Author: Ken Lytle
Something I have said for many years is… “Our theology must remain rock solid, but our methodology must be changing with the times.”
What is our Adventist theology? Look at the 28 Fundamental Beliefs [Click Here], this is a good starting point. This is not a complete statement of theology, but covers the Biblical basics. Our 28 Fundamental Beliefs is our spiritual identity. Every church and belief system has a spiritual identity that sets them apart from others.
Theology does not dictate Bible versions, church songs, sanctuary furniture, church service times, worship format, pews vs. chairs, vegetarian vs. vegan potlucks, or the church name on the sign in front of the building. These are all methodology (tradition). Unfortunately, many Adventist churches get bogged down by tradition or out-of-date methodology instead of studying the population demographic surrounding the church and recreating itself to meet their needs.
Does this mean we should embrace a worldly worship style as a method to seek and to save the lost? No!
Our Adventist methodology in the 21st century needs to be consistent, real, interesting, and life-changing. People are looking for something they can connect with and will address their current spiritual and life needs. Churches built around out-of-date worship styles, sermons that push old fashion methodology, and no vision for local missions will remain spiritually and physically stagnate and dead.
There is no reason for the non-denominational churches to experience growth while we sit on the sidelines nitpicking petty things and being spiritually lazy.
Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” By the grace of God, we are make sure our local churches are filled with workers who are working the plentiful harvest.
Ideas to pray about for your local church:
- Recreate your welcome ministry, making sure visitors and members receive a warm welcome every Sabbath. Use the welcome ministry to really connect with visitors… getting their names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers for a follow-up within two days of the visit.
- Revive your Sabbath Schools, making sure they are visitor-friendly and taught by people who know how to lead an interactive class.
- Rethink your worship service, making sure the music is high quality (new and old songs) and the that sermons are visitor and family-friendly.
- Use the Sabbath hours to train church members for active ministry and lead them into the community on a weekly basis. If the local church were to meet for fellowship meal every week and be in the community for at least 1.5 hours, the members would still have time to go home and take a nap. 🙂
Ron Welch
August 3, 2013
Thank you Ken for this short, insightful article. I copied, pasted, and printed it and plan to share it with my local congregation. This comes at a time when my wife and I are trying to stir up our church to get more involved in the local community and to make a few simple changes that will hopefully make our church services more attractive and welcoming.
Brett Denman
August 9, 2013
“sermons are visitor and family-friendly”…what does that mean? Are you saying we should preach a message that is echumenical or heavy on the milk and light on the meat? This is the END TIMES! We need a message that rebukes sin, calls people to repentance, promotes obedience and brings people into a better relationship to Christ and His word.
Ken Lytle
August 10, 2013
The sermon time needs to be interactive and interesting. I am sooooooooooo tired of sitting through sermons that are poorly written and presented. It frustrates me to look around the church during the sermon time and see almost all of the young people doing something else besides listening and learning (including many adults). When I preach, I use Power Point to display pictures and props to help me communicate the message. I also use handout for people to fill-in the blanks. I want young and old to understand the wonderful truths found in the Word of God. As for the sermon content, we should not be preaching EGW this and EGW that. Do I use the Spirit of Prophecy in my sermons? Yes… only I use words like, “In the book Steps to Christ, it says…” The sermon time is not the time to belittle the church members for not attending Prayer Meeting (the sermon I heard last week) or other messages built on methodology. People are hurting and broken and need to hear powerful messages about Jesus, love, forgiveness, hope, and what it means to love God and our neighbor. We also need to be teaching our men how to be spiritual leaders in the home, community, and church. The sermon time needs to be uplifting and challenging… keeping in mind that there could and should be first-time visitors in the pews.
Brett Denman
August 17, 2013
@Ken…I can agree with that. God bless.
Ken Lytle
August 10, 2013
I like this quote about family worship… it could be used for church worship also. “The father, who is the priest of his household, should conduct the morning and evening worship. There is no reason why this should not be the most interesting and enjoyable exercise of the home life, and God is dishonored when it is made dry and irksome. Let the seasons of family worship be short and spirited. Do not let your children or any member of your family dread them because of their tediousness or lack of interest. When a long chapter is read and explained and a long prayer offered, this precious service becomes wearisome, and it is a relief when it is over.” {BLJ 324.3} Our church worship services should be the “most interesting and enjoyable exercises” the church does on Sabbath mornings. If this were the case… our church members might actually begin inviting the unchurched to church.
Ken Lytle
August 10, 2013
The prayer and social meetings should be the most interesting gatherings that are held. Plans should be laid, and wisdom sought of God, to conduct these meetings so that they will be interesting and attractive. The people hunger for the bread of life. If they find it at the prayer-meeting, they will go there to receive it. Long, prosy talks and prayers are out of place anywhere, and especially in the social meeting. They weary the angels as well as the people who listen to them. Our prayers should be short, and right to the point. Let the Spirit of God pervade the hearts of the worshipers, and it will sweep away all formality and dullness. {RH, October 10, 1882 par. 13} Sabbath morning worship services should do the same…
Ken Lytle
August 10, 2013
We need to make sure our Sabbath School teachers know how to teach. Standing up front reading from the Sabbath School lesson is not teaching. “On Sabbath morning a large company met for Sabbath-school. Classes were soon arranged including all except a few who chose seats outside the tent. But these were not left to themselves; teachers were appointed, and two or three interesting classes formed. All were as busy as bees, and everywhere, in the tent and out of it, was heard the hum of voices. The school was well conducted and orderly, and to me the exercises were very interesting.” {RH, October 21, 1884 par. 7}
Ken Lytle
August 10, 2013
The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy. {FLB 274.2}
Ron Welch
August 10, 2013
Those are really good examples Ken. I like it them all. The Sabbath school class in particular is an area of time that could be expanded to much more than just sitting around discussing (or arguing) the fine points of things we all know and believe already. The time could easily be divided into sections for sharing outreach opportunities, needs, and prayer requests. There is such a class in Lincoln, Nebraska that has been doing this for several years, and attracts non-members.
Frank Peacham
August 17, 2013
What are you going to train during Sabbath School time?
Most of our community outreach is just doctrinal. The health messages, as the entering wedge is less effective with internet instant advice from dozens of professionals. A good community outreach for a church is to apply to be a Representative Payee to help individuals within their community to manage their Social Security.
Offer to give free IRS income tax filing, by someone in the congregation qualified, or take training. If physicians offer to the uninsured 5$ clinic. If teachers free SAT lessons, if piano players first 25 lessons free. Set up a food bank or a free meal for homeless on certain dates. etc. etc.
Ron Welch
August 17, 2013
Our church is getting involved with the local community “Needs Council”. In addition to monthly financial support from our congregation, we are getting involved as volunteers to visit people who need someone to take them to doctor appointments, food shopping, etc, as well as just visiting elderly shut-ins to let them know they are not forgotten and to check on their well-being.