by Gary Reinecke | Feb 26, 2021 | Disciplemaking, Uncategorized |
In case you missed it a recent report was published comparing the views of four Christian groups in a number of areas – see graphic above.
The American Worldview Inventory 2020, conducted by the Cultural Research Center (CRC) Director of Research Dr. George Barna, surveyed 51 beliefs and behaviors among Christian groups and found that rather than transforming the culture around them with biblical truth, the opposite is happening. American Christianity is rapidly conforming to the values of the post-Christian secular culture. Key findings of the survey include:
- Evangelicals are embracing secularism
- Pentecostals and charismatics take secularization a step further
- Mainline Protestants are the most secular of the four faith families
- Catholics are increasingly secular and permissive
If you are like me this information is both alarming and confirming – that is, it might affirm what we already sense is happening in the church!
What does this mean for the advance of the gospel?
- Your life and ministry matters
- It is easy to read data like this, hear yet another account of a leader who trips and falls or listen to the voice of the media take a sucker punch at the church or Christianity. In some cases this is well deserved. But the reason Christianity exists today is because people like you have taken a stand and refuse to retreat, give-up or give-in.
- Coaching Question: Where can you take a stand today?
- Continue the work of making disciples
- If you are part of the problem – change or get out of the way. Seriously! Now, if you are still with me – leverage your influence. Remember your values. Take action. Sometimes the little things we do, matter the most.
- Coaching Question: What values drive you to take the next step in helping someone on their discipleship journey?
- Go small and deep
- Jesus was a friend to the disciples. He cared. Jesus went deep. If you have experienced the fruit of a small band of believers you know the deep impact that can be made. Culturally the time is ripe to go small and deep: see MEGA-MULTI-MICRO
- Coaching Question: Who are you partnering with to multiply disciples?
Take courage my friend – this battle is not over. More and more Christians and local churches are being marginalized, ignored and hated for what we STAND AGAINST vs. what we STAND FOR. Be strong and courageous (I Cor 6:13)!
For the full report entitled:
American Worldview Inventory 2020
by Gary Reinecke | Jan 24, 2021 | Church Multiplication, Disciplemaking, Focused Ministry, Leader Development |
Right now, you and I must be creative in our efforts to discover inspiration.
If you listen to the typical news report, read the latest updates on what is going on in the world and allow your mind to focus on reasons to be fearful – those messages can be less than motivational. It can be downright depressing. Or in my darker moments, they just feel evil.
Today I want to ask this question: Where do you find inspiration?
You might be in the throws of finding the right path to navigate complex issues of ministry. For instance, now that you have “righted” the ship and are discovering how to conduct a hybrid ministry; you might be asking yourself how long will this last. Of course, no one knows the answer to this question. Theologically you hold to the inspiration found in Jesus’s ministry, the Psalms and the writing’s of the Apostle Paul. In the moments when all odds stand against you, your leadership and even your family – the Word is our source of inspiration.
AND in the midst of challenges it is essential that you grab onto sources of inspiration that force you to see God in a new ways. One way I find inspiration is through mountain biking. It provides a needed distraction, forcing me to consider life and ministry from a fresh perspective. I enjoy riding with my wife. Mountain biking provides companionship with Gina, breathing life into my weary soul and tired body. Afterwards, I see things differently. It puts events into it’s proper perspective. Inevitably, I discover a new insight I did not have before the ride. Most important is the gratitude I feel when I realize how big God is and how small our world is and my place in it!
Where do you find inspiration?
In the next month we are launching three Leadership Collectives. One of the take-aways for leaders that experience the Leadership Collectives is the inspiration they receive throughout the process. Please look there over and if you have anyone in your network that might benefit – share it!
by Gary Reinecke | Jan 12, 2021 | Disciplemaking, Leader Development |
This third question is important! In a very pragmatic way, this question will determine your true intent. Let’s review those questions again:
- What is your “why”?
- How will you create a culture of diversity?
- What is your leadership development strategy?
Let me explain the statement I made above – this question will determine your true intent.
If you are serious about having leaders who are from diverse ethnic backgrounds:
- you will make disciples who navigate the challenges associated with crossing ethnic boundaries in your community
- you will attract emerging leaders of diverse ethnic backgrounds
- you will plant multi-ethnic churches
Each of these deserves an entire blog series. However, if you are curious and interested in taking the next step to either plant or develop multi-ethnic ministry in an established church, I would like to invite you to an upcoming event. Let me reiterate – my intent is to challenge church leaders to consider a the strategic missiological teaching on the phrase – make disciples of all the nations (panta ta ethne). I am expanding on this strategy and contextualizing it to the church in the West.
FB LIVE Event: Leadership Makeover for Multi-Ethnic Church Leaders – Tuesday January 19 @ 9am PST/Noon EST
FB LIVE Multi-Cultural Ministry
I am collaborating with Russ Siders to discuss some of his learnings from 20+ years of multi-ethnic ministry in a FaceBook LIVE event on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 @ 9am PST/noon EST. We will build on some of the information shared here. Hope you can join us!
To go to the InFocus Ministries Facebook page – CLICK HERE.
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 24, 2020 | Disciplemaking |
Being clear on your “WHY” is imperative when your vision is to cultivate a multi-ethnic ministry! For almost a decade I’ve worked with Russ Siders as his coach as he has led Sunrise Community Church, a multi-ethnic church. Today the ethnic breakdown is as follows:
- 40% Anglo
- 45% Hispanic (both English and Spanish speakers)
- 15% African American and other ethnicities
Here is what he shared about his “Why.”
…the call to foster multicultural communities is rooted in something deeper than current social trends. For me, the story of the Antioch Church in Acts 11 is instructive and inspiring. You have a community of disciples started by Greek speaking Jews, but reaching into every stratus of the society, to Jews and Gentiles, to free and slave, to those with power and those with none. And it is there, as the gospel is lived out in this context, that Acts 11:26 says the disciples were first called Christians, “little Christ-ones.” This name supposedly came from outside the movement, and while it may at first have been a pejorative term, it was, if nothing else, a recognition that something unique was happening, something that could only be accomplished by the power of Jesus, the one whom Ephesians 2 says is our peace, destroying the dividing wall of hostility.
Russ Siders – Lead Pastor, Sunrise Community Church
- I am collaborating with Russ to discuss some of his learnings from 20+ years of multi-ethnic ministry in a FaceBook LIVE event on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 @ 9am PST/noon EST. We will build on some of the information shared here. Hope you can join us!
Finally, I asked Martin Mora, who serves alongside Russ Siders as the Worship Arts Director at Sunrise Community Church in Tulare, CA – why he believes multi-ethnic ministry is vital to the work he does at Sunrise and the broader region in his denomination. Martin is an exceptional leader who seamlessly crosses cultures and has years of experience in multi-ethnic ministry. Watch and listen to Martin as he explains his “Why” – CLICK HERE.
Next week we will address the second question: How will you create a culture of diversity?
by Gary Reinecke | Oct 8, 2020 | Disciplemaking |
Have you been asked: “What is the fruit of an apple?” It is kind of a trick question. The expected answer is, “the seeds of another apple”. The fruit of an apple is NOT just another apple; the fruit of an apple is an orchard.
Relating to Jesus’ commission in Matthew 28:18-20. The true fruit of a disciple is a disciple who makes disciples – who makes disciples. Another way of saying this is, the seed of a disciple-making movement are contained in every disciple.
If the fruit of a disciple is a disciple-making movement then a fair but more strategic follow-up question to ask leaders of leaders is: What does it cost your ministry to make a new disciple? This may seem like an odd question to ask a pastor, church planter or missionary. But is it really?
I was speaking with a colleague last week. He mentioned a network of disciple-makers that had done the hard work to track and calculate the return of their investment so they could study the metrics that mattered most to them. Note, these are conservative estimates. To-date they have facilitated the transformation of approximately 830,000+ people who now follow Jesus at a cost about $35 per new disciple. In addition, they tracked the following data points:
- 2,400,000+ people reached with the gospel
- 36,000+ churches started
- 720,000+ people in small groups.
Back to the question: What does it cost your ministry to make a new disciple?
This question triggers a number of reactions:
- Defensive (We don’t track that sort of thing!) OR Curious (Why do you ask?)
- Closed (Are you kidding?) OR Open (I’ve never thought about it that way before.)
- Criticism (Aren’t you bringing business principles into the church?) OR Willing (That is an interesting question!)
One of the first things we will do in the Leadership Collective – Missional Discipleship is ask leaders to consider this question. It is a clarifying exercise and one that helps leaders grasp a number of insights. See if you can relate to these.
5 benefits to asking the question:
What does it cost your ministry to make a new disciple?
- Clarifies the type of fruit a leader is harvesting
- Channels resources in the direction of making disciples
- Helps a leader know what opportunities to say “no” to
- Has the potential to align ministries to support the work of making disciples
- Empowers teams to celebrate “wins” along the way
Here are some of the reasons why we created the Leadership Collective – Missional Discipleship. We believe this is a strategic opportunity for leaders to re-think their disciple-making process due to the restrictions that are being opposed in our society. See if you resonate with any of these:
- Simplify your disciple-making process
- Adapt innovative ideas that have worked elsewhere
- Create new discipleship processes you have been envisioning
If you relate to any of the above and would like more information on the Leadership Collective – Missional Discipleship – watch the video below. Micah Dodson and I share the vision for this 10-month learning community so that you have a clear picture of what you will achieve. We pray you can join us in La Jolla, CA for the launch event November 15-17.
CLICK IMAGE ABOVE
by Gary Reinecke | Oct 5, 2020 | Disciplemaking, Uncategorized |
A real problem I am experiencing in leading our small group is keeping people engaged in the disciplemaking process. Not just because we are doing this remotely but also because discipleship is hard work. Can you relate to any of the following challenges that lead to Mission Drift:
- busy schedules
- family responsibilities
- recreation
- financial obligations
- work pressure
Many times we stall-out in our development and it is easy to go through the motions and maintain vs. doing the hard work of making disciples, who make disciples.
How does that translate into the leadership roles of church planting, lead pastor or as a pastoral staff member of a church? The problem of making disciples grows exponentially with increasing scopes of care. It is one thing to disciple a small group. It is quite another to be charged with discipling multiple groups. Or an entire congregation.
The task of making disciples that make disciples is as critical today as it was 2,000 years ago. In the midst of giving leadership in a local church it can be lost in the tyranny of the urgent. I invite you to watch an interview with Ty Davis of Tulare Community Church below. He highlights the challenges he faces in his role on church staff, the struggles he encounters as he reorients his focus on making disciples and the benefits of being part of the Leadership Collective.
CLICK IMAGE ABOVE
If you would like more information on the LEADERSHIP COLLECTIVE – Missional Discipleship – please CLICK HERE.
InFocus will do everything within our ability to meet and exceed regulations so people are safe, remain healthy and have a peace of mind. If we believe it is in the best interests of everyone involved we will move the live, face-to-face event in La Jolla to a virtual Zoom event. We will communicate the adjusted cost and the modified agenda with all interested participants.
