TN Ministries – Shepherd 2 Shepherd
October 2018
Welcome to the Shepherd 2 Shepherd resource and enews!
The purpose of this email is to provide information and resources to support your ministry as you serve our Lord and your community as a pastor. This information will include ministry stories, and current CHOG events and news within the state and national ministries.
TN CHOG Calendar
- Oct 20 – CWC (Middle and West) Fall Retreat – Lebanon, Generations of Grace
- Nov 2-4 – Young Adult Retreat – Camp Overton
- Nov 22 – Thanksgiving
- Dec 25 – Christmas
Two Free Ministry Resources
The Pastoral Ministries Team and Tennessee Ministries has purchased a subscription for the ministers and pastors with TN at the School of Wesleyan Studies at MACU. Select link below and type the user name and password below to access this on-line training at Mid America Christian University at no cost to you.
https://wesleyanschool.macu.edu/
username: tnchog@gmail.com
password: Evangels1
Church of God Ministries and Servant Solutions has partnered with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) to provide free resources for churches and pastors. This Church Excel resource can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
https://www.ecfa.church/churchexcel.aspx?d=%2fchogresources
Young Adult Retreat
The Young Adult Retreat will be held at Camp Overton Nov 2-4. Registration is $45. This retreat is a great time for your young adults to reflect on their journey with Christ. This retreat is designed for singles as well as married couples Please pass this information along to the young adult leaders within your church. Registration information is attached to this email.
Tennessee Ministries Harvest Offering
The Annual Harvest Offering provides additional funding for TN Ministries implementation of our state’s vision of “Lifting the Name of Jesus by Edifying, Encouraging, and Equipping the Church of God in Tennessee.” The funds collected during this Harvest Offering provides resources so we can focus on revitalization of churches, provide for connecting retreats, and equipping pastors and lay leaders with tools for ministry. Please consider supporting this year’s Harvest Offering for Tennessee Ministries. A Bulletin insert is attached to this email.
Pastor and Spouse Retreat
We are in the final stages of planning the next Pastor and Spouse Retreat in Feb 22-24, 2019. This year’s retreat will be held in Gatlinburg at the Park Vista Hotel. This encouraging retreat is an opportunity to rest and enjoy fellowship with your fellow partners in ministry. The cost is $300 and it includes two nights lodging and the Saturday Banquet Meal. This year, the retreat will be led by Rev. Ken Love and his wife Sheila. I have included the registration form in this email.
Resources I found insightful
What Changes with a Move from a Church of 50 to a Church of 150 https://samrainer.com/2018/10/what-changes-with-a-move-from-a-church-of-50-to-a-church-of-150/
6 KEYS TO BREAKING THE 200, 400 AND 800 ATTENDANCE BARRIERS
https://careynieuwhof.com/6-keys-to-breaking-the-200-400-and-800-attendance-barriers/
3 CHARACTERISTICS OF SCRAPPY CHURCHES
https://factsandtrends.net/2018/10/10/3-characteristics-of-scrappy-churches/
Forget the 200 Barrier – Small Churches Need to Break the Grasshopper Barrier
SHAPE
Connecting with others in ministry is vital towards meeting the challenges of ministry. If you would like to be part of a SHAPE group or want to learn more, please send me an email (pastorbobtn@gmail.com) to begin the journey in pastoral community.
Donate to TN Ministries when you shop on Amazon
Place your order through the Amazon website:
to donate a portion of your purchase. Select “Tennessee Ministries of the Church of God” as the charity you would like to support.
Book Available – James Massey “Views from the Mountain” is available for $10 plus shipping. If you would like a purchase a copy, send an email to tnchog@gmail.com.
Ministry Partner Information
In 2016, the Ministry Council of TN Ministries arranged with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company to be part of their ministry partner program. As you may know, Brotherhood Mutual provides high-quality insurance protection that includes risk management services. In addition, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company works exclusively with churches and related ministries.
You can find more information about Brotherhood Mutual and the many risk management services that the company offers at www.brotherhoodmutual.com, or you can contact our agency Bob Johnson Insurance, Inc. at 865-922-3111 or toll free at 1-800-624-3339. Please see attached letter as well.