Discipleship of New Members Through Teamnet Ministries Teams

During the calendar year 2009 Canyonville Church plans to conduct a minimum of two full-message evangelistic series. These meetings will be conducted by our Evangelism Team leaders and members. Canyonville Church is organized as a networking system of individual teams focused on various aspects of church life.
The team responsibilities relating to discipleship of new members are as follows:

• The Evangelism Team will lead out in continuing personal Bible studies with the new members, utilizing the Good News for Today Bible study guides and the gift NKJV Bibles.

• Discipleship Team will encourage new members to active participation in the Pastor’s Bible Class during Sabbath School time.

• Ministry Team will give support to health education, lifestyle changes, and group clinics for victory over destructive habits and addictions as may be needed.

• Fellowship Team will foster integration of the new members into the fabric of the church family by providing safe and wholesome social events and encouraging healthy relationships.

• Worship Team will encourage worship leaders and “up-front” participants to always be sensitive to the needs of new members and guests who may not be familiar with in-house “Churchese.”

• New members will be immediately included in one of the 12 Pastoral Care Parishes led the church elders, deacons, and deaconesses.
It should be noted that although the organizational structure is in place, the responsibilities and relationships outlined above are still somewhat formative. We are growing in our understanding of these ministries, but we believe that by God’s grace we can truly make a kingdom difference in the lives of people in our communities who are hungering and thirsting for the gospel.

SGST Yahoo! Group -- New!

I've just created a new group on Yahoo! Groups for discussion of spiritual gifts. It is primarily for members of the Spiritual Gifts Support Team at the Canyonville Adventist Church, but we will gladly allow others join in the discussion. Our motto in Teamnet Ministries is "None of us is as smart as all of us!"

You can visit the Yahoo! group by clicking HERE

I've also posted a link on the left in the "Related Links" box.

"Brave New World"
Loren L. Fenton

The following is a description of Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel Brave New World taken from the online information source Wikipedia.

"The world the novel describes is a dystopia, presented satirically: humanity lives in a carefree, healthy, and technologically advanced society; however, art, science, religion, and all other forms of human expression have been sacrificed to create this 'Brave New World'. Warfare and poverty have been eliminated and everyone is permanently happy due to government-provided conditioning and drugs. The irony is that all of these things have been achieved by eliminating many things that humans consider to be central to their identity – family, culture, art, literature, science, religion (other than idolization of 'our Ford', Henry Ford, who is seen as the father of their society, and ritualized orgies), and philosophy. It is also a hedonistic society, deriving pleasure from promiscuous sex and drug use, in the form of soma, a powerful psychotropic rationed by the government that is taken to escape pain and bad memories through hallucinatory fantasies, referred to as 'Holidays'. Additionally, social stability has been achieved and is maintained via deliberately engineered and rigidly enforced social stratification."

I asked a small group of people recently, "Is this the kind of world you want to live in?" Their response was predictable:

"Hardly!"

"No way!"

"Absolutely not!"

I think most of us would agree with these sentiments.

Now, with the foregoing in mind, consider three items to cross my path within the last couple of days:

1. A report on a major news network of a new "bionic arm." This is an amazing prosthetic arm and hand that has been developed for amputees. The report showed a young woman who had lost her arm in an automobile accident. With this new limb, however, she is able to grasp a glass of water, fold clothes, and do any number of "normal" tasks, simply by mentally controlling the prosthesis – much as most of us do every day at a thousand mundane tasks. Incredible technology, with the promise of giving a step back towards normalcy for thousands of amputees – war victims, etc.
   
2. Within minutes of seeing the bionic arm story, I received an email describing a new regulation in California where now it seems it is not acceptable for a wedding party to be referred to as "bride and groom," but rather now they must be "party 'A' and party 'B'". No longer "husband and wife," but some other non-sensical term. Seems like Huxley's "Brave New World" isn't that far off. This is quite amazing, to say the least.
   
3. We have some new neighbors this week. I went over to say "Hello," and discovered that this household is composed of two women "partners." Hmmm. Well, I know that's the world we're living in now, but somehow it was always far away in distant places like San Francisco, Portland, and New York. Now it's right across the street, less than 50' from my front door. I can't say I was shocked, just that it caught me by surprise.
   

I have to ask myself and other church members, With realities such as these saturating our society, can the church just continue with "business as usual"? I hope you hear my voice crying out with a resounding, "NO!" We can't just keep doing what we have always done – maybe just more of it with more intensity and thinking that's the working of the Holy Spirit. It seems we (the church) cling desperately to old familiar, secure forms of religion that become more and more irrelevant to an increasingly pagan and hedonistic society. Is it any wonder that the church is almost completely marginalized in our time?

Teamnet Ministries is one attempt to empower the church for effective ministry in this spiritually starving society. But I must confess some frustration. I've been doing this for well over ten years, now, and it seems I've seen little progress. I still have to deal with entrenched traditionalism, NIH (Not Invented Here) Syndrome, and the resistance of gatekeeper-controllers who are loath to release their power.

But there is one saving factor: In spite of all the obstructionism and difficulties, God is still on the Throne of the Universe. He is still in charge. And it is a privilege and an honor to be called into His service. To Him be the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever! Amen!

Spiritual Gifts Support Team

The most current incarnation of Teamnet Ministries has seen the emergence of a group we call our Spiritual Gifts Support Team. The SGST came into being when the church I now serve as pastor decided to change the function and focus of what we had previously called the Human Resources Council. The HRC was basically a standing committee that functioned as a permanent personnel committee for the local church. Whenever there was a vacancy in an office, the HRC was called upon to find someone to fill it. The emphasis was always on Spiritual Gifts and finding the right person for the right job.

At a point about a year and three months ago, the church body decided they wanted to discontinue the standing personnel committee plan, but instead return to the previously tried-and-trusted annual nominating committee process. At the time, some Teamnet Ministries loyalists saw this as a serious retrogression back into lock-step traditionalism and control by the few. Others saw the step as a retreat from chaos, in that they could not understand the open system at the heart of Teamnet Ministries. Nevertheless, something very beneficial has emerged from that conflict.

What had been the Human Resorces Council was morphed into a Spiritual Gifts Support Team. The SGST has spent the last year and several months learning its new role, and most recently some tangible clarity has begun to emerge.

As we now see it, there are two main tracks of service lying before the SGST. (1) Spiritual gifts education for the church body, including promotion, awareness, training, and many other different aspects of helping the individual members become aware of their personal gifts and placing them in service for the Lord; and (2) a coaching/mentoring relationship with each of the team leaders/facilitators, in which the members of the SGST work in support roles with them. Their task in this track is to coach, ask questions, assist, and encourage the team leaders in their work to manage, inspire, and coordinate the spiritual gifts resident within the team members.

These two tracks are supported internally within the SGST through an intentional, focused plan of personal growth and inservice education. At present, the coaching skills of the SGST members are seriously in need of development. Communication skills and techniques need to be studied and put to use in sharing the inspiration and joy of service through using the gifts God has given to every believer.

The SGST is a wonderful outgrowth of a period of distress within the congregation. There are incredible opportunities lying ahead of us. It is truly amazing to see how God is leading in the ongoing development and evolution of this plan we call Teamnet Ministries.

As always, the glory is all His.

Strategic Networking for Kingdom Growth

Introduction: The "Great Commission" Jesus delivered to his disciples on the eve of his ascension still rings in the hearts of his people today. "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth," he said. "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT). This is the heart and soul of our calling as Christian believers. It is the key to success in every aspect of every Christian's experience. It is the driving element of vibrant life for every church.

Networking for the Kingdom: The present era of our society can legitimately be labeled "The Age of the Network." More than at any other time in the history of humanity, our world is linked together by countless lines of communication and relationships. Both individually and corporately, we have ties to everything and everybody. John Donne's 17^th century proclamation that "no man is an island, entire of itself" was a revolutionary concept in Renaissance England, but today his poetry seems almost prophetic. Connectivity is the real watchword for today.

A Structure of Mutual Support and Encouragement: In Teamnet Ministries, five main teams focus on five core arenas of church life: Worship, Fellowship, Ministry, Evangelism, and Discipleship. The teams are each supported in their work by the Spiritual Gifts Support Team (formerly known as the Human Resources Council (HRC)) and the Administrative Officers. Each team also has opportunity to encourage and support programs and activities conducted by any or all of the other teams. Team leaders/facilitators are encouraged to share upcoming events and other plans at each Church Board meeting, thereby providing opportunity for all the other teams to contribute to everyone else's success. Working together for a common purpose creates synergy and enthusiasm.

The Primacy of Worship: The bottom line of the Great Commission is to "make disciples." However, the purpose of discipleship, and subsequently fellowship, ministry, and evangelism, is to multiply the worship, praise, honor, and glory that we as created beings bring to our Creator God. Worship is what the church is about. The commodity we carry is hope, and through the gospel of hope souls without hope can be drawn to God and find their life in Him. We must continuously strive for inspiring worship services, which both edify and encourage every person present at every service to connect with the Living Source of life.

The Administrative Function As It Relates To Power, Conflict, and Role Expectations

Introduction: A Philosophy of Administration and Leadership

Every administrator is a leader. Regardless of the organization or its nature, from casual to complex, a leader projects his/her personal influence into the functions and relationships of the system. Eventually the system becomes an extended reflection of the administrator's own personality, character, and competence. The leader's values determine every choice, every decision he makes. In time, those personal values permeate, to a greater or lesser degree, the entire fabric of the organization.

Administration is the art of applying organizational principles and policies to solve problems and accomplish the purposes for which the organization exists. Art, however, is not an exact science. Every artist interjects into his artistry some element of himself, making the product uniquely his own. The same is true for administration and leadership. Every administrator forms the organization he leads into something of his own image. The stamp of personal identity is an inevitable and inescapable element of leadership. The primary administrative function for a leader, therefore, is to determine and apply those personal values that contribute most effectively to reaching organizational goals.

The foregoing assumes two important elements. First, that the goals of the organization are known and well defined, and second, that the leader/administrator knows his own values. If either of these is unclear, the result will be confusion and uncertainty throughout the organization. The inevitable products of this insecurity are frustration, discouragement and low morale in the entire system.

The Nature and Use of Power in Administration

Normally, the power of administration is the power of authority. Mr. So-and-so has the power to make such-and-such a decision because he has the authority, the right, to do so. It is that authoritative power that we are speaking of in this context.

Authority can be granted in a system either by virtue of position or by personal deferment. The question, "Who's in control here?" may be answered primarily on the basis of organizational structure, but that authority can not and will not be confirmed unless the rest of the people in the system experience significant respect for the person occupying the position of leadership.

The administrator's first job, then, is to gain the respect of those whom he leads, not only for the sake of his own leadership tenure and success, but more fundamentally, for the internal health and external success of the entire organization. Without this respect and cooperation, an administrator will be doomed to a plague of criticism, doubt, infighting, and insubordination. On the other hand, with the respect and appropriate honor of the organization for himself and for his position, the wise administrator can lead his team to accomplish the impossible.

Having said this, we must also note that respect cannot be just "commanded," especially in a volunteer organization such as a church. Metaphors notwithstanding, the church is not the military, neither is it an employer with economic leverage over its members. No one has to do anything! Therefore, respect (and consequently the power that goes with it) must be earned and maintained on the basis of personal relationships. Church members, for instance, must believe in the vision, integrity, and leadership of their pastor before they will respect his judgment. If he betrays their trust, they will lose their respect for him, and his power as an administrator will erode proportionately.

An administrator's power can only legitimately be used to promote or reach toward the organization's goals. A pastor, for instance, may not siphon church funds off to support his personal business. He may not open the church facilities for meetings not authorized by the church, or which may be counter-productive to the church's purposes. Power granted to a leader is limited, conditional power. Violation of this principle will inevitably result in the loss of respect and a consequential loss of power (authority) for the leader.

Conflict as a Test of Values

The test comes when two or more personal values collide with each other. When two or more principles, held to be inviolable – yet mutually incompatible – must each be applied to a given situation, what does the administrator do? Where does he find solutions? How does the leader lead?

The answer lies in the leader's vision of the bigger picture, and his ability to convey his insight to the rest of the organization. The leader must "go outside the nine dots" to reach the goals of the group, and he must take the group with him. He must paint the picture so vividly that his followers can smell the flowers and feel the breeze. In other words, the administrative function of a leader, when faced with organizational or personal conflict is to identify and effectively communicate a vision of the possible in the context of the impossible. It is to find and share the solution by opening up new and exciting possibilities of what can be done.

These solutions must be within the purposes and goals of the organization. But perhaps the very purposes and goals themselves need to be examined to see if they are accurately understood. The question must be asked, "What is it that we're about here?" It may be discovered that there is a bigger understanding of this organization than we have known heretofore. For instance, maybe God has more in mind than just the conversion of the Jewish world to Christianity. Maybe he wants to include the Gentiles as well. Maybe he wants his message of salvation to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Maybe he wants to save the whole world!

It is possible, of course, that a conflict of ideas or values may truly be beyond harmonious co-existence, regardless of how big the picture is. If that becomes evident, the only solution is to discard one of the values entirely or modify one or both until they fit together. The unfortunate part of such a value conflict is that often each position is tenaciously held by some person, and the conflict is interpreted as being between persons rather than between the values and ideas. When an idea must be sacrificed, the organization loses the person as well, often with an aftermath of bitterness.

Are Hierarchies Evil?

A couple of years ago I made an "off-the-cuff" statement in a Sabbath School class that stirred up quite a bit of discussion here and there. I don't remember the exact discussion that precipitated my remark, but as I remember it I said something like "I believe hierarchies were invented by the devil." It is amazing how something like this can be taken out of context and changed quite dramatically as it flows along the grapevine. (Did you ever play the game of "telephone" at a party?) Now, I don't deny that I made the statement, but I thought maybe it would be profitable for us all if I commented a little more on the subject here.

As I have thought about this question of organization and hierarchies, I suppose a more accurate representation of my thoughts would be that I object to the abuse of power so often found in hierarchical organizations. A study of the history of secular hierarchies reveals that they are characterized by one dominant element: control of the many by the few. The early Christian church of the Dark Ages absorbed this spirit when Roman authority was imposed on all believers under its influence. In some places such as Ireland, however, the church flourished for centuries outside of the Roman influence. The result was an entirely different organizational structure, which, although eventually overwhelmed by the power of Rome, actually became the seedbed for the Protestant Reformation. If you would like to read more about this a good reference is The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach The West . . . Again, by George C. Hunter III, published by Abingdon Press, 2000.

In sharp contrast to this abuse of power through top-down, command-and-control authoritarianism is the example of Jesus, the teachings of Paul, and the example in the Old Testament of Moses and Jethro. Jesus taught and lived by the principle of "whoever is the greatest among you, let him be your servant." Paul declared, "I will glory in my weakness that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Jethro's counsel to Moses to organize the people into tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands (see Exodus:18) was not for management or control of the masses, but to effectively serve their needs. Thus, it is plain to see that the purpose of any church organization, whether hierarchical or otherwise, is to serve the needs of the people and to give glory, worship, and honor to God. The church is neither a kingdom (in the classical, human sense) nor an oligarchy. Rather, it is the body of Christ, empowered by the Spirit of God, and called to a holy purpose. The purpose of church organization must ever, and always, be to effectively empower the people of God to live their calling.

Natural Church Development (NCD)

A few years ago at Canyonville Church we began using the NCD tools to measure our overall church health. It was after the initial survey results that we decided to begin using Teamnet Ministries for the organizational system for the congregation. The results have been evident as follow-up surveys have indicated from year-to-year. In the 3+ years we have been using Teamnet Ministries, our composite percentile score has moved from 37.125 to 54.375. I'll post individual scores for the eight elements later, but I am really happy about these results. It is quite obvious that Canyonville is making great progress in the right direction.

If you would like more information about NCD, click on this link: http://www.ncd-international.org/

Nehemiah, Leadership, Teamwork

I've been reading recently in the Old Testament about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. That was a massive project that took some extreme efforts to accomplish. Obviously, everyone had to work cooperatively to make it happen. Nehemiah kept everyone focused in spite of hardship, opposition, and discouragement. The leaders (managers) at the various sections of the wall kept everyone working diligently. In chapter 3 of Nehemiah's book there are numerous expressions of how every group worked side-by-side with the neighboring group, all the way around the city wall, until the work was completed.

There are some obvious lessons for us today. Significant work requires teamwork. Groups of workers focusing on a common purpose, a goal. Businesses thrive on this idea. Politicians live or die by the dedication and support of their team. Suffice it to say, churches are no exception. The problem, however, is that far too often we (the church) become fractured, distracted, cross-purposed, and alienated from our fellow teammates. I'm afraid we'll never get anywhere without becoming a culture of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and mutual support. Jesus said as much. "By this will all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another."

For my way of thinking, Nehemiah was pretty harsh. But the wall probably wouldn't have been built without him. God puts the kind of leaders in place when and where he needs them. Whatever the case, however, we all need to pitch in and contribute according to our abilities.

The Flat Church Society

There is a great article on the December 27, 2007 issue of the Adventist Review by Richard Osborn, President of Pacific Union College. "Is the Church Flat?" In this piece Dr. Osborn cites a best-selling book The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas Friedman, in which Friedman shows how recent developments in the world of technology have "flattened" the world as we know it, making instant communication possible with just about anyone at any time, and Internet access to information available to anyone anywhere with a computer connection.

What struck me about Osborn's article is the inevitable and obvious "flattening" of effective church organizational relationships. As society moves ever more towards empowering every common man and woman with vast resources of information available at their fingertips, the church also must move away from the heirarchical, top-down command and control structure to structures that foster effective communication and ministry in every dusty corner. Teamnet Ministries is an attempt to move in that direction. It is not without problems, but the fundamental principles are sound. Teamnet Ministries (or something like it) is the future of effective church life.

Relational Evangelism

For far too long the emphasis of Christian evangelism has been on proclamation and little else. We preach from pulpits or rostrums, even via satalites, television, radio, and now the Internet. Once we've delivered the message we "make an invitation" that basically translates to, "Now that you know this, what are you going to do about it?" We assume that the mere delivery of information, i.e. Bible doctrines, prophetic interpretations, original language nuances, etc., will somehow result in people changing their lives for the good. Unfortunately, the reality is that most don't. Here is a profound truth: Information does not change lives. Experience does. In other words, you really don't learn something until you personally experience it. So the question is, Why do we spend thousands and thousands of $$$ on proclamation and little or nothing on building healthy relational bridges? Maybe because proclamation is easier and cleaner. Relational evangelism is a lot messier.

But here is another inconvenient (?) truth. About 95% of Christian conversions happen because of personal relationships and tangible experiences. It seems to me then that the primary goal of evangelism must no longer be to convince people of what we believe to be the truth, but rather to establish bonds of friendship and godly love across the great gulfs of separation. If we are to faithfully pattern our life after God's way of doing things, relationships MUST be at the forefront of our thinking. After all, the heart of existence is the Trinity -- a bond of holy relationships between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Of course, a growing understanding of biblical truth is essential to discipleship. I'm not throwing that out at all. But first things first! God's way is to first establish the relationship, then to encourage growth in grace.