Curt Seaburg.com

Church’s Physical Location Has Little to Do With Growth

OKAY, it’s no secret, we’re running out of space.  Our church is growing, that's exciting.  It gives us some new challanges to look into.  One of those being, what do we do?  One of those things is that we’re gathering a team together to begin to do some research. And “Re-location Task Force” so to speak.  I came across this recent article that I want to share with you.

Did you know that the growth and health of your church has little to do with your physical location? Church health specialist Dr. Thom Rainer recently studied 13 mediocre congregations that grew to become vibrant, healthy churches without changing pastors. To his surprise, he discovered that there was little correlation between location and growth. “One of the surprises was that the location of a church had almost nothing to do with the struggles and subsequent breakout of these churches,” Rainer said. “Some of the churches have great locations demographically, but others have lousy locations.”

So what was the biggest break through then, for these churches? According to Dr. Rainer, they all had an outward focus. "If there is any one basic lesson, it is to lead the church to an outward focus. The great majority of churches in

America

are focused on their own needs and desires."

Dr. Rainer found that an external focus is fundamental for church health and church growth. He said his research continues to reinforce those sorts of essentials. "In essence, the research continues to remind the church to get back to basics," he said. "While we should seek to be cutting-edge in our ministries and methodologies, we should not neglect basic and biblical principles for church health. The biggest news is that God is not done with our churches. Through the stories of 13 remarkable churches, we see God?s possibilities for so many churches in our nation and our world."

What do you think? What is more important: location or focus; neighborhood or mission? I want to hear from you …..

More Sex

This week, we close out our series on SEX.  Now, contrary to popular belief, I'm not using SEX to get more hits on the world wide web, but, hey, if the word SEX is gonna draw people to this blog, then SEX it is!

Young Adults, are probably the group that has a huge target on their back when it comes to WHO Hollywood is aiming their values toward.  (youth and kids have got to be a close second)  This week, in our growing church gathering, we're gonna tackle Young adults / Singles and Sex.  What is Hollywood trying to teach this growing demographic?  Why should we shake off the imagery of a sex-laden culture and get re-focused again.  God's got a plan for your life.  Understand that great and Godly Sex happens between the ears before it happens between the sheets.

Why are we discussing SEX in church, because we should, that's why.  We're getting hit from every angel on wrong thinking when it comes to SEX and it is leading to wrong action.  Get us not thinking right thought (enter God's Word) and that will lead to right thinking.  The Word of God has a lot to say about SEX.  We should not be ashamed to discuss what God was not ashamed to create.  He invented SEX.  God wants us to have a pure understanding of what great SEX is all about. 

Be there this Sunday, or at least get the CD or MP3.

True Leaders Are Not Helicopters

One thing I know about 'true blue leaders" is, leaders ARE NOT helicopters.  what I mean by that is, leaders don't 'hover" - they move ahead.  Leaders are more like airplanes.  If a plane decides to stop, it has one direction it is going, that's down.  As leaders, we need to always be moving ahead, learning, dreaming, growing, doing, trying, pushing, motivating.

As a pastor for the past 20 years, I've learned that I can't do this thing by myself.  I can't sit idly by and expect to be on my "A Game."  I need to be always learning as well.  I'm involved in a group called Men's Fraternity.  Awesome ministry started by Robert Lewis and we meet at Lancaster County Bible Church.  (struggling little church work of a few thousand!)  Men's Frat is a place where I can grow.  It's a place where about 50 of the men from our church go.  It's a place where I allow the Lord to deal with those hidden areas of my life that can get quickly run over in the business of life.  Here's some awesome things that I learned today:

Stages of Developing and Re-developing Dreams

• 0-5 years, you begin to develop dreams of super heroes
• 5-7 years, dreams are shattered because you now have to learn to "do life" away from mom & dad.
• 7-11 years, now you develop dreams again, but this time your heroes are sports figures and dads.
• 11-14 years, dreams are shattered because you have now entered the brutal years of middle school.
• 14-18 years, your dreams are developed again because now you begin to focus on job direction.
• 18-19 years, dreams are shattered because you realize college is not cheap and you now work and they don't give you summers off.
• 19-40 years, dreams are developed and shattered during this time.  Your focuses are Work/Life/Love.
• 40-45 years, your dreams are shattered because it is now that you recognize your own mortality.  Your body aches in the morning and you realize you're getting older.
• 45-60 years, dreams are again developed and shattered as you focus on Family/Work/Past.  (side-note here, this seems to be the age where Men's Frat works the best)
• 60-70 years, dreams are shattered because retirement is not what it's cracked up to be.
• 70 and beyond, dreams are shattered and developed as we learn more about Family/Health and as we learn and reflect on life love and loss.

In all stages, I want God to be at the very center of my life.  Keith Walker said, "One of the great marks of a hero is, the hero knows why he is here and he realizes he still has a great adventure to live."  I like that.

Never stop learning!

I Need You - You Need me

Remember the song that old Bill Withers song that had the lyrics that said, "we all need somebody to lean on."  How about Faith Hill & Tim McGraw on YouTube singing, "I need you."  Experts are calling our culture, "The Isolation Culture."  We live in our homes, have earbuds from ipods growing out of our heads, and as quick as we open our garage door, we shut it again ... subtle ways of saying, "I DO NOT need you."

Yesterday, I traveled to Gettysburg to be with Gerry Stoltzfoos at Freedom Valley Worship Center to speak to his leadership team of pitfalls we face if we choose to do life alone.  I was encouraged by the young men and women who were hungry to want to live right with God and with others.  After speaking, it was a quiet ride back to Lancaster.  I wrestled with questions like:

1. "Who is in my life that I can really open up to?"  I don't have the luxury of a "senior pastor" like I did for 17 years as a full time youth pastor. 
2. How do I open up to someone and not feel like I will be judged ... or shunned?
3. A lot of guys and gals who were in ministry once but are now out because of a secret sin, I wonder if I could've helped them had I not been so 'isolated.'   

At Victory Church, we don't want people to "do life alone."  We weren't designed that way, that's NOT in our DNA.  We were meant to do life together.  Some of the things that we are working toward (some are in place, others are in the works) at our church are:

1. Accountability groups for men & women.
2. Small Groups where people can start one or join one.
3. VCU (Victory Church University where friendships are made.)
4. Youth mentoring

My conclusion is, it's not going to just HAPPEN.  I must open up and trust the leading of the Lord.  We all need someone in front of us (who is helping us) and someone behind us (who we are pouring our life into) on the journey.

Cool Guy - Garret Barbush

God is up to something.  We preach it a lot around here ... "Our Goal Is Not A

Big

Church

- Our Goal Is Big People."  This morning I sat across the breakfast table at Lyndons and listened to

Garret

, a rugged, athletic and stylish 20 something year old, as he shared the journey the Lord has him on.  A self-described business owner, wrestling coach, passionate server of Christ and lover of people.

Here’s what

Garret

said, “I'd like for each of you to click on this link and watch the video and read the story.  It's been a story that was introduced to me several months ago, and it has really changed my perspective on life and the country we live in.  After many emails and finally meeting Brad backstage at one of his concerts in

Philadelphia

, it looks as though I may be heading down to

Nicaragua

in the first week of March with Brad and his team from Love, Light and Melody.  The important thing about this is to just get the story out in the open.  People in our society need to know about this.  After you're done with this please check this one out. Forward this on to people who can make a difference. 

God is alive and well in the hearts of people who want to hear and want to know.  God is raising up a generation of people who are sick of living out their Christianity within the four walls of a church building. Way to go,

Garret

!  Today bro, you are my hero!!

Get involved in missions.  Every 2^nd Sunday, we’re giving our church people opportunity to bring and give their 2008 Faith Missions Pledge. This is just another opportunity to reach the world!

Garret Barbush - A Life Wrecked By God

God is up to something. We preach it a lot around here ... Our Goal Is Not A Big Church - Our Goal Is Big People. This morning I sat across the breakfast table at Lyndons and listened to

Garret

, a rugged, athletic and stylish 20 something year old, as he shared the journey the Lord has him on. A self-described business owner, wrestling coach, passionate server of Christ and lover of people.

Here’s what

Garret

said,

I'd like for each of you to click on the link and watch the video and read the story.  It's been a story that was introduced to me several months ago, and it has really changed my perspective on life and the country we live in.  After many emails and finally meeting Brad backstage at one of his concerts in

Philadelphia

, it looks as though I may be heading down to

Nicaragua

in the first week of March with Brad and his team from Love, Light and Melody.  The important thing about this is to just get the story out in the open.  People in our society need to know about this.  After you're done with this please check out this website.  Forward this on to people who can make a difference. 

God is alive and well in the hearts of people who want to hear and want to know. God is raising up a generation of people who are sick of living out their Christianity within the four walls of a church building. Way to go,

Garret

.  Today bro, you are my hero!!

Get involved in missions at

Victory

Church

or at your own church.  For us, every 2nd Sunday, we’re giving our church people opportunity to bring and give their 2008 Faith Missions Pledge.  This is just another opportunity to reach the world!

Free Jesus!

It's time for us, as Christians to FREE JESUS!!  C'mon man, I am so sick and tired of "church."  We as the church have penned up, handcuffed, crammed in a box, and have chosen to fall into a traditional, easily managed Jesus where we pick and choose what we will and will not put into practice to what we hear on a Sunday service.  We as Christians are SO PREDICTABLE, it ticks me off!

It bugs me, I want to be honest.  Man, I am so hungry for the anointing of God on the preaching of the word of God.  I want the Lord to radically change not a community ... I want Him to change a single person ... ME!

I want to read the words of God and put them into practice.  i want to allow the Word of God to transform my mind.  I want Jesus - nothing more, nothing less.  Our culture wants to have the spiritual conversation.  All you have to do is watch Oprah or Dr. Phil.  People want to have a spiritual conversation, they just don't want to have the Christian version of spirituality.  So what do they do?  Read books like "the secret" that takes about that inner spark inside all of us.  The new preachers in our culture are people like to the Dalai Lama, Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, Eckhart Tolle and Oprah.   In case you didn't get the memo...Jesus is not part of the public dialog on spirituality - we've ceded that ground.

We have got to get to quit just going to church and start being the church.  Test the Lord in the tithe, dare to pray for the healing of a fellow employee at work, take a chance -- trust God!  Want a great book recommendation?  Start reading "Static" by Dr. Ron Mortoia.

• What if Jesus was once again public property?
• What if following in the way of Jesus involved more than right beliefs?
• What if followers of Jesus led this movement and took the spirituality of serving public?
• What if Jesus was seen as the founder of a movement that serves others - instead of one that judges others?
• What if the Jesus movement got out of the beliefs business and back into the serving business where it all started?

Free Jesus!