Exposed :: Lessons Learned from the Last 12 Months

• 60% of churches across the country have an average of 60 people.
• What might happen if every local church, every congregation, every pastor in rural communities would light up, ignite?
• Nothing man-made, but the fire of God from the hand, altar and Spirit of God… what would happen?
• Many do not try because they are convinced it can’t be done because it’s never been tried.
• Every now and then God calls a leader to dance the fine line between insanity and radical faith
• Someone needs to manifest faith alive to us.
• What would happen if we weren’t trapped by what is and what’s happened?
• Are our prayers too small?
• It’s time for a God-sized dreamed and a God-sized vision?
• It all starts NOW.

The Church Has Changed…

• “I have a grave concern that church has become a building in America.”
• The consequence is that people drive by and they don’t see the Church.
• We need to open the blinds and let the world see the truth.
• How could Jesus tear down the curtain just for us to put them back up so no on could see our imperfections.
• “Shake us God, move us from the feeling of hamsters on wheels, instead remind us we are your kids chasing after your dreams”
• God’s call for us to come to the world… one that’s really not that excited to see us or welcome us.
• We must stay rooted deeply in God’s Kingdom.
• We need God’s people.
• God’s people need each of us.

5 Stages of Innovation

1. People deny innovation is required.
2. People deny that the innovation is effective.
3. People deny that the innovation is important.
4. People deny the innovation will justify the efford required to adopt it.
5. People accept and adopt the innovation, enjoy its benefit, attribute ti to people other than the innovator, and deny the existence of stages 1-4      - Alexander von Humboldst’s “Three Stage s of Scientific Discovery”

• It’s amazing what you can get done when you don’t care who gets the glory.

Methods Change

• We’ve got methods that need to be modified.
• We begin with the Scripture… that’s what we’ve always done.
• We exegete and apply… read, study, apply.
• We’re in a culture now that’s shifted so dramatically that our old method of teaching doesn’t work.
• You have to consider the culture you are bringing your message to.
• The value people used to place on Scripture has dropped, dramatically.
• The premise of the message is being questioned in our culture.
• Many see the Bible as a good work of fiction.
• It’s no longer the authoritative word of God in people’s eyes.
• People might not get the point at the end of your message because they don’t agree with your opening premise.

A New Method?

1 – Start with Real Life

• It’s worth considering starting with real life.
• What if we started with the human condition?
• Real life, real problems.
• What if we started there, then…

2 – Exegete Life

3 – What Does the Bible Say?

4 – Apply /Illustrate

• There’s only one place in the Bible where Jesus started teaching from the word and ended with application.
• Jesus met people were they were and talked to them where they were.
• He was effective because he listened to people.
• We need to answer questions people are asking.
• When Jesus comes no one will wonder who He is.
• We’ve got to figure out how to apply and illustrate how people are meant to live their lives in this broken world.
• We’ve got to live out for them.
• We’ve got to show them.

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