Daniel Ausbun
  • Home
  • About

9 Truths in 9 Years

4/17/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
Children's Sermon on Palm Sunday 2014
Today's my 9 year anniversary at First Baptist Moreland. Sherri and I moved to Moreland, Georgia 8 months pregnant in a horse trailer from "The Gentilly" apartments in New Orleans, Louisiana. I was finishing up seminary, working at Lee Michael's Fine Jewelry and Sherri worked at Progressive Insurance. We'd been married 11 months and back then I was the 26 year-old youngest pastor in our Western Baptist Association. My predecessor, Jerry Eley, had retired after serving 14 years as FBC Moreland's pastor.

Sherri and I had always served in large churches. Coming to a small-town traditional committee-led church was a change. Here's what I've learned in 9 years:

1. Church Ministry is Hard Work. Just because you're a leader or planning an event, doesn't mean anyone will attend. You have to go out and shake the bushes in order for people to attend church. Jesus said, "Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in" (Luke 14:23 NIV). Your church/class will not grow without evangelism, missions and outreach. You must do the "dirty work" of calling, messaging, emailing, visiting, texting, mailing postcards, and picking people up in order to have a crowd at a church function. You can't take people for granted and assume they'll come. I was in the Wal-Mart automotive department earlier this week with a flat tire inviting the service technician to Saturday's Easter Egg Hunt. Churches and Sunday School classes don't "just grow" - God blesses the witnessing worker.

2. Busy Isn't Always Better. Church programs do not grow a church. I used to believe if we did more events and more programs we'd have more people. Instead you'd have more tired people. People come and stay involved in church because of relationships. Busyness doesn't equal spiritual maturity.

3. Money Matters. It's expensive to operate an active church. I used to be embarrassed to preach on money. Now with joy and pride I tell everyone to give to the Lord. If Sherri and I can tithe, so can you. It's a honor and privilege to put money in the offering plate - an act of worship. The best investment a believer can make is giving to the advancement of the Kingdom. Good/bad offerings will set the tone for ministry events/meetings. I discovered when offerings are down it's the pastor's fault. People give to vision.

4. Inadequate Facilities will Hurt a Church. I would love to start new Sunday School classes, but...they'd have to meet in the kitchen or the playground. People will not come to your church because of the buildings, but the lack of pews and classrooms will create a plateau. Debt on a new building should be kept to a minimum - you don't want to trade ministry for mortar. "If you build it, they will come" is a lie - people will come if you invite them (see truth 1).

5. Churches Must Change. In 2005 FBCM didn't have a website. We developed a website and everyone used it to view the calendar, look at pictures, and see the weekly schedule of what's going on. Now no one views our website. 10 times more people view our church's Facebook page than our website. People and programs come and go. What worked in 2005 might not be effective in 2014. Every event, ministry, and program should receive a yearly evaluation. You must evolve to stay relevant. Leaders must educate themselves on new trends and be willing to take risks. The key to change is communication. You can change almost anything if you let people know way in advance.

6. Personal Relationships are Priority. When church attenders no longer have friends at church they quit attending or go somewhere else. I try to speak to every person I can on Sundays and Wednesdays. When I greet others, I say their name. Visitors must initially connect with a staff member and then make friends with people similar to them. You want people to take ownership of their church. They want to be proud to call you their pastor and proud of being a church member. A critical spirit lowers morale.

7. The Importance of Social Media. In September 2011 I asked for someone's email and they told me they no longer use email and only text and Facebook. That evening I joined Facebook. People at church expect you to read their tweets and posts. They'll make prayer requests and announcements on their wall - its your responsibility to read it. Social media has become the primary method of communication.

8. An Increasingly Closed Society. Gated driveways. Gated neighborhoods. Personal contact isn't as valued. People would rather connect through social media (see truth 7). People are more time conscious than ever. A year ago one of the UnEvolved Praise Band members described my office as the "black hole." You stop by to tell me one thing and you get stuck for one hour. I changed after hearing that.

9. A Whatever It Takes Attitude. To serve Christ you must serve others. Whether I'm preaching on Sundays, moving chairs in the fellowship hall, refereeing Upward soccer, teaching Sunday School at the last minute or vacuuming after VBS - you must be willing to do anything. Helping with set-up and clean-up is one of the best ways to display a servant's heart.
Picture
Our July 2005 Brochure
Picture
2 Comments
Karen Holbrook
5/15/2014 02:13:19 pm

Great article Daniel! I'mProud to call you my Pastor.

Reply
Jackie Ponder
5/16/2014 01:18:25 am

Daniel, you do a great job. I appreciate the way you tell it like it is..

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    A resource for Christian ministry, leadership & life issues!

    Archives

    November 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    Addictions
    Adoption
    Alcohol
    Bible
    Calvinism
    Children
    Church Membership
    Culture
    Discipleship
    Divorce
    End Times
    Evangelism
    Leadership
    Marriage
    Ministry
    Missions
    Money
    Parenting
    Pornography
    Prayer
    Preteen
    Seminary
    Sin
    Social Media
    Students
    Sunday School
    Women

    RSS Feed