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Morning vs. Evening, need HELP!

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by GODzThunder, Sep 26, 2003.

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  1. GODzThunder

    GODzThunder New Member

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    I pastor a small Church that is fairly new. We only have a Sunday School, morning worship, and mid week prayer service on Wed.

    I live some fourty miles from the Church and commute to the town where the Church is at the moment. This is a small town ouside of Augusta, GA.

    I have been praying and considering starting a Bible study, and eventually an evening worship Church service on Sunday nights in my home town in addition to my pastorate in Thomson.

    What words of wisdom can you give me towards this? pros, cons, comments on getting started?
     
    #1 GODzThunder, Sep 26, 2003
  2. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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    My advice would be to stay focused on doing the few things you have going now extremely well before you begin doing other things. I think many times, especially small churches and small church pastors wear themselves way too thin. I believe it is better to do a few things great, than do many things average. I would focus on building what you have now.
     
    #2 PastorSBC1303, Sep 27, 2003
  3. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    My first thought is more doesn’t mean better. You must multiply your efforts by training others to lead.

    Take a look at http://www.bibleteacher.org/Dm118_8.htm

    What I did when I pastored a small church like you describe was to do away with the Wed, night prayer/Bible study time. I moved it into a home. I started with the leaders and began teaching them the basic of discipleship. I uses the Design For Discipleship books by Nav Press. I only use the first six books. Then I took them through a survey of the OT and NT. Finally we finished with a unit on Bible interpretation. I used the book How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth by Fee and Stuart along with worksheets I developed.

    Some of the resources can be seen at

    http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/shopping_product_page/0,1711,I%253D0805499466%2526M%253D50005,00.html

    http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/shopping_product_page/0,1711,I%253D0767326199%2526M%253D50005,00.html

    http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/122243678?item_no=38491&netp_id=109476&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW

    http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/122243678?item_no=9034&netp_id=154522&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW

    I would concentrate on teaching them how to disciple someone. Teach them to reach people and disciple them..

    I think the book Becoming A Contagious Christian by Hybles and Mittelberg is a great book. It shows seven ways evangelism was done in the Bible.
     
    #3 gb93433, Sep 27, 2003
  4. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    Why not move to the town where you are planting the church? That way you could start a Bible study in your home town and it would help your church. The problem with a Bible study in your home town is that the NT mission is not Bible studies but church planting. Unless you intend to start a church there, what purpose will hte Bible study serve? To what body of believers will you send them? BTW, why didn't you start a church there instead of 40 miles away??
     
    #4 Pastor Larry, Sep 27, 2003
  5. GODzThunder

    GODzThunder New Member

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    I pastor a very well established Church that has only Sun AM and Wed PM services. By small I mean we have 50 + actually. I have a perfect balance of that ministry and have things under perfect control (by control I mean we have a smooth operation of checks and balances with various ministry leaders).

    It is impossible to move because my wife works full time at the local school in Hephzibah, something we have been praying over is for her to get a transfer to a school in the county where my Church is but God sees it fit for us to remain where we are right now for reasons unkonwn.

    What I am praying over is starting an additional Church (starting with Bible study on Sun PM only, no AM or mid week). When that work becomes too big for me, should it become so, I would pass that torch on to a new minister and continue my current pastorate.

    In other words, I have free time on my hands and desire to do something with it for the Lord. The Church is contempt right now to not start a PM service and rightly so at the current time and place as God has not opened the door for that.

    I want advice and thoughts on starting this new Bible study in my home area that will eventually start a new Church when it builds up.

    I want to do additional missions work with the spare time God has allowed me right now!
     
    #5 GODzThunder, Sep 27, 2003
  6. Hardsheller

    Hardsheller Active Member
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    I too pastor a church with no Sunday Evening Service. I have volunteered to be a Sunday Night Supply Preacher for area pastors who want to take a night off, go on vacation early, etc. etc.

    Haven't had any takers yet but I only offered my services last week.
     
    #6 Hardsheller, Sep 27, 2003
  7. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    There is no biblical mandate for a PM service. As a matter of fact, some guy DIED at one in the book of Acts! :rolleyes:

    I would think a small group/cell group - whether on Sunday night or another night of the week - might be more profitable.

    And a 40 mile commute means you are a long way from many parishoners who could use a local pastor to just sit on the porch and visit and sip lemonade. Hard to build that close bond in a vaccum.
     
    #7 Dr. Bob, Sep 27, 2003
  8. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    If you begin to disciple those people it will take every ounce of energy you have. When I discipe people I pray with them. Spend time reading and discussing the Word. Helping them with any problems they may have. I take them visiting and knocking on doors. It try to take them with me everywhere I go. I take them to visit people in the hospital. I take them if I can to do a funeral. I may have them do things at the church. I may ask them to share their testimony in a service of how God grabbed ahold of them. They are involved in my life as much I can let them.

    When Jesus discipled his followers He took them almost everywhere he went.
     
    #8 gb93433, Sep 28, 2003
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