Author Archives: Ethel Canty Bothuel

New Way of Worship

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NEW CHURCH PROTOCOLS

In the midst of Coronavirus and COVID-19

During this time when we are all pushed to think more creatively, especially as we do the work of ministry, we can follow the principles laid out for us by the God who is creative and who created us in God’s image.  You are probably already creatively ministering during this time that appears to be our “new normal.”   Here are some thoughts that might help as you reach out to your congregation on a weekly basis.  Please accept them as my humble attempt to advance the kingdom. If you have others, please share:

1. Use websites and social media to stream worship.

It is great that these resources are available to us; however, using them to stream the same format of our worship services may not hold the congregants’ attention for an hour or more. So, do something different! Here is one sample worship order a bit less than an hour:

  • Dress as biblical characters—open the service with an invocation by Paul the Apostle, 3 min
  • Continue with a song by musician dressed as David, 4 min
  • Thank the biblical characters for helping during this crisis-welcome all to the service and invite to virtual altar prayer, 10 min
  • Proceed with musical praise of two or three songs, 15 min
  • Preach a lively, compelling sermon of hope in Jesus, 20 min
  • Extend the invitation to discipleship – request they email/text/phone to inform that they accepted the invitation (so you can continue ministering to them), 7 min
  • Encourage giving—explaining various online methods, 3 min
  • Invite them to join in singing a song
  • of hope —words posted, 4 min
  • Biblical character to identify him/herself and ask congregation to take an action; i.e., call and invite another to next online service, again express joy to workshop with them, 2 min
  • Benediction

Remember to exercise social distancing among the few participants who will be in the worship space

2. Have 30-60-minute services several times a week to keep your congregation engaged. One of the meeting platforms can be used for the services, if desired and appropriate.

  • Prayer Service –Using whatever means of communication with your congregation, let them know this will take place, for example, on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 11am—whatever day and time you choose. Ask congregation to send their prayer requests in advance and let them know that the requests will be read during the service (without their names) if they give their permission.  Various ministers and lay leaders can be assigned to host the prayer service so that the burden will not be on one person to do all.
  • The format for this service could be:
  • Begin the service with the host playing music very softly in the background, a welcome to prayer, invocation, and Scripture of God’s promises to hear prayers.
  • Five or six prayer requests can be read, then the prayer, another five or six followed by prayer, and so on.
  • Invite a brief testimony of answered prayer (the initial instructions will include the importance of brevity during testimonial period).
  • Bible Study – Using your normal means of communication with the congregation, send an invitation to study. Attach the study guide for the week or for the month.  Be sure to use interesting and non-boring titles for the study. Announce two a week with the content being the same each week.  For Example, Tuesday and Thursday will be Bible Study nights from 7 to 8.  Thursday will be the repeat for those who missed Tuesday.  Use a meeting platform for the study so that it can be interactive.
  • Discussion Groups – This is a good way to see what people want to discuss during this time of social distancing. Ask for their interests and frame discussions around contemporary publications that are easy and quick reads.  Invite subject-matter experts to join and talk with the discussion group.  A meeting platform is ideal for this.

3. Fundraising – This is a tough and touchy subject even during normal periods of absence from the church like summer vacation times. How do we maintain the support for the physical plant, administration, and more?  I do not have a definitive answer.  I only know from my interaction with some pastors that they have tried a few strategies.  Some work and some not.  I do know that one of the ministries in churches—the diaconate—can help with this.  So, think about the following:

  • Assign the diaconate the task of reaching each member of the congregation weekly. Forming or nurturing relationships with each member is invaluable.
  • Encourage the membership to use electronic methods for giving. Explain the opportunity to fulfill the missionary responsibilities as well as the financial obligations of the church.
  • Survey members to see who do not have the digital capability or who prefer not to use digital methods to give.
  • Use the old-fashioned method of mailings. Send offering envelopes to members who do not use electronic transactions along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

My colleagues, you know this is not business as usual.  I know you are creative and will be led by the One who is in charge of all things.  My prayer for you is that you remain strong as we weather this storm.  Jesus is on the boat!

Feeling Overwhelmed?

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Stop what you are doing right now.  Change your environment for 30 minutes–go to another location. Whether its the gym in your building, or for a walk down the hall, or around the block, go to where you can meditate on God, on goodness, on whatever is lovely.  Encourage someone.  Give thanks for the blessings you already have and know that “…all things work together for good!”–that’s what Romans 8:28 says (in part).  So take some time, think about the wonderful person with a purpose that God has created you to be!  Then with a calm spirit, seize the day!

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

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by Ethel Canty Bothuel

Do you remember this phrase from the song that Fred Rogers sang to introduce his successful TV show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”?   This children’s show aired on PBS from 1968 to 2001.  It taught kindness, good manners, basic things that children should know, interesting things in science and so much more.  Fred Rogers taught children to love themselves and others and even addressed some of the fears that children experienced. When revisiting “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” (I did on YouTube), some of the ideas of his show are useful not only to children but to adults as well.  If it is true that we reap what we sow, then even with our busy lives, we can take some time to sow kindness to the people who live in our neighborhood.  Kindness matters!

With so much division all around us today—in education, politics, the secular and the sacred, it’s time to have a “kindness movement.” Let’s spread kindness everywhere starting in our own neighborhoods. In our suburban communities, our high-rise apartment homes, our condos, and wherever our neighborhoods happen to be, show some kindness right where you live.  Be the one who makes your neighborhood a part of the kindness movement.   So if we begin where we are, in our neighborhoods, perhaps we can realize and help others to realize that kindness matters!

A smile. A “hello and have a nice day.” An invite for tea or lemonade. A “Hi, my name is … and I live across the street. Just wanted to let you know that I’m glad to be your neighbor.”  Give away your kindness to others and very likely you will receive kindness in return.  It is refreshing to experience a good neighbor’s kindness when you arrive at home, pull into your driveway or get into your high-rise elevator and see a friendly neighbor who says “hello hope you’re having a good day.”

As I write this blog from my new apartment that I moved into about five months ago, I wonder if I’ve passed the good neighbor test. We have exchanged names, but everyone seems so busy.  One neighbor is a stay-at-home Mom who takes care of the kids and the dog while her husband works, and the rest of us are out and about during the day.   One is a physician and the other travels extensively.  So I’m thinking about how I can begin the “kindness movement” in my neighborhood.   How can I be a good neighbor in the midst of my busyness?  Hmmm, I think I’ll bake a batch of cookies, show up at their door, and share it with them.  Maybe they will sense I am asking that question in Mister Rogers’ song: “Won’t you be my neighbor?”

5 Critical THINGS FOR CHURCH GROWTH

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Believers versus non-believers and churched versus unchurched are the two dichotomous groups that the church sees and seeks to reach in one way or another. It is in this environment populated by believers and non-believers and churched and unchurched that the church seeks to grow and develop. Many competing elements impact this notion of church growth; not the least of which is the declining interest of Christians to evangelize. Be that as it may, the Christian church can grow. There are certainly enough people to go around! But what must the church do? Here are five of many suggestions.

1. First Priority—Prayer!

  • Count on prayers to be answered. Do members of your congregation feel encouraged to pray individually and corporately? Prayer is the single-most important action that will facilitate God’s vision to expand the church. Encourage members to establish specific times to pray for church growth. Set aside special times for corporate prayer to happen. Create a sense of urgency among the pray-ers, and you will see the difference it makes. Congregations become more engaged and apt to be part of the solution when they are led to pray for any common goal established to benefit the church.
  • Pray specifically for resources to fund the vision. People will see, pray for, and support the vision when it is clear and compelling. Growing the church so that you can help more people—learning center, family life center, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bless the children, and more. I have found that money goes where vision shows. Prayer enables

2. Sermons that Make People Listen

  • Assure relevant, lively, and interesting sermons. No one wants to hear a boring sermon. The Gospel message does not change—continue to preach but changing the method cause the sermon to resonate more with the listeners. Keep in mind that most people stop listening after a few minutes; so they need something to make them listen.

Three articles provide this startling truth. Time Magazine article “You Now Have A Shorter Attention Span Than A Goldfish” says,
The average attention span for the notoriously ill-focused goldfish is nine seconds, but according to a new study from Microsoft Corp., people now generally lose concentration after eight seconds, highlighting the affects of an increasingly digitalized lifestyle on the brain.

A 2015 post on ethos3.com says,
If your audience is still paying attention after the first 8 seconds, you have approximately 4 minutes and 52 seconds until their attention spans are exhausted.
And a July 13 post by Anne Fisher on Fortune.com says,
“The average adult attention span has plummeted from 12 minutes a decade ago to just 5 minutes now.….”
Because of the digital age, there is demand for faster, relevant, and more impactful messages than ever that will reach all members (old and new) of your congregation to be and do better.

3. A Very Cool Children’s Ministry

  • Remember technology. Children are exposed to videos, games and their fast-moving images. So when they come to church, present them with some of the same things to catch and keep their interests. Be sure to choose dynamic teachers who are prepared to make Christian learning just as or even more exciting than their academic experiences. This is a high-energy ministry so train enough people to be teachers to eliminate burn-out. Be sure to include a call to salvation in all of what you do as you teach them the great songs of the church, Bible stories, prayers they can remember, and more.
  • Pay attention to the environment. Keep it clean! Make it colorful! See that it’s friendly, godly and very cool. They will and look forward to coming back each week and may even bring some of their friends.

4. Head-Turning Marketing: is Not a Bad Term for the Church

  • Promote your church. How about a TV commercial? Public Access television may be available to you. Also, you have a built-in marketing team—your congregation. Each one can spread the word in their own communities or on their jobs and distribute brochures about your church and its activities. Spend a few dollars on invitation cards, tee shirts, and other items that will draw attention to your church.
  • Publicize your church’s reflection of God’s excellence. Be sure to have up-to-date messages on your church sign and your website. Shiny, new digital signs are great if you can afford them but regular signs are just fine if you cannot afford digital ones. The point is to have a sign that people can see; a website that is inviting and has compelling and friendly words. Put up eye-catching images, sermon titles, and special invitations. Make the surroundings of your physical sign and your website beautiful. They are often the first thing people see about your church.
  • Social media Rocks! How many people in your church are on Facebook, Twitter, and other media? Encourage them to invite their “friends” to worship or to Bible study at your church. Be sure to maintain your own social media sites on a daily (but at least weekly) basis so that the word gets out about how fabulous your church is. The Church is the last to catch up to modernity! There are many other social media outlets available for spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Search them out and use them! You’ll be surprised at the audience you will attract.

5. Stand Out in the Community

  • Who knows you? Partner with the community in doing good works. Matthew 5:16 encourages to do this, so get it done! Adopt families, schools or classroom within the school. Let surrounding residents see your “light” and know you exist.
  • Know your community leaders. They should know you as an organization concerned about poverty, homelessness, voter rights, and other issues that exist in communities. Let the leaders know you are interested in these issues and form a partnership that benefits everyone.

Every church wants to grow in some way; both numerically and in popularity; but most certainly spiritually. So check your internal processes, make sure they are relevant, and invite the world to come to your church because you are an excellent example of what it means to do church. Let people know you plan to grow and be ready when they come!

References:
You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish
How to Conquer Short Attention Spans
Giving a Speech? Conquer the Five-Minute Attention Span

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
EB Photo 2016Ethel Canty Bothuel (Dr. Ethel) is a certified church consultant. She is Founder of The Center for Faith-Based Advancement—a church consulting ministry designed to help build strong Christian ministries through consultations, workshops, and publications. Dr. Ethel is an ordained minister with extensive experience in and knowledge of the Church. She is author of “Preparing a Plain Path: Nurturing Son and Daughter Ministers on Their Christian Journey” Self-published via Create Space, Charleston, 2012, and has written and published many articles relevant to ministry.

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For God’s Sake Plan

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Two truisms plague the church: “if you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten” and “If you do not know where you’re going, it doesn’t matter what road you take.” While these are sayings that should go without saying, we sometimes must be reminded of them—especially in the church. In a changing society, the church that doesn’t pay attention to its environment will lose its attractiveness. Churches that were once vibrant and exciting have become dull, boring, and lifeless. Congregations become insular, in decline, and in denial about its impending death. Like the lady in one church who said, “We used to be a great church! We had an outstanding music ministry, an excellent preacher and pastor, and everyone enjoyed our services on Sundays. Now all of our young people are gone and only a few of us old-timers are left.” She said, sadly, “I don’t know what happened.” This familiar story is told in many places when, in fact, it could have been a different, more lively story.

In our personal lives, we plan for the future. Our 401Ks and other retirements plans are part of our compensation packages so that income will continue to come to us even when we do not continue to go to work on a daily basis. What if we did the same for the church where we hold membership? What if we considered how to teach good stewardship, reach more unchurched people, and keep our church interesting, attractive, relevant, and welcoming? For God’s Sake!…we are to make plans to keep the church going. Yes, we know Jesus said to Peter that “…the gates of hell will not prevail against [the church];” but what about your church? If long-term planning works for your personal life, it certainly will work for your spiritual life.

Planning for your church’s success means doing a better job of what has worked well in the past. Doing church is a work in progress; planning never ceases. It is a continuous thread that runs throughout the life of the church. In the absence of this second most important activity (preaching the Gospel is the first), the congregation will decline, those who are left will become disillusioned, and the legacy of a once flourishing church will be lost.

Planning requires the use of many resources. First and foremost is God’s word. Often it seems that the very people for whom the Bible was written will not pay attention to what the Bible says about planning for the future. Habakkuk 2:2-3 advises its readers to write the vision and it will come to past. Isaiah 30:8 is a related Scripture that encourages and assures that when the vision is cast, it will come to past, and will last forever. In fact, when we signed on to be a follower of Christ, we were told that it would cost us (see Luke 15:26-35). The sacrifice of time and resources needed to plan the church’s future will result in successful transformation of many churches that are in decline and will keep vibrant churches relevant.

Secondly, people resources are essential to the planning. Leaders, members of the congregation, and others who bring energy, godly wisdom, and innovation will be of value to the planning process. With these resources, the pastor who diligently seeks God’s will for the church’s future is able to put forth the vision revealed to her or him and will be able to lead the church is a direction that secures a healthy future. Your future can begin when you commit to engaging the planning process.

Here are six suggestions to help with revitalizing your church and keeping it healthy:

• Make a thorough assessment of where you are now, how you got there, and where you wish to go.
• Use the Bible as primary guide and other proven resources that will provide needed guidance throughout the planning process.
• Do not hesitate to seek consultation; preferably someone who is brand new to you and your church and who will bring unbiased and honest perspectives.
• Do not use the words “we’ve never done it that way before” to mean that you will not try something different.
• Engage the entire congregation in the planning process. There are meaningful ways of doing this.
• Assemble a group of people whose primary function throughout the process is to pray for each individual in the planning group and for God’s will to be done in the church’s future.

If the church believes what Jesus Christ said to Peter in Matthew 16:18, “…upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” then the church must take responsibility for doing excellent ministry and fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). How do we get this done? For God’s sake, plan!