Gods Work, Our Hands

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Gods Work, Our Hands

• Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod Assembly
• Rev Ruben Duran, ELCA Rep

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Thanks be to God

• We continue to pray for Presiding Bishop Mark
  Hanson as he leads our Church.
• Together we are the ELCA
• We can do so much together, making a difference
  in the world today
• Check your Assembly materials to see all the ways
  God is using us in the domestic and global
  scenes.

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Some highlights

• Book of Faith Initiative. Free book , first
  resource at Augsburg Fortress Opening the Booh
  of Faith
• Anti-Racism Education in Synods going strong with
  more leaders participating.
• ELCA World Hunger Appeal 22.1 million in 2007
  11.1 growth
• Disaster Response 3.1 million from ELCA members,
  plus 3.9 M from federal 7M

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More highlights

• Mission Support 0.3 million increase in 2007
  42 Synods increased.
• Blue Ribbon Committee working on Mission Support
  Church Council Leaders, Bishops and others
  leading by example on tithing and giving to the
  work of the ELCA.
• Study on Sexuality 80 Hearings and more coming
  to inform the first draft on a Social Statement.

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More highlights

• Mission Investment Fund Assisting 7 churches in
  the Synod through loans totalling 1,387,424.
  Twenty churches in the Synod have 1.3 M in
  investments and 58 churches have 3.7 Min
  savings, memorials and endowments.
• 13 NEW Bishops presiding 10 new in 08
• Ecumenical news Full Communion process with the
  Methodist Church moving

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Healthy Churches

• LUTHER The church is present where the Word is
  preached and the Sacraments administered. It is
  the community of saints.
• AUGSBURG CONFESSION Articles 1-7
• 1. God 2. Sin 3. Jesus 4. Justification by
  faith 5. Ministry of the Gospel (calling people
  into faith) 6. New obedience (call into
  discipleship) 7. The CHURCH, the gathering of
  those called by the Gospel to a new obedience to
  Jesus.

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A Healthy Church

• A VIBRANT AND GROWING CHURCH where people() are
  CONNECTING to one another and TRANSFORMING THE
  WORLD, where FAITH IS DEEPENING and NEW DISCIPLES
  are being made, living as the body of Christ
  participating in USHERING IN THE REIGN OF GOD.
  
• () or congregations

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CHURCH

• FORMED
• DE-FORMED
• RE-FORMED
• TRANS-FORMED
• ALWAYS REFORMING ITSELF, aware of its own
  captivity to forces in the world.

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Flat Line . . .
Source Yearbook of American and Canadian
Churches, NCCC. Prepared by Research and
Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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Roller Coaster . . .
ELCA (or predecessors)
Rates of Change in Baptized Membership and the
U.S. Population
Source Annual Congregational Reports, ELCA and
U.S. Census. Prepared by Research and
Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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Under 50 . . .
Source Annual Congregational Reports, ELCA.
Prepared by Research and Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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Sunday School . . .
Attendance
Source Annual Congregational Reports, ELCA.
Prepared by Research and Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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ELCA Racial/Ethnic Membership . . .
Source Annual Congregational Reports, ELCA.
Prepared by Research and Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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Projected Percent Change in Population from 2000
to 2010
Source Claritas, Inc. Prepared by Research and
Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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Projected Percent Change in Population from 2000
to 2010 (with ELCA congregations)
Source Claritas, Inc. Prepared by Research and
Evaluation, Winter 2006.
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Bridges to Build Together

• Geographical distributed justice
• Socio-economic church for all people
• Generational emerging church
• Ethnic multi-cultural
• Missional driven by Gods mission

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Two helpful research results

• 1. ELCA Study of Congregational Vitality
• 2. An international congregational research
  conducted by the Institute of Natural Church
  Development, Germany.

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Three Keys to Congregational Vitality(From an
evangelism study of the ELCA)

• Leadership a culture of team leadership where
  clergy and laity work together as a team. Leaders
  help congregations develop the following
• Purpose a clear sense by the congregation of
  what God is calling them to do
• Willingness to change a spirit of openness that
  is willing to initiate change to be faithful and
  effective

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Research Natural Church Development

• 58,000 churches so far
• Worldwide
• 18 languages
• Inter-denominational
• Looking for signs of healthy congregations
• Looking for principles that propel the church to
  grow naturally

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Models Principles
Model
Imitation
Principles
Abstraction
Individualization
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Quality Characteristics

• Empowering leadership
• Gift-oriented ministry
• Passionate spirituality
• Functional structures
• Inspiring worship
• Holistic small groups
• Contextual evangelism
• Loving relationships

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A potted plant
Size of pot Nutrients
Water
Location
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An ELCA Example
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1 Year Later.
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Healthy and Missional Congregations
8 NCD Quality Characteristics

Eye for Justice
Basic Building Blocks
Mission clarity
Flexible/Resilient
Connected
Purpose
Willing to Change
Ecclesiology
Jesus Christ
Foundation for Ministry
8.5 Quality Characteristics 8 from NCD
augmented with an eye for justice
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ITS ABOUT HEALTH

• HEALTHY LEADERS CAN DEVELOP HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
  OF FAITH.
• HEALTHY ORGANISMS DO NOT GROW FOREVER, BUT THEY
  REPRODUCE.
• THE GOAL OF AN APPLE TREE IS NOT AN APPLE, BUT
  ANOTHER APPLE TREE.
• HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS GROW AND REPRODUCE
  NATURALLY.

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ELCA is changing

• Before Called, gathered and nourished
• Today Claimed, gathered and sent
• Nothing short of a miracle, only by Gods grace.
• Direction first, then speed
• Foundation is more important than height

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Being transformed and revitalized into

• Healthy capacity to act and grow
• Missional evangelical orientation
• Evangelizing making new disciples
• Multiplying churches starting churches
• Individuals and congregations who live out their
  identity as Christians and Lutherans in the world.

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RE-TOOLING for Increasing Congregational Vitality
and Capacity

• 1. Missional Theology grounding our
  ministry in scripture and sound theology
• 2. Leadership Development equipping
  lay and clergy
• 3. Reading the audience understanding
  the emerging context
• 4. Congregational Ministry assessing
  congregational health

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EMERGING VISION

• TO ENGAGE LEADERS IN THE FORMATION OF
  EVANGELIZING CONGREGATIONS THAT MAKE DISCIPLES
  FOR JESUS CHRIST WHO USE THEIR GIFTS FOR GODS
  REIGN IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD.

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NEW CONGREGATIONS

• In 2004, 29 new ministries started
• In 2005, 38 new ministries started
• In 2006, 39 new ministries started
• In 2007, 52 new starts
• Key entry points
• Synodically Authorized Worshipping Communities.
• Churches starting Churches(satellite/2nd sites)
• Traditional, free standing starts

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New Starts by Ethnicity - 4/07
Includes 172 congregations-under-development and
45 approved sites for entry in 2007.
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New Starts by Economic Group - 4/07

• Includes 172 congregations-under-development and
  45 sites approved for entry in 2007.

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New Starts by Setting - 4/07

• Includes 172 congregations-under-deve
  lopment and 45 sites approved
• for entry in 2007.

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TRUST THE PROMISES

• Jesus I will build my Church
• Jesus I will be with you always
• God, through Isaiah My word will never come
  back empty, but will always accomplish the
  purpose for which it is sent.

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TOGETHER WE ARE THE ELCAGODS WORK, OUR HANDS