Prayer Needs

Much is happening at Calvary that need’s our prayers, and much of that is behind the scenes. Here’s some of what is going on that needs your prayers.

A Constitution Review Team is hard at work looking at our old and out-of-date existing church constitution. The team’s job is to come up with a streamlined and simple working document that will both honor the spirit of our existing constitution while providing a provisional groundwork for a new church government structure. This team is composed of Robert Lovelady, Mark Bullock and Pastor Charlie Worley. Prayer is needed for wisdom and guidance. The goal is to complete work by October and present a new document to the deacons, church board and congregation by November.

Our new children’s ministry team has been formed and is preparing for an exciting new Children’s Church experience for children up to the 5th grade beginning September 12th. Children will be spending five weeks each in different “countries” learning about Jesus and walking with God. Pray that God will use the children’s ministry staff to teach and lead our children in true worship and that children from our church neighborhood will catch the excitement and begin coming with their family. Bev Bryant is the new leader of our Children’s Church ministry team.

Calvary’s new small group ministry, Community Groups, is in the final stage of planning and recruitment of leaders. Our Community Groups will begin meeting on Sunday, September 12th, at 11:00am with a kick off meeting all together followed by a fellowship meal. Prayer is needed for the final recruitment and orientation of leaders, and for people to sign up for their respective Community Group. And, pray for the selection of missional projects into our church neighborhood by each group.

As the fall school year begins, so does a new year for youth ministry. Pastor Paul Baker is in the final planning stage for an exciting year of spiritual and numerical growth in Calvary’s Student Ministries. Pray for our Junior and High school students and for students not yet attending our church to become involved in this ministry.

On September 5th, our sermon series, based on a verse-by-verse study of Ephesians, enters the practical side of this wonderful New Testament letter. Pray that God will use this study to transform our lives and our church into Christ-likeness while reaching out to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Tags: Calvary, Pastor Blog, Prayer

Prayerful Dependence

While reading the Book, Transformational Church by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer, I was shook up when I followed the words in the chapter on “Prayerful Dependence” (Chapter 6).

As many of you know, Calvary Baptist needs God’s help to reverse the trend of decline in attendance and ministry effectiveness. Many of our church leaders have a sense of urgency in wanting to bring about the changes that are needed if Calvary is to begin growing and reaching the church’s neighborhood and community. Stetzer and Rainer’s book, based on extensive research, gives us some hope by describing what principles and best practices have worked in turning churches around so that they begin to transform their neighborhoods and communities with the power of the Gospel.

One of these principles and practices is “prayerful dependence.” As your intentional interim pastor, I would say that this is an absolute must for us if we are to change and move in the right direction as a missional, growing church in Tacoma.

Stetzer and Rainer observed in their study that a large majority of transformational churches report seeing people praying together as a normal sight. It is said that “prayer is the engine of transformational churches.” Unfortunately, over the past few years, the engine at Calvary has increasingly become programs and pastors while prayer has diminished. For example, at last week’s prayer and Bible study meeting, only two people showed up to join the pastor in prayer.

Let’s be honest. If God were to grade our church by measuring the amount, intensity and spontaneity of prayer that goes on each week, what grade would he give us? A telling comment in the book is this: “Too many churches trust in their stuff and not their Savior.” Another good comment for Calvary is “Jesus expects Hid people to practice praying and encourage others to do the same.”

Here’s a starting place for us:
• Pray each day for Calvary to know the heart and will of God and to obey the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
• Intercede for the pastors and leaders at Calvary that they will know and do the will of God following the Word of God.
• Pray for lost people and that we will pray consistently for our church neighborhood and community.
• Join a small group at Calvary this fall and insist that a significant part of every meeting is devoted to prayer, especially for our neighborhood and community outreach.

The book which I highly recommend you read, Transformational Church, quotes Leonard Ravenhill, one of the great teachers on prayer and revival. He says this (to us who call Calvary our church home):

“Poverty-stricken as the church is today in many things, she is the most stricken here, in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many payers and players, few prayers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.”

“Lord, teach us to pray.”

What are you trusting in?

In the book, Transformational Church, there is a quote.  ”Too many churches trust in their stuff and not their Savior.”  Take a moment to think about that.  How many times have I trusted that we have a good program, good volunteers, good people, good service, good facilities, good pastor, etc. and not trusted in Jesus Christ?

I know that here at Calvary, it is hard to think about how much our programs will have changed this fall.  There are many who have had their lives touched, or have seen God work through our “stuff.”  But these are just tools that are used by God.  My dad was a mechanic for many years and he always said that having the right tool made the job so much easier.  When a new tool came out that was needed for a particular job, that job was done quicker and better by using the right tool.  But the important thing to remember is that the mechanic was the one who did the job, not the tool.

I have heard comments about how AWANA (or Sunday School, Youth Group, etc.) has brought kids to the Lord.  But that is faulty thinking.  God brings people to Himself.  Our programs were only tools.  But I think that some of us have trusted in the tools to do the work instead of trusting God to do the work.  God can use anything that he wants.  We need to remember to trust the Savior!

As I am praying for our church, I am praying that God will use us in powerful ways in our community.  We are privileged to be used by God and we want to become the best tools for God to use.  Let us always trust in our Savior and not trust in our stuff.

Children’s Ministries at Calvary

How important are children to Calvary Baptist Church? A short answer is “very”!

We believe there is a special place in God’s heart for children and so there should be a special place in our hearts for children at Calvary. After all, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt. 19:14). Jesus also said that everyone needs to change and become like little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). It was children who loudly worshipped him when he came to Jerusalem during Passover to die for our sins on the Cross (Matt. 21:15-16). The largest number of people who come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior do so in their childhood years. And, it is children who represent the future of the church.

As Calvary transitions to new structure and a few revitalized ministries, it is our intention to focus on quality, God-honoring children’s ministry as one of four key ministries that will become the heart of our church this fall.

We believe Calvary can offer a better children’s ministry by concentrating on an exciting Children’s Church during the second half of the adult worship service that will begin at 9:30am this fall. Paul Baker is leading the planning and organizing of a Bible-based, fun, exciting and participatory worship and learning experience where Children can come to know Jesus and grow as his disciples. Many of the staff that led our AWANA and Sunday School ministries for children will now be part of the new Children’s Church staff. And, Children’s Church staff can rotate so that they can experience “time off” for worship with the adults.

In the past, AWANA was a great program for children and our church was blessed by having such a good ministry, but in recent years it was demanding more people to run it than Calvary could supply. With too few people, most of who are tired and need a rest, AWANA, plus our children’s Sunday School, were draining Calvary of the time and energy needed to continue an excellent ministry. At Calvary, we want to do our very best, especially for the children in our church and those in our neighborhood. And to do that, we simply must focus our people, efforts and energy while putting some programs on hold or retirement.

We believe that focusing on a new Children’s Church experience and putting on hold other children’s ministries that we have done in the past is the best way to move forward with encouragement and excitement. Some parents of young children have already expressed interest in this new focus. In the future, if God should give our church growth, we want to be open to expanding our children’s ministries one again.

As was stated in our last membership meeting, we are doing this on a trial basis and will be evaluating what we are doing for children at the end of this year and then again at the end of the school year.

A heart-felt thanks and gratitude to God goes out to all at Calvary who have served so well in our AWANA and Children’s Sunday School ministries in the past. If you have not been asked but would like to volunteer in some role in our new Children’s Church ministry, let Pastor Paul Baker know.

Tags: Children's Ministries

Amazing Grace

If you haven’t seen the 2006 film Amazing Grace, I encourage you to do so.  It’s rare that a Hollywood movie so clearly shows the redemptive power of Christ in a person’s life, as Amazing Grace does in the life of William Wilberforce, the main character. When I was teaching World History, I showed the film every year, both for its sound historical content and its passionate portrayals of Christian faith. Wilberforce and John Newton, the former slave captain-become-preacher who penned the movie’s title hymn, are shown struggling, not only against the evils of slavery, but also against the private pains and sins of genuine Christian living.

I have often heard preachers and teachers tell the story of John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, who turned from his wicked, slave-trading ways to follow Christ. It’s an inspiring conversion story, giving hope that anyone, no matter how evil and depraved, can find redemption from sins. John Newton woke up one day, turned his life around, and wrote hymns forever after. Very Augustinian, very neat.

Unfortunately, the story isn’t quite like we tell it. It isn’t as pretty. But the real story may be an even better story for Christians like you and me.

The truth is that John Newton didn’t wake up one day, become a Christian, and turn his back on slave-trading. He decided to turn his life over to God because a storm swamped his ship and he was afraid to die. After his conversion, he continued to actively trade slaves for several years. Eventually, he gave it up, but he continued to invest money in slaving after he returned to England and became a pastor. It was not until almost 40 years after his conversion that he published a pamphlet against slavery.

In the list of sins I keep in my head, slave trading is pretty close to the top. How could Newton be a Christian and still trade slaves? What a hypocrite!

Well, I am, too. Not that I have traded any slaves lately, but I do plenty of things that Christians shouldn’t. Don’t you?

The truer, sadder story is better than the pretty, fake one, because it’s more like real life.  John Newton was a sinner, saved by grace. So am I. Jesus’ death on the cross was the one sacrifice that covers all sin, for all time. Newton loved Jesus, and he still continued to sin. He believed that there was enough divine grace to cover what he had done. I love Jesus, and I sin, and I sin, and I sin anyway. And there is always more grace waiting for me.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

P.S. Romans chapters 5 and 6 have some things to say about sin, faith, and grace. Check it out.

National Night Out is tonight

When I was called to come to Calvary 4 years ago, part of my job description included outreach.  I have been asked how some of our summer events (national night out, community yard sale, BBQ) are outreach.  I think it is a valid question.  I think that the culture we live in today has changed.  In years past, people would come to church and find the truth of the gospel and believe.  Then they would attend church until they belonged.  I believe that this is now the opposite.  People are looking for a place to belong first and then God will bring them to belief.  As we look to reach out to our community, we need to have them see that we want them to belong first.  We need to build relationships with our neighbors to show them that we love and care for them.  The more opportunities that we have to connect with our neighbors, the more that they will see that we do care for them.

I want to encourage as many of those who call Calvary home to come to the National Night Out, Community Yard sale and the BBQ.  Let’s get to know our neighbors.  Let them see that we just don’t go to a meeting, but we have the hope that they are looking for.  I hope to see you tonight!

Small Groups at Calvary

In Sunday’s Congregational Business Meeting, it was announced that our fall worship services will start at 9:30am beginning on September 12th. And, in place of our Sunday School, an opportunity for small groups or classes will begin at 11:00am.

There were many questions about this change. Let me attempt to answer at least some of those questions from my point of view as your Interim Pastor.

Instead of carrying on the program of a traditional Sunday School for adults, we are going to refocus our efforts on doing what we have been doing on two important ministries. The first is emphasizing small groups for adults instead of traditional educational classes.

Today’s adults, especially younger adults and middle-aged people, learn better if they are able to learn in small groups of 7-17 people where there will be a greater amount of encouragement, prayer, and ability to participate. The larger the group, the less the participation and opportunity for biblical fellowship.

We will attempt to practice the definition of holistic small groups presented by Natural Church Development: “Holistic small groups are disciple-making communities that endeavor to reach the unchurched, meet individual needs, develop each person according to his or her God-given gifts, and raise leaders to sustain the growth of the church. Like healthy body cells, holistic small groups are designed to grow and multiply.”

In these small groups, the unity of our church will be emphasized by each group using the same study questions based on the previous Sunday sermon. A Sunday School class like the Berean class may want to continue to meet in a large class format because this type of learning experience seems to best fit the needs of most people who are in their later 60s, 70s or 80s.

New people to Calvary will best be served by offering the option to form new small groups, but they may also want to join an existing small group if invited and it best meets their needs. Small groups that already exist may continue to meet or they may regroup or multiply in the fall.

Small groups that have parents of small children will be encouraged to provide for their own small group child-care needs. Our church leadership will look into providing funding for small-group child care if possible. But, this will be a small group ministry and not a church ministry. It will be up to the small group to determine its own needs.

Training for small group leaders will be offered and every small group leader will be encouraged to recruit and work with an assistant or apprentice small group leader. Look for a training opportunity before the fall program begins.

The “new” small group ministry is an attempt to increase the outreach and evangelism potential of our church and hopefully will help increase our ability to reach out to people in our church neighborhood. Every small group and class will be encouraged to have an outreach function as a regular part of its ministry.

All small groups and classes will be evaluated this December and again before next summer.

Tags: Calvary, Fellowship, Outreach, Small Groups

It Happened in our Neighborhood

Pastor’s Blog 7-23-10
Last night someone from the church’s neighborhood was killed by a stray bullet fired from a car that was leaving the scene of a fight involving two groups of people. Lisa Marie Melancon, a 40 year old mother and Tacoma city employee, was killed in a tragic act of violence. The family needs our prayers as they grieve their loss.

So what difference does it make to those of us who call Calvary Baptist our church home? How should we respond to such a tragedy – a senseless act of violence just a few blocks from our church building?

Our first response should be to pray. Pray for the family as they walk through the darkness of grief. Grief is exaggerated when a sudden death of a family member is the result of violence. Pray for the peace of God and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 1:3f). Pray that God in his infinite love will draw family and friends to Christ. And, pray for an end to violence in our neighborhood.

Our second response should be to take our role seriously as a church family who serves and ministers in our immediate neighborhood. Many years ago God placed us in this location for a purpose and He placed the residents of our neighborhood here for the same purpose:

Acts 17:26-27: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

God has called his chosen people to help transform communities and neighborhoods because of their presence and ministry. Acts 1:8 says that we are to be his witnesses equipped with His power and authority in Jerusalem first (our immediate social and cultural area). Jesus said we are to be salt and light where we are and live, making a difference when turned on and used (Matt. 5:13-16).

Our third response should be to prayerfully discover ways to reconnect our church to its neighbors. We need to discover what needs exist in our neighborhood that we are capable of meeting with God’s help and our hands-on service. We have limited resources and can’t do everything that needs to be done but we can discover what we can do and then do it with God’s help and power.

Fourth, as the people of God, let’s invade our community as soldiers of Christ armed with the power of the Gospel and fully equipped with the love of Jesus. It is our job to invade enemy territory and take it back for the Lord. With God’s help, we can do it!

(For the newspaper article on the shooting, go to http://bit.ly/9ezX7c)

Tags: neighborhood

Transformation

Pastor Charlie  has asked the leadership of our church to read a book called “Transformational Church.”  As I have begun to read this book, there are a few things that I have read that really get me excited.  The first came on the first page when the authors talked about putting the nouns transformation and church together.  They say, “…put together the actual occurrence of transformation and the community of poeple called the church, the result is powerful.  It’s amazing.  The result is transformation and church the way God designed them to be.”

I am excited that our church can be the kind of church described here.  It is going to take some work, and that will be painful.  But, as we are able to work through these changes, I believe that God is really going to use Calvary in powerful ways.

The second quote that I loved was, “Transformational Churches have a restlessness about them.  They refuse just to sit and soak.  They are restless to look, learn, and live out the gospel.  This holy restlessness is often part of God’s process that leads to more people and places to minister.”

As we as a church start to look, learn, and live out the gospel, our community can be redeemed.  Just last night there was a senseless shooting in our neighborhood.  As I read the details online and saw the comments, I was saddened.  So many people were saying how bad Tacoma is.  But I am trying to look beyond the tragedy to see that there are so many people that are all around us that need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is hope, and it is only found in the person of Jesus Christ.  If there was ever a time for Calvary to live out the gospel, it is now.  Let’s all work together to see how we can look, learn, and live out the gospel in our lives.

The Pain of Change

As your new Interim Senior Pastor, one of my jobs at Calvary is to help the church leadership prepare for and walk through some needed changes that will improve the health of the congregation and her ministries. And, let’s face it, change is hard and often painful.

Nobody likes the idea of changing some old ways of doing church and replacing them with new ways. But most people who call Calvary their home know that change and transition is needed.

Over the next few months you will be hearing of changes that your church leadership has agreed to because we need to try to reverse the trend of attendance decline and worker fatigue and loosing effective contact with others who live in our community.

Last night the Deacon Board made some beginning changes in how we do ministry and what ministries we will do or not do. We began by changing Sunday morning meeting times for the fall and the strengthening of small group ministries.

Some may find the change in worship service time from 10:50am to 9:30am to be painful, but we are doing this on a trial basis to allow more people from our church and our community to attend. Younger individuals and families have expressed an interest and even excitement in the new schedule. This change will also allow more opportunities for small group meetings after the worship service and more possibilities for community ministry and service on Sunday mornings. Families may also enjoy having more time following the worship service to enjoy more of the day with family or friends. The new worship service time of 9:30am will begin on September 12th. This will go along with more worship experience improvements.

Another change that may cause some pain is our decision to put the AWANA ministry on hold for now until God directs us to restart this Children’s program or another one in its place. But for now we are not going to hold AWANA this next school year and instead focus the churches energies and resources on developing a dynamic children’s church experience during our worship service. This will also replace our children’s Sunday School for now. Please pray that God directs and leads us to reach out to more of our neighborhood children while we serve our church’s existing children and their families.

Paul Baker has blogged about more of the changes and you will be hearing more about them and others in the days ahead.

Someone once wisely said, we will not change until the pain of not changing is greater than the pain of changing. Let’s face it, if Calvary doesn’t change, there will be discouragement and more decline in attendance and ministry effectiveness. But, if we seek God and his plan for our church, He “is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in (our) church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Tags: AWANA, Change, Sunday School, Worship Times