Keep Pointing in Waterloo

the myth and the truth

I saw this quote on one of Tony Morgan's blog posts that he did recently on church plants.  Now, we're not quite a church plant, but we've got a few things in common.  I thought that this particular entry had a lot of relevance for where our campus is at:

“Myth: You need good worship, good preaching and good kids programs on Sundays if people are going to come.  Truth: If they don’t have a place to serve (ministry) and people to serve with (community) they might come, but they won’t stay.”

Now, I think you do need to have good worship, good preaching, and good kids programs.  But, the point of the quote is nevertheless true: without connection, people just won't stick.  And the two main connection points for people is in their relationships - whether serving or in a group.

One thing we've found out from our family tabs is this: we have around ten new people every single weekend.  Ten!  That's awesome.  But we are left with this question: are they staying?

We need to continue to be invitational every single weekend, no doubt about it.  But let's face it: if we want to grow, and we want people to stick, we gotta invite people along the journey with us.  Get them onto your serving team.  Invite them into your group.  Get them connected.

So:

Who in your circle needs to be invited to a next step?

do you agree?

Diversity's Symphony from Emanate Media, Samson Varughese on Vimeo.

For more information on the person behind this video, take a look at his blog.

what can we learn from the Miami Heat?

You might be a professional basketball fan, and you might not be.  Chances are, either way, you heard something about the Miami Heat in the past year.

And for good reason: they really made it a point to put themselves in front of you.

It began in the offseason last summer, when LeBron James, the most sought-after free agent, transformed his choice to jump from his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat into a nationally televised "Decision:"

Also in the offseason, the Miami Heat added another prized free agent player from Toronto, Chris Bosh.  They already had on their roster one of the league's elite players in guard Dwayne Wade.  So, with James, Wade, and Bosh all wearing a Heat jersey headed into the 2010-2011 season, they were the heavy favorites to win the championship.

In fact, according to James, they were the heavy favorites to win several championships.  In case you missed it, the Heat put on a Cirque du Soliel-level production (again, before the season even started) in which James made his bold prediction:

Fast forward to last night.

The Heat did play well enough to earn a spot in the NBA Finals. Their opponent?  An overachieving and obvious underdog Dallas Maverics team, comprised of one all star and several other former all stars all thought to be well past their prime.

And wouldn't you know it:

The mighty Miami Heat lost.  In six games, as a matter of fact.  Couldn't even manage to extend the series to a best of seven.  Here's how it ended just yesteday:

So:

What can we learn from the Miami Heat's failure?

1. Talking does not equal walking.  Simply saying something does not make it so.  Doing it makes it so.  As much as we say that we're all about community, or serving, or Urban Compassion, or inviting, or whatever, we are measured only by what we are actually doing.
    
   
2. Before you talk, walk.  Pretty obvious, right?  Whether you're thinking of promoting something or critizing something else, first ask: What are you already doing about it?  If nothing, then start doing before you start talking.  You may have an actual experience that drastically alters what you were thinking or thinking of saying.
   
   
3. Then, keep walking.  Maybe re-read point #2 if you skimmed past it.
   
   
4. Then, talk as you walk.  I respect someone who encourages me to do something (or criticizes me for doing something) when it comes out of a place of heartfelt passion AND demonstrated investment or experience.  I may not always agree with them, or choose their course of action, but I have to at the very least pause and give careful thought when their actions line up with their words.  On the flip side, I have very little time for someone who crticizes me or our campus for not fulfilling their expectations or ideals when I know that they are not spending much of their own time or money on the things that they claim to be the most concerned about.
   
   
5. Finally, be prepared to be held accountable for your talking.  Even though your actions are what really count, your words are what people will remember.  If you talk a big game but aren't walking it, then don't be surprised when someone else calls you on it.  In fact, take it as a correction and good discipline from God (Hebrews 12:5-6).

All of which leaves us with this question:

In what ways are you not walking what you're talking?

I sit by myself.

Does that describe you on Sunday mornings?  Do you come, find your seat, and remain in your squeaky-chaired island for the remainder of the service?

From my observation every Sunday morning as I walk through the auditorium at Hoover and as I glance out over the seats from the stage, this is absolutely the case for most of us.  We have little pockets of singles, couples, and families - worshiping in the same room, but in a very real way, not worshiping together.

I think that James, the half brother of Jesus, said it best in his letter:

"My brothers and sisters, this should not be."

An irresistible community can not be made up of a bunch of individual islands.  There's nothing irresistible about that at all, actually.  In fact, I can be my own island on my own couch in my own home.

Which of course begs the question:

Why would I even come to church if all I wanted was to be alone?

Actually, I'm going to continue to rant for a little bit about this.  I am tired of having conversations that go something like this:

"Hey, do you know (insert Waterloo Prairielaker's name here)?" 

"No?"

"Really?" 

"Huh.  They've been a part of Waterloo since it began, just like you."

"Well, you really should meet them sometime."

Friends: I know that we're serving a lot.  I know that even though we are at church most weekends, that we are in and out of the worship center. 

But here's the deal:

When you're walking into that worship center,

before you look to find your seat,

before you settle in your familiar spot,

before you make sure there's a couple of seats between you and that person you don't know,

or between you and the person that you probably should know by now,

instead, plant yourself next to someone.  Introduce yourself... for the 10th time, if you need to.  Ask them how their week has gone.  Ask them how long they've attended.  Ask them what they're doing for lunch.  Get there earlier than 11:07. 

Put yourself in a position for God to build his desire for community into your heart, and for God to use to you build an irresistible community at Waterloo.

God is pleased with our worship when we worship him together in unity.  And it's awfully hard to be unified with someone you don't know.

Let me end this rant with a positive example.  Happened this past weekend, actually.

We have a couple at Waterloo - a couple like so many Prairie Lakers at Waterloo - that put this irresistible community on display for everyone to see this past weekend.  Here's what they did, and here's what it looked like:

They walked into the worship center with their focus on others instead of themselves.

They walked in a little early.

Before they found their seat, they made the rounds to those already in attendance with a smile on their face.

They simply shook peoples' hands and told them good morning.

If it was someone they knew, they chatted for a little bit.

If it was someone they didn't know, they introduced themselves, and asked them some simple questions about them.

What a great picture of God's heart!  What a great picture of a what a life looks like whose spirit is attuned to God's Spirit!  What a great melding of worship and mission, unity and humility!  So simple, but so awesome to behold.

Let's recommit to forming this type of irresistible community, starting this weekend.  Let's not make the mistake of restricting that responsibility to those who are wearing the lanyards.  Let's be the type of church that oozes warmth, friendship, and belonging to everyone who walks in the doors.

My Waterloo Days Parade

Take a look at some of the footage from our float at the My Waterloo Days Parade:

 

My Waterloo Days Parade info