I just finished reading your article entitled “Reflecting on the Greying of America.” At the end of your article you say that you are willing to point any aging readers in the right direction to retool. Well, seeing as how everyone is technically aging, I thought I qualified to e-mail you even though I’m only 20. 🙂 I was curious as to what exactly you believe the church should retool, what you think needs to be done differently. Hopefully this is still a valid e-mail address, and I’d love to hear what you have to say on the issue.

Thanks for your time,
Lori

Lori,

This is a real long answer to your question. In a nutshell, the following items have undergone lots of change.

1. Pastors mentor and equip people now rather than just take care of them. Like shepherds of old, they have two responsibilities – keep the sheep safe and make sure they have enough grass so that they can grow and multiply.

2. Laity are the ministers of the church. The priesthood of the believer is central to ministry.

3. Worship is indigenous to the culture of the people in the area. Worship can no longer be based on a European mindset. It doesn’t matter what worship is like or how it is done if it connects people with and glorifies God.

4. Leadership training is crucial. Most people now arrive in the community of faith as blank slates on which the leaders of the church have to write.

5. Membership is not as important. Participation is what matters.

6. Small groups are essential. Most life change comes through small groupsí not corporate worship.

7. Multiplication rather than addition is key. Adding 5,000 to the Kingdom is much better than adding one person. This is why it is better for the pastor to train 10 people to witness rather than just being the one, lone witness.

8. Evangelism is relational and process oriented and takes much longer than propositional like in the Four Spiritual Laws. Dramatic conversions are less normal today than those based on growing friendships.

9. Completing the Great Commandment through the Great Commission is at the heart of the growing Kingdom mentality.

Bill Easum

What would you have to change in your ministry to incorporate these nine items in your ministry?