full report did include this information, but there wasn't room on the blog to include it all (or maybe I just didn't think people would read past it to the other information :).
Here is a quick summary of the strategy and scope of the research:
these churches grew by more than 20% between 2007 and 2012 in either attendance or membership; these churches were more than 10 years old (thereby excluding church plants); these were English-speaking churches.
There were 42 CRC churches that fit these characteristics. Of these, 25 were available for phone interviews (a few declined to be interviewed; some pastors were on sabbatical or otherwise unavailable at this time; all others were attempted at least 4 times). This sample did reach a saturation point, when no new or relevant information was being presented.
The churches interviewed were diverse. From Port. St. Lucie, FL to British Columbia, they were located all over the United States and Canada in cities, suburbs, and rural communities. These churches were also diverse in their theological standing, from conservative (for example, avoiding the women in office issue) to liberal (churches wrestling with how to handle homosexual marriages, for example). The churches also varied in size from 50 to almost 500 members.
I promised the pastors I interviewed that I would not quote them directly, so they remain anonymous throughout the report.
I hope this helps!
Posted in: Kids Leading Worship
We just began a new program (so we'll wait to determine its success!) called weWorship. (One child thought I said WiiWorship and was a bit dissappointed). During our family nights twice a month the 1st-6th graders gather to think about the many different ways we can worship God. Each month a different leader guides them in a different theme. For example, last month they thought about how God is worshipped through dance. They read a Bible story about David dancing, they drew pictures, and they came up with a dance to a worship song. They also talked about the difference between performing a dance and using it to help people worship. Then, the last Sunday of the month the children have an opportunity to lead us in worship using what they've learned. For us it is a way to integrate children into leading worship.
Posted in: A Wrap of a Rap on the Heidelberg Catechism
This is great- thanks so much for the link!
What a great way to bring the HC into a church planting environment- this will surely show up sometime in the next few months in one of our worship services!
Posted in: "Contemporvant" Worship Video--Funny? Offensive? Satirical? Mean?
Thanks for a good laugh this morning.
This is where it strikes me (coming from a church planting situation): sometimes we try too hard from our own efforts to make the worship gathering flashy and meaningful and emotional and...contemporvant. Like if we just try harder then we'll see the life transformation we're hoping for. But we forget that no matter what we do, no matter what style we worship in, it is the Holy Spirit who works to do the transforming. I am reminded of this everytime I think a worship service- or a sermon- flopped, and yet God uses that broken attempt to do amazing things.
Posted in: Pastors: Low-Prep Ways to Connect With Your People
Great, practical advice, Dave.
I also think these everyday spaces are places where we could meet our neighbors! :)