I just updated my iPhone 4 to iOS 6. It’s nice, but I’ve not been blown away … yet.
I’m sure that I’ll find something “magical” eventually.
At this point, we could go on and rehash the same new features that every other blog has been rehashing the past few days, but ChurchMag isn’t like every other blog.
So, instead, let’s see …
Annual Release Cycles for the Bride of Christ
Obviously, I’m not suggesting we need to put the Gospel on an annual release cycle where every year we update our message in keeping with a year spent researching current theological and sociological trends. I am, however, wondering what it would do for our churches to be on a similar cycle.
How cool would it be if your church’s design teams, preaching teams, curriculum teams, social media teams, and whatever other teams you have we’re strategically united in releasing a new campaign/theme every single year?
This could be huge.
A Panoramic Picture of a Annual Church Campaign
Let’s pretend that we volunteer on one of the creative teams at Rockland Community Tabernacle of Christ, Our Savior—on second thought, let’s call it “Rockland”—and we’re in a strategy meeting discussing the idea of putting our church’s quarterly campaigns (i.e. sermon series, graphics, Sunday School, youth/children’s ministries, etc … ).
How might that meeting go?
What would we discuss?
What would such a meeting look like at your actual church?
I know that good blogging often offers concrete solutions and expert advice, but I’m being hugely theoretical and asking more questions than I’m offering answers. Sorry if this is a let down, but I’m not an expert at this. However, I’m sure that together, we could craft something amazing.
So, let’s give this a try—what could/would/should we do to set a church on an annual “release cycle”?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below, and maybe together, we’ll develop an “expert” strategy.
I’ll go first.
[Image via Robby Mueller]
Jonathan Assink says
How different do you see this being from the already existant liturgical calendar? Or are you talking more from the production side?
Phil Schneider says
Honestly, I’m a protestant, so I have no personal knowledge of it. I guess I was thinking of creating a theme beyond any kind of seasonal stuff that followed a progressive story.
Phil Schneider says
Sorry again. Read “protestant” as “non-liturgical.”
Jonathan Assink says
I wouldn’t describe my church as “high-church” or one that follows a rigid liturgy, in that sense, so I’m not SUPER familiar with all this. However, I think the liturgical calendar (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, etc.) might be interesting for you to look at. See here for more: http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/introduction-to-the-christian-year-john-witvliet-full-text-/
There are some good resources like Shane Claiborne’s Book of Common Prayer, the Revised Common Lectionary and (to a lesser extent) James K.A. Smith’s Desiring the Kingdom. I’m drawn to this idea of rhythms we establish and follow throughout the year, and from year to year.
On the production side too, a church I used to go to that was lucky to have many artists and designers in the congregation did new graphics and art installations for nearly every series. It was a huge blessing.
Phil Schneider says
Sounds great! Thanks for the link, Jonathan. I’ll be sure to look it over. I’ve often wondering about bringing back more “high church.” Sometimes, ceremony and ritual can help us to understand the severity and the speciality of a religious occasion.
Phil Schneider says
Here’s what I think might be cool:
Sermon Series
Pick something broad, but not impossible, to cover in a year. I think that it’s very possible to cover the entire Bible in a year by focusing on the various themes and types/shadows. This makes the story of the Bible come to life and highlights the incredible story-arc that God has planted within it. Furthermore, it even helps us to enter into the story, which is key. There’s a book that would be helpful with this, but I can’t think of it. (I’ll post it on here later after I get home and can look for it on my shelf.)
Creative
So, if we’re going to spend a year examining the themes of the Bible, why not focus our artwork on various Bible stories/characters or thematic elements that will play a central role in the message that week?
Overall Title
“Bible 2.0,” “The Only Story Ever Told,” “Epic”—something that connotes what is going one: 1) we’re telling God’s story in a new way; 2) His story is the basis for all of our own story-telling; 3) this story will shake you like none other because it is the truest “true story.”
Those are just some quick thoughts.
Jonathan Ober says
Our church doesn’t necessarily follow one theme for a year, but we do have year verses that are often talked about at least 2 out of 3 sermons and pointed to (we have stitched banners, my wife’s grandmother used to make them) adorning our sanctuary, the past 8 are all hanging. In the beginning of the year the ‘year verse’ is hung for all to see and to be made mention of in the sanctuary. On top of that we are starting more 4 to 9 week sermons on various topics, bible stories and passages with common themes. We recently looked at Wisdom through several books. We also just wrapped up a 3 week study on our 5 core essentials of our church’s building blocks and foundations. Those are things that we come back to as a church it seems every other year as there have been many new couples and families coming into the church and reminding people of our core values (a 75 year old non-denominational church) has come from and is headed. Themes are great because we learn by repetition and so much of the bible is threaded not just in one character or people group, but in many people ranging many years and decades and centuries. So going through the Bible in one year is possible and going through many longer topics and hitting the same core principal is great for teachers as it comes back to things.
As far as unifying things, There are common themes talked about in children’s ministry with our 2 and 5 year old girls and their teachers in their classes that scrape the top of what is taught in young kids ministry, enhanced in student ministry in the high school age students and college classes, retaught in a way that is great for families in one of many sunday school classes and then brought together each sunday in ‘big service’. Now I am not saying that our church has it all figured out or that every lesson branches from the one before it, but many of them do. And sometimes I sit and smile when we have read something (which I tweeted and recalled in youth group, I am a small group leader of 7th grade boys, please pray for me) and then hear it in a similar fashion in sunday school or in big church. It’s amazing how this one book, over generations really is one story of God’s love for his people. I am so proud to be a part of a church that believes in the unity in the body and all it’s moving parts. — Come visit us at Calvarychurch.org or 1051 Landis Valley Road Lancaster Pa 17601. 🙂
Phil Schneider says
Sounds like you guys have a lot of this figured out! That’s great!
Would you say that you do this to help focus/refocus the people your have or draw in people from the outside? I guess I was imagining this helping to get people on the outside interested in church again.
I do like the idea of refreshing everyone’s understanding of the foundational elements of your church. That’s a vital thing that too many churches neglect.
Great comment!
Jonathan Ober says
I think it helps both ways. The series definitely had it’s moments where it focused on what we are doing as members in the church (working in ministries, community, etc) but it also helped to show anyone who was visiting this past month and searching for a church, what they would be getting into if they kept coming back.
Our church has always had a sub focus on our foundations, as they are printed in the bulletin each week, in signage around our church and taught from various classes and age levels each week to some degree. Our student ministry has a new focus theme of Know•Grow•Go (learning sunday ams in a large group setting, growing weekly in small groups and going on mission trips, in community and school) those piggy back on our 5 core essentials of our church’s foundation and continue to be a part of who we are as a church.
Phil Schneider says
That sounds awesome! How long has this been going on?
Jonathan Ober says
How long has this been going on? Um, that’s a tough question. I think the reintroduction of our churches values is something that we do every other year. The inclusion and tying together the various ministries has been something that has been going on for years. I remember eight years ago working with the students in 1st grade and teaching lessons that would be revisited and grown upon based on similar material but delving deeper each year until students were in 6th grade. The lessons from 7-12 all build upon each other and use the Know Grow Go theme within each ministry opportunity and event we have. It’s really something neat to see and so glad to be a part of a congregation that is teaching the total message of the Bible in all that we do.
Phil Schneider says
Brother, that’s just awesome! Keep up the good work! (Ever thought about detailing all of that out and putting it in an ebook?)