A Prayer Strategy

Today we are meeting with some church prayer coordinators to develop an appropriate prayer strategy, or perhaps I should say, strategies, to undergird our effort to begin implementing the "future story" (see earlier posting). Prayer is an absolute necessity. Already a tremendous amount of time has been invested in prayer by our strategic focus team. Now, as we begin to tell the "future story," we want to enlist the believers in our churches in a greater prayer effort.
There is an old adage that says "prayer changes things." I think it is more accurate to say that "prayer changes us" and it is with this thought that our team recognized that without a heart change on the part of our church members, we would never be able to make any significant impact for Christ on our Montgomery area. When Jesus sent out the 72 in Luke 10, he first instructed them to pray. So, tonight, and tomorrow morning, we are meeting with these prayer coordinators to enlist their input in developing these strategies to engage our churches and their members in living into the "future story." Our desire is to see a Montgomery Missional Movement begin. More on that later.

Discipleship journey versus discipleship program

Having lived all my life in the culture of Southern Baptists, I am more than adequately acquainted with discipleship programs. As a child, we called it BTU(Baptist Training Union). Then it became simply Training Union, then Church Training and more recently Discipleship Training. The framework for all of these was a "program" with an organized structure (i.e. organization). One of my seminary professors even went so far as to say we needed to kill "Church Training" as an organization but retain it as a ministry. The old approach was focused primarily on content over relationship, though there was an effort to build good habits like daily Bible reading into the student's life. We studied our "part" on the program and were to learn how to make a content presentation through that effort. I had my first "part" on the program when I was nine or ten years old. It was about "giving" and I memorized it, though my parents encouraged me to tell it.
When I got to college, our church group would study books like A Taste of New Wine by Keith Miller, Elizabeth O'Connor's Journey Inward, Journey Outward, or Elton Trueblood's Company of the Committed instead of a "quarterly." These groups obviously became more relational, but the effort lacked the personal accountabililty necessary for a genuine discipleship journey.
I was involved early on in the introduction of MasterLife. This effort built strong accountability into the process but was too rigid in the expectations for leaders and participants, that it seemed to lack flexibility. All of these efforts seemed to establish in the minds of the participants and desire to "get through" or "finish." The same mindset is prevalent in current study groups who move from one book to the newer latest book by a popular author.

What seems to be lacking in these approaches is the failure to see a lifelong discipleship journey that can be developed to meets the needs and desires of the current Christ-follower. While doing collegiate ministry, students were frequently asked by their peers in a particularly ministry, "Have you been discipled?" The concept was good, but the question implied that if you answered yes, you were where you needed to be. Also underlying this concept was a lack of appreciation of the above mentioned Christian education model of discipleship. And, it implied that is you hadn't been "discipled" in their process, you hadn't been "discipled." I know they all had a very good intention, but this is how they came across.

We seemed to then move to mentoring, coaching, and accountability groups. These approaches are much more fluid and allow for genuine contextualization of the process and the content. They also allow for the unique individuality of each person.

What I would really like to see is a process developed, first with people who are already engaged in ministry outside the walls of the church, to explore through study, prayer, and encouragement, the ways God is using their ministry experience to shape their lives into His image. Too often volunteers get "burned out" because they lack the nurture, the biblical foundations, and the encouragement they need to see their work as crucial Kingdom work. It won't come in the latest new book or study guide, although content is certainly needed. It will be relational and be like a support group, and it will provide a deepening journey for those involved.

What does it take to be faithful amidst a culture of traditionalism?

I visited a church today to present a plaque commemorating their 100th anniversary. This is a once rural church now on the edge of suburbia. The current pastor is in his eighteenth year as pastor, quite long for Southern Baptists. I had the privilege of preaching in this church a number of times back in the 1980's. Then it was a rural church, about 8-10 miles outside of town, with a very traditional approach toward doing church, in worship, ministry, and governance. Those who were there in the mid 1980's would not recognize the church today. They worship in a newer building addition that doubles as a fellowship hall. (A Spanish-speaking church meets at the same time in the old sanctuary.)

When I visited the church a couple of years ago, the worship was what one would classify as contemporary, meaning to most people that the music was of a more contemporary nature, led by a praise band. Today, there was no praise band, and the worship through music was led by an evangelist and his family. Of course the service was different from the usual ones. This week there was actually a printed order of service (remember, it's the 100th Anniversary service).
But normally, there is no printed order of worship. In fact, for the past year, since the worship leader left, there has been no hard and fast structure for worship (music) leadership. They even had a period when they intentionally worshipped without music. Now, a team of musicians gets together on Wednesday evenings to worship together. From that joint worship experience, they determine what is meaningful and what and who sound right together, and plan the worship experience for Sunday. Members are encouraged to offer themselves and their inner expressions to God in whatever form that may take- in art, or writing or music. The halls are lined with worship expressions toward God in the form of art and writings. Today throughout the service, a young female artist was offering her expression of worship through a painting.
On other occasions there may be a dramatic presentation, or some other offering to God.

Not only is the overall style somewhat serendipitous, but the actual arrangement of the worship center has changed. Previously the chairs were all lined up in straight but wide rows. No one was far from the front. Now the chairs are in a U shape, with the ROUND communion table in the center of the U. Each week, the congregation holds communion, sometimes in the midst of the service and sometimes at the end. Individuals and families come to the table, select a piece of the unleavened bread, dip it in the grape juice (we are conservative Southern Baptists, remember), and then gather in families or different groups for a prayer together as they partake. This structural transformation, the pastor says, has helped lead to the subsequent changing of the attitudes and approaches of the worshippers. Now the emphasis connects them with one another, and encourages each worshipper to offer his or her personal worship to the Lord.

Something particular struck me in what the pastor said during the sermon this morning. He recalled an experience at a previous church when God had been faithful, against all odds, and had provided finances for a church van. A second similar need and experience at this church had occurred, but having made it through once before, the pastor just proceeded. His revelation from God came like these words(and I paraphrase), "I covered you this time, but don't presume on me again. Seek my will and listen to me." Well, I was excited to worship in a church where the primary focus seems to be on listening to God and following God, even if it means doing things in a totally different way.

Now, back to my first question, "What does it take to be faithful amidst a culture of traditionalism?" First, it takes genuine encounter with God and willingness to hear what the Spirit says. "He who has hears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Second, it takes a commitment to be faithful to God no matter what. This requires both faith and the courage to venture out. I believe faith supplies the courage. Third, it requires an acknowlegement that our traditional ways of doing church, while they may have somewhat of a biblical basis, are human constructs for the purpose or comfort of those who construct them. We have to get back to the underlying purpose behind what we are doing, and ask if there is a better way to connect us with God in worship.

One primary problem with our traditional ways of worship is the limited genuine interaction we have with one another. We are set up to be primarily spectators, and most of us are wondering what comes next and when are we going to be through. After all, isn't worship supposed to connect us to God and then to one another to prepare us for being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world?

Why are we so busy at Christmas time?

Tis the season of hustle and bustle, calendars full of activities, shopping to be done, preparations to be made, trees, wreaths and garland to be decorated and hung. All the while we complain about the "commercialization" of Christmas. It used to bug me that some of those who complained the loudest about this distortion of the Christmas season were the least likely to engage in any spiritual reflection, attend any special worship services, or change their own behavior in any meaningful way. We must love to find something to complain about.

What are the best ways to commemorate Christmas? My suggestion includes worship, reflection, and thanks giving prayer, as well as a gift or gifts to the less fortunate and to some missions cause. I hope to do my share of these this season. "God bless us, everyone."

Future Story Writing

Steven Covey, in his noted The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, lists as the second habit, "Begin With The End In Mind." He talks about total life issues and direction, looking back from your own funeral and asking what you would want to be said about your life. He then encourages the reader to live into that story, or begin from today making your life what you would want it to be looking back from the end of it.

We have been engaged in writing a "future story" for our local Baptist association of churches, looking back from the year 2018 at what has happened among our member churches and in our greater area and how God has directed the process. Where did that future story come from? Was it just something someone dreamed up?

Well, it didn't just happen. It didn't drop down from the sky or arise out of the earth. Rather it was part of a spiritual strategic journey of about thirty of our leaders led by Dr. George Bullard of the Columbia Partnership. These leaders engaged in very serious efforts of gaining knowledge, praying, discussing, and journaling. Participants engaged in 100 days of prayer and discernment in prayer triplets (groups of 3) who met at least every two weeks to pray and discuss the vision they believed God was giving them for our association. Out of this process, the journaled ideas were harvested and compiled. Team members then in a retreat setting reflected on these groups ideas and determined their missional approach. Choosing "pull" (measuring impact) and "leap" (measuring increased capacities) missional approaches, they focused in on five key issues that affect our area and impact the effectiveness of our churches. These five issues were poverty, crime, race, school, and affuence or consumer religion. A future story writing team was assembled from this group and they undertook to begin writing the story. Each participant chose a particular issue and wrote a sample future story on how churches impacted that particular issue. These were then compiled and compacted into a 1,200 word statement that became the future story. After editing and proofing, the story was prepared for presentation and adoption at our annual associational meeting in October. It was adopted.

But, that is only the beginning. Now we are challenged with the tasks of (1) telling the story in our local churches, (2) building a prayer strategy to undergird the implementation and living into the story, and (3) putting together an implementation team to begin the enormous task of getting buyin and action from the local autonomoous churches.

The writing of the future story operated under the basic premise that "ground zero" for Kingdom activity is the local church. Churches must own the efforts for these efforts to have any long-term impact. People work best when they are passionate about their work.

With these facts in mind, here is the "Future Story of Montgomery Baptist Association"


Dateline: Montgomery, Alabama, November 7, 2018

Montgomery is not the same city it was just ten years ago. A tremendous transformation has taken place. While long-time residents speak most glowingly of the changes, almost everyone who had lived in the area has taken notice. This transformation found its origin in a vision that developed among Montgomery Baptist church leaders and a commitment to see that God-given vision fulfilled.

Of course, there have been significant challenges. When the areas north of Montgomery saw continued migration of Montgomery residents to Prattville, Millbrook, Wetumpka during the 1990’s and early years of the 21st Century, many anticipated Montgomery’s demise, but a group of committed church leaders back in 2008 were not content to simply watch a slow decline in population and in church membership. They were willing to seek a new vision, to dream a new dream. This group, brought together under the leadership of Montgomery Baptist Association, began to pray, and dream, and pray, and dialogue. Out of prayer triplets meeting during the spring of 2008, ideas began to surface that congealed into a new vision for Montgomery Baptist and her then 57 member churches, now numbered at 72. An ongoing dynamic strategic prayer effort helped to jumpstart the process and sustained it throughout the decade.

A strong concern for involving all churches in reaching the unchurched in the greater Montgomery area characterized the beginning of the transformation. Working alongside churches, the association assisted in identifying critical life issues of those needing Christ. This process was carried out under the theme of “Churches Living Out Their Biblical Mandate.” The association helped form multiple networks of churches and church leaders to facilitate actions based on calling and interest.

A vision team saw the need for churches to address from a biblical perspective five key issues that were often characterized as problem areas in Montgomery- crime, poverty, schools, race and abused or misused affluence. This was no easy task given traditional Baptist polity that affirms each local church as autonomous. Neither the association nor any other body can dictate to any church what direction it must take. Armed only with prayer and belief in the power of a God-given vision, these church and associational leaders began to challenge one another to a greater effectiveness in sharing the gospel and making a difference in the lives of people. Recognizing that many church members were ill prepared for community mission work, they called for a heart transformation among members and a deepening effort to become committed Christ followers. Only that effort, they believed, would lead to church and community transformation. One pastor commented, “We can’t impact our community without deeply committed believers in our churches who live their lives with a strong biblical focus on making an impact in everyday life.” But with so much to do and so little people power, how did it happen?

In reality, through prayer the process had already begun in the lives and ministries of some of the vision team. One minister who lived outside his church community began prayer walking and visiting with the residents of the church neighborhood. His visits began to build relationships with the people, who came to see him as a friend willing to help. He challenged his church to reach out and soon many children and youth in the community were getting involved. He looked for partners and found them in an independent evangelistic ministry, neighboring churches that weren’t Baptist, and eventually even city leadership.

Another larger church involved in ministry for a long time in a declining community saw her ongoing efforts at community transformation bear even more fruit through meaningful partnerships with a new storefront church in the area that offered hope through the gospel. Lives were changing. Neighborhoods were changing. It took a long-term commitment of a key church to get this change process started and while it has not come easily, progress has come.

Several other churches found new connections through local schools. Church members began by reading to students, and later began tutoring sessions. Some sought out areas of special need from school administrators and established ongoing partnerships with schools. Parents and teachers were among the first to notice the difference in improved grades and student behavior. Three churches even began sessions for helping parents help their school age children. In a matter of two to three years, six neighborhood schools that had failed to meet their progress goals were now achieving them. It was as if the church members had now become stockholders in the school enterprise.

Four MBA churches networked together to form a job training and referral network, helping those who were seeking employment through training and life skill development. Many of those who benefitted will tell you how grateful they are, but for them coming to faith in Christ is what brought about the greatest life change. This network turned an empty storefront into temporary housing for students until they were able to earn enough from their new jobs to establish themselves in their own housing. Money management classes helped participants learn for the first time how to plan their spending and manage to live within their means. Over 150 have graduated through this process since its inception in 2009. Of this number, the network reports that over 130 are still gainfully employed.

Efforts like the school partnerships and the job training have borne a key additional benefit - significant reduction in crime. Juvenile crime statistics have dropped 50% and overall crime is down 45%. School truancy rates are also down by a whopping 60%. This growing effectiveness has brought even greater participation. Several of the school partnerships are currently being assisted by grants from individuals and churches.

If you ask one of the church leaders who was here in 2009, they will tell you that the biggest difference is not just in the life of the community, but in the lives of their congregations. Churches that were on the verge of closing have found new vision and new hope through spiritual renewal and through discovery of their calling and giftedness. Baptist churches affiliated with the Montgomery Association reported over 1,300 baptisms of new converts. This is more than double the number baptized in 2007. One long-time church member described the change this way, “I was brought up in church with the idea that we were only to be concerned about saving ‘souls’ and not to worry about social issues. We soon realized that if we didn’t discover the issues of the people in our community, if we weren’t willing to listen to them, they would never hear the gospel we went to proclaim. It wasn’t’ that they didn’t need it, for they did. They were just overwhelmed with issues like schools, poverty, crime and violence and weren’t particularly interested in our invitations to come to our church. When we began to listen and show our interest in their concerns, and when we partnered with them to work on those overwhelming issues, they were more than willing to listen to our testimonies and invitation to new life because they knew we cared.” Another commented, “The biggest change I have seen is in the life of my church. People seem more authentic, more interested in sharing, more involved in ministry. It’s like we all began experiencing a new Great Awakening and didn’t even realize it.”

Rural churches were not left out of this significant transformation. Though Many of those churches in the rural areas back in 2009 were substantially connected with their communities through schools, rural service, or community organizations, they found new ways to connect with those they were not reaching, particularly among the poorest and the minorities. Some of those residing in the rural parts of Montgomery or eastern Lowndes County but working in Montgomery also found ways to be involved in ministry in the city. New community ministry networks were established in Ramer, Hayneville, and Ft. Deposit., partnering Southern and National Baptist churches with Methodist, Assembly of God, and other denominations. These centers have become true community ministries.

Perhaps the Many significant changes that the casual observer notices is how “together” the people of Montgomery are. In a city torn by racial strife in the 1950’s and 60’s, a city known as the cradle of the Confederacy and the birthplace of civil rights, such a change is truly miraculous. Early efforts had been made by the associational leadership in the 1980’s to promote racial harmony through joint evangelistic services. By 2008, eight predominantly African American Baptist churches were members of the association. Numerous others had some or significant African Americans on their membership roles. But still, there was an underlying uneasiness about the race issue. Three churches and their leaders decided to try to do something about this uneasiness, believing that the gospel they preached declared that all persons, regardless of race or social rank, deserved to hear the good news. They knew that if their people could not overcome this uneasiness, they would not be successful in proclaiming this gospel. They piloted a serious church and individual self-awareness experience that led to increased interracial interaction and greater understanding. Instead of being the taboo subject, race became a way to bring people together to explore their common benefits as children of God.

This transformation was significant in the treatment of persons from other countries or other ethnic groups. The new work among Koreans and Hispanics has flourished as well as the start of five new language or ethnic churches. Sixteen associational churches are now holding ESL or conversational English classes in their buildings and four others hold classes off site. There are now two fully autonomous self-supporting Hispanic churches and one mission, two self-supporting Korean language churches, and one Chinese church. All of these are now members of the Montgomery Baptist Association.

Montgomery Baptist Association is quite different than it was in the years leading up to 2008. Fifty seven churches were then members. Now that number is seventy-two. The association in this process served primarily as a catalyst, encouraging and putting together networks to help churches fulfill the vision, rather than being a promoter of programs and events. Baptists are now viewed as team players with others, working together for the Kingdom vision they share with their fellow believers. As a result of these and other efforts, churches’ mission’s gifts are up significantly, most notably in giving to local associational missions. Montgomery is quite different too. It’s a place people want to move to instead of a place they are trying to escape. Thank you Montgomery Baptists! Or, perhaps, we should all get on our knees and say our thanks to God Almighty, for such a transformation could only have taken place with God’s guiding hand.

Why This Title?

"Striveforwisdom?" Why did I select this title for my blog? Good question. Now, let's see if I can give a reasonable answer.

The first reason stems from my spiritual and family heritage. Growing up with a Christian family, we were always challenged to "do the right thing." Doing the right thing, or living the right way, requires wisdom. And, based on a some of my personal decisions from time to time, I have not fully acquired it.

The second reason stems from my current calling in life, to help churches more effectively engage the rapidly changing culture in which we find ourselves. This requires wisdom. Based on our rate of success, we don't have it and are not exercising it.

Solomon asked God for one thing, wisdom. My prayer is that I will make wise use of this blog.