In 2005, I read an article in The New Yorker, by Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point and Blink). The article was called “The Cellular Church” and was about Rick Warren, head of one of the most successful mega-churches in the US. The way these churches maintain a “sense of community” as they grow very large, says Gladwell, is by creating “a network of lots of little church cells – exclusive, tightly knit groups of six or seven who meet in one another’s homes during the week to worship and pray.”

The church has thousands of volunteers who are charged with getting to know each member that walks in the door and getting that new member plugged into a small group, formed around shared hobbies and interests – knitting, quilting, mountain biking. These cells effectively function as social networks, fueling deep friendships between church members. What’s clear from the article is that people who are in small groups are more likely to show up at church on Sunday, stay a member of the Church longer, and give more money. These mega-churches are succeeding because they understand that for most people, it is the social connections they form as an aspect of going to church that in large part drive them to attend and donate. Without the small group, Warren explains in the article, going to Church with 5,000 people could feel pretty impersonal. Perhaps a bit like going to a concert hall with 1,800 people?

In the 2006 New Zealand Arts Survey, the number one reason for decreased participation, given by 56% of survey responders, is “Less Time/Other Commitments.” One might assume, perhaps, that the top reason for increased participation would be “More Time/Fewer Commitments.” It’s not. 29% of survey respondents said they were attending more frequently because they had someone to go with, and 20% said they were attending more frequently because they were “more interested” in the arts. The survey noted that when participants in the “low attendance segment,” in particular, were asked why they are attending more often now than they were three years ago, this segment (more than the others) identified the need to be encouraged by their social network to attend.

Saying “no time” reminds me of the oft-used, let-me-down-easy breakup line: “It’s not you, it’s me.”

Like these churches, arts organizations need to foster small-group, socially-driven arts participation.

Quoted from: Address to Australia Council Arts Marketing Summit by Diane Ragsdale

• Seeking prosperity.
• Raised the profile of the cafe within our church & local community (online & offline)
• Mutually beneficial.

See the first post in this series

Some do’s and don’ts in connecting & serving businesses:

1. Pursue mutually beneficial partnerships - Don’t exploit local businesses. Often churches only approach businesses to get something out of them or assume they ‘should’ help churches out and donate to our cause or allow us to put posters up … but what do they get in return.
2. Seek their prosperity. Think of things that might bless them, help their business to thrive. What things can you do to help them build new connections, clients or customers. (This can still be ‘beneficial’ to your church also – wait for the next post in this series for an example.
   
   
3. Lead the way on important issues. Demonstrate to your community how we ought to repsond to tragedy, disaster or poverty around us. Although our motives my be different, I think it is good for the church to be the leader in mercy activities. Help unbelievers care about other people and perhaps include them in to your already established structures that contribute to those in need

These are just 5 tips that may help ease some of the cringe and fear!

1. DEPEND ON GOD
   Appeal to God’s promise to soften hearts to the gospel (Ezekiel 11:19) and ask God to open a door to opportunities with those you know. (Colossians 4:3)
2. BE A GOOD FRIEND
   Invite those you know into your life long before inviting them to church. Unbelieving friends have lots to offer us, they are a good gift from God and God calls us to love our neighbours, even if we don’t always get to explicitly kick goals in sharing the gospel or inviting them to something.
3. CROSS POLLINATE
   I recommend this idea a lot as a top tip in personal evangelism, mainly because I think it affirms us that we don’t have to do it alone. God has richly blessed us with church family to partner with us. Seek out ways to introduce those you know to others at church (try a new restaurant together, take your kids on a play date or the have birthday drinks who’d say no to celebrating your birthday with you). And if your friends connect well, hang out again. Hopefully when those you know do rock up to church they’ll see a sea of familiar faces.
4. TALK ABOUT CHURCH
   Many of our friends have skewed ideas about church or just have no idea what goes on here. I believe the more we talk about church; the more we help demystify church and break down misconceptions. Help those you know see that church is about getting to know God and his people, not rules and tradition. Talk about the benefits of belonging. Share about the exciting ministries and lives you are involved in.
5. SIMPLY INVITE
   ‘Hey, what are you doing Sunday night, want to come along to church with me?’ or “My church is hosting an Art Exhibiton and Prize, want to grab some dinner in Kirribilli and have a look?” or “There is a mens meat night coming up at my church, want to come along?” If they say no, don’t become discouraged and don’t give up. Continue to be their friend, and wait for other opportunities to arise. When the timing seems right, ask them again.

We should all look forward to meeting each others friends at church, evangelistic evnets or at some social function.

Oh and… just a small favour, please be nice to my friends when they come along!

1. OFFER – Action to gain a reaction.
   A strong offer is an offer that clearly gives a directions into which a scene / the conversation might evolve.
• My name is Hayley… what have you been up to this weekend?”
  
2. ACCEPT – Saying “YES” to an offer.
   Receive an offer allowing conversation to continue. Taking on board what has been said and going along with it.
• My name is Hayley… what have you been up to this weekend?
• Oh Hi, Im Bob… yeah I’ve been up to heaps this weekend and thought I’d top it off with church.
  
3. BLOCK – Saying “NO” to an offer.
   Conversations can collapse Not accepting other persons offer… destroys offers and conversation. It’s like getting a kite to fly or a fire started…
• My name is Hayley… what have you been up to this weekend?
• Oh, Not much. (MIGHT BE PURPOSEFULLY BLOCKING…. Just wants to leave, let them leave. Pray)
  
4. EXTEND – Develop or explore the original offer.
   Want to talk more? Then don’t stick with just the offer and accept. Unpack the original offer, ask questions, probe a little and see if this conversation takes off
• My name is Hayley… what have you been up to this weekend?
• Oh Hi, I’m Bob… yeah I’ve been up to heaps this weekend and thought I’d top it off with church.
• Sounds exciting – by heaps do you mean…  HEAPS Busy or HEAPS Good?
  
5. ADVANCE – Contribute a new idea to move the conversation forward or deeper.
   This is where active listening is important, you may want to revisit something already said. Conversation is where revelation happens. By moving beyond the mundane, we are able to explore the person more and reveal more of ourselves.
• How come you chose to top it off with church?
• Would you normally top off your weekend with church?
• Same here… heaps good… I went off on a weekend away… love spending the weekend out of Sydney… how about you?

*based on drama improvisation principles

At our evening services last week Paul Dale preached a cracker of a sermon on Romans 5:12-21, reminding us that nothing stirs the heart for mission quite like knowing the dire situation for people who are still dead in their sin and are yet to know Christ.

Eight years ago I was dead in my sin, a ‘dead-woman-walking’. Looking back, I am so thankful for those who shared the gospel with me. These people loved me when I didn’t want to be loved; they spoke the gospel into my life when I didn’t want them to; and unbeknown to me they were praying for me. They really invested their time and energy into helping me encounter the super abundant grace of God. My whole world and eternity changed when I met Jesus. Hallelujah!

It is my prayer that God would be pleased to use our Church family mightily to impact eternity during our mission week coming up in October. I Heart Kirribilli provides us with an amazing opportunity to invest a bit more of our prayers, time and energy into making connections with friends and the local community, in hope they too would encounter the gospel of Christ and be brought from death to life.

Will you get involved?

There are lots of different volunteer opportunities. Some might seem a little more mundane, unseen, task-focused, or daunting, while other opportunities seem high energy, public, creative or easy. But each area is significant in how we are to effectively enable meaningful connections between people, and between people and God.

Please take a look at the volunteer opportunities form and prayerfully consider how you can use your gifts/skills and where you are willing to serve.

If you are new to Church by the Bridge or you’re looking for a way to serve or want to try your hand at a new ministry, we welcome you to join us on mission! Volunteering during our mission week is a great way to get involved and belong.

In Christ, Hayley Neal
Community Pastor

*To read more of the weekly newsletters and articles written by the pastoral staff at Church by the Bridge, please check out our blog

These top 5 tips  may help ease some of the cringe and fear!

1. DEPEND ON GOD Appeal to God’s promise to soften hearts of those you know (Ezekiel 11:19), to the gospel and to your invitation to Church. Pray also for the strengthening of your friendship and for God to open the door for the gospel and in inviting your friends along. (Colossians 3:4)

2. BE A GOOD FRIEND Invite them into your life long before inviting them to church and love your friends for loves sake. Please don’t feel like you are being a martyr by being friends with an unbelieving friend. Unbelieving friends have lots to offer you and God calls us to love our neighbours as yourselves. He will soften hearts and change lives.

3. CROSS POLLINATE I recommend this idea a lot as a top tip in personal evangelism, mainly because I think it affirms us that w don’t have to do it alone. God has richly blessed us with a believing family to partner with us. Slowly introduce those you know to others at church. Have after work drinks with friends from all your social circles. If friends connect well, seek out ways to get together in the future. The more believers your unbelieving friends feel comfortable around, the less threatening it will be when they rock up to church, for there will be a few familiar faces.

4. TALK ABOUT CHURCH Do your friends and neighbours know you even go to church? The more you share about church, the more you demystify it. Help them see church is about people and God, not about religion and rituals. Talk about the benefits of belonging. Share about the exciting ministries and lives you are involved in. When the opportunity arises, tell them how the church has been a benefiting you in your life.

5. SIMPLY INVITE  ‘Hey, what are you doing Sunday night, want to come along to church with me?’ If they say no, don’t become discouraged and don’t give up. Continue to be their friend, and wait for other opportunities to arise. When the timing seems right, ask them again.

Who is involved in this ministry? Who makes Community Lunches Happen:

• Connect Groups| We urge every Connect Group to take part in one missional activity together in a year. Connect Groups play a key and essential role in contributing to provide a warm and welcoming environment by loving our local community with friendship over a meal.We understand that each individual within Connect Groups have gifts suited to some tasks and not others. Some will better serve with gifts of preparing/cooking the food, others will wait on tables, while some will better serve sitting on tables engaging in conversations. It is our prayer that: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”  - 1 Peter 4:10

• Belinda | Welcoming
  Name Tags, Welcome Drinks, Response slips

She wrote:

Art is extremely personal. I like to think of art as a visual diary. Whether the artist intends it or not, when you see their art in the best possible way, you get to see another dimension of them that you may have not known before. I was surprised to catch myself learning new things about each of the artist involved in this project. In a way, I was experiencing the benefits of doing Art in Community…Through the gift of art, we related to one another in a different way.

This is one of the reasons we (Church by the Bridge) hosts I Heart Kirribilli Art Exhibition and Prize. We want to know our neighbours in Kirribilli. We want to know what our neighbours think about the suburb they live in. More importantly we want to SEE what the visual diary of Kirribilli. What the community loves, experiences and knows about Kirribilli.

This year we are inviting Artists to create “AN INTRODUCTION” to Kirribilli. If you had to explain or introduce to a stranger on the street, the suburb of Kirribilli (her people, character, profile, charm), what would you say?

We are pleased to introduce two new categories this year: Graphic Design & Poetry/Prose. (unfortunately this will mean sketch/drawing and fashion will not be prize categories in 2011)

Check the website for more info (Dates, Terms & Conditions plus the online Entry Form etc)

For more about Art in Community from Jenny – click here.

Jesus’ interactions with the crowds in Matthew 9:35-38 motivates us to open our eyes to see the crowds around us and also to open our hearts to see them with the heart of God:

“When he saw the crowds, he [Jesus] had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus is filled with a tender concern for the crowds. Jesus saw that they are stressed, vulnerable, pressured, deceived, leaderless, disorientated and powerless!

Often we associate this description of desperation with the materially poor and vulnerable in society. Rarely do we associate such desperation with in our professional, geographical, social or familial networks. We are so readily tempted to think that our friends are all right, comfortable, and in need of nothing, for they are decent people, with nice homes, beautiful clothes and good careers! But Jesus sees them differently. He sees their spiritual brokenness. Do you? Are you filled with compassion for them because they too are harassed and helpless?

All people, whether rich or poor, need to be looked upon with the compassion of Jesus, this includes those you know and even yourself! Tim Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, in New York once said:

“The more you see yourself as spiritually poor and the recipient of God’s wonderful grace the more your heart is going to go out to the poor. When you look at the materially poor you know that in a sense you are looking in a mirror.”

The compassion of Jesus is a great leveller. Without it we lose the sweet humility of sharing the treasure we have so freely received. With it we can loudly sing & declare:

“everyone needs compassion, the kindness of a Saviour”.

For Christ’s Fame,
Hayley Neal
(Community Pastor)