jump on over

I switched my blog over to wordpress.com. I'll be taking this site down in a few days. If you're a follower, please go with me:
rickwhitter.com will take you there.
Or try rickwhitter.wordpress.com

Grace!

Rick

a spilling of the beans

There has to be some benefit to you if you read my blog. So today, I am letting you in on something a few days before it becomes public. I can’t afford to buy you a steak dinner so maybe the advance info will be an OK substitute.

I have no problem keeping secrets, when it is appropriate to keep them. What I am sharing today is not a secret. It is more of an announcement. For months, we have been sharing at Maranatha Church that a big announcement is coming on Sunday, November 14. My only hesitation in sharing our announcement here today is I am concerned that some who were planning to come to church for the announcement will stay home. So we are feeding you barbeque after church on Sunday!

Here is it: (cue drum roll...)

We are changing the name of Maranatha Church to Cross Community Church.

After 43 years of Maranatha as a moniker, we think it is time to shift things up. Much prayer and strategy has gone into this but let’s keep the explanation simple: The word “Maranatha” means nothing to the people we are trying to reach. It is a foreign word (Aramaic), and we have found it to be counterproductive to the fulfillment of our vision. While we honor the history and heritage of Maranatha, Cross Community better states who we are and what we are doing. We think it will help us reach more people for Jesus.

Kudos to our leadership team, staff and Elders for their vision, support and hard work on this. Literally, years of dialogue have gone into this.

The change is risky. Some won’t like it. Some may even leave the church over the decision. But the truth is, we believe that this direction is from God. And that is the bottom line.

So, come on out to one of the worship events on Sunday. Do me a favor…if you already know the announcement, act surprised!

5 signs you are leaving your church

This piece is based on the assumption that you go to church and are involved in ministry. If you attend services but are not personally involved in volunteering, statistics show you probably won’t stay very long. Casual observers aren’t long-term. It is in investing ourselves that we build relationships that keep us connected with a faith family.

The disclaimer…
The evidence presented is not based on empirical data or scientific research. It is quite possible that I am wrong. No specific individuals or families are the subject of this article. Any resemblance is simply a matter of coincidence. My observations are based on 19 years of full time Lead Pastor work, as well as a lifetime in a local church.

The signs:

Moving back
People who sit in one location for a long time (especially toward the front) and begin to move toward the back of the church are possibly, subconsciously, headed for the door. I’ve seen it dozens of times. 3rd row … 12th row … back door.

Stop serving
Through the years, I’ve witnessed many people who “need a break” from their serving, only to realize that many of them never recover. There are sometimes issues of burnout or lack of support and/or training, but some who quit working are in the process of quitting the church.

Stop giving
Financial investments are a revelation of what’s in one’s heart. When those who are regular contributors to a church change their giving habits, it reveals an adjustment elsewhere. Unless there is a job status change, the decision to reduce or stop giving indicates an emotional break. This is one reason why church leaders should track contributions – many times, areas of concern can be addressed before they become problematic.

Stop coming
It may seem like a no brainer but you can always tell when a person is leaving a church when they stop coming around. As basic as it sounds, I have had numerous conversations with people who stopped attending services but had not come to terms with their departure from the church. In my experience, when a person or family misses as many as six weeks in a row, it is difficult to return. Many times they don’t start out with the intention of leaving. Sometimes they just lose interest or get involved in other stuff. But the physical absence creates a disconnect, a sense of a lack of belonging. Upon their return, many people feel left out. For the record, when I know a family has been gone from church for 3 consecutive weeks, I begin to get concerned.

Disconnect with friends
Quitting a small group, avoiding relationships, losing contact with friends is a surefire way to detect the departure process. Once relationships are lost, the connection with the church is broken.

Let me be clear - sometimes it is good to leave a church. Situations and transitions and adjustments happen. But many times, leaving a church is unnecessary and is totally avoidable. Don't let it sneak up on you.

I think I’ll work on a post about the proper way to leave a church. Seems that many people who depart aren’t quite sure of how to go about it.

Till next time…

orphan sunday

Tomorrow, November 7, is Orphan Sunday around the country. Churches everywhere will be discussing the plight of parentless children and what we can do about it. Maranatha will be observing "shoeless sunday" as a way to remind ourselves that there are many who are without the basic necessities in life - and there is something we can do about it.

Get this:
300 million children worldwide have no shoes.
1 million children die each year from preventable diseases caused by the lack of proper shoes.
We can do better.

Orphans have a special place in the heart of God. Adoptive parents are among my heroes. Let focus in on solutions, and make a difference in the lives of millions of kids. Or maybe just make a difference for one child.

For more info, go to orphansunday.org.

new shoes for kids!

Richard Whitter, our Missional Pastor (and my nephew) displaying the 616 pairs of new shoes that our Guatemala Mission Team distributed yesterday to needy children in Rio Bravo!


Maranatha Church: You are awesome!

sun stand still (review)

I had the opportunity recently to listen to Steven Furtick’s book Sun Stand Still. My favorite way to take in a new book is to listen to it on a road trip. That’s the case this time.

This was one of the more inspirational and motivational pieces I’ve been through in a while. It may be a matter of timing for me or it may be the quality of the material, but it connected on several levels.

The basic concept behind the book is that God has an audacious faith for each of us that He wants us to live out. He did not design us to be ordinary. The Biblical platform for the book and message is Joshua, a young leader of Israel. In Joshua 10, God is preparing to work a huge miracle utilizing the faith and leadership of Joshua. He had the courage to pray an outrageous prayer, “God, make the sun stand still.” This is exactly what God did.

Furtick utilizes this story to share his experience as the planter and leader of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He tells many interesting stories of his own faith development and that of the people who are part of this church. He documents many who had the nerve to ask and expect God to do amazing things.

I was motivated by what Steve shares. I was also motivated by some things I observed about him. One of the reasons I love to hear a book, especially when it is read by the author (which is the case here) is that you get voice inflections, accents and personality that simply reading a book does not provide. I was glad to learn that Steve Furtick is not nearly as cool as I had originally thought. He is a normal guy whom God is using to do great things. His simple speaking and writing style, as well as his straightforward approach to some touchy subjects, left me with a sense of trust of his work. He is even willing to utilize what some may consider to be cliché. This is refreshing to me in that we don’t always have to be original or innovative in order to be successful.

The book helped me to further resolve to pursue the audacious vision that God has given me.

Because the message is so vital to what people need to hear and act upon, I am considering starting a mens book group to go through it together. There are lots of free resources on the web site, in case you are interested in the same.

Thanks Steve for writing Sun Stand Still. I highly recommend it!

i'm not wearing shoes to church on sunday

This Sunday is International Orphan Sunday. We are planning a worship service sans shoes. The purpose is to be able to briefly relate to the peril that millions of children around the world face on a daily basis.

We'll put up with the smell and the stubbed toes and the awkwardness if the result is a child receiving shoes.

We have a team in Guatemala this week delivering almost 600 pairs of shoes to the needy children of Rio Bravo. We are serious about doing something to help impoverished people.

I plan to present a message from Exodus 3 called "Holy Ground". While I don't think I have ever had an original thought, I don't recall anyone saying what I plan to say about this passage. I hope you can join us.

check out the details at maranathachurch.org.