I have been mapping out my preaching for 2009. It’s a fun and intense process. I thought it would be interesting to hear from others on this subject. Follow up posts are coming. I will be asking for input as well as sharing some of my own perspectives near the end. Today, questions for the preacher. If you are not a preacher, hang on, the next set of questions are for you.

For those who preach regularly, 5 basic questions:

1. Do you favor exposition through books of the Bible, or thematic series?

2. Assuming the gospel is central in your preaching, what do your people need to hear the most at this stage in your church’s life right now?

3. How long are you willing to roll with one series/book of the bible? (6 months, 1 year, as long as it takes?)

4. How far in advance do you schedule your preaching?

5. What preachers do you listen to via podcast, MP3, CD, etc.?

I’ll include my answers later.

A lot of churches have a Fall push. Are any of your churches doing that? You know, summer vacations are over, kids are back in school, new residents are moved in and getting settled, a rhythm is developing and many churches use that time to try and connect with new people. Ads, mailers, door hangers, public events, press releases, new programs, classes, et al. Around here, the big churches use and actually increase their attendance via those Outreach postcard mailers. I have found that smaller churches do not typically bear the same fruit even when using the identical methods. Like those disclaimers for Jenny Craig. *Results not typical. Your experience may vary.*

Anyway, I’d like to hear what churches are doing, or are not doing, now that we’re nearing that time of year.

I’ve been thinking through the issue of “assimilation” and the local church - a lot. This has been one of those areas in which I feel weak. The theology of the church (ecclesiology) is something I am passionate about and comfortable with. But systems and methods for doing church where Scripture does not explicitly speak are more difficult for me. Assimilation is generally considered to be the process of leading visitors to the church to become active, healthy members of the church. I believe every church needs to put serious thought in this system, method, or whatever you want to call it, as it is clearly a part of Christ’s Great Commission to make disciples. So what should it look like? Whose model will we adopt?

Some assimilation models are based around a well designed program with classes that emphasize education. For example, there may be four classes that relate to different stages of assimilation. One completes a class and moves ahead. I don’t think this is wrong. Classes are helpful tools in assimilation, but it’s easy to adopt this method (or any other method) second hand without first laying a theological/philosophical foundation on which the system can be built. New churches want to get going, don’t want to reinvent the wheel, and therefore sometimes adopt a program for assimilation that can amount to running people through formalities without ever really accomplishing the goal of producing mature members who are on mission. So here are my thoughts on a foundation for assimilation. You can think of it like a skeleton on which muscle and flesh must be added. Or you can think of it in terms of our goals concerning general experiences and spiritual progression. Like most of my thinking, this is very simple stuff, but perhaps you will find it somewhat useful.

Gospel-Centered Assimilation (sketch from my journal)

I write and draw everything out in my Moleskine journal. This is what my thinking on assimilation looks like visually. It breaks down into four progressive experiences/spheres that overlap with one another. When a family or individual comes to an event or gathering - or even into a member’s home the process begins. For more info on [circle, triangle and square, see this post.]

Gospel Encounter
The first sphere is a gospel encounter. At every event, in all our gatherings and ministries, and in even our homes as we practice hospitality, we expect visitors to encounter the gospel in word and/or deed. This is something we are completely in control of. While we cannot ensure that an individual will embrace the gospel, we can ensure the gospel is demonstrated through works of mercy, preached in our worship gatherings, seen in our parenting, fellowship and dialog with the world.

The unchurched, non-Christian and the mature believer who has walked with Christ for decades will both encounter the gospel. A gospel encounter is not dependent on a particular program, but can use them as appropriate. The point is that in every point of entry to the body (worship gathering, mercy ministry, etc.) the gospel is exalted and people are in some way confronted with it.

Gospel Experience
The second stage of assimilation for us is experiencing the gospel. This is out of our control, but is the aim of all our ministry. By gospel experience I mean people are not only confronted with the gospel, but are in some way affected by it. Conviction of sin, seeking God, and eventually faith and repentance (conversion) are progressive goals. There is overlap between the gospel encounter and gospel experience, for some will have been prepared for this in advance, and some will be Christian. Therefore, some who come into our midst will encounter and experience the gospel immediately. Others will experience it later as they continue with us.

For many of our visitors, the first two stages of assimilation focus on the gospel and them as individuals and families. People are more the recipients of the gospel, rather than the servants of it.

Gospel Service
The second stage in assimilating into the church is gospel service - where people begin to see the gospel as something not just for them, but for everyone. Consequently they begin participating and serving with the church in her mission. It is our goal and expectation that everyone at Redeemer will participate in and serve both the body and the community with the gospel. At some point in this stage covenant membership is expected. How a church moves forward with membership varies greatly, but I like the idea of a class or classes to help in this aspect of assimilation.

Gospel Calling
As believers are growing in grace the church must work to help individuals identify their spiritual gift, mature as followers of Christ, be able to reproduce themselves via discipleship, lead in whatever capacity God has equipped them, and determine what God has called them to (in church life, family, vocation, etc.).

These latter two overlapping spheres orient the indivudal outwardly. Rather than focusing only on the “gospel and me” they are brought to live out a “gospel and me and the world” perspective.

I have not addressed the issue of new visitors and the parking lot, visitor’s centers, worship guides (bulletins for the old schoolers), etc. All of that is relevant - even important in my estimation. But first, I needed to work out in a clear way what assimilation really is. I do not believe assimilation is simply becoming a member of an organization. It is the spiritual progression of an individual with Christ and his people. It moves one from conviction, to conversion, to covenant membership and beyond. In ym view it should rely less on a program and more on immersion into the church’s culture (and counter-culture).

While this doesn’t spell out all the ways we, or any other church, may practically carry out assimilation, it is a helpful foundation from which we are developing the ins and outs of this process in our fellowship.

Of course, I am always curious how others are doing it, thinking about it. From big picture stuff to the practical details - please share your thoughts on this.

I took the fam into Chicago on Saturday. Kat and Eli got soaked, Madeline slept, and Jen was elected the most beautiful woman in the city. Here are two shots of the kids at (in) the Crown Fountain at Millennium Park.

Michael Spencer’s most recent podcast focuses on suburban evangelism in which he gives sub•text a shout out. Be sure to check out Internet Monk’s Coffee Cup Apologetics 46.

I do not have the gift of evangelism, though I do share the gospel. Once a person decides the evangescript is not the best way to approach evangelism in their community the question then becomes, “How can I take a natural conversation about common things and connect it to the gospel without it coming off like an abrupt topic change?”

Any time we take the initiative to share the gospel with someone there is always a leap that has to be made to the gospel. Sometimes the leap is short and easy. Suppose you’re discussing the difference between Catholics and Protestants — getting to the gospel is easy. Sometimes the leap is long - very long, like when you try to move from your favorite Starbucks drink (Grande Americano) to the cross of Christ. The longer the jump, the more unnatural the transition, and the more awkward the conversation. So the key is having natural conversations that transition more smoothly to the gospel (smaller leaps).

To state it simply, the better you understand the gospel the easier the transitions become. If you are trying to share the gospel you will still sometimes make huge leaps that do not work. Sometimes the conversation will only connect to the Christian faith in part, without getting directly to the gospel. Sometimes it will all come together the way you imagine. The more you know the gospel (its essence and effects) and the more you practice this discipline the easier making comfortable transitions to the gospel will become. I have been asked a few times what this would look like practically, so here are 8 examples of topics that make for shorter leaps to the gospel or Christian faith.

8 topics that can naturally connect to the Christian faith…

Read the rest at sub•text

A while back I confessing to Steve McCoy that I often feel like I’m a better Deist than Christian. He knew exactly what I meant. I was having prayer issues.

A Deist doesn’t believe God is actively involved in the world, but that he created the cosmos to run on its own and walked away. In other words, God doesn’t get involved in our world or our lives. He is essentially absent. In such a world prayer would be meaningless because God doesn’t poke his head in, much less intervene on our behalf. Of course in contrast the Christian believes that the Lord is a God of providence; that he actively governs all the affairs of the world and is intimately involved in even the details of our lives. The growing grass, the dying birds, one man’s prosperity, and another’s poverty, when and where we live and the day of our death are all things God is carefully overseeing. Because God is connected to our world and life, it only makes sense that we would want to appeal to him in prayer to act.

In fact God invites us to commune with him; talk with him about our desires and experiences - our needing and bleeding. He calls us to call on him and he responds. God acts. And yet prayer is too often an amazing gift that I take for granted. So, when I say I feel like more of a Deist than Christian I am confessing that my prayer life is often too small, and does not always reflect a belief in the God who is there, who cares and is involved. So as I spent a lot of time working through my practice of prayer I came to a few conclusions.

I was praying too little.

I was praying with too little passion.

I was praying with too little optimism (this is a nicer way to say I was praying with little faith).

So, as I have been thinking through the implications of my theology on prayer, and catching a vision for what a healthy prayer life would look like, I also began pulling together a plan to reboot the whole thing. The goal, to state it simply, is to develop a more constant attitude and spirit of prayer throughout each day. Here’s how I have been rebooting my prayer life. It may be helpful to a few others out there.

1. Properly define prayer.
Yes, prayer can be simply understood as conversing with God. But what most need is a robustly theological perspective on prayer. One of my favorite treatments of the subject is John Bunyan’s famous treatise. His definition of prayer is clarifying and helpful.

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God hath promised, or according to the Word, for the good of the church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God.

This biblical definition of prayer merits some considerable meditation. Better yet - read Bunyan on the subject. Why is this important? The better you understand what prayer is, the better your prayer life will become. For example, for prayer to be legit Bunyan says it must be affectionate. Does that characterize your conversation with God, or is it more of a recitation; an unaffected reading of a grocery list of needs? I will not exegete his definition at the moment, but spend time working through the implications. Do you pray for things God has promised, according to the word? Do you pray submitting yourself to God’s wisdom and ways? Do you pray in faith - believing? Clearly defining what prayer is helps to both guide and evaluate our praying.

2. Schedule time for extended prayer.
Casual, spontaneous prayer is a good thing, but so is more formal, scheduled prayer. Set aside time each day to get alone with God. Early morning, late evening, lunch break - whatever. Make the time to get quiet and enter into a time of real communion with God. I know that some claim scheduling prayer feels a bit artificial, but such thinking would also dismiss a scheduled date with your spouse. Would scheduling a date with your wife mean a lack of intimacy? I hope not. The point is, without a schedule you are simply much less likely to have extended times of prayer.

3. Learn a method of prayer.
Extended time alone with God is hard for most, and without a method to work through it, such times of prayer are often hijacked by pressing issues that are waiting to take over our attention. Even getting back on track can be tough. I blogged on the old ACTS model a while back, and I continue to use it as a method of prayer, though these days I call it the PACTS model because I kick it off with a Psalm.

• Psalm (a different Psalm each time I pray)
  This is helpful as it draws my focus to God’s character and work, sets my mind and heart in a direction where I can work through the rest of this method.
• Adoration
  Praising God for who he is, what he has done. It is a focus on his glory. The Psalms are particularly helpful here, and this aspect of prayer is very dependent on having a well developed theology.
• Confession
  Spend time considering, confessing and crucifying sin.
• Thanksgiving
  Thank God for his provision, care, promises etc.
• Supplication
  Our pleading with God for our and others specific needs.

4. Create cues to prompt you throughout the day.
Cues are triggers or prompts that remind us to pray throughout the day. This is not just adding another ritual to a moment, but a calling of yourself back to a frame of mind where you recognize God is present with you, and you are always dependent on him. Get creative and use technology as cues. Tape reminders on your bathroom mirror, stick post-it notes in your planner, leave yourself voice mail at work, send yourself an email in the future, have friends promise to randomly call and remind you to pray, etc.

5. Master the short prayer.
The short prayer is the sudden, unplanned, informal interaction you have with God in the moment. It may be praise, supplication, or confession. I say the short prayer must be “mastered” because it cannot simply be the lazy man’s prayer habit where God is casually addressed with less interest than we would the lady taking our order at the drive through window. To master the short prayer we must not only keep in mind the proper definition of prayer (it still applies here of course!), but we also have to work on “practicing the presence” of God. Apart from learning to walk through each day with the awareness the God is with us and we are dependant on him we will never master the short prayer.

These are five things I have focused on to help reboot my prayer life. I’d love to hear about any tools, methods, and encouragement you’ve found related to this issue as well.

I took the family out on a special date this week on my day off. Here are three pics of the kids at snack time.

Man, every time I think I can’t make it it this conference, can’t afford it, or whatever, I see something that makes me stat figuring out a way to make it this year. It looks fantastic.