Gutenberg and Google
Over at the Hacking Christianity blog there are notes on a conversation with Leonard Sweet about his idea that the language of the world — and thus the Church — is shifting from Gutenberg to Google. He offers three key questions to reflect on how your church is connecting to the culture:
- How is your church learning the language of the culture?
- How is your ministry context connecting with the images and narratives of the culture?
- How do you retain the Gutenberg generation while reaching the Google generation?
Encouraging A Young Leader
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Raising up a 2011 high school graduate, who is going to a local college, to teach Senior
High Sunday School, take over as Youth Group Leader.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and
congregations help?
Praying for him and supporting this ministry with advice, guidance, connecting him with supportive
lay leaders. Read more 
Drive-by Prayer
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
“Drive-by Prayer”
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
Saturday morning to early afternoon hold up signs to invite anyone for prayer – share prayer with walk-byes and drive-byes near church property. Read more
Sharing Ministry with Other Churches
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
God has been spreading my ministry to more than our church.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and
congregations help?
As I work with other churches other than my own, other churches can pass it on and work with other churches as well. Read more
Reforming Global Economics
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Reforming the global economic system.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and
congregations help?
Reform personal finance decisions – where I keep my money, where and how I spend it. Read more
Young Christians Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith
The alarming church dropout rate for youth leaving high school is less about young people losing their faith and driven by their alienation from church participation and their search to connect faith with the world they live in, according to new research from The Barna Group.
In “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church…And Rethinking Faith”, Barna’s David Kinnaman notes that “most young people with a Christian background are dropping out of conventional church involvement, not losing their faith.” (Read: Five Myths about Young Adult Church Dropouts). His research shows that about 3 in 10 young Christians stay involved with the church through college and young adulthood (although the ELCA has reported lower figures). Read more
Intentional Welcoming Strategy
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
A much more intentional welcoming strategy.
From where did this “new thing” spring forth? What need is God acting to meet through this activity?
Nelson Searcy’s book “Fusion”. Read more
Transitional Refugee Housing
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Welcome Home is a new ministry between Prince of Peace and LCFS. Welcome Home is a house next to Prince of Peace that God is turning into transitional housing for refugees.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and
congregations help?
I think God woke us up to this ministry. POP sold the property a few years ago, the new owner fixed up the property beautifully. He turned the 2 bedroom house into a 4 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms. When he asked for too much rent and couldn’t rent it, he gave POP a nice discount. POP couldn’t do it, but God could. Read more
Lutherans Fighting Hunger
From hosting community meals and stocking food pantries to collecting cans and doing hunger simulations and other awareness activities, Lutherans in Southeastern Pennsylvania are engaged in fighting hunger in their neighborhoods.
To learn what congregations are doing, visit our new God Is Doing Something New! Crowdmap.com page. Browse over to the site to share what your faith community is doing to help the hungry.
Crowdmap can also track your faith formation, faith in action, connecting and equipping efforts. Visit often to share what you are doing.
Transformational Ministry
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Pushing us to go beyond the walls of church and out into the community.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
Leading transformational ministry efforts in council. Reach out to do what we were commanded – to go out and make followers – easier said than done for me. Read more
Sustainability is a Stewardship Issue
“SBNR” – A Starting Point?
Amy Thompson Sevimli, assistant to the bishop in the ELCA’s Metro DC Synod, writes at Call & Response that people’s identification as “spiritual but not religious” can be a starting point for faith-filled conversation, if we listen first:
I firmly believe that the best way we can connect people with God in Christ — and with the way we worship that God in church — is by first listening to their spiritual story and only then telling our own. Often, they are more willing to listen to us than we are to them, usually not bored by us but fascinated by our faith and our willingness to give voice to it in a day when many are not. Spiritual but not religious is not an impediment to that conversation but an invitation if we are willing to accept it.
Feeding the Hunger for Service
What is the “new thing” you have perceived God doing?
Creating dissatisfaction – making people hungry for something true, kind and hopeful. – Rev. Serena Sellers
Service Sundays once a month as an outreach and social ministry event. While it is perceived as helping others, it is actually a way for awareness to the members of the congregation. – Gary D’Aprile Read more
Building Community Across Denominations
What is the “new thing” you have perceived God doing?
Assemblies of believers developing in non-traditional, non-denominational and community-building ways. – Rev. Paul Xander
Sharing our building with a group of another denomination. Trying to find ways to work together as well as carry out individual ministries. – Linda Woodley
Bringing people of all denominations to work together to be evangelists through the communities where we worship, live and work. – Cheryl Detweiler Read more
A New Thing
The Prophet Isaiah reminds us to be on the lookout for God’s hand at work, in our communities, our churches and in our own lives. God’s “new thing” is a continuation of the care God has lavished on the world since the creation.
Bishop Claire Burkat inspired us to look for a perceive what God is up to in our lives, neighborhood and churches during the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod’s 2011 fall gatherings. This site captures the stories shared at these gatherings so that you can learn how others perceive God is at work.
You’re invited to share your stories of joining in God’s mission in your church or community using our quick and handy form.
Enjoy what your partners in ministry have shared, ask questions or join in conversation, and visit often for new stories!