5 Ways you can better equip vital congregations:
Every month (when I get them in my email) they send us just 5 ways you can better equip Vital Congregations and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Here’s this month’s issue!
April 2013 Google Translations: Spanish | Korean | German | French | Portuguese
Every month we send you just 5 ways you can better equip Vital Congregations and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Here’s this month’s issue!
Discover how congregations successfully dealt with change. Read about the Toward Vitality Research Project, an 18-month study of 158 local churches across the US. The study found three key elements present in congregations undergoing successful change: a pastor unafraid of leading, laity in a ministry partnership with the pastor and a God-led purpose or vision. Reports with information and data from the project are available at http://bit.ly/10KLaw8.
Watch Chuck Knows Church to learn about church things you never fully understood. This fun yet informative weekly online video series interprets the objects, symbols and terms used in the church for anyone who might be unfamiliar with them. Use it for confirmation and new member classes, youth groups and worship services. Join churches, districts and annual conferences that link to Chuck on their websites. Find the series on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/10HaClO, Twitter at http://bit.ly/Z3ekIj, YouTube Channel at http://bit.ly/Z3e8Zw and at http://chuckknowschurch.com.
Turn on youth and young adults to opportunities to serve and make a difference. Restoration Generation (http://www.resgenumc.org) is seeking two full-time young adult staff to build relationships with annual conferences, create spiritual development resources, explore ways for youth to engage in service and recruit service teams of young adults. For details, go to http://bit.ly/Xz88JG. In addition, four summer community connectors are sought to coordinate young people in Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. For details, go to http://bit.ly/14ZmQfr.
Learn about an entirely different vision for fundraising. Participate in a call-in seminar hosted by John Mogabgab, founding editor of Weavings journal, at 12:30 p.m. EDT on April 30. Henri Nouwen Society members Sue Mosteller and Nathan Ball will share insights in a donor-centered approach reflected in Nouwen’s book, “A Spirituality of Fundraising.” Cost of the seminar is $39. For more information and to register, go to http://bit.ly/12z0iSe.
Tell entrepreneurial young adults about a church residency program. New Church Starts (Path1) is partnering with annual conferences and select congregations to provide a year-long residency training a new generation in planting, leading and growing large impact churches. The goal is to plant vital new churches with a relevant, contextual and outward focus on ministries and mission. For more information, go to http://bit.ly/Xz6PKJ.
That’s all this month. 5 more ideas coming your way in May!
P.S. Seen Chuck Knows Church? Check out our latest online video series at: ChuckKnowsChurch.org
February 2013
Google Translations: Spanish | Korean | German | French | Portuguese
Every month we send you just 5 ways you can better equip Vital Congregations and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Here’s this month’s issue!
Support people preparing for baptism at Easter. Use GBOD resources to plan worship during Lent to sustain those preparing for baptism, confirmation or reaffirmation of faith at Easter. Help the whole church re-center on the teaching and practices that allow all disciples of Jesus to live the covenant of baptism. For resources, go to http://goo.gl/V5BvH.
Do good work and grow with God through short-term missions for youth. Join middle and high school students from United Methodist youth groups for week-long mission experiences this summer in Nashville. Mission trips include lodging, meals, training and work assignments as well worshiping in the historic Upper Room Chapel. For dates and more information, go to http://www.youthworks.com/umc/umc.asp.
Nourish your soul at The Upper Room’s spiritual retreat for all ages. Come to SOULfeast July 14-18 at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina and become alive to God, community, transformation and missions in the here and now. Hear South African preacher and author Trevor Hudson. For more information and to register, visit http://soulfeast.upperroom.org.
Invite families to engage in devotions together at home during Lent. The church season of Lent, the 40-day period beginning Ash Wednesday, is a wonderful time to start weekly family devotions. Scriptures and suggestions of activities to use during a family time of Lenten devotion are available in a weekly devotional guide at http://goo.gl/WSOTW.
Help plan Youth 2015, the “must attend” discipleship event for UM youth. Do you have gifts and skills for stage management, logistics, event planning, workshop development, discipleship or technology? Youth 2015 is happening June 24-28, 2015, in Orlando. Design Team applications for youth and young adults to join the event’s Design Team are due April 30. For more information, go to http://bit.ly/WEdIGA.
That’s all this month. 5 more ideas coming your way in March!
P.S. Seen Chuck Knows Church? Check out our latest online video series at: ChuckKnowsChurch.org
August
Every month we send you just 5 ways you can better equip Vital Congregations and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Here’s this month’s issue!
Enhance your skills to help adults learn. Sign up for the free webinar, How Adults Learn: The Emotional Aspect of Learning, on Aug. 28 at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Led by Carol Krau, GBOD’s director of adult formation and discipleship, this webinar will explore how emotions increase or shut down learning. Hear ideas for developing a positive emotional climate in adult small groups. To register, go to http://goo.gl/20tbE.
Make plans now to attend the 2014 Youth People’s Global Convocation. Join youth, young adults and adult workers from around the world at the third Global Young People’s Convocation and Legislative Assembly in Tagaytay, Luzon, the Philippines on July 16-20, 2014. Participants will tackle tough issues, celebrate oneness in Christ, learn from each other and experience the UMC in the Philippines during this once-in-a-lifetime experience. More details will be posted at http://bit.ly/OMrLVA.
Pray, learn and focus on developing a strategic plan for your congregation. The Innovative Leadership Project (ILP), developed by Craig Kennet Miller at GBOD, trains leaders in connecting ministry to community. ILP guides you to explore values, set goals, develop a discipleship system and engage in futurecasting using a special assessment tool. Go to http://churchleaderUMC.com to learn about ILP and plan to offer it to your church, district or conference this fall.
Become a Path 1 Coach to help plant new churches. Path 1 Coaches are highly-skilled persons who partner for accountability and support with high-potential church planters and their team. Together, they develop churches that are viable, sustainable and well on their way to multiplying successful ministries. To learn more about becoming or hiring a Path 1 Coach, go to http://path1.org/coaching.php.
Looking for the secret to living a fruit-bearing spiritual life? In the latest book of his series on spirituality, best-selling author Henri Nouwen offers three essential elements for maintaining a life of vital discipleship: solitude, community and ministry. The Spirituality of Living explains how to avoid being distracted by listening to voices other than the voice of God. Published by Upper Room Books, it is available at http://bit.ly/yIE3XH.
That’s all this month. 5 more ideas coming your way in September!
Every month we send you just 5 ways you can better equip Vital Congregations and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Here’s this month’s issue!
Take the Walk to Emmaus. Urge local church members to join the Walk to Emmaus movement at a nearby location to inspire, challenge and equip themselves for Christian action in their homes, churches and communities. After 30 years, Emmaus continues to be one of the most vital sources of spiritual renewal and leadership development in the United States and around the world. Check out what’s new with this three-day short course in Christianity at http://emmaus.upperroom.org/.
Observe Christian Education Week in your congregation. Free materials are available from GBOD to help your 2012 observance succeed. They include resources for a worship service focused on Christian education and formation as well as a litany to recognize and dedicate church educators and leaders. A workshop model is also available to help teachers and small group leaders cultivate spiritual awareness and better understand how they are spiritually formed. Download the resources at http://tinyurl.com/CEweek2012.
Attend a new church LAUNCHPAD near you! Created by GBOD’s New Church Starts (Path 1) and congregational developers around the nation, this new learning experience is designed to meet the challenge of planting new churches in environments with “tough planting conditions” and unique needs. LAUNCHPAD is a year-long process for training planters and their teams. It begins in August/September in three locations: Boston, Seattle and Richmond, Va. For more information, go to http://path1.org/launchpad.php.
Develop your middle school youth into leaders. GBOD’s Young Peoples Ministries is preparing a version of Leadership Lab for middle school youth. Beginning this fall, the same quality experiences found in the high school Leadership Lab will be available to shape younger youth into inspired Christian leaders ready to change your church, community and world. For more information about the Leadership Lab, go to http://globalyoungpeople.org/llab/.
Learn how to break through your church’s growth barriers. Attend the 2012 School of Congregational Development in St. Louis, which promises to be a great opportunity for new and established congregations alike to learn “barrier-breaking” growth tactics.. Plenary speakers, teaching churches and all sessions will address practical ways to transform from inside out. Save $50 if you register before July 17. To learn more or to register, go to http://www.gbod.org/scd2012.
That’s all this month. 5 more ideas coming your way in August!
June
Every month we send you just 5 ways you can better equip Vital Congregations and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Here’s this month’s issue!
Explore your faith with special devotions prepared by young adults. Devotions written by young adult authors from around the world are available online from GBOD’s Young People’s Ministries. Use them in personal study or as a resource for young adult groups and Sunday school classes. Encourage young adults you know to submit their own meditations to help their peers grow in faith. To read or learn more about submitting devotions go to http://bit.ly/zibTAY.
Are you ready to plant a new church? Learn about several options for new church planting with resources from GBOD’s New Church Starts (Path 1). A video link and downloadable materials are available online. Or look for the “Are You Ready …” resource at your annual conference session. Contact path1@gbod.org with questions. For more information, go to http://path1.org/multiply.php.
Join others and feed your spirit. Whether lay or clergy, you can find an environment for spiritually hungry pilgrims at The Upper Room Academy for Spiritual Formation. Participate in a two-year event or one of the many five-day events scheduled for sites around the country. Connect with others who have benefited from this experience of spiritual disciplines and academic learning on the web at http://bit.ly/LzenV2 or on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/LcX2yu.
Provide guidance for parents on child baptism. A new resource written for parents and legal guardians preparing to present their children for baptism is now available. The booklet, Baptism: Understanding God’s Gift, also helps anyone seeking a deeper knowledge of this sacrament by explaining its biblical and theological meanings. Cost of the booklet is $4. To order, go to http://bit.ly/MQBmhq.
Develop leaders for your congregation. Experience the third annual Wesleyan Leadership Conference on Nov. 1-3 at GBOD in Nashville. Learn more about “Sharing Pastoral Power: Wesleyan Foundations for Leadership in the Congregation” from presenters who are practitioners of Wesleyan disciple-making. Go early for a pre-conference Covenant Discipleship workshop on Oct. 31. For more information or to register, go to http://bit.ly/ddDBIa.
That’s all this month. 5 more ideas coming your way in July!
April 2012
1. Help a new church launch its weekly worship service. www.path1.org/floating7.php.
2. Prepare pastors and congregations for smooth clergy changes. www.gbod.org/committee_resources.
3. Discover grant opportunities for youth and young adult ministries. http://globalyoungpeople.org/grants-scholarship/ or email youngpeople@gbod.org.
4. Plan to celebrate Christian Home Month. www.gbod.org/family. Or request a print copy by sending your contact information to Nancy Dunlap at ndunlap@gbod.org.
5. Encourage older adults to live with purpose and joy. Share My Story, My Song, For more information, go to www.upperroom.org/news/40.
P.S. You can view and download the last film in GBOD’s five-part series, Dreaming of Vital Congregations, online at www.GBOD.org/Dreaming.
That’s all this month. 5 more ideas coming your way in May!
March 2012
- Encourage young people to connect with God.
- Stay connected with what’s happening in church planting.
- Prepare lay leaders to succeed in their roles.
- Check out scholarships available for UM youth.
- help children learn more about United Methodist history and heritage.
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