I am not a pastor but I hang out with a lot of them. I've served as stated clerk of classis for six years, and I occasionally speak at ecumenical ministerial gatherings.
A pastor who is 'well' is one who is in great shape: emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
- It's important to get out to the gym at least two or three times a week. Sound body and sound mind, and all that. That's a great way to stay physically active while listening to your favorite podcast or musical group.
- It's important to have at least one or two days of 'sabbath rest' from one's work. But that also applies to sabbath rest from your technology. Make a point of regularly turning off your computer, phone or other digital gadgets. Seek solitude, even if that involves quietly sitting in your office. Set aside regular time when you will be unplugged; whether that's during dinner time, on weekends or on your formal day off.
- Be accountable for the websites that you go to. Excellent software exists where you can work with an accountability partner who 'sees' the websites you visit or the questionable emails you receive. Pornography is rampant across our church membership, and the church office isn't immune to those temptations.
- There isn't a better spiritual exercise than spending time in the Bible. That should be a given. I have often heard pastors in conversation with each other who invariably ask: "Read any good books lately?" Sure, read devotionals, novels, commentaries but be grounded in the Word of God.
- Pastors, like all of us, worry ... about everything. Worry only about things that are under your control; then fix it. Anything that isn't under your control is in God's hands. He'll handle it.
The 'success' of a small group ministry rests with the content. Small groups have a tendency to become social gatherings rather than spiritual formation gatherings. Our small group spends the first hour discussing the past Sunday's message, using questions provided by the church office. The second hour is much more significant; men and women separate, meet in separate rooms, and become accountable for their personal lives over the past week. They share -- frankly and openly -- about their struggles over the past week as they dealt with sin, temptation, the amount of time they spend in devotions, their relationships (spouses, parents, children). And throughout the week, they connect to each other by email or phone to see how they're doing.
This is spiritual development. It's accountability, something that few small groups seem equipped to do; nor do they desire to become that vulnerable.
Your "Ten Ways.." are a given. They are the ground rules. It's what happens during that weekly discussion time that shapes one's faith journey, and that ends up strengthening the entire congregation's faith journey.
This is an interesting discussion. I wonder if the comments would be different if the theme was "Defining Obedience in Ministry". What does it mean to be obedient to God?
"Success", a very secular term, connotes images of kingdom-building. I have regularly asked groups of pastors, as well as groups of Christian business owners: "Whose kingdom are you building; yours or God's"?
It seems to me that if the pastor preaches to an audience of one -- God -- then he is fulfilling his calling. If it is God who can say 'amen!' to your sermon, then you've preached properly ... even if the congregation determines that your sermon was too harsh, not 'uplifting enough'.
"Obedience" in preaching may not be as comfortable or as popular as a sermon determined to be "Successful". It is, however, imperative within our North American culture.
Getting church-goers to become engaged in scripture. What a novel idea.
One might start by removing all of the Bibles from the church pews. Have folks bring their own to worship that they can mark up and wear out. Smart phones will finally have a place in worship as parishioners -- especially young people -- become exposed to their favorite Bible app.
We as Reformed Christians have become lazy when it comes to opening up scripture. We've been conditioned to depend on the pew Bible, and that -- sad to say -- if often the only exposure that we have to scripture through the course of the week. We need to get trained to actually choose our favorite Bible translation and then take it with us to worship, to Small Groups, to work, wherever.
Biblical engagement is a huge issue within our churches, simply because we haven't grown up with the need to have an intimate relationship with our very own Bible. Without that intimate relationship, how can we expect to have meaningful small group discussions around biblical content?
Hundreds of Christian business leaders -- men and women -- meet monthly across Canada in small groups over breakfast.
They meet to connect their faith to their vocation. The Canadian Christian Business Federation (CCBF) is a 30-year-old network involving almost 4,000 Christians across Canada. It has deep Reformed roots but it has developed into a wonderful ecumenical gathering of Christians who deal with business issues from a biblical perspective. This isn't Bible study; it's leadership development but it is solidly biblical. The foundation for these monthly breakfast discussions -- and there are 35 groups across the country -- is the NIV Leadership Study Bible.
There is a five-year curriculum, dealing with everything from integrity and obedience to God to stress management, courage and risk-taking, communication skills and problem solving.
Among the participants are men and women involved in business, more than a dozen Christian non-profits and a half dozen Christian colleges and universities who connect their business students with business leaders.
A growing number of churches are creating their own CCBF groups, recognizing that the church does very little to provide faith support for their members who are in business or the professions. Interestingly, almost all of these churches are evangelical, Pentecostal or Assembly of God. There isn't a CRC among them, even though the discussion materials focus on the very Reformed notion that 'everything belongs to God' and that 'if you're in business, you're in ministry'.
Just as there are Coffee Break groups for women, I would love to see even one CRC consider creating a small group for the men and women in their congregation who are involved in business or the professions.
While I embrace the notion that we need to have more small groups that deal with Bible study, we also need to have small groups that practically apply those biblical principles to the challenges facing the Christian business community: How do you balance your corporate long range plan with the will of God? How do you handle power and influence? If all that we have belongs to God, isn't tithing robbing God of the other 90 per cent?
A privacy issue. Taken to the extreme, does an elder have the right to ask a parishioner about their spiritual life, their devotional life? Its clearly a privacy issue.
When looking for officebearers, do we probe into their lifestyle and the way they provide leadership within the family??
"Privacy issue" is a secular term. The church focuses on pastoral care, discipline and the overall safety of congregational members.
Can you imagine any church family telling the church leaders that their personal lives are a "privacy issue"?
We are a binational denomination, with two very different cultures when it comes to dealing with COVID and vaccinations and all that.
The question at the beginning of this thread focuses on whether or not vaccinations should be mandatory for volunteers in church.
We're not debating COVID or the merits of masks. The CRC has a denominational Safe Church Office. How do we make our church experience safe as we deal with COVID and vaccinations?
You pose an interesting question, Matthew: "Which do you value more highly -- individual/personal privacy or communal health and well-being?"
And to digress from the topic at hand, it speaks to the difference in CRC church culture between Canada and the US. American CRCs were born out of a pietistic theological mindset (ie individual/personal privacy .. Me and My God). Canadian CRCs were born out of the Kuyperian (after Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper) mindset; the church as community (We and our God)
When it comes to COVID, vaccinations and all that, Canadian CRC folks tend to look at communal health and well-being while American CRC folks look at individual rights to get vaccinated or not.
I think that it depends on the nature of the volunteer position. We currently do police checks on those working with children ministries. Its a safety issue. I'd insist on fully vaccinated volunteers involved in nursery or children's ministry.
Do churches still have choirs? I thought that worship teams -- designed to lead the congregation in worship -- replaced the need for choirs. One can't beat congregational singing in a worship service.
So, choirs during COVID are redundant and non-existent. Let's permanently put choirs and "special music" to rest.
Instead, have worship teams teach and lead meaningful psalms, hymns and contemporary songs.
You raise a profound question and it even stretches beyond The Offering to a larger question about what worship will look like post-COVID? And will we ever experience a post-COVID or will we always have COVID with us ... like the flu or other viruses?
Those churches that had online giving or pre-authorized giving before COVID hit are probably still managing to pay their bills. Those church members have grown accustomed to giving to the church outside of the weekly worship service.
It is undoubtedly more difficult for churches that passed the offering plate on Sundays and that was the sole source of church revenue.
My hunch is that mission giving has moved from the offering plate to direct donations to the ministry agency. While non-profit funding is down considerably during COVID, my hunch is that mission agencies with their broad database of church members and supporters may be doing okay.
I have also noticed that online giving has spread to a wider family of kingdom causes. Local church loyalty is giving way to a broader Kingdom approach. Sunday worship during COVID has become "Sunday worships" -- often watching two, three or more worship services on a Sunday, either live or on YouTube. I live in Ontario but I regularly 'worship' with our kids in Florida and in Seattle on Sunday mornings. While there is a temptation to donate to them when the offering call comes around, I've resisted the tempation ... mainly because U.S. churches can't issue Canadian tax receipts.
I guess I haven't really answered your question. Churches regularly encourage their online audiences to still donate online or to send a cheque in the mail. From a parishioner's perspective, The Offering still happens but the recipients vary ... depending on whim.
Posted in: Let’s Be Well
I am not a pastor but I hang out with a lot of them. I've served as stated clerk of classis for six years, and I occasionally speak at ecumenical ministerial gatherings.
A pastor who is 'well' is one who is in great shape: emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
- It's important to get out to the gym at least two or three times a week. Sound body and sound mind, and all that. That's a great way to stay physically active while listening to your favorite podcast or musical group.
- It's important to have at least one or two days of 'sabbath rest' from one's work. But that also applies to sabbath rest from your technology. Make a point of regularly turning off your computer, phone or other digital gadgets. Seek solitude, even if that involves quietly sitting in your office. Set aside regular time when you will be unplugged; whether that's during dinner time, on weekends or on your formal day off.
- Be accountable for the websites that you go to. Excellent software exists where you can work with an accountability partner who 'sees' the websites you visit or the questionable emails you receive. Pornography is rampant across our church membership, and the church office isn't immune to those temptations.
- There isn't a better spiritual exercise than spending time in the Bible. That should be a given. I have often heard pastors in conversation with each other who invariably ask: "Read any good books lately?" Sure, read devotionals, novels, commentaries but be grounded in the Word of God.
- Pastors, like all of us, worry ... about everything. Worry only about things that are under your control; then fix it. Anything that isn't under your control is in God's hands. He'll handle it.
Posted in: Ten Ways to Be a More Inclusive and Welcoming Adult Small Group
The 'success' of a small group ministry rests with the content. Small groups have a tendency to become social gatherings rather than spiritual formation gatherings. Our small group spends the first hour discussing the past Sunday's message, using questions provided by the church office. The second hour is much more significant; men and women separate, meet in separate rooms, and become accountable for their personal lives over the past week. They share -- frankly and openly -- about their struggles over the past week as they dealt with sin, temptation, the amount of time they spend in devotions, their relationships (spouses, parents, children). And throughout the week, they connect to each other by email or phone to see how they're doing.
This is spiritual development. It's accountability, something that few small groups seem equipped to do; nor do they desire to become that vulnerable.
Your "Ten Ways.." are a given. They are the ground rules. It's what happens during that weekly discussion time that shapes one's faith journey, and that ends up strengthening the entire congregation's faith journey.
Posted in: Defining Success in Ministry
This is an interesting discussion. I wonder if the comments would be different if the theme was "Defining Obedience in Ministry". What does it mean to be obedient to God?
"Success", a very secular term, connotes images of kingdom-building. I have regularly asked groups of pastors, as well as groups of Christian business owners: "Whose kingdom are you building; yours or God's"?
It seems to me that if the pastor preaches to an audience of one -- God -- then he is fulfilling his calling. If it is God who can say 'amen!' to your sermon, then you've preached properly ... even if the congregation determines that your sermon was too harsh, not 'uplifting enough'.
"Obedience" in preaching may not be as comfortable or as popular as a sermon determined to be "Successful". It is, however, imperative within our North American culture.
Posted in: Creating Small Groups for Bible Engagement
Getting church-goers to become engaged in scripture. What a novel idea.
One might start by removing all of the Bibles from the church pews. Have folks bring their own to worship that they can mark up and wear out. Smart phones will finally have a place in worship as parishioners -- especially young people -- become exposed to their favorite Bible app.
We as Reformed Christians have become lazy when it comes to opening up scripture. We've been conditioned to depend on the pew Bible, and that -- sad to say -- if often the only exposure that we have to scripture through the course of the week. We need to get trained to actually choose our favorite Bible translation and then take it with us to worship, to Small Groups, to work, wherever.
Biblical engagement is a huge issue within our churches, simply because we haven't grown up with the need to have an intimate relationship with our very own Bible. Without that intimate relationship, how can we expect to have meaningful small group discussions around biblical content?
Posted in: Creating Small Groups for Bible Engagement
Hundreds of Christian business leaders -- men and women -- meet monthly across Canada in small groups over breakfast.
They meet to connect their faith to their vocation. The Canadian Christian Business Federation (CCBF) is a 30-year-old network involving almost 4,000 Christians across Canada. It has deep Reformed roots but it has developed into a wonderful ecumenical gathering of Christians who deal with business issues from a biblical perspective. This isn't Bible study; it's leadership development but it is solidly biblical. The foundation for these monthly breakfast discussions -- and there are 35 groups across the country -- is the NIV Leadership Study Bible.
There is a five-year curriculum, dealing with everything from integrity and obedience to God to stress management, courage and risk-taking, communication skills and problem solving.
Among the participants are men and women involved in business, more than a dozen Christian non-profits and a half dozen Christian colleges and universities who connect their business students with business leaders.
A growing number of churches are creating their own CCBF groups, recognizing that the church does very little to provide faith support for their members who are in business or the professions. Interestingly, almost all of these churches are evangelical, Pentecostal or Assembly of God. There isn't a CRC among them, even though the discussion materials focus on the very Reformed notion that 'everything belongs to God' and that 'if you're in business, you're in ministry'.
Just as there are Coffee Break groups for women, I would love to see even one CRC consider creating a small group for the men and women in their congregation who are involved in business or the professions.
While I embrace the notion that we need to have more small groups that deal with Bible study, we also need to have small groups that practically apply those biblical principles to the challenges facing the Christian business community: How do you balance your corporate long range plan with the will of God? How do you handle power and influence? If all that we have belongs to God, isn't tithing robbing God of the other 90 per cent?
Keith Knight
Executive Director
Canadian Christian Business Federation
Posted in: Vaccination Status of Church Volunteers?
A privacy issue. Taken to the extreme, does an elder have the right to ask a parishioner about their spiritual life, their devotional life? Its clearly a privacy issue.
When looking for officebearers, do we probe into their lifestyle and the way they provide leadership within the family??
"Privacy issue" is a secular term. The church focuses on pastoral care, discipline and the overall safety of congregational members.
Can you imagine any church family telling the church leaders that their personal lives are a "privacy issue"?
Posted in: Vaccination Status of Church Volunteers?
You raise a good point, Drayton CRC.
We are a binational denomination, with two very different cultures when it comes to dealing with COVID and vaccinations and all that.
The question at the beginning of this thread focuses on whether or not vaccinations should be mandatory for volunteers in church.
We're not debating COVID or the merits of masks. The CRC has a denominational Safe Church Office. How do we make our church experience safe as we deal with COVID and vaccinations?
Posted in: Vaccination Status of Church Volunteers?
You pose an interesting question, Matthew: "Which do you value more highly -- individual/personal privacy or communal health and well-being?"
And to digress from the topic at hand, it speaks to the difference in CRC church culture between Canada and the US. American CRCs were born out of a pietistic theological mindset (ie individual/personal privacy .. Me and My God). Canadian CRCs were born out of the Kuyperian (after Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper) mindset; the church as community (We and our God)
When it comes to COVID, vaccinations and all that, Canadian CRC folks tend to look at communal health and well-being while American CRC folks look at individual rights to get vaccinated or not.
Posted in: How Often Does Your Church Take Communion?
We celebrate communion weekly, just before the closing song and benediction.
It's always meaningful, never merely a tradition, and weekly reminder of God's grace.
Posted in: Vaccination Status of Church Volunteers?
I think that it depends on the nature of the volunteer position. We currently do police checks on those working with children ministries. Its a safety issue. I'd insist on fully vaccinated volunteers involved in nursery or children's ministry.
Manning the sound board? Not necessary.
Elders have an obligation to protect their flock.
Posted in: How Will Your Choir Look This Year?
Do churches still have choirs? I thought that worship teams -- designed to lead the congregation in worship -- replaced the need for choirs. One can't beat congregational singing in a worship service.
So, choirs during COVID are redundant and non-existent. Let's permanently put choirs and "special music" to rest.
Instead, have worship teams teach and lead meaningful psalms, hymns and contemporary songs.
Posted in: What Are Churches Doing To Encourage Giving as an Act of Worship During COVID-19?
You raise a profound question and it even stretches beyond The Offering to a larger question about what worship will look like post-COVID? And will we ever experience a post-COVID or will we always have COVID with us ... like the flu or other viruses?
Those churches that had online giving or pre-authorized giving before COVID hit are probably still managing to pay their bills. Those church members have grown accustomed to giving to the church outside of the weekly worship service.
It is undoubtedly more difficult for churches that passed the offering plate on Sundays and that was the sole source of church revenue.
My hunch is that mission giving has moved from the offering plate to direct donations to the ministry agency. While non-profit funding is down considerably during COVID, my hunch is that mission agencies with their broad database of church members and supporters may be doing okay.
I have also noticed that online giving has spread to a wider family of kingdom causes. Local church loyalty is giving way to a broader Kingdom approach. Sunday worship during COVID has become "Sunday worships" -- often watching two, three or more worship services on a Sunday, either live or on YouTube. I live in Ontario but I regularly 'worship' with our kids in Florida and in Seattle on Sunday mornings. While there is a temptation to donate to them when the offering call comes around, I've resisted the tempation ... mainly because U.S. churches can't issue Canadian tax receipts.
I guess I haven't really answered your question. Churches regularly encourage their online audiences to still donate online or to send a cheque in the mail. From a parishioner's perspective, The Offering still happens but the recipients vary ... depending on whim.