T-NET International • Discipling Disciplemakers • FALL 2003 |
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Helping Newcomers Connect, Grow and Stay |
David Durey
Pastor of Adult Ministries and Assimilation at New Hope
Community Church, Portland and T-NET Staff
Bob Gilliam writes: Dr. David Durey is "The best-kept secret in the Northwest!" When Dale Galloway was writing books promoting "Metachurch," it was David who was running all his small groups. When Mission Portland wanted to promote intentional disciplemaking, David put together the dynamite PowerPoint presentations. If you met David on the street, you'd never know, by his humble spirit, that he held a doctorate, was sought after all over the world and leading a church of several thousand into intentional disciplemaking. I invite you to listen carefully as this T-Net staff member and master-disciplemaker shares some expensive secrets about assimilating newcomers.
We’ve all done it. You survey the
congregation hoping to see some of the same new faces you saw last
week. If they come back, you are almost ready to high-five another
church leader, your wife, or anyone close by. At least that’s how you
feel in your heart.
Why did they come back? Well, you have every right to feel that your
sermon, at the very least, was palatable enough for them to take a
seat at the table one more time. The nursery must have met their
minimum standards and the list goes on. But what if you could survey
Christians who were successfully assimilated into your church during
the last year or two. Imagine that you had a long conversation with
them, asking how they were drawn to the church and why they stayed.
Now repeat the same process in more than a dozen growing churches
across your city, speaking also with a pastor at each church to gain
additional perspective. Would you like to know the result? Certainly.
Who of us wouldn’t like to identify proven actions you can take to
improve the way your congregation attracts the unchurched in your
community and assimilates them into the Body of Christ.
More
Weddings: A Strategic Opportunity for Disciplemakers |
David
Goodman
International Vice President for T-NET
"Contrary to what one might
think, weddings are one of the most strategic disciplemaking opportunities
within the church. Yes, they can be a pain to facilitate from an
administrative point of view, but if you
ascribe to the theory that people are most open spiritually in times of
crisis and significant life change, then all the turmoil that goes on
around these showcase affairs qualifies many of the participants as prime
candidates prime candidates for change . . ."
" . . . on the list of church events that establish goodwill in your community and define your church reputation, weddings have to be at the very top of your list. They draw a significant number of people who otherwise would never darken your doors. Whether or not these people are seekers, their collective impressions of your church will often define the community impression of your church and directly influence the rest of your evangelistic activities. No, I am not suggesting you give an invitation or weave “The Four Laws” into your message. I am suggesting you emulate God’s personal attention and love by designing a service that is unlike any other they have ever seen . . ."
More
Plus a Wedding Template
Resources on the Web for Officiating Pastors
Dr. DIMM Clergy Computer Geek for Cyber Saints |
Great Computing on a Parson's Budget
Powerful Free Software Antivirus
Free Word Processing
Free Digital Photo Utility
and Other Free Programs
to Redeem the Time and . . .
Your Wayward Computer
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AfterWords - David Goodman |
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T-NetWorker Staff |
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I am a Cub fan . . . Like the obligatory introduction at a 12-step meeting, long-suffering Cub fans are famous for cheering on a lost cause. But wait. Today as I write this in the third week of September, with only a few games left in the season, the Chicago Cubs are half a game out of first place. And I am living and dying with each game . . . or each pitch, if I am so fortunate as to be listening to the game. Now, I have a serious question about this. I began asking myself,
why do I care? I mean I’m not even certain I know what it means when
Chicago manager, Dusty Baker, comes out with his line-up card and
announcer Pat Hughes says, “He’s going to make a double switch.” I
think I know, but Cubs' legend, Ron Santo, goes on to describe the
situation as if everyone knows all the strategic implications and,
alone in my car, I give a knowing nod like I too understand this
most basic of managerial strategies. |
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