Author Archives: Bob Adams

Washington DC Walking Tour

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I was in Washington DC for the “Greening America’s Congregations” Conference on September 13. The conference was held at the Executive Office Building next to the White House, and concluded with a reception at the National Cathedral that evening. As I am a history buff, I took advantage of being in DC by staying an extra day and taking a quick one-day walking tour of some of my favorite memorials and museums.

Here are just a few of my favorite photos:

The US Capitol

 

The Wright Brother’s First Airplane at the National Air & Space Museum

 

US Air Force Predator, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle – my son is a Sensor Operator on the updated version, the Reaper

 

US Capitol viewed through 2 of the 50 flags encircling the Washington Monument, being flown at half-staff in honor of the deaths of US Embassy staff

 

The Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool

 

Wall of 4,048 gold stars at the WWII Memorial, each one representing 100 Americans who gave their lives for freedom

 

The Lincoln Memorial

 

A tribute left at the Viet Nam Memorial

 

President Obama flying from the White House on Marine One

 

Vision Clarity at the White House

 

Is Your Church Creation Care Aware?

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Green is not the latest fashion color – it’s about becoming creation care aware.

I spent the day yesterday at the “Greening America’s Congregations” conference co-sponsored by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Environmental Protection Agency. It was a stimulating, emotional, and deeply moving day.

The day began with a welcome by Joshua DuBois, Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Panel presentations throughout the day were made by representatives of the Christian, Jewish, and Islam faith traditions as well as Administration officials and faith-based environmental groups. The panel topics included:

  • Documenting Stewardship Achievements
  • Motivating Change Through Campaigns and Pledges
  • Stewardship in Our Faith Traditions

The closing call to action was given by Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change and Mara Vanderslice Kelly, Senior Policy Advisor and Deputy Director, White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

The call to action has three components:

  1. Initiate benchmarking for energy usage as a baseline measurement for efficiency improvements
  2. Reduce energy consumption by 20%
  3. Become an Energy Star Certified Congregation

These are challenging – but achievable goals. What’s your incentive as a church? Here’s just one example:

With congregations in the U.S. numbering over 370,000, and energy costs associated with these congregations estimated to be over 3 billion dollars, it only takes simple math to see that over $600 million dollars could be redirected to mission efforts in the communities if the 20% goal could be met.

Probably the most significant first step for any size congregation to take is to raise awareness of the possibilities. And there is not better place to begin than with the EPA’s Congregations division. Go to their website here for a wealth of information on how you can lead your congregation to become a “green church.”

For me, being green starts with a foundation of stewardship – being responsible for all the resources God has blessed us with. As a church consultant, I am committed to helping churches maximize their resources for the greatest ministry impact they can possibly have in their community. I believe that an important part of this challenge is to know how you can immediately improve your existing facilities to make them more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. I also know that as you think about planning your next facility expansion, there are many benefits to thinking green.

Why should Your Church go Green?

  • Churches are community examples – people look to their houses of worship and their spiritual centers for guidance. What happens in these places can have a positive ripple effect across the region as homeowners, businesspeople, government workers and others help their own buildings to emulate the ethical example set by the local church.
  • All churches are good candidates for improvements – Most sanctuaries are large spaces used only periodically throughout the week. Something as simple as a programmable thermostat can save hundreds of dollars a year in utility bills. Most church offices are high-traffic, well-used areas where even small changes like weather stripping, Energy Star appliances, or compact fluorescent bulbs would make a huge difference.
  • Church buildings stand for something – Your building was built to the glory of God, the service of humanity, and the potential of the spirit. Inside these buildings we celebrate Creator and His creation. We build a community, the Church. We should be good stewards of all Creation, caring for the earth and one another.

Bottom line? If your church can be more EFFICIENT in its use of resources, then it will be more EFFECTIVE in its ministry endeavors. I encourage you to enter the dialogue about how your church can become a community leader in environmental issues. It really is getting easier to be green!

Greening America’s Congregations

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Today I am in Washington DC, participating in a conference entitled “Greening America’s Congregations. It is being held at the White House and is jointly hosted by the White House office of Faith Based Programs and the Environmental Protection agency.

During this event, senior administration officials will call on faith-based organizations across the country to save energy and strengthen stewardship of the environment by improving the energy efficiency of their houses of worship with help from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program.

The event will also feature discussions among Administration officials and leaders of the faith community about how congregations across America are already achieving significant carbon emission reductions by incorporating energy efficiency into their broader mission. The first worship facilities that have achieved ENERGY STAR certification will be recognized and special attention will be paid to interfaith, state, and local initiatives, and the role of stewardship in faith traditions.

Jerry Lawson, director of the EPA’s Congregational Division, is a long-time friend and a wealth of knowledge for churches who want to know more about how they can benefit from the services of the Energy Star program. I have known Jerry for many years, and he works tirelessly to get the message of environmental stewardship out to churches. I highly recommend that your leadership team look into what his department has to offer.

I became involved in the “green church” movement in the spring of 2005 when I made a presentation to the Virginia Baptist Church Building Conference. Later that year, I expanded the presentation at the first WFX Conference and Expo. Since that time, I have been privileged to speak over a dozen times in national platforms, write several articles on the topic, and provide consultation to several churches who were interested in “going green.”

Even though my current role at Auxano is not directly related to the green church, I maintain a high level of interest in it.

I will do a follow-up report at the end of the event – in the meantime, look for some reposts of previous “green church” writings I have done.

 

Mission: Show Jesus Through Word & Action

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The final part of a series of posts from the book “Transformational Church.”

The third transformational loop described by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer is labeled Engage. It contains three elements, the third of which is Mission: Show Jesus Through Word and Action.

Good news and accompanying good deeds are like the two wings of an airplane. Each is incomplete without the other. Each complements the other. Each gives “lift” to the other. To study the life and ministry of Jesus is to study a tapestry woven of good news and good deeds.

Transformational churches create environments to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. They train, model, and create platforms to invite people to cross the line of faith and follow Jesus.

Transformational churches have found a way for the convergence of value and activities to result in something specific – transformed lives.

Transformational churches engage people in ministry within the church and mission outside the church.

Transformational Churches seem to have a greater number of people who share their faith out of the overflow of the rest of their Christian experience.

To live as a missionary is to live and work among the people.

Engaging Fully in the Mission

  • Define success
  • Prepare
  • Provide personal leadership to believers

To be transformational, a church must constantly commission their people into service for the city to display and tell the gospel

The mission of God does not progress unless people are talking about God’s mission to save.

Transformational churches multiply vibrant missionaries for the harvest.

In a Transformational Church the influence is on moving people from new to the mission to active on mission to leader in the mission.

Mission is the opposite of self

The excerpts above are from the book “Transformational Church” by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer. TC is the result of a comprehensive study of thousands of churches where truly changing lives is the standard set for ministry.

The principles in Transformational Churches are powerful. If you want to “transform” your church, this is a great guide for the journey.

Previous posts in the series include:

When the DNC Comes to Town…

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Adventures in Parking & Traffic Control at Elevation Uptown

The most brilliant battle plan is only good till the first shot is fired

Attributed to von Clausewitz, Prussian military theorist

When Charlotte was announced as the site for the 2012 Democratic National Convention in February of 2011, something clicked in my mind that the event might impact our church, Elevation Uptown. The schedule hadn’t been announced but early indications of events beginning on Monday September 3 told me that eventually it would impact us.

Sometimes, my hunches are right. This one was dead on.

First of all, you have to understand that Elevation’s Uptown campus (which meets in McGlohan Theater and started in August 2008) is literally in the middle of Uptown Charlotte, and almost everyone who comes drives a car to get there…and parks in the 7th Street Parking deck a block away.

Earlier this year a news release from the DNC indicated “several streets in the Uptown area surrounding the Time Warner Arena will be affected.”

Because of President Obama’s involvement in DNC activities, security plans were not going to be released until several days prior to the convention’s start.

When they were released, we were in for a surprise: the streets leading to, and surrounding, the parking deck we used were going to be closed, with “restricted access.”

Problem.

As noted above, Elevation Uptown worships in a theater, but all our Guests and attenders park in a deck a block away – which just happened to be on the other side of the “restricted access” line.

Campus Pastor Joel Delph met with Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officials, who assured him that the church would have access to the parking deck by going though the checkpoints. Additionally, an open lot 3 blocks away that we use for our volunteers would be available as usual, as well as the 2 lots next to the theater that we use for VIPs (our first time Guests) and families with small children.

Armed with these assurances, we moved forward with a plan to have our weekend experiences as normal at 9:30 and 11:15. The week before, we encouraged our volunteers to pick up an Elevation logo card to put in the dash to help move through the checkpoints. Late in the week, an email blast went out encouraging people to come a little early to allow extra time for the checkpoint access.

Still, I had that little gnawing feeling in my gut. I take my role as a Guest Services coordinator very seriously, and I wanted to make sure we were ready for the day.

Sunday September 2, 7:30 AM

Pulling up to our Volunteer lot, I find it chained and barricaded

Over at our VIP lots, we found the electronic gates turned off – no access.

Trying to get a handle on what we could expect, I talk to the policeman stationed outside the theater entrance, only to find he’s from Louisville, KY, and doesn’t really know anything except he’s be assigned to this spot – and, by the way, his radio wasn’t working

Checking with other policeman at the parking deck entrance, I found the same thing: they were from Louisville, and only had site-specific orders – no overall idea of the street closure plan. When I showed him the map the CMPD gave us, he said that was the first he had seen of a map.

The quote above came to mind…

By this time, our volunteers were arriving in full force, only to find the lot not accessible. A quick sign adaptation directed them to the parking deck. There, at least, the crew that runs the parking deck was ready in full force. They were only allowing cars that had Elevation logos or were on their approved list into the deck. Everyone else was turned around. The lines were long, and I know people were frustrated.

As expected, our crowds were lower than usual. I don’t know the exact number because I never made it off the street, but I would say probably half as many as a typical Sunday.

Some quick word pictures from street-side vantage point:

  • Squads of law enforcement officials from around the state, walking with an intense look around the area
  • A Hummer with two soldiers, M-16s slung around their shoulders
  • At least 6 different motorcycle patrols checking in to the precinct across the street
  • 4 different bicycle police squads whizzing by in a blur
  • A mounted police patrol clip-clopping down the street
  • Black SUVS by the dozens, with sun-shaded occupants
  • Helicopters buzzing overhead all day long – both military and news outlets
  • Assorted vehicles of every size and shape, belonging to a broad array of law enforcement agencies
  • Construction crews bringing in, and installing, concrete barriers around the perimeter of the theater

And an image that sums it up pretty well:

photo from the Charlotte Observer online

We did the best we could, and I hope anyone attending Elevation Uptown for the first time or for the fortieth time felt as welcome as we could make it.

Special thanks go out to members of our Greeters, VIP, and Security Teams for pitching in and helping things go as smoothly as possible.

As always, our Parking Team rocks. Aaron, Tim, Ed – you’re the best!

I’m headed to the beach…

Community: Connect with People

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Part 7 of a series on the book “Transformational Church“

The third transformational loop described by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer is labeled Engage. It contains three elements, the second of which is Community: Connect with People.

The church must have a process (organic and/or systematized) by which believers are connected to one another and growing in Christ. Today’s church needs to experience a methodological regression to the early church of Acts 2.

The point of this transformational practice is that believers join their lives for the purpose of maturing in the faith and engaging in God’s mission.

Values That Support Small Groups

  • A smaller number of people provides a greater opportunity for personal discovery
  • Smaller communities are just that…communities
  • Small groups are the best way to genuine life change through the local church

Five Myths About Smaller Communities

  • Your current small group configuration is permanent
  • Small group meeting locations are limited to church facilities or member homes
  • Your facilitator must be a highly trained spiritual superstar
  • Small group organization must be complex
  • Only pastors are qualified to administer pastoral care

The Five Deliverables of Smaller Communities

  • Smaller communities deliver deeper friendships
  • Smaller communities deliver accountability relationships
  • Smaller communities deliver environments for spiritual growth
  • Smaller communities deliver maximum participation
  • Smaller communities deliver missional opportunities

Five Obstacles Facing Transformational Church Smaller Communities

  • Transference of information is valued much more than life transformation
  • Teaching is valued more than learning
  • When they become a reflection of past practices
  • Segmentation of the mission of God
  • Lack of intimacy

Five Elements of a Transformational Church Small Group Environment

  • Missions orientation
  • Word-driven mentality
  • Multiplication mindset
  • Stranger welcoming
  • Kingdom focused

Living in community creates a “safe zone” where unbelievers feel comfortable asking hard questions and believers feel comfortable finding the encouragement they need for growing in the faith.

The excerpts above are from the book “Transformational Church” by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer. TC is the result of a comprehensive study of thousands of churches where truly changing lives is the standard set for ministry.

Next: Engage – Mission: Show Jesus Through Word and Action

Previous posts in this series include:

Worship: Actively Embrace Jesus

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Part 6 of a series on the book “Transformational Church“

The third transformational loop described by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer is labeled Engage. It contains three elements, the first of which is Worship – Actively Embrace Jesus.

Reasons for corporate gatherings:

  • God is glorified when Christians gather together to worship Him
  • People will look over our shoulders to the God of our experience
  • Worship provides a defense for the faith that is not man-made but is God authored and supernatural

What Happens When We Gather?

  • How many encountered the transforming presence of God through worship?
  • Are we creating consumers of religious goods and services or making disciples?
  • When people attend worship, are they simply observing a show or being transformed by God?
  • The Transformational Church plans on seeing people drawn in before God’s presence, experience His power, and be transformed by His grace

Worship serves to connect us with Christ and equip us for ministry. Little of substance will be done in the name of a God we have never experienced. True worship allows us to experience God at a deeper level. When you experience God on a deeper level, personal and corporate mission will always follow.

Real worship will transform the worshipper. Transformed worshippers will change the world.

Worship Pleasing to God 

  • Transformational Churches find a way for people to avoid the debates about place, style, and method. They focus on maximum participation in worship.
  • Passive worshippers usually live passive Christian lives
  • Transformational Churches actively engage people in worship and are led by worship leaders who value participation over performance

The Purpose of Worship

  • In corporate gatherings, we are not called to lead worship but to lead people into the presence of God
  • Worship is a spiritual discipline that communicates a biblical meaning in a cultural form
  • Worship from your unity and choose music out of your mission
  • How can worship be planned to lead people in this time and place to worship an eternal God?
  • How can our worship be planned so people can focus on God and give Him praise, glory, and honor?
  • Worship is to be understood by those in need of transformation

Address Tough Worship Questions Together

  • Ask the Lord
  • Involve people
  • Study Scripture
  • Die to self
  • Avoid “truces”
  • Ask new questions
  • Focus on revelation
  • Design new scorecards 

When lives have been reformed by the presence and power of God, then your worship is working.

The excerpts above are from the book “Transformational Church” by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer. TC is the result of a comprehensive study of thousands of churches where truly changing lives is the standard set for ministry.

Next: Engage – Community: Connect People with People

 

Previous posts in the series include:

Prayerful Dependence

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Part 5 of a series on the book “Transformational Church“

The second transformational loop described by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer is labeled Embrace. It contains three elements; the first two have been covered in previous posts here and here. Today, a look at Prayerful Dependence.

Prayer is our link to receive understanding from God about His church and move forward in obedience to His mission.

Prayer is done with expectancy rather than out of repetitive behavior

Strategies, excellence, methods, or even commitment cannot substitute for humble dependence on God

Prayer Priorities of Christ

  • The proper use of His house
  • The accessibility of “all people” to a relationship with Him
  • The response to His praying people

Transformational Prayer Practices

  • Praying churches experience breakthroughs
  • Praying churches have praying leaders
  • Praying churches commonly experience answers to prayer
  • Praying churches pray for members by name
  • Praying churches have systems and processes
  • Praying churches have corporate prayer
  • Praying churches engage their communities through prayer
  • Praying churches have praying events 

Prayer is the engine of Transformational Churches.

The excerpts above are from the book “Transformational Church” by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer. Transformational Church is the result of a comprehensive study of thousands of churches where truly changing lives is the standard set for ministry.

Next: Engage – Worship: Actively Embrace Jesus

Previous posts in the series:

Social Media and the Divinity School Student

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100 years ago when I was in graduate school at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary…

Okay, it wasn’t 100 years ago, only 31. The pace of change just makes it seem like 100 years.

Anyway, my version of Facebook was a hardcopy directory of all students, printed the first few weeks of each school year (we called it the Funny Book, for obvious reasons). Mail (including tests and papers) was hand-delivered in post office boxes. Research was done in a physical place (library) using objects (books) resulting in papers (typed on a typewriter). GASP!

Today, it’s a little different.

My daughter is beginning her final year of the M Div program at Campbell University Divinity School. She also works part-time as Communications Coordinator for the North Carolina WMU. She is also beginning her second year as a Resident Chaplain for a couple of freshmen girl’s dorms. She loves her life!

Because of my past history at a divinity school and serving on a church staff, and now in a consulting role to church leaders, we often have interesting conversations.

Like the one that followed this question: “How are students at the Div School and in your circle of influence using social media?” Here is her reply:

The divinity school uses it to post pictures of what’s going on during the week at school, serious stuff and fun stuff too, like birthdays’ of professors and when the staff and students are goofing off, or there is a social event, like today, there is a div school tailgating thing after class before the football game. They use Facebook and twitter. Admissions has their own Facebook page along with the Div school itself. They also use it when they go to conferences to announce they are there and if other Campbell people are there, they use it to find them at those conferences and places and such. They post lots of pictures.

Personally, each of the dorms I work with have a Facebook group page so I am a part of that to keep up with events and announcements (keep up with issues in the dorm that the residence life staff have to address) and what official events and unofficial events are going on to go to and get to know the residents. The residents that I am friends with, I keep an eye on their statuses and stuff and if I notice something is wrong and there seems to be a hint of something not right, I make sure to check on them and see how they are doing. Sometimes, Facebook statuses are more informational than just talking with them casually in the hallways and stuff on campus!

One of my dorms LOVES Twitter. The RAs, RD, and residents tweet ALL the time and have conversations with each other. That’s another way I keep up with what’s going on and stay connected. In fact, this dorm is having a program event this semester that is a twitter scavenger hunt. They will have a list of stuff to find and instead of just taking pictures and showing everybody, they will tweet the pics with a hashtag. Whoever finishes with the most items on the list wins, and if there is a tie, then the earliest timestamp on tweet wins! I thought this was an interesting way to use social media to have a dorm event

Ironically, each dorm program has to fit into a certain category and this one is a physical event, because it’s making them get out and walk around campus even though they are using technology and  the Internet to show it!

Just a snapshot of how social media is used in my life! 🙂

Absolutely fascinating.

Okay ChurchWorld leaders, are you paying attention?

 

If you liked this post, you might also be interested in these:

Relational Intentionality

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Part 4 of a series on the book “Transformational Church“

The second transformational loop described by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer is labeled Engage. It contains three elements, the first of which, Vibrant Leadership, was covered here. Today, a look at Relational Intentionality.

A relational approach to reaching and developing people is woven throughout every ministry and practice. Relationships are the substance of the church culture.

We Are a Friendly Church

  • Transformational Churches intentionally build platforms to create relationships
  • The purpose of relationships in the Transformational Church is to see lives changed through the power of Christ

The Look of a Relationally Intentional Environment

What are the challenges within your church environment to cultivate relationships, and how can you address them?

What are the challenges in your church environment to intentionality, and how can you address them?

  • Produce family
  • Practice one-on-one relationships
  • Provide space for difficult people

Every member must be willing to minister because when God really moves, broken and hurting people show up. The outcast and marginalized need the compassion of Christ.

Systems and processes are present and must be aligned

  • A system is an environment, a way of doing things, providing the “how”
  • A process is a path with a purpose, a destination, providing the “where”

God’s delivery system for the gospel is relationships with people who have met Him

The excerpts above are from the book “Transformational Church” by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer. TC is the result of a comprehensive study of thousands of churches where truly changing lives is the standard set for ministry.

Other posts in the series:

Next: Embrace – Prayerful Dependence