In Seattle: "Skate Church scoops up kids feeling lost"

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2012469348_pacificpskate01.html

With big arms and Bibles, the Skate Church scoops up kids feeling lost

At West Seattle's Skate Church, ex-rebels take up the cause of saving kids

"The youth pastors, some of whom had gotten into their own share of trouble as high schoolers, wanted to relate to kids on the kids' terms. So they opened a storefront in The Junction, West Seattle's business district, where they sold skateboarding gear and energy drinks, and gave away religion."

75% of new churchgoers are Switchers

And much more at:  http://www.uscongregations.org/newpeople.htm

Ringelmann effect: "More equals a little more?"

Alan Hirsch Not sure what to make of this (Ringelmann effect)http://bit.ly/GKwNY Implications if any?

Ringelmann effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ringelmann noticed that, as more and more people were added to a group pulling on a rope, the total force exerted by the group rose, but the average force exerted by each group member declined. The Ringelmann Effect thus describes theinverse relationship between the size of a team and the magnitude of group member's individual contribution to the accomplishment of the task.

"Shared Lives, Shared Christ"

from a (paper only) article in the Fall 2010 Pastors' Edition (wrapper) of NAMB's On Mission magazine.

"Rather than trying to find a dozen isolated families who would need o be taught the value of intimacy and fellowship, God led us tom pray for an existing community that we could infiltrate with the Gospel."

"a group of Saturday morning runners...local softball team...coffee shop book club...bowling leagues...golf scrambles...Rotary Clubs...weekly scrap booking parties...all became matters of prayer."

What God led them to:  "Through our two families of peace we found an existing community... I'd never seen anything like it... It looked like a scene from 'Leave It To Beaver' or 'The Andy Griffieth Show.'  THe entire street knew each other, liked each other and spent time daily with one another."

Now:  "We have had, at times, nin families from this neighborhood partner with with our church (?), and several other families on the street have visited as friends.  We have seen salvation and life transformation within this small harvest."

Instructional Video: How to start a church

http://www.jesusneedsnewpr.net/how-to-plant-a-church/

Pretty funny.

Stetzer Study: Churches Meeting in Non-Traditional Venues

We asked, "If you were considering visiting or joining a church, would knowing that the church does not meet in a traditional church building impact your decision?"

The responses told an important story:

• It would not make any difference - 73%
• It would negatively impact my decision - 19%
• It would positively impact my decision - 6%
• Not sure - 2%

Much more at: http://www.edstetzer.com/2010/10/ive-been-thinking-about-the.html

Simple Church Planting Idea: Seven Signs in John

http://www.cmaresources.org/article/seven-signs-in-john

Seven Signs in John: A Simple Process for Evangelism and Starting Churches

The 7 Signs are as follows:

1.     The turning of water into wine (John 2:1-12)

2.     The healing of the royal official's son (John 4:46-54)

3.     The healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-17)

4.     The feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14)

5.     The walking on water (John 6:15-25)

6.     The healing of the man born blind (John 9:1-41)

7.     The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46)

The way it works is that each week the person or persons you are sharing with is encouraged to read one of the stories once every day. So in the first week, they read the story of Jesus turning water into wine every day. At the end of the week when you get together and read the passage again together, you ask four simple questions and have a discussion about the passage. The questions are:

1.     What does this story say to you about people?

2.     What does this story say to you about Jesus?

3.     What does this story have to say about you?

4.     Who needs to hear this story?

Author, pastor: Old models of church don’t work anymore

WILMINGTON, N.C. (ABP) -- Old models of church that view it as a center for multiple programs led by a pastor who shepherds a flock just don’t work in the post-Christendom era, according to an author and pastor.
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5809/53/