Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
20BODYOFCHRISTNEWSJULY2014LOCALEVENTSJuly13thTheAgapeDistrictMusicDepartmentPresentsWellDoneThyGoodandFaithfulServantsAgape3rDAnnualHonorsatWaysideC.O.G.I.C.2900PeoriaSt.AuroraCO.4.P.M.PleasejoinusforthisGreatOccasionandhelpusHonorsomeofDenversGreatGospelPioneers.ManyCommunityServantsandGospelArtistsandChoirs.AgapeSuperintendentSuperintendentPatrickL.DemmerAgapeDistrictMissionaryMissionaryLeonaMasterandBrotherDavidJohnsonAgapeDistrictMinisterofMusic.SaturdayJuly26that3p.m.ChristianFellowshipSouthernFoodEventHostessFoodQueenCateringMenuFriedCatfishGreensSweetPotatoCasseroleSaladDinnerRollsandSoftDrinks.SpecialGuestSingersanddoorprizesgive-awaysRSVPbythe21st.Donation20perpersonLocationTHEHOUSEWORSHIPCENTER195S.MonacoparkwayDenverCO.formoreinformationcallMs.Pam877-692-9767or303-886-0556Theofficeofthepastorwhetherentitledpriestclericorclergymanisandalwayshasbeenextremelyimportantineverycultureandsociety.Thereisnoquestionthatinadditiontothestrugglesandhardshipsbeingapastorhasmanyotherinherentspiritualandpersonalrewards.Howeverfewtrulyunderstandthedemandsofbeingapastorandwhatittakestoplantaneffectivethrivingandsustainableministry.Someareenticedtobecomepastorsbecauseoftheseemingfinancialrewardsandthepurportedbling-blinglifestylesofsomecontemporarypastors.Butoneshouldneverregardministryasawaytomakeanameorforpersonalgratification.Thefoundationalprerequisiteforstart-ingachurchistoknowthatyouarecalledbyGodtoshepherdHischerishedpeople.ItisimperativetoknowbeyondashadowofadoubtthatGodhascalledyoutotheworkoftheministry.Accordingtowww.PastorBurnout.comapproxi-mately1500pastorsleavetheministryeverymonthforvariousreasonsincludingburnoutconflictmoralfailureetc.Manyothersleavebecauseoftheinabilitytoproperlymanageandsupervisethebusinessdemandsofministry.Overtimethesepre-cioussoulsbegintounderstandthattheworkoftheministryisnotforeveryone.Unfortunatelyitistheyoftenreachthisconclusiontoolateafterthechurchhasbeendividedpeoplearehurtandthesheeparescattered.Inmanyinstancesthecarnageoftheirpastoraladministrationandendeavorsareleftforanotherpastortocleanup.Ultimatelytheill-equippedpastoreitherhastoleaveorwelcomeanewpastorintothecongregationandthebeatgoesonunderthenewadministration.ThefollowingstatisticsareworthconsiderationnThereareProtestantgroupsinthecountrywithover35000independentornondenomina-tionalchurchesrepresentingmorethan12200000adherents.Thesenonde-nominationalchurchesarepresentineverystateandin2663outofthetotalof3033countiesinthecountryor88ofthetotal.Retrievedfromhttphirr.hartsem.educongnondenom.htmlnTheaverageattendanceof59ofchurchgoersislessthan99peopleperweek.ExcludingCatholicOrthodox-httpwww.soc.duke.edunatcongnThemajorityofthechurchattendeesgotoachurchwithlessthan100atten-dantsperweek.Thisfactisinvaluabletothediscussionbelowbecauseofthesheernumberofchurchmemberswhoarenegativelyinfluencedandaffectedwherethereisalackoftruepastoralleadership.In1996IplantedaministryinDenverColoradoandforthepast18yearstheLordhasblessedmeandmywifetosustainthisministry.MyFathersHouseInternationalChristianDiscipleshipCenterdidnotexistuntilIrespondedaffirmativelytoGodscall.ThisministrywasnotbirthedoutofachurchsplitIdidnotattempttobackdoormemberstojoinfrommyformerpastorschurchorotherchurchesandIdidnotinherittheministryfromanotherfamilymember.Godcalledmetoestablishthisministryfromthegroundup.Ihavehadmyownlearningexperiencesinpastoring.Ihavelearnedsomuchandmuchbeenimpartedtomeonthisjourney.NowtheLordhasplacedonmyheartanearnestdesiretoreachouttoaverage-sizedminis-trieslessthan200membersandtosharewhatIhavelearned.IbelievethatIhaveknowledgethatiscriticaltoassistingothersinplantingasustainableministry.Pastoringconsistsofmorethanpre-paringcharismaticsermonstoexcitethecongregation.Theworkofthepastorisindispensabletothesavingofsoulsandisessentialforequippingandempower-ingothersfortheworkoftheministry.Ephesians412Anotherimportantele-mentofbeingapastorinvolvescreat-inganatmospherethatcultivatesthehealthygrowthofChristians.Thepersondesiringtoplantachurchandtobeapastormustfirstbreakfreeoftheoldwineskinmentality.Theymustembraceacompleteparadigmshiftfromwhateverhasbeentheirper-ceptionofwhatisapastor.Additionallytheymustembracethecallontheirlifeandlearnhowtothinkandfunctionapostolically.Anapostolicmindsetisimperativeifoneintendstoplantaministryinanycommunityandwithinthefourwallsofachurch.Withoutthisparadigmshiftthepastorwillbecomewearyinwell-doingandeventuallywillsuccumbtotheimposingforcesofdarkness.OncethishappenstheywillquittheministrySecondGodnevercallsapersontoplantachurchSoYouThinkYouWanttoStartaChurchMINISTRYByApostleLeslieD.RichardsonContinuedonBOCNEWS.comApostleRichardson