It is the same with us in church leadership. How can we lead people on a journey of faith, unless we clearly define the destination to which we are leading people? At Church of the Resurrection, our leadership teams are constantly reminded of our purpose statement to build a Christian community where non religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. We have defined the destination of where we are leading an individual on their journey to become a deeply committed Christian as knowing, loving, and serving God.

Having clarity on the destination, helps keep us focused on the plans. And like our congregants, what better time to plan a destination than during the summer! But for many summer has traditionally  been seen as a time when the church takes off.  Other than the occasional youth summer camp or Vacation Bible School, ministry leaders rest. And what happens when the church doesn’t plan for summer? The congregants make destination plans of their own, and most don’t include a destination to church. Sometimes we lament that our weekly worship attendance declines during the summer, and other times, we just accept it as “oh well, it’s summer.”

In what ways does the church unintentionally send a message that it is taking a vacation over the summer? Reduced worship services, no regular music as the choirs take off, Sunday school cancelled, reduced office hours, no regular scheduled programming? And if the church is on ‘vacation’, then why should an individual make church part of their summer destination?

We need to message that although the summer may be more relaxed and casual, the church does not take a vacation. Several years ago we started a marketing approach to send this message to our congregants. We called it Destination Resurrection. Each May we prepare a bulletin insert and a web site.  In them we say, “Summer is the season for travel. Wherever you are headed this summer, make sure Resurrection is a destination on your itinerary. Plan to be in worship each weekend. Take advantage of the relaxed summer schedule to try some new things. Join us for a special learning event, volunteer to help with a mission projects, and connect with your Resurrection family at a fellowship event. Resurrection is the place to make the most of your summer.”

We collaborate across ministry areas to plan destinations for learning, serving, and fellowship for all ages. In this issue of Leading Beyond the Walls Journal, you will read about the ways our adult, student, and children’s ministries have made Resurrection a destination and a part of an individual’s summer plans.

In addition to what you will read in the Journal, our Catalyst Ministry team is mobilizing volunteers and preparing for several conferences this summer. We will host the Kansas East Annual Conference in June, the National Worship Leader Conference in July, and the Global Leadership Summit in August. Our Senior Pastor, Adam Hamilton will be speaking in the following annual Conferences this summer: Eastern Pennsylvania; Baltimore-Washington; North Alabama; Oregon-Idaho; Pacific Northwest; and Rocky Mountain. On May 22-23, our congregation will prayed for each one of the churches and the senior pastors in the annual conference where Adam will serve. It is such a privilege to be able to pray for those leaders. Finally, you might be interested to know that Adam is one of the faculty speaker for the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit held on August 5-6.

As you finalize your plans for the summer, and begin to think about Fall, we hope the Leadership Institute will be a destination for you and your leaders on October 7-8. We are excited to announce the keynote speakers are corporate leaders from Hallmark Cards. We have added several new Pre-Institutes, and have more than 80 Institute workshops for you and your team to select from, plus we have a special emphasis this year on new church starts. Also, for the first time, we are offering a special super early bird registration rate.  Register before July 10 and save $15 per person!

What a joy to be on this leadership journey with you!

Debi Nixon is the Executive Director of Adult Discipleship and Catalyst Ministry.  She will be leading a Pre-Institute workshop at the Leadership Institute entitled CATCH:Connecting and Attracting Visitors. For registration information visit www.cor.org/li2010.

A few years ago, we decided to change the perception for our congregants of summertime being a time for the adults to take a vacation from church and began planning a host of activities designed to send the message that church is the most important destination in everyone’s summer planning.  In fact, we call our summer strategy Destination Resurrection.  One of the areas we target during Destination Resurrection is learning—we ask the question, “how might we capitalize on the time off from regular programming to really engage our congregants in continued meaningful opportunities for spiritual growth?”

Below are some of the guidelines used to plan summer learn events:

Think short-term and use a “less is more” approach.  People are not willing to make long-term commitments during the summer, so we plan learn events that can be held on one night, or occasionally over two to three evenings.  Do not schedule too many learn events.  Our full slate for the summer rarely tops eight events, and the eight includes programs that would have already been on the church calendar.  We generally add no more than five stand-alone events and we carefully coordinate with other events in the church and community.

Choose your topics and presenters wisely.  In the past, we have hit upon culturally relevant topics.  We’ve offered a Christian response to popular books and movies, like The Secret, Angels and Demons, and A New Earth.  Sometimes a summer sermon will seed ideas that lend themselves to digging a little deeper through a mid-week educational opportunity. For example, this summer we will be doing a sermon series on the three simple rules. We are going to have a learn event focused on United Methodism, and how the three simple rules have shaped who we are and what we believe. 

From time to time, we have invited in guest speakers, including professors from our local seminary, who are experts in a particular area of study and can present interesting insights we might not get in the normal course of our small group studies.  Summer can also be a time to deliver great teaching on some of the basics of the faith, such as how to study the Bible, spiritual gifts, prayer or evangelism. We try to plan one family learn event and have tackled subjects like family devotions and a look at faith throughout the generations.  No matter the topic, we strive for high-quality content led by excellent presenters.

Engage groups from around the church to serve as event hosts and volunteers.  We invite different ministry teams to host one learn event each over the course of the summer.  Our ministries have embraced this idea and have been receptive to owning the event of their choosing.  We have recruited teams from our women’s ministry, prayer ministry, children’s ministry, men’s ministry, small group leaders, young adults, single adults, and more.  This tactic accomplishes two goals.  First, it helps build enthusiasm for the events within the hosting ministry and serves as natural marketing strategy.  Second, it creates shared responsibility so no one group is burdened with too much of the heavy lifting in implementing the various teaching events.  Groups are willing to commit to one night.  It does not feel cumbersome. 

Be family-friendly.  We offer onsite care for children who are in the 5^th grade and younger so parents can attend without getting a sitter.  Our start times are 6:30 or 7 pm so people can have dinner first, and we have people out the door by 8:30 pm while it is still light and before children’s bedtimes.

Develop a creative marketing strategy.  We begin to market Destination Resurrection around the third week in May. All events are captured in a brochure, including opportunities to worship, fellowship, serve, and learn.  Each week’s bulletin lists the current offerings.  A weekly e-mail is sent to the congregation which also highlights upcoming Destination Resurrection events and we develop a webpage where people can find more detailed information.  Signs are posted on the doorways entering worship reminding people of what is coming up.  Visually, we are building excitement, and sending the message that church is a great place to be during the summer.  We’re not slacking off—we are bringing our “A game!”

Build a bridge to the fall.  Finally, we recognize the potential that exists to attract people who are new to the church, or not currently involved in a small group, to one or more learn event.  While we generally do not require pre-registration to attend, unless critical to effective planning, we do capture the names of people in attendance using sign-in sheets.  Later, we check for new participants and conduct personalized follow up, inviting them to join one of our discipleship groups in the fall. 

Summer is an exciting time for travel, recreation and family vacations.  It can also be a time to engage in growing in faith in new and fresh ways.  Make your church the summer destination!

Carol Cartmill is the Director of Community Life and is the author of  Leadership from the Heart: Learning to Lead with Love and Skill. Carol will be leading several workshops on leadership at this years Leadership Institute.  Visit www.cor.org/li2010  for registration information.

At Church of the Resurrection it means, in the name of Jesus Christ, to lead the charge against the perpetual hopelessness that plagues our community surrounding the issues of poverty. In Matthew: 26:11 Jesus says, “The poor you will always have with you…”* Yet, He commanded us into action to address the needs of our neighbors. The parable of the sheep and goats, (Matthew 25:40) instructs us this way: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”* Jesus specifically names hunger, nakedness, imprisonment, thirst, isolation and loneliness as needs that we are charged to address. 

While we acknowledge that these needs exist in our home congregation, the ability to touch the lives of the least of our brothers and sisters comes to fruition fully as we engage in mission both inside and outside of the walls of our building.  And, we have found summer to be a great time to mobilize volunteers in a large concentrated effort to address a need in our community.

Because the public school system in Kansas City Missouri has been in a state of decline over the last several decades it has experienced a dramatic decrease in student enrollment resulting in a significant decline in revenue to the district.

One casualty of this revenue decline was the lack of proper funding for maintenance on the physical properties. In short, the schools fell into substandard condition including peeling paint, unusable chalk boards, and damaged and scratched woodwork. We also discovered that a significant number of KCMO primary schools did not have playgrounds.

Many of the schools were not achieving state mandated Annual Yearly Performance in reading and math. In some schools, the truancy levels were equal to or greater than the actual attendance levels. Significant numbers of students in grades K-8 were going without food for the entirety of the weekend because their main source of nutrition was food they were served during the school day. Students, as young as 4 years old, were coming to school without coats during the coldest of days of the winter.

Hunger, nakedness, isolation, hopelessness. Bless the School seeks to meet these needs by improving the physical condition of the school building as well as meeting the needs of the children outside of the walls of the school. For the four weekends of the last month of the calendar school year, the Bless the School ministry leaders and a team of Resurrection members spend every Saturday making physical improvements to the school. Fixing small holes in the walls, addressing minor plumbing or electrical problems, and prepping areas that the students don’t frequent are the first phase of the summer work blitz.

Once school dismisses for the summer, the Bless the School work blitz begins in earnest. For approximately three weeks, the ministry leaders and a volunteer constituency from Resurrection making up a work force serving in shifts six days per week, Monday through Saturday. It has also been a great way for us to not only build relationships with the KCMO school district, but with other local congregations who partner with us in this Bless the School effort.

For congregants who want to get involved but cannot do the physical work of painting, cleaning, scraping, or doing repair work on the building, the Bless the School ministry has the opportunity for volunteers to provide lunch, water and snacks to the other volunteer workers. When the interior of the building is complete, a team of volunteers installs playground equipment that meets the physical fitness standards of the state and provides equipment for the children to use during recess where only an asphalt blacktop may have existed before.

The final component to the Bless the School mission is the after-care ministries that are established in partnership with the school. Resurrection provides training to enable volunteers to serve as tutors in the school during the school day. The principal identifies children who would be not eating over the weekend and Resurrection provides backpacks full of food for them through our Hunger mission ministry, Backpacks for Hunger. Through the Education and Life skills mission ministry, school uniforms and supplies are made available to the students and the Collections Connection mission ministry provides coats for every student who is identified by the principal and/or teachers as being in need.

In leading beyond the walls and engaging in mission, Bless the School allows Church of the Resurrection to serve several purposes. First, it serves as an entry-point opportunity into service for large numbers of volunteers. Second, Bless the School exposes Resurrection volunteers to deeper service and relationships with those in need once the physical work is completed. Most importantly, Bless the School is an avenue for Church of the Resurrection to fulfill the Lord’s call to do for the least of these and therefore to do to Him also.

So, think about Blessing a School, while school is out this summer. To begin, consider the following steps:

1. Contact the principal and find out what the needs are
2. Schedule a walk-thru with the principal and assess based on the skills of your congregation what you will be able to safely, and with excellence accomplish
3. Talk to the school administrators to seek approval and set up a work timeline
4. Organize church volunteers and secure the proper releases
5. Seek donations and purchase supplies
6. Schedule an open-house at the conclusion as a way to celebrate with the volunteers, school staff, children, and their parents.
7. Establish on-going relationships such as tutoring volunteers, room party support, school supply donations, etc.

 How might you use the time the school is out to bless a school, and ultimately bless your community?

Jeanna Repass is the Kansas City Missions Program Director at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.  She will be leading a workshop on: The Nuts and Bolts of Serving Beyond the Walls of the Church at this years Leadership Institute.  Visit www.cor.org/li2010  for registration information.

Camps are a great way to draw kids into the church.  We have found they keep our kids connected over the summer and reach out to kids in the community who may not have a church family.  Camps are a non-threatening way for kids to grow in their faith and it’s something really fun that they want to invite their friends to attend!

We like to kick off the summer with our Vacation Bible Camp (notice we don’t call it school – it’s camp!).  Our weeklong event draws in hundreds of children and adults who love to start off their summer with VBC. Throughout the week, the children learn a main truth about God through drama, scripture memorization, song, classroom time, craft, and even snack and recreation time.  We make it so much fun that they can’t wait to return the next day!  Each kid receives a camp T-shirt to wear during the camp week. The cool part about the shirts is seeing kids wear them throughout the summer even after camp is over!

Sports are another avenue we use to keep kids connected to Christ, specifically soccer and basketball.  We bring in skilled coaches who lead the kids with great instruction along with daily devotions and an emphasis on how to put their faith into the game.  This is not your typical sports camp. We have many kids attend who have never played the sport or don’t participate at any other time of year but at camp.  Everyone, regardless of skill level, is welcome and everyone has fun. The key to our sports camps is engaging both the beginner athlete and the competitive athlete so both have a great experience during the week.

For kids who have more of an artistic flair, our children’s music department has two camps to choose from that emphasize God’s creative side.  Artistic Adventures is designed as a way to introduce children to the different fine art mediums including drama, art, musical instruments, dance, and vocal.  The kids take field trips to explore these forms of art. Seven Days of Magic is the final creative camp. During this camp, the campers will learn and stage a musical. Campers choreograph songs, create sets and costumes and spend time learning about the biblical story the musical represents. At the end of the week, they perform the finished product for parents and Sunday school kids. 

Returning to the topic of Sunday attendance, we don’t shut down the Sunday school classes just because our attendance drops a bit.  But we do take a new approach for the summer to keep the kids engaged and to lighten the load for our volunteers.  For the past two summers, we have utilized KIDMO curriculum.  It is a media-driven curriculum that focuses more on large group time.  We also use their take home MAP Book. When the kids return the books, they receive a small prize (pack of gum, lollipop, etc).  From time to time, specials guests are brought in to share their talent, which ranges from magicians to jugglers to balloon artists to skateboarders. These guests show how God has used them and their talents to share the love of Christ.

Don’t run from summer.  Embrace it for the opportunity it provides to take a fresh approach to revealing God to the children in our community.

Gail Gunnerson is the Special Events Program Director for Children’s Ministry at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. There will be numerous workshops offered on effective ministry with children at this years Leadership Institute.  Visit www.cor.org/li2010  for registration information.

I have seen more students’ lives change encountering Christ through summer camp or summer mission than any crazy game, lock-in, or bowling night. Of course, those events are necessary to build trust and fellowship, but summer gives us an entirely new and open perspective. Parents and students alike are seeking ways in which to occupy their time throughout the summer. This desire to sign up for whatever is available gives us, in the local church, immense opportunity to open their lives to a deeper relationship with Christ, and with loving their neighbor

Here are some suggestions of ways you and your church can engage students throughout the summer:

• Inform your families of the Conference youth camping ministry in your area.  Write a letter this week with detailed FAQs for parents and students to explore together. In addition, participate as a volunteer leader over the week. This gives parents confidence with you on sight and engages the students by your own example. No camp in your area? Contact other local youth ministry leaders and find out what programs or facilities they use, then join them.
• Plan and lead a mission experience. Never planned one before? You have help. Contact your Conference office. You don’t have to start with an international weeklong experience. You can begin with a Saturday morning service day for students and parents. You could set up “summer serve nights” connecting with your local retirement homes, homeless shelters, or animal services. After each experience, encourage students to share the impact and ways in which they saw the Holy Spirit move. This works great over pizza or ice cream!
• Start a breakfast Bible study at a coffee shop or cafe.  Invite the students to help prepare each week’s lesson as a team, engaging their minds in Holy Scripture.
• Give your senior pastor a break. Offer to have students create and lead services one weekend.  Challenge them to give testimonies of what Christ is doing in their lives. Help them understand worship: what it is, why we do it, and most importantly, why their presence and servant leadership is vital to your community of faith.

My hope is that this summer will be transforming for your students and your ministry. I can remember when the senior pastor of the small United Methodist Church I grew up in would meet me for a milkshake over the summer to answer questions about God, girls, and what it meant to be a disciple. He pointed me toward Jesus in every circumstance and looking back now, that summer was transformational for me as a follower and servant of Jesus Christ.

Jason Gant is the Director of Student Ministries and is the author of Youth Ministry - From Abingdon Press.  Jason will be leading several workshops on effective ministry with students at this years Leadership Institute.  Visit www.cor.org/li2010  for registration information.

Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 NIV

On January 12, a 7.0 earthquake struck southern Haiti crumbling buildings and inflicting a catastrophe upon the lives of the people of one of the world’s poorest nations. It has left some asking, “Why, God?” while mourning the loss of so many lives (including servant leaders and missionaries from our own United Methodist connection). But in Isaiah, we find words of great reassurance from a God whose love is unfailing, unshakeable, and unmovable even when all around us seems to be crumbling.

At Resurrection, we have initially responded to the crisis in Haiti in the following ways. We have taken a special offering, sent financial contributions to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), and collected items for health kits. This week Pastor Adam is in Haiti to explore next steps for the long term engagement of our congregation.  On Friday, 1/29, Adam will share a report about his trip at our Annual Church Conference and Gathering. You can watch the gathering live from 6:15-8:30 pm CST at www.live.cor.org. Also, at the request of many of our congregants, we reposted a sermon series from our archives entitled “Where was God When? The Problem of Evil and the Providence of God, and Adam addressed briefly the problem of suffering and evil during an informal time we hosted after the 5:00 pm Sunday worship service. We have provided links where you can view both of these videos.  As church leaders, times like this compel us to be even more passionate and diligent in reaching into our communities sharing a message of hope that can only come through Jesus Christ, sharing the message of a God of love and compassion. What is your local church doing to bring hope to your hurting community and helping people grow deeper in their faith?

We are currently in the midst of a sermon series entitled “Who is this Man?” The goal of the series is to strip away perceptions and help our congregants get to know Jesus more deeply through the eyewitness accounts of those who actually knew him. What an exciting journey as Adam walks us through the gospel of Luke!

Challenging congregants (and even more importantly, inspiring them) to take next steps to grow deeper in their faith is one of the greatest joys and challenges we face as church leaders. Too often, our congregants (and sometimes we personally) become complacent, satisfied to be on the shore and not venture deeper. In this edition of Leading Beyond the Walls Journal, several Resurrection Staff members share one of the ways their particular ministry area is intentional about moving an individual deeper.

My husband recently experienced the benefit of moving from the “shore” into deeper water. Each year, my extended family takes the week after Christmas to gather in Destin, Florida. This is a special time because we intentionally set aside our computers, cell phones, and the distractions of home, and instead focus on one another. During this week, we always grow deeper in our relationship with one another.

While in Florida, my husband loves to deep sea fish. In the past, writing that my husband loves to “deep sea fish” was kind of an overstatement, because he was standing on the shore throwing in his fishing line. His normal daily catch was 2-3 fish that we enjoyed for our evening meals. This year, he decided to charter a fishing boat so he could go farther out and fish in the deeper waters. This year, on his day of “deep sea” fishing, he and the other family members who accompanied him caught not 2-3 fish, but 75 fish. The thrill experienced by going deeper has inspired him to get off the shore. Deep sea fishing has taken on new meaning and commitment.

What will you do to inspire your congregants to move away from the shore and take a next step with Jesus Christ to deepen their faith?  These articles shared by Resurrection staff are meant to be a catalyst for your own creative ideas and strategies as you think about taking people deeper especially as you prepare for Lent.

Debi Nixon is the Executive Director of Adult Discipleship and Catalyst Ministry and is the author of CATCH: Connecting and Attracting Visitors and Catch a New Life, a book written specifically to help new members to take their next steps as they connect with your church.

What will your congregation be doing to grow in their faith this Lenten season?  In twenty years as the senior pastor at the Church of the Resurrection the most impactful Lent we ever shared together as a church came as I led the congregation on a 40-day study of the final day of Jesus’ life.  We called this, “24 Hours That Changed the World.”

The idea was to retrace the events of the final day of Jesus’ life, beginning with the Last Supper and ending with his death and burial.  The first Sunday of Lent began with the Passover Seder set for the disciples.  The sermon helped our congregation understand what happened at the Last Supper and why.  We then ended the service with Holy Communion.

The following week we moved to the Garden of Gethsemane where we focused on Christ’s agony, his perseverance, as well as Judas’ betrayal and the disciples’ desertion.  Each week in the series I sought to help our congregation see themselves in the story.  We also prepared daily scripture readings so that our congregation could read through most of the material from the gospel accounts of the final day of Jesus’ life.

Subsequent weeks included the trial before the Sanhedrin, the trial before Pilate, the torture and humiliation of Jesus, and finally, his crucifixion.  All of this led up to Easter and the resurrection and victory of Christ.  During the series I also sought to help our congregation understand the significance of the death of Christ for us.  I unpacked four different theories of atonement, one each week during the final four weeks of the series.

The series had a significant impact on our congregation.  People invited their friends.  Sign-ups for missions activities and discipleship opportunities went up.  Attendance at our Maundy Thursday service and our Good Friday prayer vigil went up.  Easter attendance was up.  But more than that, there was a palpable sense that people were growing deeper in their faith during this series.

For the last three years I have been preparing a book, a 40-day devotional, and a small group video based upon this sermon series – the project and resources are, like the sermons they were based upon, entitled, 24 Hours that Changed the World. The book offers a biblical and historical examination of the events surrounding the death of Christ, a discussion of various theories of the atonement, and it attempts to help the reader find themselves in the story.  The daily devotional book includes 42 daily readings with a short scripture, a reflection and a prayer.  The video was filmed in the Holy Land and here at Resurrection and is designed to take small groups to Jerusalem to reflect upon the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life.  It is meant to supplement the book and comes with a leaders guide.

This year at Church of the Resurrection we’re going to reprise this sermon series.  We’re giving away copies of the devotional book (one per household) on the first weekend of Lent as an outreach tool and to invite everyone to join us for this Lenten journey.  Many of our small groups will use the video and book; and each week I’ll preach on these themes.  Abingdon has prepared a video promo that is meant to be shown in worship the weekend before Lent for those churches who are pursuing this study.  If you’d like to see the sermon series promo click here.

To find out more about the book, devotional and video, or for ideas on how you can use this emphasis in your congregation (sample letters, promotional materials and more), click on this link.  It will take you to my page at Abingdon Press.  Remember, Lent is early this year – Ash Wednesday is February 17.

Blessings!
Adam Hamilton

I just returned from leading a group on a two week trip to Israel and Jordan.  We took several minutes to walk along the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee, just a stone’s throw from the historic remains of the Synagogue of Capernaum.  Was this the place where Jesus first called his disciples to leave life as they knew it and begin the journey to follow him?  Little could they have imagined what their choices that day would mean for them, or for the world. What Jesus did that day in the Galilee he still does, and what Jesus said he still says: “Come, and follow me.”

But today, things seem far less clear.  We interact with people everyday who have been around the church and heard Bible stories since childhood but are unaware what they actually mean, unsure if they have a personal faith.  The ministry of evangelism has fallen on hard times.  The conversion-initiation experience of the New Testament has become for many a confusing and circuitous path of false starts and uncertain beliefs.  At lunch not long ago I asked a searching businessman, “Are you confident you are a Christian?”  His candid response caught me off guard, “ I prayed a prayer one time, but I don’t think it took.”  My friend needed a new place to start.  Many in the emerging generation do not know God in Christ nor have even a slight awareness of the timeless essentials of the Christian faith.

I have been a huge believer in and practitioner of The Alpha Course since discovering it nearly 15 years ago.  Alpha is a ten week practical introduction to the Christian faith that comes from Holy Trinity Brompton Church (Anglican) in central London.  The Alpha Course has spread like a California wild fire around the globe with 50 million participants in over 150 countries.  Alpha helps local churches actually do evangelism and also creates an environment for spiritual renewal within our faith communities.  Here at the Church of the Resurrection we have all agreed on Alpha as a common starting point beyond attending worship. The Alpha Course provides the church with a clear starting line for the journey of faith.

The Alpha Course can be as small as a half dozen people meeting in a home or workplace, or as large as several hundred participants meeting in one large room.   Each Alpha session consists of a shared meal, a 30-minute talk on a Christian essential and a small group experience to discuss what they heard.  Alpha is a safe place to ask questions without threat of being made to feel stupid. At the end of Alpha, participants celebrate by inviting friends and family to come and learn through talks and testimony what Alpha is and to invite them to join the next course. We offer Alpha three times a year at our Central Campus, or provide the video tapes for homegroups to use the material at anytime throughout the year.  We will begin a new Alpha Course immediately following Easter. It is a perfect entry point for a person who visits the church for the first time this Easter to take a next step to go deeper on their journey of faith.

It is impossible to call men, women and students to begin a life journey of following Christ without making clear just where the starting line is.  Join us in the now familiar refrain, “Start with Alpha.” To learn more about The Alpha Course, visit www.alphausa.org or contact me, Jeff Kirby, at the Church of the Resurrection Jeff.Kirby@cor.org

Rev. Jeff Kirby oversees Alpha and Men’s Ministry at Church of the Resurrection. He is a noted speaker and teacher and can be reached at jeff.kirby@cor.org.

One of the perennial issues small group or Sunday school ministries face is the call to lead individuals deeper into the life of Christian discipleship.  While it is hard to find anyone who disagrees that the mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ, there is confusion about exactly what that means.  Over the last few years at Resurrection, we realized in order for groups and individuals to move deeper, the  leaders needed to be able to articulate clearly what we mean when we say “…becoming a deeply committed Christian.”

We have worked for more than a year to clearly articulate what it means, at least in the context of our ministry, to be a deeply committed Christian. The primary guiding document we produced is called “The 15 Core Traits of a Deeply Committed Christian.”  A downloadable copy is available on our website.  We encourage you to utilize it not simply by copying it for your ministry, but by revising it according to your context for ministry.

This document has become key to the development of a number of programs and ministries.  We have formed a core discipleship strategy around inviting individuals to Learning Communities which focus their teaching on these core principles.  For non or new Christians we invite them first to Alpha which is a basic introduction to the Christian faith.  From there, individuals are invited to on-site learning experiences focused specifically on the three overarching areas articulated in the 15 core traits document knowing, loving, and serving God. We have developed three six week  learning experiences where participants are able to discover more about each of these areas  in an interactive teaching environment, led by an experienced teacher, but also involving significant table and small group experiences.

Ultimately, the goal is to move individuals into a small group (home based, Sunday morning, Disciple, women’s, men’s, etc).  As they move into a small group from this intentional process, individuals have a better understanding of what it means to know love and serve God, and the important role small groups play in their personal discipleship. This creates small groups that have a healthier focus of intentional discipleship, not simply social interaction.

Once in small groups, leaders are trained and encouraged to regularly evaluate, review, and guide their groups according to the 15 core traits.    Groups are asked to engage in studies and experiences that touch on each of the core traits which helps groups avoid the tendency to get stuck in one area of discipleship.To this end, we have created a curriculum selection tool .This tool is organized around the core traits, and further categorizes items according to level (introductory, intermediate, advanced).  Feel free to use this tool to find resources. To order resources contact your local Cokesbury store or to visit www.Cokesbury.com

While this will always be a work in progress, these tools have become an important resource and help guide our decision making and training as we pray, think, and plan around the question of how to lead people deeper in the Christian Life.

Correy Trupp oversees Small Group Ministry at the Church of the Resurrection. He can be reached at correy.trupp@cor.org.

Chuck Russell provides support to leadership development and catalyst ministry efforts at the Church of the Resurrection. He  can be reached at chuck.russell@cor.org.

Many of our churches experience higher worship attendance during Lent as new people, disengaged church members, and unchurched people anticipate Easter. They may have been brought up in a faith that practiced Lent and feel that they need to get back to the roots of their faith.  They may be a non-believer who’s was invited by a neighbor to join them in worship. For whatever reason they choose to attend, your church should be prepared and equipped to follow up with  your first time visitors in a way that prepares and inspires them to take the next step in their journey of faith.

At Church of the Resurrection following up begins with delivering  coffee mugs to first-time visitors.  It has been a priority since the beginning of our church.  Our Senior Pastor personally delivered all the mugs following worship during the first five years.  He made a point to meet the visitors, get to know their stories and welcome them by name the next time they visited.  This was a powerful way to make a connection and  impact on someone’s spiritual life. When our Senior Pastor remembered their name on their next visit, they were very likely to join the church.  Since the time our Senior Pastor began delivering coffee mugs to visitors our mug ministry has evolved into a team of people that continues this practice of follow up and outreach.

Of course, every church is different in the ways in which they follow up and reach out to visitors.  However we have discovered that implementing a mug ministry is something that any size church can do.   A coffee mug is a tangible reminder of their visit.  Unlike bread or cookies, the mug remains in the visitor’s home for a long time.

If someone has visited your church and has registered their attendance with you, timely follow up is crucial.  It shows your church cares about them and wants them to be connected. If you don’t have a mug ministry, consider starting one this Lent. The following are a few steps to help you get started.

First, a custom imprinted coffee mug with your church name, phone number and/or web site is important.  The imprint should be simple and reflect only the basic information on the church.  Because Church of the Resurrection uses the same coffee mug as a thank you gift to members who turn in their annual stewardship pledge card, the mugs are dated each year.  Using the mugs for both purposes allows us to buy them in a higher quantity, and enjoy lower bulk pricing.

Depending on the volume of visitors, it helps to break down the process into bite-sized pieces.  Recruit volunteers to:

• Come during the week to stuff the mugs with current information on your church.  We include a simple note-card size paper that provides our Connections Ministry contact information.  The Connection Point is a central place where those brand new to your church can go to get information.  Our Connections Ministry serves as the conduit to ensure all requests about connecting into ministry are delegated to the appropriate area and followed up on timely.

• Input first-time visitor attendance information into a computer mapping system.  The maps are put into the mug to assist the delivery volunteer.

• Deliver the mugs to the visitor.  Your “muggers” should have clear guidelines to follow.  At Church of the Resurrection, we see this opportunity as a way to say thank you for visiting, and to invite the guests to visit again.  The “muggers” are instructed that this is to be a very quick and casual encounter They simply knock on the door, introduce themselves as being from Church of the Resurrection and quickly say, “ I don’t want to come in, but I am bringing you this mug to let you know how much we appreciated you visiting and we hope you come back. Is there any question I can answer for you today?” If there are no questions,  they thank them again, and leave. Remember, the guest may be very new to the faith or not familiar with the faith at all, and it is important to make them feel comfortable.  If the visitor is not at home, the mugs are left near the visitor’s door  with a short handwritten note

Occasionally, I’m asked if people are offended when we come to their door.  It’s actually quite the opposite.  This ministry sets the tone for how you welcome people into your church.  People are happy and often surprised that someone would take the time to visit their home.  Leaving an impression such as this opens the door to allow your church to reach their hearts and plant the seeds that can help them grow deeper in their faith.  Make a commitment this Lent to find a way to follow-up with your first time visitors and see what happens as a result of these connections.

Susan Bell oversees the Guest Services Ministry at Church of the Resurrection. She can be reached at susan.bell@cor.org. More information about our first time visitor and follow-up strategies is included in our new resource CATCH: Attracting and Connecting Visitors.