Overflow Q & A Follow-up

LOOKING BACK ON IT, WAS THE OBJECTIVE OF OVERFLOW MET?

Overflow was designed as a “reset” event to begin 15 months of focusing on creating a culture of rapid kingdom expansion and I think that a number of pastors and churches have leveraged it so that it has reached that objective. But Overflow was always conceived of as a “beginning” not a stand-alone event.

ARE PASTORS GOING TO BE TRAINED SO THAT WE CAN TRAIN OTHERS?

I hope not. I hope there isn’t training needed, beyond the bare minimum. The assumption of Rapid Kingdom Expansion is that God’s Kingdom will expand most easily where we have very simple reproducible systems. So there really isn’t a lot to train. It’s more a matter of jumping in. Small groups (if you keep them really small) aren’t too hard.  Just tell a Bible story, ask each other some accountability questions, and pray for each other.  Then watch what God does!

HOW DO WE GET STARTED?

There are a few options: One way  is for the pastor to start a small group (3-4) and model what a small group does (Tell the story, Ask the questions, Pray for each other). Another way is to identify the persons in the church who might serve as group starters and train them for 3 weeks. Then have them start a small group of 2-3 people. It’s not really very hard.The harder part comes several months down the road…if groups are continually multiplying as they add new people it stays quite simple. If you get a larger group (over 4) then you need skilled leaders, which means you need training, and then the possibility of RKE is diminished.

IF THE DEADLINES AREN’T REALISTIC FOR US, SHOULD WE ATTEMPT TO DO SOMETHING HASTY AND SLIPSHOD TO SATISFY THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE BISHOP AND SUPERINTENDENT?

Of course we don’t want something slipshod. On the other hand, what about the deadline isn’t realistic? Perhaps we’re communicating something that seems bigger or harder than it is. Make 3 phone calls, invite them for Tuesday at 7:30PM. It’s not harder than that.

WHAT IF OUR PEOPLE ARE SAYING WE WON’T DO THIS (I.E. LIFE TRANSFORMATION GROUPS)?

I wouldn’t make anyone do small groups, it would be counterproductive.  But given that small groups are essential to the Wesley method and our Book of Discipline, (see Paragraph 6050 in BOD #6),  we see smaller groups and cells within the larger body of Christ as the best environment for the birth, mentoring, encouragement and care of believers.  I think I’d start to wonder about a pastor who isn’t able to encourage and lead his/her people to this “best environment.”

ARE SOCIAL SERVICE GROUPS/PROJECTS WHAT THE BISHOP WANTS/EXPECTS?  (I.E. THE VIDEO VIGNETTES SHOWN @ “OVERFLOW”).

What the bishop wants is to see a “culture of rapid kingdom expansion.” These other things (small groups, service components to small groups, etc) are simply evidence that this kind of culture is being created among a culture where we strive to follow Jesus’ teaching of ministry to the poor and downtrodden people through service and proclamation.

WHAT IF PASTORS DON’T DO WHAT’S BEING ASKED?

The assumption is that not very many would say, “I won’t do what my spiritual overseers are asking me to do.” But that many might say, “I don’t know how,” or “I don’t think this is going to be fruitful,” etc.  A real case of defiance would need to be dealt with, but that isn’t normally the case; we simply need to keep explaining what it is we’re wanting to do and to understand why a pastor might not want to do that.The other part of the answer is that leaders will work more directly and provide encouragement to those who seem to be engaging with their leadership.

WHAT DO I DO WITH OUR PRESENT GROUPS IN OUR CHURCH?

Transition them. Make sure they’re lay-led, that they are reproducible, and that they include non-believers. In other words, make sure they lead to expansion of the kingdom.

WHAT IF OUR CHURCH HAS “MORE PRESSING” ISSUES RIGHT NOW (I.E. RELOCATION, BUILDING PROGRAM, PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING GROUPS, ASSIMILATION OF ETHNIC GROUPS, ETC).

There is no more pressing issue than the central issue for which God has raised up His church, “to go and make disciples.” The pastor’s task is to lead the church toward this, to keep them on track, and to not let them get sidetracked. But I can certainly understand that this particular emphasis might have fallen at a particularly difficult time for a particular church. Write to us and explain what’s going on, why you can’t participate right now, why you want to participate, and how you’ll participate once you get over this particular challenge. We are all on the same side!

Videos are Now Posted

Are you interested in sharing the great things that happened at Overflow?  DVDs are great, but being able to share the sessions with people who didn’t attend can help more and more people catch the vision.  The wait is over.  The videos are now available Online for free.  You can watch them, share them, Facebook them, Twitter them, and download them for free.

The first four sessions are now posted at the Live the Story, Tell the Story site.  They are also available on ReelFM.tv:

• “Pasion Por Las Almas”:  Pastor Hector Fernandez:  http://reelfm.tv/2010/07/pasion-por-las-almas-passion-for-souls/
• “The Company of the Creative”:  Bishop David Roller:  http://reelfm.tv/2010/07/the-company-of-the-creative/
• “The Company:  Telling the Story Together:  Bishop David Roller:  http://reelfm.tv/2010/07/the-company-telling-the-story-together/
• “Liberating and Liberated”:  Bishop David Kendall:  http://reelfm.tv/2010/07/liberated-liberating/
• “How to Cross Bridges Once You’ve Built Them”:  Bishop Matt Thomas:  http://reelfm.tv/2010/07/how-to-cross-bridges-once-you-have-built-them/