ON THE ROAD TOWARD VITALITY AND A WHOLE NEW KIND OF CHURCH

Over the last couple years, my co-author, colleague and Epicenter associate Kim Shockley led a landmark study of church vitality in The United Methodist Church.  The project was named Toward Vitality.   Her team interviewed hundreds of churches in all parts of the United States.  The study was jointly sponsored by four of our church's general agencies.  The biggest headline was the role of pastoral leadership in church vitality - not a surprise, exactly, but well documented.  However, they learned a lot more than that!

Kim and I are going to present the findings of Toward Vitality along with a synopsis of our latest book, The Surprise Factor, in three one-hour webinars this summer.  The first was June 6.  The next two are still open for your participation.  The webinars are set for July 18 and August 20.  The time both days will be 11 am ET/10 CT/9 MT and 8PT.  To register, all you have to do is email us with your name, your position and your contact information.  Our email address is epicentergroup.dc@gmail.com.  Kim is a remarkably insightful and competent coach for church leaders.  We have received nothing but praise from across the country in response to her work.  

On another front, Epicenter Group convened 15 ministry pioneers from around the nation on May 29.  The conversation ranks among the best I have ever shared in.  For the participants, their ticket in the door was that they were (1) United Methodist, (2) church planter/mission developers, (3) truly thriving in their ministry - seeing fruitfulness and (4) coloring outside the lines of conventionality.  Most of them are coached by either Beth Estock or me.  I long for conversations this intelligent within the agencies and in the cabinets.  We have a ways to go.  These people are inventing twenty-first century Christianity.  It will not fit or store easily in old wineskins.  I am still processing May 29.  Stay tuned.  I would love to orchestrate a really heart-felt conversation between these folks, most of them under 40, and some of our denomination's leaders.

The church is about to change in ways that go far beyond the pitiful tweaking that we may too quickly label 'adaptive leadership.'  Best quote of the month, from a person planting a fast-growing church in St Louis, Matt Miofsky (The Gathering).  Matt says: "We are more than a few tweaks away from being compelling."   

I give thanks for Epicenter's chance to work with 100 or so of the most amazing leaders on the planet: UMC, UCC and a few stragglers from the Baptists, the CME, the Lutherans and the non-denoms.  

Finally, if you have not heard, the Path 1 team is taking to the road this summer - a summer road trip!  We are visiting new United Methodist faith communities planted in the last four years.  Different folks are heading out in all directions.  I have forty stops on my tour of the mid-Atlantic and northeastern USA.  We will be sharing stories via Twitter, UM Com, Path 1 newsblasts and other means!  I can't wait to hit the road in my Jetta and visit my apostolic brothers and sisters up and down the East Coast from Virginia northward!

Happy Road Trips to all of you, wherever the Spirit takes you this summer!