come to the edge: i. the storm-tossed sea © bishop mike lowry june 2, 2011
TRANSCRIPT
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COME TO THE EDGE:I. The Storm-tossed Sea ©
Bishop Mike LowryJune 2, 2011
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Source: Library of CongressEuropean Map of the Word, pre 1492
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Map by Henry the Navigator, taken from www.hasslberger.com
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Waldenseemueller Map, 1507
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The Storm-tossed SeaWe are – “caught in transition from a
Christendom mentality to a missional reality.” Dr. Dana Robert, Boston School of Theology
What evidence do you see for the truth of Dr. Robert’s statement? What leads you to disagree?
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Our Mission ….“To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”How do you understand this mission?
What does it mean to “make disciples?”
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The Storm-tossed Sea:The Call to Action
An important review.
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Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world
The Call to Action
Overview
Association of Directorsof Connectional Ministries
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General Conference (¶501)
The General Conference has full legislative power over all matters distinctively connectional. It has no executive or administrative power.
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Council of Bishops (¶427.3)
The Council of Bishops is charged with the oversight of the spiritual and temporal affairs of the whole Church, to be executed in regularized consultation and cooperation with other councils and service agencies of the Church.
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Connectional Table (¶904)
The purpose of the Connectional Table is for the discernment and articulation of the vision for the church and the stewardship of the mission, ministries, and resources of The United Methodist Church as determined by the actions of the General Conference and in consultation with the Council of Bishops.
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Our Scriptural Mission
Great Commandment
“You shall love the Lord your God . . .
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mk 12:30-31
Great Commission
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . .” Mt. 28:19
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Our UMC Mission is . . .
to make disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world!
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Background
2005-2008 Mission and Identity Clarified– Mission Statement– Four Areas of Focus (Seven Vision Pathways)– The United Methodist Way (Formation)
2009-2012 Re-Ordering for Mission– Look at current reality and vision– Several GC Study Committees & Other Groups– Call to Action Report requested
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UMC STUDY GROUP REPORTSReported to Fall 2010 Connectional Table meeting
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Study Groups
1.Apportionment Structure Study
2.Church Systems Task Force
3.Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters
4.Sustainability Advisory Group
5.Study Committee on Worldwide Nature of UMC
6.Committee on Faith and Order
7.Ministry Study
8.Call to Action Report
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CALL TO ACTION REPORTInitiative for Change
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Beginnings - November 2009
Council of Bishops & Connectional Table creates a Call to Action Steering Team to…
– Gather data and conduct an objective Operational Assessment
– Share findings and recommendations that will lead to a reordering of the life of the church for greater effectiveness in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
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Starting Point
Confession that as a Church we have pursued self-interests and allowed institutional inertia to bind us in ways that constrain our witness and dilute our mission.
We have been preoccupied more with defending treasured assumptions and theories, protecting our respective turf and prerogatives and maintaining the status quo for beloved institutions.
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Starting Point
Unflinching recognition of decades of declines in membership and attendance, less engagement and influence in communities than desired, aging constituencies and leaders and financial strains.
Emphasizing that any “reordering” should be predicated upon sound and accurate understandings of how to best direct leadership, time, talent and money to cultivating more vital congregations.
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Starting Point
Commitment to work from a foundation of facts rather than opinions by commissioning research based on extensive data-mining and objective methods for identifying relevant trends, behaviors and issues.
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Initiated Two Research Projects
Church
Vitality
Operational
Assessment
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VITAL CONGREGATIONSResearch by Towers Watson
Data Mining of 32,000 Congregations in the USA
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Research Model
What is desired state?
What indicates that the desired state has been achieved?
What are the factors that directly impact the desired state?
Vital Congregations
Indicators of Vitality
Drivers
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What makes Churches Vital?
High vitality churches consistently share common factors that work together regardless of size:
Inspirational preaching
Multiple small groups and programs for childrenand youth
Mix of traditional and contemporary music services
High percentage of spiritually engaged laity who assume leadership roles
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16 “Drivers” in Four Key AreasSmall groups and Programs
1. Number of small groups
2. Number of programs for children
3. Number of programs for youth
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16 “Drivers” in Four Key Areas Pastor
4. Developing, coaching, and mentoring lay leadership to enable laity to carry out ministry
5. Influence the action and accomplishments of others to accomplish changes in the local church
6. Motivating the congregation to set and achieve significant goals through effective leadership
7. Inspiring the congregation through preaching
8. Length of appointment
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16 “Drivers” in Four Key Areas Worship
9. Mix of contemporary (newer forms of worship style) and traditional services
10. Using more topical sermon series for preaching in traditional services
11. Using more contemporary music in contemporary services
12. Using more multi-media in contemporary services
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16 “Drivers” in Four Key AreasLay leadership
13. Effectiveness of lay leadership
14. Lay leadership demonstrating vital personal faith
15. Rotating lay leadership
16. Percent of worship attendees serving as leaders in the past five years
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OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENTResearch by Apex HG, LLC
Review and Assessment of Mission, Values, Culture, Resources and Governance
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Operational Assessment - Apex
Identified a creeping crisis of relevancy that is linked to frailties in the UMC’s culture.
Absence of common definitions for the meaning of our mission statement
Value autonomy and decentralization with little accountability for results
Lack of trust, low levels of mutual respect
The frequent absence of civil dialogue
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Operational Assessment - Apex
Insufficient clarity about the precise roles and responsibilities of leaders
Lack of agreed ways to measure success or assure collaboration
Confusion of governance functions (legislative vs. operations)
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Operational Assessment - Apex
Identified the need for:
More clarity and understanding about the UMC’s mission, culture, and values
Less perceived organizational “distance” between and among the foundational units of the church
Better defined leadership roles, responsibilities, and accountability;
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Operational Assessment - Apex
Greater clarity about outcomes
More standardized management processes and reporting systems
Streamlining of connectional structures to achieve effective governance, lowered costs, and higher levels of performance
Unsustainable financial model
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Call to Action – Report
The Vital Congregations and Operational Assessment research provided findings
The Call to Action Team presented
– Adaptive Challenge
– Key Recommendations
– Interim Operations Team
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The adaptive context is a situation that
demands a response outside your current
toolkit or repertoire; it consists of a gap
between aspirations and operational capacity
that cannot be closed by the expertise and
procedures currently in place.
Ron Heifetz
ADAPTIVE CONTEXT
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ADAPTIVE CHALLENGE
In an area like this the opportunities are ill-
defined and discovering those opportunities
will require significant changes in the way
people do business in many different places
in the company. This sort of thing is an
adaptive challenge.
Ron Heifetz
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The Adaptive Challenge
“To redirect the flow of attention, energy, and resources to an intense concentration on fostering and sustaining an increase in the number of vital congregations effective in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” (p. 14)
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KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
To Council of Bishops and Connectional Table
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#1 Increase Vital Congregations
“For a minimum of 10 years, starting January 1 2011, use the drivers of Vital Congregations…
…assure that our attention and the flow of resources are directed toward enriching and extending high-quality ministries in and through congregations as the primary arenas for making disciples. (p.20)
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#2 Reform Leadership Systems
“Dramatically reform the clergy leadership development, deployment, evaluation, and accountability systems.” (p.21)
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#3 Church-wide Indicators
“Collect, report and review, and act on statistical information that measure progress in key performance areas in uniform and consistent ways across all churches and annual conferences, to learn and adjust our approaches to leadership, policies, and the use of human and financial resources.”
(p. 21)
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#4 Align Residential Bishops
“Reform the Council of Bishops, with the active bishops assuming
(1) responsibility and public accountability for improving results in attendance, professions of faith, baptisms, participation in servant/mission ministries, benevolent giving, and in lowering the average age of participants in local church life; and
(2) responsibility for establishing a new culture of accountability throughout the church.” (p. 22)
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#5 Consolidate, Align Agencies
“Consolidate program and administrative agencies, align their work and resources with the priorities of the Church and the decade-long commitment to build vital congregations,
and reconstitute them with much smaller competency-based boards of directors in order to overcome current lack of alignment, diffused and redundant activity, and high expense due to independent structures.”
(p. 22)
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INTERIM OPERATIONS TEAM
To Lead and Manage the Change Process
For Council of Bishops and Connectional Table
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Interim Operations Team
Seven members based on competency
Executives who are leading large-scale change in complex systems
Two-Year process
Budget of $375,000 per year
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Interim Operations Team
To serve the Council of Bishops and Connectional Table in implementing recommendations
To guide change management through General Conference and beyond
To “coach” and recommend steps, processes and timelines necessary for approved changes
To recommend policy to appropriate groups
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A Vision for the Future
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Vision
We must reduce the perceived distance between the general Church (including the general agencies), the annual conferences, and local congregations.
We must refashion and strengthen our approaches in leadership development, deployment, and supervision.
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Vision
We must articulate dramatically higher performance expectations and commit to achieving them—with a much greater emphasis on outputs as contrasted with intentions and activities—in the work of all leaders of the Church.
We must invest more resources for the ministries of local churches, including those in the Central Conferences, and reconceive and reform connectional funding practices (including frameworks for apportionments for local churches).
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Vision
We must refresh expectations and reform procedures of the Council of Bishops.
In short, we must change our mind-set so that our primary focus and commitment are on fostering and sustaining congregational vitality to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
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Our Scriptural Mission
Great Commandment
“You shall love the Lord your God . . .
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mk 12:30-31
Great Commission
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . .” Mt. 28:19
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A IN-GATHERING OF GOALS FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE
Fruits of Ministry
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A Call to Action
The United Methodist Church is called to be a world leader
in developing existing and starting new congregations to be vital
so that we make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world
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Disciple making and World Transformation
Vital congregations are Spirit-filled, forward leaning communities of believers that welcome all people (Galatians 3:28),
make disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthews 28:18), and
serve like Christ through justice and mercy ministries (Micah 6:8; Luke 4:17-21)
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A Vital Congregation has . . .
Inspiring worship
Gifted, equipped and inspired clergy leadership
Gifted, equipped and empowered lay leadership
Small groups and strong children and youth ministry
Engaged disciples in mission and outreach
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A vital disciple is a changed follower of Jesus
Matthew 22:36-40 -The Great Commandment
Disciples worship
make new disciples
engage in growing their faith
engage in mission
give to mission
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People and Ministry 2012 2013+
Disciples worshipAverage worship attendanceDisciples make new disciplesNumber of people who will join by profession of faith
Disciples engage in growing their faithNumber of small groups, Sunday school classes and Bible studies.
Disciples engage in mission Number of people from the congregation engaged in local, national and international mission/outreach activities
Disciples give to missionThe total amount given by local church to other organizations … includes apportionments paid and support for all UMC organizations…
Vital Local Church Goals
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Major Consultations
Financial Leadership Forum (GBPHB & GCFA)March 1-2, 2011Ft. Worth, Texas
Leadership Summit (COB and CT)April 6, 2011 3 Hour Webcast to Conference Gatherings
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A Steep Learning Curve
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Facing The Storm-tossed SeaThree Critical Variables to Remember (in reverse order of importance).1. We’ve been here before.2. It makes a great difference if we perceive the
ship as the Titanic or the Mayflower.3. “I myself will be with you every day until the
end of this present age.” Matthew 28:20 (CEB)
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BREAK