Dancing with Missions Teams

Volunteer missions teams are nearly synonymous with missions and church starting. In fact, many cross cultural missionaries began their journey to become missionaries after serving on a volunteer missions team.

I love volunteer teams and have worked with them for nearly 20 years. They can be great catalysts in any missions effort and deep friendships often form. They bring fresh energy, critical financial resources, additional manpower, and personal encouragement when they engage a missions effort.

Some missionaries and church starters do not enjoy working with missions teams. A few have tried it and their experiences were not pleasant. Others question whether mission teams are worth the effort to secure housing, provide transportation, prepare meals, and work through disagreements or even conflict.

Here are a few principles that will make your experience with volunteers more enjoyable and rewarding. A number of fine works are available to help you with covenants, planning, logistics, communication, setting goals, timelines, etc. See Whirlwind Missions, Impact Your World, Successful Mission Teams, STEM Int'l, The Essential Guide to the Short Term Mission Trip, and resources developed by First Baptist Woodstock (see links at the bottom of their page).

In the few words that follow, I will skip most of the details found in these works. I will focus on qualitative, less tangible details that can ensnare you and turn a good volunteer team into…well let’s just say it is something you do not want to experience.

Following these principles will make a difference in your relationship with volunteers. When church starters or volunteer teams have a bad experience, the church starter has usually neglected at least one of these principles.

• Treat’em Like Family

Some church starters treat volunteers as if they are a rental car rather than a prized automobile, which they have saved for years to purchase. Remember, a missions team is as much about relationship as it is about accomplishing a task, and there is no substitute for a strong relationship between the lead church starter and the volunteer team. You can delegate many details and tasks concerning a volunteer team, but you cannot delegate the relationship (time). Volunteers are not mercenaries or hired hands! If you treat them as such, you can expect difficulty and the missed opportunity for a long and fruitful partnership.

• Over Communicate

Church starters are like a pilot of the space shuttle at launch. They give their attention to a very limited number of details in order that they may do them well. They are focused. At the same time they need volunteer teams to help them, and those teams have 954 questions, of which 934 will not be important to the church starter until 5 days before the team is scheduled to arrive. Set up a system to communicate with the volunteer teams. Taking the time to answer the most common questions for all of your teams and making that information available 24/7 to all your teams will save you time and will save them stress. It is too easy to use pictures and videos to communicate details of the area and the accommodations. Create a reusable, daily itinerary that you can complete for each team and put it in their hands early! If you do not have logistics confirmed 30 days before the team’s arrival, you are behind. Keep the volunteer team leader updated concerning changes and new opportunities. Even if the team leader is laissez faire about details, you need to communicate, communicate, and communicate.

• Never Blame a Private for a General’s Mistake

I have worked with dozens of volunteer teams in the US and in other countries. Two of those teams were bad teams, really bad teams. To make matters worse, I experienced them within weeks of each other while serving in Russia as a missions strategist. It would have been easy to say, “Never again will I work with volunteer teams.” I did think those words. Nonetheless, the problem was really not with the teams. I made assumptions about the team leaders, and those assumptions led to serious problems. For example, I assumed the team leader was meeting with his team and communicating information and updates I was sending him. I expected the team to be prepared and pre-oriented when they arrived. To my shock, and grief, I learned he had not given them any of the information, and he only met with them when they arrived at the airport to depart for Russia! These experiences changed the manner in which I deal with generals (team leaders). I have continued to enjoy working with volunteer teams, and I have avoided the mistakes these teams made.

• Prepare and Verify

Change will occur. Your plans will change. Your housing will change. The daily itinerary will change. Change will be your companion. This reality is no excuse for procrastination and poor preparation. Project worksheets can be your friend if you will give an hour to complete one for each missions team effort. This resource will give you a check list, a timeline, and assign given tasks to the volunteer team and to your team. Project management software is available for purchase, and EXCEL has a number of useful templates. See additional resources HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. I enjoy fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. When boating in the Gulf, especially when I can no longer see the shore, I regularly check my heading and bearing on the GPS. Regularly reviewing the project worksheet will help you and your team stay on course with volunteer teams. The following comments may be signs you need to verify further and storms may be looming: “I’m working on it; I’m waiting on confirmation; they haven’t responded to my email; I left a message; they will get back to me; we have plenty of time; I assume it will work; I sent them all the information by email; they said they will clean it up; and (my favorite) let’s just pray it will happen.” When using a team to conduct a community effort, pre-registration of participants is a great way to verify if your announcements are being received well.

• Tell’em What to Expect and Tell’em Again

This principle may be the most frequently neglected when working with volunteer missions teams. Set clear expectations about communication and information (how often and how much) you will provide as the team prepares for their trip. Communicate what the team can expect each day, and in love communicate what you expect from them. Establish financial expectations (who pays for what, how much, and when), and tell them what you expect to be the result of the teams efforts. You and your staff, including your families, should expect to make new friends and expect to have fun with the team. If you will learn to use a bit of humor, you will improve your communication of expectations and find it is not so difficult after all. Oh, did I mention that you should repeat your expectations?

Focusing the Great Commission Resurgence

Tomorrow, I depart for the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, KY. I lived in Louisville for four years in the late ‘90s. Those were great days in a great city. I remember walking on the campus of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for the first time. I fully understood that men and women of faith and courage had begun a work more than a century before that allowed me to stand there. I understood that God had given favor to a group of believers whose clarion focus was proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world, and they were devoted to live the good news and to teach it to the next generation.

Southern Baptists, and I am one, stand at a significant moment. This gathering in Louisville will celebrate the sesquicentennial of Southern Seminary. It’s a big word for me too. It means the 150th anniversary. It is the oldest of the SBC seminaries, and it reflects Southern Baptists’ commitment to the next generation, to truth, to the gospel, to vision, and to our legacy of faith. Its graduates, many of whom were born outside the United States, have served in almost every ministry capacity imagined and in nearly every country in the world.

We also stand at a significant moment concerning how we fulfill the Great Commission. Interestingly, theological differences are not troubling the waters of unity. Instead, questions of focus, efficiency, stewardship, relevance, identity, and organization have led us to a table of discussion, even sharp debate. Some seem to be threatened by the questions themselves. Others seem to want change for the sake of change. Many, however, believe we need a resurgence surrounding the Great Commission. Even those who prefer the term refocus agree that change is necessary.

I have served as a pastor and a staff member of SBC churches. I have served as a missionary with the International Mission Board, SBC. Currently, I serve as a missionary with the North American Mission Board, SBC, and as an adjunct professor at Southern Seminary. These roles give me a first-hand perspective of how we fulfill the Great Commission. Change is needed.

The lightening rod in the discussion is Axiom IX from the Great Commission Resurgence Declaration, “A Commitment to a More Effective Convention Structure.” In Dr. Danny Akin’s statement it is Axiom VIII, “We must recognize the need to rethink our Convention structure and identity so that we maximize our energy and resources for the fulfilling of the Great Commission (1 Cor 10:31).” I signed the Great Commission Resurgence Declaration after the second revision, and I am aware that it has been further revised (softened and clarified).

Structure and organization can be an asset or an impediment to fulfilling the Great Commission. These calls for resurgence address topics broader than structure, yet the call to evaluate and change our organization and structure seem to be the lines of debate. I wonder what the response would have been if the final version of Axiom IX had been released first.

Many have added their voice to this discussion and some have provided valuable insight. Timmy Brister provides and excellent history of the discussion and links many of the best responses. I want to add a few thoughts to this discussion, and I will conclude each theme with questions that will further clarify the topics.

1. Make Disciples. The Great Commission is simple. We are to make disciples, especially new disciples. A resurgence must focus on this commission. Baptisms, church attendance, and missional activity are incomplete markers of success. Church membership, great sermons, viral videos, podcasts, exciting programs and initiatives, contemporary organizational patterns, sold-out conferences, and innovative evangelism strategies are not to be our guide or our goals. We are to make disciples who are fully devoted followers of Christ. This is the Great Commission. An effective resurgence will lead to an increase in disciples, though they will probably not look or act like typical church members.

What is a disciple—according to the Scriptures? Are we making them—among all peoples? When we look at our budgets, goals, and efforts, do they reflect the priority of making new disciples, growing existing disciples, and mobilizing disciples to reproduce among all peoples, even in the cities? What changes can we make to bring greater emphasis, energy, resources, and fruit to our disciple-making efforts?

2. Engage Cities & People Groups. We have made great strides in focusing on people groups in the US and around the world. Yet, we seem to have forgotten the way the Apostle Paul went about this task was to travel trade routes and engage the great cities of his day. Today, 50% of the world’s population is urban. In Louisville, KY, one neighborhood of 25,000 people has 60+ ethnic people groups living there that speak more than 80 languages. Everyday there are 151,000 new, non-Christian urban dwellers in the world, and there are 480 megacities (over 1 million in population) with 250 classified as non-Christian cities. The urban poor represent 1.8 billion people in the world. A resurgence should place emphasis on reaching cities.

Where are we placing our Great Commission resources—including people? How does our training prepare the next generation of disciples to engage cities around the world? In a globalized economy, how must our churches (even those located in suburban and rural America) equip disciples who work in cities or whose jobs connect them to non-Christian people in cities?

3. Love Your Neighbor. The last ten years have seen a marked shift in evangelical missions and evangelism as we have wrestled (again) with how to live by the Great Commission and the Great Commandment to love our God with all that we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Many good questions are being raised and many are seeking new ways to follow Christ in loving their neighbors. Beyond campaigns and events to love our neighbors, we need a simple Christianity that focuses on the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. We need something other than a new sermon series or small group curriculum. We need leaders to model this truth in their personal lives and through their leadership roles. We need a renewed spirit of humility and generosity.

How can we clarify and simplify what it means to be a follower of Christ? How will Southern Baptists fulfill this command to love our neighbor at levels greater than ever? What role do our organization and structure play in fulfilling the command to love our neighbors? How should we make disciples that live according to the Great Commandment in every area of their lives, every day? What financial realignments can we make to provide more resources for churches and disciples to love their neighbors—around the world? How do we preserve the inseparable tandem of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission? Are there neighbors with whom we should reconcile?

4. Keep the Absolutes and Extend Grace and Charity on Everything Else. One of our hallmarks as Southern Baptists has been our tenacious commitment to the Scriptures as sufficient for faith and life and our passion for fulfilling the Great Commission. I was baptized as a young adult at a Southern Baptist church. I chose that church out of convenience. It was near my home. I have remained in a Southern Baptist church out of conviction. Once I was naïve and thought every Southern Baptist church believed and practiced the same way my first church did. I am no longer naïve. Common distinctives, however, define what it means to be Southern Baptist, and historically, we have carefully stated and limited these distinctives. In this discussion concerning a resurgence, some deem it necessary to expand these distinctive. For example, one expansion is to distinguish those churches that give 10% of their undesignated offering to the Cooperative Program as “true” Southern Baptists. This assertion is naïve and divisive. It moves us well past our absolute distinctives.

A related matter is the missions giving and efforts of SBC churches outside of the Cooperative Program and our mission boards. Some have argued that these efforts should not be considered when we look at the record of a church’s missional activity. Such a position is uninformed and pharisaical. As an IMB missions strategist and as a NAMB missionary directing urban church starting efforts in a US city, I have seen SBC churches give sacrificially toward missions efforts in which SBC missionaries and church starters are involved and to do so above and beyond their Cooperative Program gifts. I have seen autonomous SBC churches accept their responsibility for fulfilling the Great Commission and work along SBC missionaries without going through our missions agencies.

When did the SBC establish these "new" distinctives of a Southern Baptist church? Why would we recognize only the missions giving of a Southern Baptist church that was distributed through the Cooperative Program and recognize only missions efforts done through SBC mission agencies? Should not all the missions activities of autonomous Southern Baptist churches be considered and celebrated? What is the biblical basis for expanding the distinctives of a Southern Baptist church? How are unity and strength increased by expanding these distinctives?

5. Be a Faithful Steward. We do not own anything. It’s not my church, my ministry, my convention, or even my life. We are bondservants of the King. He has given us a commission and resources to fulfill it, as He has given to millions of other disciples of Jesus Christ. Today, we (Southern Baptists) have more resources than our forefathers ever dreamed of having. In addition to two mission boards, we have six seminaries (with numerous extension centers and online training); we have a Christian financial services provider; we have Christian colleges and universities; we have a Christian resource and publishing ministry with stores across the nation; we collect billions of dollars; we send thousands of missionaries; and we employ thousands of people in our associations, state conventions, denominational agencies, seminaries, and mission boards. We are large and we are wealthy! With this expanse, it is inevitable that we could be more efficient, that we are duplicating efforts that do not need duplication, and that we can wisely find ways to extend our disciple-making resources even more than we are. Our stewardship is of a commission to be fulfilled. The resources He provides us are for this purpose alone. The IMB and NAMB are facing serious financial shortfalls. Fewer church starters and missionaries are able to go to the field and lean project funds are evaporating. Studies and reports on the SBC indicate we are declining. It is time to examine our stewardship.

How can we increase cooperation and partnership and decrease competition? What would it take to increase the number of SBC church starters and missionaries (assuming they would make new disciples and start new churches) by 20% in the next 3 years? How many of these gospel workers should be fully funded from market-place employment? How should we minimize the overlapping roles of our mission agencies, associations, and state conventions while preserving our autonomy and partnerships? What is the wisest, most efficient use of these resources to fulfill the Great Commission?

The Holiday Season

This week I sent the following note to our Embrace Baltimore Church Starters. One of them requested that I post that message here as he thought it would be beneficial to others.

Dear Embrace Church Starters,

I trust you had a great weekend. I spent it with my family, so life could not be better. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and three fantastic teenagers (my daughter, Sarah, turned 13 Saturday)!

Fall is an important time for making new disciples and for planning. Some people refer to the former as “evangelism,” but I prefer the phrase “making new disciples.” I mention it only to bring clarity to the focus of this note. Church starters in every season must focus on making new disciples of Jesus Christ. It is our first priority in ministry. It is our highest priority. Making new disciples is the basis of church starting.

The holiday season is an excellent time for making new disciples. The temptation is to spend these special days only with family or other Christians, while neglecting non-Christian neighbors. You set the tone and direction for your family, your team, and your church. If you are intentional about making new disciples during this season . . . they too will be intentional. On the other hand, if you take a vacation from making new disciples during the holidays . . . they too will go on vacation. The holiday season is one of the most important seasons of the year to spend time with non-Christian family, friends, and neighbors. It is also one of the simplest and least costly ways of helping your family, your team, and your church make new disciples.

The opportunities during the holiday season are nearly endless. For example, ask each person on your team or in your church to get with one or two other people or couples and host a Christmas party in a home, apartment, or dorm. Encourage them to invite unchurched and non-Christian friends and family to enjoy a fun celebration of Christmas. You do not want to make it a Sunday School party. Yet, it is amazing how many opportunities you will have to speak of God’s grace and providence if you are wise and prepared. Thanksgiving dinners, New Year’s Eve celebrations, and New Year’s Day football gatherings are just a few of the ways you, your team, and your church can spend time with non-Christian neighbors during the holidays.

An entirely different way to spend time with non-Christians is to invite them to serve with you. For example, you may choose not to prepare a Thanksgiving Day dinner. Instead, you could invite a non-Christian family to go with your family to a community center to serve a meal. Your kids and their kids can serve alongside you as together you serve your community. Many opportunities for deepening this friendship and telling your stories of God’s grace and providence will arise. Expect them. Be prepared to speak when God opens the doors.

You cannot do everything, but you should set the example by intentionally spending time with non-Christians during the holiday season. You might even develop a new family tradition for decades to come.

Review your 2009 calendars. Fall is a good time to review your 2009 calendar. As a church starter, your first priority is to be a disciple of Jesus and to make new disciples. You, your team, and your church have limited time and resources; stay focused—be a disciple and make new disciples. Many opportunities will arise, and you must prayerfully and wisely consider them. Expect God to give you new opportunities. Wise church starters protect their family, team, and church from dozens of exciting opportunities that subtly detour them from the best path in this phase of ministry. A few helpful questions are:

· How will this effort help our church connect with our focus community?

· How will this effort help our church make new disciples?

· How much time will this effort cost our team and our church? Are you sure?

· Is Christ leading our church to participate?

· Does this effort fit with our church’s current phase of ministry?

· If we say, ‘No,’ what will it cost our church after one year?

Note strategic dates such as the launch of your church, your second launch (6 months after your initial launch), scheduled baptismal services, the beginning of a 4-week message series, etc. It is important to schedule preparation activities before the primary efforts. For example, if you schedule a baptismal service, the person being baptized can send personal invitations to friends and family, especially to non-Christians. You can provide the invitations and collect them to be mailed two weeks before the service. You can also send a personal note one week before the service mentioning to their friends and family how important it will be for them to attend. Consider holding a reception, dinner, cookout, etc at the end of the service.

Consider every major holiday/date (national, cultural, religious, community, and personal). Select holidays to emphasize with your church and your family. Plan ways that you can develop friendships, love your neighbors, and tell your stories of God’s grace and providence. These efforts need not be expensive or even require volunteer teams. Super Bowl gatherings in homes, Fourth of July block parties, tutoring efforts for middle school exam week, and fine coffee and desserts in the school lounge on National Teacher Day represent only a few ways to spend time with your neighbors on the holidays and important dates. Don’t forget to invite non-Christians to your birthday party!

Identify every local community event or festival that has relevance for your focus segment. In Baltimore it will not be possible to participate in all of them as there are just too many. Prayerfully select a few for your team/church and a few for your family. It is remarkable how many festivals are conducted in this great city, and we need to plan wisely so we can intentionally participate in them during 2009.

Keep making new disciples, especially during the holiday season!

Your brother,

Troy

Thanking Our Veteran Leaders

On May 7, 1945, German forces surrendered to mark the end of the European Theater in WWII. On September 2, 1945, Japanese forces surrendered to end the Pacific Theater in WWII.

In May 2004 our nation finally reversed decades of neglect and opened the National WWII Memorial. It is a beautiful tribute to the more than 16 million men and women that served our country in this war.

I visited the memorial this summer with my family. We were there late one afternoon and evening, and it is a spectacular tribute. We had the sense that we were standing on reverent ground. The 56 pillars rise into the sky, noting each state and territory that gave men and women to this cause. Freedom Wall is stunning. It contains 4,048 stars, each one representing 100 Americans that gave their lives in this global struggle.

My paternal grandfather fought in WWII. As a child, he was my hero. A tall man with a strong, enthusiastic laugh, he was my Grandaddy that took me fishing and always wanted to know how my football games had gone. He never saw this national tribute of respect and thanks for the years he spent fighting for us.

Many veterans have never seen their memorial, and Honor Flight is an organization with a mission to give everyone of them that opportunity. Earl Morse is a physicians assistant and pilot. He treated many veterans and in December 2004 he flew one of his patients, Mr. Loy, to see the memorial. Honor Flight was born.

Honor Flight now has networks of Guardians across American. Guardians are volunteers with a mission to assist the more than 6,000 veterans that have applied for a free trip to visit the WWII Memorial. These men and women have never seen their memorial, and as Guardians often say, time is running out. Click HERE for more information about Honor Flight.

I regularly travel through the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, commonly known as BWI. This week I was blessed to encounter Guardians and WWII Veterans in their return flight home after visiting the memorial.

After passing through the security area, I headed for my gate. Guardians, wearing bright orange t-shirts, were escorting veterans to their gates. I walked up behind a Guardian pushing a veteran in a wheelchair as a uniformed soldier was walking toward us. When he reached the veteran, he stretched out his hand to the man sitting in the wheelchair and said two powerful words, "Thank you." These soldiers of different generations needed to say nothing more. A black and white photo of the moment would have spoken a thousand words.

I am grateful for our soldiers, past and present. They have given us much, and they have taught us much. This encounter taught me something. In the Atlanta Intl. airport I recently saw a group of people express their appreciation to a young female soldier. That moment was moving, but this experience at BWI was different.

It was especially powerful because the younger soldier gave respect and thanks to the retired veteran who now needed someone to push him in a wheelchair. He could no longer fight the fight, yet today's soldier counted him as one worthy of attention and respect.

I was reminded from this experience that it is good and right to give attention and appreciation to those that have fought the battles in generations before me. They may have used different methods and plans than I would use today, but I am able to be in the battle because they were in the battle. They made mistakes, they did not always agree with themselves, and they might have been able to do it better. Nonetheless, they were in the same battle before me, and I respect them for that. As a leader in church starting, pastoral ministry, and theological education and training, I was reminded that it is good to give attention and appreciation to those that have gone before me.

Troy Bush

Missional. . .Smissional (Part 1)

I remember when distinctions were debated between mission and missions.

The discussions are now about being missional. The problem is all of these words and a few others like missionary are used so diversely they are practically useless. Doubt me? Ed Stetzer has written a 5-part series just to define what it means to be missional. See his well written and helpful commentary HERE. Rick Meigs, better known for his blog, The Blind Beggar, has called for a synchronized blog to answer the question, "What is Missional?" Click HERE for his blog.

The heart of the discussion about being missional is the debate between attractional and incarnational approaches to Christianity. Attractional is relatively easy to understand. Attractional assumes that non-church members will be attracted to and participate in Christian worship services and events, and much energy is expended to get non-members to attend these gatherings. This approach has become the default ministry and means of evangelism in North America and in many other places around the world.

Incarnational is also easily understood. Instead of relying on attraction, it sends. In the case of Christianity it sends disciples into the culture. They live as part of the culture, reflecting it, but not being dominated by it. They make disciples that form churches within the culture, rather than departing from it to go to churches that exist outside the culture. This approach is more frequently found among cross-cultural missionaries.

Three issues are critical to this discussion about Attractional and Incarnational.

1. Beliefs Matter
Much of the popular discussion about missional focuses on methods. People talk about the church leaving the building and about being the church rather than going to the church. Authenticity, relevant, and simple are the buzzwords of the missional discussion. Yet, almost unnoticed by some is the impact on beliefs when methods and strategy drive the discussion. The gospel is diminished and confused when in an effort to be incarnational, methods define beliefs. One "missional" example I have seen is driven by the method of inclusion. In an effort to overcome the erroneous practice of the church being a Christian club, everyone, including non-followers of Christ, is allowed to participate in the Lord's Supper. This practice misses a beautiful opportunity to teach and experience the exclusivity of the gospel of Christ. It also abandons the biblical and historical practice of the church. Jesus was certainly incarnational and no one was more missional than He was. Nonetheless, He taught clearly that some were part of the body of Christ and others were not. He instituted the Lord's Supper and gave it to the church, not the community. The teachings of Christ must define our understanding of incarnational.

2. Incarnational AND Attractional Matter
It is easy to bash traditional churches. Even the term "traditional" has become code for a church that is "outdated" and "dead." Most churches labeled as traditional are presumed to be based on attractional modes of ministry, and attractional is presumed to be non-missional. Attractional, however, is not the opposite or enemy of missional. Throughout the history of the church we find example after example of the church being both incarnational and attractional. Until the temple was destroyed, the Jerusalem church clearly exhibited both characteristics of incarnational and attractional. Canceling church services on Sunday morning and participating in service projects throughout the community is now called missional. This effort is commendable, but it does not mean the church is incarnational. So to slander churches that unapologetically invite people to come to their services and events as attractional and traditional is just as erroneous as to commend a church for being missional because it leaves the building for a day or forever.

3. Jesus' Example and Teaching Matter
Luke tells us in chapter 15 the Pharisees and scribes criticized Jesus because He received sinners and ate with them. This passage grabs my attention every time I read it. Much can be said about their criticism of Jesus. Even more can be said about Jesus eating with sinners. Jesus responded to His critics with three parables. He used cultural language that grabbed their hearts and squeezed them with abrasive conviction. Three times He told them they should seek the lost and the lost must repent. Here is a lesson that missional must embody. Moving outside the church building and attracting people to our community service days and our cookouts does not make a church missional. In the 50's and 60's evangelists gained headlines in the papers for their giant, city-wide gatherings in the same way many "missional" events are noted in today's headlines and blogs. Should we organize and serve in our communities? I say, "Yes!" Should we invite our neighbors that do not attend a church to enjoy a meal in our homes? Again, I say, "Yes!" But we can do all of these things and more and fail to follow what Jesus teaches in these three parables. To be missional requires more than moving outside of our buildings, including non-believers in our ministries and gatherings, serving in our neighborhoods, and being culturally relevant.

Next week I will describe Jesus' example of being missional and how we can (should) be both incarnational and attractional in our cities as we make disciples.

Troy Bush

Hurricanes, Gas Prices, Mega Churches, and Elections

I do not like hurricanes! I was born in Pensacola, FL, and lived there until leaving to attend seminary. I returned to the Pensacola area a few years ago and now live in Pace, FL, a small community just outside of Pensacola. I remember many names like Camille, Andrew, Frederick, Opel, Ivan, Dennis, Katrina, and now Ike.

Though Ike is hundreds of miles away, the waves at Pensacola Beach are 15'-20'. Gas prices are even higher. Today, residents across the state feared supplies will be disrupted and prices will rise. Lines formed at stations, and prices rose to dramatic levels.

Sifting through the news on my favorite news sites, the stories are about hurricanes, gas prices, declining mega churches, and and presidential candidates. While the talking head shows on TV tried to keep their focus on the vice presidential candidates (actually they are only talking about one of them), they cannot keep from showing video of reporters standing in the rain and wind . . . telling us they are standing in the rain and wind.

Many of these news stories are less about the real story and more about the "created" story. For example, gas supplies in Florida are NOT in short supply except that people are hording gas and creating a temporary, unnecessary shortage.

These current events and the associated news creations are similar to much of the chatter experienced in Christian circles. Within the mix of real events and real news is an astounding level of created noise. For example, emails, blogs, conferences, and the research study of the week are increasingly the stories. We publicize what we are going to say, and then we publicize what we said. I suppose I contribute to the situation as I read many emails, blogs, and attend some of the conferences.

Before I sound as if I am opposed to conferences, blogs, etc, let me state clearly that I am not. Much can be learned and many connections can be made at conferences. I have a love/hate relationship with email, and I must admit that it often helps us as a means of communication. Research studies can also be useful resources for ministry. But when posting to our blogs, twittering on our phones, reading and sending email, attending or speaking at the next conference, and discussing the latest research study receives much of our attention and energy, it is little different from a reporter standing in the rain telling us he is standing in the rain.

One of my favorite church starters is Roger Kim. He is in the midst of his third church start in Baltimore city, and he already has church start 4 and 5 on his mind. He rarely attends conferences, though he is known to buy the CDs or DVDs once they are discounted. He is anything but a conference junkie, yet he is a life-long learner. Roger spends most of his time making disciples and starting churches. Click HERE to see the link to his most recent church start.

Saturday will come and reporters standing in the rain and wind will not be the story. Many people will have lost their homes. Based on early reports, several people will have lost their lives. Jobs will be lost and businesses will close. Roofers, contractors, insurance agents, and construction suppliers will have an increase in business for a season. The stories, the real stories will be about people living through these circumstances and about the thousands of people that will travel to Texas and Louisiana to help them.

It will be a good day when most of our blogs and tweets have less to say about what we think when we watch reporters in the rain and more to say about new disciples, marriages that were restored, hopeless people that found hope, orphans that have homes, Christians that loved and served their neighbors even without a church program or emphasis, and men and women that leave everything to make disciples at the ends of the earth. Maybe then USA Today will be able to report that our mega churches and our smaller churches are growing.

Troy Bush

Summer Thoughts

A few of you have noticed that I have not written in a couple of weeks. Actually, I have written but chose not to upload for one reason or another. Let me tell you a little about what has been occurring.

Recently, my middle child,Caleb, caught this 49" King Mackerel. You should have been there!

A number of new opportunities have arisen for LYNTYS to expand. I am excited about days ahead and the development of new resources.

In Baltimore we continue to experience the favor of God in our church starting efforts. One new work held their first preview service this past Sunday, and another had an excellent week of community ministry last week. A missions team from Georgia joined them, and in addition to the community service projects and block parties, they saw 10 folks repent and trust Christ.

New partnerships are also developing for Baltimore church starting. One of America's strongest Christian universities will be partnering with us. Great churches from several states are developing partnerships with our church starters. This evening I had a great conversation with the founder of one of the most influential missions mobilization ministries in US, and I will be visiting with him and his leadership in August to discuss a dynamic partnership.

Southern Baptists elected Johnny Hunt president of the SBC. Change must occur in my circle of believers and churches. I understand Hunt intends to bring change that will reengage many of the young leaders. It is important that change be substantive and result in fulfilling the Great Commission, not merely sustain or revitalize institutions. We have talked about change for several years, but substantive change after the "Conservative Resurgence" has been wanting.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released a new report on religious beliefs in the US. Click HERE to see the report. It is being widely reported from this study that 57% of Evangelicals believe many religions lead to eternal life. The survey question leads to some ambiguity, but I have spoken to enough church members of evangelical churches to know this percentage has an element of truth.

So we wonder why the number of baptisms are down and church attendance is declining, even among Baptists. It is in part for the very reason churches we consider liberal are declining. We claim to be Bible-believing, followers of Christ, but many in our pews no longer believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him. Even for some that hold this belief it does not translate into action because their belief is more tradition than firmly held revelation from God. Methods, programs, and events are not going to change this situation.

This weekend my family will spend a few days on vacation. We have tickets for an Orioles game, and we will go to Ellis and Liberty Islands and see the Statue of Liberty. I was looking at the registry of immigrants that passed through Ellis Island and learned two Russians with the family name "Bush" came through Ellis Island in the early 1900s. They were from a German settlement in Russia, one of many such settlements established during and after the reign of Catherine the Great.

Troy Bush

Have a LYNTYS Week

Todd Robertson, Associate Pastor, Missions, at Walnut Street Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, provided the following post. Todd is a dear friend, and he his wife Kim, along with their three sons, live LYNTYS. You can email Todd at trobertson@walnutstreet.org.

His post will also appear in his church's monthly publication. You'll benefit from his practical tips below.

I would like to offer you a challenge. Get a piece of paper and make a short list for me. I want you to write down some names of those that you know who are unchurched. Write one who lives within a block of you. Write one who is a family member. List one who works with you. List another who you see at least weekly in your typical travels. Finally write a name of someone new that you have just met. Great job. Now, “What’s next?” you’re asking.

I want you to make this list a prayer guide for the next week. Each day I want you to pray for those on your list. Pray specifically that God will help you to see how you might show a tangible expression of Christ’s love to them or meet a particular need. It may be something very simple or more profound, but make it something that you do motivated by your love for them and your love for God.

I am confident that at least one of the folks on your list is someone that you have known for sometime and that you have sought to help on many occasions. Hopefully, this person is someone that has already found you to be genuine and caring. I want you to look for an opportunity to share your story with them in the next week or so. What I mean is to share with them how Christ has been at work in your life. Tell them the good news of how Christ changed your life and continues to work in you daily. Remember, the most loving thing we will ever do for someone is to share the good news of Jesus with them.

So, there’s your LYNTYS challenge this week. We’ll be talking more about LYNTYS and how to develop this kind of lifestyle, but for now, let’s just keep it simple. I know there are a lot of “Big Gives” out there, but what we do has no cash prize at the end, only the eternal Kingdom reward of loving like Jesus loves.

Todd Robertson

Life Is Not Random

Lunch today was at a local restaurant. Earl Gray, Darnell Ranson, and I met to enjoy good food and to discuss a pilot project I proposed to them. Earl is the director of evangelism and leadership development for Embrace Baltimore, and Darnell is the director of community impact for Embrace. They are outstanding team members and a blast as lunch guests.

This pilot effort will be based on four truths:

1. Life is not random. Quite the contrary, God is active in our lives and in the lives of people around us.
2. God crosses our paths with people in whose lives He is at work.
3. God desires that people become disciples of Jesus Christ far more than you or I will ever desire them to become disciples.
4. God is pleased when we love people He brings into our lives, and He desires that we speak to them about the Good News we are experiencing.

Our waitress told us she is a student at one of Baltimore’s universities. Earl asked why she was so pleasant. She said she was in a good mood, in spite of the fact that she was facing several major exams and project due dates, and she was moving to a new apartment. It was clear she was not your typical student-waitress.

I asked if she attended a church. Her story was notable. Though in high school she had been active in a strong Baptist church, she had struggled to find a church after moving to Baltimore. We talked about some of the churches she had attended and suggested others for her to consider. I was encouraged when she questioned us about the beliefs of the churches we recommend.

We are planning to start a new church in the area near her university, so I asked if she would be interested in being part of that effort. Before she would commit, she asked if it would be a Baptist church. She also wanted to know if it would be a church that would engage the community and have ministries for children and youth.

Darnell had spoken earlier to us about how important it is for new churches to be involved in their communities. Now our waitress affirmed Darnell's words. When I told her this church would be involved in the community, she wanted to be part of it. Think about it. We have not even launched this church and it seems God has already brought us the first member. Maybe, just maybe, she will be like Lydia was to the church in Philippi.

I mentioned to her I believe God had crossed our paths. She agreed and told us even that morning her mom had called and prayed with her that she would find a good church to attend. She affirmed repeatedly how much she would like to be part of the new church we described and how her university needed a church that would engage it. We committed to stay in touch with her as our plans develop.

Amazing! We met for lunch to discuss a pilot project based on four truths, and God affirmed these truths right in front of us. Loving your neighbor and telling your story is not a method or a plan. It is God’s purpose for our lives, and He demonstrates His pleasure by crossing our paths with people in whose lives He is already working.

Troy Bush

Southeastern and Church Starting

This past week I spent a day at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC, to meet future church starters and speak in several classes. This was my first visit to Southeastern and it was long overdue!

Bruce Ashford is the director of the Lewis A. Drummond Center for Great Commission Studies, and he hosted me for this visit. He shared that seminary President Danny Akin has structured and led the seminary so that every course, not just the evangelism and missions courses, are Great Commission courses. If the future church starters I met are any reflection of this vision, I would say he is achieving his goal.

These students represented several disciplines, and they are preparing to start churches in strategic areas of our country, including Washington, DC. I was also encouraged to meet students from the Baltimore area that are interested in returning to lead existing churches or to start new churches.

During my visit I met professors David Nelson, Al James, and Josef Solc. At one point David and I, along with several students, discussed how no one could have imagined that Danny would today be the president of this seminary. I mentioned if anyone had ever attended one of Danny's marriage workshops, it is even more amazing he is still employed at the seminary. You would have to attend one to understand.

Troy Bush