1. What is the difference between attenders, members, and multipliers in a church? Which level are you in? Which level would you like to be in? What steps will you take to get there?
2. What are we the church responsible for after leading people to Christ? What are the best ways of accomplishing these goals? How can each member of the church play a vital role in discipling new believers?
1. What is the difference between attenders, members, and multipliers in a church? Which level are you in? Which level would you like to be in? What steps will you take to get there?
ReplyDeleteWell saw Frank’s email defining these but, I will attempt to list out definitions by Phil. Let’s see first would have to list attendees as an individual that is checking the block, they are a couple of different categories here. We have the individual who goes fairly regular sets in the back or some location non-threatening and sits respectfully and listens, probably does not sing during worship and or mouths the words, puts out a few smiles here and there and is out the door and to the car as soon as they are dismissed, blending in and is not serving anywhere. Then in this same category you have the man who goes to appease his wife and keeps the peace he sits like a bump and is very quiet and is not engaged at all and quite frankly cannot wait to get out of this place. Oh forgot one category the holiday goers, these are the ones that go on Easter and Christmas and that’s it.
Members, now here we pick up the stakes a bit. These individuals have made a commitment to be part of a certain church, for the most part they attend regularly they probably for the most part tithe, but the vast amount of them do not engage in ministry, here we have the 20% rule-you know 20% doing 80% of the work. They do attend special functions, maybe some prayer nights, and etc.. Though. (Is this story sounding familiar?).
Multipliers, here we have your 20% they are members and they are engaging in ministry, they are doing everything from children’s ministry to Prison ministry. They are engaging in the battle, they are trying to serve and expand the kingdom. They are not only talking the talk they are walking the walk!
Which level am I in? Well I would like to say I am in a multiplier role, until recently it was for a church until I was prompted to reach out on my own (www.bandofknights.com) Do I have it all figured out? Ahhhhhh NO but I sure try to keep my sword sharp and engage to glorify our Kings, Kingdom!
As far as steps to get/stay there, that would be staying in the word, growing, praying, and surround myself with battle buddies who will invest in me and help me grow (hmmm could that be discipleship?) Is it not called the great commission? Are we not commanded to be multipliers?
2. What are we the church responsible for after leading people to Christ? What are the best ways of accomplishing these goals? How can each member of the church play a vital role in disciplining new believers?
Ok warning/and some grace needed here as this one could get me fired up a bit.
What is the church responsible for? My thoughts on this are that they are responsible for a great deal! The shepherds are responsible for leading the flock through wastelands if need be to get to green pastures so the flock my feed, and in doing so the Sheppard may have to fight off some wolves. So should we not be responsible as Pastors to feed and equip the flock? If we are satisfied that they found their way to Christ and then go, “Ok were done their here no more work on our part is needed” Then how will they ever grow? In real terms if a herd of Sheep are left alone on attended they will walk off a cliff or be attacked by wolves. So why would we do this with new believers, why would we leave them on their own? Oh but we have the answer to this give them a class hand them a bible track reading plan and call it good, forget the investment, forget the disciplining, forget being Pastors, let’s just let them wander the countryside looking for their own green pastures. For crying out loud lets plug them in, Jesus took 12 men invested in them walked along side with them and what did he get? Yeah you all ready know the answer, so why do we do such a jacked up job of doing this? When it has all ready been laid out for us. Seriously buy a vowel people! But instead we whine about no ones tithing, our church is immature, were not growing, and our baptisms are low to non-existent, Well maybe just maybe we are not following the instructions laid out for us.
Best way to accomplish these goals, let me cut and paste from my Web site:
“It's a Men's Ministry that promotes investing in one another, forming David and Jonathan relationships, so that we may form a brotherhood amongst ourselves. Community with our Brothers is in our design from the King of Kings. He has designed us to be Knights and Brothers, to glorify Him and to DEFEND HIS REALM! Each one of us can be a Knight; a gentle warrior who walks in honor and is a leader, servant and brother to others. Yes, a man after God’s owns heart and a man who does not stray at the first sounds or signs of battle.
Existing Knights in the brotherhood assist other men to take the road to becoming Knights. They equip others, arm them for battle with the enemy, enable them to protect their families and be the leaders they are destined to be - all while glorifying our King's Kingdom! They assist these brothers in releasing the Arthurian Knight within!
When you get right down to the core of what Men's Ministry is, you get to this definition: "One Knight walking with another, helping him to know Christ in a deeper way." It involves a relationship--Brother to Brother.
Men's Ministry is about one Brother working with another to bring glory to our King, and through their relationship with each other they grow closer to Jesus.
So here we have an idea. Men's Ministry is not about big programs, all though useful and inspiring, it's all about investment. Jesus invested in 12 men, we only need to invest in one. Walking with him through life and allowing God to make him into the Knight that God wants him to be. In doing so, he is equipped to defend God's Kingdom and thus also defend his family, protect His church and expand our King's land.”
So what does all this mean? I believe as a church it is plugging people in, getting them connected, small groups etc.. equipping them to have an avenue to invest in one another to walk/grow and engage. It even goes as deep as having a church that is unified..But to sum it up I would say investing in one another! How can each member paly an active role, well short answer get involved, follow our kings example he laid out for us.
know this was a long one, sorry. But just started pouring, thanks Frank and to all have a great day!
1. What is the difference between attenders, members, and multipliers in a church? Which level are you in? Which level would you like to be in? What steps will you take to get there?
ReplyDeleteFunny you ask this Frank, it's been on my heart for a little while about, what I'm I doing for God's Kingdom. For a while there, I thought I was a multiplier. I know I have been an attender, and a member, but a multiplier -- not sure. I heard a great sermon the other day about "our purpose" in church, on this earth. Jesus was real passionate about the poor and the widows. The Pastor said this, if you don't know what your calling on God's earth is, do this. Give to the poor and the widows and you do this until God tells you different. He talked about Jesus hanging on the cross in John 19: 26-27. It says "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home."
It's almost like Jesus pulled himself up on the cross and said to Mary, here is your son, and looked at John and said, take care of her. The pastor believed that Joseph was dead at this time because Mary followed Jesus around -- Jesus was taking care of His Mother. My point being this, we need to take care of the poor and the widows because our Lord and Savior Jesus tells us to. That to me is a multiplier, sacrificing their own lifestyle for the life of someone else.
I feel I'm a member of God's church, the body of Christ, but really don't feel like I'm a multiplier. The more I see this, the more it hurts and breaks my heart, because I know what Jesus did for me, I remember the day He pulled me out of my pit, my living hell. My prayers lately have been that God puts the poor and the widows on my heart, that I may not forget what Jesus asks of me to do. What I want to do about this is cut back on my personal "selfish" desires, whether it be cable, whether it be time to my self, and give back to those who need Jesus. I want to be available, that's all.
2. What are we the church responsible for after leading people to Christ? What are the best ways of accomplishing these goals? How can each member of the church play a vital role in discipling new believers?
What I can think of is this. Helping them and equipping them to go and make disciples of all nations. It takes investing in those people, teaching them the word, helping their marriages. I honestly believe it starts from the top. If the members see the leadership leading and obeying God's word and vision for that church, they too will invest. We can do that by lifegroups, sunday school, encouraging and investing in those people to lead those groups, men and women and here's a cool idea, how about children leading other children as well, teens getting involved and helping out in the community. I feel the church has to invest in the community, thinking outside the church grounds, going into the work fields, the schools, the stores.
In my opinion, it takes more than just men's ministry. It takes every single person out there in that church to be involved some how and some way.
Oh my brother Pete has stated something that has been on my mind alot! We have to get past the church grounds! we have to reach out to the Community! We can not wait for them to come to us! Does He not tell us GO? then why would we just wait for them? And yes it takes every single person to be involved, but men are commissioned to lead and it is their destiny so by gosh there needs to be a men's ministry that is invested in, so men know this and see the example so all may lead to from the front!!! Thanks Pete-Lets get out from behind our walls lets get out from behind our comfort zone! you rock bro!
ReplyDeletePhil, your answer was good. I hope we all will always realize that we need to get in there participate. The time is always NOW.
ReplyDelete