AGTS O-RD Conference - Session 4 -Missional Efficiency

0 comments | Oct 27, 03:00 PM | best-of-earl | by Earl Creps

This final session deals with how to measure our missional effectiveness. I interviewed Cal Swenson and James Griffin of New Life Church in Springfield, a great congregation.

Here is some of the Q &A :

1. Encouragement from a young pastor: don’t look at the crowd as much as at life change. This is the greatest manifestation of revvial.

2. (Q: How many are you runnin’? A: About three that really count.) How do we put the right perspective on attendance? “This church has gone down slower than any other that I have ever pastored!” Church setting so numbers driven that we lose focus on life change sometimes. What matters is people stepping into relationship with Christ. Whether they stay at New Life for their whole life is not the point. The same numbers can be OK if people are coming to faith; maybe they go to other churches. Sometimes this represents reconnecting with their Christian family.

3. How do you use the internet to get to know people? NL has a church MySpace, supplements face to face relationships on Sunday AMs. MS is like the “telephone” for many people. Check it more often than email or v-mail. Offers another way to get into people’s lives and be a positive influence, offsetting negative influences. Staff fields many spiritual questions from within and without the church.

4. What’s so wrong with more people coming to our church services. We’re counting people no matter what. Church people need Jesus too, they need pastoring like everyone else. Heart motivation is the key. Any count can be flawed.