Avoiding Burnout

A couple of months ago another minister asked me how you avoid burnout in ministry. My response was that at least the following four things must be in place (I believe these to be true and necessary for all of us whatever our vocation in life and in fact are necessary if we are to mature as Disciples of Christ):

1.      Do the internal work:

If we are to mature as Disciples of Christ then at some point we must allow God to look deep within us and to surface our hidden drivers and wounds. All of us have “drivers (motivators)” within us – some are healthy and some very unhealthy. Even the healthy drivers, if not understood, can lead us to overdo something and burnout. Understanding what is important to us, what we avoid, why we respond positively or not so positively to people and situations is critical to emotional and spiritual health. The book “Emotionally Healthy Church” by Peter Scazzero has some great tools for helping us do this (you can order one from the bookshop). Often we also need a trusted counsellor or friend who is good at asking questions that take us deeper than we would normally go.

There really is no way of avoiding this journey if we want to keep maturing in Christ and if we want to protect against burnout.

2.      Ensure you have times of re-creation:

Fun, friendship and faith are actually the keys to this. I am absolutely convinced that having fun is one of God’s keys for emotional wellbeing – it is as important as sleep. What do you do each week that you really enjoy – that is fun for you?

Healthy friendships where you don’t have to wear a mask but are free to genuinely be yourself are also important in being renewed emotionally.

So too is faith – and not just faith as an abstract concept – but faith as a growing relationship with God that is renewed by taking the time to be still, alone, reflect on scripture and wait on God – listening to His whisper of love to us.

3.      Clarifying the unique way God has designed you to serve:

For me this has meant looking closely at what my role as Senior Minister involves and what my unique gifts/strengths are. I have then identified where these intersect and seek to focus the majority of my time on these. I call them my four ‘big rocks’ – the things I am uniquely designed to do in my role here at Logan and they get first priority in my allocation of time.

What are you passionate about? What do you do well? What is unique about you? How are these finding expression in your daily vocation (paid or unpaid work)?

If you don’t answer these questions you will end up doing everything and nothing (feeling like you are not really contributing anything worthwhile) and/or being constantly driven by the expectations of others

4.      Ensure you have people who encourage you to do the above three things:

This is where “intentional faith filled friendships” (meeting with 2 other people of the same gender for accountability, encouragement and prayer) and/or “faith life groups” come into play.

I find it helpful to have people who encourage me to take time for fun and re-creation when they see I need it. It has been important to have people who ask the hard questions regarding what I am doing about my internal work. I meet in an intentional faith filled friendship where each week we talk about what we have learnt in our times with God and answer a great question: “what don’t you want to talk about?” It has also been helpful to have others affirm my choices in prioritising my ministry (around the “4 big rocks”) as there are times it means I will say no to people or not meet certain expectations.

I hope these insights are helpful.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

On Sunday the 27^th June I reminded us of 2 seemingly dichotomous truths:

1.      You are more amazing, wonderful and gifted than you have yet embraced and celebrated (see Psalm 139: 14)

2.      You are more broken and messed up than you will ever realise (see 1John 1: 8)

We must keep walking into both of these truths so that we do live out God’s unique call on our life and participate in His kingdom in the way God has designed us to; AND so that we don’t fall into the trap of pride and defensiveness but remain dependent upon God’s grace and live as instruments of God’s grace.

In our series ‘broken and beautiful’ you and I have been invited to face our brokenness and not hide from it; to walk into our pain and not run from it. This facing our brokenness is not an excuse for bad behaviour or a wallowing in self-pity or guilt. Rather it is the means by which we live in the space of dependency upon God’s loving grace and in the space of gracious loving kindness toward others. Think of the picture of the prodigal son - held in the Father’s loving embrace. This is where you and I are to live. Not as elder sons – aloof and distant and unable to face our brokenness or accept others in theirs. Nor as the younger sons, living in rebellion - covering up our pain with self-centred living and/or extreme busyness.

We can then say with Paul “follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1) and “I am the worst of sinners” (1 Tim 1: 15, 16) without false pride or false humility, but as a genuine gracious truth. We find ourselves celebrating God’s incredible grace – living with genuine joy and joyful obedience to God. We also find ourselves able to relate more lovingly and honestly with all people.  

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

PS I was privileged to see a pre-release showing of the film “Freedom” which is the story of the underground railway in America which helped thousands of slaves travel across the border to Canada to find freedom. It is intertwined with the story of John Newton (the slave trader who when converted wrote “Amazing Grace”). This is an independent film that will be released in cinemas on the 21^st August. Movie theatres will decide whether to keep the film running, depending upon how many go to see it in the first four days. It is an uplifting story that reminds us of the brokenness of humanity and God’s grace to save. Have a look at http://themoviefreedom.com and consider supporting this initiative. 

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s

    womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and

    wonderfully made;
    your workmanship is marvellous
    and how well I know it.

(Psalm 139: 13-14)

Let me encourage you to honestly and courageously reflect on:

What is wonderful about you?

What is amazing about you?

What is it about you that reflects the wonder and creativity of God?

When we undertook this exercise on Sunday the 6^th July, I had feedback afterwards that some people found it hard to do because they were so afraid of pride and thinking too highly of themselves. My response is that humility is NOT about putting ourselves down but lifting others up. True humility involves recognising and celebrating the unique and special person you are and honouring everyone you meet as even more unique and special – genuinely honouring them and lifting them up.

The other reflection that came out of this exercise is that “we can’t celebrate our worth until we know where our sense of unworthiness comes from.” I think this is true. All of us have in some way received messages throughout our lives that we are not good enough. Some of us have been terribly put down and abused by significant others. It is necessary to identify and face these experiences and the unhealthy messages we have taken on board, so we can lay them at God’s feet, receive Abba God’s healing grace and love, and accept His view of us which is that we are fearfully and wonderfully made – absolutely precious to Him.

Remember that your uniqueness is God’s gift to the world.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Come follow me

Keech’s Korner (1-6-14)

“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of people.” At once they left their nets and followed him”                                                               (Matthew 4: 18-20)

The call of Jesus to Simon and Andrew is the same call Jesus makes to you and I. We are called to:

·         Say yes to Jesus – learning from and obeying him     (“Come follow me”)  

·         Be transformed by Jesus                                             (“I will make you”)   

·         Join in Jesus’ work                                                      (“fishers of people”)  

What are the practices you engage in that ensure you are continuing to learn from Jesus? What does it look like for you to be open every day for Jesus to transform you in his love – perhaps through other people who challenge and/or encourage you?                                  How are you joining in Jesus work of taking every opportunity to bring good to others and to participate with the Spirit in helping them move a bit closer to God?

One more question:

If success equals the people we are discipling, discipling others - how are you encouraging your friends (the people you are discipling) in participating in Jesus’work?

On the 15^th and 22^nd June from 10-30 am to 1-00pm we have the privilege of hosting the “Share Jesus without Fear” training seminar. This training tool has been developed by William Fay who in his own words “… was the president and CEO of a multimillion-dollar international corporation. I had ties with the mob and owned one of the larger houses of prostitution in the United States. I was involved in racketeering, bookmaking and gambling. I had a gold Rolex, chauffeured limo, money, my fourth wife and … I felt I had everything the world said spelled success. And I mocked anyone who dared share his faith in God with me.” (p. 1 “Share Jesus without Fear”).

It was through the faithfulness of a Christian that William met at his racquetball club - who put up with William’s constant questions (trying to annoy him); and who 18 months later, when William’s world was rattled, showed gracious care - that William was gradually led to Christ.

Some people naturally have the gift of evangelism, most of us don’t. The training seminar equips us with questions to ask that will help the people we are in relationship with take the step of saying Yes to Christ.

The seminar will be led by Aaron Trevis (who is connected with the Gideons). I know I will learn and grow through it and believe you will as well.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keec

At our AGM on the 6^th April we had a great discussion around finances, staff and also the role all of us can play in encouraging children and young people in their growth in Christ.

In this notices you will see a summary of our budget and finances to date. I thought I would supplement this information by reminding us of the decisions we made last year regarding staffing.

In the light of Glen finishing with us last year, we spent over 3 months as a church praying and discussing the way God was shaping us for the future. This took place in life groups, focus groups, leadership community and through individual responses. As a result we made the decision not to fill Glen’s position as it stood but to reshape our leadership model. The conclusion we came to was that instead of replacing Glen we would put on 2 more part time staff (a part time office secretary and a part time youth worker). 

This would allow us to move the Resource Pastor position to that of Executive Minister (giving the role a more strategic, systems, organisational dimension) and to have Tim Robinson focus on the discipleship life of the church (particularly through life groups and IFFF’s). The 3^rd member of the Senior Leadership team would focus on the gathered life of our church (corporate worship, prayer, spirituality, care etc.). In this way the 3 dimensions of LUC – the institutional; scattered, organic discipleship; and the gathered, would be further enhanced.                                            

Our model will look something like:

Evangelism-Discipleship Minister – Tim R –                                           Associate Minister  

Congregational Life Minister (across all campuses)                               Snr Minister

Executive Minister/Manager                                                               

Other Staff

Children and Families Pastor (17 hrs per week)                                      current

Springwood Music and Creative Arts Coordinator (15 hrs per week)      current

Secretary/admin support (24 hrs per week)                                             new

Youth/young adult (16 hrs per week)                                                        new

Spiritual Director, Calvary Christian College

(fulltime placement – funded by the College)                                           current

Recovery Pastor (18 hrs per week – funded through couns centre)       current

Pitstop (15 hrs per week – government funded)                                      current

Note: this model is approximately $15,600 cheaper per year than the staffing model we were using until Glen finished (which included 3 Ministerial placements and a fulltime Resource Pastor).  

A few years ago I did some research on staffing ratios in churches (within the Uniting Church and beyond) and discovered that for a church our size and complexity you would expect to be funding the equivalent of about 4.5 to 5 fulltime staff. We are currently funding (through tithes and offerings) the equivalent of 3.8 fulltime staff and with the restructure would be funding the equivalent of 4.8 fulltime staff (although the cost financially is approximately the equivalent of 4.1 fulltime stipends as the Pastors, Youth worker and Office secretary receive less than the stipend for an Ordained Minister).

It is also worth noting that the first priority is to find a new Senior Minister. The above model may change a little depending on the gifting this person brings.

It is also vital to remember that the role of Ministry staff is not to “do the work of ministry” but to be the connection, resourcing, support people for the “work of ministry” God is doing through every one of us.

Please pray for the Joint Nominating Committee as they look for our new Senior Minister. Also please seek God regarding your tithes and offerings. We, the church, function only because of God’s grace working through each of our faithfulness.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

A clear call

 Over the last 2 weekends I had the privilege of engaging in 2 conferences focussed on mission and evangelism. The first was the “Fire” conference which we co-sponsored with Springwood Church of Christ – featuring Paul Gibbs and Lindsay and Myk McKenzie. The second was the Uniting Church “A Clear Call” conference in Adelaide – featuring John and Olive Drane who are very involved with the “fresh expressions” movement in the Church of England, UK.

There were 3 things that struck me out of these weekends:

1. Encouragement. I was greatly encouraged regarding the journey we have been on in shaping church around incarnational mission and relational discipleship.

Incarnational Mission = instead of trying to get people to join us we go and serve and witness where people are at. Examples through LUC are: people participating in building God’s kingdom in their workplaces; people caring for neighbours or people they meet at the gym or on the bus or …; providing breakfast at the local schools; going out on street vans and serving homeless where they hang out etc.

Relational Discipleship = recognising that discipleship requires “life on life”: that is, discipleship involves engagement in relationships that are genuinely honest and encouraging. Such relationships include reflecting together on the bible and what God is saying to us personally, being honest about how we are or aren’t participating in God’s purposes, encouraging each other in incarnational mission; working together and supporting each other through life issues etc.

2. Disciples of Jesus disciple others. I have been reminded of the need for all of us to take responsibility for discipling others. One of the mistakes we can make is that when someone shows any interest in God we think the next step is to invite them to a Sunday service and/or to try to connect them with others who can help them grow. In reality, if we have a relationship with them then we need to own the responsibility of seeking to disciple them. Our IFFF questions and the Discipleship Pathway offer some tools that can assist us in this.

3.Be ready to try innovative things as God makes us aware of the need. At the conference in (Cont  P2)

Adelaide we heard the story of a 70 plus year old lady who recognised that physically she couldn’t do as much as she once did but after 50 years as a follower of Jesus she could pray for people. In her village in England there was regular “spiritual fair” and she decided to set up a little booth and offer free prayer for people. The response was amazing as young mums, in particular, sort her out. In another story a church in rural England was dying with a congregation of 6 people all over 80 years of age. There was nowhere in their village for young mums and children to meet so they converted their church building into a children’s indoor play gym with coffee etc. The relationships developed through this have become “church” for many.

We are seeing these innovative responses taking place through the life groups and ministries of LUC as people take initiatives in connecting with the YMCA school at Kingston (serving the students and families); as a life group takes responsibility for connecting with and encouraging another ministry of LUC; as people become aware of a neighbour in need and involve their life group or IFFF in helping them out; as member of LUC takes the initiative to help a mate who lost a child through Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytis  by organising a group of people to get involved in “tough mudder” and raise money for the leukaemia foundation – bringing a sense of community and purpose to his friend and others; and so on.

I am greatly encouraged by the incredible gift we have at LUC of people who are willing to continue to grow and stretch as disciples of Christ who make disciples.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Priorities

Happy New Year

Many years ago a friend said to me that the most important voices are often the quietest. I have found this to be true; particularly with God and my family. For all of us, the demands of work, life, mortgages, sport, church, other people etc. can be very loud and constant; whereas God is often the still small voice. At times our spouse’s or children’s voices can also seem less important and not as loud as the other pressures and demands on us.

A couple of years ago I was talking with a colleague who was struggling with the demands of the church and the needs of his wife and children. My advice was that, “more often than not you will not be able to avoid disappointing someone; so make sure you deliberately choose who it will be. And whatever you do, don’t disappoint your wife and children too often. Choose to disappoint other people more often than them.”

My encouragement for 2014 is to regularly stand back and check your priorities and ensure God and your Spouse/family are at the top of the list AND that your actual allocation of time reflects this.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech   

As I look back at this year the thing I celebrate most is the way in which you/we ARE being the church of Jesus Christ. For a few years now we have been moving strongly away from seeing church as an event on Sunday but rather living church as “3 or more people in a covenant commitment to grow in Christ and make Christ known.” 

I remember in 2011 when we pushed into this through the “What is Church – Really?” series, that it was an unsettling and confusing time for many people. What is fantastic is that we are seeing the good fruit of what it looks like to be church in this relational way of being, rather than simply coming to church as an event on Sunday.

I can tell you story after story after story after story of the way in which individuals and groups have cared deeply for others (both within the church and beyond) in costly and powerful ways. At times this has involved assisting financially (into the thousands of dollars); helping out practically; listening well; going the extra mile; showing God’s love through little and big acts of kindness; taking risks in sharing Christ with others; making a positive difference in the     workplace or community; helping people move from a belief in God to a living relationship with Christ; and so on. PRAISE GOD – AWESOME JOB CHURCH!

In the December Rochedale SS & Springwood SS Chaplaincy Newsletter the following paragraph highlights this:                                                                                                                                             

“One family from Springwood Central have really done it tough this term. After losing their house and almost everything they owned in a fire, they have struggled to get back on their feet. Fortunately, our Springwood Central and wider community    (especially Logan Uniting Church) has rallied behind them and donated many items of clothing, toys, food and furniture to help them out…”                   

Just last week one of our life groups also ran a free sausage sizzle at the Springwood Central School Christmas Concert. This is just a very small example of the way in which you as Logan Uniting Church are serving the wider community.

I have also appreciated the clearer understanding of the place of our Sunday worship gathering that has been lived out this year. Sunday is when we gather as church to celebrate God and His goodness; to      celebrate what God has been doing in and through us; to be encouraged and equipped in our discipleship; to be reminded of our call to “draw people into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ”. 

It has also been important to remember that we don’t come as spectators, sitting back like judges on “Australia’s Got Talent”, giving a tick to what we like and a cross for what we don’t. Rather we come as participants who are seeking to bring joy to God and others.

As we drive home the conversation should not be about what we did or didn’t like but about the way/s in which we blessed God and/or someone else. I have to say that for me the sense of God’s grace and presence is continuing to grow – and it will continue to do so as we gather as participants not   spectators.

All in all I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for your faithfulness to Christ. It is an incredible privilege and joy to live and serve alongside you.

Merrett and I pray you become increasingly aware of God’s presence, love and activity this Christmas.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

X Men

On the 1^st December we begin our first week of Advent. Advent is a time of expectant waiting for the coming of Christ. This includes celebrating his coming over 2000 years ago as a baby born in Bethlehem and also Christ’s coming again at the end of time.

In preparing our theme for advent we bounced around a whole lot of ideas including “Putting the ‘X’ back into Xmas” (X is the first letter of the Greek Xristos – meaning Christ - and has been used since the earliest days of Christianity as an abbreviation for Christ; and in fact the abbreviation Xmas was first introduced centuries ago by Christian scholars) or “The X-Factor”; but settled on “X Men - Days of Christmas Past”.

This is a take-off from a movie that will come out in 2014 called “X-Men Days of Future Past” based on the comic book version written in 1981. For those who don’t follow the X-Men series it is the story of people who have mutated genes that give them extraordinary powers. The people we will look at throughout Advent didn’t have extraordinary powers but they did play a significant role in preparing us for the coming of Christ – they were truly X (Christ) men. As we allow Isaiah, Zechariah, Joseph and Simeon to speak to us, I pray we will become more open to allowing the Holy Spirit use us in making Christ known to others.

During this Christmas season there are numerous opportunities for you to invite your pre-Christian friends to participate in fun, friendship and faith. Our Carols night on the 8^th Dec will be very family friendly; the Fishers of Men dinner is a great opportunity to invite your pre-Christian friends to be involved in serving others; and our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services will call us to the centre of all things – Christ our Lord.

Don’t come alone this Christmas – bring your friends and help them experience the gift of God’s love – Christ.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Caring Well

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4: 7-8)

This verse and so many like it in the bible have been the inspiration for our series on “Caring Well”. There is only one true expression/test of genuine spirituality and that is love (see also 1 Cor 13).

On Sunday the 3^rd November, Graham Hill presented this diagram as a model for understanding the different dimensions of care: 

I found this incredibly insightful and helpful.

On Sunday the 10^th November, I shared that for me the twin skills of listening well and asking helpful questions are the “wings that fly the plane of love”.

People feel incredibly accepted when they are listened to: “Being truly, seriously listened to feels like a welcome and precious gift” (Mackay H. 2010, “What makes us tick? The ten desires that drive us.” Sydney, NSW: Hachette; p. 29).                                                        

To love well ultimately means seeking what is best for the other and this happens when we listen well and ask open ended questions that invites the other person into a journey of discovery.

Listening well and asking helpful questions also ensures that whatever practical help we offer is truly an expression of love that does what is best for the other and not simply what we think they need.

Below are 2 simple exercises that you can practice with your spouse, friend, children, in your life group etc. When we practice these skills we are better prepared at the right time in conversations to reflect back what we are hearing in a way that is empowering to the other; and/or to ask the right question at the right time that helps them indentify God’s grace at work and a possible way forward for them.

1. Set aside 10-15 min. Agree that one person will speak and the other person will reflect back as best they can what the other person is saying.

Begin by asking: “What is impacting you most at the moment and how does that make you feel?”

From this moment on you can ONLY reflect back what the other person says and perhaps ask one of the following 2 questions: what else is happening for you? OR how does that make you feel?  

DO NOT COMMENT, PROBLEM SOLVE, OR DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN REFLECT BACK WHAT YOU HEAR

When the person seems to be finished ask them: “What is the most important thing you would like me to remember from this conversation?”

My wife and I regularly engage in this exercise and find it creates a sacred space of honouring the other. I have also found by doing this I am better able in conversations with others to, at the right time, reflect back something significant I have heard and in doing so watch the other person’s eyes light up because someone has listened and understood.

2.      2. Set aside 10 to 15 min and agree that one person will speak and the other will ONLY ask open ended questions (How...? What...? In what way...?) The person speaking simply begins talking about their day and the one listening asks questions that seek to explore more about the day and what was happening for the person in the events that happened - What drew them closer to God? What moved them away from God? etc.

DO NOT PROBLEM SOLVE, OR DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN ASK QUESTIONS

 As a listener don’t be afraid of silences in this exercise. If you get stuck simply acknowledge that and say to the person “I am not sure what to ask next – what would be helpful for you to explore further...?”

When I do this exercise in groups I often put people in 3’s. The third person observes and at the end of the conversation reflects back what they saw happening; which questions were closed or open; which question/s led to the most energy or insight from the other person etc. People then swap roles until each has had a turn.

Whilst asking open ended questions that invite discovery sounds easy; my experience with the above exercise is that all of ask more closed questions than we realise. Closed questions are not wrong and people rarely answer them with a yes or a no. If you observe closely, however, you will notice that the answer given to a closed question stays on the surface and rarely goes deeper into discovery.

Doing these exercises may at first seem strange but I can guarantee they will be life giving; AND you will be better equipped to love well. Loving well more fully honours God and blesses others than anything else does.

Have fun

Graham Keech

The importance of quiet (Guest Post from Tim Bennett)

I don’t really like being quiet.  I am not a huge fan of sitting still for long periods of time.  I like to do things…talk to people…read the news…watch movies….listen to LOUD music….check Facebook.  But I am learning that God’s design for us is that we need what the Bible calls a “Sabbath” – time to be quiet and to rest.  This is when God seems to meet us – and in the world we live in, achieving this is really hard.

Last Saturday 18 people attended a workshop with Dr Jane Simon where they learned some of the skills we need to be able to sit quietly, pray and meditate.  Then on Tuesday, the staff from LUC spent a day on Coochimudlo Island on a spiritual retreat where we learned and practiced these disciplines as well. (with our leader “Keechie-mudlo”).

One of the activities I chose to do was to reflect on the passage of Scripture in 1 Kings 19 where Elijah finds God in the still, small voice.  I wrote some things down and finished before the time allotted.  I stood up to walk to the other side of the verandah where I was sitting and this is when God really started to speak to me.  I spotted a Kookaburra sitting on the fence next door waiting for a storm to pass.  He was perfectly still and perfectly quiet.

I realized that the Kookaburra – more than any other creature in Australia – loves to laugh and be noisy.  He has a good noisy laugh with his friends every morning and another one every evening.  However, the Kookaburra relies on total silence and total stillness for his very survival.  If the Kookaburra cannot remain still and quiet, he cannot catch his lunch and he starves.

I heard the still small voice of God challenging me with the same thought…there is nothing wrong with laughter, talk and activity – but - without times of necessary quiet, my busy-ness will make me sick and tired and I will slowly starve.

One of the things that you are going to keep hearing from us as a church is the concept of “living to a different rhythm.”  It’s counter-cultural…it goes against the prevailing wisdom of “always be busy.”  God was serious enough about a Sabbath rest that in the Old Testament that He didn’t just recommend it – He commanded it!  As a community we are slowly rediscovering the necessity of some form of Sabbath where we are quiet and still.

I am not good at this.  I am learning along with you to rest and be quiet and still.  My prayer for you this week is that you find that place of stillness and quiet; that God meets you there and that you find the rest and peace that you need to continue engaging with your day to day responsibilities.

Tim (Bennett)

Ps.  There is another half day prayer and meditation retreat coming up on Saturday Nov 23 from 9:00am to 12:30pm.  Call 3387 5777 or email info@luc.org.au for more information.

Tim and I have just arrived back from our time in Los Angeles. It was an extremely worthwhile experience. We visited 5 different churches and had the privilege of spending time with either one of the Pastors or in the case of the Dream Centre – participating in one of their mission outreaches (they serve 50 000 people per month with food and care). We also attended pre-conference seminars (Tim went to one on Discipleship and I went to one on the Nuts and Bolts of church planting) as well as the Exponential West Conference itself.

The churches we visited and the churches represented at the conference were from a very wide cross section of styles. There were church movements that were based solely on small groups and one on one discipleship, through to churches that were completely focused on the Sunday gathering and their only concern was to get people baptised; and every model and approach in-between.

One of the most helpful churches we visited was NewCity Church, which is now five years old. They are genuinely multi-ethnic and multi-socioeconomic. They are about 1/3 Hispanic, 1/3 Afro-American and 1/3 White, with people from Skid Row to young up and coming “Yuppies” in the congregation. In fact ALL their small groups reflect this cross section of cultures and backgrounds. They are currently about 400 strong with a very similar theology and understanding of God’s purposes to us. In the last 5 years they have been through 2 re-inventions of their small groups. 

They first started their small groups around bible study and care but soon found this became too insular and inward focussed. They then transitioned their groups to call them “grow and serve” groups – they meet weekly and at least once per month are required to engage in some mission/service activity. Just recently they have begun to implement one on one mentoring/discipling within the groups

"The one clear message that came through was that whatever the style of church; if discipleship wasn’t the backbone then we were going nowhere for the Kingdom of God."

By discipleship we mean helping people know and obey Jesus (head), be transformed by Jesus (heart) and live out Jesus purpose of witnessing and serving (hands). It was also very clear that growing as disciples of Jesus requires “life on life” relationships (in the way Jesus did it) – relationships that are highly honest and encouraging and focused on helping each other grow in Christ and make Christ known. These can take the shape of one on one mentoring, IFFF’s (as we call the groups of 3 men or 3 women) or life groups; but the Sunday gathering or the “classroom” style of teaching alone will not result in genuine discipleship. 

All in all it was a very encouraging time as we found the direction God has been leading us as a church confirmed. Tim and I also found our passion for God’s work renewed and came back with some important questions to help us clarify even further the vision God has for us, who are Logan Uniting Church.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Discipleship and revisioning

I am sure you have heard or read that Church Council has made the decision to look for the person who will take over my role as Senior Minister. This is a decision I fully support and this means I will finish my time with Logan Uniting at the end of 2014. If you asked me how I feel about this, the answer is that initially half of me was at peace with a deep sense of God’s leading in this decision; and the other half was deeply sad that my time with you and the incredible work God is doing with and through LUC was going to come to an end. Whilst the sadness will come back again, I find myself at the moment excited by the way in which this decision powerfully leads us into the future as a church.

It is time for us to be re-visioning and developing a new strategic plan that will help us keep growing as a disciple making movement (“Drawing people into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ”), but I have not sensed the prompt of God to engage in this. I now see why. I believe God will call the person who will replace me to lead us through this process. My role will be to support them and you in building on the great vision and culture God has built into Logan Uniting Church. This will be a very healthy process that ensures you and the future Senior Minister continue to walk strongly into God’s future together.

For now, Church Council and I are convinced that we have to keep making discipleship (growing in trusting and obeying Jesus AND giving ourselves to help those who don’t know Christ come to faith in Him) the centre of what we are on about as a church. We are also convinced that in this call to discipleship we have to keep learning how to live to a different rhythm than the busy-ness we so easily find ourselves in. We must create space for genuine relationship with God, with other believers and with those who don’t yet know Christ. This life of space and grace and relationship is very counter cultural and requires us to constantly re-evaluate our priorities and ask Jesus what it is he would have us do.

To assist with this we have organised two, half day retreats on the 26^th Oct and the 23^rd Nov at the Springwood Ministry Centre. These will run from 9-00am to 12-30 pm and are designed to give you the opportunity for deliberate space with God and to equip you in enhancing your own practices of time out with the Lord. Please make these a priority.

As you are also aware, Tim R and I are in Los Angeles attending a “discipleshift” conference. This is extremely timely and I believe will encourage us in the direction we are walking in as a church. Whilst we are away, the rest of the Ministry leadership team and Rev Dennis Robinson are available to assist if it is required.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech