Shared Learning Experience: Topics and Book List: 2013-2014
Note: The books’ titles are the italicized below.
Session 1—Orientation/ Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results by Lovett Weems, Tom Berlin
Highlights: Get a better understanding of the FCJ process, develop a group covenant, and discuss what being a fruitful church looks like.
Session 2—Our World Has Changed/The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase
Highlights: Consider how the world has change and how that impacts how we carry out our mission, look at the five practices of fruitful congregations and how to do them better, learn about the MissionInsite demographic tool that can help us understand our mission field.
Session 3—Aiming Real Leaders at the Mission Field / Direct Hit by Paul Borden
Highlights: Explore the importance of communication, the qualities of an effective leader and leadership development, the need to focus solely on our mission, consider three key groups that every church needs.
Session 4—Taking Your Church to the Next Level/Taking Your Church to the Next Level, byGary McIntosh
Also recommended for churches with fewer than 100 in worship: The Healthy Small Church: Diagnosis and Treatment for the Big Issues
Highlights: Understand the various stages in a church’s lifecycle and what must be done to be on the growing side of the cycle, understand how a church’s size impacts how it functions and look at how your church can begin functioning as a larger church.
Session 5—Focusing for Transformation / Simple Church by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger
Highlights: Discover how doing less more intentionally can raise a church’s effectiveness in carrying out its mission, learn about the importance of mssion, vision, and values, and consider a system that can intentionally grow disciples.
Session 6—Focusing Outward / The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson
Highlights: Examine the degree to which your church is outwardly focused, and explore ways to intentionally connect with and build relationships with those beyond your church’s walls.
Session 7—Real Life Evangelism / Get Their Nameby Doug Anderson,Bob Farr, Kay Kotan
Highlights: Learn how to articulate and share your own faith story, discover how to become a 21st-Century missionary, consider how to create an outwardly-focused church culture.
To acquire the above books, participantscan either purchase them from a retail vendor (e.g. Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or buy or perhaps borrow the books from one of the congregations below who has already completed Step 1. Note: The book being used in Session 7 (Get Their Name) is new; thus, it won’t be available from the below churches.
Indiana United Methodist Churches (100+) that have participated in Step 1
Note: Column 2 indicates each church’s district.
May 30, 2013, Indiana Conference UMC
Bartlett Chapel UMC / CECastleton UMC / CE
Danville UMC / CE
Greenwood UMC / CE
Indianapolis Barnes UMC / CE
Indianapolis Chapel Hill UMC / CE
Indianapolis Edgewood UMC / CE
Indianapolis Epworth UMC / CE
Indianapolis Good Shepherd UMC / CE
Indianapolis Lawrence UMC / CE
Indianapolis Old Bethel UMC / CE
Indianapolis Southport UMC / CE
Indianapolis University Heights UMC / CE
Indianapolis University UMC / CE
Indianapolis Wesley UMC / CE
Martinsville First UMC / CE
Mooresville UMC / CE
Mt Auburn UMC / CE
Mt Comfort UMC / CE
Smith Valley UMC / CE
Whiteland UMC / CE
Corinth / EA
Muncie College Avenue UMC / EA
Muncie Gethsemane / EA
Muncie Riverside / EA
New Castle First UMC / EA
Portland Asbury UMC / EA
Portland Trinity UMC / EA
Richmond Central UMC / EA
Richmond First UMC / EA
Selma UMC / EA
Winchester First / EA
Yorktown / EA
Anderson Cross Roads UMC / NC
Center Chapel / NC
Kokomo Main St UMC / NC
Kokomo Zion UMC / NC
Lapel Trinity UMC / NC
Noblesville Emmanuel UMC / NC
Pendleton First UMC / NC
Angola UMC / NE
Churubusco UMC / NE
Decatur First UMC / NE
Fort Wayne Calvary UMC / NE
Fort Wayne Taylor Chapel UMC / NE
Fort Wayne Trinity UMC / NE
Fort Wayne Waynedale UMC / NE
Kendallville Faith UMC / NE
Kendallville Trinity UMC / NE
LaGrange First UMC / NE
Leo UMC / NE
Mt Etna UMC / NE
New Haven UMC / NE
South Whitley UMC / NE
Bremen UMC / NO
Chesterton UMC / NO
Church Of The Four Seasons UMC / NO
Door Village UMC / NO
Dyer UMC / NO
Gary Christ UMC / NO
Hammond Woodmar UMC / NO
Hobart First UMC / NO
Lakeville UMC / NO
NO
Mishawaka Coalbush UMC / NO
Munster Ridge UMC / NO
North Judson UMC / NO
North Webster UMC / NO
Plymouth First UMC / NO
South Bend Grace UMC / NO
South Bend Northwest UMC / NO
Wakarusa UMC / NO
Warsaw First UMC / NO
Brook UMC / NW
Brookston UMC / NW
Dayton UMC / NW
Delphi UMC / NW
Flora / NW
Lafayette Christ UMC / NW
Lafayette Grace UMC / NW
Logansport Crosswind UMC / NW
Logansport First UMC / NW
McGrawsville UMC / NW
Monticello UMC / NW
Otterbein UMC / NW
Peru Parkview UMC / NW
Remington / NW
Rensselaer Trinity UMC / NW
Rochester Grace UMC / NW
Royal Center UMC / NW
Wabash Christ UMC / NW
Wabash First UMC / NW
Winamac First UMC / NW
Batesville UMC / SE
Columbus Asbury UMC / SE
Greensburg UMC / SE
Hanover UMC / SE
Madison Trinity UMC / SE
Nashville UMC / SE
North Vernon First UMC / SE
Rushville St Paul's UMC / SE
Corydon Old Capital UMC / SO
Edwardsville UMC / SO
Jefferson Park Memorial UMC / SO
Jeffersonville Wall Street UMC / SO
New Albany Depauw Memorial UMC / SO
New Albany Silver Street UMC / SO
New Albany Wesley Chapel UMC / SO
Pfrimmers Chapel UMC / SO
Scottsburg UMC / SO
Sellersburg UMC / SO
Evansville Central / SW
Evansville Old North UMC / SW
Evansville The Turning Pointe UMC / SW
Loogootee UMC / SW
Mt Vernon First UMC / SW
Newburgh UMC / SW
Petersburg First UMC / SW
Vincennes Community UMC / SW
Vincennes First UMC / SW
Bloomington Fairview / WE
Brazil First UMC / WE
Crawfordsville First UMC / WE
Linden UMC / WE
Linton UMC / WE
Terre Haute Mt Pleasant UMC / WE
Terre Haute Temple UMC / WE
May 30, 2013, Indiana Conference UMC
May 30, 2013, Indiana Conference UMC