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Looking Around for Ideas

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by USN2Pulpit, Jul 20, 2003.

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  1. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    My pastor here in southern Maryland suggested that if I wanted to visit other churches, I'd better do it now, because as of August 10 when I take the pastorate at a church in Missouri, I won't be able to.

    I've visited a couple of places since then for ideas. Today, I went to one of the local Independant Baptist churches. I really appreciated the strong appeal given during invitation time. Not overbearing, but the call for a decision was clear.

    Another church I went to had a very good method of greeting first-time visitors. It was a (gasp!) Pentacostal church where a friend of mine pastors.

    Have any of you pastors ever visited other churches, and after liking something you saw there, tried to import a little of that idea into your church?
     
    #1 USN2Pulpit, Jul 20, 2003
  2. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    While vacationing or visiting relatives and NOT having to preach myself, I have stopped in to hear some "great men" and to see how their church operated.

    Love the Free church in suburban Minneapolis where my family attends. NO chit-chat waste of time giving the same announcements as were in the bulletin. Wonderful blend of CCM and traditional hymn. Little thing like having special during offering so that the service moves along at a better pace.

    Think visiting such is a great idea. (And personal advice? Lay off the high-pressure and psychological manipulation of the modern "invitation")
     
    #2 Dr. Bob, Jul 21, 2003
  3. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Your advice is noted. I don't intend to use tactics like that anyway. Personally, I am persuaded that invitations should be given, but not in the manner that you're cautioning me about. In other words, we're close to the same page on this.
     
    #3 USN2Pulpit, Jul 21, 2003
  4. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    In working with and attending Evangelical Christian-Baptist churches, I find their order of service a good way to get all members involved in the service. If you want (just post a request here), I'll post a sample here. IMHO, their OOS will work nicely with a new or small congregation. For a new congragation that is growing through its Sunday School program, who wouldn't want to come to the Morning service to listen to their child recite a piece of poetry or sing in the Primary choir?
     
    #4 Squire Robertsson, Jul 21, 2003
  5. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Thanks for the offer, and yes, I'd like to see it.
     
    #5 USN2Pulpit, Jul 21, 2003
  6. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Here you go.
    The following is the standard order of service for the Evangelical Christian-Baptists of the former Soviet Union.

    Traditionally, Evangelical Christian-Baptists follow what we in the States would think of as a Plymouth Brethren style of service.

    A typical Sunday (morning or evening) service goes something like this:</font>
    • The Pastor or his designee calls the service to order and gives the Invocation.</font>
    • A choir number</font>
    • Congregational hymn</font>
    • The first preacher (the Pastor or the man in charge of the service has previously designated which of the preachers in the church will be speaking at a given service and in what order;Nezavisimaya has +/-12 preachers) speaks usually for 10-15 minutes. This message is usually a Call to Worship or Prayer</font>
    • Congregational prayer (three maybe four men or women lead in prayer from their places in the meeting hall, with the preacher closing). This is a time of Thanksgiving for the God's provision in the last week. The preacher closes with a prayer for God's blessing on the coming service.</font>
    • Congregational hymn</font>
    • A senior choir number or</font>
    • A children's choir or</font>
    • A recitation of Christian poetry by an individual or group</font>
    • The second preacher speaks (see d. above). This preacher brings a strong Bible Message for 20-25 minutes.</font>
    • Repeat f-i.</font>
    • The third preacher speaks (usually at Nezavisimaya this is Pastor Minnikov). This man ties the two previous speakers together. (Or he may launch off on his own message.)</font>
    • See e. above</font>
    • Congregational hymn and offering</font>
    • Greetings from various churches (If you got a call from your brother Mischa in Fergena/Seattle/Salt Lake City/Kiev/Moscow ect. last week, this is the time to say that the brethren in Fergena/... sends their greeting</font>
    • Prayer requests are taken (lately most of these have been passed forward to the Pastor in the form of notes) and final prayer two+ hours later.</font>
    Note: There may be two or three groups of singers in Sections f-i depending on the size of a given church. Nezavisimaya on Astoria Street runs 400+ on a Sunday morning. So, they have greater depth from the bench as it were.
     
    #6 Squire Robertsson, Jul 21, 2003
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