UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Mission Statement

1. UNITED METHODIST CHURCHMission Statement Making disciples of Jesus Christ for The transformation of the world.

2. VITALCONGREGATIONSPROCESS 2011

3. A CALL TO ACTION TO BE A FORWARD LEANING CHURCH: THAT ADDRESSES THE CHALLENGES OF OUR DAY TO GROW VITALITY IN OUR CONGREGATIONS SO THAT WE MAKE MORE DISCIPLES AND ENGAGE THEM IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD

4. AN INDEPENDENT STUDY OF THE UMC Researched data from 32,000 churches Researched 5,000 High vitality churches to identify common factors in all Concluded: What vital congregations have, what disciples in those churches do, 16 Drivers in Vital Churches, Obstacles the UMC faces

5. A VITAL CONGREGATION HAS • Inviting and Inspiring Worship • Engaged Disciples in Mission and Outreach • Gifted, Empowered and Equipped Lay Leadership • Small Group Ministries • Strong Children’s and Youth Ministry

6. A DISCIPLE OF JESUS • Worships Regularly • Helps Make New Disciples • Is Engaged in Growing in Their Faith • Is Engaged in Mission • Shares by Giving in Mission

7. OVERCOMING OUR SPIRITUAL OVERCOMING OUR SPIRITUAL CHALLENGES • We Need More “turn around” leaders • We need to embrace metrics and goals as a means of accountability

8. OVERCOMING UMC SPIRITUAL CHALLENGES • We need to build trust across the denomination • We need to better connect with our neighbors and community members who have not been invited to church and have not ever visited a church

9. THE VIEW FROM OUR NEIGHBORS • When we talk to people who only attend church for funerals or weddings or just a few services a year, these are some of the things they say:

10. THE VIEW FROM OUR NEIGHBORS • I believe in God and I like the teachings of Jesus, I just don’t see the teachings of Jesus in action in the church • The Church tries to keep people out rather than welcoming everyone

11. THE VIEW FROM OUR NEIGHBORS • I find greater peace and at oneness with creation, others and God when I do yoga • I feel judged by church people, rather than loved and accepted

12. THE VIEW FROM OUR NEIGHBORS • Church people act differently in their church meetings than they do in worship • I cannot relate to the worship and ministries of the church I have attended • The Church worries more about itself, the institution, rather than serving people

13. FORMATIVE SCRIPTURE Matthew 22:36-40 • “Teacher which commandment in the law is the greatest. And Jesus said: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

14. The Vital Congregations Planning Guide Invites churches to assess the faithfulness and effectiveness of whatever they do Uses SMART Goals

15. Let’s Watch GROWING VITAL CONGREGATIONS TRAINING VIDEO

16. A BOTTOM LINE Invites churches to assess the faithfulness and effectiveness of whatever they do

17. VITAL CONGREGATIONS PROCESS • Invites churches to measure progress in key performance areas using statistical information to learn and adjust approaches to leadership, policies and use of human and financial resources.

18. ADAPTIVE CHALLENGES • Recognizes “adaptive challenges” cannot be addressed by nor judged by statistical information alone. Knowing How many people participate in worship, small groups etc is not nearly as informative as knowing what happened to those people as a result of their attendance

19. EVALUATING • Evaluating process of how you did and what you did in serving our ultimate purpose of making disciples

20. Different Types of Evaluation • Substantive evaluation • Quantitative evaluation • Qualitative evaluation

21. GROWTH IN DISCIPLESHIP How do we assess and measure this: Quantitative example Substantive example Qualitative example (For example use your VBS Ministry)

22. MY OWN DISCIPLESHIP How do I measure my own growth as a disciple of Jesus? What are the points to measure or do self reflection? What does our Tradition offer?

23. Towards individual maturity, growth, faithfulness, fruits • Am I actively cultivating a relationship with God through worship, prayer and Bible Study? • Am I more loving than I was a year ago as demonstrated by greater generosity and compassion? • Am I aware of my faults and shortcomings and actively working to transform poor habits into healthy ones?

24. A VITAL CONGREGATIONS PROCESS • MISSION – What is God calling us to do? To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world • VISION – What will it look like when we get there? What a disciple looks like when he or she is formed in your community of faith

25. Local Church Process • PROCESS OR FLOW The defined pattern of how disciple making happens in your time and place that reflects a progression of faith maturity (ie Reach Out -- Nurture -- Equip -- Send)

26. GOALS • GOALS What we want to accomplish through the activity of any given area of ministry *which works toward disciple making in each of the flow categories

27. SMART GOALS • SPECIFIC • MEASURABLE • ATTAINABLE • RELEVANT • TIME FRAMED

28. Strategies • STRATEGIES OR PLANS How will we go about accomplishing those goals • MEASURES *The descriptors: *quantify or qualify how well those goals have been met *how fruitful the specific activities have been in accomplishing vision & mission of church

29. Telling the Stories • CELEBRATING AND TELLING OUR STORIES Can I Have a witness ? !

30. Our Kansas Area Process *Every UMC Church in Kansas Invited *Training Events for all clergy and key leaders *Training Video *Website resources www.umvitalcongregtions.org

31. VITALITY WHAT WILL THAT MEAN FOR YOU AS A DISCIPLE OF JESUS? WHAT WILL THAT MEAN FOR YOUR CONGREGATION? WHAT WILL THAT MEAN FOR YOUR PASTOR?

32. PRAYER SENDING US FORTH