Putting your money where your mouth is.

[dawgs10]

the statistics from the IP meeting are that less than 10% of ministers in the COGOP are under 40 and 60% are over 60...I felt like that was probably from NA...but they didn't clarify to my memory...

If those stats are right, the only reason you should have so few pastors under 40 would be because the churches themselves are dying off and there's no need for the pastors in the first place. So, if small and withering churches are dying off, does it make sense that there is a crisis at hand with regard to not having enough pastors? Or young enough pastors? Somebody fill in the picture, because this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Maybe I just need a lick to the head, too.

Is there a need for COGOP church planters?! Maybe? There are mission fields among the poor all over this country. Every trailer park, apartment complex and housing project needs a church bulldogging into it. And, I mean putting down roots and putting up walls (of some kind) and throwing open doors and getting into faces. The people Jesus came to save here are sick and tired. They need the physician. If He is clearly made manifest to them, some will come. Enough will come to justify the "costs" of it, I'm convinced. Who has the resources to bring to bear? Tick tock. Oh, yeah .... people under 40. People under 50. It can be done. Are we who would complain about "releasing" and so forth be so quick to point out the lack of opportunities if we would open our eyes and see the teeming masses of people without Jesus and without hope? Opportunity is where the people are, not where the preparation is. The command is "go".

Let me make something very clear.....I am a Pastor under the age of 40. I serve as a Assc. Pastor by choice. Or better yet by calling. So if this was aimed at me because I started this subject, understand I am very busy in ministry. But I know for a fact there is an age gap that is very dramatic between leading ministers in North America and young pastors and ministers. That is the point. COGOP is going in the right direction it seems and I am proud to be apart of it.

[paul]

[/quote] Is there a need for COGOP church planters?! Maybe? There are mission fields among the poor all over this country. Every trailer park, apartment complex and housing project needs a church bulldogging into it. And, I mean putting down roots and putting up walls (of some kind) and throwing open doors and getting into faces. The people Jesus came to save here are sick and tired. They need the physician. If He is clearly made manifest to them, some will come. Enough will come to justify the "costs" of it, I'm convinced. Who has the resources to bring to bear? Tick tock. Oh, yeah .... people under 40. People under 50. It can be done. Are we who would complain about "releasing" and so forth be so quick to point out the lack of opportunities if we would open our eyes and see the teeming masses of people without Jesus and without hope? Opportunity is where the people are, not where the preparation is. The command is "go"[/quote]

It is said that the most effective form of evangelism is New Church Plants.

Article by:Aaron Coe

In the early 1800s, there was one Protestant church in the United States for every 875 people in the population. By the beginning of World War I, that ratio was one Christian church for every 430 people in the population. During that 100-year span, church planting efforts significantly outpaced the growth in the population.

After World War I something happened, and church planting slowed significantly. The population began to outpace the growth and planting of new churches.

Today in places like Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky, there is one evangelical church for approximately every 750 people in the population. In states like Indiana, Iowa and Kansas, there is one evangelical church for every 1,500-1,800 people. In states like Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York, there is one evangelical church for every 5,000-7,500 people in the population. The Northeast Corridor and Utah could be classified as unreached people groups with less than 2 percent of their population claiming to be born-again Christians.

At the heart of this strategy is a focus on “evangelistic church planting.” Evangelistic church planting is not a church planting program, but rather it is an evangelistic strategy with the goal of seeing people come to faith in Christ and assimilated into new churches so they can grow in Christlikeness. The reason the emphasis has to be on new churches is because that is the only way lostness will be effectively penetrated. Yes, people can and will be assimilated into existing churches, but it is a multiplicity of new churches that will expand the kingdom in a measurable way.

read tghe entire article at: http://www.namb.net/nambblog1.aspx?id=8590116936&blogid=8589939695

With this type of understanding and approach I cannot see why any one who has a divine call of God on their lives cannot be and remain active in Church Leadership. Unless they are saying we are not being released to take over the established churches already existing.

[dolfan]

Dawgs, man I am sorry. I am not aiming anything at anybody. I LOVE that you are doing what you are doing. I am not criticizing. I am seeking answers for my own self and this thread just is a piggyback way to bring it up. I ask your forgiveness. I am not being critical of any minister, ministry, church, denomination, etc.

[dawgs10]

No harm. just wanted to let everyone know im not whining. I am happy where I am..The simple fact is there is a huge age gap...I think the best training would be asst. overseer's as a mentor program. It worked in Africa.....

[dolfan]

No harm. just wanted to let everyone know im not whining. I am happy where I am..The simple fact is there is a huge age gap...I think the best training would be asst. overseer's as a mentor program. It worked in Africa.....

Your thoughts: are there younger ministers in waiting who are underused? Or, is there just a dearth of them?

[Pastor Gary]

No harm. just wanted to let everyone know im not whining. I am happy where I am..The simple fact is there is a huge age gap...I think the best training would be asst. overseer's as a mentor program. It worked in Africa.....

Your thoughts: are there younger ministers in waiting who are underused? Or, is there just a dearth of them?

Not claiming that my/our situation is typical, but I have several young ministers and ministers-in-training and I am giving them all the room I can to develop and have a safe place to make mistakes... I am even gently pushing them out of the comfort of the nest and hoping some will become church planters.

[dawgs10]

I feel that young ministers in north America are being pushed into youth ministry or nothing. I have heard ministers lament not having evangelists to choose from. And I say this each time. There is young ministers out there. Unless they are in youth ministry they are not used. I started preaching consistently when I was 30. Not exactly a youngster. I am part of a great church that moved me from youth ministry to Assc Pastor as they recognized my giftings and management experience. I am in charge of outreach and assimilation. Our church has grown quite a bit because we have someone that focuses on assimilation. Working with new people. But I am in the minority.

[dawgs10]

One of the issues could be cogop has no organized Evangelism effort at IO as they once did.

[dawgs10]

That and a trend of not having Sunday night services where young people can preach and train and be allowed to lead in a smaller setting.

[Pastor Gary]

That and a trend of not having Sunday night services where young people can preach and train and be allowed to lead in a smaller setting.

Dawgs, we meet in a public school facility and one service a week there is all that is possible, and we eliminated Sunday night services years ago because they were a cultural legacy of the past in which the faithful few dragged themselves back to church out of obligation. It may still work in your region, but not everywhere. We have intercessory prayer on Sunday nights, in which those who feel a passion for prayer gather.

[dawgs10]

Your situation is different as well Pastor Gary. There is a need for mor fill in time at your church plus more small group leadership is needed. I would ask when does most church's allow pulpit time for young ministers. I think Sunday nights in most church's is perfect for this.

[dawgs10]

Your church is bettered designed for leadership training because it have 4 or five congregations in one.

[Pastor Gary]

Your church is bettered designed for leadership training because it have 4 or five congregations in one.

So, do you think it would be a good model in other areas where there are clusters of smaller COGOP congregations?

[Phil Hoover]

Your church is bettered designed for leadership training because it have 4 or five congregations in one.

So, do you think it would be a good model in other areas where there are clusters of smaller COGOP congregations?

YES....but selling the idea to some of these smaller congregations would be the "tail that wags the dog."

[paul]

Your church is bettered designed for leadership training because it have 4 or five congregations in one.

So, do you think it would be a good model in other areas where there are clusters of smaller COGOP congregations?

Again from an outsider, but one who cares

Your model could be used in a variety of methods. One that crosses my mind and you may be close to doing this, not sure.

If you combined several smaller churchs in an area withwin a reasonable driving distance as you have done with Reunion. Place a minister in Training or what ever therm being used to define young emerging leaders over the smaller churches, a very strong seasoned and comited leader over the main body. I am sure that is your role at Reunion.

The smaller churchs still support the young emerging leader from its tithe base. With the understanding that his purpose is not only to feed the flock and be a shepherd to that small group but also to grow the church so it could eventually become a stronger host church.

The smaller church would basically serve as a type of cell group. It could also aid in providing fresh young leadership to offset the shortage of Pastor, nd just placing a body in a small church only to see it continue to drain away.

I know some organizations have had to draw men out of retirement just to fill vacancies.....that might have some upside, but I am sure it has many more downsides. Please if any of you have come out of retirement don't get offended at me.