This is a great! We are having this conversation and everyone is able to shore their ideas. Lauren I know that you are still recuperating from being with us yesterday but please feel free to jump in to the mix. We will need to develop a strategy for the cabinet meeting by next Wednesday, if at all possible.
I will try and be brief in my responses:
1. We should be engaged in both existing churches and new churches. However as we examine the data (Neville this is from a business prospective as well as a Christian perspective) we must admit that new churches are much more “successful” in winning new converts to Christ. I believe that since we cannot do everything we must focus on certain areas of emphasis. The rifle rather than the shotgun approach. With the current financial crisis this is a must. Therefore I believe that Lovett’s three types of focus areas and Bill’s outline are very appropriate. Under this plan we leave no one out but we also move our resources (human, money, etc.) and energy into these three areas (new churches, turn-Around Churches and Elijah Churches). This way the current committees that each of you chair will be at the table and new churches, large churches, ethnic churches, rural churches, urban churches, etc. will all be able to receive some assistance from the conference is they meet certain criteria. This will not exclude our mission churches, as we are planning a summit about this in collaboration with the North Alabama Annual Conference in February. The bishop just asked me to help coordinate this effort. This is an example of how no one will be left out but it is also a friendly reminder that we can not be all things to all people and we must have a focus, a vision and a mission. Please review the ones that are in the PCDM material that you received recently. This is the one with the chart on it that lists each of your areas or committees.
2 Lovett Weems will serve as our guide in this effort. As soon as Lovett gets a proposal to me I will share it with the Bishop and cabinet and then with you all. However, I am pretty certain that this will be his approach as we have had numerous conversations about this in the recent past. If we allow him to help direct us we will be much better able to go forward. The Bishop and cabinet endorsed this as his role. We need to perhaps wait until he sends his proposal before making too many definite plans of action. However, we do not need to wait on him before we explore the big picture.
- Demographic Data—we can get this data cheaper from other sources like the GBGM or the Planning and Development Districts. However, in all honesty it is not the same thing. I will send you a power point that MissinonInsite produced for us that will give you some ideal of what I mean. If we are going to make hard decisions about where to plant new churches, which ones are to be considered as turn-around and Elijah churches we need accurate data on which to base our decisions. Many other conferences and Path 1 are using their services. Their data along with Lovett’s church and community profile is a must for us. We must have it or something like it in order to make the best decisions. I come to this conclusion after three years of research about this. This is not an overnight decision. In fact Bill and Stephen Sparks are researching this in more detail as I type this email. We will not ask the conference to support this if we can secure it cheaper or free else where. Bill mentioned that we could ask each D.S. to chip in $400 to $500 dollars each and that we could then secure the rest of the money for this service from the Connectional Ministries office and a portion from each of your budgets. Please go on line to the North Caronia, Baltimore Washington and Florida Annual Conferences to catch a glimpse of how this works.
4. Structure---There is not a need for any new structure on the conference level in order to implement Bill’s suggestion. Neville if you recall the annual conference and district new church strategy booklet that I sent to you is very similar. We could allow each D.S. to organize their district as best they see but to follow Bill’s basic plan. Each district must have a way to identify where and when to plant new churches. We already have a plan along with the cabinet and Bishop about who will be appointed. Each district must have a means to identity our best places where turn-around churches are possible and to identify our places where rebirth is the best choice (Elijah Churches). Each D.S. may form this differently. For example I believe that more laity ought to be at the table of this process. Regardless of how the structure looks each of these components will relate to one of the committees that you chair. For example new churches relate to Denise’s new church committee, turn-around churches to Andy’s Revitalization Committee and Elijah churches to Lauren’s Small Membership Committee. There may be exceptions to this but generally this is how this would work, in my mind.
- Prayer—Bill called me yesterday and told me than one of his pastors asked Bill to lead their district in a week of prayer prior to beginning this process. Like this pastor and Neville I believe that we must begin with prayer and seek God’s guidance for us. God has the plan we need to connect with him and then move forward. Let us covenant to pray at noon each day for each other and for the movement of God in this process.
- Last thing---Let us also covenant to have a tangible out line fo a plan as to the next steps by Wednesday.
Blessings and peace to all!
Let us share our thoughts with each other. Perhaps Andy can set up a blog for us to share our thoughts on.
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