http://outreachconvention.com/blog/ en klevings@outreach.com Copyright 2010 2010-07-29T21:00:55+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/the-gift-of-empathy.understanding-the-challenges-facing-a-different-learner/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/the-gift-of-empathy.understanding-the-challenges-facing-a-different-learner/#When:20:00:55Z   One of the greatest gifts a teacher can bestow upon students in their Sunday School class is the gift of empathy, being able to understand and see the world from another’s perspective. Children with disabilities not only face the possibility of additional physical, intellectual, emotional, and social challenges more than most but also a host of other challenges that can make functioning in children’s ministry a bit more difficult than their peers. If we as teachers understand those challenges, we are able to better support and assist those different learners in our midst. Through empathy, we are better equipped to embrace and welcome all children in our classrooms and programs.                    The Many Challenges Facing the Child with Disabilities   §         Can be more easily frustrated (due to the inability to communicate basic needs, such as sensory overload, pain, boredom, and hunger) §         Insecurity and the struggle with a poor self image (what an opportunity for us to encourage and build up students) §         Short attention span or great difficulty staying on task §         Restlessness; inability to sit still §         Poor organizational skills; often misplaces or loses things (needs a very organized and well-labeled environment and consistency in schedule) §         High degree of impulsivity; often reacts without thinking through consequences §         May have area(s) of academic weaknesses, such as language, reading, and math §         Socially awkward; inability to understand or know how to play and interact with others §         A sense of isolation and loneliness   All children have the basic need to be loved and accepted for who they are in spite of their limitations, to know they are valued and connected to a caring community. After all, is that not the way God loves us? He accepts us for who we are and loves us right where we are.        CONTRIBUTOR:            Jackie Mills-Fernald.  Jackie will be leading a breakout session on how to better reach out to your disabled community.   Connect with Jackie right here.   General 2010-07-29T20:00:55+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/the-most-overlooked-outreach-opportunity/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/the-most-overlooked-outreach-opportunity/#When:14:00:31Z This fall I’m leading a breakout session at NOC2010 titled, Outreach in the Crises of Life.  I’m convinced that care and ministry during life’s crises is not only a great thing to do, but the most overlooked outreach opportunity churches have.  Crisis ministry focuses on what churches do best — helping people find meaning in life’s great transitions such as birth, marriage, illness, aging, and death to name a few. Unfortunately, outreach in life’s crises is often reserved for our own church members as part of a typical church’s internally-focused pastoral care.  But what if churches began to focus pastoral care on those not members of their congregation?  One church I heard of recently made its sanctuary available for funerals to families who did not have a church home.  Another church offers grief support groups at different times during the year.  And still another small church  conducts recovery groups for alcoholics and their families. Some of life’s unique crises are with us during this economic downturn — unemployment, under-employment job loss, foreclosure, homelessness, and retirement revisioning.  Other crises occur no matter what the economic climate like births, family problems, marital issues, illnesses, aging and death.   Churches that are meeting these needs in their communities are churches that are doing what they do best, helping folks find their way at a confusing and difficult crossroads of life. So plan to join me for Outreach in the Crises of Life at NOC2010 on Friday, November 5 at 2:30 PM.  I’m also facilitating another fun session that I always look forward to:  The Small Church Ideas Exchange on Friday morning at 7:15 AM (hint:  bring coffee!).  See you at NOC2010! CONTRIBUTOR:  Chuck Warnock.  Connect with Chuck right here! General 2010-07-27T14:00:31+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/getting-there/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/getting-there/#When:15:53:23Z With poetry by Jerome Washington   He said, “Be patient my son for the Journey will be more clear.” I was like, can you be more clearer?   Outreach is not a destination, but a journey. It doesn’t happen in a day, it happens daily. It’s easy to overestimate the event of transformation and underestimate the process of planting seeds of change, and I have to admit, I would rather see people receive Christ in ways that are more dramatic. It thrills me to see people walk to the alter. It’s crazy, but those moments make more sense to me and make me feel like the mystery of ministry is more manageable and controlled by my efforts. But in truth, the move of God’s Spirit is unmanageable. Our work is less like a manmade pond where mosquitoes fester and more like an influent stream that taps into the fresh river waters of God’s plan. When we develop discipleship relationships and friendships on the fringe, we must embrace the journey and not the destination. I learned this lesson through my relationship with Jerome Washington, a prolific poet at a popular lounge in Houston. When listening to Jerome, I understood why the Apostle Paul quoted local poets in his sermon on Mars Hill. Through poetry, I was able to hear the cries and queries of the people in a new way. Jerome’s words asked real questions that are often silenced by the vacuum of church walls. Jerome’s poems felt like sermons that had fingers on the pulse of the people. A sea of head nods and a symphony of finger snaps were the choreography and soundtrack that affirmed his intuitive wisdom. While he was an amazing poet, I felt like something was missing from Jerome’s life. He was an almost-but-not-quite postmodern prophet.  He had a good career as a poet but was falling short of a greater mission as a God’s prophet.   The blue lines resembled a cross, I was afraid of the cross ’Cause positive equals accountably and responsibility   One day I asked Jerome to join me for catfish and conversation. During our lunch I asked him about his life and he openly shared it with me. As I listened, his story reminded me of the prophet Jeremiah. I told him that like Jeremiah, he was consecrated before being formed in the womb, to speak his words to the nations. Trying to stop the tears in my eyes, I saw a vision of Jerome’s unique ability to infuse uncommon and absolute poetic truth in a nation of common spiritual relativity. I gripped my napkin, through tears, and told him his journey as a poet and prophet was stuck in the womb of his potential. I invited him into a discipleship relationship and a journey to be birthed into God’s purpose. I knew this was to be his dramatic soul saving event. He was going to cry with me as I led him in the Sinner’s Prayer … Jerome took another bite, furrowed his brow, and with a blank stare, said, “Hmm.”   It was the 11th day when I found out I will soon be a father Not only a father, but a follower, walking into the unknown blind Like three mice; me, myself and I   Months of silence passed, then Jerome called out the blue to tell me he and his girlfriend were having a baby. He wanted to begin a journey with God, and didn’t know where to start. But he was so sincere, he had already named their unborn child Journey. Our discipleship relationship began that night on the phone. His commitment would soon be tested though, and after a series of hard times, Jerome grew distant, ignoring my calls.   I held my daughter Journey close and held my faith closer We both where born that day, to fulfill God’s purpose   A year to the date from Jerome’s first call, he reappeared. He wanted to tell me something important, that he wanted to receive the life and way of Christ. He asked if I would help him finally come out of the womb, and I couldn’t believe he remembered our conversation about Jeremiah. You see, our relationship was never about my pond of a destination. For this great prophet, it was always about the influent stream of God’s plan. ______________________   CONTRIBUTOR: Marlon Hall Come and learn from this missionary, anthropologist and filmmaker at NOC2010! General 2010-07-22T15:53:23+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/Why-Arent-More-Leaders-Excited-about-Ministry-with-Adults-Over-50/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/Why-Arent-More-Leaders-Excited-about-Ministry-with-Adults-Over-50/#When:15:43:38Z In the Winter 2010 issue of Leadership Journal, Dave Travis, managing director of Leadership Network, mentioned  three things in the church that should be changing by now but aren’t.  One of these was ministry to the encore generation.  Dave said, “With the huge baby boomer population in this demographic, I’m surprised we’re not seeing growth for this sector.”  His words echo my own thoughts.  In talking with many pastors, I have found that most of them do not even have this area of ministry on their radar screen.  Health care, the travel and leisure industry and even fashion merchandising is paying attention to the bulging numbers of adults in their 50s, 60s and 70s, but the church seems to be ignoring it.  Why is this?  Here are just a few of my ideas on the subject.  1.      There is the belief that a growing church is a young church.  But, if the fastest growing segment of our entire population is older adults, can’t our church grow as we reach out to 50+ age adults? 2.      The negative stereotypes surrounding aging have found their way into the church.  Many church leaders believe the myths that older adults are slow, stuck in their ways and good for nothing but complaining.  3.      Adults over 50 can be ministered to through the women’s and men’s ministry or other ministries for all adults.  This might be true to some extent, but we must still recognize the unique issues that affect people in this life stage.  Aging parents, the empty-nest, retirement and health needs are all big issues – just like parenting toddlers or preparing for marriage.  It is good to gather people of all ages together but there is also a place for speaking to people exactly where they are at.  What are your thoughts as to why the church has been rather slow to wake-up to this important area of ministry?  ____________________________________ CONTRIBUTOR: Amy Hanson, Ph.D. will be leading the NOC 2010 workshop: “Best Kept Secret:  Unleashing the Potential of America’s Largest Generation”.  Her new book, Baby Boomers and Beyond:  Tapping the Ministry Talents and Passions of Adults over 50 (Jossey-Bass/Leadership Network) was just released.  You can read Amy’s blog and learn more about her ministry and the book at amyhanson.org.   General 2010-07-20T15:43:38+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/are-you-marketing-or-influencing/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/are-you-marketing-or-influencing/#When:19:20:40Z I’m not against marketing at all, but in the age of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, we need to start thinking about influencing.  What’s the difference?  Marketing is pitching your message to the customer, donor, or audience.  Although you can certainly target based on demographics, geography, income levels, and more, it’s still more about you than about them.  In other words, traditional marketing is about what you want someone else to do - as in “buy my product,” “attend my church,” “watch my movie,” etc.   Influencing on the other hand has the customer, donor, or audience in mind as the first priority.  What can my product do for them?  Beyond simply selling a product, how can my marketing message educate, inform, or inspire them?    Social media is a great asset for influencing because it allows you to provide regular answers, information, and guidance to a wide variety of people from multiple platforms.  Generation after generation businesses and communicators got it wrong.  They believed our only responsibility was sending out a one-way message.  But today, we also have a responsibility to make sure that message is received.   In the open media world of the future, those who simply advertise or promote without regard to the way the audience understands and responds will be left in the dustbin of history.  You need to understand the technological changes that are happening today and the way those changes are transforming the way we communicate.   Change your traditional “marketing” mindset to an “influencing” mindset, and you’ll start developing loyal supporters, customers, and yes, even fans.     _________________ Phil Cooke will be leading the NOC 2010 workshop:  “The 10 Biggest Mistakes Christians Make in the Media.”  His blog is philcooke.com, and his new book “Jolt!: The Power of Intentional Change in a World That’s Constantly Changing” will be released in February 2011 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. General 2010-07-15T19:20:40+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/childrens-ministry-accommodation-for-the-developmentally-challenged/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/childrens-ministry-accommodation-for-the-developmentally-challenged/#When:14:00:16Z     How can I take my existing children’s ministry curriculum and adapt it to make it beneficial for the student in my class with developmental delays?   There are a variety of techniques to adjust existing resources to match the ability level and learning styles of students. Curriculum Adaptations   1.       Size:  Adapt size of group, project, or activity 2.       Time:  Adjust time allotted for activity or task 3.       Level of Support:  Provide more support when needed, e.g. buddy or peer to peer 4.       Input:  Vary the way in which material is delivered, e.g. auditory, visual, or kinesthetic 5.       Degree of Difficulty:  Simple instructions, steps, or change rules when necessary 6.       Output:  Be flexible in ways students can participate other than verbal, e.g. sign language, eye gazes, or picture symbols 7.       Participation:  Adjust level of participation based on student’s ability level 8.       Alternate:  Modify goals or outcomes based on student, while still using the same materials 9.       Substitution:  Provide different materials to meet the child’s need   The key to effective modifications and adaptations is understanding your students’ strengths and weaknesses. Get to know your kids’ ability levels and things that are also challenging for them so you are forging a relationship that will have maximum impact on their spiritual formations. Each of us is unique in how we learn and in what environments we learn best; become a student of your students.   CONTRIBUTOR:  General 2010-07-13T14:00:16+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/bad-boxx-pastors-who-drive-you-nuts/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/bad-boxx-pastors-who-drive-you-nuts/#When:14:00:05Z Pastors can have two personas: one the congregation sees and one the staff sees. While the goal is to be the same person around everyone, it often does not play out. The reality is you act differently around staff you work with for hours on end each day, compared to other congregants you may see in passing once or twice a week. This dichotomy is not necessarily bad, but it can be when the pastor plays nice with the congregation while poorly leading the staff. Maltreating the staff places them in the awkward situation of not liking—or worse, detesting—the one leader the church loves. BusinessWeek had a great article on bad corporate bosses. I’ll tweak their thoughts for ministry leaders and shepherds. Here are some ways pastors can drive their staff nuts: Pretend you know better than everyone else, especially in areas that require specialized knowledge or technical expertise you don’t have. Don’t take notes and constantly check your phone at meetings. Better yet, do all the talking at “team” meetings. Make up your vision as you go. Create fires to accomplish this short-sightedness. Have a meeting. Throw ideas out like flinging spaghetti against a wall. Then don’t tell anyone what you thought stuck. Design a big, ongoing task for your team. Then never mention it again. Create a bunch of drama over something really small. Call an all-staff meeting to discuss it. Tell the staff one thing. Then tell the church the exact opposite from the pulpit at your primary worship services. Never discipline anyone, and try to be everyone’s best friend. Charm the congregation with your talent and eloquence. Bark orders at the staff. Listen to prominent and powerful church members more than your direct reports. Don’t tell anyone when you’ll be on vacation. Tell the congregation, “The buck stops with me.” Then flee from intra-staff conflict. Create rules for the staff. Make exceptions for yourself. Remove any hope for levity in the office. Stare sternly all the time and talk only about serious theological issues. Be more interested in denominational politics than in your local church. Never address the elephant in the room. Pretend it’s not there. Micromanage. Send a three-page email with detailed instructions to someone with whom you do not typically interact. Be threatened by others that are more talented than you. To deal with your insecurity, reassign these talented people to ministry areas outside of their talent. Be an amiable autocrat. Begin every meeting with a 30-minute devotional. I know there are more. Any you want to add? ___________________________________________________ Contibutor:  SAM RAINER  General 2010-07-08T14:00:05+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/key-insights-to-community-development/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/key-insights-to-community-development/#When:11:59:51Z   “Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities (Wikipedia).”  Those desiring to engage community development seek a noble task. Developing communities is not a short-term commitment. It requires a perspective that is willing to partner with local stakeholders for an extended period of time (usually generations). Although there’s possibility of quick, short-term impact, the development of a community requires faithful commitment towards a common goal of improving the lives of those living in your city. In working with community development groups, I’ve learned that there are some key insights for this kind of endeavor. The following is a list (not exhaustive & with short descriptions) of principles to keep in mind while pursuing the betterment of life for those in your city: Start with Presence. Develop the practice of presence in your city. The best ideas for community development probably already exist within the hearts of those who live day to day in your city. Developing a plan from a distance may feel productive, but my suggestion is that you plan from within the environment. Take a Posture of Listening. Who’s talking? Listen. Pursue those that are already committed to providing some of the essential needs of your community (e.g., law enforcement, city leaders, teachers, faith leaders, neighborhood councils, etc.). Set up time to just listen to what others think. Also, listen to the fringe of culture as well (i.e., those who may not have mainstream influence). Commit to Learning Before Teaching. Many well meaning organizations have entered cities with presuppositions that ended up being of very little help. They thought they knew what the needs were. Unfortunately, cities are not that predictable. Learn from those who have gone before you and will remain even if you decide to leave. Genuinely Love the People Before Process or Programs. When it’s all said and done, it’s about people. If you can’t genuinely love your neighbor, how do you plan to implement ideas of care. Fall in love with those who make up a city (i.e., people) more than you love the city (i.e., geographical label). Processes and programs are great, but people must always be priority. Network Broadly. Developing a city will always require more than just your organization. Admit it and network broadly (yes, broadly). Some organizations have too narrowly focused who they network with and who they won’t network with. It’s unfortunate. We all need each other even with all of our differences. I know it’s complex and things like budgets and politics are involved. Nevertheless, we must choose to intentionally broaden who we work with in our cities. Plan Strategically. It takes a plan. Obvious? Yes. Practiced? Not enough. Plan well. Plan strategically. If you are an organization trying to develop your community, be sure to create a well thought through business plan. “Business” is not the enemy nor less noble. A strong business plan will allow you to clarify your reason for existence, the research needed to “succeed”, and a practical plan for implementation. Implement Ideas Faithfully. No amount of passion along will develop a community. It requires the tireless and relentless pursuit to carry through on ideas and commitments. Your reputation and ability to further network is on the line with every promise you make. Step and implement. Implement well and in a timely manner. Be sure to focus on the 99% of perspiration required for any idea to become a reality after inspiration.  Re-evaluate Regularly. Evaluation and reevaluation must become the norm for your organization. Proven systems in the past don’t guarantee present or future success. Develop an ethos and system for on-going evaluation. You’ll be thankful in the end. If you or your organization are interested in or committed to community development, you should be honored and applauded! We need more people like you! I hope that this post will be a source of affirmation, challenge, and refinement for your good work in our communities.  ___________________________________________________________ Come and learn more as we hang out together at NOC10 in November. Contributor:  Charles Lee General 2010-07-06T11:59:51+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/the-miracle-of-outreach/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/the-miracle-of-outreach/#When:14:00:18Z As a grassroots agent of outreach, I like to naturally connect with people. Often, this progression of relational evangelism is good and fruitful, but sometimes it can impair the supernatural move God desires to make at any given moment. The first time I experienced this miracle was in the late ‘90s. Fresh out of college, I moved to Atlanta to work with a Boys and Girls Club in a housing project called the Perry Homes of Atlanta. Back then, the place was notorious for poverty and crime. I spent most of my days there responding to kids’ cries for love that usually spewed out in harsh curse words. Most days, the only way we could authentically connect with the boys was with a game of “slap boxing” simulated boxing moves with your hands open lightly and extended in a slapping motion. After the program, we slap boxed with them and made it a practice to end the game with a tender yet testosterone-scented hug. Unfortunately, aggression was the love language we had to acknowledge and redefine. I had a particularly rough time with a student known as “Pee Wee.” Out of all the kids, Pee Wee had the worst mouth. He could make the hardest staff person crack and cry, including me. One day, I asked Pee Wee to slap box. With each advance he made, I danced like Ali and side stepped like Sugar Ray. Right as I was about to end the match and give him a hug, I caught in his eyes that “Ima gonna punch you in the face” look. The all-too-familiar top lip quivered as Pee Wee balled up his right fist. He swung long, I dodged deep and quickly grabbed him tightly. We struggled while I told him I loved him when out of nowhere he said, “Ima gonna tell my brother.” As a single tear fell, the students watching groaned “Uhhh ohhhh.” Unbeknownst to me, Pee Wee’s brother was an urban legend in Perry Homes. Tk real name, known as “Shorty Pimp,” was a goon and mercenary for one of the city’s biggest drug dealers. He was well known for his psychopathic approach to gun play and his deep love for his brother Pee Wee. To say the least, I was deeply concerned. That weekend, I went to the project to pick up two students and take them to the Atlanta Jazz Festival. We were about to roll away when Pee Wee and a man with a metallic bulge between his belt and his shirtless belly walked out. My heart fell into my shoes as I intentionally looked away. “Do you know who I am?” the man asked. With shaking hands on the steering wheel and eyes staring straight ahead, I answered, “Yes, you are Pee Wee’s brother.” I avoided eye contact, knowing that if Shorty saw fear in my eyes, I’d instantly forfeit any defense. I thought about putting the car in gear and driving off, but I knew he’d release a round of bullets and possibly hit a student in the back seat. So I waited with no way out. Shorty complemented me on my Jeep as he put one hand on the gun and the other on my car door, then he politely asked if he could drive it around the block. I was speechless. Time stood still as I prayed for a miracle. Suddenly, I heard God tell me to do what I’d been avoiding: “Look into his eyes with compassion and confidence.” I immediately thought, “God you are trippin’, do you see this gun?” Eventually, I started to shift my chin in Shorty’s direction. With each degree my head shifted, an alien courage and love began to build in me until I finally made eye contact. When our eyes connected, this well-known gangster screamed and ran across the street tripping over his feet. “Ya’ll are crazy,” he screamed. The compassion God evoked in me allowed me to love Shorty deeply, and the courage gave me the imagination to believe that even if he had released a bullet at my head that night, some miracle would’ve spared my life.   When we returned from the festival, Shorty was waiting on the porch. We talked a bit more and uncomfortably laughed about what had happened. Being the consummate evangelist, I asked him if he longed to activate the power of God growing in his heart through an encounter with Christ. He said yes. I’m thankful God used these brothers in my life and ministry to turn my head toward the miracle of outreach (Marlon, at the beginning of the piece, you talk about the miracle of outreach, not the courage and compassion, so I’m trying to keep the beginning and end parallel)—a miracle I continue to trust God for in the unlikeliest of places.   Marlon Hall will be at NOC2010 with a great breakout - “<a href=“http://outreachconvention.com/sessions/reaching-stray-cats-why-we-turned-our-structure-inside-out/” title=“Reaching Stray Cats - Why we turned our structure inside out”>Reaching Stray Cats - Why we turned our structure inside out</a>.” <a href=“http://outreachconvention.com/speakers/marlon-hall/” title=“Connect with Marlon right here”>Connect with Marlon right here</a>.   General 2010-07-01T14:00:18+00:00 http://outreachconvention.com/site/to-change-your-organization-look-to-the-outside/ http://outreachconvention.com/site/to-change-your-organization-look-to-the-outside/#When:14:00:37Z There’s a reason most companies and non-profits look for outside help when it comes to making major changes.  It’s simply very difficult and often impossible to spawn new thinking in-house.  As a result, leaders often bring in outside ideas and advice to spur change inside.  That’s not to demean the value of your in-house ideas or creativity.  The issue is perspective. In fact, here’s a few key reasons that making real change happens usually takes an outsider:   It’s difficult for in-house employees (especially long term employees) to get an objective view of the organization.  I remember when I was fired from a full-time job back in the nineties.  Once I got outside I was amazed at how differently I viewed the ministry.  While I was employed, the organization seemed much bigger and more important.  But once I left and saw it in a wider  context, it’s influence and impact shrunk to reality.   Schedules.  In-house employees have to get their work done, and rarely have much time to spend on change initiatives.  As a result, they often view it as an imposition.  So rather than approaching it with excitement, they look at it as a burden.   Fear.  Mention change inside most organizations and many employees get insecure.  Does this mean I’ll get fired?  Demoted?  Have less power or influence?  When that fear takes over, the last thing in the world they’re  interested in is making any kind of change happen.   Politics.  There are so many turf wars, silos, and un-discussable subjects at most organizations, that it’s impossible for an insider to push through the obstacles.  It’s especially true when the employee doesn’t have the authority over all the people in the process.   A Bigger View:  Finally, outside consultants and change agents bring more to the table.  They’ve been through the process at other organizations and understand what works and what doesn’t.  As a result, they’ll bring a far more valuable perspective and can make the change happen quicker, and with fewer challenges. Obviously there are bad consultants and advisors out there.  I’ve personally spent a lot of time cleaning up the damage a few have caused.  But just because there are bad drivers doesn’t mean I’m hanging up my car keys.  Use common sense.  Get recommendations, ask for examples of past success, and get the facts.  A little effort upfront will result in a long-lasting and productive relationship on your journey toward change.    Phil Cooke will be leading the NOC 2010 workshop: “The 10 Biggest Mistakes Christians Make in the Media.” His blog is philcooke.com, and his new book “Jolt!: The Power of Intentional Change in a World That’s Constantly Changing” will be released in February 2011 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.   General 2010-06-29T14:00:37+00:00