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March 25, 2009

 

 

 



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To the Point

Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist that there is no God.
 - Heywood Broun

The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way.
 - Bertrand Russell

A motion to adjourn is always in order.
 - Robert Heinlein

The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments.
 - Friedrich Nietzsche

There must be more to life than having everything.
 - Maurice Sendak

Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them.
  - Robertson Davies

Making duplicate copies and computer printouts of things no one wanted even one of in the first place is giving America a new sense of purpose.
  - Andy Rooney

For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three.
 - Alice Kahn

It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them.
 - Isabel Colegate

Punctuality is the virtue of the bored.
 - Evelyn Waugh
Mike TempleTracking What Works - And What Doesn't - in Outreach
Michael Temple, Dakota Conference

"I've learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success."  - Jack Welch

In October of 2008 we began renting an indoor mall space that we call the "Community Event Center." We spent some serious sweat equity in painting, re-carpeting, and re-working the space, but God continues to open doors of opportunities to reach out to the communities that we serve in some pretty amazing ways.

Already we've held a cookie decorating class, an eBay seminar, a Quit Now™ smoking cessation clinic, free concerts, and beginner computer classes. We've purchased 6 laptops, and have completely outfitted a small conference room with a conference table, wide screen flat panel television and rolling conference chairs. With the simple décor and business style environment, it makes a perfect venue for getting together with people in a non-threatening way.

Upcoming events include a "Fire-Proofing Your Marriage" small group, "Financial Peace" seminar, beginner guitar lessons, a "Healthy Snacking" class for busy parents, and the list goes on and on. The Community Event Center is a very busy place, and we're learning what is (and what isn't) working.

I am fortunate to work in a conference where this type of creative outreach is encouraged and supported. Our message stays the same, but the methods we use in conveying that message can and should change depending on the target audience we're attempting to reach. Check out this quote: "New methods must be introduced. God's people must awaken to the necessity of the time in which they are living." (Evangelism, p. 70) Whether we have a "win," or our idea completely bombs, there is value in learning what does (and doesn't) work.

To make sure we're transparent and responsible, I'm tracking our progress publicly in a blog called, "What's Working In Outreach." I share our successes and failures candidly and without apologies. Admittedly, I'd rather just share our successes but my heart tells me that there is value in seeing what doesn't work, too. This is an experiment in outreach analysis. Through the blog, I'm sharing real-time results, both good and bad.

Would you continue this discussion with me at the Night Owl Café Weblog? I'd like to know: how do you track the performance of your outreach programs? Should we do a cost-benefit analysis for outreach activities?

Mike Temple pastors a three-church district in North and South Dakota. Read his blog at www.whatsworkinginoutreach.com.
Reading for Pastors
by Best Practices Editor, Loren Seibold

According to a recent study, Christians are more likely to fight death to the end with extreme life-extending measures.

Hookers for Jesus? A "sin city" congregation partners with an ex-prostitute to bring women in off the streets. Do watch the video!

Have you ever considered that our signing marriage licenses makes us agents of government? That's why in some countries, civil unions are separate from religious weddings. Now some Californians are suggesting the same thing happen in their state!

What does Christianity say about political power? Or to put it another way, what would John Calvin say to Dick Cheney?

Sorting out the testaments: What's our Adventist hermeneutic for what we use from the Old Testament-and what we don't? Here's another take on the same topic from Shawn Brace.
Resources, Ideas and Events
Compiled by Best Practices Editor, Loren Seibold
  • Joey Pollum shared these two interesting websites:
    • www.adventistroommates.org -  A way to find someone to share lodging: students, families in need, temporary housing for colporteurs or missionaries.
    • www.sabbathdinner.org - Do a search in city/state for who is having Sabbath dinner: save people from having to eat out on Sabbath, and meet new people for dinner.
  • From Marilyn Renk: "Mark your calendar for NAD-IAD Health Summit Orlando, 2010 -January 24 - February 7.  'Optimal Health for the 21st Century' will be covered in four separate tracks of training with many new seminars being offered. Watch for more information."
Got a tool, resource, site, article, idea or seminar that you like a lot? Share it with us at BestPractices@ameritech.net.
NAD Events
Do you have an SDA-sponsored event that you'd like to invite NAD pastors to? Tell us about it at BestPractices@ameritech.net.
NAD Church RESOURCE Center
Best Practices is an e-publication of Vervent
NAD CHURCH RESOURCE CENTER
Editor: Loren Seibold
Senior Pastor, Worthington Ohio Seventh-day Adventist Church
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