Monday, April 6, 2009

Course 7 Week 2 Sean's Topics

Please use after midnight Monday.

16 comments:

sremery said...

My course is a book and dvd course. The book is titled "Suprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to each Them" by Thom S. Rainer. The dvd course is "Church Growth", taught by Terry Forrest. I'm going to try and have the book done in a week or two and I'll watch 3-4 classes a week on the dvd class.

sremery said...

I didnt post much on my course last week. The dvd course spoke on how to talk to people or witness to them. He gave tips like people are more open to change during a death or crisis. And also the importance of having an established relationship with.

Dr. Randy Carney said...

Sean, for the purposes of giving the rest of us something to think about in regard to your book, please divide the number of chapters by eight and give us the titles of the chapters you would have been reading in week 2 if you did read the book over the course of the whole term. It is certainly O.K. to read the book over two weeks time. We need the time to reflect on the topics over the course of the term.

Dr. Randy Carney said...

What were some of the techniques for witnessing you picked up in watching the DVD's? Did he give a sample conversation? Did he talk about things like "establishing common ground"? Have you used some of the things he talked about?

That all sounds interesting and practical.

Tyler Owens said...

I think that a goal of what we would like to accomplish in witnessing is a good thing. I think we need it to help us strive for more. Does the book talk about setting goals for witnessing?

roger said...

Hey Sean, your dvd course "Church Growth" does Mr. Forrest give details about what sparks church growth and does he say anything about church hoppers?

sremery said...

I apologize for not posting all the chapters, I forgot that we were supposed to do that.
Part 1:
1. Shattering Myths about the Unchurched
2. Pastors and Preaching are Critical
3. Relationships that Click
4. Impressed by 1st impressions
5. Why they Returned and Stayed
6. Doctrine Really Matters

Part 2:
7. A profile of the Unchurched-Reaching Leaders
8. What Makes these Leaders Tick
9. Raising Leadership Issues
10. An Honest look at Their Personal Strengthes & Weaknesses
11. Preaching that connects with the Unchurched
CONCLUSION: To Become a Church for the Unchurched

sremery said...

He did give examples of things to say. In all cases, after establising a conversation and who you are, ask them if you could talk to them about spiritual things. He also pointed out that if they are willing to listen, ask them if anyone has actually shown them in the Bible the meaning of accepting Christ, have it marked (ex. Romans Road) and turn your Bible towards them so they can read it. He said he had found that most people will say that no one has shown them.

sremery said...

Another point he gave was in witnessing to new people was to listen to prayer requests, or by talking with congregation members who have someone that they are praying for (we all have someone). He said it opens a door of opportunity to say "so & so goes to our church and cares a lot for you, have you ever thought about your spirituality, and could we talk about it?" Something to that nature.

sremery said...

He gave another point in getting back the control of the coversation when a person gets sidetracked or changes the subject is to say "Let me ask you this question", he gives an example of a person saying " I went to church and the pastor was caught doing something, or a person was a hypocrite and so I quit going". He would say "Let me ask you this question, will you answer for this or will the person doing the act answer for it?" His point is that people are more willing to talk about things if you ask them for their opinion instead of making them feel like they are being told something.

Dr. Randy Carney said...

Wow, sean. Those were great tips. For all of us, I wonder if there is another way we can word it to ask someone if we can talk to them about spiritual things. That "spiritual things" part is what I am referring to. Do any of you have some ideas for other ways of getting to talk to them about spiritual things but by using some other words? Corey, you have some experience with this, what have you found to help?

Dr. Randy Carney said...

Thanks for the chapter titles. If you were to spread the reading over 8 weeks. I looks like you would do one or two chapters a week. Since this is week 2. For our consderation for thinking about what you are learning, let's focus on the first three chapters which would are:

1. Shattering Myths about the Unchurched
2. Pastors and Preaching are Critical
3. Relationships that Click

I noticed that I put up the main post today about preaching before you gave us the chapter titles, so it relates to chapter 2 :) !

Corey G. said...

its easier to get them to talk about 'spiritual things' when you get them to talk about how there days been, and that leads to many other things, and eventually it leads to an open opportunity to share Christ with them(to get them to talk about themselves is the easiest way i think xD) but then again I am only a year old in this witnessing stuff so I dont really know much about it

Dr. Randy Carney said...

Corey,

Thanks for your input. I think you are doing great with the witnessing stuff. Do you use the term "spiritual things" when you talk to your friends?

Corey G. said...

the term specificly, no, the term generally yes. As in general i mean i talk about sprititual things, like gifts of the spirit, and things concerning the spirit.

Dr. Randy Carney said...

Corey,

Right, but you don't say something like, "Hey, can we talk about spiritual things?" You use some kind of bridge going from talking about how their day was, and how they are doing to getting into talking about spiritual things. The "bridge" is what I am interested in. You, however, probably don't have a standard technique. Maybe the Lord has just gifted you to know when and how to make that transition in the conversation and that it comes natural to you to where you do it without really thinking about how. Is that right, or is there a transition phrase you have found helpful?