Congregation finds new way to share the gospel
One leadership, one vision, one plan for ministry, and one staff—but two church buildings. This is the new approach that St. Andrew, which now has sites in both Middleton and Waunakee, Wis., is trying to reach out to more people.
“[This multi-site approach] grew out of a vision that we gathered about three years ago now,” says Randy Hunter, pastor at St. Andrew. “We said, ‘We’re blessed with a new, beautiful facility, but we just know there are people that would never come here. So let’s get out of the building, go into the communities, and see if we can reach them in other ways.’ ”
After a two-year study, the congregation decided a satellite ministry might work. They also thought about different ways in which to present the gospel and came up with an approach that Hunter refers to as “casual about church; serious about God.”
“We studied our culture: its movement away from church and its movement toward community and the desire to get together at a café or a Starbucks,” says Hunter. “Our goal was to recreate that atmosphere and bring the gospel to it.”
St. Andrew looked at possibilities for its new satellite location, such as storefronts in area strip malls, but instead was able to acquire an existing church building.
The only problem was the interior didn’t match their “casual about church” approach. So the congregation hired a popular coffeehouse designer—coincidentally someone who didn’t attend church—and asked him to design the kind of place where he’d feel comfortable coming to hear about Jesus.
Hunter says the result looks and feels like a café, complete with chairs, couches, coffee tables, and coffee machines in the back. In the front of the room is a simple altar and a screen where Hunter’s prerecorded sermons are projected.
“After the sermon, the worship leader invites everyone to take a break, refresh their coffee, and get settled down in their chair or couch for a Bible study on the sermon text,” says Hunter. “If you think about what it would be like to have some people over to worship Jesus in your living room—that’s the atmosphere.”
Hunter says that approximately 50 to 60 people attend each week, many of whom had not been attending any church. “Several families are very interested in growing in the faith with us and partnering with us,” says Hunter. “We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church. We’re trying to provide a casual atmosphere where you’re free to talk about what this means to you and how it applies to your life. We get the chance to give the same teaching that we do in any church, but just in a different setting.”
Hunter says this new venture is a great addition to St. Andrew’s services in Middleton, which features a more traditional liturgical style. The congregation has a thriving music ministry—more than 150 musicians and soloists perform throughout the year. The congregation also reaches out to Middleton and surrounding communities through its school, where more than 60 percent of the students are nonmembers.
“The most important thing is determining what it is going to take to reach people that aren’t coming to us,” says Hunter. “Anything that isn’t unbiblical is fair game. Let’s just try it! It’s up to our churches to step up and see what we can do to get the gospel out there.”
For more information, visit www.st-andrew-online.org.
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Volume 96, number 1, 01-1-2009, category: news
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Mark Freier Style Weddings For Hire:
Please contact Pastor Hunter to schedule a wedding, register for the Pre-Marriage workshop or to receive our handbook about wedding at St. Andrew. You may check the St. Andrew Calendar to see if a date is open.
Introduction and Important Time Lines
As soon as you're engaged:
•Register for one of two Pre-Marriage workshops each year (winter or summer)
•Call the church office to check on dates available for your wedding
•Check with our pastor on his availability.
One year to six-months before your wedding:
•Fill out the Wedding Planning sheet
•Participate in the Pre-Marriage workshop
•Meet with your assito plan the music for your service
Some reminders...
Do I have to be a member to be married at St. Andrew? Absolutely not! If you're looking for a place to grow in Christ, a people to support your Christian home and opportunities to explore your faith and serve other people, we're happy to serve you. To be honest, though, if you're looking for a "wedding mill" to take your money, marry you, and leave you alone; please keep looking! There are plenty in town; we're not one of them. You do not need to be a member, but we do have three requirements.
•That you participate in a Pre-Marriage Workshop.
•That you participate in our basic Bible doctrine course called Keys to Faith. We offer these sessions on Sunday mornings during the Education Hour. You don't have to join our congregation and there's no pressure to do so; just a requirement that you take the class.
•That you not be living together; or if you are, that you separate before your wedding. Somewhere along the line someone may have given you the impression that it's no big deal and everyone does it. It is a big deal (God has a commandment against it). And, no, not everyone does it. Of course you love each other, but that suggests you do what's best for each other. That would not include sin. Our God is gracious and forgiving. Jesus died for all sin, including sexual intimacy before marriage. That's the point: Jesus died for our sins so we don't want to continue in them. We understand not everyone will listen to what Jesus says about this; but we'd be less than faithful to Him if and less than loving to you if we didn't tell you what he says. We want to help you start your marriage with his blessing.
A rehearsal is usually necessary. Because a wedding service is a worship service, it deserves our best attention an preparation. Most couples hold the rehearsal the evening before their wedding. It usually takes about 45 minutes.
The Marriage License is given to the pastor at the rehearsal. This document is absolutely necessary for him to perform the ceremony.
Use of the Church
Our seating capacity is about 300; the center aisle is about 60 feet (you won't want a 30 foot train!). There is no charge to use our facility for your wedding. However, several brothers and sisters in faith will help you worship (musician(s), AV technician, wedding coordinator and janitor). We ask you to give an honorarium to them to thank them for serving you. These amounts typically total about $200.
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This is how The Hope is presented by the vendor:
The Hope
The Story of God’s Promise for All People
a powerful chronological overview of God’s redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation
Now available in numerous languages
ChristianAnswers’ top video recommendation for effective evangelism
[Click for order section]
Watch this movie here, in its entirety, or by chapter
Click here to view The HOPE on-line—our evangelism Web site with streaming video
About the mission of this film…
Click here to view a 4-minute video about why The HOPE was produced and how it can be used effectively. GO…
More Information
Movie Review
(Christian Spotlight)
Article:
”How to teach the Bible chronologically—and why”
(EffectiveEvangelism.com)
View short clips
Windows Media
Clip A / B / C
(more clips coming)
RealVideo
Clip A - Dialup / 256k
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Clip C - Dialup / 256k
There is a source of hope and help for you and me, a book unlike any other in all the world. It is the most quoted, the most published, most translated book in human history.
Known as the Bible, this book was written by more than 40 people from various walks of life, living over a period of 1500 years. Yet, as if the authors were guided by an unseen hand, there emerges from its pages one story of eternal proportions, centered around one extraordinary character… One who will deliver the world from death.
Created in cooperation with motion picture producers and distributors around the world, this unique motion picture provides a powerful, dramatic summary of this incredible story… a story many have called the greatest story ever told.
This motion picture has it all!
■Quality
■Teaches the WHOLE story; the whole gospel
■Versatile and short enough to allow time for ministry after the viewing
■Appealing to all races and culturally adaptable
QUALITY
Just imagine having a presentation of the biblical story you could be proud to show to your unsaved friends. One that connects with the deep questions in every human heart: Why am I here? Is there a God? What happens when I die? And then the presents the Bible as an authoritative, credible source for answers to those questions.
“…the most powerful presentation of the gospel on video that we have ever seen…with “zero embarrassment” factor…”
—Ken James, Christian Spotlight on the Movies
Even the most media sophisticated viewer will be impressed by The Hope’s dramatic interpretations, lifelike special effects, moving soundtrack and compelling story.
The HOPE is a dramatic motion picture presentation of God’s redemptive story as revealed in 36 Biblical events from Creation through the Second Coming of Christ. It includes some of the most beautiful cinematic presentations of the Bible ever filmed. With a high priority on quality, The HOPE was produced on 35mm film (same as hollywood movies). It contains numerous digital effects. Nearly 4 years in the making, The HOPE was produced by mature and respected Christians who have produced effective evangelism films for over 20 years - used of God to lead thousands to Christ.
DESCRIPTION
Ever wondered why so few people seem to understand the Gospel these days? For many, the problem is that they have simply never had the whole story clearly explained from the beginning — and so they are left confused.
Today, soul-winners world-wide are rediscovering the effectiveness of sharing the Gospel chronologically — starting in Genesis. That is what this movie does. The approach is wise and effective. More souls are being won as a result!
Special effects are used to show the creation of the universe and man, revealing the basic attributes and character of God. The story then proceeds to telling of the fall of the angels, the fall of man, the entrance of sin into the world, the penalty of sin being death, the impending judgment and the promised deliver. Then the foundation of God’s redemptive purpose is laid through the calling of Abraham, the establishment of Israel and the sacrificial system requiring the shedding of blood of the unblemished lamb for the forgiveness of sins.
Check out these OTHER great resources
The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus
Chronological teaching method
(book, multiple languages)
God’s Story
(movie)
(video, VCD, CD, tape, multiple languages)
Are You Going to Heaven?
(movie)
Jesus
(movie)
Discovering the Bible
(movies)
Finally, the promised deliver is born, His life, love and ministry are displayed and His death and resurrection are portrayed. The church is then established and sent through time to bring God’s story to all mankind so that everyone might have a chance to respond.
The film ends with an effective summary review and a challenge to respond to Christ.
The dramatic biblical scenes and special effects of this epic effort are tied together by three on-screen storytellers. At times, these storytellers appear in front of the biblical scenes they are describing. At other times, the drama powerfully conveys the story without the support of a storyteller.
The use of storytellers in The HOPE serves two critical functions. First, they provide an effective overview, commentary, and continuity necessary to cover 36 biblical events in less than 80 minutes. Secondly, because The HOPE was produced with digital technology, storytellers can be easily changed to create foreign language versions. In this way, the biblical story becomes very culturally relevant to the viewers because they see and hear the story from someone of their own culture in their own language.
Discover the POWER of Chronological Story Telling
Missionaries world-wide are rediscovering the effectiveness of sharing the Gospel by utilizing the same chronological Bible story telling presentation used by Jesus on the Emmaus road. In fact, no matter how primitive or sophisticated a society may be, the best way to communicate truths such as the Gospel is still through the avenue of story telling.
New Tribes Mission is an example of an organization that moved from the traditional missionary approach of topical teaching to much more successful chronological Bible story telling. They now deliver the Gospel beginning with the foundational stories that present: The Creator God, humankind’s creation and fall, and people’s need to trust God’s provision of a substitutionary sacrifice.
Teachers begin in the Old Testament using Bible stories that point to the lost condition of all people, and of God’s promise that one day, a Savior would come to provide salvation for all humankind. After several months, the teaching of the New Testament stories of Jesus begin. At that point, even previously unreached people-groups easily recognize Jesus as the promised Savior from God.
Missionaries who switched to “chronological Bible story telling” report that instead of waiting many years for their first convert among unreached people groups, they now see an 80% conversion rate in only a few months—with evidence of changed lives!
TEACHES THE WHOLE STORY - A Biblically Based, Field Proven Approach to Evangelism
Many people in our modern post-Christian culture do not have a worldview through which they can truly understand a Gospel presentation that moves quickly toward a decision for Jesus. To effectively present the gospel, we must start at the beginning in Genesis and build a foundation of key Biblical truths. This is best accomplished by simply sharing the story of the Bible in chronological context. See article: “How to teach the Bible chronologically”
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The Vision
Watch this 4 minute video to learn more about why The HOPE was produced and how it can be effectively used. GOThe HOPE is a powerful personal ministry tool to help the body of Christ share God’s redemptive story with people from every tongue, tribe and nation.
Show it in tiny Indian village on a portable DVD player or laptop computer. In suburban America, groups of churches can mass distribute The HOPE as an evangelistic tract on DVD or VHS. Keep DVD copies in your pocket to give to unbelieving business acquaintances and friends. The possibilities are endless!
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AN EFFECTIVE DISCIPLESHIP TOOL
To help disciple believers to a deeper level in their newfound faith, The HOPE was created in teachable units so that classes can be built around each. There are four major sections comprised of 12 chapters and 36 biblical events. Four discussions can be built around the four sections. At a deeper level, a 12 unit Sunday school program or Bible study can be built around the 12 chapters. Finally, at a more detailed level, 36 classes could be built around the 36 biblical events.
BACKGROUND
In the early stages of developing the concept for The HOPE, the producer went to many of the ministries using the renowned JESUS Film and asked them, “Do you see the need for a media tool in addition to The JESUS Film, and if so, what should it look like?” They began to see a common response. They all wanted something that:
1.had the production quality to reach even the most media sophisticated cultures,
2.was about an hour
3.was sensitive to the culture in which they were ministering, and
4.told the whole story, creation through Christ.
This input shaped the concept for The HOPE.
Many Christian ministries were consulted during the design and editing stage of The HOPE, including AD2000 & Beyond, New Tribes Missions, the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Youth for Christ International, The JESUS Film Project, and Eden Communications.
“In a time when instant solutions are sought, it is gratifying to see a project like The HOPE which takes the time to use the fabric of scripture to prepare the human heart for true understanding of the Gospel.”
— Don Pederson, Chairman, New Tribes Missions Research & Planning
“Who says that technology can’t be redeemed as The HOPE proclaims the excellencies of His Name in CD-ROM, DVD, video, print, film, cassette, Web and other formats! The accessibility of this tool using all kinds of these Buck Rogers communications gadgets brands The HOPE as the Gospel Project of the 21st Century.”
— Bill Stearns, Contributing Editor, World Christian Magazine and Co-author, Run With the Vision
Show The HOPE in a single showing or in sections (over a period of days, weeks or months), or both
SECTION ONE - 15:09 min.
Introduction - 3:11
1.The Universal Question - Is There a Purpose?
2.The Voice - Recorded for All Time in a Book
Chapter 1 - In the Beginning - 4:51
3.The Story Begins with God - His Attributes
4.Creation - A Reflection of Gods Power & Nature
Chapter 2 - The Choice - 3:07
5.The Tree of Life and The Tree of Knowledge
6.The Rebellion of Satan and The Creation of Hell
Chapter 3 - The Deadly Disease - 4:00
7.The Deception & Fall of Man
8.A Deadly Spiritual Disease Enters the World
9.The First Promise of a Deliverer
SECTION TWO - 22:31 min.
Chapter 4 - Prelude to the Promise - 3:26
10.God Was Grieved - The Great Flood
11.The Beginning of the Nations - The Tower of Babel
Chapter 5 - Blessed to be a Blessing - 5:45
12.The Calling of Abraham
13.Abraham Offers His Son - God Provides a Substitute
Chapter 6 - People of the Promise - 8:22
14.Isaac, Jacob & Joseph - The Promise Lives
15.God Prepares Moses to Lead the Hebrew People
16.God Brings the Hebrew People Out of Slavery
Chapter 7 - Called to Walk in the Ways of God - 4:58
17.God Gives the Hebrew People the Law
18.The Need for a Deliverer
SECTION THREE - 16:12 min.
Chapter 8 - The Promised One - 9:17
19.The Birth of the Promised Deliverer
20.Jesus as a Child
21.The Baptism of Jesus
22.The Temptation of Jesus
Chapter 9 - The Ministry of Jesus - 6:55
23.Jesus Calls His Disciples
24.The Ministry of Jesus
25.Jesus Offends the Religious Leaders
26.Jesus States His Mission
SECTION FOUR - 24:11 min.
Chapter 10 - God’s Love and Justice Intersect - 13:00
27.Jesus Confronts the Religious Leaders
28.Jesus Final Hours with His Disciples
29.The “Trial” of Jesus
30.The Crucifixion of Jesus
Chapter 11 - He Has Risen - 4:00
31.The Burial of Jesus
32.The Resurrection of Jesus
33.Post-Resurrection Appearances
Chapter 12 - The Church - Yesterday, Today, and Forever - 3:29
34.The Coming of The Spirit
35.His Followers Through the Ages
Conclusion and Summary - 3:42
36.His Invitation to You
Your copy of The Hope INCLUDES non-commercial public showing rights! (not including TV broadcast). Produced by our friends at Mars Hill Productions, in cooperation with numerous Christian experts and ministries.
Item Price each
The HOPE
DVD
English-language version
DVD Region 1-8 NTSC - plays on American DVD players and on DVD players of ALL other regions, too!
English-language version
US$1499
Weight: 0.25 pounds
The HOPE - DVD Ministry Packs
English-language version
These deep discount packs are designed for Christian’s who wish to give copies away as a ministry.
Pack of 5 DVD copies of The HOPE
You cannot resell these videos. The packaging is clearly marked “Not for Resale”.
DVD Region 1-8 - plays on American DVD players and on NTSC DVD players of ALL other regions, too!
