As healthy environments promote healthy individuals, so unhealthy environments promote abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior within the culture. “Negative environments raise negative and broken children.” Erwin McManus. Within any culture you can have both healthy environments and unhealthy. Every entity within a culture will lead to healthy or unhealthy individual behavior. An entity can be each home, school classroom, business, media, or other institution. When any one of these is not promoting and fulfilling a healthy role in the community, the culture will suffer.

We are witnessing widespread dysfunction today and we can point fingers at any number of negative environments within our society. Let us focus on one, the church. As stated in an earlier blog post, while the world’s population has increased from one billion to over seven billion in the last seven decades, the church in North America has not kept up with the increase. In fact, the church has been in decline for the past at least four decades.

One thing the church should understand is that it is far more significant to shape the values of the culture than to write its laws. Abraham Lincoln said, “The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” Oh, how we are seeing this played out in front of our very eyes. It has happened on our watch ladies and gentlemen. The church in North America has failed to influence the culture with biblical values the last 50-70 years.

Can the church shape the future? Absolutely! But not in and of itself. The church is the bride of Christ. We cannot allow the church to remain as it has been for the last 70+ years. If God’s team is the winning team and the church is declining, its influence fading, we must ask ourselves, “Are we truly on God’s team?”

We have tried programs and priorities, shaming people and enticing them. We’ve tried deeper, richer Bible expository. All this and more, yet, the church is still in decline, the culture moving farther left of center from God’s will. What are we missing?

One thing perhaps missing is our understanding of God’s directive. We understand God’s directive to be The Great Commission. We preach it, teach it and go after it – in our 21^st century comfort, politically correct ways. What we are missing is the hunger and thirst of the church found in the book of Acts. I’m not sure that reading the Acts account or studying it is enough. We’ve been reading and studying it for years.

We need to die to self as these early believers did. They were known as the Way. They created a movement that flipped the world upside down. We need a pivotal change in our thinking and our way of living. We need to plead with God to change our thinking and lifestyle so radically that He can create within us a movement unlike any since the early church in Acts.

The choice is yours. The choice is mine. Choose you this day whom you will serve, the Gods of the church of the 20^th & 21^st century or The Lord of Lords, God Almighty.

Join us this Wednesday for the first “Conversations in the New Reality“. See photo header for information & registration. It’s free!

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

There are many questions floating around in our nation about churches, reopening, how to carry on, getting members back into worship services. There are also quite a few voices. Most of those voices are legitimate and truly want to help the church. Though, I’ve seen a couple that were more in line with late night infomercials. Where do you turn? To whom do you listen?

The first place to turn is the Holy Scriptures. The ultimate voice to listen to is God’s voice. Yes, He has many people He has equipped, and experienced to help. Listening to more than one is, in my opinion, wise and can lead to wise decisions. Follow God’s lead and practicality, not only “big name”, best selling authors or speakers. Here is a couple of questions to ask yourself.

Who understands and speaks to the demographics in our church and community?

Who is aligned with our doctrinal stance?

From these blog posts over the last four months have arisen conversations about the church for the remainder of 2020 and beyond. I am blessed and honored to have been able to write and asked to speak with different groups (via internet) about current issues surrounding the church.

Out of these conversations I have asked two gentlemen to join me in delivering some healthy conversations for church leaders in what we are all dealing with in these times. Let me introduce them:

David Stokes is Associational Mission Strategist for the Central Kentucky Network of Baptists. David has led in the transformation of the association of churches and is a practitioner with a heart for seeing God’s success through the local church.

Mark Gainey is Lead Pastor of Fultondale First Baptist Church, just north of Birmingham, Alabama. Mark is passionate about the Gospel, Discipleship, and helping churches. Also, Mark is the founder and main voice of Church Leadership Podcast and can be seen in many videos on his youtube channel (Mark Gainey).

I pray you will join the three of us on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at 11:00AM Eastern Time, 10:00AM Central, & 8:00AM Pacific Time for our first in a series of “Conversations in The New Reality.” It is free, though you must register to receive entrance code for that day. Please register today at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TWaPBQ7pS_yjGNlbPDLlCA

“Conversations in The New Reality” will be Zoom based and are truly interactive conversations about the issues you are facing as church leaders today. We will discuss issues as those mentioned in the first paragraph of this post, draw on our own experiences and those of others, including some on the Zoom meeting that day.

Whether you are a church leader or denominational leader, you will gain insight in helping your church(es) in navigating the twists and turns of Life’s highway in 2020 and beyond. Click the link above and register today as participation is limited by Zoom guidelines. Then pass this on to other church leaders in your circle of influence. There is no cost and no sales pitches! Any questions, please contact me.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

“I don’t like change in the church.” I hear this statement and several like it from churchgoers across our nation. Even, “We don’t need change in the church.” Are these truly valid statements? In my opinion, no, they are not valid. The fact is since its onset the New Testament Church has been an agent of change for the culture. Even before the initiating of The New Testament Church Jesus upset the applecart of Jewish religion – all religion.

I love the wording Erwin McManus uses, “Jesus deconstructed the religion of Israel and ushered in the religion of God.” We must admit a fundamental characteristic of The New Testament Church is uncompromising change. Jesus’ ministry pointed out the heresies of the people’s religion trading the word of God for the traditions of Man.

The early church was birthed out of Jesus’ transformational ministry. If you still are not convinced that the early church was about change, consider one of their actions. Saturday for centuries was the sabbath, a day of rest and worship. Even before they were known as a church, the earliest of believers set not Saturday, but Sunday as their day of worship. Why? Were they trying to anger the religious leader even more? No. They chose Sunday because it was the day Christ rose from the dead. Christ’s mission was not completed on Friday’s cross, nor in Saturday’s tomb. It was on the third day, (our) Sunday, Resurrection Day. With this one move the early church has influenced worship culture ever since.

These early believers were not considered a church until years after Christ’s return to heaven. They were simply known as The Way. I like that term. The Way indicates progress, forward advancement. The Way is a movement. Today’s church has become an institution. I personally do not believe God ever intended the church to become an institution.

Some call marriage an institution. While the bride is part of the marriage, she is not the institution. Neither should the bride of Christ be considered an institution. I believe God’s intent for the church was not to be an institution, but a movement, as initiated in the opening chapters of the book of Acts.

An institution is a fixture, an established (fixed in place) organization. Or a place of confinement (as asylum). Either way, I do not believe God ever intended His New Testament Church to be an institution.

A movement is the activities of a group of people to achieve a specific goal. For the New Testament Church would that read, every step we take is to fulfill The Great Commission as the Bridegroom, Jesus, stated?

True, God may have instituted the church. That is, He established its origin, He initiated its existence for His purpose and cause. But He never reconciled the church as an institution.

Thinking in terms of the church as a movement, what are your first words to God today in regards to the way you have perceived His bride and your role in His movement? What will you change?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

In our last post I shared that Jesus did not initiate the church as an institution, rather as a movement. What we read in the book of Acts is a movement, not an institution. In fact, it was not called a church for several years. It was known as “The Way”. The Apostles of Jesus, the early church leaders, and all believers of The Way had a passion to love and follow God. Their following God was in human minds, following into the unknown. You see, a movement is started and fueled by passion.

Abraham was a devout believer in God Almighty. One day God told Abraham to get up pack up his wife, servants and livestock and leave his father’s land. This was not a common practice. Families stayed close, helping each other. The one detail God left out was where He wanted Abraham to go. Paraphrasing, when Abraham asked God where he was to go, God said, “I’ll tell you when you get there.” Now, this had to be very peculiar. Yet, what did Abraham do? He got up and left, just as God said. Abraham would later become the father of a great nation, and by God’s own word, would bless every nation on earth.

In the new Testament, the Apsotle Paul and his traveling companions were taking God’s story to various cities, towns, and nations. Yet when they attempted to go to Asia. Acts 16:6-7 says, “They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. ⁷ When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

I share these stories from scripture with you to say, it is okay to not always know where you are going as long as you know why and that why begins with passion. When we passionately follow in obedience to Christ, God’s purpose will always be revealed along the journey. Abraham, the father of God’s people Israel, the most talked about person of the Old Testament and the Apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest missionary of all time, through whom God inspired over 1/3 of the New Testament writing. If God used these two men in such a mighty way and yet led them without sharing all the details, how foolish are we to think we must have the details?

God has not given any person, leader or follower, the ability to know the future. He reveals it to us at His discretion. God’s leaders (apostolic) realize it is not talent but the motivation to move forward even when you cannot know what’s around the next corner. An institution cannot do this, only a movement can. It is time to stop looking at the church as an institution and once again recognize the church is a movement.

What is the first item you realize you personally must take to God in prayer in order to adopt the mindset of His movement? Who will you turn to for help in leading your family of believers into God’s movement? Your obedient passion will lead you to God’s purpose.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

“I’m at my rope’s end. I’ve tried everything and our church isn’t growing.” This scenario plays out more than the average person knows. Pastors and other church leaders are weekly relenting similar statements. Could this be part of the reason so many pastors change churches every three years? Certainly. Countless times I have had pastors say to me over the years, “I’ve taken this church as far as I can take it. It’s time for me to move on.”

To expound on those statements, most would admit they realize church growth is not up to them, but to God. Their rationale is that God is apparently finished with them at their current church and wanting him to move on. My thought is this is not always the case. I usually attempt to coach the pastor in determining God’s true desire. Yet, second year frustrations and that third-year wall seem insurmountable to many pastors.

Is it possible what we need today is more Apostolic leadership? Every generation needs apostolic leadership. You might query, “But, we have spiritual leaders. Isn’t that the same?”

Many are called into spiritual leadership. Church/spiritual leadership does not always equate to apostolic leadership. Spiritual leadership can be interpreted as someone who studies to properly expound the Word of God. While this is absolutely needed, expounding the Word does not always indicate Apostolic leading. To be honest in some churches, a spiritual leader is a preacher who brings a message from God’s word Sunday morning and evening, leads a prayer meeting on Wednesday, and does little to ruffle the feathers of congregants. Let the sleeping dog lie so to speak. If feathers are ruffled, pastors are asked to leave.

Apostolic leadership is more than preaching and teaching. Apostolic leaders not only strive to move the needle forward in carrying out God’s purposes in their own lives, they also learn how to motivate others to do the same. An Apostolic leader is more than a spiritual figurehead for the local church, he will be motivated to carry the torch and bring others along, even if it starts with only one or two.

Entrepreneurially he knows you build from one or two and allow God to provide the growth. You find those few willing and motivate them to join you. You plant the seeds, water, cultivate, and allow God to provide the growth.

Not only a spiritual teacher, torch bearer, motivator, and entrepreneur, an Apostolic leader is also a spiritual catalyst. A catalyst is a promoter, facilitator, and spark plug to ignite and channel the fuel for progressive effective ministry. To be a catalyst you must by God’s Holy Spirit capture the hearts and creativity of believers. Thus, moving believers into intentionally and continually striving to fulfill God’s directives by their own convictions. Bring them along, train them up.

This is what gets the wheels of the train on the right track and moving in the right direction – forward movement. After all the church in the book of Acts was not an institution but a movement. What can you do this week to begin the forward movement of the church in Acts back into your life and your church? You are not at your rope’s end, but at the beginning of a new rope of God’s work.

What would you add to an apostolic leader’s description?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

It is said that in a moment of emergency crisis fifteen percent of people will freeze, unable to move or think coherently. Eighty percent will flee in panic, running away from the heat of the crisis. Five percent or less will charge immediately into the crisis to help. In recent years I have read and watched video accounts of such emergency crisis moments as mass shootings, earthquakes, fires, and other tragedies. I’ve read, watched and studied for the purpose to verify or challenge these statistics. From what I’ve been able to tell in all accounts, those percentages are very real.

Many times, those in the fifteen percent that freeze do not fare very well. They leave themselves prone to fall to the crisis or to be trampled by the eighty percent fleeing in panic. If they survive, this fifteen percent also face harder post traumatic syndrome aftereffects. The eighty percent that flee may not admit that they acted out of panic, but rather for safety. Yet, in most cases their flight was with no regard to others, only to get out alive with any loved ones with them.

Whether you are a leader or follower, you fit into one of these three categories. When asked almost 50% would say they would be in the five percent who would run headfirst into the challenge. Yet, reality clearly demonstrates otherwise as is revealed in the statistics. Our society is rapidly changing, new, unexpected changes come our way almost daily, especially right now in 2020. Many people are having trouble coming to grips with the fact that what was once “normal” may never be realized again. What we live in is not the old normal or a new normal as we often hear. I agree with and borrow the phraseology of Dr. Rick Lance,[i] “This is our New Reality.” Our new reality is continually changing.

To not be overwhelmed by the sweeping changes in our society one needs to be foundationally grounded. Not only in your beliefs, but also to know where you are going, why you are going there, and to move forward with resolution. Caution: resolution does not mean without bending. Because things are changing so rapidly, we must be flexible in our approach and methodology, even in our deployment. To move forward with resolution is to carry out the vision and mission without being led astray or distracted from the work at hand. (Read the book of Nehemiah)

What is needed today are revolutionary leaders who are not afraid to run headfirst into the crisis at hand. Not as a Kamikaze pilot on a suicidal mission, but as one leading the charge of building the kingdom of God and growing disciples of Jesus Christ. There are to be no lone ranger leaders. Contact your peers or contact someone for assistance in strategically planning for an effective ministry organization. Who is that first person you can contact today to assist you? Will you?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

[i] Dr. Rick Lance is Executive Director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions

In elementary school every student wanted to be the one chosen by the teacher at the end of the school day for a particular task. The task – gathering the chalkboard erasers, taking them outside and beating them together to clean the chalk residue off from the day’s classroom activities. It was a dusty, mouth drying, eye-watering, nostril-filling job and most every student wanted, longed, craved to be the one selected. To a six, seven, eight-year-old child, it was the highest honor possible. And, when my day came, I remember it well. It was a moment of outstanding pride. I stood my three foot frame up from my desk, shoulders back, head held high and walked to the front of the room as if I were 6 feet tall.

In recent weeks the term “shelter in place” has become synonymous with the Coronavirus. But I want to suggest a different premise for the term. Could it be that we the people of the church have relied for the last couple of decades, on church buildings as our shelter in place from the outside world? Have we created havens for our spiritual comfort? We join together for weekly meetings with one another, to hear God’s word, fellowship with like-minded and like-looking peers, safe from the outside world. Then we go out into the world feeling good about our reverent gatherings.

Certainly our society is changing. Morals as you and I knew them are no longer in vogue. It seems hate has been escalating for more than a decade, ever accelerating in 2020. Let’s face it, the world today can seem to be a frightening, daunting locale.

As Christ followers we must remember this world is not our home. We are but visitors, out of town guests. Strangers, yet called by God to always be relevant to the culture around us. God has not been caught off guard. He has known 2020 would be this way. And He has always known you would be living right where you are in the middle of all that is 2020. Now, let me tell you why that should be encouraging to each one of us.

As we know it, according to the biblical timeline, the world is a little more than 5,000 years old. God knew you before He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-14). God knew before the foundation of the world what 2020 would look like. And He knew you would be living here, representing Him this year. Read those last 2 sentences again. Of all the past 5,000 years and any to come, God chose you to represent Him in 2020 right here, in the U.S.A. God chose YOU!

That is an amazing thought. It is an honor that far exceeds beating two chalkboard erasers together. And we should treat it as such an honor. What will be your prayer today and every day this week as you look to treat 2020 as your special blessing and honor in serving God?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday

Is the church (in general) relevant today? Does the church of 2020 have anything to say? It seems many people in our society would say, no, the church does not and is not relevant.

Racial pressures, diversity, political wars, media bias, so much seems to divide our nation today. Did this start in January 2020? No. Did it begin with the election of our current President? No. With the previous President? No. Perhaps since the invent of modern technology of the 20^th and 21^st century, this has been a rising tide.

To read of the stories of the Manhattan Project and the secrecy, commitment, and devotion in the early years of Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Atomic City) are both intriguing and fascinating. These two were connected and resulted in the bombing of Hiroshima, ending World War II. This is where many place the beginning of our current technological age.

It is where the thought came into being that a new technological driven society would eradicate poverty, isolation, violence, acts of inhumanity, and diversity issues. I do not know if we ever saw much decline in those areas. 2020 is certainly filled with evidence to the contrary. Technology has brought us to a multi-cultural society, bringing the world together both physically and through instant communication.

Is perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing the church today that the church in North America is built largely around a mono-cultural ministry while living in a multi-cultural society? Erwin McManus says the church has “fashioned itself around a monocultural ministry – not only in style and texture, but also in its message.”[i]

In the church we tend to accept only those technologies that allow us to remain in our comfort zone. Those who complain about the introduction of new technologies in the church are sitting in the service with their cell phones in pocket or purse. They drove to church in a high-tech air conditioned car and will return home, cook a bag of popcorn in a microwave and kick back in their soft (maybe electric) recliner and click the remote to their big screen HD TV.

2020 has brought new realizations of the good technology can bring through the church, as in the internet worship services. More than just technology, any step the New Testament church can take, no matter how big or small, to bring the people of various cultures in our community together for Christ, the closer that church will look like the church in Acts.

We no longer live in a mono-cultural society. Our mono-styled methodology and delivery is no longer the drawing card we’ve relied on for 70+ years.

Perhaps more than any time in history, in the 21^st century, to gain an audience to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must first gain the trust and respect of those with whom we wish to share. How will you change your prayer time today to seek God’s wisdom on being a 1^st century Christian in the 21^st century?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

[i] An Unstoppable Force, Group 2001, pg 53

God has blessed us with an opportunity that He has never before given any generation in history. God chose you and He chose me to live at this specific time in history so He could bless us with this particular blessing. The blessing – He has granted us the opportunity to reach over seven (7) billion people! No other generation has ever had that great blessing. Think about it, if the church of 1920 (100 years ago) had reached absolutely every person on earth with the gospel, it would’ve been less than 1,000,000,000 – only 1/7^th of the possibilities in front of you and me.

The strategies, practices, and programs of the North American church in the last seven decades has failed to keep up with the population growth much less kingdom growth potential. Perhaps you will agree with me that it is time to prayerfully rethink and regroup. I do not believe God has brought us to the turmoil and trials of our North American society today without a plan for His church to be effective in her mission.

Like many of you I am troubled, perplexed, and at times depressed at society’s situations unfolding before us. At the same time, I am convinced that we live in a time of great opportunity, perhaps greater than any generation in history. Why would God allow us to live in such a period of great turmoil and great opportunity if He did not have the yearning to pour out one of the greatest spiritual movements of all time?

This is our time to go to God in prayer with a greater, stronger plea than ever before in our lives. Our plea is for strength, power, and boldness that we have never before experienced. I believe God desires to hear the battle cry of His saints and this can only come from the emboldening of the Holy Spirit within each of us. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the power of evil and darkness.

We must prepare for a spiritual battle, even if like the Israelites on the wall with Nehemiah, the battle never comes to our door. We begin prayerfully; a deeper heart-wrenching crying out to God than we’ve ever mustered. Then we must seek from God the spiritual wisdom, insight and strategies to carry out His plan for His church for the next fifty years.

I believe His plan will look differently than the church of the past fifty years. We are currently speaking with a few visionaries of how God may be leading His church in preparation for the future considering a series of webinars assisting church leaders in moving into God’s future. We’ll look at questions as: Are we headed for persecution of the church? What will a faithful disciple look like in the future? What are the New Essentials of church life?

Our goal is to assist the church, the bride of Christ, in moving to a greater effectiveness by allowing the Holy Spirit to consume us like never before. Watch this weekly post, social media, and your affinity networks for more information, as together we explore God’s call for Christ’s bride for this time in which we live. Join us as we open our hearts to our unique blessing and perhaps God’s greatest spiritual movement of all time. Begin praying today!

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

I often refer to change as a dirty six letter word in the church. We don’t like change in the church. After all it is the one place we can find continuity – things stay the same. It is evident, the world is rapidly changing around us. We do not have to like or embrace all the change going on around us. Yet, this is the era God chose for you and me to live. Therefore, this is the era that you and I have been chosen (by God) to make a difference.

Seventy-four years ago a world inhabitant boom began. Prior to that year the total population of the earth was estimated at about one billion people. It was celebrated as the largest number of people ever on earth at one time. Today those estimates total more than seven (7) billion people. That means in each of the last seven decades we have added (for each decade) as many people as it took the first 5-6 thousand years to amass.

How is the church doing at keeping up with this massive population expanse? Some have written in answer to that question; “only incrementally.” Honestly, that may be an overstatement. Denominations large and small are showing declines (sometimes steep) in church attendance over the last few decades. All while the population has been exploding.

In writings and speaking I have noted over the past twelve years that the church of the future may look vastly different than the church of the past century. I still not only believe this to be true, I now believe through today’s societal events, that timeline is being hastened. What will the church look like? How will it be different? I am not certain. But here are some thoughts on needed “changes” .

Many current models of ministry strategies are out of date and out of touch with society. Over the centuries, the New Testament church has made changes to adapt to the people of the existing culture. Not the message, it will always remain the same. We are doing church today similar to the way it was introduced to the pioneer country of USA over 200 years ago.

Even in these years there have been many changes. We no longer have itinerant preachers. We now have comfortable seating, electricity, A/C, screens, videos, and more than one church per city. Bus ministries have come and gone. These are all changes that God has brought us to and through. Today, we are once again at a time to follow God’s lead as we look to integrating the church into the world, while keeping the goal the same; take the gospel of Jesus Christ – the news of a loving and just God to the people around us.

Letting go of some of our comforts must be part of the 21^st century church. God has always sustained His church with His promise that He will always be with us until the end of time. The question is, are we willing to trust Him, to follow into areas (strategies) unknown or uncomfortable to us, yet intended by God?

It is a new day believer, and God’s call is still upon us. He thought enough of you to place you in this time of history to answer His calling to reach the world for Christ. What will it take for you to be totally surrendered to God’s New Call of integration of the gospel? This is our New Reality.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.