ANDY STANLEY ....is the 55 year old son of the famous Southern Baptist preacher Dr. Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church, Atlanta. Millions watch him weekly on televisions In Touch Ministries. A graduate of Dallas Seminary, Andy served for many years with his father. Currently, he is the Pastor of North Point Ministries in Atlanta which encompasses five campuses. 33,000 souls attend weekly worship services. In Stanleys recent book entitled Deep and Wide, he shares about starting a new church on November 19, l995. The organizational meeting was attended by 1500 people. He says that he didnt feel ready for that moment, but that didnt seem to matter.... After an emotionally charged worship program, I stepped up to the podium and told them what they already knew: Atlanta doesnt need another church. Atlanta needs a different kind of church. Atlanta needs a church where church people are comfortable bringing their unchurched friends, family members, and neighbors. A church where unbelievers can come and hear the life-changng truth that God cares for them, and that Jesus Christ died for their sin. Weve come together to create a church unchurched people love to attend. Hold on! Does Stanley mean people can come to church, listen to the Praise Teams loud contemporary music, watch a specially created video, hear a sermon (Stanley calls it a message), and go away in a state of spiritual utter unbelief? Yes. But be honest, isnt that true about people who now attend YOUR church? In the churches Ive served, I was glad when unbelievers were in worship, period! Honestly, how else will they learn For God so loved.... (John 3:16). In America, we are free to choose. Second, the emphasis at Stanleys church is not merely to give people a spiritual thrill--or entertainment--in a so-called modern worship setting. Rather, the emphasis is for people to truly learn about Jesus Christ, and more. The leadership at North Point Ministries seeks to develop DISCIPLES. How so? The plan is outlined in Stanleys book, and here are a few tidbits: 1. Practical Teaching...We are adamant about BIBLE content . And, we close every message with a special call to action, and sometimes we assign homework... (p. 116) 2. Private Disciplines...is about the churchs ongoing emphasis on PRAYING, personal devotions, and reading the Bible at home (p. 121) 3. Personal Ministry....I love our North Point Church because Ive seen this emphasis play out in the lives of our own children. Part of our strategy for volunteering is to get our high school students involved in SERVING. All three of my kids, Stanley writes, were leading small groups as soon as they were old enough (p. 126). 4. Providential Relationships.... Our team spent a lot of time discussing the churchs role in this important teaching-opportunity for faith and trust. We determined to create a church model that was relationship-centric, and to build ways to get people CONNECTED... (p. 133) 5. Pivotal Circumstances.... Several things we built into our church model create opportunities to reiterate a Christian WORLD VIEW, and also formalize healthy relationship connections through the following: Mission trips; Baptism (all candidates MUST share their personal testimony on video to be shown in the worship setting); Mentoring; Small Group Structure; Family Ministry Group Structure (p. 143). I ask four questions, gently. Is your church growing? What is your strategy to make it happen? Are you interested in going down a different path? Are you prepared to work hard--not dabble--at another modus operandi? Many blessings to you and your ministry. Jesus is Lord.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 21:27:43 +0000
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