The DNA Update for United Methodists for Monday, 4 January 2016 - DNA Coaching - Dr. Don Nations of Sarasota, Florida 34238, United States

 The DNA Update for United Methodists for Monday, 4 January 2016 - DNA Coaching - Dr. Don Nations of Sarasota, Florida 34238, United States
The DNA Update for United Methodists, January 2016

The DNA Update for United Methodists
Dr. Don Nations, January 2016
In This Issue:

• What They Do Not Do
• The End of Contemporary Music?

What They Do Not Do
I have had the privilege to work with a church and be a regular participant in its staff meetings over the last several months. I have watched the decision-making process and what it takes to get things done. Having seen how many churches function, this one stands out for what they do not do.
They do not wait for various committees to meet and make decisions, they are empowered to make them. They do not sit around asking if there is enough money to implement an idea; a couple of people around the table know the finances and will raise it if it is ever an issue. They do not simply repeat what was done the previous year (or Sunday); they always do a “good, bad, confusing” discussion and use the feedback to make changes. They do not talk about who might get upset about a decision. In fact, they are clear that connecting with the community and living out the vision and values are more important than making everyone happy. They do not walk on egg shells. Everyone around the table (staff, interns, volunteers) is invited to share their thoughts and ideas and no one is ever put down in front of the group.
To operate in this way requires a lot of trust in individuals and the system. It means egos need to be checked at the door. Values have to be more than aspirational statements and pious platitudes. The focus of the church needs to be clearly outward.
What would it take for your church to operate in a more efficient and effective manner?
The End of Contemporary Music?
There have been several articles recently proclaiming the end of contemporary music and how people are moving back to “good music” (hymns). This mirrors what I have heard some people in declining local churches say as they assure themselves that next year is sure to bring more people looking for the historic Christian faith (the way they do it).
I believe both of these groups are wrong. Megachurches continue to grow and very few of those primarily use traditional worship. Mainline churches close every week while there are more and more non-denominational church plants and new campuses of existing churches starting and it is rare to find one of those primarily using a traditional worship format. More people are growing up without a church background so they can never go back to what they never experienced. More new retirees who are churched have participated in some form of contemporary service and will likely continue to look for this style even if they move to a new community. Organizations such as the Association of Related Churches (ARC) and other church planting movements teach their planters how to connect with unchurched people in their target community and this rarely involves using “traditional worship”.
“Contemporary” and “Traditional” mean a lot of different things to people. One is not inherently better or more spiritual than the other. The style of worship, the format of the service, the way the message is delivered and many other things are (1) tactics for reaching a particular target audience and (2) a reflection of what is authentic for those leading the service.
If we want new people to come to our church then we need to give them a good reason to do so and not simply wait and hope it happens due to something beyond our control.
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