NBA/WMU Hispanic World Day of Prayer

Monday evening, November 4th, we had a great time of worship, singing and prayer at the NBA WMU Hispanic World Day of Prayer at Iglesia Bautista Hispana Renacer. About 30 of our NBA family gathered to join with WMU leaders around the world for this special prayer emphasis. Pastor Eliab Saenz gave us a warm welcome. Isabel Britton, Hispanic Consultant for our NBA WMU, led us in singing and Scripture readings. We heard wonderful testimonies and reports from several WMU projects: El Caribe, Historia de Fe, Proyecto Horticultural y Capacitacion, Entrenamiento para el Procesamiento de fruta and Pueblos Originarios al Origen. Then we formed seven teams and gathered around focus tables to pray for specific requests from Europe, Caribbean, Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia and South West Pacific. The theme this year was Levantate y Resplandece, “Rise and Shine”. Our NBA WMU Director Linda Dice and other leaders were there to celebrate this event.

Mark Harvey

Revitalization: Cultivating Newness

What is church revitalization? Who and what does church revitalization deal with? Why is Church Revitalization important? These three questions will create a buzz within the heart of the pastor and leadership teams in a church that is plateaued or declining. Revitalization is the time to cultivate newness, stability and community in the church.

There are so many factors, circumstances, struggles, trails, and pains that has the church in the condition of revitalization. But I want to encourage you today, God is protecting you and using your story for His glory. Remember what Jesus’ response was to Peter in Matthew 16:18-19; “18 And I also say to you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock[b] I will build My church, and the forces[c] of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound[d] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed[e] in heaven.”

I am convinced that people have their own preconceived ideas on how to revive the church, but it is time to surrender to the Word of God and let Him reclaim His church. He has a plan and He knows what He is doing. Take some time and read Jeremiah 29:11-12(HCSB). God can turn it around when you surrender to His will, Way and Word.

What is Church Revitalization?

Church Revitalization is more than changing the welcome area into a café’, changing carpet in the sanctuary, painting the nursery or getting new worship songs. It is about connecting your situations to resources that will assist in leading the Church Body back to its first love, Jesus Christ. In church revitalization, the hope and intent are to resource, support, repair, and rebuild a plateaued or declining church to health.

Who and what does church revitalization deal with?

In Church revitalization, our team takes time to hear the story of the church from the pastor and his team. Typically, the church knows they need help and are still fighting to survive. All they need is assistance in the midst of having a building, money in the bank and a few good people. Mark Hallock said, “While money, people, and a building can all be great blessings to a church in need of revitalization, these can also help to create a false sense of security that prevents a church from making necessary changes to become healthy and growing again.” (Hallock, 2017)

Revitalization gives the pastor, leadership, and church members, the sense of continued identity and security of their church, doctrine and future. In addition, this process creates a holding environment for the leadership and membership. The holding environment is where people can feel safe as they confront possible changes in roles, priorities and values (Northouse, 2016).

It is during this holding environment that stress, and pressure is turned into movement, renewal and kingdom work. It is in this environment that the pastor uses a prescriptive and functional approach to problem-solving as an adaptive leader to fill the gap between the drawing board and action.

Why is Church Revitalization so important?

Studies show that approximately 75-80% of churches are stagnant or in decline. As many as 10% of Southern Baptist Churches will cease to exist in the next ten years unless fundamental changes are made. In fact, at least 500 churches in Tennessee are in danger of their doors closing if they do not experience spiritual awakening.  (Board, 2019)

Dwayne Lewis

Church Planting Strategist

Empathy at the Well: Engage, Invite, Invest

The conversation between Jesus and the woman at Jacob’s well (John 4), is significant because we find evangelism 101. Here we see Jesus is demonstrating the prime example of being a fisher of men by engaging, inviting and investing in the life of this Samaritan woman at the well. 

As Jesus is taking a rest on a hot summer day about the sixth hour at the well, He engages with a Samaritan woman. Here we see Jesus is willing to cross any barrier to save sinners and reach the lost. During this conversation, Jesus shows His humanity and His social and spiritual intelligence to empathize with this Samaritan woman.

Let’s look at this word empathy. It is the capacity to understand what another person is experiencing from the other person’s frame of reference, i.e.: the capacity to place oneself in another’s shoes.  

According to Adler and Proctor II, (2011), empathy is a genuine concern for the welfare of the other person. When we empathize, we go beyond just thinking and feeling as others do and genuinely care about their well-being. Empathy doesn’t require you to agree with the other person.

Jesus didn’t agree with the woman’s lifestyle, He simply met her where she was in life without condemnation. In order to put a person on the track to newness of life through Christ Jesus, you must empathize, and that experience becomes your own, for that moment. It’s one thing to feel bad (or good) for someone; it’s more profound to feel bad (or good) with someone. 

After Jesus engages with the Samaritan woman the second circle is to invite. Now, His social intelligence kicks in and He invites her to drink of the water of everlasting life (John 4:14). Then finally the third circle invest. Jesus begins to invest in her life by revealing her lifestyle (John 4:15-18), telling her to believe in Him (John 4:21), and to worship Him because He is the Messiah (John 4:23-26). 

In conclusion, we must see this woman was on the road of destiny and she met Jesus Christ. People looked at this woman and her past and present and declared she is a mess without a solid future. But Jesus makes it clear He is waiting to engage, invite and invest in our lives so we can live the abundant life (John 10:10). 

Dwayne Lewis

Church Planting Strategist

dlewis@nashvillebaptists.com

Did You Know?

Greetings NBA Pastors and Staff,

Did you know that you can now house small groups of volunteers at our Nashville Baptist Association office at 420 Main St. Nashville, TN 37206? This past July 14th to 19th, a City Reach Nashville team came to the NBA office and worked on several construction projects. Dr. Phil Mitchell, Director of Missions for the Weakley County Baptist Association brought a construction volunteer team to Nashville for their summer mission project. They stayed at Bell Road Baptist Church (thanks to our NBA shower trailer!). One of their projects was installing a new shower in the media room downstairs. This means that with the shower, the two bathrooms and the kitchen, you can house a small group of volunteers at our NBA office if you do not have room for a team at your church. Now, any of our church plants meeting in rented facilities or churches that have smaller buildings can still have a volunteer team come for a few days or a week for evangelism projects.

City Reach Nashville has completed our two year partnership with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and we are now moving into Engage Nashville for next summer's mission projects.

Blessings,

Mark Harvey

City Reach Nashville

Leading through Influence

As a leader, are you approachable? Are you demanding? Are you willing to allow others to have a voice at the table? Does your leadership team trust you? Do you have an enthusiastic approach toward the future of your church? Are you sincere?

Let’s look at what the word influence means. According to Webster, influence is defined as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself; the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways, the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command.”

As a pastor, God has not called you to operate without Him. But he has called you to lead through loyalty to Him. It is this loyalty to Him that results in the ability to influence the community, region and world.  Look at what Jeremiah 3:15(ESV) says.  “‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. What a statement from the Lord regarding the call that He has on your life today as a shepherd. You have been hand-picked and chosen to be influential in your church, work place, community and home.

One of my favorite leadership quotes is from John Maxwell.

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” 
― John Maxwell

Leadership is a relational and ethical process of people together attempting to accomplish positive change and/or positive momentum. Leading through influence is what it takes to create the plans and strategies to meet goals and visions which shape a win/win outcome. This approach to leadership through influence is purposeful, strategic, builds commitment and inclusive of diverse points of view.

Your influence sets the tone for a positive environment in your church, business and family. In other words, you have an effect on behaviors and the character of others. In spite of naysayers or warfare, you have something great that can affect the destiny of your church and others. Listen, there is someone waiting to hear and learn from you!

Now is the time to Be. Be means to: have reality or actuality, to occupy a position. I have heard the phrase, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” As leaders, we are called to be the examples because you might be the only Bible that people will read.

You might be in the middle of a revitalization process, feeling inadequate, planting a new church or taking on a new pastoral position. No matter where you are in the process, be sure to pay attention to your influence. Think about it, you have what it takes to take the church to the next level. Remember, in the first chapter of Joshua, Moses has died and the Lord calls on Joshua to lead the people to cross over the Jordan. The Lord tells him in Joshua 1:6,  “Be strong and courageous…”  Then, He encourages Joshua to “not turn from it to the right or the left, so that [he] will have success wherever [he] goes.” Wow, what a declaration!  

I want to encourage you to be strong and courageous and be process-oriented and relational. Here’s why. You have been chosen by God and are probably influencing more people than you think. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you.  Be the leader of influence that others want to model and follow. Continue to let God work on you by His Spirit because He has great plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Focus on God and what He has chosen you to do and see what happens.

Be influential by:

•   Leading with prayer.

•   Leading with passion.

•   Leading with partnerships.

•   Leading with strategy.

•   Leading with influence.

•   Leading with guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Let me close with these two words: Forge Forward!

Dwayne Lewis
Church Strategist

Vision 20/20

Parting Words of Wisdom

This is my final staff spotlight as Church Strengthening Strategist for the Nashville Baptist Association. The past two years have been a special time in my life. Connecting with the pastors of the Northern and Eastern Zones has been a learning experience and a joy. I remain convinced that the ministry significance of a church rises and falls with pastoral leadership.

I pray for pastors every day as they give leadership to their respective churches. Leadership is a challenge in any situation, but it is especially so in the church environment. Most pastors give leadership to a basically volunteer organization. My ministry and leadership experience has led me to the following observations:

1. Effective pastors take responsibility for their spiritual and professional growth. We all need to understand that if you stop growing, you stop leading. The most effective way I know to consistently improve personally and professionally is to utilize a trained, certified coach.

2. Effective pastors take responsibility for the results they experience in their churches. I don’t mean that you take all the blame or credit, but you do have to take responsibility for providing your staff and volunteer leaders with productive and visionary leadership.

3. Effective pastors build a supportive leadership team in the church that includes both staff members and volunteer leaders. If you find yourself standing alone, then something’s wrong.

4. Effective pastors surround themselves with capable colleagues outside their church to help, advise, and encourage them. 

5. Effective pastors finish what they start. Examine, plan, execute, evaluate, repeat. The only thing worse than a bad strategy is a good strategy left on the table.

6. Effective pastors are willing to take calculated risks for the fulfillment of the church’s vision, and they do so consistently throughout the tenure of their ministry. Pastor, if you’re just hanging on, you might consider just letting it go.

7. Effective pastors realize that there is no success without a successor. Raise up leaders on your staff and volunteer teams. Equip them to carry on without you if necessary. Communicate vision to them so that when the time comes, they are enabled to give effective leadership to the church after your departure.

Thank you all for the prayers, conversations, fellowship, and work that we have experienced together over the past couple of years. You will remain in my thoughts and prayers always.

Jack Carver

Reaching Nashville for Christ

City Reach Nashville enables Baptist churches from across Tennessee to join in the work of God by coming alongside Nashville Baptist Association church plants, ethnic churches, and churches going through revitalization.

We now have 15 ministry requests from Nashville Baptists and commitments to come to Nashville from more than 30 Tennessee Baptist Mission Board churches and associations. We look forward to hosting volunteer teams who will minister through block parties, construction, prayer walking, backyard Bible clubs, ethnic group research, sports, camps, English tutoring, student ministry, church planting, evangelism, VBS, college outreach, music, and other ministries.

If you are interested in participating in this exciting ministry, please email me at mharvey@nashvillebaptists.com or call me at (615) 987-5076. Above all, pray for City Reach Nashville!

Mark Harvey
Nashville City Reach Coordinator/Language Ministry Strategist
Nashville Baptist Association

Building One Another Up

church marketing phrases

This line from a church promotional piece grabbed my attention: “A church where you can worship in jeans, shorts, and sandals.” I wondered, “What do jeans, shorts, and sandals have to do with the quality of one’s worship experience?”

I once put this message on a church marquee: “No coat, no tie, no problem!” I’m still not sure what I was communicating, or to whom.

I read this on a church website: “A church where you are a person, not somebody’s evangelism project.” I understand the intent of the phrase, but does this church sincerely perceive evangelism as a negative Christian activity?

Pitting Believers Against One Another

These promotional phrases possess an alarming commonality. They pit one fellowship of believers against another. They compare one church’s perceived positive attribute against another’s perceived negative trait. Such approaches can have serious consequences.

Initially, they have the potential to create animosity within the community of churches. I was among the first in my community to venture into transitioning a church from a traditional to a contemporary format. Some of our promotional lines painted churches different in style from ours in a negative light. I faced the justified negative reactions of some of my fellow pastors. They weren’t angry because we were doing innovative things; rather, they were upset because we suggested that what they were doing was wrong and what we were doing was right. That animosity could have been avoided with a simple change in our approach.

"They weren’t angry because we were doing innovative things; rather, they were upset because we suggested that what they were doing was wrong and what we were doing was right."

We also run the risk of creating an undue infatuation with a preferred style of worship and methodology of ministry. The Corinthian believers in the first century elevated the spiritual practice of glossolalia to preferred status, looking down on anyone who didn’t practice it, even if the other gifts were abundantly present. When we make our way the best way, we face the danger of making it the only way.

Finally, we run the risk of creating competition among churches instead of developing a spirit of cooperation. Why tear down one church to build up another? God placed us all here because it will take all of us to get the job done. Let’s work as colleagues, not competitors. Let’s build one another up with our advertising and promotional efforts.

Jack Carver
Church Strengthening Strategist
jcarver@nashvillebaptists.com