Church Alive: The Personal Touch

Another element that is consistently found in alive, vital, growing churches is what might be called "the personal touch." No matter how large or small the congregation, there is an opportunity to experience intimate community at the level of the small group or other personal relationship.


We see that rhythm between the large/public experiences and the smaller/personal experiences in the New Testament:

ACTS 2:46. Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes...

ACTS 5:42. Every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

ACTS 20:20 (The Message). I taught you out in public and I taught you in your homes.

We see the same thing in Jesus' ministry. He spent time with the crowds, with the twelve (the disciples), and with the three (Peter, James and John).


"Alive" churches have a clear plan for ministry that is both public and personal.


HEBREWS 10:24-25. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.

This passage focuses perhaps not so much on church attendance, as upon renewing our commitment to BE the church to ONE ANOTHER.


Here is a list of some of the most important "one another" passages in the New Testament:

• Greet one another (Rom 16:16, 1 Cor. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, 1 Pet. 5:14)
• Comfort one another (1 Thess. 4:18)
• Forgive one another (Col. 3:13)
• Build one another up (Rom 15:2; 1 Thess 5:11)
• Serve one another (Gal. 5:13)
• 
  Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)
• Encourage one another (Heb. 10:25)
• Meet with one another (Heb. 10:25)
• Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving towards one another (Eph. 4:32, Rom. 12:10)
• Receive (or welcome) one another as Christ received us (Rom. 15:7)
• Care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25)
• Minister one to another (1 Pet. 4:10)
• Show hospitality to one another (1 Pet. 4:9)
• Pray for one another (Jas. 5:16).

1 JOHN 1:7. If we live in the light...we share in life with each other.

These two go hand in hand - living in the light - sharing in life with each other.


1 JOHN 4:20. We cannot see God. So how can we love God if we don't love the people we can see.


The personal touch is so much more than simple relationship building - though that is indeed a good thing. The personal touch is about growing in discipleship - becoming more Christlike.


The early Wesleyan Methodist small groups had a level of intense oversight that is amazing. Read this document for a description of the early "band societies." Notice that five questions were always asked of each participant:

1. What known sin have you committed since our last meeting?

2. What temptations have you met with?

3. How were you delivered?

4. What have you thought, said, and done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?

5. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret?


If so many great things happen at this personal level, then why don't more church people attend small groups? This article by Pastor Steve Cordle seeks to help answer that question.


Here is an example of a Methodist congregation in Ohio that has a strong ministry of home cell groups. Click on the various sections listed under "Cell groups" for more information.

Church Alive: Look Both Ways

What are the ingredients of an alive, vital church?

The Christian movement began with a focus on who's not here.


Almost every denomination begins with a focus on who's not here.

Read here this description of how hard it was for John Wesley to change his ways, and begin the practice called "field preaching."


Almost every local congregation begins with a focus on who's not here.

Read historian Bill Hardt's description of early Methodist activity in our area. Look at other posts on his blog site.

Read here the text from the historical marker placed in front of BUMC.


Over time, it is easy for any denomination or congregation to place most of their focus on those who are already here.

This is a movement from mission to maintenance. A church begins as a movement, but may find itself becoming just another organization. (Read this opinion piece by Ralph E. Bauserman on what this looks like.)


Look at the focus on growth - on "who's not here" - in the second chapter of Acts. (You may want to re-read the entire chapter, but at least look at these key verses.)

ACTS 2:1. When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. (According to Acts there were 120 gathered believers.)

ACTS 2:41. So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

ACTS 2:47. The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.


Numbers are important only because numbers are people – people who need the Lord. People who are precious in his sight.

Alive churches have an intentional focus on who’s not here. Alive churches look both ways – they look inward, and they look outward.


Read Bill Hybels's article about how his church (Willow Creek) had to place a disproportionate emphasis on those who weren't there in order to be faithful!


This truth is embedded in the heart of Jesus' teaching - for example, this passage from Luke 15:1-7.

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.


This truth affects everything about how we do church. What do you think - how would your behavior be different if you lived up to this calling? What would look different about our church?


Here is an interesting opinion piece - "Are We Ready for Real Modern Day Circuit Riders?"


Look at this interesting article by Josh Hunt - "What Do All Growing Churches Have in Common?"


What do you say when you see cookie crumbs at church? Choose one.

1. I gave money for that carpet and I expect it to be clean.

2. When I was a youngster, we knew better than that.

3. I'm afraid that is what happens when you let "those kids" from the community in "our" building.

4. Isn't it wonderful to be part of a church where so many lives are being touched!

(If you need help with this multiple choice question, then you truly need help!)

Church Alive: Check Your Enthusiasm Level

What would it take to create a church where the enthusiasm level is contagious?


Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy faced a similar problem. (Read this article about the Rockets Rowdies and their effect on the team's performance at Toyota Center.)


During our message series "Church Alive" we will be focusing on the passage Acts 2:42-47, a vivid description of life together in the early church. Read the passage from the translation The Message.

Notice the phrase "people in general liked what they saw." This tells us that what was going on among the people could be perceived by others from the outside! They could tell that something exciting was happening.


I once heard about a bumper sticker: "Hey Christian, if there's joy in your heart, please notify your face!" In other words, if you really believe what you say you believe, it ought to show! The same is true for churches. If what the Bible says is true, then it should be perceivable to others by our behavior.


I have a book called Building a Contagious Church. (You can read a shorter article by the same author at this site.) As I read, it occurred to me that EVERY church is contagious. Every church has a spirit that either lifts you up, or brings you down. But ALIVE churches have a contagious enthusiasm.


So what is the opposite of a church alive? A church dead? Maybe. Maybe not. Revelation 3 suggests that there is something that might even be more dangerous for churches.

In this passage, the message of the Holy Spirit to the church at Laodicea is quite eye-opening:

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)

There really aren't that many cold or dead churches. But it is very easy for a church to grow lukewarm in our faith. And the Bible reminds us how dangerous that is!


Did you know that Methodists were once widely known for our enthusiasm? In fact, we were once called "shoutin' Methodists!"

Read this article - "Shouting Methodists" by Winthrop S. Hudson - for some historical background on this phenomenon!


Some will try to argue that Sunday is simply a time for the believer to be close to God and not to worry about what impression we might make upon anyone else. Paul's words to the Corinthians might suggest otherwise, as they remind us that even non-Christians may be drawn closer to the Lord by what they encounter upon walking into a church worship experience:

If some unbelieving outsiders walk in on a service where people are speaking out God's truth, the plain words will bring them up against the truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they're going to be on their faces before God, recognizing that God is among you. (1 Corinthians 14:24-25, The Message)


You can make a difference! 50 Rockets rowdies helped turn around the atmosphere at the Toyota Center. Last year the Rockets were 3-12 in their first 15 games at home. This year they went 12-3! Someone will say church is NOT a ball game. I say "Amen" to that. We ought to be MUCH MORE enthusiastic for the Lord than for any ball team!



Is there some missing passion in your walk with Jesus Christ? You may find these words from Pastor Mike Slaughter helpful:

"The stronger and more compelling the purpose, the greater the passion, focus and creative flow of faith and energy that will come through your life. You know there are so few people in the world who are enthusiastic. You can go by people every day and it's like they are just existing. They never feel up and they never feel down. They are just flat lining through life. On an EKG, that's called dead. Enthusiasm comes from two Greek words - en theos, in God.

One thing that we have learned from the Taliban since September 11 is that there is a difference between what we believe and our convictions. Convictions are your passions, what you really care about. I can believe things that I am not passionate about.

Every one of us needs a God-sized initiative. A God-sized initiative is a life cause that is more than you can accomplish in your own strength and resources. A God-sized initiative is something that is large enough, broad enough, and Christ-empowered enough to live beyond you into the future generations for the honor of God."