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The 12 Mistakes of Christmas… #3 Overlooking the basics

October 24, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

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Preparation and planning is key, otherwise it is so easy to just do the tasks at hand, overlook the basics and excute your plan for Christmas despite not really having a plan. At least three months before Christmas a team needs to be gathered to start planning Christmas, where concepts are developed so that you can begin to plan and schedule putting those ideas into practice.

1. What is your prayer or hope for Christmas this year?
To bring the good news of great joy to all of Kirribilli and celebrate: There is hope for God is with us, the Saviour of the world has been born; he is Christ Jesus the Lord and mighty to save.

2.What are some things you can do to see your hopes happen?
If you want to bring the good news to you local community you need to think about creating opportunities for the gospel to be preached: Christmas Services, Outdoor Carols Service, Caroling, Letterbox dropping gospel track.

3. So who are you trying to reach?
It is important to think about who you intend your audience is. Your advertising, content, activities, time, days, style of your events will differ depending on who your intended demographic is. In Kirribilli we have very few children in our local area so instead of spending lots of our budget in trying to attract families by providing jumping castles, clowns, kindy farm, and the works, we have opted to spend less on kids by providing face painting and some kids showbags. Knowing our demographic is SINKs & DINKS aged 25-40 we can direct most of our energy and resources in attracting them: Hiring good staging, lights, sound… marketing an image that speaks to them… providing quality showbags… tailoring the content of the outdoor service more to adults than to children.

4. What is your desired results? What do you want to see happen as a result to your event?
Do you want visitors to your Christmas events to sign up to the next New Christian type course; ask them to build connections with the church; to check out your website; to make the community aware of your other church activities throughout the year???

5. Does your plan fit your budget?
It’s important to know before you plan to have a rough estimate of the money your church has available for Christmas, but don’t be limited by your budget. If you church isn’t that well off or struggles to find enough money for your big ideas… see if you can find local support (be careful you don’t compromise the gospel platforms); ask a few people at chruch to think about giving specifically or do a collection a November service to ask you congregations to give gernously to the Christmas outreach events.

6. Who is going to develop the big idea?
You need to find people and motivate/empower them to serve and shape a lot of the activities around their gifts and skills, plus ask them what their non-Christian friends would want come and do that. These people need to love the plans and best way for that to happen is for them to develop them themselves. This will ensure seeing them motivate others to help execute the plans.

Church, Community, Evangelism

The life of a musician… Thomas Dethlefs

October 23, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

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How does making music make you feel?
I think music helps you to use your imagination… like guided day dreaming? It can express many things and equally help you feel the things inside you that resonate with what is being played.

Why do you think humanity creates music?
Music is not bound by words, even music with words. The music can add meaning and context to the words, but I think a composer is not bound by words alone to express what feelings are inside, and what beauty, pain, passion, excitement, anger, etc. they see or find outside themselves. I think as human beings we have a need to express ourselves, and to share experience. I think there is also an element of escapism when listening to or playing music. It helps us forget about the ordinary and go to another place.

What do you see as the role of artists and creatives in our society?
I think the work that artists and creative people do helps us to think differently, to look at things in a different way, and to experience things differently. I hope that artists will continue to challenge and provoke us in these ways. I remember the conductor and educator Richard Gill saying to a group of kids at a schools concert something like “I don’t care if you don’t like a piece of music… what I care about is that you have an opinion”. Art requires the audience to participate with their brains. It is the reaction is good. Sometimes it take something shocking to force us to think.

And how about the role of the artist in the Christian community?
I think God gives you gifts, so use them. I don’t think everyone will be able to use all of their gifts and talents in church… that would be funny. You wouldn’t expect a surgeon to do surgery in church, even if it is amazing. I think it is amazing to have so many different kinds of people coming together under God’s teaching to praise and glorify him, and learn and grow in relationship with him and his people. And then to see all of them go out to their different jobs, families, friends and live changed lives that glorify God and point to Jesus.

I am a violinist, but at my church in Sydney I play the drums in the band… playing the drums certainly isn’t my vocation, but it is something I can do to serve people at church and it was something that was wanted and maybe needed. However I find it much more important to care for people, by listening to them, welcoming and befriending them, seeing them outside church things etc. I just want people not to neglect what needs to be done in church, and that isn’t always the thing you are the best at, maybe just competent at… or you are becoming competent at with God’s help.

How does the gospel inform your vocation as an musician?
I love playing music and if I get to do that as a job that is fantastic! I have to consider if that is the best way I can serve God. For now I think it is through music. I think that God puts you in certain places to witness about Jesus in that place. That will probably mean in most settings that colleagues and friends have to see that your life is different, that you care for people, or maybe other things that help them to trust you, before you get to tell them that Jesus loves them and they need saving, and that he is offering that because he died on the cross for them. This is all important work.

___________________________________

Thomas is a husband to Lizzie and is currently pursuing opportunities with his violin in Berlin, Germany

Arts, Church, Creatives Stories, Jesus, Music, People

Things that make the news:

October 23, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

I found the following three headlines in my local paper: The Mosman Daily

Jesus banner taken from tree.
page 2
Cammeray Anglican church JAAL banner taken/stolen.

Bring animals to be blessed, but no wolves.
page 5
Father George Boggs will bless pets at Mosman Festival.

Advice for grieving.
page 20
A new Anglicare counsellling service basted at St Clements Anglican Church, Mosman.

Church, Community, Jesus, Media

12 Mistakes of Christmas #2 Not being creative

October 15, 2009 by hayleyneal 1 Comment

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Pop you Green Thinking Cap when planning Christmas. Creative thinking and letting people run with statements of provocation and investigation, and seeing where a thought may go can often lead to an idea that is just that more a little out of the ordinary. Maybe it is a new Christmas service suiting different demographic or accommodating Families in your services, or thinking up a new way to promote your services or even just shaping new ideas around the gifts and talents and resources and skills they are given to your church family. Some call it the Purple Cow, the WOW principle or the Big Idea.

So let’s ask ourselves, have you been doing the same service/s without much variation every Christmas for the last however many years?

Have you become invisible to your local community because you do the same old, ordinary things?

If they went one year to the Christmas Service would they get the ‘same thing’ if they went the next year? Sure let’s keep the message about Jesus the same but let’s strive for creativity so our churches are seen, people would come and so people would hear the message of Jesus you are preaching.

Church, Ideas, Jesus

Attitudes to mission, evangelism & outreach…

October 13, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

Does your church have a core value or guiding princple for evangelism or outreach or local mission?

My church is re-thinking its mission & vision for the next year and so I am curious to see how other churches place evangelism. After a quick scan of some church websites I discovered that there are not many which clearly detail outreach projects they initiate or are apart of nor are their many church websites that share their vision for local mission or if they do it is almost a side note.

I wonder how indicative this is of the churches’ attitude to missions and the place it has in their calendars, budgets and life of their church?

Can you pick which churches the following statements about outreach come from?

Missions is more than just a one-time event or an experience; rather missions is a lifestyle. This means that in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, work places and in every other area of our lives, we are to carry ourselves as ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20; 1 Peter 2:4-9)… the Church as a whole has been called to seek the good of the city (Jeremiah 29: 5-8). We seek the welfare of the city by focusing our corporate missions efforts on improving the health, safety, education and commercial opportunities available within the city. Check who

The foreign missions work and outreach ministries of our church aim to glorify Jesus by gathering more and more worshipers. They are all built on the reality that outreach is not the ultimate mission, nor the primary end of our church. Worship is. Foreign missions and outreach ministries exist because worship doesn’t. In other words, outreach ministries and missions work is the means to glorifying God by more and more worship. Check who

We are…part of a Church that seeks to steward God’s message of freedom for local, national and global communities with personal involvement, example and generosity. Check Who

God desires all people to be saved through trusting in Christ and submitting to his Lordship, obeying him in all things. We are committed to equipping people and encouraging them to present the Lord Jesus by word and deed. (1 Tim 2:3-5, Mt 28:19, 1 Peter 3:15) Check Who

we don’t want to live in a “holy huddle”, isolated from the world outside, so we run activities and events that enable us to connect with and serve the community around us. Check Who

Church, Evangelism, Technology

The Briefing Library: Laying the foundations…

October 9, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

The Briefing Library: Laying the foundations at Church by the Bridge

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Church

Jesus All About Life :: It’s a Clever Campaign

September 25, 2009 by hayleyneal 8 Comments

This is a powerful advertisement campaign.

It seems to achieve all that the creators set out to do:

The key issue to understand is that the ads are not meant to deliver the Gospel…. The key word here is that the ads are designed to create interest and to challenge people in terms of their understanding of what Jesus actually said. They are designed to connect with the community and encourage people to seek out more information.

Th opening line: “Hey Jesus, thanks for everything. Like, thanks for sunshine but what about sunburn” despite on surface level seeming to be superficial actually opens up the age old apologetics suffering question: If there is a God why is their suffering and pain?

You can see the success of this launch statement with the response of the wider community on media websites. Here is a sample of comments from media website Mumbrella:

  • see what god did down in victoria earlier this year
  • Why did my sister get gang raped and bleed to death in a park – Jesus has the answers – how nice
  • Hey Jesus, Thanks for everything. Like, thanks for sunshine, but what about cancer?

These are huge questions and this is where I see the advertisements as a success.

They start up this dialogue and incite people to question. It also tackles the big ills of our world and our toxic culture of consumerism, body image and self worth, social isolation in an age of digital friendship, hedonism… Even thought the ad seems upbeat and light it is brilliantly powerfully in traveling deep into the brokenness and confusion of our society. The ads as such are a success in placing the issues and questions of faith on the agenda of our society.

While the older advertisements in the campaign were more personal and down-to-earth, perhaps promoting Christians to respond with their story for why Jesus is all about their Life, the new advertisement really packs a punch and launches into a need for Christians to be strong to respond with apologetics and explain how Jesus is the truth and answers.

The majority of evangelism training I have seen promoted by churches (mine included) in preparation for this campaign, were testimony workshops. Having not seen the advertisements or know the thrust of the ads it was hard to know what training  would have been best. Preparing your own story is always beneficial anyway. as  1Pet. 3:15  clearly affirms:

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”

However, are you prepared to give a reason for the hope you have when someone asks: Why did my sister get gang raped?

______________

I will write up additonal to help people to respond.

Church, Culture, Evangelism, Jesus, Media

How alike are you and the Apostle Paul?

September 10, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

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On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is not at all alike and 10 is very much alike, rate how alike you and the Apostle Paul are when he says in Romans 10:1 “it is my heart’s desire and prayer to God that they are saved”?
Wherever you sit on this scale, we all could be more passionate and personal in the way we pray for our local communities:

LIST all the different demographics unique to your community and pray without ceasing and without growing weary.

LEARN about each demographics best interests, perceived hurdles to the gospel and pray! Ask God for new relationships & depth in existing ones, for opportunities to love, serve, get to know and care for each demographic.

KNOW what is going on in the local community: events and activities that are run by locals for locals. Pray for the success of the events and for your own time to invest in local relationships through these events.

WALK and pray for the residents of each house you pass. Stop at street signs and pray for entire streets.

NAME all the people individually who you have met and come to know in your local area – be faithful for years in prayer for them.

Church, Community, Evangelism, prayer

Do you charge for church?

September 9, 2009 by hayleyneal 4 Comments

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Should churches place a cost on the supper table for – after-service-dinner/supper/morning tea?

What do the added costs like this communicate to outsiders?

Is this a good expression of Christian generosity? Is it fair to ask people to pay their way?

Church, Community

Middle Children of History

September 4, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

My brother, Toby, has started a blog. Over the next coming months he will be joining a group of young guys who are dreaming to creatively transform the City of Sydney with the story of Jesus and will be using his blog to communicate ideas and plans. Please join with me to pray for them… or why not consider joining them.

Why the name middle children of history? Because that is who they are trying to reach.

In the novel, Fight Club, writer Chuck Palahniuk, through the character Tyler Durden, gives voice to a generation without a Metanarrative (an overarching story that rules over all times, cultures, histories, and people):

We are the middle children of history—no purpose or place. We have no great war, no great depression. Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars. But we won’t. We’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very ****** off.

Let’s not leave our generation to the futile story they have found themselves in… lets share the story: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (1 Cor 15:3-6)

www.middlechildrenofhistory.info

Church, Evangelism, prayer
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