The Three Questions

? The

Three Question

sA Reality Check 101 Workshop

by Bill Kemp

Don’t fix what

you think is broken

Don’task the

people at worship how

to make worship better

Thinkdifferent

Jesus says:Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it...

- Matthew 7:13

To Question is the Answer

but, not all

questions are useful

Anxiety Thermostat

How much anxiety is in your church?

Anxiety verses Urgency

Everybody asks,

“How can we get more

people in our

church?”

3 Questions1.What is the real nature of Church?

2.Where is society taking us?

3.How can we do God’s will?

1) What is the nature

of the church?✤ How should we design our life

together so that the church becomes what Christ had in mind?

1) What is the nature of the church?

✤ Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… They had everything in common… enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Church is:A gathering of people for prayer, study, and worship, who relate to each other and to the world as Christ desires.

A gathering of people for prayer, study, and worship, who relate to each other and to the world as Christ desires.

✤ Fellowship

✤ Prayer

✤ Study

✤ Mission/witness

A gathering of people for prayer, study, and worship, who relate to each other

and to the world as Christ desires.

Things not mentioned:

✤ Membership

✤ Finances

✤ Building

Which is more“Church” ?

a) 200 people gathered for one hour on Sunday in a religious building...

b) 20 groups of 10 people, meeting in coffee shops, nursing homes, workplace lunch-rooms, etc...

2) Where is society taking

us?

2) Where is society taking us?

✤ How is your church changing to remain relevant to the people of this neighborhood?

Fewer than 18% of

Americans were in

church this past

weekend

Modernity 1700 to 1980s

Postmodern - Today

How is your church changing to remain relevant to the people of this

neighborhood?

How is your church changing to remain relevant to the people of this

neighborhood?

How is your church changing to remain relevant to the people of this

neighborhood?

The Church exists by MissionJust as, fire exists by burning

- Emil Brunner

Customer Centric = Mission/Witness

Mission= Seeing a problem or need in the world and implementing a solution

for it.

Witness = Relationships

Relevant churches seek to fully understand their neighbor’s

needs,and then offer some aspect of the Gospel as a relevant response.

The Spiral Rule

Congregations that focus

outward, Travel Upward

Congregations that focus

inward, Travel Downward

3) How can we do God’s will?

✤What specific vocation does God have for your

church?

✤What specific vocation does God have for your

church?