Born To Be Wild The Healthy Missional Church

VITALITY TEAM UPDATE Congregational Vitality is about life, passion and awakening. It is a journey that is both adventurous and treacherous. There are no quick fixes. We don’t drift into congregational vitality. It doesn’t just happen. There comes a point when a congregation makes the Spiritfilled decision to move forward and become a healthy missional church. By “healthy” we mean pursuing Christ. By “missional” we mean pursuing Christ’s priorities in the world.

VITALITY HISTORY: Our church embarked on this vitality pathway in the fall of 2015. We began with a Veritas Workshop, a workshop that introduced the language of vitality, including the four types of churches and the ten healthy missional markers. Over 70% of our church attended that 2 -day workshop!

The Seven Tasks • Establishing a Process of Pervasive Prayer • Creating a Behavioral/Relational Covenant • Finding Our Biblical Story • Communicating Our Progress to the Congregation • Looking at Our History • Completing an Internal Assessment • Completing an External Assessment

Finding Our Biblical Story • Purpose: To discern how God is at work in our congregation by tapping into a Biblical story and using it as a frame of reference • Task Group Members: Kami Jordan*, Joel Osterlund, Brad Lorang

Finding Our Biblical Story As part of the Vitality process that is leading us toward becoming a more healthy missional church, 10 members of Salem Road met for an activity called “Finding Our Biblical Story. ” The purpose of this activity was to choose a narrative from the Bible that reflects where we are as a church and that helps us understand what God is doing among us.

After much prayer, individual reflection, and group discussion, the story chosen by the group was Jesus’ parable of the sower and the seed (Matthew 13: 1 -23). People come here to hear the truth and are tested by their response to it. Does the truth wither in us because our roots are shallow? Is it snatched away by the evil one? Is it choked out by the worries of life? Or does the truth take root in our hearts and bear fruit, transforming us into the image of Christ?

The church is not responsible for the outcomes in people’s lives, only for being faithful to preach the truth. In this parable, a farmer sows seed (the Word of God), which falls on many different types of soil with varying results and fruitfulness. Salem Road has been faithfully sowing the Word of God for 40 years. We don’t chase growth with flashy facilities or programs or music; we keep the Word central. People come here to hear the truth and are tested by their response to it.

As we select a new pastor and take the next step in our journey as a church, this parable challenges us to remain corporately committed to the teaching of the truth and to be individually receptive to that teaching. From another perspective, the members of Salem Road are not only the soil that receives the seed; we are also the farmers who take the seed out to scatter in the world.

We come to church to receive the seed of the Word and to be strengthened in our faith, but the real work of the church occurs when we go out into our neighborhoods and workplaces and share what we have received, regardless of what kind of soil we find. This is something Salem Road has been doing well for 40 years. Many church members are sharing God’s love with people around them, both in their daily lives and through outside ministries.

This view also presents a challenge to inspire our future—to increase our commitment to carrying the truth out into the community with boldness. Supporting Scripture: Matthew 28: 19 -20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Establishing a Process of Pervasive Prayer • Purpose: To bathe vitality process in prayer • Task Group Members: Jenny Naatz-Smith*, Rosebud Roberts

Proverbs 2: 1 -11 My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.

Creating a Behavioral/Relational Covenant • Purpose: To implement a process for developing a behavioral covenant for the entire church. This will guide how we talk to each other throughout the process and beyond, ensuring that we do so with honesty, kindness, and grace. • Task Group Members: Joel Osterlund*, Linda Lewis, Arwen Gustafson, Lee Riegler, Denis & Rocio Gonzalez

Holy Manners for Salem Road Covenant Church Colossians, chapter 3, sets the tone why a church needs a document like this. First, it tells us that people will be at fault in their behavior (vs. 13). Second, it tells us that good behavior is an intentional act (vs. 14). Those that consider themselves a part of SRCC recognize these two truths. It is our desire that this document be more of a list of “dos” and “don’ts”, rather a document that highlights principles to live by. We recognize that we are all in the process of maturing, with each person at a different point in their life and spiritual formation.

It is our hope that each person will commit to. . . - Relying on and obeying the Holy Spirit - Loving one another (Philippians 2: 2) - Praying for one another - Respecting others - Building each person up - Living peacefully with each other (1 Tim. , 1 Thess. ) - Listening well to each other - Allowing people to ask and seek understanding - Humbling ourselves by considering the other person better than us (Philippians 2: 3) - Trusting and supporting leadership - Forgiving each other - Bringing unity within the church (2 Corinthians 13: 11)

Looking at Our History • Purposes: • To unlock the radical life-giving stories from the archives of our church that will encourage people to boldly move forward into God’s future • To identify missed opportunities from our history. . . times when we failed to step out in faith. • Task Group Members: Gavin Johnson*, Brad Lorang, • Joel Osterlund

Completing an Internal Assessment • Purpose: To provide a snapshot of our church right now that will include our demographics and a brief summary of our strengths and weaknesses. This is intended to be a quick read because the deeper diagnosis comes later in the next phase of Vitality called Pulse. • Task Group Members: Mike Gustafson*, Linda Lewis, Brad Lorang, Beth Mettler, and Greg Stewart

Internal Assessment Team 1. What resources and services do we offer as a church? 2. What needs do we meet as a church? Team Linda Lewis Brad Lorang Beth Mettler Greg Stewart Mike Gustafson 3. What ministries outside the church do you support (financial, prayer, or by volunteering)?

High School Middle School Elementary HS Pub other ELEM 3 8 MS 8 4 HS 15 7 3

Resources/services we offer Needs we are meeting Small groups/Bible studies 13 Sunday AM worship service 12 Christian Education/Sunday School/Confirmation 10 Nursery 10 Global missionary support 9 Capital- (financial/volunteers/building) 8 Youth group 7 Fellowship/Social hour 7 Library 7 Wednesday Night Alive 4 FIKA 2 Pastoral support 2 Demoninational resources 2 Meal planning 1 Faith community 11 Specific family needs/Benevolence funds 8 Youth activities 7 Corporate worship 6 Bible teaching 4 Prayer 1 Nursery care 1 Access to pastoral staff 1 Discipleship/Mentoring 1 Visitation of sick/elderly 1

Ministries we support outside of our Church. Not all inclusive!! ! LBBC Bible Quizzing 7 6 Missionary Friends 2 New Life Family Services 2 Occupation (career in ministry) 2 Brighter Tomorrows (Support group for families with kids with cancer) 6 Public school 2 Covenant Kids-Congo 5 Other charitable/relief organizations 2 Missionaries not supported by SRCC 5 YMCA 2 Acres for Joy 1 Mayo Clinic 4 Africa Partners-Medical 1 Salvation Army World Vision 4 4 American Center for Law and Justice 1 Bible Study Fellowship 1 Covenant Church Denomination 3 Financial giving 1 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Gideons 3 3 Friendship Place 1 Give Kids the World 1 Navigators campus ministry 3 Ironwood Springs 1 KNLW, KJCY, KFSI 1 North Park University Ransom Fellowship Safe Families 3 3 3 Other churches 1 Refugee assistance 1 Ronald Mc. Donald 1 Wycliffe International 3 Samaritan's Purse 1 Schaeffer Academy 1 She Shooters 1 Shriners 1 SIM 1 St. Jude 1 VOM 1 Wounded Warriors 1 Upward soccer/Champion basketball Channel One 3 2 Compassion International 2 CRU/Campus Crusade for Christ MN Adult/Teen Challenge 2 2

External Assessment • Purpose: To get a solid handle on the community around us. • Task Group Members: Gavin Johnson, Jesus, Holy Ghost

Understanding our Community Salem Road Covenant Church is located in Olmsted County in SW Rochester, MN N

TOTAL POPULATION (106 K) Black or African American 6% Hispanic or Latino 5% Asian 7% White 82%

CHILDREN UNDER 18 (26 K) Black or African American 10% Hispanic or Latino 8% Asian 8% White 74%

POPULATION BY AGE 20, 000 18, 000 16, 000 14, 000 12, 000 10, 000 8, 000 6, 000 4, 000 2, 000 0 under 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 14 years 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 34 years 35 to 44 years 45 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 to 74 years 75 to 84 years 85 years and over

Education 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% high school graduate or higher bachelor's degree or higher graduate or professional degree

ROCHESTER WORKFORCE (61 K) AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOME OF $63, 472 PER HOUSEHOLD Production, Transportation 9% Natural Resources, Construction, Maintenance 5% Management, Business, Science, Arts 48% Sales and Office 20% Service Occupations 17%

SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE? FACEBOOK? TWITTER? Yes 12% None 20% Active 20% Highly Active 60% No 88%

Communicating Our Progress to the Congregation • Purpose: To keep everyone up to date with the work of the Vitality Team • Task Group Members: Jenny Naatz-Smith*, Karen Danielson (website), and Shannon Richardson (church secretary)

10 Healthy Missional Markers 1. Centrality of the Word of God (2 Timothy 3: 16) 2. Life transforming walk with Jesus (John 3: 3, 30; Phil. 1: 6) 3. Intentional evangelism (Matthew 28: 18 -20) 4. Transforming communities through active compassion, mercy and justice ministries (Micah 6: 8) 5. Global perspective and engagement (Acts 1: 8) 6. Compelling Christian community (Acts 2: 42 -47) 7. Heartfelt worship (Psalm 138: 1 a; John 4: 23) 8. Sacrificial and generous living and giving (Romans 12: 1 -8) 9. Culture of godly leadership (Hebrews 13: 7)

Empowering People, Inspiring Change A workshop that offers tools for change management, including helpful constructs for your leadership and church. All living things change.

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