Creating a Neighborhood Day 1

Been a while since I have been in this forum. Finishing this week Summer School at Midwestern Theological Seminary, it has been an interesting summer refreshing notes and increasing knowledge that I pray God will transform into ministry use. I encourage everyone finish school while young. As my mom always says, I should have two doctorates by now and still don't have my Masters of Divinity.

I am (finally) starting my 100 day campaign for 2014. I always set aside 100 days to try and meet with every member of my church, set and cast vision, spend time with my members in discovery of gifts, member alignment or in some cases realignment.

I am very behind this year. I am usually done by the first Sunday in June but I am nonetheless very excited to sit and talk with every member about where I feel the Lord is leading Macedonia. I have been moved and challenged by God about the concept of NEIGHBORHOOD, The place where we ought to be enacting and living out the principles and precepts of God on earth to the people of this world as they deal with the problems of this life.

As I was evaluating where Macedonia was as I enter my 7th Summer as Pastor, I am thankful for Spiritual, numerical and financial growth, I thank God for less debt and a plan for the future but even with all of that, WHAT DOES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES THE FAMILY STRUCTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK LIKE/

WHAT DO THE CHILDREN LOOK LIKE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD/

HOW CAN WE HELP THE YOUNG ADULT FAMILIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD/

HOW DO WE HELP THE HURT AND HOPELESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

HOW FAR DOES OUR SCOPE OF POWER REACH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL CLIMATE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

IF OUR CHURCH CLOSED ITS DOORS TOMORROW, HOW LONG WOULD IT BE BEFORE WE WERE MISSED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD/

ARE WE MAKING THINGS BETTER OUTSIDE OUR WALLS OR JUST HAVING SERVICE ON THE INSIDE

Over this campaign, I will share as God gives me direction and as I learn from conversations with our members. Pray for us on this 100 day journey that we will hear confirmation from God.

Owens

I will Never Let Go of His Hand

They said I wouldn't make it,
They said I wouldn't be here today.
They said I wouldn't amount to anything.
But I'm glad to say, that I'm on my way,
And I'm going more and more each day.
For there were many that started out with me,
But now, they've gone astray.
But I'm still holding on.
I'm still holding on.
I'm still holding to his hand.
You see when I was young, I gave God my hand,
And i told him to lead the way.
For the road has been rough
And the goings been mighty tough, still
I aint going Nowhere, I'm right here to stay.
For I've been talked about and Lord I've been criticized.
I had to wipe many tears from my eyes.
But I'm still holding on.
I'm still holding on.
I'm still holding on to his hand.

Chorus:
I'm still holding on.
Yes I'm still in God's holy plan.
And I'm still holding on.
And I'm bound for God's promise land.
Lord I'll never- never let go of your hand.
I became the Full-Time Pastor of the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church April 6th, 2008, now by the grace of God, I am entering my 5th Spring still Pastoring this church. I woke up singing this song on Sunday and haven't been able to shake it since.

It is time for our 100 day campaign again where I sit down and meet one on one with every member of the church casting vision, creating vehicles for ministry and cultivating ventures that Macedonia must undertake.I am humbled and honored to still be here as Pastor. I tried to get thru this Sunday but became too emotional.......They said I wouldn't make it, They said I wouldn't be here today, said I wouldn't amount to anything.......................I'M STILL HOLDING ON, I WILL NEVER LET GO OF HIS HAND

Day #26 of 100 Day Campaign Update

I have been engaged in a 100 Day Campaign here at Macedonia to meet individually with every member of the church, whether they are a helper or a hater, critic or supporter, faithful or wayward, I want to try and cultivate a personal relationship with each member. I have been encouraged so far by the lessons learned and the conversations that have created a more intense desire within me to stay within the will of God.

Although I have only met with 62 people so far, the quality of the conversations has far outweighed a numerical total. When I initiated this concept in 2008, many members did not meet with me as they thought this was a gimmick and trick that new pastors do in an attempt to seem friendly. Because of the history of the last pastor, many didn't think I would stay in South Bend this long, so they waited until I had been through a winter or two.

I am glad to report two winters later, many members who wouldn't meet with me last time came in to see me. I am still amazed by how many church members have never had a one on one meeting with their Pastors unless it is a tragedy or trouble.

I ask many questions so that I may ascertain the view of the church from a member's point of origin. I also ask questions as it relates to me as a Pastor/Preacher etc. Admittedly, loaded questions that can open a can of worms but more times than not, it has been revealing; either of the member's issues or of mine.

Mother Duckworth, a sweet woman with an honest and straight forward tongue gave me a life-changing comment I wanted to share. Mother said to me, "Pastor you are doing a great job, keep it up; however, you need to be more Pastoral and not Presidential." I was at a loss.

She continued to say, "Pastor, we watch you! When you walk into a room, you will shake every hand, wink, point, hug, or make contact with everyone and then five minutes later, YOU ARE GONE, moving to the next appointment, headed to a meeting in your office, running, running and more running. You are Presidential, always moving. Pastor you need to SIT DOWN"!

Mother Duckworth gave me this advice, "It seems you are still trying to prove to everyone you are the Pastor, or you are trying to prove you are worthy, instead of realizing God has called you here and its time just to walk in that calling," so she looked at me and said "SIT DOWN, if you would walk into the room and SIT DOWN, you wouldn't have to shake every one's hand, everyone will come to you and shake your hand.

By SITTING DOWN, you will SLOW DOWN before God has to PUT YOU DOWN. Mother smiled and said I love you. I look forward to learning more during this 100 Day Campaign. Thank God for Mother Duckworth!

Owens

100 Day campaign

I am embarking on my second 100 day campaign here at the Macedonia Church. The term " One Hundred Days" can conjure up many images in the mind. Some might think of the Napoleonic Wars while others may think of the beginning of an administration within the political arena.

It is this latter idea that I gleaned the concept of "My One Hundred Day Campaign". A new administration within the first hundred days of taking the office uses this time for a variety of reasons: selection of officers, leaders and workers; implementing new strategies and laying the foundation for your administration; formation of vision casting goals, ideas and opportunities, as well as building inroads into grass roots members and leaders within the field of service.

I use this 100 day campaign at Macedonia as a time to personally meet with any and all members of the church. I am amazed at how many church members have never had a meeting with their pastor, and if they have had a meeting it was because of either a personal tragedy or an error that the pastor was correcting. I believe you shouldn't wait until an emergency or crisis hits in your life to talk to you pastor.

I am also amazed by, how many people swear they know the pastor; knows what he thinks, knows what he means; knows where he is going but has never taken the time to talk to him. You can't know me without spending time with me. You may learn the public persona of the Pastor, you may learn the vision as he preaches from God's Word but a relationship can not be ascertained without a connection.

Every member of the church should have a relationship with your pastor; therefore, I use this time to meet will all members, prospective members, family members, disgruntled members, former members, audience members who have not enlisted in the army as of yet, in an attempt to personally connect with each and every one of them.

I have had meetings where people told me they didn't trust me, I was too good to be true, "just faking and the real Owens will come out", Pastor you share too much, can you be less honest or not so much you", but in all of this, God is building a Pastor and a People.

Let me confess two things. One, I don't like talking to members after church on Sunday. I love the members and I love sharing but more times than not, I am replaying my sermon in my head; frustrated about what I didn't say or what I should have said, and so I not always "there", in the sense of warm, engaging, instant on, all the things members like you to be.

Secondly, it is hard to form a bond with a pastor from a couple of minutes of conversation after church with a line of people behind you and everyone in your business trying to see what you are saying and how you are saying it.

So, I have kicked off my second 100 Day Campaign here at Macedonia. We started April 18th so hopefully by the last week in July, I will have met with everyone who wants to meet with me. Open Forum! Fire Away! I will share my vision as a Pastor and work with each member to form a spiritual plan for their life as outlined my THE PLAN, which is THE WORD OF GOD.

During this time, we plan on preaching primarily out of the book of Nehemiah. I am proud to say this week we had the honor of meeting with twenty-seven (27) members for 45 minute to hour and an half sessions that have been helpful to me as a pastor. The suggestions that I have received are so simple and yet so life changing it is amazing. After the first 100 day campaign, three new ministries were birthed into existence and better bridges were built for ministry.

We eagerly anticipate what God will do through this 100 day campaign and we will update you weekly on the things I am learning and what God is doing.

Owens