Are contemporary churches really that contemporary anymore, or are we fooling ourselves?
In today’s podcast, Rich Birch, one of the most forward looking church leaders around today, looks at the rapid cultural changes happening in North America and talks about how church leaders can do a better job of advancing the mission of the church as we move into the future.
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Welcome to Episode 8 of the podcast.
Guest Links: Rich Birch
Rich on Facebook
Rich on Twitter
unSeminary (Rich’s blog)
unSeminary Podcast (Rich’s podcast)
A Free eBook from Rich Birch
Just for my listeners, Rich is giving away a free copy of his e-book, Effective Announcements: Leverage 5 Minutes in Every Church Service to Move People to Action. You can check out a special link on his website at unseminary.com/carey.
Links Mentioned in This Episode
The links and resources mentioned in this episode include:
The Leadership Podcast on iTunes
The Leadership Podcast on Stitcher
The Leadership Podcast on TuneIn Radio
Carey on Twitter
Carey on Facebook
8 Charts That Explain How Our Culture Is Changing
The Demise of the Electric Guitar in Music
Derwin Gray at Transformation Church
Darryn Scheske at Heartland Church
Billy Phenix at Buckhead Church
Andy Stanley at North Point Community Church
The 10 Before (An example from April 2013 of North Point’s pre-service announcements)
Orange (Reggie Joiner‘s family ministry organization)
A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars by Jonathan Merritt
Shepherd’s Grove (formerly The Crystal Cathedral)
3 Things You Can Do Right Away
Rich says that churches need to engage more with their communities. They must actively reach out to those outside of their primary demographic if they want to appeal to other groups. Here are three things you can do now:
1. Bring younger leaders around you. If you look around the room you lead in and majority of the people are the same age as you, you have a problem. Deliberately push the age down and find younger leaders to help you, especially with programming and creative. Consider starting an internship program to provide a recurring opportunity for you to invest in young leaders while also learning from the next generation.
2. Get in relationship with leaders further along than you. There may be a leader with a larger church or someone who achieved success with an aspect of their mission, such as reaching unchurched people. Contact leaders you respect and ask for an opportunity to pick their brain over lunch. Most people are generous and willing to share their time and wisdom if asked.
3. Ask more questions. What music caters to your target demographic? What language to they speak? The small things make the biggest difference. You love your church’s music, but the community may not. Don’t be afraid to experiment. What you think is contemporary may not be. Also, discover the demographics of the families in your community. From the point of view of pastoral leadership, your church needs to be ready for the current state of your community. Ask yourself, “How can my church do a better job serving non-traditional families in my community, such as single parents and their kids?”
Quotes to Share from Rich
CNLP 008: Are Contemporary Churches Losing Their Edge in a Changing Culture? – An Interview with Rich Birch Click To Tweet CNLP 008: Are Contemporary Churches Losing Their Edge in a Changing Culture? – An Interview with Rich Birch Click To Tweet CNLP 008: Are Contemporary Churches Losing Their Edge in a Changing Culture? – An Interview with Rich Birch Click To Tweet CNLP 008: Are Contemporary Churches Losing Their Edge in a Changing Culture? – An Interview with Rich Birch Click To Tweet CNLP 008: Are Contemporary Churches Losing Their Edge in a Changing Culture? – An Interview with Rich Birch Click To TweetA New Episode Every Week…Just Subscribe.
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Next Episode: Jon Acuff
Why is it that so many of us struggle with work? Does everyone have a dream job? And does social media and leadership make you narcissistic?
These are just a few of the issues we touch on next week when we talk to New York Times best-selling author and social media expert Jon Acuff.
That’s next Tuesday on the podcast.
