HINTS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?

 Acts 2:41-47 [The Living Bible]

And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all! They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles’ teaching sessions and at the Communion services and prayer meetings.

A deep sense of awe was on them all, and the apostles did many miracles.

And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved.

One of the authors of a book I’ve been reading over the last two weeks - Shane Claiborne - reminds us that there are over 36,000 Christian denominations! This clearly indicates how severely broken the "body of Christ" is, and yet none of these denominations appear to be searching for common ground!

He writes:

"Jesus' longest prayer in John’s gospel was that we would be one as God is one (17:22). With more than 36,000 Christian denominations, we have a long way to go.”

Back in June, Debbie and I attended the Harvest Conference’s Tri-Conference sessions in Dalton, Ohio, It was led by our area bishop, Kay Kolde, who reminded us that the number of FM churches in America have fallen from 1050 to 825 over the past fifteen years [a decline that is mirrored in most – if not all – Christian denominations in America].

To add to this drama, I know that in 2012, when we left for China, the number of Free Methodists in America was around 105,000.  It startled me recently to discover that our number has now declined to a little over 69,000 Free Methodists in America AND CANADA!

Yet the Free Methodist denomination is rapidly expanding around the globe through vigorous evangelistic efforts!  Currently we have 1.6 million Free Methodists globally with a mere 4% of those being in the United States!

Now, before you get discouraged, let me assure you that these trends are not exclusive to Free Methodism; they are reflected in every Christian denomination in America.

Observations:

·         The Pew and Gallup polls indicate that about 20% of Americans attend worship weekly at least three times a month. However, a Washington Post breakdown of America’s faith habits reports that as few as 5% of the population regularly attends religious services.

·         Many denominations are finding it difficult to find enough pastors to lead their churches.

·         It is estimated that 15,000 churches closed in 2025.

Why do churches close?  

Well, the answer is easy: it’s because they’re failing at their God-given mission!

When we examine churches that have closed – or are about to – we tend to find that they’re:

• not growing by convert growth.
• plateaued or declining in attendance.
• not invested in their community.
• or, they’re in a state of internal conflict.

It is not a pretty picture for the American Church and consequently for our culture. The WOKE agenda has clearly infiltrated the Church and is undermining its desire and passion for being spiritually fruitful! 

And, by the way, WHO is driving the WOKE agenda?

Our spiritual enemy! 

In reading through Job he doesn’t hesitate to name this enemy. Satan was hounding believers in Job’s day and he hasn’t stopped!  Jesus didn’t try to hide from this conflict. He openly addressed it! 

Consider Matthew 4, where Satan Himself came to Jesus while He was fasting and praying for forty days in the wilderness.  He came at Jesus’ weakest moment and tempted Him in areas where He was most vulnerable:

• The temptation to eat
• The temptation to test His Father’s love for Him, and
• The temptation to gain all the kingdoms of this world and all their glory

But each time, Jesus quoted scripture to rebuke His enemy!

The result?

1.    Satan left Him alone!

2.    Angels came and ministered to Him! 

I wrote recently in a blog article that I posted:

“I never want to be a part of a church that is not a threat to Satan and his kingdom! We’re not propping up an institution! We’re the living body of Christ! We are His representatives intended to influence those who are lost and distracted! Broken churches lose their sense of mission!  ‘Conflict passion’ replaces ‘evangelism passion’!”

Studying the New Testament Church in its earliest days is a good way to find out how on-track or off-track we are as a church in the twenty-first century. 

What were the characteristics of the church when it began?

We’re talking about the church that exploded into the streets after receiving the Holy Spirit in that upper room where 120 people had prayed for ten days!  That was the day that Peter preached in the streets and the other disciples discovered that they could suddenly speak in languages that they had never studied! The massive crowd gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, so people were present from many nations – and most of them heard the gospel that day! 

That day alone, 3,000 people became followers of Christ!  Then, Luke gives us a graphic description of how this church grew and operated in those early days!

1.    The first thing we need to notice is that the New Testament Church had NO BUILDINGS! So, in many cases, we have a HUGE advantage over the NT Church! Being generous with our building and property would send a pretty positive message that would likely draw people to us!

2.  Our second observation is that the New Testament Church studied and grew together in small groups! Since they didn’t have buildings, a lot of these gatherings probably took place in homes! 

Also, they didn’t have Bibles!  The New Testament was just coming together during that first century. If they were in the right place at the right time, they might have at least heard one of Paul’s letters being read.

What they did do, however, was to sit under the teachings of the apostles and their associates. 

3.    Our third observation is that they met together regularly for fellowship! All their activity was not spiritual in nature. They learned to love one another – as Christ had instructed them. This meant knowing one another and enjoying one another’s company!  Apparently they ate together a lot!  During some of these meals they even celebrated the Lord’s Supper as a part of their gathering!

This concept has almost been lost to the American Church! We only meet for church or an occasional Bible study. These believers became like extended family to one another! They enjoyed being together! They loved one another!

4.    Our fourth observation from this passage is that the New Testament had gatherings that were just for prayer!

Prayer aways has been and always will be the engine that drives the growth and outreach of the church!

5.    And finally, our passage mentions one last area  -  KOINONIA. In the New Testament, the Greek word κοινωνία (koinónia) is translated into English in several ways, depending on context. The most common include: fellowship, sharing, participation, communion, partnership, and community. It is a word for which we have no single replacement. Rather, it includes aspects of all of these we’ve just mentioned. 

But Luke – the writer of Acts – goes on to describe the implications of this word in verses 44-46:

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

These new followers of Christ were:

• together – apparently this means common ownership of some things
• sharing their possessions with one another based on need
• having contact with one another day by day
• eating together with some regularity
• praising God together in all of the above!

There’s a pretty big hint here as to why the Church in America doesn’t resemble the New Testament Church as described in its earliest days!

Today’s American followers of Christ:

• rarely, if ever, share possessions with one another
• rarely, if ever, see one another during the week
• almost never go into one another’s home
• almost never enjoy meals together
• only praise God together during our once-a-week meeting on Sunday morning

There is one more VERY IMPORTANT factor that characterized the New Testament Church, and that was the constant incorporating of new followers of Christ!

Based on church reports: An average American church of 85 people [which IS the average sized American church] tends to report one convert per year!

This statistic tells us that there is a very low demand for training and discipling new believers in most American churches, because they simply are not seeing many new believers! 

The American Church has VERY LITTLE in common with the New Testament Church described in the early chapters of Acts!

The Book of Acts records the rapid expansion of the early Church from Jerusalem to the ends of the known world, showing both numerical growth and spiritual vitality.

I can speak most authoritatively about my own denomination – Free Methodism. There are distinct reasons why the American Church is shrinking while Christianity around the globe is exploding!

Our missions’ department has divided the globe into five areas: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. According to our World Mission page, we have an active presence in 99 countries [WHICH IS AWESOME!!!!]!

The Asian area has set a goal to see a million new believers this year! We observed earlier: "Currently we have 1.6 million Free Methodists globally with a mere 4% of those being in the United States!"

Here’s our assignment:

1.    How can we open our buildings to others in a way that promotes our caring for this community?

2.    How can we generate prayer groups and Bible study groups that will help us to grow as well as get better acquainted with one another?

3.    How can we create times when we get together for fun and pleasure so that we can grow in our loving and caring for one another? How can we plan occasional meals together that allow us to mingle and get to know one another’s families better?  [Eating together lowers inhibitions!]

4.    How can we generate prayer gatherings that are not boring but ARE genuinely effective?

5.    How can we retrain our brains to be more outspoken about our faith?

Are we content to just be a gathering of Christian people, or do we want to be a threat to Satan’s kingdom?

I have great difficulty believing that God is pleased with the American Church – with some exceptions, of course! I believe with all my heart that God wants something of significance to happen here, and there are signs that it has begun! It will continue and flourish – IF WE PRAY AND INITIATE A NEW TESTAMENT ZEAL IN OUR CHURCHES!

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY SHIFTS: A Personal Perspective

I began my pastoral ministry service in 1974 as a ‘student-pastor’ of a very small congregation in the Hoosier Mountains of southern Indiana. I was excited to take up this responsibility – even though I was only a part-time, weekend pastor. Saturdays were spent visiting in the homes of our members and making connections with the youth of the church. We had Sunday School, Sunday morning worship and an evening service. We made our late-night return trip to our home at Asbury Seminary to be ready for work and classes on Monday morning.

Little did I know the massive transitions that would occur before I finally retired in 2017.

I.        VISITATION

My first conference superintendent suggested that I make 40 to 70 home visits per week! He was an older leader and had served for many years as a superintendent; he was clearly out of touch with the reality of the 1970’s cultural climate.

However, visiting did play a part in the way I served my churches throughout the years.

In my first full-time appointment in Pittsburgh’s suburbia, I went door-to-door down the road that our church was located on, inviting people to attend while leaving a small gift and a flyer of information. I can’t remember anyone attending as a result!

I was taken – by two elderly ladies – to visit many former attenders, some of whom lived a considerable distance from the church. I don’t recall anyone attending as a result of those visits.

After spending my first six months teaching our forty congregants how to lead a person to faith in Christ, we were still only a congregation of forty! I was disappointed [the impatience and over-eager response of an inexperienced young pastor]!

The building of a brand new facility [including twelve acres] ideally located in an area ripe for new homes, I knew that we had great potential for growing the Kingdom of God! I stumbled on an idea. The congregation had splintered over the relocation and construction of our new facility. The forty remaining members were left with an overwhelming debt of over $70,000. It was a dire situation.

I began visiting in the homes of those who had formerly attended. After calling first to arrange a visit, I found that I was welcomed by many of these folks. After meeting me and giving me the opportunity to get acquainted with them, some of them began to attend. These were obviously productive visits!

Then, the family connections started to fall into place! In the next six months, the attendance doubled, with new faces almost outnumbering the congregation that I had inherited.

PASTORAL CARE VISITS

I had several visitation priorities as I began my ministry. One was hospital visitation. When I knew that one of our attenders was in the hospital, I was intentional about visiting them. I kept my visits brief and always shared some scripture, left a care-card, and prayed with them [with their permission, of course].

My own Grandma Haire had gradually been ignored by our pastors after she became a ‘shut-in’. This hurt and disappointed her – along with our family. As a result, I determined that I would visit our shut-in’s once-a-quarter and offer them Holy Communion each visit. Although I sometimes – through the years – found this to be a draining aspect of ministry, I kept it up faithfully. Later, as the churches I served began to grow, I trained lay-leaders to assume much of this ministry!

When I learned that members were dealing with major issues, I tried to offer support by calling to arrange a visit. This is when my counseling skills began to grow and emerge. Pastors are a frontline response to people in crisis – plus, we’re free! 

CULTURAL SHIFTS

Somewhere in the 1980’s things began to change! Privacy became more significant. I often use the term: “A person’s home is their castle!” to describe this transition. In feudal days, castles had moats to keep others out! This became representative of American culture as well.

Just showing up at the door of a parishioner’s home became unacceptable! Home visitation became less and less of a practice of ministry [although I did continue to visit shut-ins]. I also would call to express concern when I learned that a person or family was facing a crisis. This sometimes opened a door for a home visit.

OBSERVATIONS

From my limited perspective, I believe that visitation is now rarely a practice of the newer breed of pastors. In a recent conversation, someone said: “I can’t even imagine my pastor doing hospital visits!”

The pastor as CEO has emerged from the 1990’s successes of Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley and many others. As a result, even pastors of small churches are practicing ministry as though they were leading a much larger congregation!

It’s my perception that many of this newer generation of pastors spend the vast majority of their time working in their study. With Sunday evening services now gone, one wonders what they do with all that time?

 

II.        COMPUTERS AND CELL PHONES

Somewhere around 1992, computers began to become increasingly available. I received my first computer around 1994, as a gift from two of my parishoners.

Cell phones began to become commonplace at about the same time. I don’t need to tell today’s generation about the massive influence this had on the church and its ministers.

By the turn of the century, I was laboring at the end of every week to put together PowerPoint presentations to accompany our worship and even my messages. All of the church’s records were now being recorded and reported via computer. THE WORLD CHANGED!

I remember working at a large church during this period with a dynamic lead pastor. She became perturbed observing younger attenders using their cell phones during worship. On an occasion, she had an opportunity to speak with a few of them at a luncheon. Inquisitively, she asked what they were doing on their phones during worship. She was shocked at their response! They were texting one another about the points she was making as she preached!  😀

You see, all the changes were not negative! Who would want to go without computers today? No one! They are an integral part of the way that we operate in all the venues of our lives! We’re often reminded that the massive bank of computers that sent our first astronauts into space  -  are now small enough to carry in our pockets or purses!!!

I recently observed that for the first twenty-two years of my ministry I either hand-wrote my messages or typed them on a typewriter!  Those paper messages were then filed in filing cabinets along with the paper research that I had accumulated. Seems hard to believe now, don’t you agree!

 

III.        MEGA CHURCHES

The late 1980’s saw an explosion of mega-churches across our land. These massive congregations had already existed in other countries. I remember reading before this that the four largest congregations in the world were all located in South Korea!

Eventually, we began to see the pastors that had grown these churches [some names mentioned earlier] become the teachers for all the rest of us who were hopeful of seeing a similar level of accomplishment.

These mega churches were able to hire huge staffs and maintain a wide variety of programming for every age group! They were busy throughout the week with nearly unlimited options available for their members. It was the kind of broad-based impact that could not possibly be offered by smaller churches with significantly limited resources.

Meanwhile, these mega church pastors became more and more highly recognized through book sales, speaking engagements and major teaching events like Willow Creek Community Church’s Leadership Conference or Catalyst – to name just two. I even flew to southern California for a week one winter to attend a Church Planting Conference at Saddleback and a corresponding Church Growth Seminar led by Rick Warren!

Mega church pastors became our models and our teachers – even though much of what they taught was not directly applicable to our smaller more traditional situations.

In time, when one of these highly recognizable leaders experienced a ‘fall’ – usually due to sexual dalliances – the whole Church felt the pain! Massive shock waves and after-effects impacted all of us who were in ministry!

_________________________________

What continues to amaze me is that churches are still following these mega church leaders and models! Many churches mimic their worship styles and structures. Darkened sanctuaries became a common feature for many churches across America during the 1990’s. Initially the reason was to be able to maximize the use of screens for videos, dramas and other effects that were intended to shape the experience for the worshippers. This stands in stark contrast to sanctuaries that were flooded with natural light – often filtered through stained glass windows with Christian symbols embedded.

Many churches operate like small clones of mega churches, singing songs that our people don’t know and developing casual formats that are designed to create and sustain familiarity and connections. However, without accompanying small group interaction and accountability, the people never really become connected to one another through the single 90 minute Sunday worship experience!  

Several years ago, I visited a nearby multi-site megachurch for a Sunday experience. When the service ended, I simply stood and watched the people leave. They rose from their theater-seats, progressed back the aisles through the foyer and out the doors to their cars. I observed no interaction whatsoever! These people didn’t know one another and weren’t connected to one another in the least. They simply worshipped at the same church!  This was quite a contrast to the churches I served where I often said to people as I left: “Make sure the door is locked when you leave.” They would smile, nod and agree to do so!

And the result:

·        It is estimated that 15,000 churches closed in 2025.

·        The number of people attending weekly worship in America is at an all-time low of 20% of the population.

·        Many denominations are finding it difficult to find enough pastors to lead their churches.

·        The Pew and Gallup polls indicate that about 20% of Americans attend worship weekly at least three times a month. However, a Washington Post breakdown of America’s faith habits – using data from the U.S. Religious Census – reports that as few as 5% of the population regularly attends religious services.

It is not a pretty picture for the American Church and consequently for our culture. The WOKE agenda has clearly infiltrated the Church and is undermining its desire and passion for being spiritually fruitful!

Having led growing churches for forty-four years, I can tell you that leading a healthy church is HARD WORK! I know that we get teased about only working one day a week, but I have log books that document well over fifty hours per week throughout most of my ministry!

A recent survey done by Lifeway Research indicates that pastors are tempted to leave ministry because of conflict in the church and/or burn-out. The isolation in their role and the rapid decline of the Church in our culture only add to the burden of leading a church. I learned to live with a continual sense that my work was never done!

Not too many years ago, I had a conversation with a fellow pastor – six years younger than me -  who had recently retired. He had endured a difficult appointment and felt the need for a respite. However, after having a year of “doing other things”, he later reengaged in ministry! This is another example of a pastor who desperately needed a sabbatical, but had to find his own way of getting it. He literally stated to me: “Harold, the only way that a pastor can get a sabbatical is to either have a heart attack or a moral failure.” What a shocking and sad statement!

Those years between 1974 and 2017 were marked by several other smaller transitions.

 

IV.        PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT

Somewhere along the way [late 1960’s and into the 1970’s] we experienced a flourishing of the Pentecostal movement that created a lot of controversy – especially regarding ‘speaking in tongues’. This was followed by an enormous surge in praise and worship music that was made available through Integrity Music, Hosanna Music, the Hillsong movement from Australia and, of course, the music videos and events of the Gaithers. Worship leaders became sought after for their skill, charisma, and ability to lead worshippers into the presence of God.  Names like Don Moen, Darlene Zschech, and Ron Kenoly [who, remarkably just died as I was constructing this blog – February 3, 2026] stand out in my memory. There were many others!

Although not all churches were impacted by these smaller movements, many were! Concerts by Christian artists became worship events. Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Cece Winan, the Gaither Vocal Band, and many others followed this pattern by filling large venues with worshippers!

V.        THE CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT

The Church Growth Movement emerged in the 1970’s and 1980’s as a network of church consulting firms, conferences and publications focused on helping pastors develop strategies to increase the size of their congregations. This movement was led by figures such as Donald McGavran, Dr. Wynn Arn, C. Peter Wagner, and Robert Schuller, who emphasized the importance of cultural relevance and marketing strategies in church growth. The movement’s emphasis on consumer-oriented church growth led to the rise of megachurches, with the number of megachurches increasing significantly during this period!

I remember attending the Free Methodist Church’s [eastern area] Minister’s Institute of the Northeast at Painted Post, New York during my second year in the ministry [1977]. We were required to bring exhaustive studies of our church’s attendance and membership trends over the past twenty years. Dr. Wynn Arn was the speaker and he presented a whole new wave of thinking regarding growing our churches. Within the next year, every church in our conference was required to submit a ‘Mission Statement’ to our leadership!

A whole new way of thinking about our churches was initiated that clearly impacted the future for many of our churches!

_____________________________________

I have tried to give a fair assessment of what it was like to be in ministry from 1974 through 2017. I am not suited to speak to the pressures and changes that have occurred or been added since then. However, I can assure you that the pressures have NOT diminished.

I remember feeling compassion for pastors during the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020. In order to survive, almost all churches had to find ways to broadcast their services for home-viewing.  Most of these ended up being poorly done simply due to limited expertise and equipment. Churches that had already been live-streaming their services had a huge advantage with this dilemma.

It’s also difficult to imagine leading and trying to grow churches in the volatile environment we’ve known in recent years. Think about it! How do you grow a church today when Christianity is in such significant decline?

For the most part, churches are radically slow adaptors! This has been the most frustrating aspect of leading churches for me to deal with! To maintain vibrant contacts in the current age, quick adaptors are essential!

The denomination that I have associated with throughout my ministry is facing challenging times! They have recently decided to eliminate [or significantly alter] their pension plan for pastors. Plans are underway to merge conferences to facilitate greater fiscal responsibility. Although this American-based denomination has fostered – through vigorous missions’ investments over the decades – a global community of over 1.6 million members in 106 countries, the American membership has dwindled to less than 70,000 members [4% of the total world membership]!

Imagine the pressure on American pastors to grow these remaining churches!

__________________________________

Lord of the Church,

 

We who are part of the American community cry out to You for help!

Your ‘body’ – the body of Christ –

has a desperate need to be infused with a renewed presence of Your Holy Spirit!

 

Today, we pray for our bishops, leaders and pastors as they seek to discern the next generation of pastors!

 

Lord of the Harvest,

You are still calling willing servants to lead and serve Your Church and to grow Your Eternal Kingdom!

 

May those who hear Your call respond with soft hearts and willing spirits!

May You give them courage to lead from the strength that only comes through Your Holy Spirit! Fill them! Feed them! Use them for Your sovereign purposes!

 

And may we see an army of the faithful fall on their knees and cry out to You for renewal, infilling, wisdom, guidance, courage and boldness

as we move into the future with renewed hope!

 

Raise up a new generation like the men of Issachar - mentioned in I Chronicles 12:32 – who ‘had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.’

 

AMEN.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR A CHURCH! [Part 1 – more to follow…]

There is no seniority in a church!

Because you’ve been at a church for a long time doesn’t mean that you should have more say, power or influence than someone newer!

I know! This is kind of shocking! But healthy churches are unique, in that they want to be continually growing and expanding the Kingdom of God!

There are not grades of membership based on longevity, levels of involvement or amounts of financial support! When these very items ARE actively in place, the prognosis for growth is rendered hopeless!

THE GREAT CHALLENGE

The great challenge is in assimilating new people!  

Maintaining a growing, vibrant body of diverse believers requires the grace of the Holy Spirit and the humility of the people of faith!

In most churches, it takes years for a new member [or family] to be fully assimilated into the life of the body of believers! That’s a sad reality!

Developing strategies for expediting this process should be a major, ongoing goal for every church that wants to fully embrace new people and help them to be all that God desires of them!

The arrival of new people is such a blessing to any church!

However, acknowledging them publicly [such as having them stand to be recognized] is a horrible idea! Singling them out is embarrassing and is likely a sure way to guarantee that they will never come back!

BUT, there are other ways that we can welcome them. Many of us have learned how to do this from the mega-church models. Some tips:

·        Have friendly people meeting and greeting attenders in the parking lot! Selecting these individuals is critical – let me illustrate:

I shop at a nearby Walmart store and am in their building several times a week. We’re all familiar with their practice of having a greeter as you use their main entrance.

They are currently using a mature man who looks horribly uncomfortable in his role. Although I have spoken to him, he has never spoken to me. He completely avoids eye-contact with customers. He looks miserable!

Please don’t think me mean. I pray for the guy every time I enter the store. Actually I respect him for his strength and determination. He apparently needed a job and Walmart hired him! I admire him AND Walmart – for giving people opportunities!

The point is to get the right people greeting folks in the parking lot!

When I attended Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in southern California, I was met by groups of people as I parked and walked the long distance to the church. These people welcomed me by inquiring where I was from and if I was a first-time visitor.

I told them that I had been to the church for seminars throughout the week, They asked how I’d been enjoying my experience. The point is: they engaged me personally and let me know that they were genuinely pleased that I had come this Sunday!

While serving at Cornerstone Church in Akron, Ohio, we had a group of men who greeted people in the parking lot. They were jokesters and had a lot of fun with people as they arrived. They would often tell people what to expect in the service [based on the fact that they had attended an earlier service].

Ø "Pastor Brenda is really on target this morning!”

Ø “Wait till you hear the special music this morning!”

Ø “You’re in for a blessing today!”

On rainy days they held umbrellas for the people approaching the church building.

On snowy Sundays, they offered assistance from the parking lot to the main entrance!

They made themselves available to assist:

Ø Special needs individuals

Ø Families with multiple or young children

Ø Elderly folks

They had been trained to wait until people exited their vehicles in order to avoid uncomfortable situations regarding getting in-and-out.

 ·        Have warm, friendly greeters at all doors to greet people and welcome them to the service of worship.

They can be trained – with those they don’t recognize – to inquire if they’ve worshipped here before.  If they haven’t, they can offer to enter with them and show them around [including where to hang coats and the location of restrooms]. This will, of course, necessitate someone else being ready to step into their greeting spot so that others are not overlooked.

 These individuals often view their role as a ministry.

 At Cornerstone, a man named Ken was a fixture at the main entrance every Sunday. He discriminately offered people a hug as they entered.

In my role as a counselor at the church, I remember vividly being told by a single-mom that one of the reasons she came to Cornerstone was because it was the only place in her week where she was hugged!

 

·        Have people placed at the entranceways to the worship center to greet people by telling them that they’re glad to see them!

If people are being escorted by the ‘door-greeters’ then they can give them an especially warm comment like: “We’re glad you chose to worship with us this morning!”

If worship folders are used, they can distribute them.

These greeters should stay in place for at least 5-10 minutes after the worship begins. If latecomers look awkward, they could ask if they need help finding a seat. Then they can usher them into worship and strategically ease their late entrance.

·        In addition to all of the above, certain people can be trained to simply be on-the-watch for people who appear to be new attenders. Some of these people will enjoy mingling in the foyer [before and after service] and keeping an eye open for new people! Others may simply hang out at the rear of the worship center – also being alert to speak with newer people.

They are simply another wave of greeter who makes people feel welcome and assists them in any way that they might need [for instance: making them aware of a nursery or special worship opportunities for young children].

·        Having a gift available for first-time attenders is a kind offering used by many growing churches.

Don’t ask them to approach a ‘Welcome Center’ to receive this gift [they don’t even know where the ‘Welcome Center’ is!!  The door greeters who first discern that this is a new person/family should take them to this location before even entering the worship center and see that they are given the gift.

TIP:

Make the gift worthwhile. Of course you’ll want to include information about your church! They expect that! But add things of value!

Ø Maybe a gift certificate to Chick-fil-A

Ø If it’s a family – perhaps bags of candy for the children

Ø If you have photographers in your congregation – perhaps a free picture

Ø Perhaps a box of homemade cookies [a church I served delivered these early the next week]!

Ø Or maybe one of Hal Haire’s Christian romance novels!!!!!

Lonely For A Long Time

A Life Repurposed

Overwhelmed

Never Unreachable

[Available on Amazon or from Hal Haire]  😁

The next entry will discuss: THE NEED FOR LEADERS!

MINISTRY STORIES: Saved In Sunday School

My years of being on staff at the Cornerstone Church in Akron, Ohio, were some of the most fruitful and exciting days of my life!  Under the influence of Pastor Brenda Young – and her dynamic teaching and leading - this church had become a fast-growing, Spirit-filled, dynamic center for conversion and spiritual growth!

As hard as it is to believe, the foyer would pack with people before the three services that we offered. When the doors were opened, they would run to get the best seats and save them for their family or friends.  The anticipation and expectation were unbelievably high!  

The excitement was palpable as everyone waited for the worship team to begin playing.  The church had gathered and was ready to worship! The make-up of this congregation was 75% ‘first-time believers’!  I’ve never known a church like it! 

During each of the three worship services there were Sunday School options for all ages.  Many would attend Sunday School either before or after worship.  As Lead Associate Pastor, I had the privilege and responsibility for overseeing our adult, youth and children’s ministry leaders. Recruiting and training leaders was an on-going challenge!

As part of my role, I visited every class during each service.  During the first-of-three services I would do so quickly and then participate in worship.  During the other two services I could take more time and observe the classes before moving on.  This also gave me time to welcome and mingle with people arriving for the next service which became a productive time of relationship building.

One of our adult classes met in a small, odd-shaped room adjacent to the worship center. While the worship team was playing, it was often amusingly difficult for the teacher to be heard.  This class was led by one of our younger lay leaders. His name was Ron and he was a charming and engaging leader who also contributed – during periods – on the worship team as a remarkable drummer.

This class was largely made up of newer young and middle-aged couples who had begun attending Cornerstone.  One of the men was known to us all as ‘Skeeter’. He was a highly knowledgeable mechanic and had been attending with his wife for a couple of years.  One Sunday, at the end of the class as Ron was beginning to wrap things up, Skeeter asked Ron a question.

“Ron, I’ve been attending here for a long time now and I hear all this talk about ‘getting saved’.  Just what does it mean to ‘get saved’?”

Ron turned his attention to Skeeter while the rest of us remained silent and prayed.  He carefully and briefly explained the gospel to Skeeter and then asked him if he’d like to be saved right there.  Skeeter indicated that he would, so Ron led him in a prayer of confession and acceptance!  I hope you know how thrilled this class was!  It was SO EXCITING! 

Pastor Brenda always gave a benediction/send-off at the end of each service by raising her hands over the congregation and speaking words of challenge and encouragement. Skeeter immediately began responding to this by raising his own hands to ‘receive’ the good words that she was speaking. 

When questioned about it, he simply said that it was his way of receiving the blessing that the pastor was speaking over him.  It began to catch on until nearly every person in every service also started raising their hands to receive the blessing from Pastor Brenda. 

I haven’t been to Cornerstone in many years, but I often wonder if that’s still being practiced there today?  Maybe someone reading will let us know…

STORY OF THE OAKLAND FREE METHODIST CHURCH

From June, 1982 – May, 1995

Written by Pastor Harold E. Haire at the conclusion of his thirteen year appointment.

I was appointed to the Oakland Free Methodist Church by the Pittsburgh Conference Stationing Committee in June of 1982 [I was thirty years old].  A very smooth transition of leadership was facilitated by Pastor John F. States. Some church statistics for the year ending 1982 were: Total Membership – 120; Morning Worship Average – 102; and Total Budget - $59,379.

During the transition period, Pastor States held a meeting including himself, myself and Debbie, and the Pastor’s Cabinet at that time: Russell Dray, Sr., Alma Kelly, Henry Muschweck, Paul Ward, Betty Heald and Martha Anderson (some spouses were involved as well).  In the dialogue of this evening, the Cabinet clarified its desire in two points: 1) they wanted help in involving younger people into the leadership of the church; and 2) they wanted a strong youth ministry to be maintained.

Both of these goals have been met, but not without pain. Over the years, there has been a steady increase of involvement by a new group of people [Hal’s original copy includes the names of over 122 individuals]. However, transitions of power are never easy. My thirteen-year ministry at Oakland can best be characterized as a time of generational transition. There has been a gradual passing of the torch of leadership to a younger generation.  Unfortunately, some older members have felt left out or overlooked as aa result of this change.  Some, who have been discontent, have hindered the progress of the church by resisting change. One interesting note is that of the above-mentioned Cabinet, four of those are still on the 1995 Cabinet: Henry Muschweck, Alma Kelly, Betty Heald and Paul Ward.

The Oakland Church has continued to be a strong church with a desire to influence its community for Christ. There has been a steady flow of new people through the church over the years. Some have stayed for only a few weeks; some have stayed for several years and became quite involved in the life of the church; and some are still involved. At the present time the Church is made up of three fairly distinct groupings.

·         First, there is a large group of older members who are still active in the church life to varying degrees.

·         Second, there is a large group of middle-aged couples/families, most of whom are active and supportive.

·         Third, there is an active and large group of youth under the leadership of Associate Pastor Raeanne Thompson [now Barlow].

This reveals two needs for the future. At present, we have very few children and very few young adult couples. A young, single adult Sunday School class is to begin in June, 1995, to seek to address this challenge.  The present leadership will be wise to seek to involve younger people in significant positions to facilitate a smooth, yet gradual transition of leadership.

Specific stresses have existed in East Liverpool that have had a direct effect on church growth expectations. The closing of the Crucible Steel Mill in 1982, had a devastating impact on the community! Many families were thrown into long-term unemployment situations. In addition, a long-term tension over the construction and operation of Waste Technologies Incorporated has affected the community for the same period of time.  This waste incinerator is located within 500 yards of the Oakland Church. Neighborhood property values have been impacted as a result of this planned construction.  Due to these and other factors, the area has been largely characterized by low self-esteem and depression., This makes East Liverpool a wonderful location for an outreaching, teaching and caring Christian community!

The youth ministry has remained strong over these years at the Oakland Church. An active Christian Youth Crusader/Christian Life Club has been maintained every year up until 1994. This has faithfully fed young people into the youth group. A number of individuals helped with the Youth Ministry through October, 1991, when Pastor Raeanne began. Some of those were: Russ Dray, Philip Kelly, Debbie Haire, Harold Haire, Rick and Regina Anderson, and Karen Kelly.  Both the Youth Group and the CYC/CLC have been blessed with large numbers of kids. Parents and families do tend to come for special programs and events, but not for regular involvement in the life of the church.

We have consistently worked to become a more welcoming church. There are two areas where we have made significant gains. The first is in what could be called the personality of the church. Visitors now report that they feel very welcomed upon attending services at Oakland. This change is the result of much labor and instruction on the part of the pastor and the people. We have regularly reviewed the basics of being a friendly church. We have stressed the necessity of enfolding new people.  Harold Kelly has been our inspiration in this area. He is greatly appreciated and respected by this congregation because of his love for the Lord, love for people and desire for growth in the Kingdom!

The second area of significant growth has been in worship. This church has a history of meaningful worship. In stride with other changes, the church has undergone a transformation of worship style. It began subtly with the introduction of new choruses. [This trend was aggressively moving through American churches in the 1980’s.] It evolved to be a full-fledged contemporary form. Today the Oakland congregation has an enormous range of hymns, gospel songs and praise choruses that it uses in its worship. Since 1991, a Worship Team has participated in the planning and leadership of worship: David Kelly, David Pinkerton, Bradley Cowsert, Robert Cowsert, Marilyn Kelly, Ronald Kelly, Lynn Muschweck and the pastors. The last several years have been punctuated with periodic ‘Festivals of Praise’. These gatherings have often involved other congregations and musicians from the area. They have been memorable times of participatory worship!

There have been quite a number of special events over these years. I’m sure I’ll omit some, but let me mention a few.

In the Spring of 1984, a large group worked hard under Ron Kelly’s direction to learn and deliver Bill Gaither’s ALLELUJAH: a Praise Gathering for Believers on Pentecost Sunday! Later that summer we chartered a bus and took our whole Sunday evening service to Warren, Ohio - where John States was leading the church – to share the musical with their congregation!

In April of 1985,we held a revival with five other area Free Methodist Churches participating: Oakland, First FMC, Beechwood, Ohioville, Wellsville and Hookstown. Former Bishop Paul N. Ellis was the speaker. In his illness, Reverend James Bischoff preached for the first two nights. The week was well attended and marked with times of meaningful worship.

November of 1988, saw Trygvar and Anne Brauteseth come to Oakland for an evening of sharing about their ministry in South Africa. The crowd was not large but the blessing of the Spirit was! He told of a witch doctor who dedicated his life to Christ. This man brought all the tools of his trade together for a fire to give testimony tohis changed life.  They couldn’t get the items to burn. Trygvar sensed the opposition of Satan; he prayed for God’s intervention. Fire fell from heaven and burned up all of the man’s belongings. At the end of the service the congregation committed to purchasing a $1,500 tent for evangelism in South Africa. David Kelly led us in this vision. Later, unknown0of money came through from his late grandmother to help with this purchase. A fellowship time was held at David and Karen’s home afterward. Trygvar shared stories with the men in one room while Anne shared with the ladies in another. 

In September, 1989, we held a gret weekend called HOMECOMING ’89. We rented a huge carnival tent for shade. We served a meal at the Tri-State Campground and held an afternoon of remembering with former pastors and superintendents sharing. The Sunday morning worship was a highlight with a procession of choir and pastors. It was a very well-attended event. The camp dining hall got a last minute coat of paint to spruce it up for our guests. A video was made of the weekend by Bob Cowsert which is kept in the church office!

On December 29, 1991, we held a Festival of Praise, led by Jim and Tammy Bean. It was a wonderful time of animated worship. This was to be the first of many gatherings. During this period we were receiving much teaching in the area of biblical finances from past and Ron Kelly. That night, Alma Kelly and Ron Kelly led the congregation in a ‘Wave Offering’ in which the entire debt of the church was eliminated ($26,000)!!  Praise the Lord! 

From the end of October, 1992, through January, 1993, we enjoyed the teaching of Reverend James Crawley of the New Hope Baptist Church. Sunday evening after Sunday evening he bathed us in his insights into The Song of Solomon. It was during this period that Shirley Kelly committed her life to Christ and started attending regularly. Pulpit exchanges with New Hope were held every year with affirming responses and rich fellowship.

Three different ‘Life in the Spirit’ weekends were held. The first was in April, 1988, and Reverend Christina Ferris brought a series of messages.  The next was in the Spring of 1992. Reverend W. P. Jones and his wife, Virginia, came to share with us. The Lord blessed in a great way as Reverend Jones brought messages to challenge the church. On Saturday evening we had a special time for blessing the children. Beginning at one end and moving toward the other end of the altar, Reverend Jones laid his hands on each child and gave them a spiritual blessing. Many parents were amazed at the accuracy of his words and prayers; it was apparent that he was being led by the Holy Spirit.

In November of 1993, Reverend Lucie Behar came to share with the congregation in a ‘Life in the Spirit’ week.  Lucien had been with us twice before; the Oakland congregation loves this evangelist! He returned to East Liverpool in July, 1994, to serve as evangelist for the Tri-State Family Camp – another tremendous time of spiritual refreshment.

Also in November of 1993, we enjoyed another special evening with a retired missionary couple: Reverend and Mrs. Clarence and Betty Owsley. They had served as career missionaries to Brazil and were travelling again due to a shortage of missionaries stateside. Once again, we were blessed by their wisdom, enthusiasm and heart for the lost. Brother Owsley sat on the front seat during worship and vigorously sang the contemporary praise choruses selected for that evening. He and Betty provided a wonderful example of Christian grace in retirement. Even as I leave Oakland, I am sharing a recent letter from the Owsley’s who are planning to return to Brazil (at age 75) for a six-month VISA tour to cover for Clancy and Doris Thompson while they are on furlough. Brother Owsley’s new motto: “Come Alive in ‘95”! 

We were also blessed in November of 1993 and 1994!  Both years our evangelism committee involved us in the Annual East Liverpool Christmas Parade. Free hot chocolate was distributed in the name of Jesus from David and Karen Kelly’s home (200 West Sixth Street). A float was also entered in the parade, something that had been done each year for several years by the Christian Life Club. Candy [attached to tracts] was passed out by prayerful parishioners among the crowd. All in all, 40-50 Oaklanders were involved each year! A spirit of goodwill was communicated and seeds were sown for the glory of the Lord!

Finally, during the winters of 1994 and 1995, we enjoyed the teaching of Debbie’s father, Mr. Ken Whippo of the Rochester, PA Free Methodist Church. The first year Ken taught an excellent study of the ‘End Times’. The discussion was rich and an average of over forty was maintained. Food and fellowship also characterized these evenings. The second year his topic was ‘Creation Verses Evolution’.

There were many others who preached [at least once] over this thirteen-year period:

James McMasters
Maxine Smith
Lee Spear
Howard Canon
R.D. Merkle
R.A. Neal
Roy Perkins
E.L. Daugherty
Greg Bengry
Eric Nulph
David Stout
Gordon Aiken
John Kelley
James Crowley
David Peterson
R. T. Singleton
S.H. Estel
Milo Smith
Wilmer Olszewski
Bishop Gerald Bates
Bishop Richard Snyder
Violet Turner
Kenneth Campbell
Ronald Kelly
Russell Dray, Sr.
Tilman Houser
John States
D. Edward Bailey
V. J. Mannoia
Fred Thomas
Lucien Behar
Tom Johnston
W.P Jones
Charles Parry
Christina Ferris
Tom Roush
Chris Baker
Lloyd Arnett
Dean McElroy
Wayne Standley
Dean Beguhl
Raeanne Thompson [Barlow]
David B. Kelly
Donald Davis

We enjoyed wonderful missionary meetings with Elaine Williamson (Fall, 1994) and Ken Leech (February 1994). There was a great week of training in personal evangelism by the Reverend Tom Johnston (May, 1990).  In addition, there were Bishop’s Rallies, Family Camps, Community Worship Services, precious times of Holy Communion, baptism services (several One observation is noteworthy:), 45-Club Celebrations [regarding faithful attendance in Sunday School], Sunday-Evenings-at-the-Campground, Super Bowl Sundays, and even Mid-Winter Cook-outs!

Events like these are great, but what is truly important is the effect of the church on its community and the spiritual growth of its adherents. There is evidence that our church is becoming more outreaching in evangelism. The Annual Reports from 1982-1994 indicate that seventy-five individuals have come to faith in Christ. [A record of these names is in Pastor Hal’s original document.]  Many of these have been through pastoral ministry, many others have also been through the ministry of the CYC/CLC/VBS. Many more have been through the youth group – especially in the latter years under Pastor Raeanne Thompson [Barlow’s] leadership! 

Present statistics for the year ending 1994 were:

·         Total Membership – 102

·         Morning Worship Average – 93  [This fails to reflect the fact that we had many Sundays with an attendance of over 200.]

·         Total Budget - $119,094

·         I recorded [in my original document] the names of 75 individuals who made a first-time commitment to Christ!

One observation is noteworthy:

In 1990, the church family became embroiled in a division over whether or not to have a cable television hooked up in the church. This issue seemed to have been a culmination of a long-term, gradually –growing dispute between traditional verses contemporary forms of worship and ministry.

The end result: no converts in 1990. It is obvious that our enemy distracted us from our mission!

On the other hand, spiritual growth has been very evident in much of the congregation. Oakland attenders have become more Bible-oriented. There is a great emphasis on worship. The gifts of the Spirit are discerned and employed in the “Body of Christ”. Sunday School classes, prayer groups and fellowship times are characterized by love and joy. However, complete unity has been difficult to attain.

In about 1986, a small group of folks began to meet on Monday nights for prayer, study and praise. These gatherings sometimes included as many as thirty people. [As of my departure, the groups continued to meet, although with smaller attendances]. The emergence of this group seems to coincide with the rising of a theological divergence in the Oakland Church. These theological tensions exist mainly in the understanding of healing/health, and in the area of prosperity or God’s provision for the believer. At times these differing opinions have been defended vigorously in public. However, most of the time these differences are not addressed in open forum. My role has been critical in maintaining balance in this church. A free-flow of interaction would be the desirable route to address these concerns and find resolution.

One of the truly great endeavors of our church has been its vigorous leadership in the area of employing pastoral apprentice interns. We began this practice in 1987, by cooperating with the Pittsburgh Conference Student Summer Intern Program (SSIP). Mr. D. Edward Bailey came that year to be our full time, summer, pastoral assistant. When he returned in 1988, we ran the program without outside financial assistance. We did so again in 1989, and 1990, with Miss Raeanne Thomson serving as the pastoral assistant. This was especially beneficial since she would later come to Oakland as Associate Pastor. Then, in 1992, we enjoyed having our own Mr. Chris Baker as summer intern. He is now studying for the full-time Free Methodist ministry at Asbury Theological Seminary.

These last several years have been a time of real stretching for the Oakland congregation. In the Fall of 1991, with some financial assistance from the Pittsburgh Conference, we brought Raeanne Thompson on as a full time, Associate Pastor with major responsibility in the youth area. Her contributions are of inestimable value. She has led many to faith in Christ. The youth group has continually shown signs of life and vitality. Her influence has been felt widely through the church family and also throughout the community. This year she will be ordained ‘Deacon’ at the second sitting of the annual conference. Her youth have a positive influence on the worship and ministry outreach of this church. The congregation has really had to be flexible to allow for the activity that comes with a growing youth group; however, the payoff has been well worthwhile!

The financial growth of the church is something that must be addressed. Ron Kelly has played a major role in this area through the years. Our teaching and emphasis on biblical principles of finance have been a catalyst to some great things happening.  Gradually we saw a willingness develop to ‘sow’ money into the lives and ministry of others (rather than trying to keep it all for use at Oakland). This began by sowing into the lives of several minister friends: Olvers, Hetzers, Babels, and others. The Lord seems to have been leading us to this ministry clear back with the Brauteseth’s tent!  Over the years we saw one after another exciting things happen. Financial testimonies became part of the regular course of events.

A major point of turning seems to have been the 1991 Festival of Praise ($26,000 debt elimination)!  This led to the 1993 formulation of a $100,000 Global Outreach Challenge. Although originally formulated time frames were not realized, the congregation continues to pray and give believing that God wants to use this congregation in a strategic manner to accomplish His worldwide outreach.  As of the present date, over $18,000 has been given for this purpose since September, 1993. Most of this has gone toward the support of Dr, Dan and Dean Snyder and their family. They are [at the time of writing] in language studies in Canada with plans to eventually return to Central Africa!

A careful transition has been planned as the congregation prepares to receive a newly appointed pastor in June. The Haires are being appointed to the Spencerville, Maryland Free Methodist Church [Maryland/Virginia Conference]. With Travis having recently entered the Navy (and stationed in Florida), it will be just Harold, Debbie, Troy (14) and Tracie (13) moving to the D.C. area. We consider it a blessing to have raised our family in a progressive setting such as Oakland. I have deeply appreciated the caring affirmation and support I have so consistently received here. I will always be appreciative of the Oakland Church for facilitating the attaining of my Master of Divinity degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1987) and my Master of Arts in Counseling degree from the Franciscan University of Steubenville (1992).

My major regret is that I seem to have alienated a group of older members who eventually withdrew from active involvement in the church. This, coupled with spiritual, personal and family concerns contributed to the motivation for a change. It is insightful to note that the Spring, 1995 pastoral vote was almost unanimous to have a continuation of leadership! 

We will always reflect on Oakland Church as a place of fond memories. We have enjoyed and benefitted from many rich times of meaningful worship and praise here. We will continue to pray that this congregation will always hold hands with God as they move into the future. We shall watch from a distance, expecting to hear great things from East Liverpool. 

CAPITAL IMPORVEMENTS/ADDITIONS MADE FROM 1982-1995:

1983 – New piano for the Light and Life room.

1987 – Trusses and shingle roof on the educational wing. Also re-shingled the sanctuary.

1988 – Sound room constructed at the back of the sanctuary.  Sound system installed.

            Olympia Es-95 typewriter purchased.

 1990 – New phone system and additional phone line installed.

            Large-screen television and video cassette recorder purchased.

 1991 – Van purchased (used).

 1992 – Stove purchased for the Light and Life room.

            Mita DC-1435 copier purchased.

            Garage begun (finished in 1993).

 1993 – Cupboards installed in the Light and Life room (rear, right side).

            Resource tables added.

 1994 – Secretary and Associate Pastor’s desks purchased.

 1995 – Tractor purchased.