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Funding New Forms of Church

Funding New Forms of Church. Presented by Steve Knight Playing With Fire Missional Retreat September 21-23, 2012. First, The Bad News. 60-70% of 3,700+ churches in the CCDOC are in decline in terms of worship attendance, giving to mission, and spending on program and outreach

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Funding New Forms of Church

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  1. Funding New Forms of Church • Presented by Steve KnightPlaying With Fire Missional RetreatSeptember 21-23, 2012

  2. First, The Bad News • 60-70% of 3,700+ churches in the CCDOC are in declinein terms of worship attendance, giving to mission, andspending on program and outreach • Most CCDOC congregations are struggling with facilities issues

  3. First, The Bad News • In April 2011, Lovett Weems Jr. predicted a “death tsunami”that would start in 2018 and continue until 2050 and “wipe out the United Methodist witness in large parts [of the U.S.]”

  4. OK, Slightly Good News • His data was old, so it’s likely wrong ...But ... • The older generation is still aging and dying. Who is coming after them?

  5. And Now, More Bad News • Charles LaFond, Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire: • Around 2015, the oldest Baby Boomers will begin moving out of the 50-70 year old age range and the oldest Gen Xers will begin moving into that age range. • There are far fewer Gen Xers than Baby Boomers. • Gen X is the first generation who will no longer give to support anything based on affiliation.

  6. More Bad News • A Decade of Change (2000-2010) - Hartford Institute for Religion Research, published September 2011 • The recession “affected nearly every kind of congregation equally - large and small; north, south, east, and west; financially healthy or struggling before the recession.” • “No single category or kind of congregation ... was exempt from the decadal downsizing of worship attendance.”

  7. More Bad News • A Decade of Change (2000-2010) - Hartford Institute for Religion Research, published September 2011 • More than 1 in 4 U.S. congregations had fewer than 50 in worship in 2010, and just under half had fewer than 100. Overall median worship attendance dropped from 130 to 108. • Megachurches (2,000+) continue to grow but still represent only 1/2 of 1% of all U.S. churches.

  8. More Bad News • Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (February 2008): • The fastest growing religious group in the U.S. is the “unaffiliated.” (16.1% of the total population) • The “nones” include atheists and agnostics but also those who consider themselves believers but who belong to no denomination (aka the “spiritual but not religious”).

  9. More Bad News • New York Times, January 7, 2011: • There are now 2/3 as many “nones” as Catholics, nearly as many “nones” as Baptists. • Their number is now more than twice that of Methodists, and more than 9 times that of Jews or Mormons.

  10. More Bad News • CNN.com, March 23, 2011: • “Organized religion will ‘be driven toward extinction’ in 9 countries, experts predict” • “‘Unaffiliated’ is the fastest-growing group” in Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Switzerland (based on 100 years of census data) • U.S. census data does not ask about religion.

  11. More Bad News • CNN.com, March 23, 2011: • “Majority Effect” - “People are more likely to switch to groups with more members. ... Just a few connections to people who are (religiously) unaffiliated is enough to drive the effect.” • “Utility Effect” - There are social, economic, and political advantages to being unaffiliated in the countries where affiliation is in decline.

  12. Macro/Micro • Churches are getting ... • Bigger and bigger (larger = more sustainable / high impact / UMC’s Path1 / Antioch Project / “too big to fail” ?) ... AND ... • Smaller and smaller (smaller = more sustainable / high touch) ... AND ... • Many people are leaving church for good!

  13. Middle? • Churches in the middle ... • 70-100 in worship attendance with paid staffare going to be increasingly unsustainable • This represents most of our existing CCDOC churches(and most churches in the U.S. - median church = 75)

  14. Some Good News • A Decade of Change (2000-2010) - Hartford Institute for Religion Research: • Congregations that were “innovative” and “contemporary” showed the highest amount of “high spiritual vitality”

  15. Some Good News • A Decade of Change (2000-2010) - Hartford Institute for Religion Research: • Congregations that were at the theological extremes also showed the highest amount of “high spiritual vitality”(with “Very Liberal” churches on top!)

  16. The Economy of Church • Brad Cecil - Funding The Missional Church: • “The development and growth of the consumer church has peaked and is now in decline.” • Consumer church asks donors to fund the attractional worship event. • Donors respond by giving outside the church to social service. They are still giving - just not to church.

  17. The Economy of Church • Brad Cecil - Funding The Missional Church: • “The postmodern transition and the development of missional theologies has caused a return to social action and donors are responding.” • Donors give when they are asked to give. • Donors are concerned about organizational efficiency. • Giving something back is a powerful motivator.

  18. The Economy of Church • Brad Cecil - Funding The Missional Church: • It is not true that wealthy donors “simply write a check” - they want to volunteer and be hands on/involved. • Get people engaged/participating and they will give more financially!

  19. The Economy of Church • Brad Cecil - Funding The Missional Church: • Be generous - give yourself. • Ask / Don’t be afraid to talk about money. • Talk about percentages beside 10%. • Be thankful, be thankful, be thankful!

  20. The Economy of Church • Brad Cecil - Funding The Missional Church: • People are not motivated by needs. • Donors care about unique missional opportunities that make a difference in the world. • Donors give to change lives - so learn to tell stories of changed lives.

  21. Bi- / Tri- / Multi-Vocational • The New Normal for many new church planters

  22. Co-Pastoring • Modeling for your congregation “the priesthood of all believers”

  23. Startup Mentality • Matt Haughey, MetaFilter.com • Self-fund to get started • Don’t be a free user • Explore as many funding avenues as you can • Keep your day job

  24. Some of the New Forms • Emergent/Emerging • Small/Simple/Organic/House Church • Neo-Monastic/Intentional Communities • Hyphenated (Dmergent)/”Fresh Expressions” • Internet-Based • Missional Business

  25. Emergent/Emerging • Emmaus Way (Durham, NC) • Jacob’s Well (Kansas City, MO) • Journey (Dallas, TX) • Solomon’s Porch (Minneapolis, MN) • The Refuge (Broomfield, CO)

  26. House Church • House2House.com • CMAresources.org - Neil Cole • weare3DM.com - “missional communities” model

  27. Neo-Monasticism • Living in intentional community • Rule of Life • 12 marks of neo-monastic communities - newmonasticism.org

  28. Neo-Monasticism • The Simple Way (Philadelphia, PA) - Shane Claiborne • Rutba House (Durham, NC) - Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove • Hyaets (Charlotte, NC) - Greg & Helms Jarrell • ConspireMagazine.com • CommunityofCommunities.info

  29. Hyphenated • Denominational/Affiliated with a Tradition • Angli-mergent (Episcopal) • D-mergent (Disciples of Christ) • Luther-mergent (ELCA Lutheran) • Metho-mergent (United Methodist) • Presby-mergent (PCUSA)

  30. Hyphenated • Church of the Apostles (Anglimergent/Luthermergent) • Grace Commons (Presbymergent) • Hot Metal Bridge (Methomergent/Presbymergent) • House for All Saints and Sinners (Luthermergent) • St. Lydia’s (Anglimergent/Luthermergent)

  31. Hyphenated • Dmergent churches: • funding from regions • sale of church buildings/properties

  32. Hyphenated • Dmergent churches: • Open Hearts Gathering (Gastonia, NC) • The Eucatastrophe (Fort Worth, TX) • The Table (Berkeley, CA)

  33. Hyphenated • Dmergent alternative worship gatherings: • funding from a larger, more established Disciples church • may include “nesting” congregations(“church within a church” model)

  34. Hyphenated • Dmergent alternative worship gatherings: • The Search (Fort Worth, TX) • The Table (Dallas, TX) • Zeteo (Houston, TX)

  35. Internet • DarkwoodBrew.com • Countryside Community Church (UCC), Omaha, NE

  36. Missional Business • Lockerbie Central United Methodist Church (Indianapolis) • Earth House Collective - art & music venue, live concert and event venue

  37. Missional Business • Vintage Faith Church (Santa Cruz, CA) • emerging church turned Presbymergent • The Abbey coffee, art & music lounge

  38. Missional Business • The Urban Shepherd (Modesto, CA) • The Urban Sheep - yarn store

  39. Missional Business • The Chalice Abbey (Amarillo, TX) • fair trade store and center for spirituality and arts • Dmergent hybrid (startup funds from region)

  40. Let’s Connect • Steve Knight, Minister for Missional InitiativesHope Partnership for Missional Transformation • sknight@hopepmt.org • hopepmt.org / hopepartnership.com • facebook.com/hopepartnership • @hopemissional / @knightopia on Twitter

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